Lily has seen a lot of impressive sites in her life. Everything from humans turning into Dragons, to portals to different Realms. And yet, this transition and this place surprise her. Not half a minute had passed since she left to follow the two College representatives, and already they have moved what must have been immeasurable distances. Immeasurable in the sense that they weren't in the same plane of existence, but somewhere else. Undoubtedly where their College and this City of Echoes resided. 

The massive building that greeted Lily upon stepping out of the fog seemed to indicate as much. So clean and immaculate that she at first attempted to peer through it and she would any other illusion, only the come up with nothing but the realisation that this building [i] was[/i] actually as perfect as it looked. In a way the place reminded her of the Academy, with its seemingly utilitarian design, yet made with the intent to impress as much as it was made to be useful. It was a sight that tugged at her heart strings, reminding her of her blissful ignorance during the days when it was just training and practice. Reminded her of what they were trained to become: Soldiers and weapons, each with far more power than anyone human should ever possess. 

She grimaced but followed Jonathan and Guðrún up the stairs that lead to an entrance, the door itself being just as grandiose as the rest of the building. Jonathan pushed open the door so let them in, waving the two women inside before he himself entered. "Ladies first," he said, then entered after them.

The inside was the same as the outside: Immaculately clean and an equal mix of form and function. The hallway they entered into was lined on either side by multiple pathways to other areas of the college, each warded off in such a way that one could easily pass through, but the intent that the places being off limits was still very evident. In a way, designing it like this came as no surprise to Lily. This was a place for the arrogant, and how did one show arrogance? Treat them as if you expect them to blindly obey, of course, but leave them an opening through which to disobey. That was what those flimsy dividers made of rope was designed for. They didn't want people to wander those warded off places, but didn't bother to actually make them off limits as if to show that they fully expected you to obey, or thought you incapable of resisting should they decide to stop you.

Lily flicked an ear in annoyance, forcefully dispelling the thoughts. She had had enough of arrogant individuals in her time, so now she just wanted this over with so they could begin the tournament, and she could get Max back. 

She looked up to see the she and Guðrún stood in front of a pair of saloon shutters, with Jonathan nowhere to be seen. She gave the redhead a questioning glance, to which she was told that Jonathan had left them just prior, as something that required his attention. "Nevermind that," Guðrún continued, "The tournaments should start within the next few hours. Until then, go through these doors and stand on the podium of the other side. Wait there until the announcement begins"

Lily didn't reply verbally, but nodded and pushed the shutters aside to let herself in. What greeted her was even more grandiose than the outside. Potted plants, mosaics, and a cleanliness that should have been all but impossible dominated the room. Aside from a slightly lowered centre Stage, the circular room had dozens of podiums just like Lily zone forming a perfect circle along the outer edges, each with its own door behind it. Some of these podiums already had occupants. On the other side of the room she could spit something that looks like an amorphous blob, whereas on the left side of the room she spotted a woman far more well-endowed than even herself which would have been quite the accomplishment had said woman not been seemingly composed of sentient slime.

She let her eyes roam the interior of the room, I'm over every new contestant that appeared. Burly men, in-human creatures like a herself, armoured soldiers, and-- Lily froze, eyes widening in surprise. Long, raven hair, pale skin a hair's breadth taller than Lily. "Celica?" She whispered to herself. One of the people who had managed to become Lily's friend in the years on the Academy, someone with the power of a Yuki-Onna. Why was she here? What wish did she have that she would want fulfilled? Her eyes narrowed, studying the other woman closer. 

When the woman turned ever so slightly, and Lily caught a glimpse of one icy, blue eye, she knew that this was not Celica. That made her breathe a sigh of relief. Celica have been among her first and best friends, one of the few who somehow managed to face Lily without provoking her anger. Her temper was still volatile if one pushed the right buttons, but on the greater whole she has learnt to control it and stay calm. It happened as saving grace more than once during the fighting.

Time passed slowly after that, but eventually every podium was occupied by someone or something, and the official announcement was about to be made. An older woman started speaking, detailing the premise and how the fighting would work. She mentioned phylacteries, said items resting on a small pedestal in front of the podium. It was a funny little thing, a heart made of rubber - a piece of glass allowing view of the inside, filled with cogs. This thing supposedly contained their soul? [i]Bullshit.[/i] A soul was not something so easily contained. She was a Kitsune, she would know. The one outlawed ability of her kind, the ability to train the soul of someone else, carried with that risks to gruesome to speak of. She have done it once, in a fit of rage, as an act of vengeance against someone who had managed to wound Tsukiko in battle. She had [i]felt[/i] their soul being ripped out as if it had been her own. It had been a horror that could not be described in words. She glared at the woman, doubt heavy on her mind. 

But this was a different world, so maybe the rules with different here? She looked down at the phylactery again. Could this thing really contain the soul of the wearer? Could it enable others, who were not like her, to forcefully tear the soul from another living being? If that was the case, then this tournament just became a whole lot more terrible. But... She couldn't abandon it, couldn't abandon him. She had already resigned herself to return to a battlefield to get him back, what more was this? She had hinted that there may be ways of retrieving an opponent's soul without killing them. Maybe she wouldn't have to kill someone in such a gruesome way again? 

She sighed and put the necklace on, letting the small, artificial heart rest against her breast underneath her shirt. She could only hope that was the case.