Nothing happens.

However, she nods, seemingly expecting this.

She takes another step, and another.

At the first junction, she turns right. Left, right, right, forwards, left, and so on, her speed and momentum seemingly growing with each step, and her strangely circular progress seeming quite maddening from my perspective. It's a literal case of two steps forward, one step backwards in many of these junctions as she circles round and round the magic formation.

I realise now that her spirit has appeared again, and she is holding the sparkling diamond thing close to her chest. As she walks, the green light of the chamber intensifies continually. Sparks start to fly whenever she takes a step, and the next time she faces me, she appears singed all over and grimacing, but doesn't make eye contact.

In fact, her eyes are glowing golden again at this point, and her twin tails and cape are flapping furiously, as if caught in a strong wind.

'This is a scary thing. Seryamerya is scared. I can tell. We have to do that as well? Really? But Aeris is a child! I...'

'You're a child when its convenient for you, eh?' I chuckle. 'Life is full of scary things, Aeris. How you deal with that fear shapes a lot about a person.'

'Shapes? Like girl shapes?'

'Heh... yeah... like girl shapes. Running from them isn't always bad. But sometimes, you have to face them head on.'

'And kiss them?' She giggles.

I laugh. I'm really a bad father to this spirit. She's learning some terrible things.

Seria starts to clearly struggle now, as if trying to walk against a tide. Each step of hers sets aflame now, and her spirit is glowing prismatically. Lightning shocks ground out around her continuously.

I then have to shield my eyes, as a nova-like flash goes off, with an ear-splitting bang. White smoke appears out of nowhere and makes us all cough. My ears pop and all I can hear is a whine. Like a flashbang and a smoke grenade going off all at once.

Then a shockwave erupts, knocking us all over. I fall on my ass as usual. Sadly, I am stood away from the newly formed pile of girls.

Unlike the previous time when this happened in the Sandy Shore Temple, however, there is no clothes tearing and panic, and the girls surprisingly disentangle themselves with ease.

"Um... did she make it?" Kiku looks worried as she readjusts her cuirass and comes up to me. We can't see much of the circle at the moment.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I look on anxiously as the smoke clears.

There is no-one there.

"Oh gods! She's... gone..." Aria exclaims, looking teary eyed.

Kaede's brows furrow, Rishya looks panicked, and Kali flexes her fist continuously.

She can't be dead, surely? Not just like that. I held her merely hours ago... surely... surely!

'No! Master! Seryamerya is!' Aeris shouts.

There is suddenly the most crazy insane blast of bright white lightning you ever could imagine, a bolt nearly three-foot-wide and with thousands of tracers explodes into the middle of the chamber, accompanied by the sonic boom of something accelerating to Mach 6 in an instant. My ears whine again.

Then, like something straight from the Terminator, a naked Seria, long hair loose and billowing, in a near foetal position, appears from nothingness, and lands, fist down in a squat, as zaps of electricity coil out from her.

She raises her head, and her eyes flash with golden thunderbolts before swirling and settling back into their natural rich colour of chocolate.

Then, a strange looking new set of clothes and cloak appears, covering her up. She appears to regain her rusty old neck chain as well. Of all the things to re-create... but I guess it’s an ingrained part of her identity, isn't it?

She then appears to levitate, and gradually float over from the central part of the circle. She's gone a bit less overtly fanservicey in her new incarnation and appears to have settled on a mildly older version too. Not the eighteen-year-old supermodel look, but neither the eleven-year-old standard Seria. Probably more like thirteen now, I'd say. And she's gained a very witch-like robe-dress with appropriate archmage-class huge shoulder-pads. No pointy hat, though.

'I am returned to you now as Seria the White!' Is not what she says. She's very much in a black outfit anyway... But I think it and can't suppress a hearty chuckle.

"Do I look strange boy?!" She looks anxious as looks over herself.

"Nope, sorry, I was just thinking of something funny." I snicker.

She grumbles and looks cross as she lands at the starting point once more.

"Ahem... well, do I give you congratulations? From our perspective, you disappeared for nearly a minute, had me rather worried, in fact..." I huff.

I return her cross expression, and she gapes.

"I... I was gone? Hmm..."

"I suppose it seemed instant to you?" I grin.

That's the standard scenario in these situations, isn't it?

"Mmmm... yes... quite. Still, I believe it was a success. Hah... I am exhausted, though. It appears the unmaking also drains you of all your power. Perhaps I will try a few things when I have had some rest... that is the only way to be sure." She says.

"Still, some things are already different, Seria-sama." Rishya says as she comes up to us.

"You're bigger and actually wearing something, for one!" Aria laughs.

"Yes, I thought so, fufufu... it seems there was a big contradiction there which has now settled."

"Um... a contradiction...?" Kiku asks.

Seria nods and grins a predatory grin.

"You were aware I was in flux in the void, mmm? My age reflects my original form when I was made a Sage. But part of my psyche was concerned over my juvenile appearance of late. The boy's fault of course, fufufu..."

"But you're cute regardless." I say, shrugging.

She snorts.

"Which is why I have apparently settled in this version. I have become such a goof that I turned down a proper adult form during my unmaking just because I care for the boy's abhorrent preferences. Hah..."

The other girls burst out in laughter.

Well, that's surely something. She deliberately chose this in-between stage... all for me? How wonderful! Subarashii!!

I pat her on the head and she smiles.

Surely, I'm blessed.

Well, I guess I'm up next myself, aren't I?