Back when I turned ten years old, I witnessed the coolest tournament I've ever seen in my life.
The crowd. Loud cheers. Intense atmosphere.
And the heat of battle that forged history before my very eyes.
I remember it all vividly.
In this world, the Ascendant offers myriad forms of entertainment.
Festivals bursting with color. Dances that weave stories. Songs that stir the soul. Art that captures the imagination.
There are also sports, where one's Arcana shine and wielded to its fullest potential.
Guardians and [Bounds], bonded as one while climbing the ranks.
Races. Ball play. Anything that's fun.
But the most popular of all..
Is the Battle tournament. Arcanist from every corner of the world converge, each seeking greater strength.
They face formidable opponents, one after another, each victory a stepping stones to hone their skills and resolve.
The ultimate challenge? To face the reigning Champion.
Davel, The Sky Shooter.
My aspiration.
The first to ever receive the title, and who, even five years later, still holds it with an iron grip.
A world tournament held once every two years.
The anticipation was palpable.
The Grand Ascend.
And I, Serina Einhart...
...plan to conquer it.
. . .
A child's small hands gripped the metal railing, the cold digging into her palms.
The very first Grand Ascend's roar a blinding lights, it's almost too much to take. The air buzzed with the energy of thousands of fans, their cheers crashing around her like waves.
Below, the combatants moved with a grace that belied the brutal force of their attacks. Arcana flared, painting the arena with streaks of emerald, sapphire, and ruby.
"Let's end this, partner!"
The final round.
She watched the black-haired man, his wings bright, the Sky Shooter's might. Wave and flame clash, overwhelming her every being.
It was this fight, that capture her heart.
Ambition.. Admiration... Aspiration.
The girl was feeling it all at once.
"This.. is so cool.. incredible.." She breathed, almost to herself.
Heat waves rise, each clash of power sent tremors through the ground, each near miss eliciting gasps from the crowd. Sweat and ozone, the arena's offering.
The idea of winning here, of standing where Davel stood, turned into a solid goal.
'This is it..' Her blue eyes spark in determination, hardening her resolved. 'Someday.. I'll claim it, just wait and see..'
. . .
The memory hits like warm sunlight through stained glass, sharp at the edges, soft where it matters most.
In the Academy's main hall, the air smells of polished wood and old parchment, with hints of wild grass from the planters lining the stone walls.
That's when a shadow darts in front of her, a short young man in rumpled robes, face flushed pink.
"U-Um! Excuse me! I'm so sorry to bother you but i can't find the Arcana Theory classroom and Professor Vance said if I'm late again I'll have to redo the assignment and I—" They stumble over their own feet, catching themselves on the wall.
Serina turns, and her hair sweeps over her shoulder as she tilts her head. Her blue eyes crinkle at the corners, soft as the sky just after dawn.
"Woah there, breathe.. you're pretty much new to this building, right?" She gestures down the hall with a gentle nod. "Third corridor on your left, you'll see a door with a carved bird symbol above it. Professor Vance is actually pretty cool about late arrivals if you just tell him you got turned around."
The kid blinks, then breaks into a bright grin. "Really? Thank you so much! I-uh, I owe you one. I promise I'll reply you someday!"
"Geez, just go." Serina gives a small wave as the boy scurries off, shoulders relaxed now.
"Einhart! Yesterday's Arcana drill, did you figure it out?" A senior approach, "That new technique for my [Earth Shackle] was brutal. I kept channeling all my energy through my fingertips and nearly shattered my gauntlets."
Serina lets out a genuine laugh, light and easy. "Oh, I know exactly what you mean! I tried that way first too, here." She holds up her slate, doodling on the screen to explain. "If you shift the flow to your palms instead, it spreads the energy out more evenly. Less strain on your tools, and you get better control over the output."
The senior's eyes widen, testing the motion right there in the hall. A small, steady tremor ripples through their hand.
"Whoa—that works! How?!"
"Trial and error," Serina says with a shrug, starting to walk again. "Got a little too enthusiastic during practice last week and nearly put a dent in the east wall. Learned my lesson fast!"
They laugh, falling into step beside her for a few paces. "Well, thanks! I owe you one for saving my gauntlets. Good luck with your training!"
"Same to you!" She calls back, waving as they peel off toward the training wing.
Then she saw him.
Leaning against the cool marble wall by the great oak doors, arms crossed. Always in the same spot, like he's part of the building itself, a bit of dark and white hair falling over his eyes as he picks at a loose thread on his uniform.
"Seth, what the heck are you doing in the corner like some stalker? Creep." She deadpan at him, causing a vein to pop up.
"Just so you know, i got here early."
He sighed, letting her off.
"Conquering the Champion." His voice is low, rough around the edges. "That's still the plan, even with you floating around like you've got all the time in the world?"
Serina stops, shifting her bag on her shoulder. "Carefree's just my style. Better than being a lone wolf who acts like human contact's poison," she quips, though her smile doesn't fade. "Speaking of, which means you finally found those 'worthy teammates' you've been hunting for the past month?"
Seth pushes off the wall, his gaze sharp as it meets hers. "No. Haven't met a single person who can keep pace, not really. Except..." He pauses, shoving a hand through his hair. "Unfortunately, you."
She tilts her head, casual as if she's asking about the weather. "Well, if you're so short on options. I'm asking again, partner up with me."
"'Again' is the word here," he says, shaking his head. "I already told you. I don't do partners. Never again, never will."
Serina raises an eyebrow. "Really.. why not, though? We want the same thing, we get each other's pace."
He doesn't answer right away, his jaw tightening. When he speaks, his voice hardens just a little. "Because you need to find your own partner first. I'm not holding you back by making you wait on me. We're not playing pretend out here, this is the Grand Ascend we're talking about." He steps closer, serious now.
"Pick someone who can keep up. I don't want to see you wasting time being wishy-washy about it." A beat passes, and his expression softens just barely. "If you manage to find one before I find a team... I'll join as the third member."
She rolls her eyes, but there's no bite to it. "Fine, fine. I'll choose someone on my terms, not yours."
Looking down the hall, where the corridor stretches on toward the training grounds. Long, bright, and somehow still so far away.
For all her easy confidence, it hits her then.
Everyone else seems to be moving forward, and she's still standing right where she started.
Still, she's not giving up though.
"Senaaa!!"
The voice cuts through the hall's quiet hum, and a breathless classmate comes barreling around the corner. They skid to a stop in front of her, clutching their side.
"Sorry-sorry to bother you, but... one of the seniors is looking for you. We tried to tell him you were busy, but he just... blocked the way. Wouldn't let anyone pass 'til we found you. He was really intense about it, kept saying he had to talk to you, specifically."
Serina's brow furrows slightly, but she gives the girl a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "It's okay, thanks for letting me know. I'll head over now."
When she turns back to him to say something, maybe ask if he wants to join. He's already halfway down the hall, long strides carrying him away without a glance back.
"Seth!" She calls out, but he only lifts a hand over his shoulder, giving a sharp, dismissive gesture.
'Handle it yourself.'
The sound of his boots fades against the stone floor as he rounds the corner and disappears from sight.
"Seriously, some help you are!" Serina lets out a soft huff, shoving a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear.
Whatever this is, it looks like she'll be facing it alone.
She just hope it can be resolve fast, she'll have to find someone after all.