Kalim Al-Asim

[ LEAVE ]

"Al-?"

He couldn't even manage to put forth Kalim's surname before an interruption. This was par for the course with him, however, and Malleus doesn't even allow his face to fall into a characteristic pout.

"Maybe there is a way out via the woods we could try." He pondered as he led the pair back to ramshackle. "If I get my carpet we could fly over there quickly and see if there is any fencing around the boundry or some back root down we could use....it would be a trek for the students but if things go wrong at least they could use the woods as shelter."

Once he got his carpet out he settled down on one side patting a space beside him for Malleus. "Don't worry I will fly slow and steady so you don't have to worry about falling off if you want to join me on the carpet."

Ember’s head snapped in the direction of the noise, startled by the sudden dialogue. To be fair, to anyone walking by he was just staring into space.

But it was a rude awakening out of his attempts to see the future.

“Rations?”

He hadn’t even begun to consider that they’d need food. He thought they would be in, they would retrieve the stone, then they’d leave.

Of course, he knew it wouldn’t work that way, but part of him lately had begun to turn towards more… wishful thinking.

“I was thinking,” that was a li, “we should make sure that anything we have is ready to eat in an instant. There isn’t anything I can’t eat, of course, but anything that requires items such as water would be inadvisable… why are you asking Jamil to do this, though? Doesn’t he have his own team to worry about as well?”

Silver hadn't known that his head had hit the desk, as he and Kalim had just been catching up. He had been talking about... oh, about the recent strangeness across campus. He can remember they had discussed the cafeteria before he started to feel foggy, and he was out like a light. It was fast, with the light behind his eyes not setting into black just yet as he heard his classmate become animated beside him.

Silver gives a start as Kalim grabs his hand and tugs him out of the classroom in his dazed state, but Silver quickly comes back to himself as he realizes who he's with. Kalim doesn't grab Silver when he's asleep for nothing, and the smile soothes his worries for now. "No. No, I'm fine.  I only feel a bit cold."  With the adrenaline in his veins, he's unsure why his skin feels so chilly...

Silver was just behind his friend upon their stopping and was still hand in hand with his classmate as he walked beside them.  From where they were in the atriums and the many open windows, Silver could see nothing even as his eyes scanned at a snail's pace for the second time.  "I apologize, Kalim; I don't see anything suspicious." Nothing across the space looked particularly out of place. 

"Did you get to see it?" 

Silver pulls himself from the slightly kneeling position from where he checked the grass, and he tries to be there for Kalim without saying much while he talks. He's glad that Kalim has always been honest with him and puts his hand on the other's shoulder as he speaks his mind. The other sophomore shares a look not unlike the times he's doubted himself or had second thoughts, and now seems like another time. 

Silver listens to Kalim as the usually chipper student shows a dejected side of himself that Silver can recognize. It's not often that Silver gets to see many students be honest with him outside of Kalim, Rook, or Malleus about what was an issue to them. He can remember being honest with many people and only later realizing he might have made a bit of a fool of himself, but he'd never regret it. And he'd never get angry or upset, only slightly embarrassed after realizing what their stares meant.

And while Silver may know what it's like to have something greater to aspire to and to have others rely on you, he does not have the responsibility that Kalim has over a mass of students. Malleus does.  Silver can only empathize with Kalim's words since he has yet to have such a responsibility over the masses. 

"The students at Scarabia strike me as very keen-eyed students who, yes, may hold deep opinions, but they aren't ones to take half measures. Much less in trust or who they hold accountable." Silver can still remember the strain he felt among the Scarabian students toward Jamil while in class, and especially how they acted toward Kalim during that time. "I can't say anything about how they view your response to this, but I know you'll do everything you can for them. Dorm leaders hold a strength no other students have, even if it may not be magical."

"Your students, outside of Diasomnia students, panic the least from what I've seen."

Silver's words hit him deep as he looked at him wide eyed sparkling with admiration. "You...you really think so?" He questioned the comment on panicking. He couldn't help but swell in pride."They really are good students. I am so proud of how far they have come." Smiling brightly to Silver. "Thank you Silver, I really needed to hear that."

Silver hadn't known that his head had hit the desk, as he and Kalim had just been catching up. He had been talking about... oh, about the recent strangeness across campus. He can remember they had discussed the cafeteria before he started to feel foggy, and he was out like a light. It was fast, with the light behind his eyes not setting into black just yet as he heard his classmate become animated beside him.

Silver gives a start as Kalim grabs his hand and tugs him out of the classroom in his dazed state, but Silver quickly comes back to himself as he realizes who he's with. Kalim doesn't grab Silver when he's asleep for nothing, and the smile soothes his worries for now. "No. No, I'm fine.  I only feel a bit cold."  With the adrenaline in his veins, he's unsure why his skin feels so chilly...

Silver was just behind his friend upon their stopping and was still hand in hand with his classmate as he walked beside them.  From where they were in the atriums and the many open windows, Silver could see nothing even as his eyes scanned at a snail's pace for the second time.  "I apologize, Kalim; I don't see anything suspicious." Nothing across the space looked particularly out of place. 

"Did you get to see it?" 

"I saw something shadowy. It looked like it was looming over you…maybe it was a trick of the light though and I panicked." Shrugging off his cardigan he held it out to Silver. "Are you still cold? You can borrow this." He said, giving Silver a warming smile.

"With everything going on everyone is so jumpy and tense even I'm getting myself out of shape at every shadow and noise." He walked along with Silver as the other did a deeper inspection, Kalim watching over him with interest. He knew Silver was disciplined as one of the close students to the Diasomnia housewarden but it was a marvel to see Silver go from relaxed sleep to diligent in seconds. It somewhat reminded him of Jamil in a way with how prepared for everything his best friend was.

On a normal day, the field of grass and shrubs is good to watch with its barely moving trimmed grass, the trees that provide a backdrop of rustling leaves in the wind, and the red apples that add a bit of color diversity. But he isn't here for its familiarity, and he isn't here for the breeze that hits them, even though it was a warm one with no sun peaking out. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. 

He turns to Kalim, giving his friend his full attention as he shakes his head. "No.  I can't see anyone or any disturbance in the field. "Whatever you saw is gone, and I can't tell which way it went."

He genuinely wished to be able to say it went left or jumped into the grass, but there were no tracks he could follow or use. He almost wants to call his father to give him the news of what happened, but he's here now, and he wants to help Kalim. The courtyard they entered had Silver checking between the grass blades to check for footprints up close. Nothing. 

"... and no again." He sighs and answers honestly. "Students all around are jumping the gun faster and faster, and with situations like this, I'm more likely to believe they have a reason to be so upset. But, are you alright, Kalim?" 

Though unlike before he wasn't buzzing with excited energy and giddiness but more nervous dread and concern of his own strengths. He had never worried about his position as dorm head until recently. Slowly lowering him to the flats of his feet he barely registered Silver talking to him as concern was evident on his face by the ways his lips scrunched slightly and brow creased. He wasn't the normal bubbly and shining Kalim as he was normally.

Spirits had been low in the shared Ramshackle house as the time taken to return to the dorms stretched out into the new year. He had been lounging in the living room fidgeting with a loose thread on a cushion trying to think of a way to get everyone smiling.

That's when the Idea came to him. Of course it was so obvious! A party!

Excitedly he rushed past the room Jamil was shouting something about preparing a feast for the evening as he headed to Sam's to get decorations.

After dropping no small amount of Thaumarks he was now balancing on his tippy toes on the edge of the sofa trying to pin up some bunting stretching as far as he could to get the angle right when the door opened causing him to jump.

"Wah!"

He braced to hit the floor but luckily it never came. Greeted by golden eyes he chuckled slightly.

kindness and innocence swirled within those gold flecks. ortho's grip on kalim was firm when he first caught the prefect, only loosening up once he was assured kalim was alright.

he took the liberty to even help with readjusting, placing him back on his feet as if he weighed nothing!

ortho wanted to ask something– but the android was found to be distracted by a keen glimmer of copper against ramshackle's wooden floors. a glance down would confirm his suspicions of the item : thaumarks!

just as quickly as ortho caught kalim, he was scooping up the coins from the ground to return to kalim.

❝ that's a lot you've got there! plans to go out I persume? ❞ his inquiry came with a tilt of his head.

"Oh! Yeah it's just some pocket change. It's been kinder hard not to have a treasure room..." He sighed a bit dramatically.

After some patting of his pockets he pulled out his coin purse, the poor thing building and stressed out at the seams filled with coins and notes.

"It's hard to try and store it all on my person. But I wanted to try and make this place look better for everyone. Maybe people will feel more comfortable if we make this place look nicer. No offence to YuYu and Grim but..." He grimaced a little feeling bad at insulting the others home but...

ortho's opinions were bound to be an out lier. he wasn't a student, nor human, to be exact— so most that bothered everyone else never came to ortho's mind. like money and treasure rooms. It didn't seem that hard to store your funds properly, and yet here, his friend was struggling!

oh the confusing ways of life.

but— there was conversation to be had and questions to be answered. kalim's question in particular brought light to one of the more annoying traits of ramschakle life.

❝ it's been an adjustment, especially since nii-san and I have roomed together for so long. but it has been difficult to keep myself online for so long.

my charging booth had to be taken out of ignihyde to prevent damages to it... but whenever I use it here, I tend to take up most if not all the electricity. you can imagine how that fares with everyone else here. ❞

ortho nearly winced at his own reminder. to be the biggest walking disturbance in the dorm wasn't the most pleasant thing in the world.

"We should definitely pressure the Headmage to look at renovating Ramshackle when we are able to return to our dorms!" He nodded before sighing. "I keep thinking how difficult it is staying here without the basics we have at Scarabia and how dreadful it must be for Yuyu and Grim..." He sighed pitifully, eyes closing as he could only picture how rough it was for their host. "I have to go to the basketball club changing rooms to take a shower as there's just not enough hot water here for even one of us. How does Yuyu survive here full time...Your troubles with charging only adds to how urgently we must get the magestone back."

After hoarding them for months, I decided to make my own. Let’s go from fluffy to angsty, shall we >:)

🛏️ What does your OC’s bed look like? What would they like their bed to look like?

🐁 Capybaras are friend-shaped. What shape does your OC have?

🌧️ What is the favorite thing for you OC to do on a rainy day?

🪨 Someone gifts your OC a shiny rock. What do they do with it?

🐹 Which would be your OCs favorite Pokemon? What kind of trainer would they be?

🎲 If your OC played a pen and paper RPG, what class would they pick? Warrior, mage, thief, ranger, cleric, paladin, druid, necromancer, bard (or other, if that’s not enough).

🎮 If your OC lives or would live in the modern world, would they like video games? What would be their favorite game?

👎 Is there someone your OC can’t stand, despite them being on the same side or sharing basic values?

🌈 Does your OC speak more than one language? If so, how many and which?

🥪 On a scale from ‘burns water’ to ‘5 course menu’ how well can your OC cook?

📚 Your OC has to improvise a 10 minute lecture about a topic of their choosing. What do they chose?

🪄 Does your OC have any special powers? If so, are they normal in this OC’s universe?

🎨 Does your OC have any craft skill, as a hobby or profession? If so which?

🌳 Would your OC survive for a week on their own in the wilderness?

🌊 Has your OC ever seen the ocean? If not, do they want to? What do they think of it?

🥞 Does your OC take proper care of themselves, like getting enough sleep and eating properly?

🤝 Does your OC have someone they want at their side when they are scared? Who?

🌌 If your OC has a nightmare, what’s it most likely about?

🪤 What is one thing that could be used to lure your OC into a trap?

🎒 If your OC had to pick three things of all their belongings to keep, which would they chose?

🕐 Was there ever a time your OC would have given everything to turn back the clock 5 minutes? What happened?

🎭 What is the one thing your OC regrets most? Would they undo it, considering how their life turned out?

🔪 What does your OC think how they’ll die? 

Silver hadn't known that his head had hit the desk, as he and Kalim had just been catching up. He had been talking about... oh, about the recent strangeness across campus. He can remember they had discussed the cafeteria before he started to feel foggy, and he was out like a light. It was fast, with the light behind his eyes not setting into black just yet as he heard his classmate become animated beside him.

Silver gives a start as Kalim grabs his hand and tugs him out of the classroom in his dazed state, but Silver quickly comes back to himself as he realizes who he's with. Kalim doesn't grab Silver when he's asleep for nothing, and the smile soothes his worries for now. "No. No, I'm fine.  I only feel a bit cold."  With the adrenaline in his veins, he's unsure why his skin feels so chilly...

Silver was just behind his friend upon their stopping and was still hand in hand with his classmate as he walked beside them.  From where they were in the atriums and the many open windows, Silver could see nothing even as his eyes scanned at a snail's pace for the second time.  "I apologize, Kalim; I don't see anything suspicious." Nothing across the space looked particularly out of place. 

"Did you get to see it?" 

"I saw something shadowy. It looked like it was looming over you…maybe it was a trick of the light though and I panicked." Shrugging off his cardigan he held it out to Silver. "Are you still cold? You can borrow this." He said, giving Silver a warming smile.

"With everything going on everyone is so jumpy and tense even I'm getting myself out of shape at every shadow and noise." He walked along with Silver as the other did a deeper inspection, Kalim watching over him with interest. He knew Silver was disciplined as one of the close students to the Diasomnia housewarden but it was a marvel to see Silver go from relaxed sleep to diligent in seconds. It somewhat reminded him of Jamil in a way with how prepared for everything his best friend was.

It was a little boring to do alone and part of him considered calling Jamil to help even just by being there for company but he deemed it his own fault for getting himself into this mess that he decided to not call his best friend to help.

Maybe he should have....

He had just been writing the last notes from the board and checking his experiments when something sailed past his head impacting on the chalkboard. A narrow miss from his face drawing a squeak several octaves higher in shock. Red eyes wide and darting back and forth between the now smashed beaker and the shelf it likely came from. Seeing no one he let out a sigh laughing at himself as he walked over. Kneeling down carefully to start picking up the pieces.

"Ouch..." blooming crimson on his thumb as he cut himself on the sharp edge. Shifting to get up to get a paper towel for his now bleeding hand he stops heart in his throat at what he sees looming behind him.

Blood now ice in his veins for a brief moment as the shadowy figure looms over him he sees flashes of kidnappings and attempted assassinations from his past in his mind. Without thinking he screams in fear, scrambling back quickly not caring that he's kneeling in broken glass as fear reflects in blood red eyes but when he looks up to his assailant...nobody is there....Panting slightly as he tries to get his heart to calm down he barely hears the scarabian student who came running to his side after hearing him scream.

Yet, the whole situation was ringing in his head. He did not expect for the entire situation to be as it is, but there was going to be some interesting encounters. And well, seeing as he used to did all the gravekeeping during his older years and knowing that he wasn’t as considerate to some spirits as others, he wonders if there’s going to be some mad ghosts at him or if he’ll be able to be given a pass since those times had been more...emotionally compromised, to place it simply.

Yet the scream snaps him out of his thoughts. And not just any screams, but the screams of his Housewarden.

Before he could think, he sprinted to the source of the sound and saw Kalim in the ground, clearly having some sort of panic attack. There’s nothing around, so he doesn’t know the assailant, but his skin was ice cold, very uncharacteristic of the usually upbeat, if naive housewarden.

It would not do to leave him alone, so he takes him to the infirmary.

--

“Mr. Asim will be alright, Mr. Ferati,” the nurse says as he goes to Luciano, who has been sitting in the waiting room. “His system went into shock, which caused a panic attack.”

Luciano nods his thanks. He has texted Jamil about Kalim’s circumstance and was told to wait with him until he arrives. An annoyance, but it’s understandable. If the heir of a wealthy family was in crisis mode, the person least likely to attack him would be a fellow Scarabian, especially if said Scarabian is a freshman. 

He looks to Kalim from the doorway. “Vice Housewarden will be on his way, Housewarden,” he says. “If you don’t need any more assistance, I will be waiting outside until Vice Housewarden arrives.”

Looking up when he heard Luciano he smiled softly, not his normal bright one. "Ah how embarrassing...you messaged Jamil, oh dear he will give me an earful once he gets here if he comes." He sighed before patting the bed beside him. "You can wait in here Luci...You don't have to stand at guard I'm alright just some cuts." The nurse finally left him after wrapping his hand.

INFILTRATION PREPARATION!

Each defense team, under the decree of Headmage Crowley, has been given a week to prepare for infiltrating the Ghost Dimension. Bond with your team and fellow residents of Ramshackle Dormitory as you prepare for infiltration, or spend the time investigating circumstances around campus. A week hardly gives any time to prepare; choose your next actions wisely.

DEFENSE EXAM TEAMS. 

[ SPAR ]   -  Test your skills through an organized practice match with a classmate. 

[ DISAGREE ]  -  Have a disagreement with a member of your appointed Defense Exam Team,  whether you are able to mediate this is up to you! 

[ TAG ]  -  Recreate a ghost chase. Sender chases the receiver around to help them practice escaping from an enemy.

[ CHASE ]  - Start chasing after what you believe is an “apparition”,  only to be disappointed.  

[ WARP ]  -  Get warped across campus alongside the receiver.  Neither of you are able to figure out the cause of your sudden appearance in a new location.   

[ TRAPPED ] - Explore a closet with the receiver,  only to find that the door has closed,  and the two of you are now trapped inside.  

[ ARSON ]  - Play with fire together. 

[ MISHAP ] - Have a spell go wrong during practice, either causing damage to campus grounds or to your  own team. 

[ PIECE ]  - Create a pair of communication mirrors together,  preparing for the upcoming excursion. 

[ CHARM ]  - Craft protection charms together, hoping for some good luck to come your way. 

[ RATIONS ] -  Prepare emergency rations to ready yourselves for the excursion. 

SNEAKING AROUND AFTER CURFEW. 

[ RAID ]  - Scavenge the campus after hours for any potential supplies for your ‘trip’.

[ BREAK - IN ] - Break into the school’s dorms, checking to see the status with the poor weather and destruction. 

[ TRESPASS ] - Break into Night Raven University’s faculty area with the receiver,  hoping to find clues.  

[ MIRROR ] - Break into the mirror hall with the receiver to see where it can take you. 

[ LEAVE ]  -  Make an attempt to leave campus alongside the receiver,  only to find out that you cannot.  

[ PATROL ] - To make rounds patrolling the campus at night with the receiver,  keeping your eyes out for any suspicious activity.

INTERROGATE YOUR PEERS.

Communication is a vital component to success. Retrace the events that have occurred across campus in order to size your enemy and evaluate the state of affairs on campus. Each of your peers have had at least one encounter with the opposing forces. Only a fool would choose to embark into the ghost realm blindly– Be prepared. 

Click here for a comprehensive timeline of events.

NOTE: Some clues are locked behind certain muses.  Each muse can only answer a question twice. If a third person were to approach with the same question, the answerer will not be able to respond and the inquirer will have to select a different muse from the category to question.  

Thread starter for @crossedtheline __

Kalim sat at his drum kit lightly tapping the top of the drum with the sticks absentmindedly. He was busy staring out the window watching the world go by as he wasn't really thinking. The mixture of the light taps on the drum and the jingling of his bracelets making a slight combo of sound.

When the other entered the room Kalim would jump, accidentally throwing a stick across the room wincing as it clattered across the floor before it rolled into Jinx's feet.

Walking into the room, he instinctively ducked when the drumstick went flying, only for it to clatter unceremoniously at his feet. Straightening himself out, he sighed.

"We can just relax while playing and have a chat. Nothing serious required." starting off a rather relaxed drum beat for Jinx to tune the guitar too.

He paid Kalim no mind. One of Kalim’s best qualities is that he didn’t seem to mind when Jinx was focused on his own thing. He was able to tune up while he listened to him ramble about nothing. It’s always parties and parades and music and Jamil.

“You keep throwing parades and feasts like that, you’re gonna go broke before you graduate man,” he snorts.

Strumming through the strings again, he listened close for any sharp or flat notes. He nodded in satisfaction at a perfectly tuned guitar.

He listened bright eyed as the other spoke. "Rove Bogge....I think I have heard of him from Jamil. I think they are good friends. Jamil always gets lively when Rove is mentioned." He smiled brightly glad that Jamil was popular. Though he pondered on thousands of bugs comments. Jamil hated bugs....it would be odd that they would be friends...Oh maybe Jamil was trying to work through his phobia with the help of his new friend. How lovely!

"Oh yes, the stuff that is happening is odd. I wonder if the ghost's are just playing tricks to inspire everyone to work together. If you like I can join in the practice. I could always do with working on my own defence magic and it's more fun to study with friends right?" The elemental weapon sounded so cool. "Your elemental weapon would look amazing! I am sure we can find something to tell you how to do it."

He pondered for a moment thinking back on all the attempts on his life growing up. A magic shield would have been so helpful back then. Maybe he could shape his water magic into one?