THE ONE WHO WE COULDN'T SAVE

After sharing their stories over dinner plates piled high with roasted meats, fresh bread, and spiced cider the group decided to call it a night. They found a cozy inn just a short walk from the tavern. The rooms were small but comfortable, with soft beds and windows that looked out over the quiet streets of Valthorne.

Morning came quickly, sunlight filtering through the curtains. The city was already awake and alive with the sounds of merchants setting up their stalls and people bustling through the streets.

As they stepped outside, June's eyes immediately caught a brightly colored poster pinned to a nearby wall.

"Valthorne Annual Magic Tournament Show Your Skill, Claim the Crown!"

June's eyes lit up. "A magic tournament?" She turned to Alisan, her excitement barely contained. "This is perfect! We have to join!"

Alisan studied the poster with a small smile. "A test of magic skills in front of a crowd? Sounds like fun."

Cauis crossed his arms. "I don't know… could be dangerous."

"Oh, come on," Dylan said with a grin. "What's the worst that could happen? Besides, it's their specialty. You two were practically made for this."

Izzy nodded eagerly. "Yeah! You'll totally crush it. And it'll be fun to watch you put some smug mages in their place."

June looked at the group, determination in her eyes. "So, we're doing this."

Alisan nodded. "We're doing this."

The group made their way toward the grand arena at the heart of Valthorne, where mages from all walks of life gathered to test their abilities. The arena's towering spires gleamed in the morning sun, glowing runes carved into the stone radiating a faint magical hum. A large banner hung over the entrance:

"Valthorne Annual Magic Tournament – Registration Today!"

June and Alisan exchanged an excited glance before stepping into the registration hall. The inside was bustling with energy, filled with people of various backgrounds and races, each preparing to showcase their magical prowess.

Drakkin, humanoid beings with dragon like features scales covering parts of their bodies and slit-pupil eyes stood confidently in line, their presence commanding attention.

Arcahna, humanoid spider beings with slender limbs and sharp, chitinous features, moved with unsettling grace. Their extra spider limbs, extending from their backs, clicked softly on the floor as they whispered to one another in a strange tongue, their magic dark and thrumming in the air.

Elves, tall and graceful, moved with quiet elegance, their robes flowing like water.

Beastkin, with their animalistic traits furry ears, tails, or clawed hands stood proudly, their magic raw and wild.

Dylan whistled softly. "Quite the crowd. Looks like this tournament's a big deal."

"Bigger than I thought," June said, her eyes darting from one competitor to the next.

A clerk behind the registration desk looked up from a thick tome. "Next!"

June and Alisan stepped forward. "We'd like to enter the tournament," June said confidently.

The clerk gave them a once-over, raising an eyebrow. "You're cutting it close, but there's still room. Names and specialty magic?"

"June. Ice magic," she said, keeping her Voidfrost abilities to herself.

"Alisan. Rapture magic," Alisan added calmly.

The clerk scribbled their names in the tome and handed them both bronze badges engraved with runes. "Wear these during the tournament. Your first matches will be tomorrow morning. Be prepared you'll be facing some serious competition."

"Serious competition, huh?" Dylan grinned. "This'll be interesting."

The group stepped outside, the excitement building. Beastkin sparred with each other in the nearby courtyard, while a Drakkin summoned bursts of flame in the distance. This was no ordinary contest.

"You ready for this?" Alisan asked June.

"Absolutely," June said, her eyes gleaming with determination.

After registering for the tournament, June stretched her arms and glanced around. "We should find a place to warm up. No way I'm going into this cold."

Alisan nodded in agreement. "Good idea. We need to stay sharp."

The group found their way to a nearby training hall, a massive building filled with sparring rings and practice dummies enchanted to withstand powerful magic. Mages of various races honed their skills, casting spells or engaging in mock duels. The air buzzed with energy.

Alisan tapped Cauis on the shoulder. "Hey, want to spar? Nothing serious just a little warm-up."

Cauis smirked. "Oh, so you want me to embarrass you in front of all these people? Sure."

Alisan rolled her eyes. "We'll see who's embarrassed."

Not far away, June turned to Dylan, a playful spark in her eyes. "What about you? Up for a friendly duel?"

Dylan leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed. "Friendly, huh? You sure you're ready for this?"

"Bring it on," June said with a grin.

The pairs moved to separate rings.

Alisan twirled her staff, its tip glowing faintly with silver color energy. "Ready?"

"Always," Cauis said, raising his fists.

Alisan opened with a swift blast of Rapture magic, sending shimmering energy in an arc toward Cauis. He dodged with ease, closing the distance in a flash. Alisan parried with her staff, the clash of magic and physical strength sending sparks flying.

"You've gotten faster," Alisan admitted, stepping back to catch her breath.

"And you're still too predictable," Cauis teased, darting in again.

The duel continued, each of them testing the other's limits with playful banter in between strikes.

June conjured a shard of ice in her hand. "No holding back," she warned, launching it at Dylan.

Dylan sidestepped with a smirk, his movements fluid and precise. "I never do."

He closed the gap quickly, his hand glowing faintly as he summoned a wave of energy to knock her off balance. June countered with a wall of ice, the two spells colliding in a burst of mist.

"You're getting tricky," Dylan said, brushing frost from his sleeve.

June grinned. "Had to keep you on your toes."

The sparring intensified, each move growing faster and more calculated. Dylan's strikes were sharp and deliberate, while June's control over her magic became more refined with each spell she cast. Though it was a warm-up, there was an undeniable tension between them, as if they were testing not just their skills but also each other.

Alisan circled Cauis, her staff glowing brighter with each passing second. "Alright, no more holding back. Let's see what you've really got."

Cauis grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Finally. I thought you'd never ask."

He shot toward her, fists blazing with energy. Alisan planted her staff in the ground, summoning a shimmering barrier just in time to block his punch. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the arena, drawing the attention of nearby mages.

"You're strong," Alisan admitted, her barrier flickering. "But strength isn't everything."

With a flick of her wrist, the barrier exploded outward, forcing Cauis to jump back. Alisan followed up with a flurry of attacks, her staff spinning like a blur. Cauis weaved through her strikes, his movements precise and controlled, his smirk never fading.

"You're fast," Alisan said, breathing hard. "But I can still keep up."

Cauis chuckled. "We'll see about that."

Alisan twirled her staff, conjuring a blast of radiant energy that shot toward Cauis. He leapt into the air, flipping over the attack and landing with a fluid grace.

"Not bad," Cauis said, his tone still light. His hands began to glow faintly, wisps of shimmering silver energy coiling around his fingers. "But if you want me to get serious… here it comes."

Alisan's eyes narrowed. She recognized that glow Aetherglow, his original magic. It wasn't something Cauis used often, but when he did, it meant things were about to get intense.

With a flick of his wrist, streaks of silver light shot out in arcs, weaving through the air like living tendrils. Alisan spun her staff, deflecting some of the energy, but the tendrils were relentless, striking at her from every angle.

"Can't block them all, Alisan," Cauis said, his smirk widening.

"Watch me try," Alisan shot back, slamming her staff into the ground. A shockwave of energy radiated outward, disrupting the tendrils for a brief moment. She lunged forward, aiming a precise strike at Cauis's midsection.

But Cauis was already moving. His body shimmered with a soft silver light as he sidestepped her attack and countered with a burst of Aetherglow energy, hitting her barrier head-on. The force sent Alisan skidding backward, her boots leaving trails in the dirt.

"That all you've got?" Cauis teased, raising his hand. The glowing tendrils of Aetherglow coalesced into a sphere of pure energy above his palm, crackling with power. "Let's finish this!"

Alisan steadied herself, breathing hard but smiling. "Bring it on!"

Cauis launched the sphere at her, its light illuminating the entire training ground. Alisan raised her staff, pouring all her magic into a final barrier. The two forces clashed with a deafening roar, sparks flying in every direction. The ground trembled beneath them as the energy built to a crescendo then burst outward in a blinding flash.

When the light faded, Alisan stood in the center of the scorched ground, her barrier cracked but still holding. She was breathing hard, sweat dripping from her brow, but she hadn't fallen.

Cauis walked toward her, the glow around him fading. "You're tougher than I remember," he said, offering her a hand. "Guess I had to go all out."

Alisan took his hand, her grip firm. "That was just a warm-up."

Cauis laughed. "Of course it was."

June stood across from Dylan, her eyes locked onto his, a faint shimmer of frost gathering around her fingertips. "No holding back this time, Dylan. Show me what you've got."

Dylan rolled his shoulders, a playful smirk on his face. "You're sure? I don't want you saying I went too hard later."

June smirked back, summoning a wave of ice that rushed toward him. "Try me."

Dylan darted to the side with ease, the ice missing him by inches. His movements were smooth and precise, but there was an undercurrent of something darker in the way he dodged controlled, calculated, almost like he was studying her every move.

He raised a hand, summoning a glowing sphere of energy and hurling it toward her. June conjured a barrier of ice, shattering the attack as shards of frozen magic scattered across the ground.

"Not bad," Dylan said. His eyes narrowed slightly. "But you'll need more than that to catch me."

June stomped her foot, sending a spike of ice shooting toward him. Dylan grinned and leapt into the air, twisting as he landed behind her with a swift, low kick aimed at her legs. June jumped back just in time, countering with a blast of frost aimed at his feet.

The ground beneath Dylan froze instantly, but instead of slipping, he used the ice to slide forward, closing the distance between them in an instant.

"Nice try," he said, aiming a punch at her side.

June blocked with an ice-formed shield, the force of his punch cracking the surface but not breaking through. Her eyes lit up with determination.

"Okay, now I'm serious," she said, her voice calm but charged with confidence. She raised both hands, and the air around her grew frigid as she summoned twin spears of ice, spinning them in the air. "Let's see you dodge this!"

The spears shot toward Dylan, moving with blinding speed. He sidestepped the first, then twisted to avoid the second, a spark of excitement flashing in his eyes.

"Finally," he muttered, his carefree tone fading for a moment as his magic crackled around him. A faint, dark pulse flickered in his palm before disappearing, replaced by white glowing energy. "Time to turn it up a notch."

He charged forward, weaving through her spells and closing the distance once again. June barely had time to react as he launched a rapid flurry of attacks punches, kicks, and bursts of energy. She deflected and countered each one, her breath steady despite the intensity.

The sparring reached a fever pitch, their magic colliding in bursts of ice and light. For a split second, it felt less like a practice session and more like a true battle one that neither seemed willing to lose.

Finally, June raised a hand. "Okay, okay! Time out," she said, panting. "I'm not getting frozen to death before the tournament."

Dylan stopped mid-strike, his grin returning. "You were holding back, weren't you?"

June laughed softly. "Maybe a little."

"Me too," Dylan said with a wink. "Guess we'll just have to save the real fight for the tournament."