Chapter 5

Elvyra and Dino stood before the halls of tamers, the famous Monstria City tournament. This was the first place to look considering the elder’s clue about her granddaughter loving Monster taming battles.

The Colosseum stood like a giant fortress standing in the middle of Monstria city. Elvyra had never seen such a grand structure before, it was almost as big as the trees back in the Elven Forest.

The air around the Colosseum was filled with excitement as well as carrying the murmurs of eager participants that were around the giant building.

Elvyra couldn’t help but notice a few lingering glances and whispers directed at her, no doubt having to do with her elven heritage. She brushed them aside, she didn’t have the time to focus on them, she had a mission to accomplish.

A mission entrusted to her by Gaia.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to take the first step toward her destination.

She glanced at Dino, and he too was ready.

She held her Monstro staff tightly, together she and Dino would succeed, not only as tamers but on their mission entrusted by Gaia.

“Ready?” she asked, her voice filled with conviction, determination, and resolution, with a hint of nervousness as well.

“Dino!” the small green Monstro replied, his voice filled with determination to prove himself as well.

Together, they made their way through the bustling crowds and toward the registration sign that hanged over the left side of the Colosseum.

As she made her way toward it, Elvyra was greeted with a line of hopeful competitors stretched out, each waiting for their turn to sign up for the tournament just like her.

The line began to get smaller and smaller until it was her turn.

A stern face official greeted Elvyra, his eyes scanning the young elf.

“We don’t see many elves around here,” he said,

“I-I’m here to sign up for the tournament,” Elvyra said, her voice as steady as she could muster.

The official glanced at her, sizing her up with a dismissive look.

"Tamer ID.”

"Excuse me? ” she asked, confused by his words.

He raised an eyebrow,

“Do you have a Tamer ID? Without one you cannot register for the tournament.”

“I-I’m sorry, I don’t have one, where could I get one?” she asked,

“This is not an information station, if you don’t have one move along, you’re holding the line up,” he said, annoyed by the young elf.

"What now?" she said, looking at Dino.

"Dino?" Dino said, looking up at her with a confused stare.

"Hurry up elf girl!"

Elvyra heard as the line was getting impatient.

“Elvyra?”

Elvyra turned around and a sigh of relief washed over her.

“Ace!” she said,

“Are you signing up?” Ace said as he walked toward her.

“I -I was but I don’t have a tamer ID.”

“Can you two chit-chat somewhere else, you’re holding the line up,” one of the tamers waiting in line said, annoyed.

"Mine your manners," Ace said, giving him a cold stare,

"S-Sorry," the tamer said lowering his head.

Let’s go somewhere else more polite,” Ace said, grabbing Elvyra’s hand.

“It seems there are more rude people in the city nowadays,” Ace said, as they walked away from the tamer line.

“So you don’t have a tamer ID?”

“No, where do I get one?” Elvyra asked,

“That’s easy, all you have to do is register in the guild of tamers, I’ll show you.”

"Follow me."

Elvyra followed Ace through the streets of Monstria City, and soon after they arrived at the Guild of Tamers building.

"We're here," Ace said, coming to as top in front of an inn-like building.

The Guild of Tamers building looked like an ordinary inn to Elvyra, which took her by surprise for she was expecting a more grandeur building like the Colosseum.

“The guild was created about five years ago thanks to Misticio the guild master. Now we have many guild buildings scattered in Monstrum Island. All you have to do is register and you’re an official tamer and you get a Tamer ID with which you can compete in tournaments as well as other benefits, come let’s get you registered.”

"Okay," Elvyra said, as she walked behind Ace.

As they entered the guild, Elvyra was greeted by a warm and lively atmosphere. The walls were adorned with paintings of legendary Monstros and tamers as well. There was also a bulletin board covered in posters and notices about tournaments. Elvyra scanned through them, intrigued by them.

But she didn’t let herself get distracted too much, she came to do one thing, and that was to register to be an official tamer, so she continued to follow Ace.

Ace stopped at the front desk, where a friendly receptionist greeted them.

“We’re here to register a new tamer,” Ace said,

“I’m assuming is this pretty elf,” she said, smiling at Elvyra.

“T-Thank you,” Elvyra said, blushing.

The receptionist smiled and handed Elvyra a registration form.

“Please fill this out with your details.”

Elvyra took the form and meticulously filled in her name, age, and monstro partner that she had bonded with since she was a kid, remembering how she met her small monstro partner that day in the woods, a rare dragon breed, and ever since then they have been inseparable.

After she was finished, Elvyra handed the form back to the receptionist, who reviewed it and nodded approvingly.

"Everything seems to be in order, let me go ahead and put your details into the Tamer book," she said, as she took a big book from underneath the desk,

"All the tamers that had been registered in Monstria City are written in this old book of ours, is even fireproof," she winked at Elvyra as she wrote her name with a pen that seemed to be quite magical to Elvyra.

"I wonder if perhaps her name is written there?" Elvyra thought, wanting to ask the receptionist but decided not to. She didn't want to bring attention to herself, at least more than what she already had.

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"They're all done, and Welcome to the Guild of Tamers, Elvyra,” the receptionist said, warmly.

“Just give me a few seconds to create your taming ID.”

“See not all humans are rude,” Ace said, jokingly.

"She’s very nice,” Elvyra said, as both she and Ace waited for the receptionist to come back with her taming ID.

Elvyra looked around the Guild building and couldn't believe where she was when just a day ago she was in her village that she wanted to pinch her cheeks to make sure it was real and not a dream.

"The inside is much more appealing isn't it, " Ace said chuckling,

"Yes it is," Elvyra said, the inside of the inn building gave her a nostalgic feeling as if she was at the elder's elf library.

“Thank you for waiting,” the receptionist said, as she handed Elvyra her bronze color Tamer ID.

Elvyra’s heart swelled with excitement as she held her Tamer ID in her hand. She was now an official tamer.

She turned to Ace, her eyes filled with gratitude.

“Thank you, Ace, I could not have done this without your help.”

Ace smiled and nodded.

“You don’t have to thank me, just helping a fellow tamer in need. That what's being a tamer is all about. Now let’s get you registered for the tournament.”

Elvyra nodded, determined to prove herself worthy of her Tamer ID, as well as continue her search for the elder’s granddaughter.

Together, Elvyra and Ace set off to complete the registration process.

“I’m assuming this is your first tournament?” Ace asked, interested to know more about the young elf, who reminded him of a certain person with whom he had a fateful encounter long ago, an encounter that changed his life forever.

Elvyra nodded,

“Yes, this is my first tournament,” she said, she trusted Ace since he had already helped her out so much, but she was still hesitant to tell him about her mission.

“I’ve always dreamt of participating in one, together with Dino.”

Ace nodded, understanding her words for he too had that same feeling ever since he was a child.

“I know what you mean. To be able to battle other tamers and grow together as a team with you and your Monstro partner. Your skills and bonding shining for other tamers to see, and be inspired .”

“How about you, Ace? How many tournaments have you competed in? You seem so experienced.”

Ace let out a faint chuckle, a hint of nostalgia surged in him.

“I’m only sixteen but I have been a tamer since I could hold a staff in my hands. But despite that, I’ve only competed in one tournament, the Tower of Tamers in Monstria City.”

“There are other Monstro Tournaments in other cities, but this is the one I care about.”

“Why is that?’ Elvyra asked, curious to know more.

“When I was little, I tried to battle a Monstro that was beyond my level, and me and my partner at that time, Snowmon, we almost lost our lives.”

“Oh no!’ Elvyra said,

“ But luckily we were safe by an angel with green hair…..”

“Green hair ?” Elvyra thought, recalling a familiar elf.

“She saved me and my partner, and ever since then I’ve been trying to show her how much stronger I have become to get her approval.”

"Approval?” Elvyra asked, wondering what he meant by that.

Ace blushed a little,

“Is nothing, anyway, she’s been living here in the city for some time now and I want to meet her again and have a battle with her to show her how much I’ve grown since that day. “

“Wait!” Elvyra stopped,

Ace looked at her confused,

“Is everything alright, Elvyra?”

“Is she an elf perhaps?”

Ace raised an eyebrow,

“Yes, why?’

“Her name isn’t by chance Aria is it?”

Ace’s eyes widened, surprised,

“Yes, it is, how did you…. Do you know her?”

Elvyra hesitated, knowing she couldn’t reveal the full truth to him,

“Where can I meet her?” she asked,

“ Unless you make it to the last floor of the Tower of Tamer tournament in Monstria City, you can’t meet her, since she’s the Tower Guardian,” Ace said curious as to why Elvyra needed to meet her so urgently.

“So you do know her?”

“Not necessarily, she’s the elder’s granddaughter of my village, and I…” she stopped herself, wondering what lie she could tell him that would be satisfactory, but also good enough for her, for she hated having to lie to Ace when he had been nothing but kind to her.

“I have to bring her back to the elf village for elf reasons I can’t really say, it's related to our elf customs,” she said, not necessarily lying to her new friend, but not telling the full truth either.

“Elf reasons? Sounds complicated, “ Ace said, scratching his chin,

“But since we both need to meet her, what do you say we help each other,” Ace said extending his hand toward her,

Elvyra looked at Ace’s hand, a mix of uncertainty and excitement swirled inside of her. It was the first time someone other than an elf had reached out to her with such openness and kindness, especially a human, remembering the rude tamers she had met since coming to the city.

She looked at Ace, and somehow she knew she could trust him. After all, he had been so helpful ever since meeting her.

“Okay,” she said,

“Let’s do our best, partner,” Ace said smiling, a sense of friendship connecting them, and together they headed to the registration for the Tower of Tamers.

***

They reached the entrance to the tournament, the line wasn't as long as before considering evening was already setting in,

"We better hurry," Ace said, looking around, and noticing the dwindling crowd.

Elvyra nodded, both sprinting to register for the tournament.

As they approached the front desk to register, the same tall man who had been there since the morning greeted them, his demeanor still as sour as before.

“ It’s the elf girl, “ he said, annoyed,

“ Do you have your Tamer ID, elf girl."

His tone was without a hint of friendliness to it.

“Y-Yes,” Elvyra said, giving him her TamerID.

He looked at it, inspecting it, before finally expressing a begrudging approval.

"Very well,” he grumbled,

“That would be 20 silver coins for the entrance fee.”

Elvyra's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected cost.

“20 silver coins?”

He raised an eyebrow, not amused by her ignorance.

“You do know this isn’t an elf village, girl. We take coins here not plants or whatever it is your people use for currency. If you don’t have an entrance fee, you can’t compete. Better luck next year.

“Next year, I have to enter today….”

“Well unless you pay the entrance fee you’re not going to ….

“Here,” Ace said, intervening, and handling over the 20 silver coins.

“I’ll cover her fee.”

“I couldn’t,” Elvyra said, feeling both gratitude and guilt for relying on Ace once again. She couldn’t ask for more from him, already feeling like a burden to him.

Ace smiled warmly at her,

“Is alright, besides, didn’t we say, we will help each other out.”

Reluctantly, Elvyra accepted his kind gesture once more.

The front desk clerk took the coins and gave Elvyra a number,

“You’re contestant 151,” he said,

“Wait for your number to be called tomorrow and good luck in the tournament, you’re going to need it, elf girl.”

And just as she completed her registration process, a loud bell was heard soon after,

"What’s that,” Elvyra asked,

“That’s the bell that ends the registration process for the Tournament. It looks like we made it just in time.”

“Now that we're done, we should probably call it a night,” Ace said.

“And prepare for the day to come.”

“I don’t suppose you have a place to stay do you?”

“I don’t,” Elvyra said, counting how many coins she had left, 3 bronze ones.

“I only have 1 silver coin left, “Ace said,

“If we pull our coins together we have enough for two beds at an inn for the night but they won’t be the best.”

Both Ace and Elvyra let out a chuckle.

“But we're not here for the comforts of the city, we're here for the tournament and to meet Aria.”

Elvyra couldn’t wait to write to her mother and tell her about the day she had and about meeting her new friend, Ace.

***

“Are you sure it’s around here,” a voice said, covered by the darkness of the night.

“The intel we gathered said it was here, but we can’t be too sure. Either way, we have to know the location of it, for him, our future lord of Monstro Island. Just make sure you don’t fail him, kid.”

“I won’t,” another voice said, as he overlooked Monstria City.

"I won't."