Yes or no.

  The words glowed in the air as Kael stood there.

  But the pulsing words was no longer the only thing on his mind. Lira’s voice, as clear as though she were right next to him, had echoed in his thoughts.

  He blinked, glancing down at the orb, as if looking into it might somehow explain the sudden intrusion of her voice. Are they still in the conclave? Was that how she could contact him?

  Nothing.

  The orb’s surface remained smooth and reflective, no sign of her presence there. But then, Kael’s mind shifted. A flash of memory cut through the fog of his thoughts, something that had slipped past him in the rush of everything else.

  Twinkle.

  The wisp. The wisp Kael had sent to help Lira in Highhaven. Twinkle had been with her, following her back to her square when Lira had left the conclave. It made sense now. That was where the connection lay. Kael’s bond with Twinkle hadn’t severed when Lira left. The wisp had simply gone with her, and through that connection, Kael still had a way to reach her.

  With a deep breath, Kael closed his eyes, focusing on the soft thread of magic that still linked him to the wisp. He reached out with his mind, feeling for that familiar presence, and there it was.

  Twinkle.

  He could see it clearly now, suspended in the air, flickering gently above Lira’s hands. The wisp pulsed with a gentle light, soft and warm, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Kael could feel Lira’s presence. He could see her hands, her deep red skin, her twin horns, as Twinkle floated just above her palms.

  It was strange, this connection. Kael could almost feel as though he were standing there, beside Lira, seeing her up close. He could sense the quiet space around Lira, the faint movement of her breathing as she stood still, the subtle weight of her hands holding Twinkle as though it were the most precious thing in the world.

  The wisp, with its playful, shimmering presence, floated upward, and with a soft flutter, it wrote in the air, its glow leaving traces behind.

  Hi.

  Lira’s voice followed, as soft and clear as ever. "Hi," she said, her tone filled with joy. "Kael?"

  It’s working, he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips.

  The world around him seemed to fall away as Kael’s voice formed on its own. "I... I forgot about Twinkle," he said. "I didn’t realize you took her with you when you left."

  "Twinkle?" she said, a note of confusion in her words, followed by a soft laugh. "You mean this little spark of light? I thought I could name it."

  Kael chuckled, though Lira could not hear him. "I’ve already named her," he said, his words light. "Twinkle suits her well, don’t you think?"

  Lira’s laughter echoed through the connection, a soft, musical sound that filled Kael with a sense of comfort, as though all the tension had been lifted for the briefest of moments.

  "Oh, Twinkle is certainly twinkly," she said with a teasing tone, her voice full of affection for the creature that represented their bond.

  He felt closer to Lira than he had since they had parted ways, though he still stood alone in his square. "It’s nice to see you again," he said, his voice quiet but sincere. "Even if it’s only through the wisp. I didn’t think I’d get the chance to speak to you so soon, especially after both of us left the conclave."

  "It’s nice to talk to you too, Kael," she said. "But I’ll need to wait until the Sunday meeting to see you in person, I guess?”

  He felt a strange twinge in his chest, and for a moment, he could have sworn his green skin flushed. No, he thought, this can’t be happening. He quickly closed his eyes, trying to shake the heat in his face, thankful that Lira couldn’t see him.

  "Are you ready for ascension?" Kael asked, trying to change topics.

  Lira’s voice responded, confused. "What’s that?"

  Kael, though miles away, could feel the spark of excitement that rippled through him. "It’s how you go to bronze and beyond," he said. "It’s the next step. Once your square got 10 kills."

  Lira's response was slow, thoughtful. "I haven't got that far yet, I only got 8 kills," she said, her voice tinged with disappointment. "I thought the ones in Highhaven would count, but I guess they don’t."

  "The rules can be strange sometimes," Kael said with a slight shrug. "But that’s the way it goes."

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  He paused, thinking of the plan he had been forming in the back of his mind, the plan that had been growing clearer with each passing day.

  "Here’s the thing, Lira," Kael continued, “I’m going to ascend first. I’ll go to bronze first. Then, when you’re ready, you can follow."

  "That’s a good plan," she said finally, her voice soft but approving. "We’ll get there together."

  Together.

  Kael’s heart stirred at her words, a quiet warmth spreading through him. It was a word that had always felt distant, but now, it seemed to hold more weight.

  “Kael, are you going to ascend soon?” Lira asked.

  “I am.”

  “Be careful, our stunt with Avaris might have drawn his ire. It could put a target on our backs."

  Kael’s brow furrowed at the mention of Avaris. The manipulative, granite-like Master brought a quiet tension to Kael.

  "Yeah," he said, nodding slowly. "It’s hard to see where everyone else’s allegiances lie in this world. There are too many who play the game for their own gain, and not everyone plays by the same rules."

  "So I’ve been thinking," Kael continued, "I want to form a conclave. One that helps other Masters. Not just one where we fight and grow stronger, but one that actually makes a difference. We could help those who need it, those who don’t have the same resources or support that we have."

  Twinkle kept moving through the air, the trail of her light shaping Kael’s message and dream.

  "That sounds like something I’d want to be a part of," she said, her words soft but sincere. "A conclave that would be about making things better. Helping people."

  "That’s the idea," he said, “instead of fighting each other, fight for something greater."

  "Kael, I’ll be with you when the time comes,” Lira said softly. “We’ll make it happen."

  “Yes, let’s make it happen.”

  But just as the words left his lips, Kael could see a flicker of red in Lira’s square.

  Her voice came again, now more urgent. "I have to take care of this," she said, the shift in her tone unmistakable. “Someone came in.”

  “Take care, Lira.”

  “Thanks, Kael. Stay focused on your ascension. We’ll talk more when this is taken care of, okay?"

  Lira was no longer the uncertain, fledgling Master he had once met. She had grown and had become someone capable of facing the world with the quiet strength of a true leader.

  She is ready, he thought. She is stronger now.

  Twinkle stayed at the spot while Lira went to gather her summons. She was attending to her tasks and Kael focused on his. The main concern he had was now resolved, Kael could start the Ascension Trial without worrying of facing Lira.

  Kael broke the connection with Twinkle, the wisp’s faint glow fading from his mind.

  The Ascension Trial. It was time.

  There was no more hesitation, no more uncertainty.

  The orb in his hand pulsed, its light dim and warm, though Kael could feel the drain of his mana.

  I need some new companions to help with the Trial.

  Summoning all those will-o-wisps for Avaris had taken its toll. His mana reserves were low, but Kael didn’t falter. He knew what he had to do. The trial would not wait for him to catch his breath.

  His mind stretched out, drawing on his mana, a quiet pulse of energy, and with a sharp focus, he summoned his companions. The ground before him rippled slightly, and from the air, two figures materialized. A green slime, smaller than Jello and right behind it, a blue, icy slime, slid into place.

  He reached down, stroking the green slime’s soft, gelatinous surface and the ice slime’s frozen surface. Kael smiled, watching them climb up his back, his Slime Cape growing in strength with each new companion. He knew he could count on his companions and he knew they would stand by him.

  Feeling ready, Kael raised the orb high.

  The familiar words appeared before him. Would you like to undergo Ascension? Yes or no.

  His voice was firm and clear. "Yes," he declared.

  The trial awaits, the orb responded.

  The familiar walls of blue of Kael’s square began to shift and ripple, a golden light swirling in its place. The ground beneath his feet trembled as the area around the square began to morph. Kael dropped to the ground, his breath steady, with the anticipation of what was to come.

  The forest outside, the one Kael had always seen, was gone. In its place, an empty void stretched out, an endless nothingness that swallowed everything. It was as though the world itself had been erased, leaving only his square standing against the abyss.

  Except that wasn’t true.

  On one side of his square, barely visible through the rippling golden barrier, another square had materialized. It was just like his own, but surrounded by the same empty void. The walls of this other square glowed with the same golden hue.

  There was no mistaking it. Another Master, another enemy, waiting for the trial to begin.

  As Kael stood at the edge of his square, eyes fixed on the shimmering boundary between them, he saw something in the gold walls. An hourglass, translucent and delicate, affixed to the gold wall that separated his square from the enemy’s. The sand within it shimmered, catching the faint glow of the walls as it began to fall, grain by grain. Time was slipping away.

  Skrindle appeared beside him, his wings fluttering in the air as his voice broke through the quiet of the square. "You’ve got fifteen minutes," the imp said, his tone urgent with a hint of concern. "Then that wall will come down. And you’ll have to face whatever’s on the other side."

  Fifteen minutes.

  "We’ll need to prepare," Kael said.

  The trial will be brutal, Kael thought, his eyes flicking between the shimmering gold walls and the translucent hourglass. And I don’t know who is on the other side.

  His mind flashed towards Avaris, his large golem army, but he quickly pushed it aside. That would be a different battle. It was irrelevant for now.

  “Yes, yes, prepare," Skrindle said. "But you’ve got your slimes, your golems, your daggers, your Ice Sickle. The real question is: do you think that will be enough?"

  “I don’t know what we’re facing. We will need all our strength, all our power. That's for sure."

  Kael turned toward the square’s entrance, the shimmering wall of gold. The hourglass was almost empty now, and there was no more time for hesitation. No more time for second-guessing.

  The wall would fall soon, and he needed to be ready for whatever came through it. With a deep breath, he focused on the task at hand. His mind cleared. His preparation would be quick. His allies were ready.

  Now, all that was left was to survive. And maybe, just maybe, to come out the other side stronger.

  ******