Editing S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.4)

{{Infobox_episode|wordcount = 11,919|title = S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.4)|published = November 12, 2017|previousChapter = [[S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.3)]]|nextChapter = [[S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.5)]]|link=[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/11/12/wistram-days-pt-4/ S03 - Wistram Days  (Pt.4)]|image=M9_cold_wistram_days_by_Butts.png|imagecaption=Ceria by [[Fanworks/Butts|Butts]]}}'''S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.4)''' is the fourth part of the [[Chapter List#Side Stories|side story]] of Wistram Days, the 38th chapter of [[Volume 3]] and the 10th chapter of [[Book 4]], '''Winter Solstice'''.

== tl;dr ==
Ceria gets bullied by [[Charles de Trevalier]]. Pisces learns [Flash Step]. Ceria beats Illphres' challenge with salt. She and Pisces pass the exam.

== Synopsis ==
Five days before the exam, Ceria opens the door of her room and identifies a hex outside set as a trap for her, presumably set by Charles de Trevalier and his group. After hearing from Calvaron and Beatrice about the tests and feeling anxious, especially when comparing herself to Pisces, she heads outside to the pier to practice firing her spells.

After finishing her routine she realises that she has an audience of mages - including Amerys and Illphres, the latter of whom mocks her for her sloppy aim. Illphres demonstrates by freezing a seagull flying about and when Ceria asks her to be taught she only reminds her of the ice she left to be melted as a challenge.

On her way back for second breakfast she sees Pisces talking to Timor du Havrington and overhears Pisces' agreement on something. Afraid of what was spoken Ceria retreats to the safety of her room. At lunch Ceria finds Beatrice, Calvaron and Pisces and they explain that two of the other students are having a duel over a wand that was found. Calvaron mentions to Ceria about her early morning practice and then about how Charles de Trevalier had managed to melt Illphres' ice, or more likely had Rievan melt it.

Before Ceria and Pisces leave to study, Calvaron busts out a drink that he just bought that is meant to be taken with some salt, but when Beatrice puts some in the glass he scolds her because it might melt the ice. Pisces and Ceria leave the two to cram and Ceria confronts Pisces about his discussion with Timor - an offer to join the Libertarians, to which he had declined. Ceria then confesses that she may had doubts about Pisces after finding the traps but that she was wrong.

Ceria wakes up just after midnight to a scream outside her room, it turns out that some humans were attempting to trap Ceria's room again but Pisces managed to attract some "mice" to chase them off. Pisces, having finally figured out [Flash Step] begins to incorporate it into his dueling steps.

The day of the exam and Ceria and Pisces enter the with the third group. Illphres and Rievan are amongst the mages of the various factions sent to watch over the tests. Ceria manages to do passably well at everything until the final test, the combat one. Charles and Timor join their group as they enter a special corridor; their only goal is to get to the end using magic.

As Ceria makes her way down the corridor filled with traps the onlooking mages comment on the progress of the students. During the next obstable, as Ceria is firing spells at the conjured illusions, the watching mages see Ceria hit in the back of the head by a spell from Charles. She falls unconcious but Pisces manages to carry her and using [Flash Step] and his swordplay manages to beat the illusory troll at the end.

When Ceria regains conciousness she laments her failure and goes to vent, passing by the ice wall left by Illphres. Struck by a thought Ceria asks Calvaron for a favour to get some stuff out of the kitchens. Ceria manages to melt the ice wall using salt and shows Illphres - she asks her to teach her for the last three days of her stay but Illphres just asks her what kind of real mage would stoop to using salt. Ceria's answer has Illphres walk away.

Pisces wakes Ceria the following morning telling her that she's passed, and when she checks she can see that her name as indeed been added to the end of the list, slightly out of place. Illphres finds her afterwards and promises to teach her starting the next day and anyone else who melts the ice to which Ceria announces that Pisces will also be there, because real mages help each other.

== Characters ==
* [[Ceria Springwalker]]
* [[Illphres]]
* [[Amerys]]
* [[Pisces]]
* [[Timor du Havrington]]
* [[Calvaron]]
* [[Beatrice]]
* Seric ''(First Appearance)''
* Zepheral ''(First Appearance)''
* [[Rievan Forstrom]]
* Charles de Trevalier
* [[Jurix|Talkative Dullahan]] ''(First Appearance)''
* Dyed Dark Blue Hair, Selphid ''(First Appearance)''
* Quexia ''(First Appearance)''
* [[Cessic]]

== Locations ==
* [[Wistram]]
** [[Wistram Academy]]

== Drinks ==
* Sand Tumbler ''(Alcohol)''

==Items<nowiki/>==
* Bag of Holding
* Salt
[[Category:Chapters]]
[[Category:Side Stories]]
[[Category:Volume 3]]
[[Category:Book 4]]