Lucid & Hyzenthlay Joint post


As Solan drew closer, he was able to recognize the two students as Riian Ulrich and Nathan Sherman. The younger appeared more composed, nonchalantly smoking a cigar, but was probably just in shock. Riian, on the other hand, seemed considerably shaken as he struggled to form his words.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, Riian," Solan said as he put a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder in order to calm him. "I don't think there was anything you could have done even if you had tried. I'm just glad to see that you're all right. You two are really lucky to be alive after all of this. It was only by chance that I wasn't here at the time since Marcel and I were out running an errand..." Even as Solan spoke to him, Riian still seemed distraught and confused as his gaze wandered from the professor to the bodies on the ground around them. Wanting to keep the young man focused, Solan firmly, yet gently shook him in order to get his full attention.

"Riian, look at me," Solan said as he locked eyes with him, "It's not your fault. Believe me when I say that there was nothing you could have done. I know this may be hard for you, but there's no reason for you to be sorry. Now just take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

"I'm sorry, Professor." The boy shook his head, apparently trying to free himself from the merciless terror around him. "I'm usually so calm, this has all piled on me. On us." He shuffles his feet looking down at them. "I know I couldn't have done anything. That doesn't mean I shouldn't have tried."

Solan loosened his grip on Riian and sighed. "I get what you mean Riian, but don't try and kid yourself into thinking that only you, a student, could have made any difference in the outcome here. I'm not saying that you couldn't have done anything, but even if you had, you probably would have ended up just like the others here. I know I'm probably going to sound somewhat trite saying this, but you need to learn when to pick your battles. I don't even think I could have done anything had I been here. No, you both were spared for some reason..." Solan said as he put his hand to his mouth and began chewing on his thumbnail in contemplation, while he continued to mumble his thoughts. "Of course they had to leave witnesses...someone to tell others what they had seen happen here..."

He stopped halfway in the middle of his sentence, suddenly feeling like an idiot. Why hadn't he realized it until now? He had noticed Riian acting nervous, shuffling his feet and trying not to look at the scene around them, but he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't even put it together. "I...I'm sorry Riian, Nathan," he said, sounding flustered. "We shouldn't be here right now. We need to talk, but this definately isn't the time or place to do it."

He then looked over at Nathan who seemed ready for action and he could only sigh. "I know you want to do something, but I think it's best if you just slow down for a minute and at least come up with a plan before we go busting down the doors of Drasna, with an 'ask questions later' kind of attitude, especially when we don't have all the facts yet. I want to do something too, but rushing into something is only going to get us killed just as quickly." He hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but it was the truth. "Regardless, I think we should go to my office so you can all sit down and rest for a while. We'll have plenty of time to talk and think of a plan once you've gotten your thoughts straight. I'm not going to force you to come, and I won't try and stop you if you want to go your own way, but just remember what I've said."

Without waiting for an answer, Solan turned and began to make his way across the garden towards the exterior doors that he and Marcellus had come through earlier. Marcellus was more than happy to leave the garden as he hurriedly lead the way, but Riian, who chose to come, followed closely by Solan as he walked.

"Sir. They-they were teleporting. Does that mean it was Drasna? Did... Did Drasna do this to us?" Riian shifted his arm uncomfortably, following at Veralow's heel. "Were the black-clad soldiers ours, or theirs? And..." Riian paused. He had become strangely aware of how quickly he was speaking. He decided it best to wait for answers before continuing his inquisitive barrage.

A serious look came over Solan's face as he listened to Riian's questions, but he didn't have any definate answers for the young man, and that worried him. "I..." he stopped as he tried to think of something to say, but there was nothing he could say. He didn't know anymore then what the two students did, and that wasn't at all very comforting to him. "I don't know, Riian," he finally said, sounding defeated. So much for trying to seem like the person with all the answers. "I think maybe I'll know more when you can tell me the details of what happened, but only when you think you're ready to talk about it. This kind of thing won't be very easy to handle, so I still think you should rest a bit first. Even I had nightmares for months after..." he suddenly stopped himself, looking unsettled as he found himself talking too much. He then shook his head as he continued on. "...nevermind."