"Mmm... well, that was something."

It appears I have no shortage of power available. I feel strong, and tall, and powerful, all of a sudden.

I look to my side again. Like a large diamond, running with electricity, it floats here with me. A very beautiful jewel, clear and translucent. Even though I've never had patience for useless trinkets, I guess there was something like this once... when I was a little girl on the plantation, the madam wore a jewel that glittered in the sun somewhat like this.

Perhaps, subconsciously, I wanted that.

"Err... Seria-sama... you... changed..."

I look towards Rishya. No... down slightly at Rishya. I hold a slender but long arm in front of my face. My hair is even heavier. And it feels as though... just slightly, my chest band is straining.

Yes... it appears, at least here, after using that attack, my growth and age has suddenly become no longer locked at the time when I absorbed Master Velour’s power. I look more like I am nineteen or twenty.

I look back at the large floating diamond.

I believe, this confirms that this must be some kind of manifestation of my spirit.

It must be, as Rishya is accompanied by what can only be described as what would happen if a south plains tiger... became a man.

White fur with stripes, rippling muscles, a furry mane, and a noble bearing, clad in white and red robes and carrying a bright golden staff.

"Your idea, sage, is correct. That is your spirit." Says Michael, in a gentlemanly voice.

"Ehehe, you look so coooool, Michael!" Rishya hugs the tiger-man again suddenly.

"I kind of feel jealous." Aria says with a deadpan look.

Aria has gained...

"Seryamerya!" Suddenly something glomp-hugs the large floating crystal next to me.

A little girl with electrified hair...? What the hell is...!?

"Wow! You look gorgeous, Seria!"

Elijah! He's here!

My heart leaps to my throat as I doubtlessly blush like a stupid maiden. He called me beautiful...

Gods... is -this- why I took this form? What an idiot I have become. Am I now suddenly conscious of how young I look? Whu-whu...

But wait a minute... stop! Something more important than that!

Who the heck is this damn girl!?

He's got ANOTHER girl!?!!

"E-li-jah-" Aria beats me to it, stomping over, cracking her knuckles.

He can't stop his face muscles moving and sniggering slightly.

"A-Aria! Wh-wh-when did you turn into a... Magical girl!" He bursts out in a laugh.

Well, I don't know what a 'Mah-gii-kal-gurrr-lu' is, but we all had the same reaction.

She is in a rather insane noble dress... frills coming out of frills... blue skirts and petticoats aplenty... but it is cut open at the front, revealing her stocking covered legs and panties, and the arms and collarbone are free at the shoulders, showing off her modest cleavage, and she is carrying her spear as usual, but it glows with light constantly. Somehow, it does look faintly ridiculous on her, crowding her with its size and weight, but yet being way too scandalous to actually wear to court.

Yes, in her case, her spirit... and the blessing of Sendervil... IS her dress, always protecting and enhancing her.

Elijah gets a punch to the gut and he starts coughing.

Or not. He coughs just the once involuntarily, and then looks mildly confused.

"Huh... I'm immune to the gut punch. There are some benefits to the void!"

"Who. Is. This."

Aria, looking frustrated, says singular words as she rains useless blows on him, and he just has a smarmy look that kind of makes me want to hit him as well.

This little metal-skinned girl rubbing her face against the crystal... oh! Fufufu... I should have known.

"This is his spirit, Aria." I say.

"Nn! Aeris is Eli-sama's!" She stops rubbing my diamond and nods, which... for some reason is crackling with electricity, rather annoyed.

Annoyed? I can tell? Huh...

Aria facepalms with a smack as the girl spirit bounces around. She sure is hyper.

"Bloody typical... what else would it look like?" Aria groans, rubbing her face with her hand.

"Elijah-sama's fever has no limits! Arry, you should know this..." Rishya pats her on the shoulder in consolation, grinning.

"So... is this tiger... Michael? Pretty awesome. A lovely beauty accompanied by a noble beast, huh?" Elijah says, giving Aria and Rishya head-ruffles.

"Huhuhu... your fine taste is impeccable as always, Elijah-sama. He is awesome, right!?" She puffs out her chest and smiles radiantly.

I suppress the urge to dash over and receive a ruffle of my own, instead turning it into a steady walk.

This stupid man is sensitive at all the wrong times, though. He turns and rubs my face as I approach, pushing my left twin-tail over my shoulder and running his hand through it gently.

"Seriously, Seria... what the heck... you did turn into a world class beauty! Amazing. I like your little version as well of course. But this has a definitive charm!"

"Damn it! Stop flirting, boy!" I shout, looking bashful. But like an idiot, I don't pull away, and probably blush.

He just laughs and pulls away his hand.

"Kyaaaa!" Aria suddenly squeals. Everyone looks at her.

Something is suddenly moving underneath her dress.

The spirit girl suddenly crawls from between Aria’s legs, sniffing her. How did she get under there?

"What’s this? What’s this?! Hmmm! Weird!"

Then she dashes over to Michael; and stops with her hands behind her.

"Myy-kall! Hello! This is Aeris! Aeris has a name!"

"Hello child. Hmmm... hello, Aeris." The tiger head nods at her.

"Hehehehe! Yes! That's it!"

Then she dashes and bounces back to Elijah and hugs him.

"Nn! Aeris loves Eli-sama lots!"

Hah... typical.

Suddenly I feel a sense of uneasiness. No... not just from this cute spirit girl, but...

Oh... the void spirits are building up again?

They seem to want to claim the pile of other girls we have here.

Yes... Kali, Kaede, and Kiku are here, unconscious. Me and Aria found each other quickly, and we managed to find the others before they were consumed. It was a lucky turn of events, for sure. Getting spirit-less people lost in the void would have been tragic, to say the least.

We were about to try and find Elijah, but the void spirits kept surging at us to attack. My thunder from before was meant to give us some leeway.

Here they come again, like an army of twisted black insects...