"How's everyone doing?" Seiji asked as he and the Zodiacs sat down with the Sacred Braves and Crests.
"At first I was worried but, Lia, Leon and Rachel have grown a lot over these past few days." Dino smiled.
"Ange and Adele need more time but they're changing." Monica stated.
"From what Arata told me, Lucas, Adonis and Mitan have also gotten stronger." William stated. "As for Theo... he said he wasn't sure what happened but since returning from their village, Theo seemed off."
"When I asked him about it, he said it was nothing." Andrew said. "But, I don't believe him."
"Lia said Theo often looks like that when he's trying to process something." Alexis stated.
"So, what about the others?" Dustin asked.
"May, Lina and Diana seem to be training with Hiro and the others. Mayumi has been practicing spells along with Mao and Yuuki." Hatori said. "I'm still not sure about them though."
"Fleur said he wanted to talk to the three girls first before having them participate in training." Ryl stated.
"Between us, I'm wary of Karin's friends." Rum said. "Though I feel like Kimie is trustworthy, her other friends, I'm not sure."
"They aren't an issue. They come from lower families so Arata's last name alone should threaten them from doing anything." Reinhardt said. "The only one with somewhat higher rank among them was Karin so now that she's gone none of them will try anything that could ruin their families."
"I don't really get it but as long as they don't harm Fleur then it's fine." Dino stated.
While they were chatting, Arata, Van and Zander were also talking. Arata hadn't informed the others about the thing they were about to discuss as he wasn't sure what their reactions would be.
"So, what did you wanna talk about?" Van asked.
"Remember when I went to Tetra-Topia to talk with Story? I found something there besides ways to seperate the Jewels of Sin from their host." Arata answered.
"What was the thing that you found?" Zander asked.
"It's ancient spells, weapons and artifacts that were used during the Pre-Chimeran Era." Arata stated and the other two grew serious and solemn.
The Pre-ChimeranEra refers to the era before Chimeras came into being. The time when Fleur and her brethren still existed in this world. The records from those days were believed to have either been lost or destroyed completely.
Arata, took out an old book, made from parchment that he burrowed from Story secretly without telling Arcs or the others. The book showed different spells and different artifacts that Arata believes were sealed deep within his Shadow. He wasn't interested in the Artifacts but rather the spells that were inside the book.
"Aegis Le Phelia, a spell to protect all." Van read. "This spell has what?! Twenty Verses?!"
"Hmmm... Arata, these Artifacts, they also seem powerful to me." Zander said. "The Wildfire Brand, Thunderclap Fang, Heavens Breaker, Thousand Blooms and Ocean Slasher seem very powerful."
"I thought of that as well but... I'm worried about entrusting them to others." Arata stated. "Unless they belong to my genealogy of Braves, they may be seriously hurt."
"Hmm... what about the Regal Braves? Give them the swords and let them practice with it." Van said and Arata took a while to decide.
"For now, let's keep this matter between us." Zander said and the three nodded. "Arata do you have anything other than these?"
"There's a spell I've been trying to perfect but... for now, let's focus on the others." Arata stated.
Meanwhile, Touya, Hiro and the others were gathered in cafeteria talking.
"Lucas, Arata seemed off when you returend, did something happen?" May asked.
"I can't say. Argent spent his time in his garden. By the time I was finished he seemed to be thinking of something deep." Lucas answered. "Theo, did you notice anything?"
Theo, who was thinking of Philia said to him, wasn't paying any attention to what the others were talking about at all.
"Theo! Quick! Argent suddenly collapsed!" Lia exclaimed and he immediately snapped back into reality and swiftly turned his head from side to side. "Can you hear us now? Theo, is something wrong?"
"Hmm..." Theo, at first kept quiet but... he knew he had to tell them soon. "Call Will and the others, Van and Zander too."
Adonis nodded as he trodded off to call them. Before he keaves though, Theo tells him not to bring Arata with them which makes the others a bit worried as to what he might be planning to tell them.
Adonis returns with William and the otehrs who had just finished their meeting and Van and Zander who had just ended their meeting with Arata on the pretext of training Adonis and the others.
"Ethan, can you set up a barrier?" Theo asked and Ethan, who saw the seriousness in his eyes nodded.
"So, what is it that you had to tell us? Even going to the point of setting up a barrier." William asked.
"This was something I heard from Philia, the Guardian of Unfied Palace. She told me that Arata aksed her abouta certain spell." Theo said, the seriousness in his voice which was usually light and playful ever present. "I think Van and Zander would be more familiar with it."
"What spell is it?" Van asked.
"Philia said it was, the Magic of One." Theo stated and the atmosphere between the two grew heavy. The eyes of the two now stern and serious as well, their faces solemn and sober. "What is it? The Magic of One?"
"It's an ancient magic, far more ancient than that of the Crest of Ancients." Zander stated. "The Magic of One, also known as the Primordial Magic."
"Primordial Magic?" Leon asked
"Magic of Ancients, a spell believed to warp the very order of the world. It bends and breaks and rewrites the laws of worlds at will." Dino stated. "Primodial Magic... what does Fleur want to do with it?"
"Argent apparently answered her. 'It's only just in case I fail, something I'll leave behind for the ones I love.' She added that the seriousness in his voice was present." Theo finished and the atmosphere in the room dropped again.
"Now everything makes sense." Van stated.
"What made sense?" Leon asked.
"Arata told us not to tell you this but... he's been researching Pre-Chimeran Era Spells." Van stated.
"Pre-Chimeran Era?" Ange asked.
"Spells that came before the era of Chimeras." Rum answered.
Van explained to them what Arata was planning in case things took a turn for the worst. He'd use the Magic of One along with a certain spell from the Pre-Chimeran Era to protect everyone by rewriting the very comstruct or even the very history of the world. He'd cast Aegis le Philia and overlap it with the Magic of One. He knew not the price to pay, to outcome of the spell, or what consequences Arata would suffer by doing so.
Silence filled the room as all who were present were frozen. Unable to say anything as the weight of Arata's backup plan fell on top of them.