The Virtues' Magecraft

Page 86: The Start of The Shebang

Alexander's eyes widened at the grand sight of white light bursting from Giovanna's fist. It was a sight he had only seen once before with his own eyes, coming from his own body and magic.

He had never expected it would come next from Giovanna Belmonte, but as he laid his gaze on it, on her, all he could do was gleam with pride.

"Holy shit!" Leonard screamed out, jumping up, bouncing in joy, though he still held onto the metal railing.

Lumiel rushed up to Alexander and wrapped her arms around him. She held him tightly and asked directly into his ear. "Did you teach her that?!" she screamed out, trying to be clear past the overjoyed clamoring of the crowd.

Alexander couldn't help but laugh in response. "Hell no! That was all her!" he guffawed through his shout, his eyes still fixed on his friend, as she raised her fist into the air.

The crowd's cheers didn't begin to cease until minutes after the battle's end, while the commentators continued to verbalize their shock, spewing and ranting out whatever poetic phrases they could come up with.

"Mitch!" one screamed. "What a beauty that was! A white wreath to release the rage of a family's negligence and a girl's natural talent! No more can she be contained! With that brilliant flash of white light, there can be no doubt! Giovanna Belmonte is the absolute victor!"

Giovanna headed over to the stands and began to climb in, the spectators parting as she made her way through to her brother. Medics and nurses had rushed in as well, hurrying to Giorno's barely conscious body.

"Please, don't touch him, Miss!" a nurse shouted at her, just as Giovanna reached her brother. She gently placed her hand on his cheek, a far different sensation than having his hand smack her.

"I'm sorry," she said with a slight smile. "I didn't mean to do that. But to be fair, it could've been worse, Giorno. A bit more magic, and..." She shuddered to herself as he began to open his eyes. "I'd rather we don't think about that. I'm sure Mother and Father are already at the school's hospital, waiting for you. Tell them I say hi."

The other medics had finally reached the two siblings, and with a stretcher and bags of medical equipment, they loaded him on and began to gingerly, although hastily, carry him through and out of the arena.

Giovanna found herself standing alone, surrounded by empty seats and standing spectators.

They took pictures and videos, although for the time being, not one dared to approach her.

She pressed her thumb against the side of her lip and wiped off her blood.

Lumiel, clad in white, waved her long arms in the air and caught her attention. With that, she couldn't help but smile. Her friends had witnessed the entire bout and could have no doubt of what she had achieved.

A thin circle of blue light appeared before her, and even before it finished forming into its perfect form of crackling magic, she already knew. Without so much as a glimpse of hesitation, she lept into the circle.

She passed through the next second, appearing just a few feet in the air, yet still landed gently, grazing her feet against the metal walkway and stepping forward in the same motion. Before she could carry on or bring herself to a halt, Alexander burst forth and wrapped his arms around her.

"Giovanna," he told her, holding her to his chest and laughing all the while. "I'm so proud of you."

Lumiel knocked her elbow into Anastasia's ribcage. "I bet you wish that were you."

Anastasia had no response as the other virtues surrounded the two, chattering and pushing themselves closer and closer to Giovanna to congratulate her.