Alden's eyes widened. He could feel the surging energy down the left path. He muttered to himself, "That energy is getting even bigger... Could it be?"

Lina, walking beside him, glanced at Alden with a hint of concern. "Do you think it's really what you suspect?" she asked.

Alden nodded solemnly. "It's the only explanation for this level of magical energy. We need to hurry."

Roselle, who had been walking with her sisters, overheard their conversation and looked worried. "What could be causing such powerful magic?" she wondered aloud.

Risebelle responded. "We won't know until we get there. Let's be prepared for anything."

Runebelle quietly pondered the situation.

The group finally arrived at the scene and witnessed Jayla holding the Star Jewel, Alden stammered in shock. "I can't believe it... It really is the Star Jewel."

Jayla, with a hint of irritation, responded, "Well, it seems the party just keeps getting bigger, and I was getting used to having only Roy around."

Roy, stepping forward with his guardian, spoke confidently, "Don't worry, Jayla. I can handle them. My guardian and I won't let them interfere with your plans."

The group, including Becky, Sybil, and Dj noticed Roy and his powerful celestial guardian.

Roselle, her curiosity piqued, questioned, "What is that?"

Risebelle, drawing from her knowledge of their past encounters, responded to Roselle's question with skepticism. "Could it be summoning magic? We faced a summoner on Mystical Island."

Runebelle analyzed the situation before speaking, "It's powerful, maybe as strong as Roy himself. Whether it's summoning magic or not, it's too strong... We faced something similar with the headmaster back on the island, and it took all of us to stand a chance."

Dj cooly interrupted their conversation. "Sorry to interrupt, little chicks," which prompted the sisters to finally notice him. "I can take care of Roy, but Jayla with the Star Jewel is a different story. She's not going to let that go. That item is more powerful than many of you may know."

Alden, the voice of reason, suggested, "Our best move is to retreat for now."

Lina was already on it. “Hurry up, guys!” Lina said, but she was was barely heard, leading to a moment where everyone in turn to look at her.

Roy prepared once again to unleash his ultimate attack. "I'll dispose of all of these newcomers now, Jayla. Stand behind me."

Jayla obediently moved behind Roy. Soon afterwards, celestial rays began to shoot forth. Panic filled the air as everyone found themselves in the need to avoid the attack, including Alden, Lina, Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle.

However, amid the chaos, Becky found herself unable to move. Her body felt like it had turned to stone, and she stood frozen in place. Sybil shouted desperately, "Becky, we need to go! Move!"

Becky's mind raced. She tried to understand why she couldn't move. She thought to herself, 'Come on, Becky, what's wrong with you damn it? Move your ass!'

Dj, sensing the danger, swooped in and lifted Becky off her feet, carrying her to safety. In the midst of it all, he calmly reassured her, "Don't worry, I've got you."

The celestial energy exploded and rocked the room. It’s force threatened to engulf everyone within its destructive radius. With a collective effort, the group managed to make a hasty retreat just in the nick of time. Dj carried Becky, ensuring her safety as they fled from the impending danger.

Lina, being the first to reach the crossroads, glanced back at the others. "Hurry!" she called out, waving for them to catch up.

One by one, the group streamed out of the room, their hearts pounding from the narrow escape. They Regrouped at the Crossroads.

Dj gently set Becky down, her blush still evident as she maintained her composure.

Dj asked Becky, "You alright there?"

Becky nodded with embarassment. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks…Dj.”

"That was definitely the Star Jewel she had,” Alden said.

"Yeah, that's Jayla for you. She's a bit... unpredictable. One moment she's all sweet, the next she's a total nightmare. I've given up trying to figure her out," Dj said with a shrug.

Lina took a sigh then spoke to the group. "In any case, let's get back to our main objective. We can deal with Jayla and Roy later."

Now focused on the group's main objective, Dj turned to them with a questioning look. "So, what's the plan, folks? The name’s Dj, by the way if you didn’t hear."

"I'm Becky," Becky said with a smile, still slightly flustered.

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Lina's eyes widened. A look of recognition crossed her face, and then she exclaimed, "Dj! Finally! We've been searching for you everywhere. Bob is going to be so pleased when we bring in your bounty."

Dj's laid-back demeanor instantly shifted. "Uh-oh," he muttered under his breath.

Becky shouted, "Wait!" But Dj was already in motion, dashing away from the group.

While sprinting away from them, he tossed a card over his shoulder in Becky's direction. She caught it in surprise, and it bore a mysterious insignia. Dj's retreat was swift, with Lina hot on his trail.

Risebelle lowered her eyes and folded her arms, "Can someone tell me what happened to the lady who was 'supposed' to lead us to someone who could help us find Kintovar?"

Sybil nervously responded. "W-well, Risebelle, it turns out there's actually a bounty out for Dj…. And um…Whoever turns him in is going to be rich."

Risebelle growled in frustration, "Those greedy humans! They'd do anything for money!"

Roselle stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Risebelle's shoulder. "Calm down, Risebelle. Don’t be so angry with them…”

Alden, on the other hand, simply facepalmed and shook his head. He muttered to himself, "Looks like we're in for more waiting."

Runebelle pointed in the Direction Lina went down. “Lina will be back sooner than you think. Look, there she is."

They all turned to see Lina approaching with tears streaming down her face in an almost comical fashion.

"Dj got away!" Lina wailed. "I was so close! I even touched him, but he dashed off in a burst of blue flames. I couldn’t hang on! How does he do that!?"

Becky sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. "Looks like Dj is as slippery as they come. Heh..."

Alden took a deep breath and refocused the group. "Alright, let's not get distracted. We still have our main objective

The group made their journey now up the intended path North. Their earlier encounter with Dj and Jayla remained fresh in their minds, but they knew they had to focus on their main objective. Lina took the lead once again and guided them through the area. She explained, "The person we're looking for should be up there, assuming she hasn't left the underground since we arrived early. We'll keep moving forward; she might still be around."

The underground environment remained eerie, with strange creatures lurking in the shadows, but the group pressed on.

Roselle's got curious while walking alongside Alden."Alden," she inquired with a hint of uncertainty, "do you have any idea what that Star Jewel does?"

Alden momentarily glanced at Lina for confirmation, then turned back to Roselle to provide an explanation. "The Star Jewel is an incredibly powerful and mysterious artifact," he began, choosing his words carefully. "It has the unique ability to make the desires of one person manifest right before their eyes. These desires could range from something simple to something quite extreme."

Roselle's eyes widened in amazement.

Lina joined in, "I've had the chance to examine the Star Jewel once before. It's an item of immense power, but it comes with its own set of challenges. To keep it active, you have to continuously manifest your desires. If you ever stop, it becomes dormant, and you won't know when it will become active again."

Roselle nodded, taking in the complexity of this extraordinary artifact.

Risebelle's memory of the Queen's mention of the Star Jewel sparked a sense of confirmation within her. She was beginning to connect the dots and see the importance of obtaining this powerful artifact.

‘The Star Jewel,’ she mused on the inside.’I remember the Queen talking about it. If what they've said is true, then it's the key to unlocking my full power, to becoming Project Zab. I may not be able to access that form on my own yet, but with the Star Jewel, I might be able to activate it at will… maybe…’

Risebelle’s desires burned brightly within her mind. ‘And once I have that kind of power, I can stop this 'Dark Whirlwind' myself. I can't stand the thought of it using Roselle’s face, pretending to be her. It’s infuriating! I'll put an end to it, and I won't let anyone stand in my way.’

The group entered the enchanting domain which had a sign on the outside that read "Silver's Domain." They were greeted by a scene of magical beauty. Adorable bunnies, glowing with an otherworldly charm, hopped around alongside various other magical creatures.

Alden’s protective instincts was triggered by the sight of magical creatures. He was ready to take action. He prepared to summon his holy cross, but Lina quickly intervened.

"Calm down, Alden," Lina urged. "These creatures are not wild or destructive. They are the pets of Silver, the person we're looking for."

Alden was relieved but still curious. "You didn't mention Silver before. Who is she, and what is this place?"

Lina explained with a hint of admiration, "Silver is the caretaker of this domain. It's a sanctuary for magical creatures and even humans who don't have a place elsewhere. She has a way with these creatures, and she's known for her kindness and love for them."

While the group continued to explore Silver's Domain, the enchanting creatures around them seemed to respond to their presence. Some were curious and unafraid while others went into hiding.

After a while of looking around, Roselle spotted a pink-colored bunny among the enchanting creatures. Hearts practically floated in her eyes. She exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, it's so cute!" She immediately started towards the bunny.

The pink bunny, however, was terrified and quickly hopped behind some bushes. "Wait, I'm not here to hurt you!" Roselle called out, but the bunny only retreated further into the underbrush.

Determined, Roselle moved to chase after it, but Risebelle swiftly grabbed her jacket, pulling her back. "We've been distracted enough today," she said firmly.

Roselle pouted for a while. She then snapped out of it and turned to Runebelle with a smile. "Did you see that bunny? Wasn't it the cutest thing ever?"

Runebelle, maintaining her somber demeanor, nodded slightly. "Yes, it was cute…”

Roselle playfully grabbed Runebelle's face and said, "Turn that frown upside down!" She gently moved Runebelle's lips to create a smile, and then, satisfied with her work, released her sister.

Runebelle's gloomy face transformed into a small, hesitant smile, much to Roselle's delight.

Becky and Sybil, who had been silent observers were captivated by the magical world around them. Becky whispered to Sybil, " Yo Syb, this place is like something out of a fairy tale."

Sybil nodded in agreement. "It's beautiful, but it also feels surreal."

Lina led the way, guiding the group deeper into Silver's Domain. The palace-like structure they had seen from a distance was now within reach.

The group stood before the enchanting palace, a true embodiment of a fairy tale brought to life. The castle's walls were adorned with intricate designs that seemed to shift and change like living art. Vibrant vines, each adorned with radiant, glowing flowers, twisted their way up the palace walls, creating a stunning mosaic of colors. It was as though the very walls of the palace were alive, responding to the presence of visitors.

Their vision was filled with the sight of magical creatures of all shapes and sizes. Majestic unicorns grazed in the palace gardens. Winged fairies flitted about, leaving trails of sparkling dust in their wake. Graceful phoenixes soared overhead. There were also petals of magical flowers that brushed against their fingertips, releasing a fragrant aroma that filled the air. The ground beneath their feet felt like a plush carpet.

The group took in the mesmerizing sight of the magical palace before them. Their collective reaction was summed up in a single word:

"Woah."