The crackling stroke of thunder tore through the sky so fast that the hair on their necks stood sharply.
As the golden light crashed upon the trio, with a burning and explosive eruption from contact, the giant beast was sent crashing down. Vaceris and Khrysos were tumbling after it, engulfed in a smoking trail of flames, the two of them cratered into the earth.
With smoke rising into the sky, from the scorch marks that littered about the Arena, the Iyrus-Aeolia storm was slowly dispersed, allowing the light of the midday sun to shine upon the field. Bringing the sights of what's below to those in the stands, Dusk remained un-shook with the sight of what she saw.
"Hmm, my predictions were well within expectations." Dusk expressed softly, with her realizing that those words had left her mouth, she paused for a moment.
"What…do you mean, we've won, right?" Seleste questioned with an unsightly display of impatience.
"No, for it is as I've said."
"What?" The class was in shock at her words, unsure of what she meant, the turned to what she had been staring at, down below at the smoking caters
"Well played Dusk…well played."
Tersia caught a glimpse of the poorly hidden grin from Ketsu as he watched on, leaving Tersia unsure of what to make of his words.
"Captain, tell me something, was this all part of your plan...or there's?"
"Worry not Tersia, avoid doing the work of our opponents for them".
"What do you mean?"
"It's in the worst of an experience that we must find our center or risk being swallowed by the tides of circumstance. Vaceris did exactly what she had said she would." Ketsu answered, slightly annoying Stephen with the unusually relaxed air about him.
"And what was that again?" Stephen asked.
"To do her best. When the time comes, can I count on the two of you to do the very same?"
"I hadn't planned on doing anything else...time for the ace of our team to step into the ring–" Stephen instead found himself held back in his seat as Tersia stepped up.
"Hold on, we still need to wait for Vaceris, besides, I'm going next."
"Okay...wait, hang on! When did we agree on that? First the princess and now you...seriously it's like the nobles are having a field day."
'Not to mention bumping into Princess Charlotte.' Stephen thought to himself before returning to his thoughts.
"Oh, well you did say it's time for the ace to step onto the ring." Tersia smiled with an undeniable charm as she moved the dark bangs out the sharp slits of her deep blue eyes and behind her ears, leaving Stephen momentarily speechless before Ketsu rested his hand on his shoulder, telling him to sit and simply wait his turn, sharing in Tersia's glee as he did so.
"The result of the first battle is a DRAW, due to both contestants being unconscious."
"Class 1F and Class 1C, please prepare for the next match." Ms. Yuria announced the lack of a victor before ushering the Medical staff onto the field to aid the students.
With them taking but a few moments as they struggled to retrieve them beneath the mass of Khyrsos' shadow drake...before it turned evanescent, allowing them to finish duties as they moved them to the Medical Ward.
"Fine then. Do your best, Tersia. I have no doubt our opponents have already planned with your capabilities in mind, Vaceris' battle was proof of that." Stephen shared a few words with her as prepared herself, surprising them both as he did.
"Worry not, they may have thought of a plan to counter you, but as long as you fight to your best, nothing can stop you." Ketsu affirmed her before watching her descend with an obvious look of concern, though he wasn't sure if it was herself or the wounded Vaceris.
"I won't lie, I wasn't expecting them to have someone that could go toe-to-toe with our Princess, you really set us up for a mess didn't you?"
"Stephen. It doesn't matter what plan I think of, they will always have a counter. Just look at them, even though their Captain is gripped by the loss of a victory, one of them remains unshaken."
"I noticed, you called her Dusk, didn't you. I never really noticed her until today." Stephen's curiosity at Ketsu's words guided his gaze over to her while he moved to sit beside him.
"That would make sense seeing as how she was with the group of students following Class 1A through the Configuration right before they met with ours around the third Spatial change. Other than that, she doesn't do much to stand out, but…" Ketsu's expression turned somber while his tone changed.
"That may come to be quite the error on my part. After all, I've been quite honest about my dislike of unknown quantities."
"For the second battle, we have Tersia Lamiastell for Class 1F and Iris Fleurette Lumeria of Class 1A."
"I ask that you conduct yourself with pride, esteem and respect one another during this battle." Ms. Yuria cleared the repaired Arena ground and returned to her post. With Tersia and Iris both entering the stage showered by praise from the eager bystanders.
While elsewhere on the stands.
"All right, have you seen enough, can we leave?" Arno kept tapping his foot as he asked.
"What are you, blind? Two beautiful women are about to battle it out and you just want to leave? I mean the first fight was heated but something tells me things are about to get steamy–" Jaret's excitement was cut short after he was pummeled by an annoyed Aurelia.
"Seriously, you said you wanted to place your bets among the juniors, and now you are in it for the women." Aurelia's facepalm surprised Ms. Yuria very little with her once again seated beside the group with quick movements, they only took notice of when her deathly cold tone reached them.
"Well then if it's women you fancy losing your sense over, I have no qualms requesting Ms. Cruz, our dear Red Queen to join us?"
"You mean the Demon Queen! Ma'am, would you go so far, for a joke?" A panicked look was drawn all across his face, though not just him, as Arno felt a lump in his throat at the sound of that name.
"...Arno, let's go, this fight is probably lame anyway."
"You too, Ki-Ki, you said there was a new pastry store opening up in Deep City? Let's go check it out. "
"Jaret...hold on. Please excuse us, ma'am." Aurelia said her goodbyes alongside Arno as they chased after Jaret who left a silver wisp in his wake as he vanished.
His abrupt exit made her chuckle quite a bit as her attention returned towards the battle that had begun.
"Ugh. This is annoying." Iris sighed heavily at the sight of the crowd in an uproar.
"I hate to say it but I agree, what a tiresome showing."
"They're just boys, they wear their immaturity on their sleeves" Iris added, jokingly.
"So then, no sense in delaying any longer, shall we?" Tersia readied herself.
"Let us." Iris returned the gesture with the two waiting on each other's next move.
"Hmm." Ketsu looked down at them with a growing crease of concern catching Stephen's eye, with it shifting between him and Dusk across the Arena.