Omen of a Bluebell

“Gods, that was stressful,” Bella sighs, settling in the space next to me.

Cari and I simply stare at her with a mix of awe and disbelief.

Apparently that was the last match of the original groups, but we’d missed her other fights. Now all of the others who still need extra evaluation are going through their matches, though even they are slowly beginning to trickle into the stands around us.

“What? Did you think I would let some upstart fire Mage get the best of me?”

“Fire mage?!” Cari explodes. “That was a gods-damned phoenix!”

Bella scoffs. “Hardly. I’ve seen phoenixes in the Chasm, and that girl barely counts as a chick. Practically just a fire elemental.”

Cari gapes at her, so I jump in.

“Could we see your evaluation results?” I ask as sweetly as I can manage.

Cari nods with significantly more enthusiasm than needed, but I can’t really call her out for it when my tail is swishing with agitation between Bella and I despite my best efforts to reign it in.

Bella sighs, and with a wave of her hand she conjures a small tablet of ice with text scrawled into its surface. My ear twitches at the display of control.

—————————

Entrance Exam Assessment Results — Duel 5

Student: Arabella von Bysm

Tier: One

Level: 67

Evaluation Scale:

Liability - Lacking - Adequate - Exceptional - Overwhelming.

Results:

Damage Output: Overwhelming.

Speed: Adequate.

Durability: Lacking to Adequate (previously Lacking).

Tactical Awareness: Exceptional to Overwhelming (previously Exceptional).

Efficiency: Adequate to Exceptional.

Control: Overwhelming.

Overall Combat Ability: Exceptional to Overwhelming.

Notes:

Duel 1:

Demonstrates overwhelming capabilities with her magic, even against those of similar elemental affinity.

Maintains complete control over the battlefield without overcommitment. Little to no waste of mana.

Student clearly has extensive formal training in both magic, and possibly also martial combat.

Student has a Skill that allows her to establish a domain, in which her magical control approaches that of magic-focused Tier Two builds.

Requested student act as an aide with evaluations after she has completed her duels, but she refused.

Duel 2:

Student is not able to physically keep up with speed-based builds, but compensates with her area control, forcing her opponent to slow down.

Student shows exceptional restraint, even going so far as to dispel some ice spikes that her opponent was about to impale themselves on before ending the duel.

Student durability is lacking, but shows exceptional self control and concentration. Took a thrown dagger to the shoulder without becoming distracted.

Duel 3:

No additional observations of note.

Results of previous duels are adequate to place student in appropriate classes.

Duel 4:

No additional observations of note.

Duel 5:

Adjusting durability score up slightly. Student showed incredible defensive potential against even opposing elements.

Adjusting tactical awareness score up slightly. Student correctly assumed that she would need her opponent within her domain in order to properly subdue them.

Student adjusted to restrictive win conditions exceptionally well, despite opponents overwhelming durability and self healing.

Dueling exams complete.

—————————

“Wow,” I say, genuinely impressed.

“This is so unfair,” Cari whines. “Is it because she’s a Princess?”

“Honestly? It probably plays a least a little bit into it. There’s no way they’d tear her down,” I mutter.

Bella quirks a brow at us, confused.

I wave her off. “Our notes were a bit more critical.”

“A bit? A bit?!” Cari cries, outraged. “They practically tore me limb from limb compared to her.”

I shrug. “Were they wrong, though?”

Cari gives me a betrayed look for a few seconds, then deflates, crumpling into my side as if her bones just turned to jelly.

“No…”

Her voice is little more than a moan of pure misery, but it’s clear she’s just hamming it up for the two of us.

Bella lets out a quiet giggle at my side, and I give her my best side-eye. She quiets immediately, her posture as prim and proper as ever as she proceeds to pretend that she didn’t just laugh at us.

My eyes narrow slightly, and her lips twitch.

“Y-yes?” she asks, barely holding back a laugh disguised as a cough.

“You’re on thin ice, Princess,” I say, waving the little ice tablet at her.

Cari groans as if I’d just stabbed her, and Bella gives me a look that just screams ‘Really?’

It’s quiet for a few seconds after that, until Cari speaks.

“Ignore my idiot sister. If you can believe it, she even made a pun about carrying me once,” she says, poking my side and making me jerk from the tickling sensation.

Bella’s lips twitch again, but this time she doesn’t bother hiding the smile. She leans back and crosses her arms under her chest, my eyes following them for a moment before snapping back up to hers.

We stay like that for a heartbeat, her smile never fading even a little despite having caught me being… stupid. Then she speaks, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“I’m almost afraid to ask what she said,” she says.

“Carry me, Cari!” Cari blurts instantly, her voice a mockery of my own, arms outstretched as she makes grabby hands towards Bella.

Bella’s gaze snaps to Cari, freeing me. “Really? She wanted you to carry her? I thought it’d be the other way around, given how physical she is…”

She glances at me, her own cheeks gaining a hint of pink.

Heat creeps up my neck and I fold my ears as I look away, trying to hide my embarrassment.

My tail betrays me, swishing gently against Bella’s thigh before I can stop it.

“Yep,” Cari answers, snuggling back into my side even as she continues to verbally flay me alive. “She didn’t want to get out of bed.”

Bella chuckles as she tries to regain a measure of control.

“Yeah, well, it was funny at the time,” I mutter.

Cari snorts. “Sure it was.”

***

It takes another couple of hours for the duels to finally grind to a close.

By the time the last two students shuffle their way into the stands, the arena settles into a low, exhausted murmur.

Then the air ripples with magic, a low thrum vibrating through the air and alerting every student of its presence.

The Principal and Headmistress appear in its place, this time floating in the air just in front of the stands we rest on. The noise dies almost instantly.

“With the results of your duels complete,” he announces, voice carrying throughout the entire arena without effort, “there is only one more thing to do to complete your exams.”

He pauses just long enough to let the anticipation grow.

“The Delves.”

A wave of murmurs roll through the stands, a mix of excited and nervous. He lets it go on for a moment, then speaks once more.

“You will be expected to find a team and present yourselves before the Tunnel entrance at the second bell tomorrow morning,” he starts, motioning for the Headmistress to continue.

“You will need a team of three to five members of the same Tier in order to participate. If you cannot find a team of your own, we will assign you to one. You have until the eighth bell to pick your teammates. The faculty that stay behind will confirm your team compositions. If you cannot find a team by then, inform them. You will be assigned to your team tomorrow,” she says, her tone brooking no argument.

Then the Principal continues. “You are free to spend the rest of the day as you wish afterwards. Don’t be late.”

With those parting words, they vanish in a puff of mana particles.

The stands explode into chatter as students immediately begin shouting about joining their group or what role they’re looking to fulfill. Several around us even begin making offers to Bella, but she simply ignores them.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of the faculty around the arena begin leaving, along with any of the remaining spectators. In their wake, only twenty of the school staff stay behind, watching over us expectantly.

As the students around us begin to shuffle about the stands, Cari exhales hard.

“Well,” she says, “guess this is where we part ways for the day.”

I turn to her sharply. “What?”

She winces. “Emi… you’re both Tier One.”

My ears flatten once more, my tail swishing angrily at my side despite myself.

I know she’s right, but I hate it.

“It’s bullshit.”

She bumps her shoulder into mine. “It’ll be fine. I’ll find a team. But I better get going before all the good ones are filled.”

I want to argue, but I just nod, swallowing the tight knot in my chest.

“Be safe,” I order.

She gives me a quick hug before turning away with a wave. “Good luck finding a third!”

Then she slips away, disappearing into the swelling crowd. I stare after her for a while, then someone familiar steps into the path of my gaze.

Seraphine.

She cuts through the press of students with practiced ease, dodging or outright ignoring the hands reaching out to gain her attention. Dozens upon dozens of students shout at her as she passes, either pleading to join her or offering for her to join them.

Then she stands before me, her expression calm and focused entirely on me. The ribbons of her spear flutter from where its strapped to her back, but I only spare the distraction a glance.

“Emilia,” she says, offering me a nod. She spares Bella a glance and another nod. “Princess Arabella.”

Bella straightens slightly, apparently just as surprised by her appearance as I am. “Yes?”

Seraphine turns back to me then, her expression turning serious.

“I’d like to join your team.”

The noise around us shifts. I can feel eyes turning our way, the weight of their attention—good and bad—settling on my shoulders and making my ears twitch.

The light tinkle of my earrings brings me back to focus.

Bella watches me with a brow quirked, as if waiting for my answer.

Why is she letting me decide?

I hesitate.

Not because it’s a bad idea, but because I'm considering the way she fought. The way her spear cut through my magic, her precision, the Skills she displayed at the end… it’d all work rather well in our team.

But even if she joined, we’ll still need a scout…

Seraphine notices the pause and steps in closer.

“With you controlling the field,” she says, nodding to Bella, “and you acting as front line, I can focus on damage. Singular targets, high-threat enemies. I won’t need support.”

Her gaze bores into mine without a hint of arrogance. Just certainty and assurance.

“I won’t hold you back.”

Her tone is measured and respectful, and there is a hint of hope tied into it as well.

She’s trying to sell herself to us.

Still, it settles any doubts I had.

The students around us distract me for a moment as they begin to gossip upon seeing Seraphine trying to win us over. Most of them sound shocked, asking who I am to have attracted the attention of not just one, but two of the best duelists we’ve seen today.

Because of course all of them got to see Bella’s last match. Those that didn’t were told about it soon after finishing their own duels.

And while I didn’t get to see any of Seraphines last few matches, I did see her being directed by the faculty to duel other students still in need of additional examination.

I also saw that she never lost any of those duels. So if anything, she’s probably nearly as famous as Bella is right now.

It’s no wonder people were shouting offers at her on her way over here.

Still, I can feel the way people look past Bella and Seraphine just to look at me, like I’m the variable they don’t understand.

Glancing around, I catch flashes of it. Tight smiles that aren’t quite genuine. Whispers that stop when I look their way.

...Maybe I’m just reading too much into this? I’ve come a long way from being a Faulted Carrier, where everyone's opinion of me mattered.

Returning my gaze to Seraphine, I find her watching me intently.

I decide to ask her a question first, though I’m already certain she’ll be joining us.

“Why us?”

She considers for a moment, then answers simply.

“I want to be with people who won’t limit me,” she says. “And people I don’t have to carry through a delve.”

Bella’s brow lifts, amused.

I snort softly despite myself.

“Fair enough,” I say. Then I nod. “I think it would work.”

Seraphine exhales, just a little. She masks her relief almost as quickly as it appears, but I catch it. The moment her shoulders seem to lose a bit of their tension.

“But,” I quickly continue, “I’d like for us to have a scout of some kind as well.”

Bella smiles at my side. “I don’t believe we’ll have difficulties there,” she says, waving around us at the countless students who’d just heard me mention wanting a fourth.

Their hungry gazes crawl over me, sending a shiver down my spine and straight into my tail.

“Ugh,” I moan. “This is going to suck.”

Bella offers me a demure giggle.

Seraphine's smirk, on the other hand, tells me she's looking forward to it.

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