Zataris colpsed to her knees, panting heavily. She looked up at Mystimona while ging back to being Mari.

  “I... I’m sorry, Mystimona,” Mari stammered. “I-I…I lost trol, and I let this thing called Zataris take over…”

  Mystimona’s eyes softened while looking at Mari.

  “It’s okay, Mari,” he said. “I uand that you’re still trying to ect with the power of the sword. It’s not easy when there are flig personalities within you.”

  Mari ears welling up in her eyes. “I’m trying, Mystimona. I want to be able to trol the sword’s power, but I...I..!”

  Mystimona’s eyes softened while Mari. He took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to vey his uanding. After finding his words, he said gently, “I have more of an uanding now as to why you haven’t made much progress over the past ten years. It has nothing to do with your training or skills. This is about the flict within you. Zataris wants trol, but you don’t want to be like her. That kind of internal struggle block your progress.”

  Mari wiped away a tear and trembled. “I try so hard to push Zataris away, to ignore her, but it feels like every time I make a bit ress, she pulls me back.”

  Mystimona nodded. “Exactly. If you keep trying to push the sword’s power away, you’re only prolonging the flict. You o find a way to work with her or at least e to some kind of uanding. Ign her won’t make the issue go away.”

  Mari looked up at him. “But how? How do I find a middle ground?”

  Mystimona thought for a moment with one hand raising up to his , then said, “I might not know all the specifics about sword magic, but from what I tell, you o create a baween your own will and Zataris’s influence. Don’t try to erase her presence. Instead, ie her power in a way that plements your own.”

  Mari nodded slowly. “Maybe I’ve been so focused on fighting her influehat I’ve ed the possibility of finding a way to coexist...”

  Mystimona offered a reassuring smile. “Yes. You’re beginning to uand. Let’s tiraining and see if we find that baogether.”

  After several hours, Mystimona’s training session was drawing to a close.

  Mari, sweat-drenched and weary, turo her sword and said within herself, “Zataris, I o get stronger. I want to unlock my full potential.”

  Zataris spoke with a seductive lilt. “Ah, so you want more power, do you? The me take trol. I give you what you desire.”

  Mari shook her head resolutely. “No, I won’t let you take trol. But... I want your power. I to bee stronger.”

  Zataris chuckled. “You’re quite greedy, aren’t you, little Mari? But very well, I suppose giving you a taste could be eaining.”

  A surge of dark energy enveloped Mari’s sword, and with it, she felt a rush of new power. The aura around her grew with an alluring, almost intoxig energy. She activated the 2nd stage of her sword magic. With a burst of speed, Mari darted towards Mystimona. Her motion was like a blure withiwilight sky. Mystimona’s eyes widened in surprise.

  Just as quickly as it had appeared, the aura began to fade. The exhaustion from using the enhanced power took its toll, and Mari’s sword magied. She dropped to the sand, breathing heavily.

  Mystimona rushed to her side. “Mari, that was impressive. Even though it was brief, I could tell that you and the sword were in sync for a moment.”

  Mari looked up at him. “Thank you, Mystimona. I... I mao use the power, but it was hard to maintain trol.”

  Mystimona nodded, helpio a seated position. “It’s a start. The synization, even for a short time, shows that you’re making progress. We’ll work on maintaining that bance, but for now, you’ve taken a signifit step forward.”

  Mari gave a weak smile. “I couldn’t have do without your help.”

  The moon shone brightly overhead as night came in. Waves gently pped against the shore, creating a soothing lulby for Mystimona and Mari who settled down for the night. Mystimona found a fortable spot and sat on a beach towel in the sand. He was sitting cross-legged in a meditative position. The cool breeze rustled through her hair, carrying with it the st of the o.

  Mari stripped out of all her clothes at the same time. She y naked on the beach. Mystimona raised an eyebrow at the boldness. “What are you doing?”

  Mari chuckled, lying down on her beach towel. “I always sleep like this,” she replied nontly. “And since we’ve strayed quite far from home, so…”

  Mystimona’s face flushed a light pink and he closed his eyes, trying to focus on the rhythmic sound of the waves to maintain his posure. “I see…Well, as long as you’re fortable.”

  Mari made herself fortable oowel and began to rex, but her curiosity soon got the better of her. She turned her head towards Mystimona. “Mystimona, I ask you something?”

  Mystimona, trying to maintain his meditative state, nodded. “Sure, what is it?”

  Mari shifted slightly, propping herself up on her elbows. “You’ve been very helpful today. Why did you decide to help me with my training? I mean, you don’t even use a sword yourself.”

  Mystimona opened one eye, gng at her. “Well, I guess I just saw potential in you. You have a determination that’s rare, and I wao see you succeed. I uand the importance of finding one’s own path and mastering their skills.”

  Mari smiled. “Thanks. I guess it’s a good thing you did help me. I feel like I’m starting to uand the sword’s power a little better.”

  Mari’s expressiohoughtful. “Have you always been this... focused? Even before we met, did you always know what you wao achieve?”

  Mystimoated for a moment before answering. “Not always. I’ve had my own struggles and doubts. But sometimes, helping others find their way give you a clearer perspective on your own path.”

  Mari tilted her head in a cute way. “That sounds cool!” she said with a big grin. “I’ve always thought mages like you were awesome. It must feel incredible to have all of that power, right?”

  Mystimona nodded. “It is, but with great power es great responsibility. And that’s something I’m still learning to navigate myself.”

  The sound of the waves and the gentle breeze created a tranquil atmosphere. Mari’s started to speak softer and softer, until eventually, she drifted off to sleep.

  Mystimona watched her for a moment. While he drifted off, he murmured to himself, “Maybe… Maybe my power was meant to teach others… Maybe that is what I am meant to do here… This tour… it will be about more than just defeating strong oppos for me, it will also be a ce to determine if my statement holds up.”

  JOURO THE WEST

  Rawhe group further westward, they eventually reached a vast, pristine beach area. The rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore provided a soothing backdrop to the moment.

  Rawna turo the group and expined, “To reach the western part of Jancito, we o cross this beach. It’s the fastest way to get there, but we have to be cautious. The beach be treacherous, and we must keep uard up.”

  Haras, always eager and full of energy, chimed in, “A beach adventure! I’ve never been to a beach like this before. It’s so beautiful!”

  Kintovar nodded in agreement, appreciating the natural beauty of the beach. “It is beautiful, but we should be mindful of our surroundings and the potential dangers.”

  Roselle, always curious and observant, poiowards the distant horizon. “Look, there’s a ship out there. Do you think it’s headed to the West?”

  Risebelle, ever vigint and wary, warned, “We don’t know who’s on that ship or their iions. Let’s stick to our path and be prepared for anything.”

  Runebelle, the quietest of the group, simply nodded in agreement, her eyes sing the surroundings for any signs of trouble.

  Suddenly, a child’s onster, monster!” rang out across the beach, catg the group’s attention. They turo see a young boy emerging from the o, his spiky brown hair soaked and a look of sheer pani his eyes. He wore bright e trunks and had a floatie on his arms.

  Roselle dashed across the sand, her soft footsteps barely making a sound. She reached the child, who was now sitting on the beach, trembling and clutg his floatie tightly.

  “Hey there,” Roselle said gently, kneeling beside the boy. “What happened? Why are you so scared?”

  The boy had a face streaked with tears. He looked up at Roselle with wide, frightened eyes. “There’s a monster in the o! It scared my parents, and now I’m all alone. I don’t know where they went!”

  Roselle gnced out at the o, where the waves seemed to be calming down, but no visible threat arent. She turned back to the boy. “ you tell me what the monster looked like?”

  The boy, still shaking, described, “It was big, scary, and pink! It had sharp teeth and glowing eyes. It came up from the water and made my parents scream. Then I ran away, but I ’t find them now.”

  Roselle furrowed her brow, trying to piece together the boy’s description. Her imagination began to run wild. Roselle envisioned a creature with an rown tutu, oversized fangs, and glowing, googly eyes. Oh, but we ’t fet the bunny ears, we? The absurdity of her own thoughts made her stifle a giggle.

  Risebelle, who had been Roselle’s pensiveness noticed the flicker of amusement in her eyes. She casually followed Roselle’s gaze to the horizon. Without warning, Risebelle delivered a sharp smack to the back of Roselle’s head. Roselle yelped in surprise and rubbed the spot where she’d been hit. Risebelle gred at her. “Roselle, this isn’t the time for daydreams. We o ask the important questions and figure out what’s really going on.”

  Roselle nervously chuckled and then nodded. “Right, sorry. Let’s get back to it.”

  Haras approached the boy with . She crouched down to his level, her demeanor friendly and f. “You poor thing,” she said gently. “What’s your name?”

  The boy was still trembling, but he found fort in Haras’s kind tone. He looked up at her with tear-filled eyes. “I’m Timmy.”

  Haras offered a smile. “Alright, Timmy, we’re going to help you find your parents. you tell us anything else about what happened? Did you see where the monster went?”

  Timmy wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and shook his head. “I don’t know. It just came out of the water and scared my parents. They were shouting, and then I ran away. I don’t know where they went.”

  Rawna folded her arms. “The closer we get to Western Jancito, the more the barrier’s influence weakens. Occasionally, Mystical creatures have mao breach it.”

  Kintovar reached int arieved three swimsuits. She hahem to Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle. “Put these on. They’ll not only help you blend in but also provide some prote against the mystical creatures if they try to attack.”

  The three sisters took the swimsuits, each with a grateful nod. They quickly ged into them.

  The three sisters, Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle, sed the beach with Timmy, searg for any sign of his parents or his sisters. Roselle asked, “Timmy, where were you with your family when you got separated?”

  Timmy pointed further down the bead replied, “We were over there building sandcastles, and then I saw this big shadow ier. It was like a monster or something. I shouted, and when I looked back, my parents and Sister Molly were gone. Osana gave me this floatie and told me to stay here. She’s really nice, but Molly’s always mean to me.”

  The sisters exged ed gnces. Risebelle turo Timmy and asked, “Timmy, do you know your parents’ names? And could you describe what they look like?”

  Timmy nodded, “Yeah, my mom’s name is Oakley, and my dad’s name is Henry. They’re both really tall, and my mom has long, curly hair. My dad is big and round, and he has a voice you ’t miss.”

  Roselle, Risebelle, Runebelle, and Rawna searched the beach when suddenly, a strange sensation came over them. It was as if the very air around them had grown heavy with an impending presehey exged gheir heightened senses warning them of something unusual.

  Suddenly, the sea began to , and a colossal, shadowy shape emerged from the water. It was a Kraken, a monstrous sea creatur with massive tentacles reag for the sky.

  Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle stood frozen i a colossal Kraken which emerged from the sea. Its tentacles reached skyward, casting an ominous shadow over the beach. The sheer scale of the creature left them breathless.

  Roselle felt Timmy’s small, trembling body behind her and instinctively pulled him closer, providing what little shelter she could. Risebelle ched her fists. Runebelle, although typically quiet, could feel the danger in the air.

  Rawna, too, was struck dumb by the sight of the Kraken. Her usually fident and fierce demeanor was repced by a moment of wordless astonishment.

  Kintovar remarked, “It seems that this is one of those Mystical creatures Rawna was talking about.”

  Haras, oher hand, moved closer to Kintovar excimed, “Woah, nelly! Look at how massive it is!”

  Risebelle and Runebelle swiftly prepared their ons; however, Roselle realized that her on was destroyed in her previous battle against Rawna and it left her momentarily disheartened. She gritted her teeth, ready to assist in any way she could.