The Gladefen plaza pulsed with energy as the sun dipped below the hills, casting a warm orange glow over the cobblestone streets. The dueling platform's runes shimmered, absorbing stray sparks from the earlier rounds where Iuro, Rick, and Ishi had claimed victories for the Celestars against the Ambergrove Tides. The crowd buzzed louder now, sensing the climax of the guild match. Herb traders paused their haggling, and novice mages leaned forward, mugs of spiced tea forgotten. The air crackled with the scent of crushed lavender and the hum of magic.
The Celestars gathered at the platform's edge, catching their breath. Tofu, Iuro's glowing bug, flitted above, casting tiny flickers of light. Rick munched on another honey tart, grinning. "Three for three, boys. We're basically legends now."
"Don't jinx it," Ishi muttered, sharpening a shadow dagger on instinct.
Yuuv yawned, his bell wand swaying gently. Ding~. "It's… loud. But fun but I'm sleepy, can't we cancel my fight?""no", everyone replied at once
Izumi adjusted his katanas, gray eyes scanning the Ambergrove Tides. "Three more rounds. They're saving their best for last."
Lui nodded, his red eyes calm but focused. "Stay sharp. This isn't over."
Across the platform, Kaelis, the Tides' leader, twirled her wand, its tide-like swirls glinting. Her amber eyes met Lui's, a silent challenge passing between them. The bird-mage announcer swooped down, his iridescent robes fluttering. "Round four! Celestars' Izumi vs. Ambergrove Tides' Seryn!"
Izumi stepped onto the platform, his twin katanas gleaming under the platform's runes. Seryn, a wiry girl with short black hair and a wand etched with dye-bottle patterns, smirked. "Ready to get colorful, swordsman?"
Izumi's lips twitched. "Try me."
The whistle blew. Seryn's wand glowed vibrant red. "Crimson Mist!" A cloud of scarlet dye erupted, swirling across the platform like a living fog, stinging the eyes and obscuring vision. The crowd gasped as the mist shifted hues—red to violet to gold—disorienting anyone caught inside.
Izumi's gray eyes glowed, his passive ability piercing the mist's chaos. "Spatial Rift!" He slashed his katanas, warping the air to part the dye cloud, creating a clear path. He blinked forward, closing the distance in an instant. "Gravity Slash!" His blades swung, bending space to pull Seryn toward him.
Seryn twirled her wand. "Indigo Veil!" A shimmering curtain of blue dye solidified into a shield, blocking Izumi's slash. The impact sent ripples through the platform's runes, drawing cheers. She countered fast. "Saffron Burst!" Glowing yellow droplets sprayed from her wand, each one exploding into a blinding flash on contact.
Izumi spun, warping space to redirect the droplets. "Void Step!" He vanished, reappearing above Seryn, katanas angled downward. "Anchor Strike!" A pulse of gravity pinned Seryn's feet, forcing her to brace. Her wand faltered, and Izumi's blade stopped an inch from her shoulder. The runes flared.
"Winner: Izumi of Celestars!" the announcer squawked.
The crowd roared. Izumi sheathed his katanas, nodding to Seryn, who grinned despite her loss. "Not bad, space boy."
At the platform's edge, Liora, the town head's daughter, leaned against a stall, her green cloak swaying. She clapped lightly, catching Izumi's eye as he returned. "Nice moves," she said, tossing him a small herb sachet from the stall. "For luck."
Izumi caught it, inspecting the sachet's faint glow. "Thanks. You always carry these?"
"Perks of growing up in Gladefen," she said, her violet hair catching the lantern light. "Herbs are kind of our thing."
Izumi tucked the sachet into his pocket, a small nod of appreciation. "Noted."
"Round five!" the announcer called. "Celestars' Yuuv vs. Ambergrove Tides' Lorne!"
Yuuv shuffled onto the platform, his bell wand chiming softly. Ding~. Lorne, a lanky boy with a wand carved with candle-wick patterns, cracked his knuckles. "Let's see if that bell's got any bite."
Yuuv tilted his head, cyan-blue eyes half-lidded. "I don't… bite. Usually."
The whistle blew. Lorne's wand flared with a warm glow. "Wick Snare!" Threads of molten wax shot from his wand, weaving into sticky, glowing ropes that lashed toward Yuuv, aiming to bind his arms.
Yuuv's eyes glowed faintly, his Psych Magic rippling outward. "Mind Drift," he murmured, his voice soft but piercing. The wax ropes froze mid-air, trembling as if caught in a dream, then fell limply to the platform. The crowd gasped, leaning forward.
Lorne gritted his teeth. "Candle Flare!" He swung his wand, summoning a burst of glowing wax droplets that ignited into tiny flames, streaking toward Yuuv like fiery darts.
Yuuv swayed, his bell chiming. Ding~. "Calm Veil." A wave of psychic energy pulsed, slowing the flames' paths until they flickered out, absorbed by the platform's runes. He pointed his wand. "Echo Bind." A soft hum filled the air, and Lorne froze, his eyes wide as Yuuv's magic pressed gently against his mind, locking his limbs in place.
Lorne struggled, his wand sparking. "Not… done!" He broke free, shouting, "Wax Cascade!" A wave of molten wax surged, hardening into jagged spikes mid-air.
Yuuv yawned, unfazed. "Sleep Step." His form blurred, psychic energy warping perception, making him seem to flicker across the platform. He reappeared behind Lorne, wand raised. "Mind Tap." A gentle pulse hit Lorne's thoughts, dazing him just long enough for Yuuv's bell to graze his arm. The runes flared.
"Winner: Yuuv of Celestars!" the announcer crowed.
Yuuv shuffled back, yawning as the crowd cheered wildly. Rick whooped, nearly dropping his tart. "Yuvi, you sneaky dream-weaver!"
Liora, still by the stall, raised an eyebrow, impressed. She glanced at Izumi, who was watching Yuuv with a faint smile. "Your team's full of surprises," she said.
Izumi nodded. "They keep things interesting."
"Final round!" the announcer shouted, wings flapping. "Celestars' Lui vs. Ambergrove Tides' Kaelis!"
Lui stepped onto the platform, his ruby-hilted sword already drawn, flames flickering along its edge. Kaelis twirled her wand, its tide-like swirls glinting under the lanterns. "Let's see if you're as good as your team, captain."
Lui's red eyes burned steadily. "Show me what you've got."
The whistle blew. Kaelis struck first, her wand glowing deep blue. "Ink Tide!" A wave of shimmering, ink-like liquid surged from her wand, splitting into tendrils that curled toward Lui, each one leaving a trail of glowing runes that pulsed with binding energy.
Lui's passive ability kicked in, his eyes tracking the tendrils' paths. "Flame Crest!" His sword ignited, slashing through the ink tendrils, vaporizing them into harmless mist. The crowd roared as the platform's runes absorbed the sparks.
Kaelis didn't flinch. "Script Lash!" Her wand spun, summoning ribbons of ink that hardened into whip-like strands, snapping toward Lui with crackling force.
Lui dodged, his sword trailing flames. "Blaze Spiral!" He spun, unleashing a vortex of fire that burned through the ink whips, forcing Kaelis back. She countered fast. "Tide Glyph!" Her wand traced a glowing rune in the air, summoning a wall of ink that pulsed with tidal force, pushing Lui's flames back.
The platform shook, runes flaring brighter. Lui gritted his teeth. "Inferno Edge!" His sword glowed white-hot, and he charged, slicing through the ink wall in a burst of flame. Kaelis raised her wand, but Lui's blade stopped an inch from her chest, flames flickering out. The runes flared.
"Winner: Lui of Celestars!" the announcer bellowed.
The plaza exploded in cheers, mugs clinking and herbs scattering. Kaelis lowered her wand, offering a nod. "You're good, Celestars. We'll remember this."
Lui sheathed his sword. "You fought well. No hard feelings."
As the Celestars regrouped, Liora approached, her green cloak swaying. "That was incredible," she said, her tone warm but professional. "My father, Gladefen's head, wants to meet you. He's hosting a dinner at our house tonight to celebrate the duel."
Iuro grinned, Tofu buzzing excitedly. "Free food? I'm in."
Rick nudged Yuuv. "Think they've got tarts?"
Yuuv yawned. "Hope they've got… pillows."
Liora laughed, glancing at Izumi. "We've got both. Bring your appetites." She gestured toward the hilltop mansion, its lanterns glowing warmly. "Follow me after you clean up."
Izumi nodded, his fingers brushing the herb sachet in his pocket. "We'll be there."
The crowd began to disperse, the platform's runes dimming as the stars emerged over Gladefen. The Celestars had won, but the night promised new connections—and perhaps, in the shadows, a faint shimmer of something watching.