Dread Mage

"Do you feel it? The cold? Mana usually flows better the colder it is, so mages in circles like this lower it as far as they can tolerate." Vell said.

"I feel it," Sonder responded, "though not well. I could not guess how cold it is, but it is acceptable."

"For your information, is it ten below freezing, and you're wearing a pretty light dress. Outside the bubble flows a nice warm spring wind, but here, most living races would shudder in the cold."

They skulked through the dark college hallways. No torches were lit, and all the windows were closed.

The dark was unnatural; just a few steps in front of them all light died out.

Vell lit a match and threw it into one of the halls and it just disappeared.

It wasn't due to the dark, something was impairing the vision of anyone who finds themselves in the college.

And also their hearing, but not in all directions. The further they went into the center of the college the worse the effects were.

But what would it be?

Vell was sure that Eraf held many secrets, but as they hadn't found anyone yet, were those secrets so secret that no one else was allowed to know them?

Maybe they were also very dangerous. He kept an eye open for anything that could put them in harm's way. He didn't want to put Sonder in any unnecessary danger, he brought her here and her safety was his responsibility.

They went on. Vell's goal was to the main lecture hall which found itself in the middle, but as they walked the walls for longer than what Vell remembered, he told SOnde to stop.

"Something's not right, we're walking in circles, not literary."

"Then what shall we do?"

"Why don't you go on without me?"

She didn't think that was a good idea.

"Don't worry," Vell said and ruffled her hair. "Mar," he said and Sonder could see the mana that flowed from his heart over his arm.

The effects of the mana vision Vell had granted her didn't yet wear off, so she knew that he had done something.

"This way I know exactly where you are," He said, and shooed her on, "Go, Sonder, go, go."

"Alright," she said and walked directly opposite where Vell was standing.

She walked for a good while and went through a few doors.

Then, suddenly, she walked into someone.