A couple of days pass. Geal and Uruta are sleeping together in a bed, in a cozy and well-lit room. Geal lies twisted awkwardly, a thin line of drool trailing down her cheek. Sunlight filters through the window, illuminating their faces.
Next to them, Bredgy sits in a chair, her elbows resting on her knees. She looks lost in thought.
"It's only been a few weeks since we met, but it feels like I've been traveling with Geal for a long time…" she reflects.
Geal's Crystal sits on a small table beside the bed. Bredgy glances at it out of the corner of her eye. There it is, her goal out in the open, but her emotions are a whirlwind of turmoil.
"I should take advantage of her being asleep to steal the Crystal. I'd complete the mission, and Mr. Dubh would be pleased with me," she thinks, averting her gaze. "But... if I do that, our adventure will be over."
The punk girl hesitates for a moment and shakes her head. Then, she slowly moves her hand toward Geal's Crystal. Her movements betray her indecision.
"What am I thinking…?! Traveling with Geal is just part of my mission. Taking her Crystal is all I need to do," she tells herself, trying to muster resolve. "I-I have to follow Mr. Dubh's orders. I can't disobey."
Nervously, Bredgy timidly places her hand on Geal's Crystal, determined to steal it, but—
"Bredgy…!" Geal shouts.
Startled, Bredgy whirls around in shock. But Geal is still fast asleep, mumbling in her slumber.
"Bredgy… come to my house! Mom made a cake, I want you to try it…" Geal murmurs.
Mortified, Bredgy releases the Crystal and turns away, guilt written all over her face.
Seconds later, Geal stirs and sits up, her hair a wild mess.
"Bredgy?" she mutters, looking over at her. "Where are we?"
"Good morning, Geal…" Bredgy says, avoiding eye contact. "After you saved Uruta, you fell asleep. We're at an inn. You've been out for a day and a half."
"What about the trial?" Geal asks, suddenly alarmed.
Bredgy reaches into the pocket of her jacket and pulls out two shiny, new badges.
"I picked up yours for you," she says with a small smile. "We did it!"
Geal jumps up and starts bouncing on the bed like a little kid, shouting and celebrating until she accidentally knocks Uruta off the bed. He wakes up with a thud.
"Ouch! Hey, Geal, don't mess around!" he grumbles.
"Oops! Sorry…"
Although it's not typical of her, Bredgy laughs softly. The scene has amused her. Geal sits back down on the bed, facing Bredgy.
"So, where do we go next?" Geal asks.
"I asked Master Rhys. The final trial is in Artwork City: the Trial of Strength," Bredgy explains. "He says it's the hardest of them all, but once we pass it, we'll be worthy to challenge the Chosen One."
"So, the final trial, huh?" Geal says, looking determinedly out the window. "I'm getting closer to challenging Mr. Magnius. Just one more step to go!"
*
After recovering and ready for action once again, our heroes set their sights on Artwork City—their final destination before facing the Chosen One himself. After two days of flight, Uruta and his companions arrive at their goal: a modern metropolis, reminiscent of the capital.
"We made it!"
The girls, as usual, look down at the city below. In the heart of the metropolis, towering above all other buildings, stands a colossal white temple. Its grand facade bears the emblem of the trial.
"Do you see that? The final trial is in a giant temple. Looks intimidating, doesn't it?" says Geal, excited. "Do you think there are bathrooms inside? I really need to go!"
"I couldn't find out much, but from what I've heard, many aspirants flee just at the sight of the trial's location. Now I see why—it's enormous," Bredgy comments.
"I just hope they allow pets in there…" says Uruta.
With their destination set, Uruta descends toward the temple, searching for the entrance. After some wandering and asking around, Geal and her companions finally line up to enter the temple, badges in hand.
When Geal and Bredgy's turn comes, a guard stops them.
"Ah-ah-ah! Hold on there," he says, shaking his finger. "This trial is for aspirants only. The bird cannot enter."
"What?! But he's my friend! He helped me pass the other two trials," Geal protests.
"Rules are rules. Your friend must wait outside," the guard insists. Geal looks a little dejected—this is the second trial in a row where they'll be separated.
"Don't worry, Geal. I'll stay out here and rest," the bird reassures her. "If anything happens, I'll fly right in. Make sure you pass the trial! I'll handle it if Royal Mechanic tries to crash the party."
"Alright, let's go. The trial is about to start," Bredgy cuts in, already heading toward the massive entrance.
The two girls step into the temple, ready for whatever comes next.
As expected, the temple's interior is filled with aspirants. Beyond the sea of heads, there is nothing but a vast white floor and walls. The space is expansive, exuding a dreamlike, liminal atmosphere.
Both Geal and Bredgy glance around, searching for anything of interest.
"There's nothing in here. What are we supposed to do?" Geal wonders aloud.
The Master of the Trial finally appears, floating on a platform. He descends from the highest point of the hall, forcing everyone to look up at him.
"Greetings, aspirants. My name is Korkus, and I will be the master of the Trial of Strength," says the elderly man, dressed similarly to the previous masters but with a tall conical hat and a long white beard. "As you know, this is the most difficult of all the Chosen One's Trials. It is here that we determine who possesses the qualities necessary to fight for the throne. Once you pass this trial and have all three badges in your possession, you may embark on the arduous path to the Sacred Palace."
Korkus clears his throat, and the aspirants shift impatiently, eager to learn what the trial entails.
"Before we begin, I'd like to ask you a question..."
He clasps his hands behind his back, as though about to say something of great importance.
"What does strength mean for a Chosen One?"
The room erupts in murmurs as aspirants whisper and speculate about what the answer might be.
"Is it strong muscles? Overwhelming power? Or… could it be something else?"
None of the aspirants can figure it out, struggling to grasp the elder's words. Then, Korkus adopts a wild expression, crossing his arms in front of him.
"If you don't know the answer, you'll never pass this trial!"
Immediately after, several black blobs emerge from the walls, floating erratically in the air before latching onto the arms and legs of the aspirants. Despite their efforts to shake them off, the blobs stick firmly to their skin and clothing.
The viscous substances harden into shackles, anchoring the aspirants to the ground and leaving them immobilized. Confused and desperate, they instinctively try to free themselves. Geal and Bredgy are restrained as well.
"What is this?"
"I can't move!"
"The trial has one very simple rule: you will remain bound by your hands and feet to the floor throughout the exam," Korkus explains, further puzzling the aspirants. "All you must do is answer the question I just posed. But you cannot answer with words. You must think it."
He pauses, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"Every twenty minutes, the shackles will harden and become more difficult to break. In five hours, the trial will end. Anyone who doesn't find the correct answer will fail and must try again next year. That's all you need to know. May the best pass!"
Immediately, the participants struggle with all their might to remove the shackles, but they are absurdly resilient. Even those wielding the most powerful Crystals can't move an inch.
Geal tries as well but lacks the strength to make any progress.
"What does strength mean for the Chosen One?" Geal ponders. "These deep questions are the ones I hate the most! But… if I fail, I'll have to wait a whole year to try again."
She clenches her fists and struggles against her bonds.
"Think, Geal! What's the answer?!"