'Ugh…What just happened?" Machias groaned, pulling himself up into a seated position. He pressed the bridge of his glasses up his nose and looked around, trying to get a sense of where they were.

"The floor gave out from under us," Emma said, pulling herself up into a seated position also.

"I can't believe I fell for such an obvious trap," Laura added, already on her feet.

"Does this mean there's a series of catacombs beneath the school, then?" Gaius put forward.

"Hmph," Jusis sneered, "What does that woman think she's playing at?"
From beside him Kyutaro landed easily on the ground, a comfortable grace in the way he landed, and a second later, Fie touched down beside him after performing a mid-air somersault on the way down, much like the former, she landed slightly crouched, and with the grace of a cat. Kyutaro was silent, but Fie sighed heavily.

Finally, Elliot rose to a seated position, "Phew, I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest! Hey Rean, are you o– –kay?"

Elliot's jaw fell open slightly when he realized the predicament that his friend was in. Lying down upon the ground, with the blond-haired girl from earlier above him, Rean made sure that his hands were nowhere near her.

'Easy,' he thought, 'Hands where she can see them.'

"Rrrrrg…What happened?" Alisa groaned softly., then her eyes flew open, "Huh?" Her face suddenly lit up several different shades of red, a little noise escaping from her mouth.

"Um," Rean's muffled voice came out from under her, "Well this is a bit awkward…"

Alisa slowly pushed herself off Rean and ascended to her feet, a guilty Rean was already slowly on the approach, "Yeah…I'm really sorry about that…Still, I'm just glad you're okay, that's what's important here, ri-?"

A sharp slapping sound rings throughout the catacombs, Rean's mouth falling open as the open side of Alisa's palm strikes his cheek.

"Wow, it's just not your day is it?" Elliot said.

"Well, now that I've hit the bottom, things can only improve…I hope." Rean's attention was drawn to the room at large, The chamber stretches out before him, its stone-tiled floor uneven and marked with the passage of time, the cool colors of gray and faint blue blending into one another under the dim light. Around the perimeter, multiple stone plinths are arranged around the room, each topped with a small, ornate chest and a weapon case of some varying design. The chests, uniform in shape but subtly distinct in their designs, rest atop the plinths, hinting at the personal significance for each intended recipient. The cases appear locked, their surfaces gleaming faintly in the sparse light, suggesting they contain something valuable or essential.

"What is this place anyway?"

"I was wondering the same thing," Elliot answered, "We should check out those tables."

Right as Elliot finished speaking, a loud ringing sound filled the chamber and Elliot's torso fell back slightly in response, "Wh-wha?"

"Is this?" Rean asked no one in particular.

"It's coming from the devices we received with the Academy guidebook," Emma pointed out.

"It seems to be some sort of…portable orbment?" Laura voiced.

"How do we answer them?" Gaius asked softly from the back of the room.
"It should automatically connect when we flip them open," Kyutaro interjected.

Rean glanced down at the small device clipped to his belt, He quickly unclipped it, flipping the top open as Kyutaro suggested. The display blinked to life with a soft glow, and a familiar voice crackled through.

"Right you are! These handy little devices are a special kind of battle orbment."
"Special?" Kyutaro asked aloud.

"Is that Ms. Valestein?" Gaius put forward.

"So, these devices have built-in communications functionality then?" Was Machias' question.

"W-wait," Alisa cut in, "Don't tell me these things are…!?"

"New model battle orbments made through a partnership between the Epstein foundation and the Reinford Company. Newly made, fifth-generation battle orbments, in-fact. They're called ARCUS units."

"ARCUS?" Kyutaro asked aloud, he was familiar with the concept of orbments given his unique history and had to wonder how difficult it would be for him to adapt to using this new model."

"So these are battle orbments," Emma said, then posed her question thoughtfully, "That means they'll allow us to use arts, right?"

"Sure will," Sara's voice said through the receiver, "Just set a quartz into one of the slots and you can use arts all the live long day. Which is why I've prepared enough quartz for each and every one of you." The second Sara's words died on the air, the lights in the room burst into life, illuminating the room they'd landed in.

"The weapons you brought are all here too, each packaged neatly alongside a little box containing a quartz. Find yours and try setting it into your ARCUS."
Realizing this was the point they were all going to get their weapons back, a happy sigh floated from Kyutaro's lips, as he felt most of the tension stored in shoulders leave his body and drop them a little, "Thank Gehenna, the natural order has been restored."

"Hm," Laura said, nodding to herself, "I suppose it can't hurt to try."

She and Kyutaro left the group first, advancing towards the plinths in search of the one containing their equipment, closely followed by Fie who hadn't uttered a single word.

Machias sighed, watching the advancing backs of his classmates, "What is this woman thinking…?" But, nonetheless, despite his complaints, Machias followed the suit of Kyutaro, Laura and Fie setting off to find his own equipment. Jusis, on the other hand, released a frustrated sound then followed his classmates without uttering a word.

"Let's see…" Rean said, "Mine is….that one!"

"Oh I see mine over there," Elliot told him, "Let me just go grab it okay?"

Rean and Elliot approached their own plinths, and though he didn't hear their comments, Kyutaro also caught a glimpse of Emma, Alisa and Gaius approaching there's too. The young man pushed a hand through his hair and then reached down to open the small chest at the front of the plinth. Inside was a singular, shining crimson orb. He reached out and claimed it in his hand, noting how it was cool to the touch but the warmth of a flame emanated from the center of its circumference.

Kyutaro couldn't help but to be reassured by that soft flame, it was like a small ember with the potential to grow into a blazing supernova.

"What's this?" he heard Rean ask from beside him.

"That's called a 'Master Quartz.'," Sarah informed them, "If you set that into the large slot at the center of your ARCUS you'll be able to use arts. Go on, give it a try!"

Taking Sara's advice, Kyutaro slotted the master quartz into the central slot of his ARCUS and immediately a feeling of warmth spread from the center of the quartz right throughout his entire body. A small gasp left his lips as a soft sapphire light emanated from the core of the unit and his heart both in perfect sync with one another.

"W-what in the world?" Rean asked.

This comment from Rean and a quick glance to either side from Kyutaro revealed that his fellow students in red had undergone a similar experience when they inserted their master quartz to the one he did.

"That light means you've successfully synchronized with your ARCUS," Sara informed them, "Congratulations! You can now use Arts as much as you want. These ARCUS units have plenty more nifty features but I wouldn't want to bombard you with too much info all at once, so we'll cover those another time. Anyway, since you've got your ARCUS all set up and ready to go, here's what I want you to do."

As Sara was speaking a low rumble encompassed the air and the door to the rear of the chamber slowly opened seemingly under its own power.

"When you step through that door, you'll be in an underground testing area. Basically… it's a dungeon. It's pretty large, and full of twists and turns. I'd almost guarantee you get lost at least once. But when you find the exit, you'll be able to return to the first floor of this old schoolhouse. There are monsters wandering around though, so don't let your guard down even for a moment! With all that said, let's commence our special orienteering exercise! Your objective is to make it through this area and back to the surface. Make it back in one piece and I'll be happy to field any complaints you might have. If you make it back safely I might even give you a kiss, free of charge! …on the cheek, of course."

And without another word, Sara disconnects the call.

Kyutaro flips his ARCUS unit close then returns it to the clip on his belt. Next, he opens the case behind the tiny chest and reveals the contents. Two diamond shaped panels. He takes each of these panels in turn and slaps them to his wrist, each one makes a whirring sound and metal extends from them rapidly snapping around the circumference of his arm to form wristbands. The metallic clink! Causing a small groan of relief to fly from the young man's lips.

"Ummm…" Elliot tried.

"I don't think she's joking," Alisa supplied.

"Hmph," Jusis said, turning on heel, starting to make his way through the now open door.

"And where do you think you're going!?" Machias snarled after him, "Were you planning to wander off on your own without saying anything?"

Jusis' hand moved onto his hip as he turned slightly to face Machias, "I have no interest in becoming friends with anyone here. And I'm surprised you, of all people, gives a damn what I do. Unless you've suddenly decided you do want to keep company with one of those 'stuck-up hedonists' after all."

Machias growled, learning forward slightly and clenching his fists. His eyes were narrowed into a glare firmly fixed on Jusis.

"Still," Jusis pressed on, "If you're afraid of the monsters, I suppose I could accompany you. After all, what kind of Erebonian noble would I be if I didn't have at least some degree of prowess with a sword? And noblesse oblige dictates that it's my sacred duty to protect powerless commoners such as yourself."

"Wh-what the hell!? Nobody's asking your high excellency to DEIGN to help us!" Machias storms right past Jusis, then turns back to face him, "But if that's how you're gonna be I'll just…find my way out of here before you! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself without some relic of an outdated class system dragging me down!'

Machias stormed off, entering the dungeon alone and Jusis' only response was a 'hmph'ing' sound and then, once Machias was out of sight, Jusis too, entered the dungeon.

"Um…" Elliot stated

"That went well," Kyutaro observed sarcastically.

"What should we do?" Emma asked.

"The only thing we can do," Laura informed her, "We should begin exploring these ruins ourselves. I believe it would be prudent to remain in small groups, however."

"No thanks," a voice called from about halfway through the dungeon's doorway, Kyutaro had already started his advance into the dungeon, one of his hands raised in farewell, "I'll see you guys at the end, catch me if you can, Sylphid."

Laura sighed, refocusing on Emma and Alisa, "Would the two of you have any objections to accompanying me?"

"N-no, that's fine," Alisa told her.

"It would be a huge help, actually," Emma admitted.

"And you're welcome to join us as…"

But Fie was already walking out of the chamber and into the dungeon in pursuit of Kyutaro. She'd gone after him without so much as a word to any of the others.

"...Well?" Laura finished, "I suppose that's a no. Perhaps we'll run into her along the way, and she can join us then."

As Fie stepped into the dungeon, the atmosphere shifted. The air was cooler, carrying an earthy scent that mingled with the faint hint of damp stone. She moved quietly, her instincts guiding her as she sought out Kyutaro, who had already disappeared into the shadows.

Meanwhile, deeper within the dungeon, Kyo pressed forward, the sound of his footsteps echoing against the stone walls. The flickering torch light illuminated the narrow path ahead, casting long shadows that danced like spirits at play. He took a moment to appreciate the solitude, the thrill of the unknown ahead. He kicked off, charging into a light run, he pushed off the ground and zipped across the wall, using it to force his own weight off and propelled himself through the air. His fist being intercepted by the large foot of the purple, winged, cat-like creature.

"Oh, hi there," Kyutaro said playfully, "it's nice to meet you. Nice place you got here, bit unhygienic, looks like it hasn't been cleaned for a few decades but I'm loving the creepy ambiance. Ten out of ten."

The cat-like creature's head tilted, evidently having zero clue what the human was talking about but by the time it could process what was going on, Kyo had grabbed it by the wing and slammed it directly into the ground, shattering it into black and white sparkles from the impact of the ground alone.

The cat-like creature's head tilted, evidently having zero clue what the human was talking about. But before it could process the situation, Kyo seized it by the wing and slammed it directly into the ground.

A startled yowl escaped the creature as it hit the floor, and in an instant, it shattered into black and white sparkles, dissipating into the air like fading starlight. The silence that followed was palpable, punctuating Kyo's swift victory.

"Well, that was easy," he said with a smirk, surveying the area as if waiting for the next challenge to appear. He paused, his stance going from one prepped for battle to one that was more suited to an analytical task. His gaze swept over the room, and he tilted his head slightly, seeing an elevated area.

"I could follow the route of the dungeon like the instructor wants, or–" Kyutaro launched up to the wall and kicked off the side, using it to propel himself up to the next level, "I could take the express lane."

As Kyutaro landed lightly on the elevated platform, he took a moment to survey the area. The dungeon stretched out like a labyrinth beneath him, shadows dancing in the flickering torchlight. He felt a rush of exhilaration from the earlier encounter, but now there was a different kind of tension in the air.

Looking back, he could see his classmates navigating cautiously through the corridors, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension. A smirk crossed his face as he thought about how he was already ahead of them.

"Let's see what's waiting for me up here," he muttered, stepping forward to explore the platform. The stillness around him was palpable, broken only by the distant echoes of footsteps and hushed voices from below.

He took a moment to appreciate the atmosphere—the musty scent of ancient stone, the flickering light casting long shadows. It felt like stepping into a forgotten world, and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to bask in the thrill of the unknown.

But then, a low growl echoed from below, snapping him out of his reverie. He quickly glanced down to see a larger version of the cat-like creature he had just defeated, lingering in the shadows and watching his classmates.

Kyo's instincts kicked in, but he held back. He could see his classmates were oblivious to the creature's presence, and he knew he had time. Instead of rushing to their aid, he decided to observe for a moment, curious to see how they would handle the situation.

"Guess it's showtime for them," he thought, a hint of mischief in his eyes as he prepared to step in if things got out of hand. For now, he'd let them take their first shot at handling danger. With renewed determination, the group sprang into action, united in their effort to take down the creature.

Alisa quickly nocked an arrow to her orbal bow, pulling back the string with practiced ease. "Let's draw its attention!" she called out, taking aim.

Emma, wielding her orbal staff, positioned herself beside Alisa, ready to provide support. "I'll enhance your shot!" she said, channeling energy into her staff. A faint glow surrounded Alisa's arrow, empowering it for a more powerful strike.

"Perfect!" Alisa replied, releasing the arrow. It flew through the air, striking the creature squarely in the side. The beast let out a furious growl, momentarily stunned by the impact.

Laura, watching closely, seized the opportunity. She stepped forward, her sword glinting in the dim light as she adopted her unique stance—combining agility with precise, elegant movements. She advanced swiftly, using her momentum to deliver a series of rapid strikes, her blade dancing through the air like a flickering flame.

"Keep it distracted!" Laura shouted as she weaved in and out, expertly dodging the creature's attempts to retaliate. Her footwork was flawless, each step calculated to maintain balance and control.

Kyutaro, perched on the elevated platform, watched with keen interest. He admired their teamwork and the way they complemented each other's skills.

"Not bad at all," he muttered under his breath, noting how Alisa's shots kept the creature occupied while Laura expertly closed in for the attack.

As the creature roared in frustration, it swung its claws wildly, only to be met with Alisa's quick reflexes. "Over here!" she called, drawing its attention again. Emma moved in close, readying a spell for defense.

The creature, overwhelmed by their coordinated assault, faltered under the pressure.

Kyutaro felt the thrill of the moment, but he remained where he was, curious about how they would finish the fight without his intervention. He had seen enough to know they could handle it, and he was eager to observe.

With a final combined effort, Alisa shot another arrow, and Laura delivered a precise strike that sent the creature tumbling back into darkness, its form dissolving into black and white sparkles.

"Wow, that was awesome!" Alisa exclaimed, catching her breath.

Emma nodded, still energized. "We really worked well together!"

Laura smiled, a hint of pride in her voice. "We did. But let's stay alert; there could be more around."

Kyutaro, satisfied with their performance, felt a sense of respect for their skills. As they regrouped, he quietly slipped down from the platform, ready to follow them deeper into the dungeon, intrigued by the dynamics of this new team. Confident they'd be able to look after themselves, he turned away and redoubled his focus on his own navigation through the labyrinth.