[Initially, Noelle had been reluctant to sleep that night- worried that a vivid nightmare would be lurking just around the corner- but despite how long she'd slept at the library, the exhaustion hit her faster than she expected.

This new dream found the deer girl shrieking as she hit the waters of the bay. And for a moment, with the icy cold water and all of those odd creatures swarming around and around, she couldn't see anything...

By the time she'd snapped back to her senses, they'd already carried her gently over to the shore. Nudging her until she scrambled off and gave them a sheepish smile.]

Oh- um- thank you!

[Shivering, she took a look around the beach. It looked like the only way to go from herre was up! So she jogged to catch up to the nearest person, hoping she could tag along with them until she got her bearings.]

Excuse me- did, did you just arrive here too? We could travel together, if you wanted...!

[So, by now, Noelle had been given the rundown on what the world was and how it worked, even if she couldn't shake the idea that this was some very strange dream. A strange, frightening dream-

If what the guides had told them was true, though, they had all been gifted magic on their arrival here. And in that case, what was important was getting stronger.]

...but that's easier said than done, isn't it?

[She rubbed her hands together, clasping them against her chest a moment, before holding them out in front of her and trying to focus- if she could just push her worries aside and make her magic appear, then-]

[So, the task was to- try and not think about the big scary snake that was probably slithering around nearby, let's not think about that- and cross the river blindfolded.

...It would be easier if she could just use her magic to stop the river, right? But- that would hurt the people already in the water, wouldn't it?

And so, she rung her hands together before taking one of the blindfolds and turning to whoever was next in line. This felt wrong somehow, to put herself in the hands of another like this, and the sharp, twisting feeling in her just wouldn't go away.]

Um- I wonder if there's another way to do this...?

[Exhausted though she was from the day's events, Noelle felt restless enough to wander around the camp, taking some comfort from the cold night air. Some people were already asleep, and everything was quiet, until-

...What was that?

Something strange was sitting on the chest of someone nearby- something terrifyingly dark and ominous-

Noelle thrust out her hands, ice magic bursting out and shooting at the creature. That enemy needed to be stopped...!]