Dread Mage

Deep in the college, into its labyrinthian innards and what could only be called a dungeon as the basement, Vell and the two girls found themselves.

The Master Mage had marked her Apprentice long before any of this had happened, and the Apprentice could tap into that mark to find her master in the bowls of the college.

It was handy. When Sonder looked around, she found it hard to find any kind of way to orient herself.

She wondered if Vell had any way to find them. She didn't want to doubt him but it seemed like he was affected by the strange sense impairment she also suffered.

Next to that and the endless halls of the college Sonder was sure that if she were alone, she'd never find a way out.

They walked until they found themselves at a great door. It was reinforced with heavy and thick wood and metal.

Vell took his staff and flowed a light blue hue from its tip, illuminating strange runes that found themselves all over the door and walls beyond it.

Even with the remainders of Sonder's mana vision, they didn't light up until Vell covered them with magical energy.

"It's sealed," Vell stated.

"Can you open it?" Sonder asked.

He then looked at the Apprentice and she knew that it was up to her to give something that would help.

Vell asked her first, "Seeing as it is sealed very well, as expected from Eraf, what are the commanding words to open it?"

"We don't just use words," the Apprentice said, "We use multiple wards, not just a liftable spell. I know the word to it, but the second way is impossible to overcome. The high-ranking members of Eraf are tagged, and only they can open the great hall."

"Only high-ranking members?" Vell said and rubbed his chin. "Tell me the words and I'll open it then. It's been a while since I last attended a semester in Eraf but I should be tagged."

The Apprentice then said the words that are needed to open the door. Words that sounded so strange that Sonder couldn't repeat them even if she wanted to.

Vell stood before the door and cast them towards the door and in a flash of light and emanation of mana, the runes on the door vanished."

He rattled on one of the door's handles but it still didn't open, he looked to the Apprentice.

She held up a key, "And last, we also just use a normal lock. Magicians aren't the only ones who could try to break it."