Editing S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.7)

{{Infobox_episode|title = S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.7)|published = November 21, 2017|previousChapter = [[S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.6)]]|wordcount = 11,477|nextChapter = [[Chapter 3.32]]|link=[https://wanderinginn.wordpress.com/2017/11/21/wistram-days-pt-7/ S03 - Wistram Days (Pt. 7)]|image=Cognita by DemonicCriminal.jpg|imagecaption=Cognita by [[Fanworks/Demonic Criminal|Demonic Criminal]]}}'''S03 – Wistram Days (Pt.7)''' is the seventh and final part of the [[Chapter List#Side Stories|side story]] of Wistram Days, the 41st chapter of [[Volume 3]] and the 13th chapter of [[Book 4]], '''Winter Solstice'''.

== tl;dr ==
Pisces and Ceria are close again. Illphres fails Zelkyr's test. Pisces reanimates the dead mages to obtain [Archmage] [[Nekhret|Nekhret's]] bones, which causes the death of many mages, leading to him and Ceria being expelled. But Cognita recognizes them as full Wistram mages.

== Synopsis ==
Cognita watches as Ceria and Pisces argue over Pisces' idea of creating a levelling undead. Ceria leaves in anger once Pisces starts considering means of obtaining superior body parts for the construction. Cognita apologises to Cognita for Ceria's behavior but she merely responds that Pisces should consider whether he values friendship or magic more.

Cognita later approaches Ceria alone, delivering his apologies and to continue their discussion. Cognita confirms that she taught Pisces one of Zelkyr's spells - an incomplete one that she thinks Pisces may be able to complete. Ceria explains that she somehow feels that a creating a truly thinking undead is wrong. Before she leaves Cognita asks whether Illphres and her group are prepared for the challenge in 15 days and if they want to wait or change the appointed time then she would be happy to accommodate.

Surprised by Cognita knowing about the challenge Ceria confronts the group in worry. Illphres reassures her that they have a chance based on records of a previous group almost succeeding - citing that the Armored Knight golem, being a replacement for the original golem, is evidence that they can all be destroyed.

Illphres talks to Ceria about her dislike of Necromancy and forces her to continue to learn how to use [Glacial Spear] from Illphres' spellbook without letting her borrow it.

Three days before the challenge Pisces arrives to talk to Ceria once more, he reveals that Cognita told him how Zelkyr only imbued her with thought but the other weaker Wistram Golems have now also developed some form of low level intelligence. Ceria ends up confessing to Pisces about the challenge to which Pisces tells her that he sincerely hopes that they succeed. Before Pisces leaves Ceria stops him and they spend the night together.

Ceria skipped all her classes leading up to the challenge, spending her remaining time with Illphres and the others in preparation. Ceria, being the lone witness to the challenge, talks to each of them in turn before they enter the room. Illphres the last of them prepares by startomg to channel her ice magic and slowly freezes the corridor, as she does so she confesses to Ceria that if she had been an adventurer during her younger years then perhaps she wouldn't be so scared. The five enter into the room with the five Golems and the door shuts behind them.

Many minutes later Ceria notices that the ice in the corridor begins to melt and Cognita walks out of the doors confirming her fears. Pisces, while invisible, sees Cognita carrying the hysterical Ceria out of the room and instead follows other golems carrying the bodies of the mages in bags of holding into the catacombs of Wistram.

As the golems begin to take apart the bodies Pisces raises them as Liches and has them follow him out towards a gate guarded by more golems. He enters the burial room of Archmage Nekhret using the undead as a distraction and tries to take the bones but he triggers a trap. Shadowy apparitions appear and Pisces flees back into the academy, the shades storm out of the catacombs and the mages and golems begin fighting them all over the school.

Ceria grieves for her master until Amerys sees her and tells her that Illphres asked her to stop Ceria from killing herself if she failed. Ceria asks Amerys why she didn't choose to fight as well to which Amerys responds that her King is someone worth being a coward for and she believes that one day they will challenge Cognita together and reach the heights of magic.

Less than sixty mages died to the shades that emerged, but one of those was Calvaron. Beatrice tells Ceria that it was Pisces and screams at her. Pisces, captured and confined, awaits his punishment as the council debates over banishment or death. The council calls on Beatrice, Mons and finally Ceria to take their statements.

In her grief, Ceria tells them that if Illphres knew that Pisces raised her body she would have laughed, but while she hates Pisces she hates the rest of the council more. Ceria states that there are no true mages in Wistram and decides to leave the academy.

Cognita at last enters the room and requests that the council not kill Pisces for his mistake else she expects that every future mage that errs will similarly have to be killed. In the end they exile not only Pisces but tells Ceria to leave as well. Before the ship arrives to take them away, Beatrice attacks Ceria before being stopped by Montressa.

Amerys orders a drake to take Illphres' spellbook to Ceria, but Charles de Trevalier manages to buy the book from him before throwing it into the sea, Beatrice watches him but says nothing.

Before they depart Cognita approaches the pair and declares that the Golems of Wistram disagree with the opinions of the council; wielding Zelkyr's authority that supercedes all others, Cognita names the two of them as full mages of Wistram.

On the ship Ceria tells Pisces that she never wants to see him again, Pisces cries and tells her that Wistram was his dream come true, worthy of giving up eveything for. Once on land they seperate without speaking another word to each other.

== Characters ==
* [[Cognita]]
* [[Ceria Springwalker]]
* [[Pisces]]
* [[Illphres]] ''(Deceased)''
* [[Jurix]] ''(Deceased)''
* Bastam ''(Deceased)''
* Ophelia ''(Deceased)''
* Qum ''(Deceased)''
* [[Nekhret]] ''(Skeletal Corpse)''
* [[Amerys]]
* [[Calvaron]] ''(Deceased)''
* [[Beatrice]]
* [[Montressa du Valeross]]
* [[Feor]]
* [[Charles de Trevalier]]
== Locations ==
* [[Wistram]]
** [[Wistram Academy]]

== Creatures Introduced ==
* Dark Apparitions
* Pure Emerald Golem
* Wind Golem
* Wooden Golem, with moss and flowers growing out of its body.

== Creatures ==
* Magma Golem
* Metal Golem
* Giant Armored Golem
* Flesh Golem
* [[Golems]]
* 6 Liches

== Items ==
* Spellbook, with a Light Blue Bound Cover.
* [[Bags of Holding]]

== Trivia ==
* There is one invisible line it the text. It can be found after highlight next to this paragraph:
** A behemoth knight made of metal.
[[Category:Chapters]]
[[Category:Side Stories]]
[[Category:Hidden Text Chapters]]
[[Category:Volume 3]]
[[Category:Book 4]]