Looking at where the charred crater should have been, all that Dusk could see was her spell being countered by Vauntuss, surprising her and silencing the crowd. With the crystalline embrace of an icy prism, he was shielded from the attack.
Looking at her Tome, it began turning to a different page as the clock-face began changing form.
'All of that and that and he is untouched. The magic it requires may not be sustainable for a long duration. If that's the case.' She thought to herself as the Tome found the spell she sought.
"But if it's an ice wall I face, then a spear of flame shall be what pierces it."
"My love is like to ice, and I to fire." Summoning a flaming construct that took the shape of a Lotus flower with Vauntuss at the core of it. The emerging spell spurred his attention as he stepped out of the icy bounds only to be within the flora.
He tried to leap out of its range only for the plant-like filigree to spawn from his limbs before jutting out in flaming bonds that attached to the Lotus, dragging him back into it.
However not without struggle as his ambient chill battled the burning bonds.
"Hmph..." Scoffing, he noticed her intense gaze, his eyes flickered between his opponent and the field before taking a deep breath before rushing towards her, managing to outstep the bonds stemming from the plant.
But his resistance would eventually tire him when the bonds were able to tighten, dragging him back...not too far from her. Noticing his failings, he once again channeled his Ice Magic, and from his words, a crystalline pearl shelled around him.
'No defense is impregnable.' She hoped as the sound of fluttering pages filled her mind while she took a quick look at the clock face behind her.
Thirty seconds left.
The Tome halted, with a blaring chime rising in volume and ripping through the earth around her, she directed it at the flame-wrapped pearl which was quickly extinguished after the crushing sounds clashed with the pearl, growing louder and louder and bringing those that were watched greater and greater discomfort.
Those that didn't pass out succumbed to nausea while Dusk being the closest felt the steady stream flowing from her ears and eyes being the indicator she couldn't ignore. So before more of her visage could be painted with her blood...he halted the assault.
Standing back to look at the shimmering gem sitting amongst the battle-worn field.
From this, she cast intricate spell after spell that managed to push him with them being countered only for him to fall victim to one of her light spells that were focused through his ice shell piercing his torso...prompting him to use a different tactic on her with a vast amount of strength.
'She seems to have incredible power which means waiting for her to make a mistake will not fare well for me.' Sealing the wound in his abdomen with a jet of steam streaming out of the wound before it closed entirely.
His eyes shone in with an azure before she could respond, the blue light showered her and the rest of the Arena while he let out his next words.
"Ice I: Flash Freeze." Taking less than a moment for the observers to notice how was now encased in a glacier that almost showered the crowd behind her.
While the only thing that could be heard in the Arena was now the chilling streams that surrounded the icy mound, Vauntuss never took his eyes off it. Keeping his focus on her unique magical source, he could see something stirring...
"Is that mist? No...no that is possible–" the glacier was suddenly torn in two by the appearance of a massive crack ripping a crevasse through with equally massive shadows flailing about in said mist before the structure started falling apart.
Showering the wintry debris across the field and scattering the participants.
Vauntuss wandered out of the ice cover as he searched for her magic in the mountain, only for the shadows to take shape, as plant tendrils that thrashed and beat the Arena in craze and clearing away everything around them in a frenzy.
The mania would have continued but the blast of the azure light immobilized them before cracking and breaking apart. But from one of the Arena's walls, Dusk kept her distance while she waited for the fluttering pages to find what she was looking for.
Checking the clock-face once more, she took a deep breath as she steeled herself.
Calling on the power of the 12th Bell, Dusk summoned an erupting tidal wave of dirt, rising from the edges of the Arena and rushing inwards, mud wall would flood towards him.
But the young knight was also prepared to respond in kind.
Using his magic to form an icy pillar, launching himself into the air before freezing the tidal danger in his azure gaze.
"Let us see if he can dodge in mid-air." Leaving her place, she charged forward with the Tome glowing beside her, Vauntuss turned to her only for her to summon a fiery geyser beneath him...hoping to blast him out of the sky.
Iris stood in excitement after witnessing the surprise attack, breaking from her calm exterior since the Tournament had started. Though as she continued to watch, she would be forced to manage her expectations as he summoned the crystalline shell using his Ice X spell, deflecting the flames back onto the frozen mud wall below.
Thawing and baking the clay in one simple move before descending a thundering crash as the icy pearl crashed.
Landing in the center of the Clay Bowl, he readied himself, shattering the frozen cover into various shards that showered the area all around them. While some in the audience held their breath, watching while she tried to hide behind the clay wall with the shrapnel having caught her in several places.
Biting her tongue to silence her whimpers while she forced the shards out, while the crowd watched on.
"Hey...is this even fair?" The sentiment began rising amongst the crowd.
"Hmm. Were you lot not celebrating the strength of her name, why do you suddenly pity her?" Reiss' sharp ears caught wind of the moaning as he returned his annoyance with a callous tone.
"I mean is this even right? Even a blind man can see she doesn't stand a chance, who thought such a display would be anything but cruel, there is no sportsmanship here." Mounting whispers and murmurs that took the place of the dwelling silence.
Giving rise to a sense of displeasure that couldn't be shrugged off by even Vauntuss' prestige.
"Quiet you incessant tattles. Your ignorance sickens me." Ulrich spoke up, bringing many to wonder how he took the reins of the announcer from Ms. Yuria.
"It is quite all right, Ulrich. The people are simply unaware."
"Salazar, this is no time for your timidity. Not when they are espousing such trite things about your student."
"Sigh. It is fine, it's a consequence of a world wherein there are those of us who have only known peace. They have not seen the horrors beyond their borders." Salazar took over from Ulrich who returned this seat.
"When holds are raided, cities and towns are raped and pillaged before being raised, we are sent to ensure those atrocities are punished. Those who commit them care not for race, gender or age."
"They see the mortal realm as being victim to their whims, and all those who inhabit it as not being worthy to share the same air. When fighting such fiends, we and those students below do not have the luxury of lofty ideals."
"Young Vauntuss is ceaseless, yes, but not without mercy. And young Dusk is resilient and not in need of your pity."
"Watch, as they show us all that they are capable of."
"We call this the Carnival for it is a celebration of our students and what they are capable of. Do not dishonor them with your shameful thoughts." Ulrich added to the now stunned masses as they struggled to answer.
A strange mist began rising to obscure his vision, but finding her magic was no strain, summoning his Ice X into crystalline blades before launching them at her...the barrage was scraping at the clay wall, as she prepared a spell.
Stepping close enough, she set off the spell, detonating the ground around him as the fiery shockwave blasted past the vines and tendrils, igniting the strange gas with Torren's spell once more. emanating from them, and that from the clay.
Consuming him in an immense explosion that withered away the bowl containing it...while the smoke rose, a massive thud could be heard, prompting her to move in and with the massive burst of her magic, summoned several light rays that pierced the shadow.
They wounded him, and as she moved to end the match, he let out a chilled breath before a tundral force exploded from him.
As if a blizzard had been birthed from him for a mere moment, the azure glow shone through the frozen veil,
"Ice I: Flash Freeze." Using his brilliant spell to immobilize her instantly. She tried to free herself but was ultimately locked in as his magic overpowered her and left her bound in a chilled embrace.
He stood steadfast.
"The victor of the second round of the Cross Tournament is Vauntuss Strum of Class 1A." Freezing the mud and foliage clinging to his clothing before shaking loose of the dirt as he approached the ice pillar.
He reached out towards the chilled sculpture while his hand neared the ice it steamed away, finally freeing her.
"Ms. Yuria, may you send for the Medics. Before her temperature falls beyond their means to save her."
"Lady Greywind, are you awake?" Holding her in his arms until she awoke.
"Ahh, yes. Yes...I am." Blushing in the midst of his touch.
"I see. Very well, I shall leave you their care."
"Hmm, Erie is the same as always. Ruthless in battle but when it comes to his duty he rarely falters. Serving nobles honorably runs in his blood." Princess Charlotte commented.
"His goal should be victory, not playing the shining knight to the other classes." Raon exclaimed as they watched the Medics enter the Arena, asking Vauntuss to place the dazed Dusk in their care.
After she was taken, he left, wandering to the exit while the cheers from all his supporters filled the scene, so much so that the earlier dissenters could not help but share their applause at his display.