Luna Hall Academy: The Entrance Exam

[Stray Shinku]

Pandora Dawn

Funny enough, Pandora began to have some difficulty traveling through the top of the maze as she was getting closer to its center. It was probably because she was acting totally reckless while hopping from one gap to another, almost falling off the top a couple of times.

"Damn it, if I keep up like this, I might actually fall," she thought as she finally realized she needed to slow down and take it easy. Sighing, she stopped on a small gap that was sticking out from one of the walls of the maze on is top. The location was near the center, her desired destination, so she turned her head to look over at it, just in time to spot a shiny red flare traveling from the center of the maze to the sky, making a small, sparkly explosion before disappearing.

Pandora stood still for a moment, perplexed and lost in her thoughts, her scarlet hair gently flapping as a warm breeze was passing by. "Well, then... This is embarrassing," she mumbled after a minute or so, pouting surprisingly cute with a light blush on her cheeks as she discovered that her guess of a sphinx been in the center of the maze was totally wrong. Closing her eyes, she scoffed and turned her head to her right, awkwardly fixing the straps of her bag around her chest. "I-I guess you can be wrong once in a while," she spoke to herself, nodding and beginning to make her way to the other side of the maze. "I mean, it's part of being human. Besides, people learn from their mistakes, but, of course, something like this won't happen again."

Grinning and with a new sense of confidence, Pandora began to leap from one gap to another once again, but this time, she was being cautious. After all, she wanted to pass this Trial and an injury will probably slow her down. She also saw Celest coming out from the center of the maze through a ladder, so she followed him from behind, silently chuckling as she saw how the poor guy was trying his best to not fall.

Once Celest arrived first at the other side of the maze, Pandora came a minute after him. "So... There was nothing in the center, huh?" she asked Celest while she was climbing down the ladder. "But, you know, now that I think about it, that would've been too predictable. So, knowing how the Staff is, they just wanted to see how many students fell for their really bad joke."

Once at the bottom, Pandora turned around to face Celest and smiled at him, clicking her tongue while snapping her right fingers, pointing at him with her index finger, resembling an imaginary gun. "And thanks for the flare signal. You saved me some time up there." Chuckling, the energetic young witch placed her hands on her waist and took a few steps forward and then, made a quick stop.

"So, what do we got around here, mmh?" she asked, most likely to herself rather than Celest. "I wonder if this time we finally gonna face our ultimate riddle. You know, like the Boss Battle from this level. Of course, I hope we don't have to fight something. I wouldn't stand a chance at all." And so, Pandora just keep babbling around kind of forgetting that Celest was there with her.

@Celestial Scorpio @Cresion Breezes

 

[Falcon]

North Route
@daird @GamerFangirl @Celestial Scorpio @Shinku⭐Kun Edit: and @Watase Yu

The group made good time getting everyone across the maze. However at the end Vinno needed to sit down and rest. There were others coming. She would move ahead when those cleared the maze. That left Sam (who had been relatively quiet the whole time), Nian, Celest, and Pandora to form a group of four and continue on. Their path was relatively strait although it did go up and down a few hills. The far side of the slope on the very last hill dropped down about twice as far as any of the others, and they found the path led ahead to what looked like a large cave. In front of the caves entrance lay a much anticipated creature.

She was long and limber with the golden color of her fur easily reconcilable against their green landscape. The sphinx seemed to be reading a book and sipping a cup of tea, although as they approached she looked up at them and yawned.

"Well it's about time you got here. It's so boring sitting alone. I suppose all the other contestants have chosen the other paths."


East Route
@ryexander

After figuring out that the pillar was nothing more than a "You Are Here" sign designed to waste time, and leaving Iris behind to rest and study it herself, Xander continued on along the eastern route to what seemed to be the end. After a time the path tipped down hill until it reached what seemed to be a small set of canyons. The walls were high and circular, making a round clearing at their center.

In the middle of that clearing was what looked like a square table with angular patterns etched in the surface. Rising from the table was what looked like a large bird perch with a sign hanging on it's pole.

A question required in answer before you can proceed
However you must find me first before question I concede

Somewhere, possibly behind or above him, Xander would hear a soft voice whisper.

"Hoo -Whoo are you?"

 

[Stray Shinku]

Pandora Dawn

Pandora excitedly followed the path in front of them, cheering her teammates to come along with her. "Come on, guys! I have a feeling that we're about to finish this level once and for all," she said in a cheerful tone, fixing the straps of her bag across her chest while walking in an almost skipping way. Since Pandora started this 2nd level of this Trials, her attitude and even her whole personality changed drastically. She wasn't that serious, shy, and loner Pandora mostly everyone in Luna Hall has known. This Pandora almost looks surreal and the reason of why she was acting like this was yet to be discovered, but so far, it was helping her to finish this Trials and guarantee her a spot in the Academy.

At the end of the path, Pandora made a sudden stop as her eyes saw her most anticipated creature: a beautiful golden sphinx. Her bicolored eyes widened as she gasped with awe, going speechless for a moment as she kept gazing a the magnificent sphinx, which was reading a book while enjoying a cup of tea.

As the creature laid its eyes on the group and spoke to them, Pandora swallowed hard and slowly took a few steps toward it, a wave of nervousness hitting her. "Yes, they probably will catch us later," Pandora finally replied, standing in front of the sphinx at a fair and safe distance. The creature didn't seem aggressive or dangerous, though, but Pandora didn't want to risk anything. "Are you here to give us a riddle as expected from a sphinx?"

 

[Falcon]

The sphinx tilted her head, peering at them each one by one. "Well yes I suppose that is my job. Hazel said all I had to do was sit here and enjoy myself as long as I gave riddles to each student who came by. If you get the answer right you get to go down those stairs over there behind that rock. If you get it wrong I send you back to the beanstalk to try one of the other paths."

She yawned widely covering her mouth with one of her paws.

"I have to admit though, I've been sitting here so long I'm starting to get board. Are you sure you want a riddle? You don't want to sit and talk a while?"

 

[Astroblaze]

fright

#E41 Astara Coruscaré
Date: entry day
Time: evening
Location: the second level—East Route
Tags: Xander (@ryexander), Iris (@Luma)
Character Profile

After her parents had registered her, leaving her to her own devices after final goodbyes, Astara had teleported with all the other students at precisely eight pm to the islands where the test began. Quickly adding the contents of the small pack she found waiting for her to those of the well-used navy backpack she carried with her—she had left her luggage with her parents to retrieve after the test—she set off, determined and excited with her bag secured over her shoulders and her ratty-bristled, hand-me-down broom clutched in one hand.[spoili]

[/spoili]

Although she attempted to join the other students that she spotted, they always ended up outpacing her, leaving her to make her way through the challenges alone. She didn't like it, especially with the knowledge that the trial was supposed to be a team effort, but she coped alright, accustomed to spending her time alone.

She made her way through the puzzles with few setbacks, descending the beanstalk in time to chase after a red-headed young man grumbling something about 'old arts', finally catching up with him when he paused at the pillar, joining with a dark-haired girl already there. Only taking a moment to catch her breath, she greeted both of them with a cheery "Hi! I'm Astara! What are your names?"

 

[Falcon]

(( Collab with @Midian ))

Leilani took the time she needed to rest and recuperate at the waystation at the center of level one, but eventually she knew it was time to move on. As least with the others going ahead she new the next step. Soot scampered along by her feet as they took the path to the beanstalk.

The beanstalk itself was still just as the other students had found it. Large, leafy and stable with a set of stairs inside. There was a railing along both edges that seemed to be made of smaller vines and the gaps in the twined stalk made excellent windows to the level below.

Soot pittered around the top of the beanstalk looking a bit lost at how to get down the large steps. They were firm and the footing was good, but for such a tiny kitten the task was a bit daunting. He went from one side to the other looking for a place to get down but eventually had to give up and ask for help with a pitiful mew.

"Ready to go down, Soot?" Leilani asked, scooping up the kitten and carefully making her way down the steep steps with the broom hovering alongside as a bracer.
"It's okay, I've got ya."

Soot managed to get himself seated on her shoulders, stretching across the back of them in order to keep his weight even as she made her way down. He did his best to keep his tail out of her face and not dig his claws in too much, but on occasion it was necessary to help him balance. As she worked her way down carrying him Leilani was treated to a chorus of Purrs.

Finding the way station at the bottom was easy and she took another short break letting Soot play in the grass. But once she had rested it didn't take her long to find the same starting pillar the others had where all four paths joined together.

Continue North, South, East, or West,
Direction matters not, Just do your best
To one of the towers where you'll find
The way further down if you use your mind

Each path it's own trial contains
as you venture across rolling plains
work together it won't take long
But beware the sphinx's song

Leiani bit her lip, puzzling over the riddle and petting Soot on her shoulder as she read.
"Whatcha think, Soot? North? No… how about south? Whichever way we go, we're gonna nail it," she said, turning her head to boop her nose against Soot's.

Soot pressed his cold nose back with a purr and then seemed to sniff the wind looking south with concentration. There was something interesting that way for sure, or at least something the feline found interesting. Sure enough, there was something that caused Leilani to stop cold, looking in surprise at the leprechaun in her path.

"Hello," Leilani managed, remembering her manners.

 

[Falcon]

((last GM Post))

North Route

The sphinx was delighted for some company, and because the group was willing to spend a few minutes talking to her she gave them the easiest riddle she could think of. Not only that but she allowed them to answer as a group. The test was about comradery after all.

After they answered correctly she willingly showed the the door to the next level, and invited them to have tea with her at her cave on the school grounds anytime.

East Route

On the East route Xander and Astara spent a few moments confirming they they could in fact hear a voice. It took them another few minutes to determine that it was coming from on top of the sign post. When it became clear that they had found him out the owner of the voice reveled himself to be none other than an owl and a familiar attached to Instructor Sydney. He had long ago learned to mimic human words much as a parrot could, and for the test they had made him a little invisibility cloak that would activate when he use a little loop to pull it around his front.

The owl was pleased to inform them that by working together to locate him, they had made the record time. The question he asked them was not in fact a riddle, but more just something to think about. "What do you - whoo- hope to learn most while -whoo- at school?"

One they had each given him an answer he showed them to the door to the next level.

South Route
((mini collab with @Midian))

"Hello, hello," he answered with a bow flourishing his brown bowler hat revealing a curly head of read hair. "I was wondering, lass, if you might be willing to lend me a hand. You see I set up camp a little ways up the path and I'm afraid with only one of me I won't be done before I start falling asleep on my feet. My names Thomas, Thomas O'Mally."

Thomas was a little over four feet tall with a ready grin and a sparkle in his blue eyes. He was very clearly the friendly sort. "In exchange I could offer you a bit of supper. I caught some fish in the stream and they cook nicely over the fire." It was now very clear what had Soot so interested. Leilani nodded and smiled, adjusting Soot a little.

"Sure, what do you need me to do? I've never set up a camp before, but I'd be glad to help."

It didn't take her long to realize that the leprechaun had an endless stream of tasks he needed help with. Although he did feed her and Soot dinner. Eventually Leilani was force to bid him good luck and good bye. Thomas assured her he was grateful for the help she had given as he waved her on her way, Soot following close at her heels.

When she reached the end out the route Leilani found herself facing yet another leprechaun. Only this one was dressed up as a Djinn and kept trying to offer her various rewards as distractions. Fortunately her experience with Thomas had taught her a little about the nature of this part of the test.

When confronted this leprechaun informed her that his name was Henry, he was the head gardener of Luna Hall, and Thomas was his first assistant. He praised her for not getting distracted and showed her the door to the next level.


West Route

Any Student Who chose to go west found themselves on the Leviathan sea route. Their first task was not letting a will-o-wisp get them lost in the fog fields. If they made their way to the sea coast they would find a shrine set up on the shore. Inside was their puzzle. Two statutes stood on either side of a reflective pool, their gaze turned toward the water. Behind them was the door to the next level, seemingly unreachable by the pool's water. Between them was a stone placard with instructions.

Our fears are their fears. Step forward

Only those willing to step into the water would discover it was barley an inch deep, the path to the door an easy one.


Level 3

After leaving their respective test and heading down what seemed to be a long slide, the groups of students arrived at level three of the test. this level was clearly designed by the head of RocClif. The landscape before them was nothing but rock formation and canyons.

The students quickly found collections of brooms, flying carpets, and other magical transport devises near their entry point. along with these came instructions to scour the land and find the hermit's hut. An easy enough task if you knew the flying instructor also taught ancient ruins. For others it proves more difficult.

One in the ruins at the center of the canyons the students fount the hermit's hut. The hermit in question was none other that the school's head chef. He made a point of making sure everyone rested and grabbed a snack at the way-station, before sending them down the stairs hidden in the "hermit's garden" to the next level

Level 4

Level four was vastly different from the others before it. A wide plain stretched out before them dotted with gates. If one looked closely they could make out a building on the southernmost edge.

The signs posted made the game clear. use the gates to transport between one location and the next until you reached the exit. it might look like you could walk across but there were barriers in place to prevent that. What some students realized quickly was that gates only linked to one other and they were always the same, making it possible to map a path and find the correct way.

Once at the exit the school nurse was there to over see their exit from the test, marking their names and times on a clip board, making sure everyone was in good health, and them guiding them through the final gate one student at a time.

Completing the Test

Headmaster Scritch observed as one after another the students excited the test. He took great amusement in their expressions as they each looked around to discover the large cube set up on the table in the dining hall. The shock on their faces as they realized the cube had housed the entire test and they had only been shrunk down and transported to the school, was well worthwhile. They had never been in any danger. Rather the whole of the teaching staff had been observing to ensure that no one was harmed.

"Welcome!" he greeted each as the readjusted to being back to their regular size. Although being greeted by a man's voice coming from a falcon's body might have been a bit overwhelming for the new students that hadn't yet learned of his curse.

"We will all be camped out here for the night. There are games and craft supplies set up at the tables, and the anterooms are filled with bunks, Hammoks, and sleeping bags for those who wish to dream the night away. Food, like during all meals, has been provided at the main banquet tables. Help yourselves to anything you like. In the morning we will have a welcome breakfast and the sorting. After which the whole of tomorrow will be a free day so you can explore and settle in."

The headmaster used his wings to gesture around the room, the main dining hall was exactly how he had dicribed it, set up with food and game, students from every house intermingling.

"I hope you enjoy your time learning ith us."

The End
For Now...​