Chapter 19 Sneak Peek! - Stormweaver II

Tomorrow... we're back in the action!!!

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“This is as an official Team Battle event.” The lieutenant major was high above them, now, her observation disc having risen some 20 feet or so over all their heads. “It is therefore subject to regulation ruling. Once the field is formed, you will be ordered to call, then engage. Premature Device manifestation will result in a penalty. Premature approach, attack, or the like by any squad member will result in a match loss. Is that understood?”

Rei heard Catcher groan off to his left, and he understood the frustration. All through the Intra-Schools Major Reese—who had arbitered the entirety of the tournament—had subject the first years to the full pre-fight oath rather than the traditional abbreviated version, and only the first years. Nealson’s was slightly different—it was an official Team Battle match, after all, rather than a common qualifying Duel—but it was equally as tedious.

Looks like we’re still the rookies, even here, Rei thought, glancing sideways to see that the second-year match on the north field had already started.

Lucky, Aria betrayed no signs of any such disappointment when she nodded towards the lieutenant major, Biggs doing the same on the other side of the circle from them. There was a pause after that, as Nealson’s eyes flashed with light.

And then the six members of Firesong began to rise into the air, and the field began to change.

For once, there wasn’t much debate to be had as everyone shouted out the zone all at once.

“Tundra!”

Even if the rapid manifestation of quickly-thickening snow hadn’t given it away, the plummet in temperature definitely would have. Rei groaned internally as they climbed, knowing they were about to have a rough time, but he knew he couldn’t complain. Shido’s advanced evolution for its CAD-Rank only his neck and some of his face exposed to the elements. His combat suit wasn’t exactly winterized, sure, but at least he didn’t have the bear arms or legs that the others all shared some combination of, not to mention wholey uncovered heads.

Clearly he wasn’t the only one to be considering this either.

“Let’s get this over with before all of us but Rei freeze our asses off,” Grant growled through the coms.

There was an echo of agreement, from everyone, barely heard over the howl of the blizzard, and then the field finished its manifestion.

White. Everything was white.

No matter where he looked, Rei could see barely five feet in front of him. He thought there might have been the faint shape of what might have been rolling hills rising up to either side and before them, but he couldn’t be sure even when he leaned forward as far as he could within his circle and peered through the gale with both hands up to shield his eyes. It was the thickest snow storm variation he’d experienced in the zone, and Rei started to get a little worried. The cleaner the field—the less visual impairments and obstacles—the greater Firesong’s advantage would have been over the weaker Boneyard. As it was, however, the blizzard sank that edge significantly, since it let almost anyone get jumped if they didn’t have their head on a swivel.

Maybe sending Grant out on his own isn’t such a good idea in the—he started to think, but the Arena interrupted him.

“Field: Frozen Tundra.”

Even the automated voices sounded a little dim over the howl of the wind, and Rei had to shield his face completely and avert his eyes as a gust pelted them with snow and hail. As he did, he realized that while he could just make out Viv to his left, Grant—on her other side—wasn’t more than the dimmest silhouette, which was alarming given the size of the Mauler.

His concern redoubled.

“First-Year Team ‘Firesong’ versus First-Year Team ‘Boneyard’,” the Arena announced for the spectators none of them could see or here anymore. “Combatants… Call.”

The usual notifications about “reprioritizing all processing to combat functionalities” flashed across Rei’s frame, but he ignored them as he grunted “Call,” gratefully into the wind. Shido responded with a bloom of dark blue light, a second later Rei was feeling a whole lot better, his arms and legs no longer victim to the cold, his breathing eased as the Device’s mask automatically warmed the air for him.

Man he couldn’t wait to find out what advantages a full helm would have…

“Finally,” Catcher groaned in relief. At least they could still hear each other over the coms. “I thought might feet were gonna freeze.”

Rei looked sideways automatically, expecting not to see the Saber through the storm, and was surprised when he made out Catcher’s purple vysetrium glowing through the tumbling snow. It wasn’t just him, either. Rei could distinguish Viv and Grant again, and even Cashe’s black vysetrium stood out clear now.

Eyes widening, Rei whirled to look at Aria, and sure enough her green glowed through the white.

Hold on a sec…

An thought formed, and he opened his mouth to voice it, but the Arena cut him off once again.

“Combatants… Fight.”

For the first time ever, Rei was left standing where he was as the others all took off, blazing by him in a lingering lines of every color.

“WAIT!” he shouted, hoping against hope that he wasn’t too late.

Luckily, he was quick enough that not even Viv had gone too far, and to a one everyone came to a stop.

“Ward what are you doing?!” Cashe demanded, stunned as he made out her spear gesturing for him to get going. “Let’s go!”

Rei, though, stood his ground.

“Wait,” he said again, and he couldn’t help himself from smiling. “Call me crazy but… I have an idea…”