If I target my own Ravenbloom Student (2 might) at a battlefield with Piercing Light (deals 2 damage), does the Student die or survive?

Ruling: Ravenbloom Student dies. The cleanup that checks for lethal damage occurs immediately after Piercing Light is removed from the chain, before Ravenbloom Student's "When you play a spell" triggered ability can trigger and give it +1 might.

Sequence:

• You play Piercing Light, targeting your own Ravenbloom Student (2 might)
• Piercing Light resolves and deals 2 damage to the Student
• Piercing Light is removed from the chain
• Cleanup occurs immediately
• During cleanup, the Student has 2 damage marked and 2 might—this is lethal
• The Student is killed and placed in trash
• Only after cleanup would Ravenbloom Student's triggered ability attempt to trigger, but the Student is already dead

Nuances:

• A spell only counts as "played" after it completely resolves, so "when you play a spell" triggers happen after the spell finishes resolving
• Cleanup occurs after a chain item is removed from the chain, before triggered abilities from that spell can be added to the chain
• The +1 might buff from Ravenbloom Student's ability comes too late to save it from the lethal damage