Now that Diwa had caught up with her, Fia worried that she was in big trouble. Her wide eyes rolled upward without lifting her head, quickly recognizing the green dragoness in the sky. Fia hoped that Diwa would forgive her after seeing her cool performance. Did you see that, Diwa?

Yes. Are you alright? Since Diwa could feel the dragonette's mind unaffected by any fear, she did not wait for a response. You can't run off on your own like that—

Thank you for teaching me more about magic! Fia expressed her gratitude, even as Diwa scolded her. I couldn't have done it without you… or Rokirith, she added as an aside. Fia suppressed the fact that she mostly gave credit to Rokirith.

Diwa made it to Fia before the guard did. Her claws latched onto her shoulders, and the dragoness swept her away. "We're going back to Viliant right now."

"Wait. No!" Fia squirmed in Diwa's grasp, giving her great difficulty to fly. "Put me down over there. I made a friend!" The pink dragonette needed to get back to the sidelines by the other contestants. More than just her desire to see Ori again, Fia needed to be there to compete.

"Your friend, Viliant, is waiting for us right now!" Diwa huffed.

"Help!" Fia cried out to the guard who was supposed to pick her up at the pedestal. "I'm being kidnapped!" Her childish mind had a convincing enough sense of distress that the guard flew his fastest to intercept Diwa.

His powerful wings beat the air, the span wide enough to bar Diwa's path even if she attempted to skirt around him. "I order you to land and let go of the dragonette, this instant."

Fia…. Diwa expressed her irate discontent over telepathy. Certainly, she would have growled over the rascal dragonette's name if not for the guard hovering right in front of them. Diwa set Fia down gently and landed behind her. I'm sorry, sir. This is a misunderstanding. I'm responsible for Fia in Malakow, but she ran away to join the tournament.

The guard landed in front of Diwa and welcomed the wide-eyed Fia under the crook of his wing. This dragonette entered under Sage Rokirith's name. Do you know that criminal?

Diwa gaped at the guard and refused to confirm her association with the former dragon sage. Fia did what…? You let her fight with just the mention of a dragon who's not even here?

The guard tossed his horns side to side. They're both fire dragons.

The green dragoness fumed wordlessly. Diwa held back the rant that she wanted to give the guard. Well, my apologies for this misunderstanding. Fia can tell you that she wasn't serious.

Fia stood under the protection of the guard's wing. If she did not want to go anywhere with Diwa, the dragoness could not force her. With a fire behind her eyes, she insisted to Diwa alone, I'm serious about fighting in this tournament.

If you really want to play this game with me, young lady, you can find Viliant and get on a ship yourselves! Though Diwa tried to impose an even tone, her vexation made her seem more than strict. For the first time, the dragoness's anger made her seem a bit scary in Fia's eyes.

At the same time, Fia could also feel Diwa's concern. Briefly, Fia closed her mind off from all telepathy and stared down at her clenched claws. I know she really cares about me but…. This also consumed her with guilt for having pulled such a mean trick.

The guard's intense gaze bore down on Fia all the while. Her non-response got taken as one. A second guard had come to help with the situation. This way, Fia. My associate will apprehend the dragoness that tried to kidnap you—

"I didn't mean it!" Fia blurted out, flooding her honesty through the reestablished telepathic link. "I know Diwa. I also know Sage Rokirith. He'd definitely let me enter the tournament. He'd convince Diwa too. Can we talk about it?" Before the guard could respond, Fia ran back underneath Diwa's wing where she had grown so comfortable over these past weeks.

The green and pink dragons made their way back to the sidelines of the arena. They still did not want to have this conversation in a manner that others might overhear.

Diwa started to scold her again. Fia, accusing someone of a crime is serious business. You almost had me arrested—!

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I'm sorry! Fia tried to apologize before she received a long lecture. We're going to part ways soon, she snapped. Viliant and I are going to be on our own again. That means we're gonna do things our way. We don't have enough money to send us both back. If Viliant has to work, I'd like to get it over with right now, doing something we're good at!

Some smoke puffed in and out of Fia's heaving breaths. She continued to dump her rationale on Diwa. I've already paid the entry fee. If I don't win now, we'll lose the money. So let me fight. I… want to part ways on good terms. Fia paused before she rejoined the waiting area where Ori and her father remained. Her eyes lifted from her talons to see Diwa's reaction.

The wings of the dragoness had steadily lowered as she came to understand Fia better. A hefty sigh came from her jaws. Fine. I… give up. I'll let the guard know that I'm okay with you fighting too. Diwa hung her head from the worries which weighed her down. But you'll have to take care of yourself here, on your own, she warned.

Don't worry. Fia flicked her tail to lead Diwa over to Ori. I made a friend. Aloud, she announced to the mold dragonette and her father, "This is Diwa. She's like… my auntie in Malakow."

"Scary dragoness tried to steal Fia," Ori murmured, glaring distrustly from behind her father's violet scales.

"Nice to meet you, Diwa," Ori's father said. "I'm Bagwis. You should introduce yourself too, Ori, just like that."

Ori refused with a shake of her head.

Despite her usual compassion toward children, Diwa did not have time for any other dragonets. "I have to get back to Viliant," she snapped, but Fia could feel her greater sense of relief, knowing that the pink dragonette would not be alone. Diwa took back to the sky, leaving as suddenly as she had appeared.

Fia settled alongside Ori and Bagwis to watch the next fights. She got to see a demonstration from all the dragon and human youths who had entered the tournament. Fia made sure to remember the winners who stood atop the platform victorious. In future rounds, Fia might face them on the other side. The crowd cheered the most whenever the dragonets beat the human kids, an uproar of cheerful dragon cries.

Soon enough, Fia observed Talan in his second round. He beat another dragonet, this time expending less mana in a flashy attack but more in useful skills. The hail storm and bullet curtain forced the dragonet into the water after an unrelenting stream.

"Why are humans so good at magic?" Fia asked. Her small back spines bristled, annoyed that such a weak species seemed to gain a better mastery over the elements than dragons.

"The Kingdom of Syene trains the best combat mages," Bagwis shared. "We'd even send our dragonets to study there, but the Syenic humans don't like dragons very much."

"I'm aware." Fia stared glumly at Talan who dismounted from the stone pillar onto one of magical ice.

The humans of Malakow cheered especially loud as one of their children had successfully beaten another dragonet. The racket rang around her eardrums, a familiar sound which Fia was constantly subjected to in the coliseum. Since that boy had studied in Syene, some dark questions bubbled to Fia's mind. Could he have been one of the humans that watched me fight? Could his voice have been one of those cheering? A surge of heat, burning in her chest, made the dragonette pant with her mouth parted slightly. An impulse to sink her teeth into that human and taste his blood overcame Fia. This must be how Viliant feels around humans all the time.

Fia settled for a growl. "I wish the humans wouldn't cheer so loud every time one of them wins."

Ori agreed quietly. "Yeah. It made me feel bad."

"Magic is one of the few things that humans can do well," Bagwis explained. "Let them cheer all they want. Us dragons can just roar louder when we win." The father encouraged Ori to let out a squeaky attempt at a roar when the next contestant was called.

"Up next, we have Fia the fire dragon and…."

After each round, Fia's flames burned brighter, turning to a hot yellow. Her explosive fire came easier with her winning streak. Fia made sure to roar and celebrate at the end of each victory. She came up with an especially showy routine when she trounced a human. After she sent a human girl into the water with her long hair aflame, Fia breathed fire into the air. The graceful dragonette did a backflip, then leaped off the edge of the platform. She angled her wings to glide in a tight circle. This gave her a great view of the dragons who cheered for her all around.

When the guard brought her back to the sidelines, he reprimanded her. Tone down your boasting. We'll have to disqualify you if you keep it up.

Sorry. Fia failed to veil her indignation completely. Her mana reserves were running near empty, so she flopped onto her belly as soon as she met up with Ori and Bagwis again. "You're amazing, Fia!" Ori gushed while bouncing up and down. "You're gonna win the whole tournament, I think. You have to beat Talan for me, please!"

"Don't worry. I will." Fia closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. Each successive stage of the tournament had a smaller number of fights, giving every mage less time to recuperate their mana. Fia nearly slipped into a nap if not for Ori who shook her awake.

"It's happening!" the gray dragonette cried. Her pearly eyes gazed up to the announcer.

"This is the final match of the youth league's winner bracket," said the dragon guard who hovered over the pool. "All of our contestants put on an amazing show, and we're happy to recognize and reward the talented, young mages of Malakow! This last round will determine who takes home the first or second place prize. Please welcome to the arena: Talan the ice and metal human versus Fia the fire dragon!"

"Ugh," Fia grunted as she got up. She had not braced herself to do the championship fight, back-to-back from her last one. The dragonette shook herself awake and let out her deepest roar yet. This is for Viliant, she reminded herself, energizing herself. I'm fighting so he doesn't have to!

Fia glared at Talan across from her, ready to scorch that smirk off that human's lips.