While the 'White-Mane' of the Class 1F fluttered in the winds of victory, he was not beyond the need for Dr. Arturion's assistance.
With the last remnants of his Atash fading from his body, his body suddenly gave way under the way of his fatigue as his knees buckled. Though strangely he did not meet the dusty grounds and instead felt a steady breeze blow past him as the cooling sensation filled his mind.
"Do you plan on waking up anytime soon? You're gonna make the princess worry?" Torren's voice echoed over him as he shook his head to free himself of nausea.
"You're gonna make who do what?" She answered with a curious tone.
"Eh...hey, look at that. Rise and shine." Erai woke up to the same bickering that had become all too common for his class.
He got up to his feet and raised his hand to the two of them before stumbling on his way to the corridor, while his surprised classmates helped him on his way.
"You did well down there." Vaceris rested her hand on him as they left the Arena.
With an odd sight catching Ketsu's eye, he hung back, asking them to continue on their way as he needed to handle something.
"You too, Sergei! I'll be alright." Sending his friend on his way, before turning into the next room. Ketsu was approached by the Student Council President's shadows, providing him with some insight into what he had requested from Elldra.
Reminding him that he shouldn't forget his words to President Elldra, that he's promised to repay him. In his usual demeanour, he sent them off as he joined his classmates , cheering on the victorious Erai.
Considering how well the class had performed, he invited them to dinner.
Arriving at Stephen's family restaurant, much to his dismay although his mother was happy to see him again so soon.
It's here that Torren managed to wear Vaceris and Tersia down, as they relented, they were finally willing to help him prepare for his battle against Vauntuss.
Which meant they left straight for the training gyms after dinner.
With their evening occupied, Shynerai went back to the Reven's Workshop, taking to practicing with his SoulArm prototype in the courtyard, while a stranger watched from afar, despite doing all they could to hide their presence, their chilling and sharp nature was hard to ignore.
Around 22h30, the nighttime air took on a somnolent chill, forcing Shynerai to put his training for the night and return to his room. After cleaning up the courtyard and closing the shop, he returned outside, now realizing that the presence had completely disappeared
Leaving a piping hot meal for him to find as he worked through the night.
As the time passed, and midnight came, he resolved to get some rest, though instead of going to need, he instead took to deep meditation through the rest of the night.
Only waking up to the sounds of their running grinding wheel shooting out sparks from the shop.
While the last of the amber lit windows surrounding the Academy turned off, the students, the audience, the combatants and their educators spent the rest of their day treating their wounds before taking to their quiet sleep, under the peaceful hymns of the melodic Tuning Lake.
The next day began with the stunning sunrise that welcomed the morning with a chorus of trumpeting talent sounding clearly for all in Aria to hear.
The tones slowly gathered the crowd one by one to the eastern Arena under the guidance of exhausted Student Generals that spent the early morning preparing the site and closing off the previously attended Arena.
"Well well, it is a strange sight seeing you up so early." The wizened voice of the kind doctor greeted his friend as he issued a request to the nearby SGs struggling to stay awake while leading members of the crowd to the Arena.
"What can I say, victory is a good motivator." Reiss's smile couldn't stretch further if he tried, almost deterring the lost passersby as they rushed away from him, choosing to follow the students instead.
"Shouldn't you be saving that pride for your class? I'm certain those kids will be quite excited to hear words of...well anything really as long as it isn't vitriol."
"I don't think so, the last thing those kids need is me coddling them. After all, you make them tougher than your average brat." Turning to face the good doctor and finding him instead tending to the fatigued students with a few vials of a strange liquid.
Watching them down the solution, the doctor's smile shone brightly as they found themselves overcome with vigor and strength, thanking him with all manner of praise for his talent and care, before he sent them off, paying no mind to the grinning Reiss.
"Again, remind me why you don't have children of your own?"
"We both know that isn't what you meant to say, what you actually want to say is why do people seem to like you more than they do me?" Arturion tapped him on the shoulder, waiting for Reiss.
"Yeah, I don't need the admiration of a few toddlers whining when they have to spend two days straight working. A trip through the Ashfallen Seas would teach them a good lesson about staying awake for several days." Reiss snapped his fingers, bursting orange sparks to life and summoning flames that took the shape of sigils floating in front of him.
"Don't remind me, the crew kept tearing at their flesh thinking they were being eaten by strange critters. Subduing those that went mad and treating those that wounded themselves, the life of a Guardian was never dull."
He waited for the fiery gateway to open up before following Arturion through it, and disappearing in a wisp of smoke.
"Do you miss it, life on the front lines I mean? Being out there, outside of the Academy?" Reiss asked him as they appeared onto their seats, standing above the rest of the Arena.
"I do, more times than I can count. But the work we do here, it's good work." Arturion gave his companion a nod before finding himself a seat away from the sun's glare.
"You still believe that after all this time old man?"
"Of course and I know you do too, if you didn't, then you would have left a long time ago."
It wouldn't take long for the stands to awaken with the presence of more and more people gathering atop them, with all the supporting classes of the first years now seated nearest to the ensuing battles to come.
The trio of Class 1A, Class 1B and Class 1F lined the front rows of the Arena, sitting below their educator's stands where they sat joined once again by the announcer who seemed particularly pleased with herself as she came up the stairs alongside Ulrich and most surprisingly, the Head Mistress.
"This is a welcomed surprise. You're early Reiss?" The Headmistress walked over to them.
With the doctor standing straight to greet her only for him to be told to settle down, not wishing for the doctor to strain himself.
"If I wasn't, then how would I get to see your angelic beauty, you've been very busy lately." His words trailed off as Ulrich's heavy grasp bit into his shoulder.
"The day has barely begun and already you are on my nerves. How about you do me a favor and set yourself on fire?"
"Sure, I'll just need that stick up your ass for firewood."
While Reiss and Ulrich bore their teeth at each other, the Headmistress cheerfully stepped away and found herself a comfy seat beside Ms. Yuria and the last to arrive.
Salazar took one look at the squabbling and knew well enough to simply ignore it and enjoy the peace surrounding the Headmistress.
"Headmistress, it's good to have you join us today."
"Oh dear, I had planned to make my arrival during the first battle for the Cross Gardens Tournament. Unfortunately, my duties had me occupied for far too long." She mentioned in a whispered tone while Ms. Yuria began the introduction, asking the crowd to begin quieting down.
"Is it the Holy Church again?" Taking on an uncharacteristically-stern expression lit with the golden hue of his eyes, as he leaned over to ask.
"Yes...While I had hoped their attention would remain affixed on the incident in Whitewater, they seemed to have caught onto the suspicious rumors surrounding the Lynhearian continent."
"...Are you saying that you didn't want them to, Headmistress?"
"I only fear that their involvement might prompt our adversaries to retreat before we have learned anything from them–my actions will further endanger those I had hoped to protect if they get involved." She said as she leaned against Salazar's shoulder.
Having the effect of softening his expression with the look most of his colleagues came to know as his most normal taking over the fierceness that once was.
"As daunting as things may get, I believe you should keep your faith in Jaret. It will probably be more dangerous for him to return the moment word of the Holy Church begins to spread."
"Always the one to see past what I say. Even when I try my best to disguise it."
"It's as you said, Eva. The winds of change have slowly started to kick up a storm. But we will be ready..." His words were cut short when Reiss and Ulrich planted themselves beside the pair in a huff.
"Apologies for the interruption, Headmistress. The battle is about to start." Ulrich's gaze went past the startled Salazar towards the Headmistress.
"Then let us welcome our Academy's future champions." She smiled at him as she heard his words.
Ms. Yuria began to call out the combatants,
"The first battle of the second round of the Cross Carnival Tournament is about to begin."
"Of Class 1A, Vauntuss Strum and from Class 1F, we have Torren Sujing." Ms. Yuria leapt down to the Arena floor awaiting the participants, but before the two even met, their magic would.
A chilling aura crawled below and filled the grounds with a biting mist that came to a halt after meeting the shimmering air radiating from one of the gates. The mirage-like effect produced by a growing heat did well to hide him.
Both of them coming in, each step intensified the cold and flared the heat. Each step blurred the visage of the students while Ms. Yuria waited for them to reach her.
At that point a storm would begin to brew from the clash of dualistic forces twisting and winding around each other, they both seemed quite resolved to begin.
As the struggle of magic finally gave way, blasting against the crowd, despite still having the Ward to shield them, they were able to witness the strength they commanded.
"I want to see a battle grand enough to make the Headmistress proud today. Alright, if you are both ready, then you may–Begin!"