The morning sun rose brightly over the Capital, lighting up the sky with a golden glow. The streets were already filled with energy and excitement. It was the opening day of the Carnival, and the entire city buzzed with life. Music played in the distance, children laughed as they ran across the cobbled paths, and shopkeepers shouted cheerfully, calling people to try their food and wares.
Inside their lodge, Lila and the others were getting ready. The sounds from outside made it hard to stay calm. Lila quickly got dressed, her heart already racing in excitement. Sera quietly tied her hair back, looking a little nervous, while Fizzle hummed a cheerful tune as she flew here and there, clearly more excited about the food than anything else. Adrian leaned against the wall, calm, though he smiled as he listened to the noises outside. Drakar was already ready, his arms crossed, looking out the window with quiet focus. And Doran wasn't really excited to attend the opening ceremony as he deemed it boring and would rather just direct go to the blacksmith workshop and competition.
When they stepped outside, the city was a different world. The streets were beautifully decorated with colorful ribbons, bright lanterns, and magical lights floating gently in the air. People wore costumes that matched the decorations, some wore clothes with feathers, others with shining fabrics that reflected the sunlight. It was a feast for the eyes.
As the group walked through the decorated streets, they followed the crowd toward the main ground. There, a huge and grand stage had been set up. Flags of every color fluttered in the wind, and the platform was large enough for hundreds to gather around and watch. People cheered as the opening ceremony began. Music played from one corner of the stage, while dancers wearing sparkling outfits moved with grace. In the background, magic users cast illusions and spells that created shapes of animals, stars, and glowing flowers in the air. It was breathtaking.
After a while, the music paused, and a calm silence spread through the crowd.
Suddenly, a different kind of music played slow, grand, and full of power. It gave off a royal feeling, and people stood straighter, eyes locked on the stage. Onto the stage stepped King Arthur Lumina, the Head of the Lumina Clan and the ruler of the Cero Kingdom. His golden robe shimmered in the light, and the shining crown on his head reflected the glow of the magic lights. The crowd erupted into cheers.
Following him was Queen Rema, graceful and beautiful, wearing a maroon dress with delicate flower patterns. She walked beside the three princes—James, Carlos, and Jack, each wearing outfits suited to their own style, yet all noble in appearance. Behind them walked the two princesses, Lyra and Kyla, dressed in soft shades of blue and purple, with tiaras in their hair.
King Arthur stepped to the center of the stage and raised his hand to calm the crowd. He then began his speech. He spoke of peace, strength, and unity. He announced the many events that would take place during the Carnival the markets, the games, the competitions, the performances and told the people to enjoy themselves fully.
The crowd clapped and cheered loudly again.
Prince James stepped forward, his voice loud and clear. "For the Rookie Tournament today," he announced, "the winner shall receive 1,000 gold coins!" That made many in the crowd cheer even louder. "And the Champions Tournament winner will receive 10,000 gold coins!" He smiled as he looked at the eager faces in the crowd. "But more than the prize," he said, "I want to see brave hearts, powerful skills, and true sportsmanship. Let this tournament show us the rising stars of tomorrow!"
Lila's heart beat faster. His words filled her with motivation. She clenched her fists with excitement. "I'm going to give it my all!" she whispered to herself. Fizzle nudged her and grinned. "You look like you're about to fly off the ground," she joked, making Lila laugh a little.
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The rest of the day passed quickly. The group walked around, looking at the different stalls and displays. There were rare artifacts from faraway lands, shiny weapons, magical stones, and scrolls written in ancient languages. They also tried more food, of course. Fizzle nearly fainted from how good some of the sweets were.
As the sun began to lower in the sky, it was time. The Rookie Tournament was about to start. The tournament ground was a large open arena, surrounded by raised stone seating for the audience. The crowd cheered as the announcer welcomed everyone. Prince James and Princess Kyla stood at the draw desk, picking names to form the brackets.
Lila and Sera both held their breath as they waited to see who they'd face in the first round. When they saw the names, they sighed in relief. They wouldn't be facing each other—not yet, at least. Soon, the first few matches were underway. Then, it was Sera's turn.
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She stood quietly, focused as she was ready for the fight. Across the arena stood her opponent—Titu, a strong-looking man with heavy armor, a long sword on his back, and a confident grin, he was a past mercenary who had turned into adventurer recently. He had a flame tattoo on his arm, signaling his fire affinity. The announcer raised a hand, and the battle began.
Titu charged first, his sword flaming as he swung it downward. Sera dodged quickly, her small frame helping her avoid the heavy blow. The ground cracked slightly from the impact. She moved to the side and sent out a pulse of nature magic toward his feet. Titu rolled back and avoided it. He grinned. "You're fast, but how long can you keep dodging?"
He swung again, sending a wave of fire in a wide arc. Sera raised a wall of wood that burned on contact, but enough to keep away the flame. She leapt through the burning woods, landing a solid hit on his side with her enchanted staff. It glowed with green energy. Titu growled and slammed his sword down again. Sera blocked it, but the force pushed her back, and she slid across the ground. Her arm shook slightly. That hurt.
She narrowed her eyes and focused. A barrage of nature began to circle around her as she raised her hand. She chanted softly, and a series of wooden needles formed around her. Titu came charging again. "Let's see how much that wood can save you!" He brought his sword down, but the needles flew toward him, stalling him. He slashed through a few, but others hit him squarely in the chest and shoulders. While he was distracted, Sera used her magic to trap his feet in a vines as he became unable to move.
He struggled. "You're tricky!" She didn't respond. Instead, she rushed forward and struck him clean across the chest with a energy, knocking him back.
He hit the ground hard and didn't get up.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
The announcer declared her the winner, and Sera let out a long breath, her knees slightly shaking. She had taken a few hits and her side hurt from where a small flame had grazed her, but she had done it. She had won.
She walked off the stage, head held high, and Lila hugged her tight. "That was amazing!" Sera gave a small smile. "Thanks… I'm glad I didn't freeze out there."
Now, it was time for Lila's match. She took a deep breath, stepping forward as her name was called. Her opponent stood waiting on the other side of the arena.
The first round was far from over...