Chalcon looked away. "Roselle, I want to battle you again. Not right now, but at the Eastern Annual Tournament. That's where I'm headed next."

  Roselle's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I'm going to the East too, Chalcon. It's a deal!"

  Chalcon's face softened, and he turned back to look at Roselle. "That's cool."

  Chalcon looked down towards the ground. “I lost to my sister Chala in the final battle of the Western Practice Tournament, by the way. Chala is something else."

  He then deeply sighed and said, "I remember a day from our past. Chala was surrounded by some bad people, and I... well, I couldn't stand by and let them harm her. So, I beat them up, every single one of them."

  He paused momentarily before continuing. “Back then, people always seemed to do bad things to Chala, but when I was around, they quickly learned to regret it. We were both young, and somehow, she turned out to be the stronger one when we went under sword training. It's like she had this hidden strength waiting to burst out."

  Roselle listened intently, genuinely curious. "Did you always look the way you do now, or did something change?"

  Chalcon shook his head. "No, I always looked like this. Never really knew if I was meant to be a boy. I just decided one day that I would be one, because a brother is supposed to be the stronger one, meant to protect the weaker sister. But uh... things didn't turn out the way I thought they would....Hey wait aminute, why am I telling you this?"

  Roselle grinned and replied, "Maybe it's because you think of me as a friend now. Friends talk about things, right?"

  “That’s going to take some getting used to,” Chalcon said while rubbing his neck again. “I’ve never really had a friend before.”

  Suddenly, Chala walked into the room with a cheerful smile on her face. Her aqua-colored battle dress matched Chalcon's.

  "Chalcon!" Chala exclaimed, "I've been looking for you everywhere. I thought we could celebrate with some ice cream! You know, like always after a tournament."

  Chala paused as she looked at her brother. She gasped while looking at his face. "Hey, you don't look angry for once. What's going on?"

  Chalcon gave a deep sigh."I lost to you, sis. In the final battle of the Western Practice Tournament. You're something else. I’m just sulking…"

  Chala grinned and patted his shoulder. "Well, that's just practice. We're getting stronger together. But if you're not in the mood for ice cream, I understand. Just know that I'm proud of you, little brother."

  Chala turned her attention to Roselle, a warm smile on her face. "You did great out there, Roselle. I've been hearing all about your match, and I wanted to thank you for becoming friends with my little brother. He can be a bit grumpy sometimes, but I'm glad he's getting along with someone new."

  Chalcon felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment at Chala's words. "Chala, you're embarrassing me!"

  Chala raising an eyebrow. "What? Was it something I said?"

  Chalcon threw his hands up. "I was trying to have a moment here, you know? We were just talking about...stuff."

  Roselle chuckled. "its okay, Chalcon. Chala's just being a caring sister. I think it's nice."

  Chala grinned. "See? Roselle gets it. I’m just making sure you’re okay. You’ve been so serious lately; it’s good to see you smile, even if just a little."

  Chalcon folded his arms with his frustrated look returning. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, can we save the mushy stuff for later?”

  Chala laughed, ruffling his hair. “Sure thing, grumpy pants. So, how about that ice cream? We could use a celebration after all the excitement.”

  Chalcon grumbled something under his breath but didn't resist as his sister pulled him along.

  Chala glanced back at Roselle with an apologetic smile. “I would invite you to join us, Roselle, but I heard from your creators that you’ll be leaving very soon on some urgent business.”

  Roselle's eyes widened in surprise. “Wait, ‘urgent’? I didn’t hear about this until now.”

  Chala gave a sympathetic nod. “Yeah, it’s too bad. But I’m sure we’ll meet again. Keep getting stronger, Roselle.”

  Roselle managed a smile despite her confusion. “Thanks, Chala. I hope to see you both soon.”

  Chala gave Roselle a friendly wave while leading Chalcon out of the room. “Take care, Roselle! Until next time!”

  The group of Roselle, Risebelle, Runebelle, Kintovar, Juliana and Haras were joined by the Brain. They stood in front of the Western Kingdom. Rawna approached the group with coldness in her eyes"It's time to move on. The Eastern Annual Tournament awaits, and we all have work to do."

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Roselle frowned. "I promised Timmy we'd play games together, and now we're leaving. I won't even get a chance to say goodbye."

  Kintovar placed a hand on Roselle's shoulder. "Roselle, don't worry. Life is full of unexpected meetings. We may cross paths with little Timmy again someday. And until then, we'll keep getting stronger and prepare for the Eastern Annual Tournament."

  Rawna glanced at everyone, then said,"Here's the plan, everyone. We're three days away from the Eastern Kingdom, and we can't afford any delays. We'll start making our way today, pushing forward as much as we can. We'll camp out for the night, then continue our journey tomorrow. Fortunately, with the Shield of Creation turning up at the Western Practice Tournament, we won't have to be as worried about Mystical creature attacks in the wild.”

  Roselle walked alongside Kintovar. While on the way, her thought crossed on Mystimona, who was sent off on his own path to the East. "I wonder how Mystimona is doing," she said aloud.

  Kintovar smiled at Roselle. "I'm sure Mystimona is doing just fine. We'll have the chance to meet up with him at the Eastern Annual Tournament. But it's not just him; I have a feeling this tournament will be very special. There are bound to be some surprises and new challenges waiting for us in the East."

  The group continued their journey toward the Eastern Kingdom with excitement. The Eastern Annual Tournament was on the horizon, and it promised to be an event filled with many suprises.

  Meanwhile, in Eastern Jancito, a practice tournament was just won by Dj, the mohawk-sporting, blue-haired swordsman.

  The announcer boomed, "Ladies and gentlemen, that's the power of the Tysukiyomi family! Dj Tysukiyomi is the champion of our practice tournament!"

  After his resounding victory, Dj strolled confidently past the group of Aliana,Gaiza, Bee end Eliza. His eyes met Aliana's, and there was a brief moment of recognition. They exchanged nods before he became nearly out of sight within the crowd behind him.

  Gaiza turned to Aliana" You might have a huge rival in the tournament. Dj is truly incredible."

  Aliana, considered the challenge she might face. She replied calmly, "I welcome the competition. It will make me stronger."

  Young Bee, who had been observing Dj's victory with stars in their eyes, suddenly spoke up. "That's my brother! He’s amazing with the sword. I wanna be like him someday! Slice n dice my foes!”

  Bee looked between Aliana and Dj and soon their excitement morphed to confusion. "Aliana is pretty cool too, but Dj's skills are so incredible! I don’t know who I want to be more like. It’s so hard!”

  Aliana turned to Bee with a warm smile. "Strength comes in many forms. We all have our unique paths and abilities. Your brother Dj and I have different strengths, but both of us are on our own journeys to achieve greatness. And I believe you can find your own path, combining the best of both worlds."

  Bee’s eyes sparkled with inspiration as they imagined themselves wielding an ice dragon technique, their excitement bubbling over. “I’m going to practice right now! I want to try out that move!”

  Aliana chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Ah, wait, Bee. We’re in public. Besides, you’ve been training hard already.”

  Bee’s enthusiasm dimmed a little. They pouted. “But I’ve learned Sword Magic and I can finally use it properly! Unlike you, I only know four moves. I want to get better, faster!”

  Aliana gently placed a hand on Bee's shoulder and said, "Bee, it's important to remember that quality is more important than quantity. Right now, your focus should be on mastering those four moves. Once you have a solid foundation, we can expand your repertoire. Sword Magic is not just about how many moves you know; it's about how well you can execute them and adapt in battle."

  Aliana smiled, proud of Bee's determination, and assured them, "I have no doubt you will, Bee. Your journey to becoming a powerful swordsman is just beginning."

  Bee looked a bit confused but nodded slowly, taking in Aliana’s words. “I get it. Thanks, Aliana.”

  Aliana smiled warmly. “You’re a smart kid. I know you’ll get the hang of it.”

  With that, the group began to head back to their temporary residence. They traveled through the Eastern Tournament district toward a grand mansion. This place was a gesture of goodwill from one of Aliana’s friends, Okun. Initially, the mansion had been offered when Aliana returned with little money, but now, with the funds to purchase it, Aliana planned to buy it.

  While on their way, Gaiza fidgeted nervously behind the group. She had something on her mind and, after several failed attempts, she finally plucked up the courage to speak. "Umm, Princess Aliana," she stammered, "could you help me with my sword training later on?"

  Aliana raised an eyebrow and replied, "Of course, Gaiza. But why do you seem so embarrassed about it?"

  Gaiza's cheeks turned a shade of pink. "Well, it's just that... I'm not used to asking for help, and, you know, you're the Ice Queen now, and it's kind of... strange."

  Aliana chuckled. "It's not Princess Aliana anymore, Gaiza. It's Queen Aliana. And you never need to feel strange about asking for help. We are f—“

  Gaiza quickly interjected, "I know, I just... I guess I feel a bit awkward around you sometimes. It’s hard to explain."

  Aliana looked at Gaiza with curiosity. "What do you mean by that?"

  Gaiza hesitated for a moment before meeting Aliana’s gaze. "Well, it’s just that... I have a lot of respect for you, and sometimes it’s overwhelming. Especially when you’re so... perfect."

  Aliana and Gaiza stared at each other for a few moments. Aliana finally broke the silence. "Gaiza, you’ve been acting a bit weirder than usual these days. But I suppose that’s to be expected. I was pretty 'weird' myself when I first picked up a sword."

  Gaiza’s eyes brightened with a nostalgic gleam. "I remember the stories you used to share with me. They were so inspiring."

  Aliana nodded. "Yes, it was quite a journey to become a Sword God, and now, here I am as the Queen of the Eastern City. Though, marrying King Xeno was rather unexpected. I didn’t exactly plan for an on-the-spot marriage when I completed the trial and became the Ice Queen and a full sword god." She laughed lightly.

  Gaiza's cheeks flushed. “I still don't think that's how marriage should be. It should be something more... meaningful and planned, not just a spontaneous decision."

  Aliana raised an eyebrow. "Well, everyone has their own views on it. For me, it was a surprise, but it worked out in the end. I’m rather happy with how things turned out."

  While the duo continued their conversation, a sudden and ominous presence filled the air. The sky darkened as a violent whirlwind spiraled around them. It caused everything to tremble in its wake. A sense of foreboding descended upon the group, and even Bee, usually full of enthusiasm, looked slightly fearful.

  Amidst the chaos, a figure cloaked in darkness emerged from the heart of the tempest. The cloak billowed, obscuring the figure's identity, but as the winds calmed and the hood was pulled back.

  Standing before her was a person who bore an uncanny resemblance to Roselle. The same face, the same innocent blue eyes, but the aura surrounding this figure was undeniably malevolent.

  Aliana stammered, "Are you... Roselle?"

  In response, the figure known as Dark Whirlwind simply gave an evil, twisted smirk.