After promising to return soon, Dharc headed back to the Citadel. Not even the train ride home was enough to knock the sleepiness out of him. But Dharc figured that he must have managed somehow as he woke up in his own bed.

After managing the stairs with all his limbs intact, he headed to the kitchen. Only when arrived at the circular table did he realize the silence surrounding him. Usually this was about the time when Lynn was bouncing off the walls, shouting at everyone to perk up and enjoy the day only to be shouted down by Hiita who would soon be placated by someone else. Not even Aussa had her usual book in front of her. But everyone was huddled quietly in their seat, picking at their breakfast.

"Why the long faces?" Dharc asked, running a hand through his unruly hair.

"Dharc!" Wynn was first to react, "When you did come back with Hiita and Lyna we...we were worried."

"What for?" Dharc slid into the sole empty seat, "You never worried any other time I went to Ohm."

"But everyone seemed all pissed off, and that dark warrior made you go in by yourself." Hiita piped up, "I figured that the Priestess might have-"

"Might have what?" Dharc cut her off, his voice suddenly gaining an edge. This wouldn't be the first time he snapped at criticism to the Priestess. Jumping to defensiveness so quickly probably have done him no favors but he was not going to hear it. His trust in his mentor was more based on credit than reputation but it was more than any other teacher had given him. "Have you never asked Doriado a question? Did she vaporize you for it?"

"Guys, let's eat, that sounds good doesn't it?" Aussa interrupted, her eye darting from one person to another, "Come on, stop it."

Dharc looked away, scowling, though he could already feel the anger draining out of him. His friends meant well, they were just misinformed, or he was too sensitive. Whatever.

It seemed almost anticlimactic actually, an eternal night dispelled for an instant into brilliant day and nothing seemed to change. He still ate breakfast, still met a masked Arcane Apprentice at the door to receive Doriado's training instructions, and still headed out to the grove besides the Secret Village of the Spellcasters.

"It has been a year since I gave you the challenge to build your Spiritual Arts." Doriado gestured for them to sit down on a grassy knoll, "A year is not a lot of time to both craft and master a new spell but I believe that your unique abilities give you an edge. Although I don't expect you to have perfected it, by now, I expect you to have gotten the essence of your Art down."

Now would be the time when anxiety rang through Dharc's bones had he not already made peace with the fact that recognition for his work was just not in his future. So he was able to listen in somewhat comfort as everyone else went about describing the core of their Art and the results.

"-and using the power of the water tribute, I can seal the enemy's power." Eria said before smiling sheepishly, "Though, when I tried this out on a training token that had more than one spell, it seemed kind of random which one got targeted."

After Doriado gave Eria advice on controlling the constantly moving energies of water magic, everyone turned expectantly to Dharc.

Shrugging casually Dharc shook his head, "I don't have anything to say."

He could practically hear the cascade of raising eyebrows both from Doriado and the girls beside him, "Sorry." he added.

"I do not expect you to have perfected your Art," Doriado repeated, "If you explain to me your concept scaffold, then maybe I can help you."

Dharc had to resist the urge to scoff, she had never helped him, partially because she was unable, and partially-he suspected-that she didn't want to see where his power would go. Now that he pondered it, why wasn't Lyna also under scrutiny? He had always thought that his power was treated with apprehension because of the large number of Spellcasters in the city with a dark attribute. But just as many Spellcasters had a light attribute and Lyna was given as much material for experimenting as she needed. Shouldn't Doriado fear her the most when Doriado herself was a light Spellcaster? They should all be under suspicion, the only thing keeping them from mind controlling everyone was the presence of far more powerful magicians there to punishment should they try to.

"I have no scaffold, I have nothing to tell you." some bitter sarcasm must have bled into Dharc's voice as Doriado quickly added, "There's no reason to become frustrated, I understand that this is a very high level assignment I have given you. Did the Priestess of Ohm really offer you no help?"

"No, she helped me. She encouraged me to work more on my charming magic." that wasn't a complete lie, it wasn't as if the Priestess could craft his Spiritual Art for him.

"Do not tell me that she let you near the Zombie Dragons again!" Doriado exclaimed, breaking her serene aura for a moment.

"It's fine, they're actually not that dangerous if you're careful." Dharc said, "I mean, they're zombies. They don't move that fast unless you make them angry."

"I would hope that you will refrain from taking up the Priestess at all of her offers. She is rather...enthusiastic which can lead to some reckless situations."

"What else am I suppose to do?" Dharc said suddenly before he could stop himself, "We finished the basics when we were little children, you haven't been able to help me since then."

"Dharc!" shouted someone from beside him though he didn't turn to check who.

"In all honesty, we both know that. Wouldn't it make more sense to pass me on to someone else? Why am I here?"

There was a long drawn out silence as Dharc and Doriado both stared at each other, it took all of his strength to keep from looking away.

"Ohm and the Priestess are not good for you in the long term." Doriado said carefully, "She is a talented magician, but she is not good for you."

"What is that suppose to mean? Aren't you the one who recommended I go to her for help?" Dharc snapped back, "So what am I suppose to do? You can't help me at all and you're clearly not interested. Why can they create all these abominations of weather," he gestured wildly at the charmers beside him, "But I can't do shit? Little things, nothing like creating a typhoon or magnifying sunlight, and you won't let me do it. Why do you care? You can't use dark magic, you can use anything but dark magic."

He stood up and back up a few steps until he was off the knoll, "I'm finished here, I'm clearly wasting your time Mistress. I lied, I have created a Dark Art and if I stay with you, I'll never be able to use it, I'll never even be acknowledged for it. There's no point in working for you if you can't and won't help me. I'm sorry for expending your resources."

"Dharc!" someone shouted from behind him.

"Do not follow me." he shouted back without looking, "I will cast a Spell Wall!"