Chapter 5: Tournament of Wonderland

It was a lovely day, Arina and Ray are relaxing themselves in Ray's house.

"This place is so peaceful," Arina sighed contentedly, her eyes drifting over the picturesque garden that surrounded Ray's quaint cottage. The vibrant flowers danced in the gentle breeze, creating a symphony of color that seemed to mimic the whimsical nature of Wonderland itself.

"It's one of the few sanctuaries in this realm," Ray agreed, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. He picked up a teacup, the delicate porcelain feeling cool in her hand. "But the calm is often just a mask for the chaos that lies beneath."

Then, one of the villagers are seen rushing towards them, panting heavily, with a look of alarm etched on their face.

"Extra! Extra! A new tournament faces in the Wonderland! The fighting tournament was here!" the villager exclaimed, waving a rolled-up parchment in the air. Then Arina picked the parchment with curious eyes, unfurling it to reveal an ornate invitation to an event that promised excitement and danger.

"An fighting tournament in Wonderland?" Arina's eyes grew wide with excitement. "What does it say?"

Ray took the parchment from her hand, scanning the curling script. "It's called 'The Enchanted Fighting Land' it was held by the Queen Minara herself," she read aloud, her tone a mix of intrigue and caution.

"The Queen?" Arina's voice hitched. "But isn't she, like, super busy with... you know, queen stuff?"

"Apparently not too busy to host a tournament," Ray said with a smirk. "It's been a while since she's done something like this. It's bound to be interesting."

The villager, still breathless, added, "They say it's to find the most worthy warrior to worth with a price to pay to be a fighter for the kingdom. A chance to earn the Queen's favor and possibly, a place in her court."

Arina's heart raced at the prospect. "Ray, this could be our ticket to a life of adventure!" She looked at her friend, her eyes sparkling with hope.

Ray set down his teacup, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "It's true that the Queen's favor can open many doors. But remember, Wonderland isn't just about beauty and whimsy. There's always a twist."

"Okay, I ready to fight, after I traning some magic and shite!" Arina exclaimed, jumping to her feet. Her enthusiasm was palpable as she clenched her fists, a fiery determination in her eyes.

Ray couldn't help but chuckle at Arina's eagerness. "We are ready to fight in the tournament!" Arina said, her voice filled with excitement.

"Hold on," Ray placed a gentle hand on Arina's shoulder, his gaze steady and serious. "We mustn't rush into this blindly. The Queen's tournaments are known for their unpredictability. We need to go on the tournament and prepare ourselves."

The villager nodded fervently, still panting. "They say the trials will test not just strength but also wit and heart. The Queen values those who can navigate the unpredictable with grace."

Ray's smile grew as he considered the implications. "Well, if it's a test of wit, I suppose I won't be entirely useless." He turned to Arina, whose eyes were already alight with the thrill of the challenge. "But we'll need to train. The Queen doesn't take kindly to those who underestimate her games."

Arina nodded vigorously. "I'll start practicing my spells right away!" She rushed inside, her energy bubbling over like a cauldron left unattended.

The day has come, Arina and Ray are entered the Enchanted Fighting Land tournament stadium, a place where the air crackled with magic and anticipation. The grand structure was a whimsical blend of toadstools and vines, reaching high into the sky like a giant, organic sculpture. The crowd was a sea of curious faces, a mix of humans and fantastical creatures, all dressed in the vibrant hues that characterized Wonderland.

They made their way through the bustling crowd, passing by stalls selling everything from potions to enchanted weapons. The smell of sweet treats wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of freshly cut grass and the faint whiff of something less pleasant, hinting at the seriousness of the battles to come.

"Welcome one and all of the Enchanted Fighting Land!! A place that shall determine the fates of the brave and the swift!!" The booming voice of the tournament announcer echoed through the stadium, causing the crowd to erupt into cheers.

Arina's pulse quickened as they approached the registration booth. The attendant, a stern-looking Cheshire Cat with a penchant for riddles, eyed them curiously. "Your names, and your chosen class?"

Ray stepped forward, his voice clear and confident. "Ray, the young hero boy, and Arina, the spellblade master."

The Cheshire Cat's smile grew wider, showing an impossible number of teeth. "Ah, a duo indeed. But beware, for love may be your strength, but it could also be your difficult opponent." He winked.

They both looked at each other, puzzled, but shrugged it off as typical Wonderland oddity. After all, they were no strangers to the cryptic sayings of this world's inhabitants. With their registration complete, they were handed two small tokens, each adorned with an image of a heart.

"These will be your keys to the tournament," the Cheshire Cat explained. "Do not lose them, for they hold the essence of your participation. They'll lead you to your battles and help you to emerge from the trials unscathed."

Arina and Ray exchanged glances, the gravity of the situation setting in. They tucked the tokens safely into their pockets and ventured further into the stadium. The ground trembled as a roar went up from the crowd, and they knew the tournament had begun.

"Alright, in the corner, there was Arina Danshi and Ray-san!" The Cheshire Cat's voice echoed through the stadium as the crowd's murmur grew to a deafening roar.

Arina felt a rush of excitement and nerves as they were led to the edge of the arena. The floor was a patchwork of shifting tiles, each one emanating a faint magical aura. "Remember, stay focused," Ray whispered in her ear, her hand giving Arina's a reassuring squeeze.

"And their opponents, the infamous Su-gihan and the elusive Whisperer of the Thorns!" The crowd's cheer grew louder as the two opponents appeared from a cloud of glittering dust. Su-gihan was a towering figure, clad in gleaming armor, while the Whisperer was shrouded in a cloak of thorny vines that rustled ominously.

Arina took a deep breath, focusing her magic. The air around her crackled as she drew her sword, the blade shimmering with a soft blue light. "Let's do this," she murmured to Ray, who nodded solemnly, her own sword at the ready.

"Ready! 3, 2, 1! FIGHT!!" The annoucement echoed through the stadium as the battle commenced.

Su-gihan lunged at them, his massive sword cutting through the air with a hiss. Arina reacted swiftly, casting a shield spell that barely held against the impact. The force pushed her back, but she remained standing, her eyes locked on her opponent.

"Ray, cover me!" Arina shouted, her voice strained as she prepared her next spell. The ground beneath her began to tremble as she channeled her power into the earth.

Ray leapt into action, his blade a blur as he danced around the arena, keeping the Whisperer at bay. The vine-covered creature hissed and snapped its thorny tendrils, but Ray's speed and agility allowed her to avoid the deadly embrace.

Their movements were a mesmerizing dance of steel and shadow as they fought, each strike and counter-strike a testament to their growing bond. The crowd watched in awe, their cheers swelling as the two friends moved in perfect harmony, their swords singing a duet of steel.

Arina's spell took shape, a towering geyser of earth shooting up from the ground, lifting her high above Su-gihan. She took advantage of the height, raining down a flurry of ice shards that glittered like diamonds in the sun. The giant warrior roared in defiance, his sword slicing through the air, shattering the projectiles into a shower of sparkling crystal.

The Whisperer of the Thorns grew more aggressive, sensing their opponents' growing unity. Its vines shot out like lightning, aiming for the weak spots in Ray's defense. But each time it came close, Arina would unleash a burst of fire, the heat searing the thorns and leaving the creature hissing in frustration.

The battle was intense, their every move calculated and precise. Arina's spells grew more powerful as she tapped into the magic that was innate to this mystical realm. A fiery dragon emerged from her hand, soaring through the air and breathing a stream of flame that engulfed Su-gihan. He roared, his armor glowing red-hot, but the dragon dissipated before it could do any real harm.

Ray noticed a pattern in the Whisperer's attacks and took a risk, diving under a swipe of the vines and delivering a swift strike to its core. The creature recoiled, its vines retreating slightly. "We can do this, Arina!" He called out, his eyes gleaming with determination.

Their opponents weren't to be underestimated, though. Su-gihan, his armor now cracked and smoking, began to glow with an eerie light. The ground around him grew darker, and the air grew thick with malice. Arina felt a shiver run down her spine as she recognized the signs of a powerful curse being cast.

"I have one spell attack! Meteor Doom!" Arina exclaimed, her hand raised. And some meteors falling to their opponents, but to their surprise, the meteors hits Su-gihan and The Whisperer of the Thorns are now defeated.

The crowd erupted into applause, their cheers echoing through the arena like a thunderous celebration. The Cheshire Cat's grin grew even wider as he announced their victory. "What a spectacle! Arina and Ray have emerged triumphant in the first round of the Enchanted Fighting Land tournament!"

Panting, their hearts racing, Arina and Ray exchanged a look of relief and excitement. They had never fought side by side in such a public and intense setting before, but their friendship had proven stronger than any challenge thrown their way.

"Well done, you two," the Cheshire Cat said, his smile never wavering. "Your performance was quite... explosive." He winked at Arina, who blushed slightly at the mention of her meteoric victory.

"Thank you," Ray replied, her breath still coming in ragged gasps. "But we're just getting started."

The Cheshire Cat chuckled, his tail swishing playfully. "Ah, the spirit of competition. It's been too long since I've seen such fiery determination. Now, let's see if you can keep it up for the next round."

The crowd's applause died down as the arena shifted, the tiles moving to form a new battleground.

"Now, the next round, Arina and Ray versus... the Wicked Broomstickers!" The Cheshire Cat's grin grew wider as he announced the next opponents. Two witches mounted on broomsticks, each with a wicked glint in their eyes, zoomed into the arena, their laughter piercing the air. Also, the crowd booed at the Wicked Broomstickers' entrance.

"Well then, we have evil song time." One of the Wicked Broomstickers cackled, flicking her broomstick.

"We are the Wicked.....we have evil for us!!" The Wicked Broomstick sang in harmony, their cackles echoing around the stadium. Then, the crowd booed at the Wicked Broomstickers' most ugly song ever.

"Go back from the hell!" Ray shouted, slicing through the air with his sword. The Wicked Broomstickers got sliced in half, their broomsticks clattering to the ground as they dismounted.

Arina stepped back, panting heavily. "Wow, that was... intense."

"Oh fuck that!! Arina and Ray are the winners!" The Cheshire Cat's grin faded to a scowl as the crowd jeered at the defeated Wicked Broomstickers. The witches' laughter turned to snarls as they disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving their broomsticks behind.

"Nice job, Ray." Arina said, wiping the sweat from her brow. The crowd's boos turned to cheers as the Wicked Broomstickers vanished.

Ray sheathed his sword with a flourish. "Thanks. But we're not out of the woods yet." She glanced around the arena, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the new landscape that had emerged for the next round.

Before them lay a bizarre tableau: a candy forest, with gumdrop trees and licorice vines twisting together under a sugar-glass sky. The air smelled faintly of mint and chocolate, and the ground was a patchwork of square cobblestones made from various flavors of hard candy. Arina was just young girl and Ray was just a heroical boy.

"And now, in the Sweetsland, Arina and Ray versus the Chocolatefication Golems!" The announcer's voice echoed through the arena, and the crowd's anticipation grew palpable.

Arina took a tentative step forward, the candy underfoot crunching beneath her shoes. "These guys are going to be sticky," she muttered, flexing her fingers around the handle of her axe.

Ray chuckled nervously. "And probably delicious. But we can't let that distract us."

"Okay then, the Chocolatefication Golems are unstoppable!" One of the Chocolatefication Golems lurched into view, a towering figure made entirely of chocolate, with marshmallow hands and a candy corn crown. It took a step forward, the candy cobblestones crackling beneath its heavy tread.

Ray pulls his sword out again, the blade glinting in the sugar-glass light. "Let's stick to the plan," he says, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. "We've got to find their weak spot, just like we did with the Wicked Broomstickers."

The Golems advance, their eyes glowing with a warm, gooey light that seems to promise sweetness and destruction all at once. The first one raises a marshmallow fist the size of a boulder. Arina charges, her axe swinging in a wide arc. The chocolate creature's arm shatters into a hundred pieces, sending a shower of sugar confetti into the air. The crowd gasps, and Arina feels a surge of excitement.

"Okay, I was an Chocolatefication Golem is unstoppable!" Before the golem can retaliate, a crunching heard.

It was Arina, who eat the Chocolatefication Golem's arm and said. "And delicious!"

The crowd erupted in laughter and applause, the tension in the air dissolving like sugar in water. The Golems, seemingly unfazed by the loss of their comrade's limb, continued their approach.

"Clever girl," Ray said, admiration shining in his eyes. "But remember, we can't just eat our way out of this one."

Arina grinned back, her teeth sticky with chocolate. "I know, I know. But I couldn't resist a taste test." She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Then Arina doing her sumo pose, "Let's get serious."

"Ball Orbfied!" Arina rushes herself, a she curls herself into a speeding ball of energy. She rolls straight into the second Golem, cracking it down the middle. The chocolate shell splits open, revealing a sticky, caramel center that oozes out like molten lava.

The Golem wobbles, but it doesn't fall. "Not that easy," it growls, the sound of chocolate cracking as it speaks.

"Maybe not," Ray says, "but we've got more tricks up our sleeves." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handful of small, glittering objects. "Mint bombs! They hate mint!"

The crowd goes wild as he throws the bombs at the Golems' feet. A burst of minty freshness fills the air, and the Golems let out a high-pitched screech as their chocolate skin bubbles and turns white.

"Now's my chance! Fire Blade!" Arina shouts, her sword ablaze with fiery mint energy. She slices through the weakened golem's legs, and it topples over with a thud that shakes the arena. The crowd roars with approval as the chocolate giant breaks into a pile of shards and sticky caramel.

Ray jumps back, avoiding the gooey mess as the Golem's body dissolves into a pool of chocolate. "One down, one to go!" he calls out, pointing his sword at the remaining golem.

The final Chocolatefication Golem glares at them, its candy corn crown tilting ominously. Arina summons an magical circular saw and it flies to the golem, slicing in half, the golems are dead and defeated.

The crowd goes silent for a moment, then erupts in a standing ovation. The arena's floor trembles with the force of their cheers. Arina and Ray exchange a look of victory, their eyes shining with the thrill of the battle. They had never felt more alive.

The final stage is here, the stage was now a watery landscape with ocean bubbles and undersea lands. "The Underwater Realm," Arina reads from the floating scroll, her eyes wide with excitement. "Looks like we're going to get wet."

"This is it, the finale of the Enchanted Fighting Land, Arina and Ray versus the most mermaid champion, Elara Mei!" The announcer's voice boomed through the watery arena. Elara Mei has aquamarine hair and cyan eyes, she looked serene and powerful atop her giant seahorse steed, which was made of glittering scales that reflected the light from the ocean bubbles above.

Ray took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment. "Remember, we've studied her moves. We've got this." He whispered to Arina.

Elara Mei gracefully leapt off her seahorse, landing on the crystal-like sands below. She drew her trident, the prongs shimmering like the scales of a thousand fish. "Let the final battle commence!" she declared, her voice echoing through the vast expanse of the Underwater Realm.

"Sayonara you seafucker! Fire Blade!" Arina fires to Elara with a flary blade, but Elara's trident catches the blaze with surprising speed, creating a wall of bubbles that deflect the attack.

The bubbles pop and scatter, revealing Elara unscathed. She smirks, "You'll need more than that to beat me." Her voice had the melodic quality of the ocean itself, yet it held the steel of a seasoned warrior.

Arina's eyes narrowed. "Drill Attack!" Her hand has an light drill now, which was something she hadn't seen before. She sprinted towards Elara, the drill spinning at breakneck speed. The mermaid champion's eyes widened in surprise, but she swiftly brought up her trident to block. The drill bit into the crystalline weapon, sending a spray of sparks into the water.

The clang of steel on crystal echoed through the Underwater Realm as Arina's drill met Elara's trident in a shower of bubbles and light. The crowd, a mix of sea creatures and fairytale beings, watched in awe as the two combatants danced around each other, their movements a blur of speed and precision.

"Ha, I guess you outsmarted again." Elara Mei spun around, wrapping her tail around Arina's legs and pulling her underwater. The crowd gasped as bubbles shot up from the point of impact.

"Arina!" Ray's voice cut through the watery din, his eyes searching for any sign of his friend.

Underwater, Arina dodge and weave through the tentacles of Elara Mei, her drill cutting through the water like a hot knife through butter. She could feel the power of the mermaid's grip, but she wouldn't let it hold her down. With a burst of strength, she freed herself, sending a spray of bubbles in every direction.

"Okay, let fuck the hell of the notch!" Arina's voice echoed through the water as she emerged from the bubbles, her eyes blazing with determination.

Arina jumps high and said her powers. "Ball Orbfied!" Arina curls herself into a spinning ball attack, Elara was surprised by Arina's speed and agility. Arina hit Elara up, then Elara got knocked out with a one hit Ball Orbfied attack, her body back into a normal. Elara got up and smiled.

"I got lost to me, I guess both of you are the winner." Elara Mei chuckled, holding out her hand to help Arina to her feet. The crowd's cheers grew louder, mixing with the sound of splashing water and the occasional cheerful bubble.

"You're not so bad yourself," Arina grinned, taking Elara's hand and shaking off the water.

"And the final tournament was Arina and Ray!" The announcer's voice soared through the water, and the sea creatures in the stands roared their approval. Elara Mei nodded, conceding the victory with grace.

Arina looked over at Ray, who was still standing on the shore, his sword at the ready. He gave her a thumbs up, and she couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. They had come so far together, from being strangers in this wonderland to becoming an unstoppable duo. Then Queen Minara comes out from the coral palace, her crown sparkling with the light of the ocean bubbles.

"Champions of the Enchanted Fighting Lands," Queen Minara announced, "Your valor and teamwork have earned you a place in our realm's history. You have a Symphony Leaf for the new challenge!"

Ray and Arina looked at each other in amazement as the queen presented them with a shimmering leaf that sang a melody as it fluttered in the water. "What's this?" Arina asked, holding the leaf up to the light.

"The Symphony Leaf," Queen Minara explained, "is a symbol of harmony and unity. It grants the bearers the power to tame the wildest beasts and bend the will of the fiercest foes, only if there was a Symphony Heart Crystal will it unlocks its true potential. And the Symphonia God will here to connect the Symphony Leaf and the Symphony Heart Crystal."

Ray and Arina exchanged glances, the significance of the prize sinking in. "This isn't just about fighting anymore, is it?" Arina whispered to Ray.

Ray nodded, his grip tightening around the Symphony Leaf. "Looks like we've got a quest on our hands."

When Arina and Ray are now winners in the tournament, they had finally go to Ray's house. Grand Jack, Ray's uncle, Arina and Ray are explaining to Grand Jack about the Symphony Leaf and the quest ahead.

"Grand Jack, we've won the tournament and the queen has given us a Symphony Leaf," Ray said, holding the shimmering leaf out to his uncle. "It's supposed to help us in our next challenge."

Grand Jack took the leaf gently, his eyes filled with wonder. "A Symphony Leaf, eh? I've heard tales of these, but never seen one with my own eyes. It's a rare and powerful artifact." He looked up at the two of them, his expression serious. "You've done well, but the true test is just beginning."

Within that, Arina and Ray are now partners in a quest much greater than they ever could have imagined.