Caspian sat on the ground, staring at the unconscious Gustav with what must have been a stupid look on his face. He didn't really understand what was going on. Even though he'd heard Instructor Murdok's words, it took him several seconds to truly comprehend them.

I... won...?

As he sat there, trying to come to terms with his victory, someone began clapping. Craning his neck, he saw Elincia, Erica, Derek, Sylvia, and old man Stratello clapping for him alongside the other sorceresses and foreign dignitaries. While the clapping started in the viewing box, it didn't end in the viewing box. Like a wave it spread through the crowd, until everyone was clapping.

Huh? What?

Why were these people clapping? Sure, he imagined some of them might, but most of the people here were from Axium. They knew who he was, and they didn't like him. Shouldn't they be jeering for him instead?

"They're excited by the good showing you put on," Instructor Murdok answered his unasked question.

"But... shouldn't everyone hate me?"

"It's true, some of these people probably do hate you, but they're too swept up in the good fight you put on to care about something petty like hatred. Can you stand up?"

"Um..." Caspian tried to climb to his feet, only to realize that his legs weren't working at all. "No, it doesn't look like I can."

Instructor Murdok sighed. "Hold on while I call for a medic—"

"That won't be necessary," Erica said as she waltzed onto the arena floor. "My knight and I will take care of Caspie."

"Erica? Derek?"

"Caspian!"

"What the—oof!"

Caspian wondered why he was suddenly staring at the sky. It wasn't until he tilted his head and saw dark hair that he realized why.

"Tiffania."

Grinning with childish delight, Tiffania looked up at him. She was lying on his stomach, having bodily tackled him to the floor. She sat on top of him, her grin widening until it forced her eyes closed.

"That was really cool! You're so strong!"

"Well... thank you," Caspian said groggily. He must have hit his head on the ground, because it felt like something was broken. "Could you please get off me now?"

"Up we go, Tiffa dear." Erica picked the girl up by the armpits and set her on the ground. "Caspie is injured, you know. Sitting on him like that is probably making his injuries worse."

True. His wounds did feel more aggravated than before. He chalked part of that up to the adrenaline wearing off, and the numbness from being zapped by magical lightning vanishing.

"Sorry," a contrite Tiffania apologized.

"It's fine," Caspian sighed. He didn't have anything against the girl. She was a little excitable, but she kinda reminded him of Elincia when they were younger.

"Come along, Caspie," Erica said as Derek slung one of Caspian's arms around his shoulder and hefted him off the ground. Caspian felt shame as he was forced to lean on Derek, his feet practically dragging against the rocky surface.

"Up ya go," Derek grunted.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"You're welcome."

As Caspian was dragged off the arena, a group of medics came in bearing a stretcher, which they loaded Gustav onto. He didn't see where they took the other boy. Descending down the stairs, he was half carried into the waiting room where a nervous Cassidy stood.

"Caspian!" she cried out, rushing toward him. "Are you hurt? Oh, what am I saying?! Of course you're—kya!"

Caspian, Derek, and Erica were silent as Cassidy tripped over something that none of them could see and fell flat on her face. With her butt sticking unceremoniously into her the air, her long skirt having risen up to expose her panties, the girl released a piteious moan.

"I feel like I should feel bad seeing this happen, but for some reason, I don't," Caspian declared to no one in particular. Tiffania looked at him, her head tilted in confusion.

"I've seen this so many times that I've just grown used to it," Erica added.

"Aye," Derek agreed.

***

"That was quite the interesting battle," Lord Fuzen Taiga murmured, stroking his beard. "I was very surprised when that lightning attack got reflected back at Gustav. Most intriguing."

"Is that so?" Lady Sylvia asked. Her face was completely straight.

"Oh, indeed. I've never seen something like that happen before." Lord Fuzen Taiga's smile was predatory. "Forgive me for sounding whimsical, but it almost seemed like magic. Do you know if Caspian has some sort of magical device on him like Gustav's staff?"

"Not that I know of," Lady Sylvia's response was slow, as if she was carefully choosing her words. "But then, I prefer to not get involved with the students of this academy."

"Indeed. That is why you hired the headmaster, is it not?"

"Yes."

Elincia listened to the conversation, but she didn't partake in it. She knew why Lady Sylvia was being so cautious. Caspian's status as a half-elf was known only to a few. Lord Fuzen Taiga, as the lord of a foreign nation, as a noble in general, was not privy to that information.

None of the other sorceresses said anything. They knew why Caspian had been able to reflect that spell, but all of them were sworn to secrecy on it. According to Lady Akane, after what happened to Dolten, it had been decided that nobody would reveal Caspian's status until after he became a well-established knight. Considering Caspian looked mostly human, hiding his origins was easy.

Caspian...

She wished she could go down and see him, but Lady Sylvia would block her attempt. Besides, she'd already caused Caspian enough trouble. She didn't need to create any more friction between him and the noble factions. Once they became bonded, however, she wouldn't need to worry about how much favor she showed him.

"What are the chances that he'll be ready to fight again?" asked Lord Fuzen Taiga.

They were in a one-hour intermission. This was the time that people were supposed to use when they needed to go to the restroom or get something to eat. There were several stalls inside of the colosseum, she knew, though she'd not been able to go there and buy anything. It was one of those instances where being a sorceress really sucked.

"Lady Erica is currently with him," Headmaster Stratello said. "She will heal him and make sure he's able to fight once more."

Lady Erica, I'm so jealous of her. She can show Caspian as much favor as she wants and no one even bats an eyelash.

Sighing in mild frustration, Elincia resigned herself to wait.

***

The room was brightly lit but mostly bare. White walls, white floor, white ceiling. One might have almost mistaken this room for a hospital wing—until they noticed the lack of hospital beds and standard hospital equipment. Most hospital rooms had magitech equipment these days. The only thing this room had was a large magical array.

It was a most unusual circle. Located within the circle itself was a pentagon. Five more circles were located inside of the large circle, one at each point of the pentagon, and within the pentagon itself was a six-pointed star. The legs of each point contained archaic lettering.

Count Genitore knew not what they meant. However, his companion assured him that these runes were necessary to complete their task, which was all that mattered anyway.

Three people were in this room; a woman draped by a dark cloak, a muscular young man who lay in the center of the array, and Count De'Falco Genitore.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" the count asked.

"Do you question me, Count?" the woman shot back.

"I do not question your skill, but using a human male as a medium to summon and enslave a spirit does not seem probable."

"That is why I have embedded several spirit crystals within his body," she told him patiently. "The spirit crystals will generate enough power to let us summon the spirit. Once housed inside of his body, it will feed off the spirit crystals and I will enslave it."

"And what of the sorceresses?"

"Do not worry about them," she said dismissively. "I have already ensured that they will not be able to interfere. Be sure to contact our... associates. Have them ready the Murakumos for deployment."

"Of course."

Count Genitore nodded noncommittally. However, most of his attention was focused on the boy, Julius Grossalaine, Count Giovanni Grossalaine's youngest son. Unconscious and lying on his back, his feet canted inwards, the young man's body was covered in lumpy protrusions that glowed with an ethereal light. Spirit crystals. There must have been hundreds of them embedded into the boy's flesh. He didn't understand the mechanics behind such an archaic ritual, but he trusted in his companion's abilities.

"Oh, spirit of the earth," she intone, much like she did when using Spiritual Evocation. "Form this pact with me, Gaia, great spirit of earth. Yours is a power that is eternal, everlasting. Oceans may dry, the land may change, but under your watchful eyes, this world shall never perish. Grant unto me your blessing. Grant unto me your power. Grant unto me the power to crush those who would oppose me!"

Count Genitore's companion was engulfed in greenish light, the light of the earth, as the spirit Gaia became housed within her. Kneeling on the ground, she then placed her hands on the marble tiles, touching the circle. The light engulfing her traveled into the circle, running along the many lines of the array, until the whole thing lit up.

And so it begins, Count Genitore thought as the first stage in the process needed to enslave a spirit began.