"Mae..." a voice called softly. "Maee..."

  I sat up groggily, blinking hard as I stretched. I looked around searching for the source of the voice, and noticed Auren poking his head into the tent.

  "It's your turn," he said calmly.

  I looked around for Caelin, only finding the bedroll back in its original position.

  "Where did Caelin go?" I asked, my stomach tightening.

  "He went ahead of you. I'm certain you'll reunite soon."

  "That's far from comforting," I replied dryly.

  Auren smiled. "Come with me," he said, exiting the tent without another word.

  I got up and followed him, noticing that dusk had fallen as I exited the tent. The last of the fading light cast streaks of orange and red across the sea of clouds below us, making it look like a lake of fire.

  For a moment we stood there in silence, watching the fading light. Auren said nothing, as if content to just admire the beauty of it all. His long hair fell gently with the breeze, giving him an almost otherworldly appearance.

  At last, Auren raised his hand and pointed across the sea of glowing clouds. "Have a look over there," he said.

  I followed his hand, searching for what he was pointing to.

  "Across the canyon, past the pillars," he continued, "you'll notice the glow of a beacon."

  I strained my eyes, looking past the jagged pillars before us. Nearly a league away, a slight flickering movement caught my attention. A faint blue glow animated the dimming light, dancing across a small plateau landing.

  "In order to pass this trial, you'll need focus," Auren continued, offering me a smile. "Your only task is to reach the other side. Do that, and you'll be well on your way to Terra Grix."

  "That landing?" I asked in disbelief. "The one all the way over there!? I'm sure that's easier said than done!"

  Auren's smile didn't fade. "It is."

  "Did Caelin make it?" I asked.

  Auren only shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Make it to the other side and see for yourself."

  I looked across the canyon again, inching closer to the edge. The gap between here and there seemed to grow the longer I stared. I felt myself getting a little dizzy.

  "Oh yes," Auren added from behind me. "You're free to use this to help you get across."

  I turned and blinked. How hadn't I noticed it before now? A large hang glider sat next to the tent that I had been in.

  "This glider has a simple focus built into it," Auren explained. "It's been inscribed with wind runes. As long as you can sustain your manaura through it, the wind will carry you forward."

  I eyed the glider warily. "I'm sure there's more to it than that..."

  "There is."

  "Of course there is..."

  "The altitude can be changed based on how much manaura you channel into it— more manaura, higher altitude," Auren said calmly, a thin smile creeping across his lips. "Of course... if your manaura runs out, well, I'm sure you can imagine what comes next."

  I nodded slowly.

  Without another word, he stepped back and gestured to the glider.

  My eyes never left his as I walked over to the 'focus'.

  * So that's what he meant by focus? I need to focus... on a focus? *

  I lifted the glider, which was even lighter than I thought it would be. I turned and carried it back to the ledge. At the center of the handle was a little orb, maybe the size of a tennis ball. It glowed faintly when I moved my hand near it.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Good luck..." Auren said softly from behind.

  Suddenly, a gust of wind roared to life. I closed my eyes and shielded my face as my hair whipped around.

  When I looked back, Auren had vanished. So had the tent, the footsteps, and really anything hinting a campsite had been there only moments before. All that remained was the swirling wind, tugging at my dress as if it were guiding me onward.

  I shook my head, exasperated but determined. Then came a little tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Rose hovering beside me, her tiny hands on her hips. She gave me a thumbs up, reminding me that at the very least, I wasn't truly alone.

  "Let's get this over with..." I breathed, stepping towards the cliffside.

  I foolishly took a glance downward. Butterflies danced in my stomach as I saw just how high up I was. I'd never really had a fear of heights before, but this was making me reconsider.

  * Get it together Mae! Caelin would have jumped by now! *

  I returned my attention to the little orb, unsure of what I was supposed to do. Holding my hand close, it began to emit a gentle green glow again, though nothing else happened after a minute holding it there.

  "How do I even work this thing?" I muttered.

  Spell casting had seemed to come naturally to me, even if Muganno's ring had helped accelerate my abilities. Channeling manaura on the other hand, was something else entirely. Another five minutes passed with me waving my hands, closing my eyes, and maybe shouting into the ether. Still, the glider remained motionless

  Rose fluttered off my shoulder and landed lightly on my hand. She tilted her head as her eyes darted from my hand to the space around me.

  "Well, Rose," I sighed, "got any hints?"

  She pondered for a moment before nodding her head. Holding her hands out towards the orb, she closed her eyes. A glowing green ball of energy shimmered to life in her palms.

  Suddenly, the glider jerked forwards, pulling me closer to the ledge as faint streams of light were absorbed into its focus.

  "Woaah!" I yelped, stumbling backwards and landing on my butt.

  Rose took to the air just as I hit the ground, her laughter tinkling around me.

  "Not funny!" I huffed. "But also... really cool! How did you do that?"

  She hovered back toward me, still smiling while scanning the air around me. With an outstretched hand, she called forth the ball of energy again, then traced a little rainbow over my head.

  "Charades is not what I expected on the final trial," I joked. "What are you pointing at?"

  She pointed to her ball of energy again, then repeated the arc over my head.

  "I still don't see what you're pointing at..." I muttered.

  Then it clicked.

  Ariel's voice echoed in my head. I remembered what she'd told me about petal fairies when we'd first met.

  "Wait... you're seeing my manaura, aren't you?" I asked.

  Rose nodded furiously.

  "And you want me to channel it?"

  More furious nodding.

  "And how do I do that?"

  Rose smiled, settling into her favorite spot on my shoulder. With a tiny-deep breath, she closed her eyes and stretched out her hands.

  I exhaled and decided to mimic her. Setting the glider down, I sat down with my legs crossed and my hands on my thighs. I felt ridiculous, but I closed my eyes and tried to focus anyway.

  We sat in silence. Minutes passed with no signs of change, other than the wind. Doubt was creeping in... what if I couldn't do it?

  A tiny pair of hands rested on mine, interrupting my thoughts of doubt. I opened my eyes, seeing Rose channel a bit of magic into my hand. She looked at me and nodded.

  I took another deep breath, closing my eyes again as I searched for her presence.

  I didn't notice anything abnormal at first. Maybe just a slight breeze dancing across my hands. I quickly realized that wasn't the case the more I focused on the sensation. Something was different about it. It was subtle, like the buzz of static electricity when you hold your hand near a balloon. The more I focused on it, the more I realized it wasn't just around my hand, it was actually all around me. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

  * Is that...? *

  I focused on that sensation around my hand, trying to 'will' it into moving. The buzz did little more than fluctuate. Next, I tried flexing my fingers and focusing on the joints of my hand. Still nothing.

  "This is harder than I thought..." I muttered.

  A swirl of wind swept across my hair, blowing some strands across my face.

  Another one of Ariel's proverbs surfaced in my mind: 'Magic requires focus and intent, otherwise... they're just words.'

  A soft laugh escaped my lips. "Of course you'd make it sound simple."

  This time, I didn't force it. I imagined a swirl of wind circling my hand while I focused on the buzzing sensation.

  Then... I felt it.

  The static rippled and tightened, tensing like strings tugging at my fingertips. The buzzing seemed suspended, as if waiting for a trigger to be pulled.

  I took the hint.

  "Elva," I whispered.

  The energy sprung to life, humming around my hand as if it were bees. A swirl of wind enveloped my hand right where all the energy had condensed. It nearly sent Rose flying.

  I laughed, breathless with excitement. For the first time since coming here, I actually felt the presence of my manaura. Not just use it— feel it!

  "Rose! Did you see that?" I cheered. "I did it! I actually felt it!"

  She straightened herself up, dusted off her skirt, and did little happy dance. She flashed me her iconic 'thumbs up' of approval.

  My smile must have been ear to ear. I leaned over and pressed my cheek against her, giving her a little 'cheek hug'.

  "Thank you, Rose!" I said, full of renewed confidence. "Alright, let's give this another shot!"

  I stood, lifting the glider as I hurried over to the ledge once again.

  "Hold on tight, Rose," I said as she took her position on my shoulder. "We're either making history— or a crater trying!"

  Regardless, I wasn't about to drop out now.

  And if I did? Well... at least Muganno could watch me drop out in style.