This story begins in the bustling city of Royalee, where our local hero Teysa is currently competing in a martial arts tournament at the Colosseum.

***

"Ladies and gentlemen! It is now time for your Junior Royal Tournament Semi-Finals! Please, allow me to introduce the first fighter. Making her way to the battlefield... She has had an impressive showing here thus far and has managed to get through some VERY tough opponents. Hailing from right here in Royalee City, presenting the granddaughter of King Marco himself! Give it up for 15-year-old Teyyyyyysaaa!"

Teysa steps through the curtain and she is greeted by the sight of a towering stone structure. Its walls are lined with torches that flicker in the cool winter air. The sound of clapping and cheering echoes off the walls and the smell of smoke and roasting meat fills the atmosphere.

Teysa's heart pounds with excitement as she sees the packed stands, their faces illuminated by the glow of lanterns and candles.

She takes a deep breath. The roar of the crowd is deafening, and she can feel the weight of their expectations bearing down on her.

"Let's go Teysa!" a woman shouts.

"Yeah! Show them boys who's boss!" shouts another.

The snow crunches beneath her boots as she makes her way to the heart of the arena. There, she hops onto a concrete battlefield and looks up as snowflakes land gently against her nose.

The cold air is like needles against her skin, making her shiver despite the layers of fur and leather she's wearing. She closes her eyes. There is nowhere else in the world that she would rather be right now. The crowd, the atmosphere, the action... She was born for this.

Teysa opens her eyes, revealing their bright orange color. Her long, flowing silver hair is braided tightly and pulled back into a ponytail. A few strands of hair have come loose and are whipping about in the wind, and her skin is tanned and smooth, with just a hint of a blush on her cheeks from the cold air.

Teysa's crown is a thing of beauty, crafted from gold and studded with precious gems. It sits atop her head like a halo, glinting in the torchlight.

As she scans the battlefield, the designs etched into the metal of her crown seem to come alive with every turn of her head, casting intricate shadows against the stone walls.

Teysa’s face lights up with a smile as she thinks to herself, "I've never been allowed to make it this far before. This is so exciting!"

She turns and looks towards the royal box, where the King and Queen can be seen sitting side by side.

King Marco is a tall, imposing old man with broad shoulders and a strong jawline. His piercing blue eyes seem to look right through you, and his silver hair is neatly combed back from his forehead.

Queen Margaret, on the other hand, is more petite and delicate. She too has silver hair, and she styles it into soft waves that frame her heart-shaped face.

Teysa flashes them a huge wave and a smile, thinking to herself, "I've made it to the semi-finals Grandma. I just hope that Grandpa over there lets me keep on winning. I'm tired of losing to these weaklings each year."

Margaret gleams with excitement and waves back, "Oh, look at her Marco! She looks so happy, doesn't she? Please tell me that you're going to let her win again. Oh, please say it!"

"We'll have to wait and see Margaret. Her next opponent, Daegon, truly pushed the boundaries on the rules during his previous fight and it was clear that he had malicious intent when he injured his opponent. So I'm wondering if they'll disqualify him for what he did, and If so, Teysa won't have to fight against that monster. A girl defeating someone of such caliber would draw far too much attention to her."

Margaret frowns, "I see. Are you aware that the injured kid is Teysa's friend?"

"No. Does it matter?"

"She's going to want revenge if she has to face him you know."

"She will do as I say, Margaret.”

"Ladies and gentlemen! Before I introduce Teysa's next opponent... We would first like to send our best wishes to King Roland and his family. Because in case you missed it... his son Rold was left in a really bad condition during his previous fight and I am now being told that due to his injuries, Prince Rold might NEVER be able to walk again."

Teysa's eyes widen in disbelief as the crowd gasps. "No, Rold," she exclaims, feeling her blood start to boil.

"We hate to see this happen, folks. Especially at such a young age. However, the show MUST go on! So, without further ado please allow me to introduce the next fighter!"

The crowd begins to murmur.

"And here he comes! Making his way to the battlefield! Hailing from the Royal Kingdom of Tevesh! He is the son of the all-mighty King Drakin! Ladies and gentlemen... please give it up for 17-year-old Daeeegonnn!"

The crowd grows louder.

"...Hey that's the guy who injured Prince Rold!"

"...Yeah! What the hell is he still doing here!?"

"...Booo!!!"

"...Get him out of here!"

"...Yeah!! Lock his ass up!"

"...Booo!!!"

The King grunts and Margaret sighs in disappointment, "Oh, Marco! Teysa's going to be so sad when you tell her that she can't win anymore. Especially with the awful news about Rold."

The crowd continues to boo.

"Now, now folks,” the announcer steps in, “Daegon did not break any rules during his previous fight. Rold simply refused to give up until King Roland was forced to throw in the towel for him,” he says, setting the record straight.

"...That's a load of crap!"

"...Where the hell's the fair play huh?! He was clearly trying to hurt the kid!"

Daegon steps onto the battlefield with a smug look on his face and the crowd hushes, taking in his intimidating figure.

His short black spiky hair and muscular build make him look like a force to be reckoned with. His pitch-black eyes and a scar running down the side of his face only add to his menacing appearance.

His outfit, which features dragon scales and a dragon wing cape, completes his imposing look.

"Well, well, well... it appears that I've caused quite the commotion here, haven't I?" Daegon chuckles. "What's with that look on your face Teysa? Whatever happened to that big smile you had on a second ago? Hmm?" He grins, "For your sake... I do hope that you will put up more of a struggle than the last guy. Ha! The poor weakling couldn't even stand up towards the end!"

Teysa clenches her fists tightly, "You truly have no shame, do you? What you did to Rold was wrong. And now I'm going to make you pay."

"Don't tell me... was he your friend? Whoops! Haha! My bad. Well, it's not like I did anything wrong did I? I simply hurt my opponent and I proceeded to hurt him until I won the fight. I'd argue that it's your FRIEND who is the fool for not submitting quickly enough."

Teysa lets out an exasperated grunt, “Why didn't you just toss him out of bounds then!?"

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"Oh Teysa, where would be the fun in that? Bwahahaha!" He chuckles mischievously.

"You call yourself a prince!? Where is your honor!?"

"Please! Don't be a fool. There is no honor in combat. You win or you lose and only the strong will survive!"

"Is that how it is? Okay, then,” she says, furrowing her eyebrows— “I wonder if you'll feel the same way as I'm kicking your ass!"

"Tsk, what did you say!? You watch your mouth, little girl! Do you know who the hell I am!?"

"No! And I don't care! You hurt my friend Rold and now I‘m going to teach you a lesson!"

"You can't be serious! As if a mere girl is going to teach ME a lesson! Ha! Can't you see Teysa!? I have a clear advantage here. I'm a boy and you're a girl! So I'm not a weak and fragile creature like YOU are! Bwahahaha! However, I must admit, I’m impressed with you. No girl has ever made it past the 3rd round before. Yet here you stand. So, tell me... was it luck? Or is it because your grandfather over there is pulling some sort of special strings for you?"

"Hmf, think whatever you want! Like I said, I don't care. But I promise that if you underestimate me, especially because I'm a girl, it'll be the biggest mistake you make!"

"Oh, don't you worry little Teysa... I never do underestimate anyone. No matter how pathetic they might look,” he says, a sly grin forming on his face— “It could very well prove to be a fatal mistake.”

With a fierce determination in her eyes, Teysa plants her feet firmly on the canvas, her wide stance radiating confidence and power. One arm is held high, near her chin, poised to unleash devastating strikes. The other arm is positioned lower, almost pointing to the ground in front of her, serving as a defensive shield.

Every muscle in her body is primed for action as she stares at Daegon with a piercing gaze. “Then I guess you're lucky, aren't you? She remarks.

“Oh really? And why is that? Daegon questions.

“Because fatal blows aren’t allowed in this tournament,” she calmly reminds him.

"Why you! Was that a threat!?" Daegon scowls, discarding his cape with a swift motion— "I'll make you regret that you insolent brat!"

He steps into a wide stance of his own, his arms gracefully weaving from left to right.

With each twist and turn of his hands, an otherworldly aura begins to manifest, enveloping him in its blue ethereal glow.

Gradually, the energy takes on the form of a fearsome dragon, captivating the audience with its mesmerizing presence. The dragon's roar reverberates throughout the arena, shaking the very foundations with its sheer ferocity.

Daegon inhales deeply, violently absorbing the dragon's essence, and then immediately his body begins to twist and contort causing him to exhale a brilliant blue aura from his mouth and nostrils.

In a breathtaking display, two magnificent wings emerge from his back—a pair of ethereal, shimmering dragon wings in a striking shade of blue.

Daegon's arms open wide, his hands resembling sharp claws, mirroring the dragon's fierce nature.

"Amazing! Ladies and gentlemen, Daegon is showing us the legendary dragon style, an ancient martial art deeply ingrained in his family’s heritage!”

"Seriously? How the heck did he pull that off?!" Teysa marvels, her face filled with awe. "It doesn't matter. I'm still going to kick his ass!”

“The fighters have spoken their last words and now they stand poised for battle!” Declares the announcer— “So without further ado, let this semi-final match-up begin!"

The bell rings and the crowd rallies for Teysa, shouting…

"...Let's go Teysa!"

"...Yeah, Kick his ass!"

Daegon wastes no time, swiftly dashing and soaring toward Teysa, exclaiming, "Prepare yourself! I will demonstrate why a girl has no place in battle, especially against me!"

Daegon starts zooming around, darting left and right, but Teysa can easily see his every move as he begins to make it.

As he launches his fist forward, shouting "Hyaahhh!", Teysa readies herself to dodge. However, her focus is abruptly shattered by a voice emanating from her crown, exclaiming, "Teysa!"

"Huh?"

Caught off guard by the unexpected radio transmission, Teysa's momentary distraction proves costly as Daegon seizes the opportunity and delivers a CRUSHING blow to her jaw!

The force of the strike propels her backward, causing her to SKID across the ground until she finally halts at the edge of the arena. Her head droops over the edge, causing her crown to slip off.

Despite the muffled sound, the persistent radio transmission persists, calling out, "Teysa! Can you hear me!? Teysa!" She attempts to shake off the ringing in her ears, but the radio continues to shout her name.

She stands up.

"Unbelievable, folks! Teysa takes a devastating blow, yet she defies all odds and rises to her feet!" exclaims the announcer in astonishment.

Teysa retrieves her crown and readjusts her jaw, while the persistent radio transmission continues to call out her name.

She dons the crown and confronts the radio, exclaiming, "What!? What do you want, Grandpa!? That hurt, you know! I was just about to dodge that."

The King responds, saying, "I'm sorry, Teysa. But I'm afraid this is as far as you go this time."

"No! I knew you were going to say that! Please just let me have this one more win, Grandpa. Just this one! Please! I have to kick this guy's ass!"

"Teysa, I can’t allow you to keep winning. I'm sorry. Not against Daegon. It would attract too much attention to you."

"But you saw what he did to Rold! Didn't you?"

"I did, Teysa... but it wouldn't look good, Trust me."

Daegon strikes his stance once again, “What‘s with the mumbling? Still think you can kick my ass?"

Teysa ignores him, “Come on, Grandpa. This guy‘s really asking it!"

"Listen, Teysa. You've made great progress in this tournament. Your growth has been consistent over the years. No other girl has come this far. If you defeat Daegon today, it'll look like too drastic of a power leap!"

"So!? This is stupid! I'm tired of not being able to do what I want!"

"Teysa, I promise you that one day you will. But for now, you will do as I say and you will throw the goddamn match away!"

"And how much longer am I supposed to wait!? Huh? I like winning and I want to fight right now! What are you afraid of anyway!?"

"Ladies and gentlemen!” exclaims the announcer, his eyes darting back and forth between Teysa and the King— “It appears to me that Teysa might be having some sort of heated conversation with the King right now. I'm not too sure how or why, but it doesn't look good, folks."

Daegon lets out an irritated grunt, saying, "Quit wasting time! What happened to all that bravado from earlier?"

Teysa locks eyes with Daegon and swiftly readies herself for another round, assuming her fighting stance once more, "Bring it on!"

The King stands up, "Hey! Are you even listening to me, child!? You will do as I say!"

Teysa lets out an exasperated grunt and clenches her fists, frustration evident on her face. She then lowers her stance and hangs her head in disappointment.

"I hear you, Grandpa."

Teysa turns away from Daegon who smirks and taunts, "What happened!? Was one punch really enough to put you in your place?" Ha!

Teysa manages to ignore him and walks away.

"Amazing, ladies and gentlemen! It appears that Teysa has had enough! She has literally turned her back to her opponent!"

Daegon continues to taunt her, prodding further, "I knew you'd be weak. ALL girls are weak. Even little Rold put up a better fight than you. Did you honestly think you could avenge him? Ha! What a joke."

Teysa's anger starts to bubble up again, and Daegon can't resist poking at her some more, "Oh my, did I strike a nerve there?"

The radio crackles, "Just let it go, Teysa."

She takes a deep breath and regains her composure. Suddenly, Daegon realizes that Teysa won't be provoked any further. So just as Teysa is about to step off the battlefield, Daegon rushes from behind and sweeps her legs out from under her.

Teysa recoils, her head colliding forcefully with the unforgiving concrete floor. She swiftly springs back up, but Daegon quickly seizes her by the throat. With a forceful slam, he presses her back down, tightening his grip. Teysa's eyes widen as he keeps her pinned, saying, "You really thought you could just walk away from me? Ha! The struggle has only just begun, Teysa!"

The announcer scratches his head in confusion, "I am totally lost here, folks. Daegon was about to win this match I believe by forfeit, but it appears that he doesn't want to win that way!"

Daegon shoots a sly grin at the announcer and says, "Well of course not. Where would be the honor in that? Right, Teysa? Bwahahahaha!"

Teysa's face begins to turn red as the crowd chimes in on the action...

"...Someone get that maniac off of her!"

"...How is this even legal ref!? She was already forfeiting the match!"

"...Yeah, just call the damn fight!"

"I'm sorry folks but everything is still within the rules of the tournament. Teysa did not step off of the battlefield and she never actually said that she forfeits."

The King looks on unfazed as Teysa continues to struggle, but The Queen grows worried, "Marco, you must intervene! Please! That boy has proven to be a real monster and you know it! Now he's hurting my precious Teysa."

"No, not yet."

"Marco, she can't breathe!"

"She has to go through this Margaret. It's the only way!"

Margaret lets out a frustrated groan as she looks back at her granddaughter, who squirms in terror.

Daegon loosens his tight grip, and Teysa desperately gasps for breath. He grabs her by the collar and raises her head off the ground, “No, no, no, Teysa. Don't you go dying on me just yet. That would be against the rules remember... NO FATAL BLOWS!"

He delivers a powerful punch to her face, leaving a small crater on the concrete.

The crowd boos...

"...He's going to kill her!"

"...Please! Somebody!"

Teysa's coughs echo weakly as Daegon forcefully seizes her by the hair, dragging her toward the center of the battlefield.

"Come now, Teysa. We have an epic match to continue."

Despite her dwindling strength, Teysa struggles to break free from his grasp, but her efforts prove futile.

Daegon tightens his grip, causing Teysa to cry out in pain.

"What's the matter, Teysa? You must be waiting for an opening, right? Cause I’m still here, eagerly awaiting that ass-kicking you promised me!"

Daegon summons the strength to yank her up by the hair and unleashes a CRUSHING kick to her gut!

Teysa coughs up blood as she's sent hurtling through the air. She crashes onto the ground, landing harshly on her back in the heart of the battlefield.

Teysa gazes upwards, defeated. Her eyes slowly begin to close and the jeers of the crowd fade away into the distance.

Just as her eyes shut for a moment… she's abruptly jolted awake by the muffled sound of Daegon's voice, "Get up!" Teysa is slapped across the face!

Through her blurred vision, she sees Daegon towering above her, gripping her wrists and lifting her.

"Here, Teysa. Let me show you how to dish out punishment!"

Daegon ruthlessly stomps on Teysa's stomach, causing her to cough up more blood. He chuckles sadistically before repeatedly stomping on her vulnerable abdomen.

Teysa's consciousness fades away as Daegon continues his brutal assault. The crowd's anger intensifies with each merciless stomp…

"...Boooooo!!!!

"...Get off of her you monster!"

-He stomps on her again-

"...Please! Someone stop this! I can't bear to watch any longer."

"...Booooo!!!"

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The crowd falls into a hushed silence as all eyes turn towards King Marco. Even Daegon looks in the direction of The King as he says, “Well, well... How touching. Your dear old grandfather is finally coming to your rescue," he chuckles. "And here I was just starting to have some fun."

The King points towards the bell.

"Ring the damn bell!” He demands— “Teysa forfeits this match! Prince Daegon is too much for my granddaughter. Now, please. Take your victory and leave her alone."

Daegon gazes down at Teysa, who appears lifeless. "Hmph. I kinda like you, Teysa. We should do this again sometime. What do you say?"

He releases his grip on her and walks away confidently. Medical staff then quickly rush in to carry Teysa away on a stretcher.