"First blood, don't kill or seriously injure eachother," Kurai called out.

Both drew in a long breath, aiming to land the first strike and ending the battle in an instant. It seemed near impossible to tell when the duel started as the two continued to eye each other, searching for openings and opportunities but failing to find any. Their eyes locked for a brief moment as the two reacted at the same time, dashing towards each other.

"Fifo." Opal called out as she raised her katana towards the sky.

Kesshō arced her katana upwards as Opal brought hers down. A blue glow enveloped Opal's katana as it collided with Kesshō's, both being diverted from their course. The blue glow dissipated to reveal a similar katana, the red replaced by ocean blue on the blade and handle. Opal slashed diagonally at Kesshō but she ducked under it, stabbing at Opal's abdomen as she did. Jumping backwards Opal managed to barely dodge the stab and gain some distance.

"Now, now," Opal chuckled, "I don't think you are going all out, you seem to be holding back quite a lot."

Kesshō rolled her eyes, ignoring Opal's words and continuing the battle. Dashing forwards Kesshō slammed Opal's katana to the side with her own, creating a brief opening. Turning her katana Opal slashed in front of her, a defensive slash, causing Kesshō to step backwards to dodge.

"I didn't see it." Opal gasped as she placed her fingers on her neck, inspecting them afterwards to find blood on them.

"If I am going all out then you will have to defend against my katana and my tails, something no one is capable of." Kesshō informed with a shrug, her tails raised behind her.

"Qimo." Opal called out as she dashed forwards, causing Kesshō to take a couple steps back, her tails retreating back under her coat.

Opal pushed off the ground as she raised her katana in the air, a yellow glow enveloping it. Bringing it down Opal slammed it where Kesshō stood, causing a loud clank as the weapons clashed, followed by a shockwave. Getting some distance Opal rested the tip of her greatsword on the ground, equal to her in height. It curved at the end similar to a katana, but its blade remained far broader than one, the ocean blue replaced by golden yellow.

"How do you do that so fast?" Kesshō questioned. "You are not a Krystallite, a human shouldn't be able to do that."

"It's the branch of magic I specialize in, elemental infusion and enhancement." Opal informed as she placed the greatsword on her shoulder. "This might look heavy but it's the same weight as my original katana which I use as a catalyst."

"A splendid spell, unfortunately I am not capable of using magic to understand how great of a feat it is with magic." Kesshō sighed as flames ignited at the corner of her lips. "So please, show me what magic combined with your sword skills is capable of. Let's see how well you truly dance."

Opal tilted her head, being cut short as Kesshō dashed forward, leaving a trail of flames in the air. Opal swung her greatsword on reflex, parrying Kesshō's slash. Jumping up Kesshō flipped over Opal, landing behind her. As Opal heard the crunching of snow behind her she swung the greatsword in a wide arc, knocking it into Kesshō who barely managed to block it, sending her sliding some distance away.

"You are not going all out yet." Kesshō observed as she stared at Opal. "This is nothing compared to what you did against that Frost Giant."

"Fine, if you want me to end this battle so fast, then I will." Opal sighed as she raised her greatsword into the sky, sparks emanating from it. "Lrisma." Opal called out as Kesshō's hair started to stand on ends, the golden yellow glow of the greatsword changing to violet

Realising the situation Kesshō dashed to the side, but not in time, allowing the lightning strike to blast her away a short distance. Rolling back to her feet Kesshō dashed right back to Opal, slashing at her chest. Opal parried the attack, sending it upwards. As Kesshō slashed diagonally Opal allowed lightning to strike her katana before, slamming it down on Kesshō's, sending both of them sliding a sort distance away.

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"Xrilous." Opal murmured as she dashed forwards, her greatsword reducing back to an orb of white light in her hand. "Rois." The light extended forwards in a thin beam, barely missing Kesshō's chest as she moved to the side.

Swinging her spear to the side Opal knocked Kesshō away and off her feet, gaining some distance as she prepared for another strike, her silvery-white spear glistening brightly in the slight rays of moonlight. Kesshō stood back up, her bright crystal eyes shining in the darkness, the flames on her lips giving them an ominous glow.

"Trilo." Kesshō mumbled as she stabbed her katana in the ground, raising her hand to the sky.

Bright red flames gathered in her hand, taking the form of a bow as she pulled the string of flames with her other hand. An arrow of pink-blue flames appeared on the string, extending from her hand, aligning with the bow before she released it into the air. The arrow flew high into the sky, exploding as it reached its highest point, parting the clouds and brightening the night in a momentary pink-blue glow.

"What was that?" Opal gasped as the flames slowly died out, quite high above, none of them reaching the ground. The damage they could have caused if aimed near the ground seemed easy to guess.

"I am incapable of using magic, I can only do little things like that." Kesshō answered with a smile as she straightened a strand of her hair. "Anyways, let's conti-"

"Won't be needed," Opal replied, "I admit defeat, the battle ended long ago anyways."

"Those were my tails, not my katana, you haven't lost yet," Kesshō insisted.

"The rules did not say what you needed to draw blood using," Opal shrugged. "Honestly, you are probably the only one who wouldn't use such lethal weapons when there is no drawback to using them."

"They are my friends." Kesshō replied, her central tail resting on her shoulder. "They already protect me from dangers I do not know of, I wouldn't want to burden them too much."

"Didn't think you would talk this much from how you have been so far." Opal pointed out with a mischievous grin.

"I didn't need to, master takes care of the talking, I don't think I am even needed honestly." Kesshō explained with shifting eyes.

"Of course you are needed." Kurai called out with a sigh. "You will always be needed, so don't think so lightly of yourself, you are far more important than you give yourself credit for.

"What about me?" Opal questioned while Kesshō blushed from the remark.

"I won't say you are needed." Kurai replied, earning a displeased sigh from Opal. "Not by me at the least, I already have her, I don't need more companions. Though there are others who are in dire need of your presence."

"Who am I needed by?" Opal inquired with a tilt of her head.

"Are you forgetting you are a princess? Well, were a princess, now a queen according to how the royalty of your kingdom works, and it's your duty to protect and guide those people," Kurai reminded

"Right." Opal sighed, looking into the distance, the wind causing her hair to blow to her side.

Kesshō walked over to Opal, standing in front of her till she noticed, having been too absorbed in her thoughts. Kesshō embraced Opal, patting her back, her head resting beside Opal's neck. While a slight height difference did exist, it became much clearer when they stood so close, Opal being much taller as Kesshō's head only reached till her chin. Opal tilted her head, not understanding the reason behind the embrace.

"I think you should do what you want," Kesshō mumbled. "Without worrying about what others will think. Freedom is hard to achieve, and once you achieve it you just don't wish to let it go. I don't know why but I feel like I know that feeling all too well, the feeling of gaining freedom only to have no reason left for it. Being bound by responsibilities is not really freedom, it's not a good feeling, I think."

"I won't ask why you know that feeling, as long as you are happy for now." Opal replied as she released herself from the embrace, making her way to the wagon, leading Kesshō as she held her hand. "You are like a little sister to me so no need to worry about telling me anything whenever you want to, and you are free to come visit me whenever, no need to bring him along either."

Kesshō's ears stood up as she blushed, lowering her face to the ground.

"That's very nice, right Kesshō?" Kurai chuckled as he sat at the wagon's entrance. "Sorry to interrupt you two, but I think we should get going, you can talk more while sitting if you want, though I doubt you should, don't forget about your throat."

Both nodded as they made their way to the wagon, Kesshō jumping in before Opal and sitting right beside Kurai, who sat by the entrance with one of his legs hanging down. Opal sat opposite to the two again, looking in the distance towards the mountain. The three were quiet as they started again on the path, the wagon slowly taking them to their destination.