Given the nature of the three previous challenges and the weather that had come with it, Levi had come prepared for cold weather. That the location in question for the final task was somewhere near the polar opposite of his expectations came as a surprise. Not that it should have, as far as he was concerned; the International Magical Pupil Stand-Off had managed to surprise the boy in more ways than he could count. Some good, some bad, some absolutely baffling.

But, anyway.

He did not remove his jacket, but did zip it all the way down and rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. The woolen scarf he sported was shrunk small enough--with a deftly applied shrinking charm--for him to tie around his wrist (using both teeth and his other hand to do so) in case he found need for it in the future. There didn't seen to be a reason to keep the gloves on, not really, except this was a forest, not one he knew, and the gloves could be used as protection for his hands should he require to touch something. Poison ivy was the very least of his concerns as far as plants went in unknown locations.

The enormous gastropod that trudged past him leaving a trail of fire on its wake was noted with some alarm, and the boy put himself a safe, polite distance away from it, not wanting to be on the receiving end of it. He cast a supersensory charm on himself, wanting no more surprises. Immediately everything appeared to be sharper, the colors more vibrant, the warmth more potent. Though maybe the latter had nothing to do with the charm and more with the location itself. It wasn't anything he was accustomed to, to be sure. Beads of sweat began to pool in the back of his neck, and when the high register of something coming from far away--and knowing the nature of these challenges, possibly coming his way-- Levi whirled, feeling already out of sorts.

Something poked at his back and he turned around, brandishing out his wand and going through a mental catalog that could immediately annihilate any and all magical creatures that charged at him. But it was merely a branch, and a smile began to tug at his lips at his own paranoia. He patted the back of his head, ready to collect his bearings, when he saw it. Or them.

Maybe the location wasn't so unknown. It wasn't like erumpents were native to Europe. Though surely they'd not been shipped off to somewhere in Africa.

Levi made a mental note to thank Professor Marchand, later, for teaching them to disillusionment charm last year. The sixth year cast it upon himself, quickly, feeling the feeling of an egg shattering on his head immediately. Already, he was taking a very careful step back from what appeared to be mother and... child. Or what he supposed was the mother. Maybe a single father? Or a widower? He shook his head, heading the exact opposite way of where the gastropod was going and hopefully nowhere near the erumpent. He did not want to deal with either.

Distancing yourself from the streeler was a good idea, granted it never meant you any harm. It simply continues on it's path (leaving behind more venomous mucus, not fire), changing from white to red.

That Supersensory Charm you cast on yourself works just as it should. Only a problem arises. While you can now hear movements coming from the creatures around you, the song of the fwoopers can be heard loud and clear. Keep this up and you might just drive yourself insane.

The larger of the two erumpents seems to have heard something. She looks your way, but doesn't appear to have seen you for your Disillusionment Charm took effect just in the knick of time. As you carefully head in the opposite direction of the erumpents, she turns back to her calf. While your charm helped you in this circumstance, there is no telling how long it will last.

Soon the trees surround you as you progress deeper into the African coastal forest. The grass progressively gets taller and the heat gets hotter. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you notice something the color of cherries. Your eyes register that there, in the middle of the forest, is a knobless door standing by itself. Is this a trick the heat is playing on you or is it really there?

The disillusionment charm remained in place but there was something to be said about the quality of the birds' song. The supersensory charm was working as it should have but Levi was struggling to keep a hold of himself, the song becoming increasingly louder as he marched on through the thickness of the tall blades of grass. For a second he stopped, looking around--as though he'd forgotten where he was or who he was, entirely. Blinking, Levi's mind pushed through the molasses forming in his head, clinging on to the facts that lay before him.

He was in a forest, most likely in Africa.

Or a forest that looked like Africa. Not that he had ever been in Africa but erumpents weren't European.

There was a lot of singing going on.

And because he was in Africa, and because birds could sing--he could sing, too! though not well at all, and had no idea why his mind was even going there, to his complete lack of musical talent--Levi rubbed his hands down his face.

Then he brandished out his wand and said, shakily, "Finite." Immediately the song became a distant one, and the world began to make total sense again. He was, of course, now only carrying the regular senses that all able bodied human beings were equipped with, but. Insanity at the hands--or song, really--of a fwooper was best left avoided.

He yanked off his jacket and tied it around his waist. Sweat pooled underneath his long sleeved red shirt and the Gryffindor rolled those sleeves up to his elbows. Would it be completely inappropriate to altogether take it off, too? Not that anything could have easily spotted him, either, at least not by sight alone. However, that seemed utterly reckless, even if the heat was progressively worsening. He utilized aguamenti for drink and then pointed it the steady stream of water to the back of his neck and then front.

This was miles better than a tundra, but there was little fun in dehydration. By which he meant, of course, none at all. That a red door seemed to have materialized out of nowhere was cause for concern, too. Though he had drunk water, it was also true it was really hot and it wouldn't be totally unheard of if he began to see things that weren't there, as a result. It would also be totally concerning, too, if he was, but.

Levi tugged off one of his gloves, stuffed it the back pocket of his pants and then pinched the exposed skin of his hand, holding on to it for a few seconds. Upon letting go, the skin returned its normal position, which was a relief. Not that pinching to test for dehydration was always effective--there could be other factors that could keep one's skin from returning to its original state after a good pinch--but it was something, at least. And he didn't feel like his muscles were about to give up on him, either.

If no dehydration was occurring that also meant the red door being an illusion was unlikely as well. Levi lowered his hand, focused on the knob-less quality of the door and frowned. He headed over, more confidently than he certainly felt, and stared. There didn't seem to be anything particularly exciting going on at the front--or what was his front, anyway--so he walked around it, to the other side. Wand out again, he lifted his other hand and simply knocked, twice.

"Hello," He said, simply, to no one in particular and without an ounce of shame. If the challenges had taught him anything it was that things weren't always what they seemed. And if the disillusionment charm had kept him safe from prying eyes, that was gone now. "Regina Hawthorne sent me." And everyone else behind the IMPS, sure. "If I'm bothering you all complaints should be directed to her."

Casting Finite canceled the effects of the Supersensory Charm. The song of the fwooper becomes distant again and your senses return to normal. But that is not all that the general counter-spell does. That Disillusionment Charm you had casted on yourself has also been terminated. Anything in the forest can see you now.

Cooling yourself off with the use of Aquamenti has done you a bit of good. The heat is still there, but at least you won't dehydrate now so long as you remember to refresh yourself with water from time to time.

The cherry-red door is indeed standing there before you. Knocking on it, however, does not make it open. No one was going to answer you in spite of your statement that solely Regina Hawthorne had sent you.

It might be a good idea to look more closely at that door again instead of expecting someone to answer it. Should you check this side more carefully, you may just notice something carved on it.

Something then suddenly causes the grass to rustle nearby. It seems that not having a Disillusionment Charm to conceal you has made you vulnerable. Or maybe there is nothing to worry about, considering nothing is jumping out at you.

His words went unanswered and so did his knock. He took the time to spray himself with more water with the usage of aguamenti and wondered if lack of concentration was what had led his disillusionment charm to disappear. Surely, it can't have been finite. After all, Professor Marchand had taught them last year disillusionment charms could only be lifted with revelio.

There was also the possibility that in his haste to get rid off the fwoopers' song he'd cast a strong version of finite than he ever had before, though that struck him as unlikely. Levi knew he was good at charms; he just didn't think he was that good.

But whatever thoughts he may or may not have had about the proficiency of his charm work were shoved aside. There were some carvings upon the door he had not noticed at the beginning, and Levi frowned as he moved closer, trying to determine what they were, exactly. A clue to open the door? Runes?
He moved closer, carefully, glove-less hand open wide.

Levi was watching them closely, ready to trace the carvings with his fingers, when a sound akin to something captured his attention. He froze on the spot, chin moving sideways only a fraction. Then he whirled, wand pointing at the bushes nearby and muttered Protego, followed shortly by Fianto Duri.

That was a good idea to conjure a shield and Fianto Duri. Should anything try to attack you'll be protected. Whatever that rustling sound was from is gone now, so perhaps you the real task at hand now is in on the door.

Upon closer inspection you found the two-lined Runic message etched into the door.

The first line reads:

ᚦᛁᛋ ᛞᛟᚱ ᚱᛖᛗᚨᚾᛋ ᚲᛚᛟᛋᛞ ᚹᛇᛚ ᚦ ᛋᚾᚨᚲ ᚱᛟᛗᛋ ᚠᚱᛖ

I hope you know your Runes.

When nothing came out of the bushes, the Gryffindor was left wondering if it'd been a product of his imagination. He'd have been willing to chalk it up to nerves had there been any at play just then; mostly, Levi found it difficult to be nervous when it was so bloody hot. Sweat continued to build up just about everywhere he thought it could possibly cover and the boy, perhaps recklessly, gave his back to the bushes and turned back to focus on the carvings in question.

It was, as he'd previously deduced, runes. Runes that he'd spent the entire term studying with Declan and hadn't really come into play in the competition. Not until now, anyway, though he'd heard Brent Westwood had managed to use them all the same. It was not a particularly long message, but to his modern roman alphabet accustomed eyes it appeared to be, at first. No amount of time studying Futhark would ever make him an expert; it just wasn't meant to be. But Levi did not think needed to be an expert at Ancient Runes to identify the letters presented before him, nor to decode what was clearly a message.

He he used aguamenti, again, for refreshment, though it also cleared his head, somewhat, an added effect he hadn't been counting on but welcomed all the same. He cast diffindo to cut the grass around him, and aguamenti here and there to create a light layer of mud he could use to write on. When the ground beneath him was soft enough, Levi squatted down, craning his neck from one side to the other. Foolishly, he wished for a ruler, which wouldn't help the outcome of this at all, nor his transcription; but there was always something very clear and precise about the way in which the runic alphabet had been designed. All lines and hooks. Snappy and clean.

Though, of course, there was some interpretation involved at times, the meanings were always quite--well, transparent wasn't exactly the word, here, but. Plain! That was the word. The meaning was plain if one knew what to look for.

Levi sat back for a moment, forgetting the mud and how it was now most likely spread all over the back of his trousers. He licked his slightly dry lips, and moved forward to scribble down on the mud with the tip of his wand, sweat making him lose grip, momentarily. He caught it just in time, right before it slipped completely out of his grasp and onto the mud. A little disgruntled, he switched his wand to his left hand and cast prehenso on his right one. When he took it again, his palm was still sweaty and honestly, a little muddy--but the grip was significantly different. Almost like an invisible hook attached his wand to his hand, which was fortunate, of course, considering the message that he was about to discover.

SPOILER!!: oh, no.

ᚦ thurisaz th
ᛁ isa i
ᛋ sowilo s

ᛞ dagaz d
ᛟ othila o
ᚱ raido r

ᚱ raido r
ᛖ ehwaz e
ᛗ mannaz m
ᚨ ansuz a
ᚾ nauthiz n
ᛋ sowilo s

ᚲ kenaz k
ᛚ laguz l
ᛟ othila o
ᛋ sowilo s
ᛞ dagaz d

ᚹ wunjo w
ᛇ eihwaz ei
ᛚ laguz l

ᚦ thurisaz th

ᛋ sowilo s
ᚾ nauthiz n
ᚨ ansuz a
ᚲ kenaz k

ᚱ raido r
ᛟ othila o
ᛗ mannaz m
ᛋ sowilo s

ᚠ fehu f
ᚱ raido r
ᛖ ehwaz e

This dor remans klosd weil th snak roms fre.

The lines of concern touched with some confusion were clear on his face when he sat back again. Somewhere, strict english language teachers dedicated to teaching spelling were rolling in distaste at his transcription. But the message was clear. This door remains closed while the snake roams free. There was no snake as far as the boy could see, but he was also in a strange forest that looked and felt a lot like what he thought an African forest might feel and look like. Snakes were--slippery and smart and they knew when and how to make themselves known.

For all he knew he had one resting atop of his head. Which, he didn't, but paranoia made him brush his hair just in case.

There was very little doubt in him that the message in question was, not what would open the door, but a warning of what was to come before the door could be opened. He was under no delusions that transcribing was the end of it; he had the three previous challenges under his belt to know that it was never easy. And this was the final one, too--there was no way the competition would not end with a bang.

Levi stood up, nerves finally beginning to settle in, and looked around. His shield remained in place thanks to his usage of fianto duri, but he felt horribly exposed, all the same. Locaritus had served him well back during the second challenge--even if it had been just a dream--so he cast it again upon his chest, loud and clear, as if by choosing the verbal route of spell-casting would make it more powerful. He willed it to spread over his chest and legs and arms. To balance out the weight of the invisible armor, he said, "Featherlight.".

Now the question was--what kind of snake was coming from him? A basilisk? He shuddered, visibly. The rustling behind the bushes had been the initial warning, surely. And would confringo or defodio come in handy? He had suggested both, in the past, when answering Hirsch's questions in Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons. Time to put his money where his mouth was.

That was a good choice in casting Aquamenti again. The heat is still really hot and you wouldn't want to become dehydrated.

You made rather quick work of those runes so surely you know that it is a Runespoor that is lurking somewhere in the tall grass, concealing it's six foot long body from you.

As you cast both the Locaritus and Featherlight charms on yourself a loud hissing could be heard. There straight in front of you now as it rises it's body up into the air, is a creature unlike any other. All three heads, that's six eyes in total are staring at you.

Forked tongues flick out of the three mouths tasting the air around them. They must not like what they taste as the Runespoor begins slithering around to the side of you, the middle head smashing it's head into the shield you cast for protection earlier after the left head hisses at it.

You do know how to protect yourself from one of these, don't you?

Shock gave way to panic and panic gave way to nerves.

Nerves gave way to laughter.

It bubbled out, sharp and loud, twice. When the third time threatened to spill out, he bit down so hard on his bottom lip he tasted blood. The Runespoor in all its three headed glory was on the prowl, and when the middle head bashed against his shield--itwasworkingitwasworkingitwasbloodyworking--he stumbled back, yelping.

His thoughts were a scattered mess, a series of warning alarms and exclamation signs going off all over his brain, preventing him from fully assessing the situation at hand. As he took more steps backwards, as if trying to get to the door again, Levi pinched his thigh repeatedly until something other than complete shock took over. Slight pain worked, somehow, and he blinked sharply, against the sweat dribbling down his forehead and finally, assessed his current options.

...There were none, of course, none that didn't involve going to toe to toe with the serpent. The message on the door was clear; it would not open for as long as it roamed free. It was fight the runespoor or fight the runespoor.

The good news was that it could absolutely be worse. He'd faced a dementor, a murderous tree, a tundra. And it wasn't like this was a basilisk, as he'd originally theorized.

It was really important to remember it wasn't a basilisk. And that all things considered, it could be exponentially worse.

Levi took another step backwards, feeling his back hit the knob-less door.

Fine.

Clearly, the middle head was the stupid one; it had missed his shield while the other two had not. Or not stupid, but--what was it the runespoor was?
Represented the number three, and also three different sides...? By that logic all the heads had a distinct personality, which could be easily surmised by the way the left one responded to the middle one's blunder. Not that Levi spoke parseltongue--a skill that would have come in handy just now, surely-- but the way in which the left head addressed the middle one was particular. It was... displeased? And the fangs on the right head--looked especially nasty. Not to mention that if they functioned in any way like regular snakes did, well--they could very well be venomous, too.

This was a rare moment in which he wish he'd taken Care of Magical Creatures. Or was this the sort of creature that would be covered by Hirsch? Runespoor didn't exactly need looking after; it was really more like people needed to be protected from them.

But, whatever. A three headed snake was intent on ending him before he could take his apparition test this summer and he was backed up against a door that wouldn't budge. And, frankly, he was getting pretty angry that the organizers of the tournament thought they had to go through this much hardship for a simple scholarship. Especially when he didn't even need one and presumably the other competitors' marks were outstanding enough to apply for one on their own merits. Couldn't they spare at least, maybe, some trophy? A bag of gold? No exams for the remainder of their respective educations? At least for this year?

Still, though. It was better than a dementor.

And anger was also good and he fed on it as he lifted his wand and pointed it at the middle head. Professor Hirsch had said it was difficult to say if certain spells--such as the daydream charm--could work on the non human mind. After all, they were designed for human beings, specifically. But there was no reason why he couldn't at least try a hand of them, given the circumstances. And, anyway, it wasn't his first time using it. He had done the same for the first challenge and if it worked on a dummy--a definite not human being--it could very well work on a serpent. A complex charm like this one ought to work on a more malleable, simplistic mind, surely; certainly one that could miss the shield, or not think about the possibility of a shield, and go straight for the kill.

Talls blade of grass in a peaceful, hot jungle somewhere in Burkina Faso. Threatening humans trying to hunt them down for sport have not been seen in centuries and there is an endless supply of mice and rabbits and birds for food. A quiet, thoughtful left head and a right one that looked decidedly less threatening--more friendly. All three heads of the runespoor living in perfect harmony, a whole colony of them living at peace, is what Levi wholy imagined and focused on--and then directed it in the form of a daydream charm straight at the middle head of the runespoor.

Levi was under no delusions that the effects of protego and fianto duri would hold for much longer; he was utilizing a considerable amount of magic elsewhere, and very complex one at that, and it was a matter of prioritizing. So he prioritized by sending the strongest jelly brain jinx he could possibly muster at the hissing left head.

Somewhere down on his calves, he thought he felt the locaritus invisible armor stretch itself so thin it shattered.

As the Americans said--yikes.

This is no laughing matter and it's a good thing you quickly got yourself under control, as your laughter seemed to have angered the Runespoor causing all three heads to hiss loudly. Backing yourself into the door might not have been the best idea as now you're cornered. The door is at your back and the six-foot long orange and black Runespoor is in front of you.

The middle head was struck full on by your Daydream Charm. It should be easy to tell as it's tongue slips back into it's mouth, the hissing stops and there's a glazed dreamy look in its eyes.

With all that focus and intent you're using to keep the daydream charm going the jelly brain jinx you just cast wasn't as strong as it could have been. The left head appeared dazed but only briefly as it shook the charm off, baring it's fangs and hissing at you once again.

The right head hisses at the middle and left head critising them both. Both the left and right heads hiss at the middle head loudly. It seems as if they're are trying to wake it from the daydream it's experiencing. It won't be long until the Runespoor is coming for you again. And don't forget that you need to keep yourself hydrated and still have a second line of runes to read.

What was left of his protego and fianto duri combo seemed to be holding on for one last straw and Levi took the chance to quickly slide to the left and away from the door to which he'd backed himself to. The good news was that the daydream charm had evidently worked, though the jelly brain made any kind of impact. While the right head seemingly... snapped...? at the middle one and the left one shook itself out of its stupor, Levi felt his back slid off the last portion of the door and took several steps back. Not necessarily too far, given the second line of runes he had to go through still, but; he needed room to move, at least.

It felt ridiculous to do so, given the nature of the three headed serpent in front of him, but dehydration was a road he was intent on avoiding. While the runespoor bickered with itself, Levi considered an atmospheric charm, certainly a more permanent solution to the heat problem; but it was a complex charm that would not come for free, so he cast a stream of aguamenti, instead, and hastily drank. As it was, the invisible armor on his thighs went away, too, a fact he pretended not to notice.

Well, he rather hoped he hadn't because it made his heart speed up. If that armor was going it was probably a safe bet that the shield charm was gone, too, or would shatter if the runespoor's heads decided to strike again. Time was still precious; the middle head was in dreamland still, and thought the jelly brain jinx hadn't lasted, that it'd worked at all was proof that it could work.

All he had to do was concentrate. And possibly lose the rest of the armor in the process.

The wand was pointed directly at the left head, thinking of wheels pushing very slowly against thick molasses, unable to get very far, mazes that one could not get out of, and he shot the jelly brain jinx again. Keeping the daydream charm going and the jelly brain jinx one at the same time wasn't easy, and as he suspected the cost came immediately. The remains of his full body armor shattered at once, and the force of its loss felt very much like a snap of sorts. He took a step back, tripping with a large a rock, and everything was in a slow motion for a few moments while he stumbled and fell backwards, his backside getting most of the hurt. A string of less than stellar words flowed out of his mouth but stopped, quite abruptly, as he thought of the rock and the possibility that came with it.

Daisy was not going to like this.

And it would for sure end of what was left of protego and fianto duri, if any.

Levi brought his wand straight down then swooped diagonally to the left before making a motion straight to the right. Blue light sprouted out and fur came out of the rock--and legs and a muzzle and the full grown labrador result from the Rock to Dog spell wagged its tail at him, curiosity sparkling in its dark eyes. It was bloody adorable, and Levi had the distinct feeling that if he wanted to, the dog would lay down, roll over and demand belly rubs.

Unfortunate, really, because it was never going to happen.

"Oppugno," he said, and the dog growled, immediately charging at the right head.

Goodbye, Protego. Goodbye, Fianto Duri. Goodbye, Featherlight.

He began to crawl to the door, to hopefully get a hold of the second line of runes.

Getting in that drink of water from Aquamenti will keep you from dehydrating but it won't won't help you keep safe from the Runespoor.

The loose of your armor might not be the best thing for you but it serves you well in giving you the focus needed in casting that jelly brain jinx again. This time it works, the left head falling into a daze like fog.

With both the middle and left heads confused and in a dreamlike state, the right head stares straight at you baring it's fangs and hissing, however unable to come after you. How long can you keep both charms going before the Runespoor breaks it's from it's haze?

Using Oppugno on that rock works well for you and the right head bares it's fangs hissing loudly at the dog you created.

When you crawl to the door you're able to make out the second line of runes which reads:

ᛋᚢᛒᛞᚢ ᚦ ᛒᛖᛋᛏ ᛁᚾ ᚾᚨᛏᚱ ᛏᛟ ᛗᚨᚲ ᛁᛏ ᛟᛈᚾ ᚠᛟᚱ ᚦᛖ

Hopefully you can figure it out quickly enough...

While both runespoor and dog hissed and growled at each other menacingly, the boy squatted bent down in front of the mud from before--keeping both creatures within his line of vision--and touched the mud with the tip of his wand. It had hardened somewhat, already, something he quickly dealt with by casting a thin stream of aguamenti into it until it'd softened again. Levi drank some, stopped the stream, shot the creatures a look, and squatted down to begin translating in the mud again.

SPOILER!!: oh, no v.2

ᛋ sowilo s
ᚢ uruz u
ᛒ berkana b
ᛞ dagaz d
ᚢ uruz u

ᚦ thurisaz th

ᛒ berkana b
ᛖ ehwaz e
ᛋ sowilo s
ᛏ teiwaz t

ᛁ isa i
ᚾ nauthiz n

ᚾ nauthiz n
ᚨ ansuz a
ᛏ teiwaz t
ᚱ raido r

ᛏ teiwaz t
ᛟ othila o

ᛗ mannaz m
ᚨ ansuz a
ᚲ kenaz k

ᛁ isa i
ᛏ teiwaz t

ᛟ othila o
ᛈ perthro p
ᚾ nauthiz n

ᚠ fehu f
ᛟ othila o
ᚱ raido r

ᚦ thurisaz th
ᛖ ehwaz e

subdu the best in natr to mak it opn for the

It took the boy a moment to realize that there wasn't a word missing at the end of the second line; the was evidently meant to function as thee. Combined with the first line of runes he'd transcribed earlier, then the instructions were 'clear' enough (the apostrophes were important, here). This door remains closed while the snake roams free; subdue the beast in nature to make it open for thee. He supposed taking things literally was certainly an option; the blades of grass were tall enough to be transfigured into weapons. And he had done that already by transfiguring a rock into a dog. But the problem was that if nature was what was needed to defeat the runespoor, well--that was a very broad description to go by, indeed. After all, magic itself was part of nature; perhaps not everyone's nature, but it was his. In his bones and blood, much like it was for the runespoor, too. Without magic the runespoor wouldn't exist; without magic, he wouldn't be here, would not be the person he was right now.

So, didn't the usage of magic itself count as nature? Was it not enough for it to subdue the runespoor? But that was too--easy and obvious. If it was the nature of magic itself--which would be his own wandwork, surely--then there would not have been any need to mention of it at all. Because it stood to reason that, as a wizard, his first response in the face of danger would be to use his wand to both defend himself and attack. Right? Clearly, the second challenge was not the only one with a riddle in need of solving.

Levi straightened, watched the dog and the right head of the runespoor threaten each other. If it was a riddle--and it sounded a lot like one--then reading between the lines was a must. Riddles, like the one in the second challenge, offered clues in the way in which things were worded; a play on words, if you will. He mulled over the words, and then stopped. And stared.

He was supposed to subdue the runespoor and he was supposed to do it with nature. His initial assessment had been that it was nature itself; rocks, grass, his very own magic. But what if it was the runespoor's own nature? What if it was a play on words on the runespoor's name?

If true, then--how very clever.

"Focalia," He exclaimed, chancing a glance at the beast and the dog as he pointed his wand to the spot where the mud and his transcription were. Though the daydream charm was to work for thirty minutes, it was hard to say if the same applied when used on magical creatures. To say nothing of the jelly brain jinx; that one lasted for as long as the caster was focused, and it was only as powerful as the caster willed it to be. And his focus had moved elsewhere, and if the left head hadn't awoken yet, it was sure to do so any moment now.

He picked up a piece of wood from the pile he'd conjured. "Intaglio thurisaz." For defense--untempered strength of will and self-awareness. And to neutralize and attack, too; thurisaz was very good at making the enemy careless and turning their own strength against themselves. Thusiraz was sneaky--maybe even mean, but it was also effective. If he squinted, he could see the sketch of thurisaz, and he repeated quickly--maybe too quickly--"thurisaz, thurisaz, thurisaz, thurisaz, thurisaz--" the lines and curves of thurisaz appeared, a little squiggly, not nearly as precise as they should have been, but. Levi repeated the name of the rune, blinking away sweat and frustration, and saw its defined lines sink deeper into the wood, turning the desired hue of gold that indicated the carving was complete. Then he began the galdr chanting, sounding a little breathless:

"thurisaz thurisaz thurisaz
th th th th th th th th th
thur thar thur ther thor
thu tha thu the tho
th th th th th th th th th"

The white glow did not come immediately at once, but it was progressive. It started out small, barely noticeably, so much that Levi worry it wouldn't come at all. But it did and when it happened, he stood up, a little shaky and drenched in sweat. He wondered if this is what it felt to visit a sauna. But, probably not--weren't those supposed to be relaxing? This challenge and the entirety of the IMPS was the opposite of that.

Anyway.

"Alright," he said at the dog and the runespoor and possibly at everyone watching, too. He tightened his hold on thusiraz, focusing intently on the power and energy flowing from it. "I'm thirsty and I need a nap. Let's do the right thing and get this over with." He pointed his wand at the runespoor, stared it down and thought of the word subdue. That was very specific terminology he was going to latch on to. "Deprimo."

With the right head of the Runespoor focused on the dog that you created and the middle and left heads still both under your previous spells there was just enough time to conjure firewood.

Carving thurisaz into the wood and chanting as you had worked just as you planned. The rune you created was indeed glowing as you held onto the wood tightly.

All the focus you put into creating that rune must have caused you to lose focus on that jelly brain jinx which was enough for the Runespoor to begin charging at you, dragging the middle head along.

The heads move aside just a second before it could have been hit with Deprimo. It charges at you again hissing even louder, fangs bared.

Perhaps using Runes and Charms isn't the best idea to subdue this Runespoor in nature.

The rune did not... work... even a little bit? Deprimo was dodged by the snake, which Levi could accept, but the rune was seemingly of no help at all? It had glowed gold and then white, which signified it was done and ready. Should have worked, and yet--nothing. He stared, seeing the left head come out of the jinx and propel itself forward with the help of the right one. Ancient Runes were meant to help when regular magic just wasn't enough; how on Merlin's beard had it failed?

And just how many times did he have to tell the labrador to attack? Was his understanding of oppugno not accurate? For those in the back who didn't hear the first time, then: "OPPUGNO."

Especially since the snake was now approaching, even if the middle one appeared to be deep in the daydream charm.

One day, when he didn't have a runespoor about to charge at him, Levi was just going to sit back and congratulate himself on his charm work. First finite had been strong enough to lift a disillusionment charm and now this.

So, no runes. No play on words. What, then? Nature, just nature. Just that word to cling to.

The frustration, the heat, the need for drink made his steps back sluggish and Levi knew that if he were to cast aguamenti it'd immediately end whatever was left of the daydream charm. And the dog would cease to exist, too. He clutched the rune close to his chest, as if to ward the creature off, and found it strange that he felt no fear. Only exhaustion and the need to lay down.

He should have cast an atmospheric charm while he had the chance. Not like anything he'd done had been of any help, anyway, though he'd been sure it would help.

'Optimistic Gryffindor nonsense', his father would have said. Always go for the kill--end things as quickly as you can.

Nature.

N A T U R E.

"Nature. N-A-T-U-R-E."

He was so thirsty.

"Nature. Subdue."

More steps back, wand pointed at the runespoor's middle head.

"Ooooohhh." Levi cleared this throat, licked his lips and stopped retreating. "I got it, I think." And possibly it had taken him this long to get it because he could not ever be quite so literal. Over-thinking, once again, had made him miss the bigger picture or, in this case, the obvious answer. Assuming he was right, it wasn't like it had been difficult to understand the instructions--they had been right there on the second line of runes.

He had just expected... something else.

Flicking his wand down south, the boy pointed at where legs would sprout out of the runespoor if it had any and thought of roots and the earth itself willing the serpent to stay still, to become one with it. And so he cast the Take Root spell at it. If it worked the serpent would become, partly, a plant; rooted to the earth of the African forest. And if it didn't, well; he'd just used all his concentration on one spell and completely neglected the rest.

It would be a good story to tell, at least. To get bitten by a runespoor and survive to tell the tale later on.

Assuming he did survive, anyway.

This time at your demand of, Oppugno, the labrador you created darts straight at the Runespoor in full on attack mode.

The Runespoor hissed loudly baring it's fangs at the labrador. It's main goal was to get to you not deal with this dog who had now gotten it's attention.

Casting Take Root now was perfect timing for you. The large three headed serpent was hit full on by the spell, roots taking form instantly where it's legs would have been. It thrashes around hissing fiercely as it tries and fails to get free, the roots holding it firmly to the ground.

Now that you have contained the beast, a Ministry official from the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures disillusions themselves, he had been waiting and watching the entire time from beside the door. Seeing that you have subdued the creature, he nods his head at you once before moving past you to check on the Runespoor.

The red door opens slowly, revealing your exit and only way out. Go ahead and step through the doorway and you will find yourself at the stands.

OOC: You may now look at the viewing area and/or other competitors' threads.

There was not a whole lot of relief that came with watching his spell be successful so much as there was a deep need to sit down and possibly drown in water. But a Ministry official revealed himself and barely spared the boy a glance before going over to check on the runespoor. Great. A three headed, venomous beast was more valuable than he was.

"I'm great, mate," He rasped out, raising his eyebrows and wiping at his forehead with the back of his hand. "Thanks for asking."

He wasn't bitter.

Lazily--well, shakily--he flicked his wand at the still growling labrador in hopes of lifting the spell and returning the rock to its original state. The end result was a furry rock with a wagging tail, something that would have embarrassed him in a different occasion, but. Before he slipped out, using the bloody door, Levi addressed the Ministry official, "all yours now, I guess." The half dog, half rock, he meant.

And he was gone.