The adrenaline was finally starting to fade.
Melisa leaned against a decorative pillar, watching the festival resume around her. Nim and kitsune mingled freely now, the Shadow Mages' attempted division having backfired spectacularly. Music filled the air, along with laughter and the smell of roasted meats.
[Holy shit. We actually did it.]
Her tail swayed lazily behind her as she scanned the crowd. No more suspicious figures. No more tense whispers. Just celebration.
A familiar voice cut through the noise.
"STEP RIGHT UP! Witness the future of magical combat!"
Melisa turned to see Isabella standing on an overturned crate, wand held high like she was about to perform a miracle. A small crowd of kitsune guards had gathered, some curious, others skeptical.
"This, my beautiful friends, is not just a stick!" Isabella twirled the wand between her fingers. "This is CONVENIENCE! This is POWER! This is your ticket to not dying in battle because you fucked up your spellsign!"
