Luna chuckled and mimicked Klaus’s stance, the fire in her hand growing larger.

“Is that all you know how to do?” Klaus teased.

“That’s what I was about to show you.”

A droplet of water formed in Luna's other palm, quickly expanding until it was the size of the fire. She clapped her hands together instantly, generating a hot smokescreen that obscured Klaus's vision.

“I can still see her.” He thought, noticing the red-light cloaking Luna in the smoke.

Voosh!

“Where the-”

“Oof!”

Luna punched Klaus’s gut with a wicked force, giving him just a moment to recover before vanishing. She reappeared behind him, landing a harsh blow on his back. But Klaus, reacting quickly, snatched her wrist as she was pulling away and hurled her onto the ground with a thunderous crash.

Boom!

The red light flickered away as Luna lay on the floor, feeling her heartbeat and panting.

“You’re ruthless, you know that?”

“What?!”

Klaus turned to a voice behind him and saw Luna. He looked back at the ‘Luna’ he had hurled and noticed it disappearing into smoke, dissipating and blending in with the air as if it never existed.

“You’re kidding me.”

Luna giggled and grasped Klaus' neck, saying, “This is payback.”

She pulled him up and catapulted him towards the ground, the floor cracking. The rattling of the cups gradually cleared as Klaus put his head back. The walls found their balance again, and the cracks settled in.

“I *cough* give in, I give in.”

“Already? We j-”

“Who *cough* said you could make *cough* a clone of yourself?”

“It wasn’t a clone; it was an illusion.”

Klaus glanced at Luna and scoffed, “An illusion with a physical presence? Yeah, right.”

“Well…that was an illusion too,” Luna said, mixing the two elements to make a miniature smokescreen. She placed her finger through it and out came a noise–the same as when Klaus slammed her illusion into the ground.

Boom!

“The Lattice remembers all,” she chuckled and crouched as a white light enveloped her.

“Gonna heal me?” Klaus asked, peering up at her.

“Well, can’t have you weak for the next part.”

Veer!

The light made a sphere again, and the inside was completely white. Inside, Klaus peeked and glimpsed flashes of memories rolling like a film reel. Although they were in full color, their sheer velocity deformed them into grayscale. No sounds were heard this time.

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The light quickly dispersed, giggling as it blew away. Klaus groaned as he stood up and stretched.

“Looks weird inside too...I feel great, though.” He thought as he swung his arms around. Turning towards Luna, he noticed Mae in the back snickering.

“Hey! What’re you laughing about?!”

“Don’t mind her. Come upstairs with me. Mae! Come! He’s qualified.”

“Wait, seriously?! I thought he lost, agh,” Mae groaned, walking like a zombie as she exited the couch.

“He did but he showed some skill. Besides, with him, we might be able to help you.”

“That’s what you said with the last guy, but he died right after the first stage of aligning! Better not happen with him, too."

"Died?! How bad can this 'lattice' be..." Klaus thought, sighing.

The three made their way up the stairs and entered a room that reeked of tobacco. As Luna opened the door, a blast of hot air and the extra scent of expired milk rushed through her nose, causing her to jerk back and pinch her nose. The other two hurriedly pinched their noses, cautiously following Luna into the room.

"Nasty...so many damn 'cigarettes' or whatever she smokes..." Klaus looked around at the genuinely grotesque room.

The room's shade was throned by the sun peering through a solitary window on the right, the mounted fan below it desperately trying to regulate the dominant shade with its own: black dust.

Empty cigarette packs rested on the grimy floor and dusty cabinets, some so old that their color had gone bronze. Decrepit, wilted flowers faced the ground, chastising it for its horrible life. A rocking chair swayed back and forth as a figure smoked it on it. The three approached it.

"Ma'am, he can learn it. Could we-"

Phew...

"That cruel system and its ridiculous trials? You want to try this again?"

Luna's gaze shifted to the ground as she said, "I'm sure he won't die; it's not that hard."

Her head flung up as she excitedly added:

"He reacted to my Jux enhancement!"

Grandnew sighed, standing up from the rocking chair and slumping towards the exit. She took another drag from her cigarette before saying, "Hah...don't get conceited, Luna. Your Jux enhancement is below average, anyone could've reacted to that slow ass attack."

Grandnew's voice faded as she left the room and said, "Come."

Klaus looked at Luna, her head held down. Mae, seemingly indifferent, left the room, hopping away and humming.

"What an asshat...wait, that was below average?!" Klaus thought, imagining the further stages of this 'enhancement' he had just heard. He pictured lightning-fast knights piercing their swords into their enemies or large-muscled, gruff men battling each other with their fists, each blow rapid and decisive.

Slam!

Klaus's attention turned to the door slammed shut on him. He immediately ran to the door and chucked it open, furrowing his brows at Luna walking down the stairs, acting as if nothing had happened. Her energy seemed off, however; talking to her did not seem like a viable solution, so Klaus decided to leave her be.

"Whatever. Personally, I don't think her red 'Jux' thing was that bad..."

Upon reaching the living room, Klaus heard Mae:

"Here!"

Walking in her direction, he felt freezing air slip past his legs, curling up them, eventually reaching his chest. Shivering, he saw Grandnew waiting for him.

"Took you long enough," Grandnew said as she opened the door for Klaus.

Behind the door was an empty room with cement walls and a gray chair in the center, relaxing amidst blood stains on the floor. The blood stains were splattered and dried, some having deeper color than others.

"Sit here," Grandnew motioned him to the chair. "This is how you'll learn it but be warned: it is not for the faint of heart. What? Oh, the blood stains? Please, pay no mind to them; if anything, use them as motivation not to fail. Your success will be that much more delightful."

Klaus gulped as he sat down on the chair, an ominous aura pulling him in. He grabbed his arms and crossed his legs, nervously waiting.

"Ah, what am I getting into...?" He muttered, burying his face.

"Raise your head."

The door creaked shut as Grandnew crouched before him. She lifted her hand, a blue light appearing at its tip, and placed it on his forehead. Klaus closed his eyes.

"Let's see if you survive, boy."

Blow...!

Klaus opened his eyes, feeling a calm wind rub his arm.

"Ack!"

The sun dazzled him, its light reflecting beautifully off the vibrant flower fields around him. Klaus carefully stood up, noticing the chair now gone—no, the whole room had disappeared; he was somewhere else entirely, somewhere where life flourished.

"Where the hell...this is so weird!" Klaus thought as he looked around at the tall flower fields that reached up to his chest. He leaned over to touch one and ruffled its leaves; as he did, a squirrel below lunged at his face!

"AHH! Eek! Help, help! Get off, you furry bastard!" Klaus screeched desperately clawing at the rodent latched onto his face.

In his struggle, he stumbled and rolled across the ground, while the squirrel squeaked fiercely, scratching his skin and gnawing his ear whenever it had the chance, clinging to him like a wild shadow.

"O-off, I said! Off! You stupid-" Klaus ripped the squirrel off his face and lifted it, wincing at its hideous appearance.

"So ugly...I ought to--" He was interrupted by the rodent suddenly evaporating into light red dust. Its fur left behind evaporated, Klaus admiring it as the wind carried it away.