SIA:

Standing there, I breathed in deeply as I turned to look at the Maidens.

I felt butterflies in my stomach, and underneath my armor, sweat flowed down without stopping. But my expression was determined.

I would not let the Maidens down.

“I would not let them down,” I repeated to myself and then, looking up, I met Faust’s eyes as he looked at me and jerked his chin up.

Nodding, I held up my head as I exhaled the tension away, after which I gazed at the Maidens who looked at me steadily.

Raising my fist, I said in the calmest voice I could muster, “Maidens. We fight.”

As they touched their sheathed weapon, I looked at each one of them and remembered their names, their hobbies, their traits, their weapons, their spirits.

And I knew we could win this… this challenge of a grand melee.

Calculating, I ran through many scenarios and simulations, and just when I settled on one; Sir Liam clapped out and pitched his voice to carry over the field.

“The only weapons and armor allowed will be these,” he said as he waved his hand and a table appeared. Then he walked the length of the table and it was soon filled with weapons and armor that lay dully underneath the sun.

A sinking feeling filled me as I bit my lip unconsciously.

Walking over to the weapons, I realized that my first impression was correct.

The weapons and armor… They were wooden and leather, respectively.

The weapons… were atrocious. The armor? Passable if we were a triangle tent in shape and not human shaped.

Okay, perhaps I was overreacting. The armor was decent. Perhaps the worst common rank equipment I had seen. But it was armor.

And we still had our weapons. The wooden swords, spears, axes, daggers, shields, and bows with arrows?

Suddenly, the beginnings of an idea began stirring as I moved to the arrows and then, disappointed, I placed the utterly blunt arrow back from where I had picked it up.

Scanning the equipment again, I heaved a deep sigh before I turned back to look at the Maidens as I shouted out, “All armor and weapons off! Give them all to Faustus.”

A dead silence fell as the Maidens looked at me, and I looked back at them helplessly.

Then, they began unbuckling their armor and only paused when they reached their weapons, before they unwillingly held it out to Faust, who swept them all into his finite ring grimly.

Meeting his eyes, I knew as he knew… that we had lost one advantage over the year 2 class.

Because of the veritable armory that Faust had carried, we were far better equipped than our seniors. An advantage that had just been wiped out instantly.

Scanning the weapons again, I played one scenario after the other in my mind while trying to fit the Maidens into them like a puzzle piece.

Glancing back, I saw that the disarmament had finished, and clearing my throat, I called out, “Maidens… come up one by one according to your team to take your weapons and armor... starting with the combat and training team.”

Nods of assent came back from the Maidens, and Marrok walked forth first, a little stiffly, while Faust looked with concern at him.

Picking up on that, I looked at Marrok too, inquiringly. Only for him to meet my eyes and look away.

Suddenly, I felt the uneasy feeling intensify, and reaching out a hand… I placed it on his shoulder as his team chose their weapons under the watchful gaze of Iole.

Whispering, I asked him, “Are you okay?”

Breathing out raggedly, he looked at me and I saw fear in his eyes.

Tightening my grip on my shoulder, I looked back at him firmly, and said, “it’s going to be alright. They. Are. Not. Going. To. Win.”

For a moment, the fear stayed, before he blinked and resolve slowly seeped into his eyes. Though it flickered again when he gazed across at our opponents. And more specifically, toward the unfamiliar boy and four others standing behind him.

Taking note, I called out, “Marrok.”

Turning to me, he looked at me silently, and I heaved a sigh of relief at seeing the same Marrok that I knew return from whichever place he had gone to.

Leaning forward, I said softly, “We bulldoze them. I want your men to be the center. Remember Marrok, we bulldoze. Okay?”

Looking at me as understanding dawned in his eyes, Marrok’s lips moved in a faint shadow of a smile before he nodded.

Then the construction team was there, and I asked them to carry only shields and swords.

The same for the weaving team.

Then it was the hunting team’s turn, and I looked at the bows and arrows before looking at Apollo questioningly.

Apollo walked over to the bows, and lifting one, he grunted in appreciation. Appreciation that changed to disgust as he picked up an arrow.

Looking at me, he shook his head as he cursed at the arrow.

Frowning, I dropped the idea that was forming, and instead looked at the daggers and swords.

Motioning toward Apollo and Celsus, I spoke briefly, and they nodded after contemplating for a moment.

Satisfied, I turned back as the tailoring team came.

These were my personal team, and they would stick with me in the center, behind the combat team.

Then it was Faust, accompanied by the cooking team and Marana.

Looking at Faust, I said nothing as he picked up a sword, dagger, and shield before he stood beside me.

Then it was the cooking team who grabbed two daggers each and stood behind Faust as they nodded at me.

Finally, it was Marana, who looked at me as quiet as she usually was.

Smiling at her, I gestured to the table and said, “You’re free to do what you wish.”

Raising her eyebrows, she said softly, “Thank you,” and then she walked over to the table before she picked up an axe that she hefted casually with one hand and a shield, as the rest of us watched in shock.

Then she strode away without waiting to hear the plan, and I shook my head before I looked at the Maidens and ran through the plan in my head one more time.

Then, I put myself in Ares, Damons, and Celine’s position; standing there for a long moment as my mind whirled through myriad possibilities before it settled firmly on the plan that I had decided on.

Nodding, I threw away all of my worries, and breathing in deeply; I looked at the solid ranks of the Maidens as they stood at the end of the field.

Walking to them, I stood in front as I grinned at them, and they grinned back as the anticipation for battle ran through us and we shivered.

Then I turned and stared at Year 2; No, the enemies… who were outfitting themselves much as we had a moment ago.

Licking my lips, I bared my teeth as my body relaxed and my mind became calm.

I was Alessia Fireshield… and I was also the shield maiden. “The chief shield maiden,” I corrected myself laughing, as I looked over my shoulder at the Maidens who grounded their weapons as they met my eyes.

Then I looked back at the enemies and pulled my helmet down as I hefted my shield on my other hand.

Then, hand on my sword pommel, I stood at the heads of the Maidens... and we shifted forwards, as we challenged our enemies openly with spirits ignited.