At first, you're overcome by the shock and awe of witnessing your first battle royal, as well as the almost reflexive effort to watch everything that's going on. After a long minute - has it only been that long? So much has happened in and around the ring that it hardly feels like it all could have fit in such a short span of time - regardless, you get over your initial surprise, stop gawking at everything, and start to think again. There is a strong impulse for you to stay put and just keep doing what you're doing, learning all you can from this rare opportunity, while being prepared to cut out if the situation looks like it's about to get hazardous for you and your companions. On the other hand, you can't avoid thinking about how Hayate's allies reacted to that explosion, as if there was somebody important up in the box - like, for example, the head of their clan and his family. A couple of girls your age you've taken to thinking of as friends. The same people you sent Altria to meet up with.
For a moment, you're honestly torn about what to do.
Then it occurs to you that, hey, you have magic.
The spell you cast is based on one that Briar showed you. In its original form, the spell calls on the forces of the Spirit World to reveal how close the creatures the caster looks at are to dying. Drawing as it does on external power, it's not a spell that naturally meshes with your style of magic, but you're able to get the same effect simply by pouring more power into the magic. You also make a point of modifying the spell, for where the basic form would last for most of an hour but have a range of about twelve meters, you require only a few seconds of operation - and a lot more range. The bombed-out box is on the far side of the arena, after all.
Gained Necromancy F+++
As your magic takes hold, you become aware of quite a few auras behind the spiderwebbed glass. It takes you a moment to sort them out, as several of the life-forces are moving around at high speed, but you're soon able to get an accurate count and reading of each individual's condition. There are a startling eighteen auras either inside the box or in the hallway behind it. Several of the presences are grouped together near the glass, two minorly injured and one moderately so, all three together clustered around a fourth in very bad condition. A fifth presence - very strong, if somewhat injured itself - stands between them and the rest of the room, where a sixth aura - in much the same state as the one apparently on guard duty - is engaging no less than six weaker life-forces in combat. From the way the enemy group is blinking, they're taking a beating despite their numerical advantage, but their opponent isn't getting off easy, either. You can also perceive five dark auras and a sixth, dimming one spread out behind the fight. If you recall Briar's description rightly, those auras indicate five dead bodies, and one dying one.
Dropping the spell, you let out a breath. Yeah, you did promise Miss Akasha that you'd try to stay out of trouble, and what Cordelia said after that made it clear that Lu-sensei expected the same - but those are some of your friends up there, and they're in trouble. If it comes down to a choice between keeping your word and helping your friends, well...
Gained Honest F+++
Gained Protective E+++
...that's really no choice at all, is it?
"Briar," you say, standing up. "I need you to come with me. There are some people that need help."
"Alexander Lavelle Harris," Cordelia says in the Voice of Doom, "you are NOT going down there."
"Not down there," you reply, pointing towards the box. "Up there."
"Wait, what?"
All the girls are looking at you. One glance at Cordelia's expression tells you she's not in favor of whatever mad idea is in your head, and is going to do everything she can to keep you here. Kahlua looks like she's tempted to do the same.