The next two days passed quietly, but I felt a new energy thrumming through me, almost like my body had changed overnight. I was itching to test it, though without Kran, I didn't know how to enter my mindscape on my own. I'd have to wait and see how strong I'd really become.
Finally, the day of the Ascension test arrived, and we made our way to the colossal arena at the city's edge. It was massive, carved from the thick, ancient wood of the Worldtree itself. This was the only place here where the sky was visible—a kaleidoscope of neighboring worlds flickering in the sky above.
Thanks to Daran's protective gift, no one sensed the mark on my back, even as we registered ourselves as participants. In a waiting chamber filled with other competitors, Rem and I sized up the crowd. Most had entered in pairs, just as we had, and the variety of people was incredible.
One man, standing out even here, wore elaborate golden armor. Something about him reminded me of the knights of the Golden Order, though his insignias were different. Beside him was a girl—either a young child or a very petite woman—her rabbit-like ears twitching with attention as she observed the room.
There were races I had only heard about from Rem: a lizard-like pair with bright, scale-covered skin and slit-pupil eyes; a figure with a slick, blue skin and solid black eyes; and a woman with butterfly wings shimmering in all colors, paired with an older man with a beetle-like horn protruding from his head.
Each group looked ready to claim their place in the First Plane, and every one of them seemed as dangerous as they were determined.
The butterfly-winged girl and the man next to her caught my attention. Her wings shimmered with hues that changed with every small movement, and the light made her look like she'd stepped out of a dream.
Rem nudged me, already grinning. "Let's go say hi. It would be weird if we just stood here."
We wove through the people and stopped in front of the pair. The girl looked up with a curious smile, her eyes bright and sharp. The man, on the other hand, gave us a calm, measured nod, his beetle-like horn gleaming faintly in the dim light of the room.
"Hi, I'm Rem," she started cheerfully, "and this is Ashborn. Are you two also here for the test?"
The girl laughed—a gentle, almost musical sound that seemed to fit her perfectly. "Yes! I'm Aponi, and this is my father, Cole." She gestured to him with a slight tilt of her head. "I was excited for the test anyway, but it's even better knowing we'll be facing some friendly faces."
Cole's gaze settled on me with a look that was both kind and observant. "And it's always good to know that some of the other competitors have their heads on straight," he said with a wry smile. "Most of them seem a little... too eager to prove themselves."
"That's true," I replied, glancing around at a few of the people who had yet to take their eyes off each other. "I'm not sure I'd call some of these folks 'friendly competition.'"
Rem chuckled. "A bit tense, aren't they? Anyway, Aponi, what brings you two to the test? Any specific reasons for going for the First Plane?"
Aponi's wings fluttered lightly, as though to emphasize her excitement. "Yes! I wanted to go there since I was a little child, but never had the chance to. I finally convinced my father to let me join this year."
"And I couldn't stop her if I tried," Cole added with a resigned but proud smile. "It's been a dream of hers for as long as I can remember. I'm just here to make sure she stays out of trouble."
"Dad's just being modest," Aponi cut in. "He's going to be one of the strongest competitors. I wouldn't stand a chance without him."
Cole waved her off. "Oh, she's the real talent. I'm just here to make sure no one cheats." He looked at me with a hint of amusement. "And to remind her that not everyone's here with pure intentions."
"Sounds like you're good at keeping her grounded," I said, glancing at Rem. "Maybe we could use a reminder now and then ourselves."
Rem nudged me, grinning. "We're not that bad, are we?"
"Guess we'll find out," I said with a smirk.
Aponi held out a hand, her wings giving a little shimmer as she did. "Well, it's nice to meet you both. Here's to a fair competition—and maybe a little fun while we're at it."
"Absolutely," I replied, shaking her hand.
Just then, the doors of the chamber swung open, signaling it was time.
"Good luck again!" Aponi called with a bright smile, giving my hand one last squeeze before she and her father returned to their spots.
"They'll explain the rules in the arena," Rem whispered. "They change the test every time."
We filed into the arena one by one, and with each step, the sight ahead came into focus. The massive coliseum was packed with spectators, roaring in excitement, their faces blurring into a sea of energy. Towering above them were fifteen VIP balconies, grand and imposing, overlooking the crowd like watchful guardians.
"There's a representative from each of the thirteen nations," Rem murmured, nodding toward the balconies.
"Then why are there fifteen?" I asked.
"One is for the officials," she explained. "But as for the last one, I don't know."
Before we could speculate further, a booming voice filled the coliseum, capturing every ear in the vast arena.
"For today's test, we have prepared something unique!" the announcer declared. "The arena will expand and transform, dividing into several environments—a miniature version of the Dreamscape! Each area will have distinct landscapes and challenges. Your goal: to reach the center, representing the Land of Dreams!"
The crowd erupted, the air thick with anticipation. I exchanged a quick glance with Rem.
"Each pair will start in a different section," the voice continued, "though paths may cross as you progress. Only those who reach the center swiftly and in the most impressive ways stand a chance of being chosen by our honored guests—earning the right to live in the Land of Dreams! Be warned, however: fighting among competitors is permitted, but killing is strictly forbidden."
The voice paused as if relishing the weight of the words. "Good luck to all!"
"Wait, already?!" I barely had time to react before a circle of light enveloped me, and in an instant, Rem and I were swept away.
The light faded, revealing a vast green field under a wide-open sky. Rem stood beside me, her expression both wary and thrilled as she took in the scene.
"Guess we're starting here," I murmured, and somewhere in the distance, we could hear the roar of others as the test began.
The field we'd started in was vast and open, dotted with low hills and clusters of wildflowers that stretched as far as we could see. So far, things seemed strangely calm. Rem and I exchanged a quick look, and she grinned, her eyes flickering with excitement.
"All right," she said, "this should be easy enough if we keep moving. No one seems to be nearby."
We set off, keeping a steady but careful pace through the field. The occasional rumbling of distant battles reached our ears, but the landscape around us remained peaceful.
I couldn't say which way we should be going, but Rem looked confident. I followed her, trusting her senses.
After a short hike, the terrain shifted, the lush green fading to dusty red. As we stepped into the next area, we found ourselves at the edge of a desert. The heat radiated from the sand in shimmering waves, and towering red rock formations loomed ahead, casting jagged shadows across the sand. Rem shielded her eyes, scanning the landscape for signs of others.
"We should keep to the shadows of the rocks," she suggested. "The open sand leaves us visible from a mile away."
I nodded, and we hugged the rock formations as we moved forward, their shadows providing welcome relief from the relentless heat to Rem. The heat was not a problem for me, but she needed to be careful. As we reached the middle of the desert, a whirring sound broke the silence. A low-sweeping blade, nearly invisible in the sand, swung toward us. I reacted first, leaping to the side. Rem was floating, so she didn't need to look out for traps like that.
"Traps," she muttered, eyes darting around for any more. "So much for a clear path."
The traps seemed scattered, but with some careful maneuvering and swift footwork, I managed to avoid the remaining ones. By the time we reached the desert's end, Rem was drenched in sweat and looking at my dry clothes with a annoyed face, but unharmed. We emerged onto an uneven, rocky path that wound its way up a steep cliff, the air much cooler here as we climbed.
"This is kind of exhilarating," Rem said, flashing a grin as she leapt up over a rock. "Hiking through strange landscapes, dodging traps—it's almost fun."
I chuckled. "Until you get skewered by one, anyway."
The cliff path eventually led us to the top, where a forest stretched out before us. Unlike the calm field or the dry desert, this forest was dense and dark, thick trees entwining overhead and letting in only slivers of light. The ground was soft with moss and littered with fallen leaves. A faint mist drifted between the trees, carrying an earthy, damp scent.
"Keep your guard up here," I said quietly. "Feels like the perfect place for an ambush."
We moved cautiously, sticking to a silent pace and keeping an eye out for any sudden movements. The silence in the forest felt heavy, as if something was lurking just out of sight. Sure enough, a slight rustling ahead made us freeze. Rem put a finger to her lips, nodding toward the direction of the sound.
Moving quietly, we crept closer, and as we neared, we saw another pair of competitors—a man and woman, both tall and wiry, dressed in deep green cloaks that helped them blend into the forest shadows. They hadn't noticed us, too focused on navigating their own way through the trees.
We stayed low, slipping past without alerting them. Just as we were nearing the forest's edge, though, a large wolf-like creature lunged out of the shadows, its glowing red eyes fixed on us. I reacted quickly, stepping in front of Rem and conjuring a knife out of Somnium. With a single slash, the creature yelped and darted back into the shadows, leaving us alone. I realized conjuring that knife was much easier than I remembered, and it's shape was much clearer than before. I didn't expect effects of consumption would effect this kind of stuff too.
"I didn't realize they had creatures in here too," Rem said, letting out a relieved breath. "Guess they really did think of everything."
We finally broke through the forest and onto another field, this one wilder and more uneven, dotted with thorn bushes and tangled vines. The terrain was rugged, thankfully I wasn't even tired yet. In the distance, the faint outline of a stone tower became visible, looming up through the misty air like a beacon.
"It seems we're almost halfway," I said, glancing over at the Rem, who was looking equally determined.
"Let's keep the pace up," she replied, brushing a stray leaf out of her hair. "I'd like to be one of the first to the center if we can manage it."
We continued onward, the wind picking up slightly as we neared the tower.
---
While Ashborn and Rem pressed on through the Ascension Test, Kran was already far away, deep in a remote world, searching for the last piece he'd prepared long ago, before his soul was exiled.
"Damnit…" he muttered, pausing to examine the cracks creeping along his metal form. "Ah, well. This thing's held out longer than it should have anyway."
The body given to him by the Old Man, crafted to confine simple souls, was never meant to contain someone like him. Piece by piece, his metal frame was crumbling, barely holding his spirit in place as he pushed through the dim cave.
The cavern walls and ceiling glowed with violet crystals, casting an ominous light over the stone. Shadows danced across his path as he wound deeper inside, finally reaching a chamber with a stone altar in its center. Sitting atop it was a crystal egg, swirling with dark mist and streaked with purple and black.
"It's still not full…" Kran muttered to himself, watching the mist swirl inside the egg, filling only part of its hollow. "A thousand years, and still—ah, doesn't matter. I'll have to make it work."
He hesitated, thinking of Ashborn. How was he going to explain all of this? There was no way Ashborn would trust him again, not after all the secrets, all the manipulation.
Kran let out a bitter laugh. "Later," he muttered, as if postponing the thought could buy him forgiveness. "I need to do this quickly."
With a resigned sigh, Kran stopped resisting the inevitable. The metal shell surrounding him gave way, crumbling to pieces in seconds, leaving only his soul—a dark, smoldering form that pulsed with both purpose and regret. Careful not to disturb the delicate state of the egg, he drifted forward, pressing himself into its surface.
As he entered, the mist inside the crystal began to stir, shifting and expanding to accommodate him. Slowly, his essence began to settle, filling more of the void. Inside the egg, Kran felt his spirit grow still, the beginnings of a new form coalescing around him.
For now, he let himself surrender to the darkness, drifting back into a deep, silent slumber, waiting for the moment he would rise again.