The duo mission generated exactly the kind of buzz it was meant to. Seeing two teams of magic users work together, coordinating spells and fighting side by side, was a treat for fans of either group. With all the work the region had done to promote Sunbright and DreamRise as teams of the same underground movement, the local response was more passionate than Adah could have expected. And that passion wasn’t limited to regional pride, either.

  Fans were genuinely putting their support behind Sunbright as a team, and the region’s efforts had translated into a meteoric rise in FP levels for each girl. Just a day after the duo mission with DreamRise, Adah had to update the whiteboard in their agency office yet again. That was one chore she didn’t mind at all, though.

  Twilight Heartbreak

  FP: 1154 ?? 2455/5000

  Shining Lyrika

  FP: 988 ?? 2203/5000

  Dazzling Dewdrop

  FP: 782 ?? 1861/5000

  Radiant Raindrop

  FP: 890 ?? 2101/5000

  Not only had they all broken into the thousands, but they were rapidly approaching the halfway point of their goal. Although it had been a goal she’d set herself, this was the first moment Adah felt it was within reach.

  She talked a big game about not slowing down, about leading this team into a new future, but there had always been a fear within her that another plateau was waiting. One day, new fans would be harder to find and their existing fans would grow bored, and they’d find their FP level flatlining for months on end. Maybe they’d even lose levels. That was always a possibility in this industry, with new teams popping up all the time and endless competition for the attention of fans.

  This latest spike in popularity quelled that fear—for now, anyway. The pit of obscurity Adah had been stuck in for so long finally faded from sight as she rose ever higher. She could almost forget about it entirely.

  Their team had the momentum of FP growth on their side, and a growing repertoire of spells to go with it. Equally as exciting as looking at the new numbers on the whiteboard was reading the descriptions of her teammates’ third spell unlocks. As always, the true natures of their abilities wouldn’t reveal themselves until they were cast.

  Shining Lyrika

  [Baetyl Breakburst] | Spell Level 3: Place a stone of the stars into the world, then shatter it to strike multiple targets at an angle.

  Dazzling Dewdrop

  [Cryo Celestics] | Spell Level 3: Bolster your defenses with an orbit of jagged icicles and command them to and from you.

  Radiant Raindrop

  [Hailstorm Hex] | Spell Level 3: Mark a location with a frigid hex, after which spears of hail will pierce those caught in its marking.

  A new suite of spells would have been helpful during the K-Rank mission—maybe an expanded arsenal could have prevented Iris’s showboating at the end—but Adah was certain they’d find a good use for them before this competition ended. In fact, she planned on it.

  Their growth went beyond levels and spells, though. A whole Region 4 community had sprung up online over the past week, incorporating both hardcore fans like Seb and more casual IndieMagie watchers who just wanted to root for whoever their representative would be on the national stage. An #All4One hashtag that the Department of Magic had come up with held its place on regional trending lists for days straight.

  The trend was meant to inspire regional pride and unity, and seemed to be doing its job. Every time Adah checked out posts on that feed, fans were sharing pictures from the teams’ collaborative photoshoot, clips the news crews had captured during the K-Rank mission, or discussing who their favorite members were. The most commonly shared content, though, was footage of Iris’s finale. Conveniently, that hashtag fit her little demonstration perfectly as well.

  Another coincidence, surely.

  Iris, master of social media that she was, hopped on the trending train with her own series of posts. They started out innocent enough—stuff like a photo of Ekki and Clair napping at the DreamRise office after the K-Rank mission with the caption: Huh? Isn’t he stealing Sweetdream’s theme? Knowing Iris, the picture was almost certainly staged, but Adah had to give her credit for how cute it was.

  The rest of her posts probably also looked cute and innocent, assuming you didn’t know how the two teams got along behind the scenes. Iris had spun out four posts thanking every member of Sunbright individually, each one served like a poisoned cup of tea.

  Raindrop’s speed is something else in person! She flies so fast, sometimes you don’t even notice she’s there.

  I admire Dewdrop’s focus on protecting her friends. She can really take a punch! Please root for her, everyone, she’s trying her best out there!

  Did you see how Lyrika and I synced up? It was really fun helping her use her spell. I love when magical girls cover for each other’s weaknesses!

  Twilight Heartbreak might look scary (is that the right word?), but she’s totally not. Now that we’re friends, being around her always makes me laugh~

  When Ami demanded they come up with some equally backhanded posts for their own accounts, Grace shot the idea down. Apparently they were supposed to be the bigger people in this squabble. In other words, the Secretary’s favorite team could get away with taunting them, but they’d get their wrist slapped for firing back.

  That was fine. They were about to get a chance to respond publicly soon anyway. All of this buzz around their teams was building toward a meet-and-greet event just before Round 1 voting began. Ostensibly, this event was a chance for fans to meet the teams in person, get autographs, and take photos with the members to drum up as much public interest as possible. However, Adah had plans to use the occasion for her own purposes.

  When the day of the meet-and-greet arrived, it became clear the region also had a more elaborate plan for the event.

  The event was set in a public square smack in the middle of the region’s capital. While nowhere in Region 4 could compare to the major cities of the other regions, the capital could at least be called properly metropolitan, so the location would draw a crowd large enough to fill the square. A temporary stage had been erected at one end of the square, backed by a banner featuring that “Unchained Underground” slogan and a lineup of photos of each team’s members. A few canopies were propped up elsewhere, housing tables where the teams would later sign autographs.

  At the center of the square stood a bronze statue atop a sparsely decorated granite base. The statue raised a saber toward the sky with one arm while the other pointed toward the ground with an open-faced palm. Closer inspection revealed this to be a monument in honor of a long past war, from back when other humans were the direst threat to the region instead of Cruelties. Though, it wasn’t as if all conflict between humans had faded after the arrival of a common enemy.

  Adah and her teammates didn’t have time to explore the square much more than that, however. A woman with a government ID badge clipped to the front of her dress rounded up the girls and ushered them behind the main stage. For once, the DreamRise members had arrived on time as well, and the two teams transformed before lining up to face one another. The woman with the badge started explaining the run of show, but neither Adah or Iris paid any attention. They were too busy staring at each other with phony smiles.

  After that, the woman decided to just chaperone them around until the event started, at which point she led them onstage and directed each member on where to stand. By this point, a crowd of fans had already filled out the square. They flowed throughout the open space, packed as tightly as the crowd at an amusement park on a particularly busy day. Looking down on them from atop the stage, the people all blurred into one humanoid mass in Adah’s eyes. Even as the crowd all began to turn to face the stage, noticing the arrival of the two teams, Adah felt strangely detached from them. Maybe it was sensory overload. Their faces and voices were all indistinguishable from one another, which made her feel as though she was merely observing them rather than standing before them. It certainly wasn’t what she had expected being in front of a crowd this size to feel like.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  When the fans had fully congregated in front of the main stage, a man in an impeccably tailored suit climbed up the steps to the stage and stood in the middle of both teams. Adah recognized him as Roland Thibault, Region 4’s Secretary of Magic, and the strategic mind responsible for all of the planning and promotion of the Sunbright-DreamRise duo. While his fashion was smart and carefully arranged, the rest of his appearance was more in line with what Adah considered typical of the region’s more down-to-earth culture. The stubble on his face suggested he’d skipped shaving the past day or two, and the way he walked was more reminiscent of a teenager in a school hallway than a politician on a public stage.

  He’d brought a cordless microphone onstage with him, and after smiling at the crowd for a moment, he brought it to his mouth and introduced himself in a strong and clear voice.

  “Thank you all for coming out to celebrate some of the shining stars of our region and cheer them on ahead of the first round of IndieMagie voting,” he said, pausing for the claps and cheers of the crowd. “It is an honor to be standing up here with our hometown heroes, and since they are the reason we’re all gathered here today, I’ll keep my comments brief.

  “The heroes on this stage do more than defend our home from Cruelties—they carry on our region’s legacy, living out the self-reliant ethos of Region 4. They survive by their own effort, but are happy to help out a neighbor in need. They take pride in what they have, but strive to exceed expectations. They remain fiercely independent, but dedicate their strength to fighting for the whole. I know I’m not the only one who thinks you wouldn’t find two teams like these in any other region.”

  The crowd cheered again, and Adah noticed Iris waving back to them excitedly. For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to do the same.

  “The IndieMagie is an opportunity to show the world what makes our region special, true,” Roland continued, “but it is also an opportunity to secure our future. There is still much we don’t understand about the Cruelties. Although we have found stability in the face of their attacks, the longevity of their assault is… concerning. How can these monsters sustain their offensive for so many decades, and why would they continue after being beaten back for so long? As Secretary of Magic, these are the questions that keep me up at night.

  “As long as the Cruelties persist in their assault, and as long as these questions remain unanswered, it would be irresponsible of me to leave the defense of our home to the goodwill of other regions. We all wish for the stability we have experienced so far to continue, but only fools plan for an easy future. It has never been our region’s way to depend solely on others, and there is no reason we should enter this new era any differently. We need powerful magic users of our own, heroes capable of defending our home against any Cruelty.”

  Since they were all transformed, the Sunbright girls could whisper to each other through magic channels without risking anyone hearing them. The sentiment they all shared was best summed up by Rika.

  “Is it just me, or has this fan meet turned into something else?”

  Indeed, it seemed everyone had their own objectives at this event. Adah thought to herself, again, about how best to make her own impact today.

  How best to set her plan in motion…

  The Secretary finally brought his “brief” remarks to a close. “The two teams on this stage are exactly the sort of heroes we need. They will inspire us, uplift us, and—most importantly—protect us. Their success is the product of their own efforts, yes, but they cannot reach their full potential without all of you. Your unity as fans and your love for our home will empower them to reach new heights. So give them your passion! A cheer for them is a cheer for all of us in Region 4. Thank you!”

  The crowd did as they were told, some yelling out team names while others cheered for their favorite member. Some voices, too, called out that new slogan, “All for one!” As the cheering died down, the Secretary handed his microphone to Iris and stepped off the stage. Once the crowd saw she was next up to speak, they quickly quieted down.

  Iris opened her mouth, but stopped short of talking. She feigned bashfulness, laughing awkwardly and looking across the crowd before taking a deep breath. When she finally did speak, her voice was completely stable, of course.

  “I’m a little nervous seeing this many of you in person,” she said. “Secretary Thibault said a lot of serious stuff, so I hope we can live up to everything he’s hoping for. I mean, we want to get stronger, too, right guys?”

  She looked back to Ekki and Clair—the former gave an easy smile and Clair simply nodded. They were a good balance to the bright grin Iris flashed the crowd after. She immediately put on a more serious face though, like an older sister scolding her kid brother.

  “But that’s not the only reason we’re here, is it? Don’t get too serious—I wanted to have lots of fun today, too!”

  The crowd was all too happy to cheer for that.

  “That’s more like it!” she said. “So that we can get to the fun part faster, that’s all I have to say. Now, let’s hear from a team that’s rising so fast I can hardly believe it. I mean, who ever heard of Spotlight Sunbright until a week ago? It’s amazing!”

  The crowd shook with laughter as Iris walked over to Adah to hand off the mic. Even if they didn’t mean it this way, the mocking smile on Iris’s face sure made it feel like the fans were laughing at Adah’s team. Thankfully, it was finally time to turn the force of this rivalry back against DreamRise. It was time to unleash the feelings Twilight Heartbreak had been holding back.

  These feelings went beyond Iris, though. This whole charade—the “Unchained Underground” branding that was designed to highlight DreamRise, the news crews that ignored everyone but Iris, the blatant favoritism of the regional government—just pissed Adah off. All of it had made one thing clear: Sunbright would never beat DreamRise by following the region’s game plan. After all, them losing was a crucial part of that plan. If they wanted to advance past the second round, they’d need to win the hearts of those people out in today’s crowd and to do so in a way that couldn’t be ignored.

  They needed to get active. Go off script. Throw down the gauntlet.

  “Thanks for the introduction,” Adah said into the mic; she had to adjust the position she was holding it to get her voice to pick up correctly. “Ever since we first met, Iris has been showering me with enough kindness to make me sick. I mean, I’m called Heartbreak, so someone like her is bound to make me want to barf. But maybe she’s been acting so nice because she knows our teams won’t get to stay buddies forever. Pretty soon, we’ll be at each other’s throats.”

  Iris tilted her head as if confused, but her eyes probed Adah like a cat watching its prey.

  “I guess it’s bad luck to say something like this now,” Adah continued, “but assuming we both advance through this round of the competition, our teams will be going head-to-head next. My favorite part of the IndieMagie is that the fans get to pick their own representative. What better way could there be to decide which team deserves to win? Fans are our magic, after all. But the thing is, fans can’t make their choice unless they get a good look at their options. Who does deserve to win? Who deserves your vote? Well, I know what my answer would be.”

  That got a laugh from a much smaller portion of the crowd than what Iris had said, but at least it got some response. Good enough for Adah’s first time talking in front of a real crowd.

  “It’s probably harder for fans to decide. You only get to see our teams in pieces--a video here, a photo there. It's so easy to get the wrong idea about us. I bet some of you are so misinformed you even think DreamRise is the better team."

  That one got a lot less laughs. Maybe it was a bit too far; Adah took note of that. They wouldn't win over DreamRise fans with lame jokes.

  "Anyway," Adah said, "I was thinking it might be a good idea to give the fans something to base their decision on next round. Something to make the voting a little more exciting.”

  Iris spoke up now, projecting her voice like she’d spent all of high school in the drama club, which maybe she had. “What did you have you mind?” she asked, loud enough for most of the crowd to hear.

  Adah turned away from the crowd and toward Iris. These words were meant more for her than the fans.

  “Let’s duel,” she said. “Give the fans a show. They’ve seen us work together, now let’s show them how we compete. Once they’ve seen how we stack up against each other, they can be confident in their votes. They can pick a team that will truly make Region 4 proud.”

  “What’s the duel?” Iris asked.

  “Your pick. I wouldn’t want to hear any excuses afterward.”

  With that, Adah tossed the mic across the stage back to Iris, who scrambled to snatch it before it hit the ground. For the first time, she looked a little flustered.

  “Fine then,” Iris said. She glanced to Ekki for reassurance, but he in turn looked to Clair, who looked back at Iris.

  Good—it wasn’t so easy to act confident in the face of something unexpected. This competition had gone according to plan for Iris thus far, and part of what Adah needed to do was knock this train off its tracks. This idea for a duel wasn’t just for the fans to find out what Iris was made of—Adah was curious, too.

  Iris didn't respond at first, and looked over her own teammates and the members of Sunbright one at a time. Eventually, her eyes lit up.

  “Direct combat would go against the spirit of a regional showdown,” she said. “However, I think a game of capture the mascot would make for quite the entertaining spectacle.”

  The crowd ate that up. Hurried whispers soon swelled into a roar of anticipation. Their approval was so overwhelming that, even if one of the teams did have an issue with the choice of duel, they couldn’t possibly back out now.

  That was fine. Adah had no intention of doing so.

  She walked over to Iris and yanked the microphone out of her hand.

  “We accept,” Adah said. "I’m looking forward to making you kneel."

  The release schedule is increasing to 5 chapters per week (Monday-Friday)! This applies to both Royal Road and the .