“That was cruel,” Zoey said, still staring at where Tara had been. I don’t want to die. David couldn’t put that voice out of his head. He had only known Claire as strong and beautiful, but she had suddenly become a child. Fear made small of all great men and women. Yet, somehow Tara had accepted it. David closed his eyes tight, trying to push the image out of his head. So there were punishments for ignoring the tasks. That was something he hadn’t thought about. He shook his head, dispelling whatever worry was beginning to build. He had to move on.

“The tower itself is cruel upon all who ascend it,” Hanna said. David heard the sadness in her voice. She had liked Claire. They had become friends so suddenly it felt like a miracle. David groaned, pushing off the pillar to stand up. His body wasn’t completely healed, which meant Chloe had not been able to finish it. David staggered to her, falling to his knees in front of her. She looked terrified, her eyes wide with fear.

“David,” she whispered, “Are we going to die?” David shook his head. He touched her face gingerly, then turned her sideways. She was fine. Not a scratch was on all. All of it had been in her mind. He winced at that, wondering how she’d survived that torture. Rage blazed in his chest and he almost swore, but he swallowed it all down. She was safe, she was alright. That was all that mattered.

“Are you alright?” He asked, even though he knew she would lie. She was sensitive, she had always been loudest, and yet she gave almost nothing away willingly. Chloe nodded. David sighed, stood up, and turned to where Tara and Jeremy had vanished. He’d thought the orb of essence would vanish with them, but as he stumbled forward, he found them there, filled with calm essence. He picked them up and put them away.

“We should get out of here,” Hanna muttered. “I am just about ready to get out of this damn floor. Hopefully the fourth one will be better and we can rest.”

David doubted that. He wasn’t sure, but he felt like it’d be worse. Yet something bothered him. Usually, the portal to the next floor should have appeared, yet there was nothing so far. Was there something else they had to do? Or were they not done with this floor? Why?

“You lot are clueless,” Zoey’s Vjognir said, its voice filled with disappointment. It sounded like a father watching his children act a fool. “This place is not connected to Gaora. We have to get out of it to progress.” It pointed to the portal they had come in and then floated that way, leading Zoey. Elisha carried Chloe and David walked behind Hanna.

“Where is this then?” David asked. “Another hidden world? It didn’t feel like Krak’s wasteland.” The walls and pillars here were solid stone, not made of some kind of illusory magic. There was essence, but it was calmer, nothing like what Krak used to make the wasteland, Orion. Essence drifted from the lights and clung to the pillars, but the air was stable. Unlike Orion where there was no wind.

“This is another place, a physical place. It is real,” The Vjognir said, its voice sliding into David’s mind like it had always been there. David hated the tone, and the condescension he could feel from the bird, but he could also sense the large pool of essence within it. Then it vanished through the portal and their link snapped and severed. Zoey was next and Elisha adjusted Chloe on his arm before he crossed. Hanna turned before she crossed, stared at David for a moment as if building up the courage to say something, and then sighed before jumping into the portal.

David wondered what that had been about. His face sank in through the portal and his vision swam briefly, adjusting when he felt his feet touch solid ground again. They were back in the cavern and in front of them was a strange face smiling at them. Somehow David knew who it was immediately he saw his eyes. They gathered light, splitting it into halos that ringed each other.

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“What are you now?” David asked, grinning. The man chuckled. His eyes pulled David in, but the rest of him was perfect too. His robe parted in front, revealing a dark-skinned chest. His arm was slender and toned and his beard was oiled and as shiny as his brows. He was beautiful in the way all unreal things were.

“I thought you wouldn’t recognize me,” He said. Even his voice was different–soft and yet deep, filled with age and calm and a subtle flash of power. Zoey shook her head, finally understanding. Elisha and Chloe took longer. “This body’s name is Miron,” he said. “And you have picked a stray along the way.”

“Call me a stray once more and I will box those fake ears until you can’t hear yourself think,” Hanna said, taking a step forward only for Zoey to pull her back. Hanna glared at her, but Zoey held her still. David chuckled. Arya was the same in everybody she picked, he realized.

“Why are you here?” David asked as Miron floated to him, pulling him into an embrace that shocked everyone else. Miron smelled of familiar spice and burnt fruits. His head was bald and oiled. He looked like a celestial, as he was made completely of essence. His eyes traveled over David’s face and nodded.

“I have brought you gifts,” he said. “Amareth has been proud of you. You have proved his choice true, and as a celebration for being victorious against the workings of Balek, he has decided to grant you all unique gifts.”

“I would prefer answers,” Hanna said, her eyes brimming with hate. David wondered how the woman could transform so quickly from being a vulnerable being to an entity of balefire and destruction. Miron ignored her, his eyes holding David’s as if in a trance. David waited for the chaos that was about to break loose, and before it did Miron snapped his slender figures and Hanna was tossed into the far wall. David heard her say something and then she passed out.

“She will be alright,” Miron said, sparing a glance over his shoulder. “We should move this reunion somewhere else. This cavern had a dark swell of essence that I don’t care for.” He clapped and the sound echoed like endless thunder. The cavern enlarged and the walls smoothened. The roof was suddenly domed, and windows formed on the walls. The dome became glass, exposing the blue sky above and a swarm of birds dove down near the window to their left, pulling a gasp from Zoey’s lips.

“Now, are you ready?” Miron asked as he took off his robe. The fabric fell to the white floor and his body was shrouded in silver light. It burned so harsh and bright for a moment and began to dim. From within, five tiny wisps of multicolored lights broke out. They wriggled and moved in spirals and then split to hover in front of David and the others. One floated above Hanna’s face.

“Listen, when you wake up, you will be on the fourth floor. You won’t have time to acclimate yourself,” Miron said, her voice coming from every corner of this new space. David frowned. “You will understand when you see it, but the first thing you have to do is run.”

“Run?” David asked, confused.

“Yes, run. This is Amareth’s gift to you, but it is also a test.”

“More tests?” Elisha grumbled.

“The tower is a test, boy. Every moment you spend in this place is a test to see if you are worthy.”

“For what?” Zoey asked, backing away from the wisp in front of her. “What is this tower for?”

“If we could provide you all the answers, Zoey, there would be no need for the journey. Heed my warning. Run! And remember, it is all real.”

David was about to ask what she meant by that when the wisp of light slipped into his mouth. He felt the warmth within him increase and then a calming sensation flooded his mind. He could see and feel things. They were familiar. Even Ignis was rumbled in delight. Then David felt a searing pain in his arm. And above him, he thought he saw something blink into existence and vanished. The last thing he heard before he fell back was Miron’s voice.

“Farewell, brave ones.”