I staggered to my feet, dismissing Ember in my grip. My chest heaved, every breath scraping against the hollow ache left by the Limit Break. Kelv’s head lay somewhere behind me, forgotten, kicked aside like the trash he was.
Balt was the first to reach me. His grin was wide, blood streaked across his cheek, and without a word he thrust out his fist. I met it with mine, knuckles clashing, the sound sharp and solid in the silence after battle.
“Hell of a move,” Balt said, voice rough but proud.
Tale came next, his eyes bright with exhaustion and triumph. He didn’t speak at first, just looked at me, then at the battlefield, then back again. Finally, he let out a shaky laugh. “We did it.”
The Duke’s boots echoed as he approached, his eyes sunken but his bearing unbroken. He placed a hand on my shoulder and Balt’s, the weight grounding me. “Thank you both; we could not have won the day without your efforts.”
Before I could answer, Kelv’s apprentice Alexandra appeared, her portal magic swirling like ribbons of light. She glanced at Kelv’s severed head, lips curling into a smirk. “Now your face matches your heart. Guess you should’ve stuck to opening doors instead of betraying kingdoms.”
The Duke gestured to her. “Alexandra, if you would be so kind.” With a flick of her wrist, the air tore open, revealing the shimmering gateway to Whiterock. “Come on, heroes. Drinks are on me,” said Duke Randall.
We shared tired smiles as we stepped through together, the battlefield dissolving behind us. Whiterock greeted us with warmth and light. The city’s white stone towers rose so high that the darkness swallowed their peaks, banners rippling against the night wind.
Before we could part, the Duke turned to Tale, his voice steady but edged with command.
“Captain, before you go to recover, you and Alexandra gather some men and post them at the outpost. Kelv was destroying them for a reason. If another force sees the outpost well-manned, they’ll think twice about whatever plan they’ve devised. Clean it up for me.”
Tale straightened, exhaustion hidden beneath discipline. “Yes, my Duke.”
Alexandra gave a sharp nod, her portal magic still flickering faintly around her fingers. “I’ll do all I can to defend my home. And I am ready if you are, Captain?”
Balt clapped Tale on the shoulder, grinning despite the blood still drying on his armor. “It will be done. No one’s taking our ground again so easily under our noses.”
The Duke’s gaze lingered on us all, heavy with pride. “Rest tonight. Tomorrow, we rebuild and try to combat this infernal Blackfern once and for all.”
Servants ushered us into a grand hall, then up to a suite of rooms fit for royalty. Plush chairs, polished tables, and beds softer than clouds it felt almost unreal after the blood and fire.
I sank into a chair, exhaustion pulling at me, and was on the verge of sleep when the door opened.
Lawson stepped inside, his presence commanding yet calm, eyes sharp as ever. He closed the door softly behind him before speaking.
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“Well,” he said, his voice carrying both relief and expectation, “you’ve done it. But we leave in the morning. The next floor I’ve chosen is part of your reward for completing this one with flying colors.”
“What’s so special about the next floor?” Balt asked. I leaned forward, listening intently, that was exactly the question I’d been about to ask.
“There’s a System tournament about to begin,” Lawson explained. “You both need to take part in it. The world hosting it runs on a slight time dilation compared to these last floors and the dungeon world you came from three to one, to be exact. But we can’t enter until tomorrow.”
My excitement flared. “So you mean… every three days there is only one day everywhere else?” I asked.
Lawson gave a single, deliberate nod.
Lawson’s eyes lingered on us, sharp but softened by something rare pride. He folded his arms, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“You’ve done well,” he said. “Better than I could have asked. Get some sleep. You’ve earned it. Tomorrow comes quickly, and you’ll need your strength.”
For a moment, the weight of his words settled over me heavier than any armor. Pride. From Lawson. I nodded, too tired to speak, and Balt gave a lazy salute before collapsing onto his bed. I barely made it to mine before sleep claimed me.
Morning came with the warmth of sunlight spilling through the high windows. Balt and I had already dragged ourselves through a much-needed shower, the grime of battle finally washed away. I was toweling my hair when a knock at the door.
I opened it and froze. “Sara?”
Before I could say more, she threw her arms around me, holding me tight. I felt her trembling, the relief in her grip.
“Leon’s with the Duke,” she said quickly, pulling back just enough to look at me. “Alexandra tracked us down and portaled us here in the night. I couldn’t wait any longer for you to come downstairs.”
My chest tightened. Leon. Safe. With the Duke, thank the system.
Sara’s eyes searched mine, hopeful. “When are you coming down? Leon wants to see you.”
Before I could answer, Lawson’s voice slid into my mind, calm and absolute. “It’s time to go.”
I swallowed hard, the words heavy on my tongue. “Sara… it’s time for me and Balt to leave. We’ve got somewhere we have to be.”
Her brow furrowed. “But there’s so much to do here. The city needs you. We need you.”
I forced a smile, though my heart ached. “The Duke has you to help him. Between Captain Tale and the Duke now having his son at his side… everything will be okay. Better than okay.”
Her lips trembled. “When are you leaving?”
I met her gaze, steady. “Right now.”
She didn’t argue. Instead, she pulled me into another fierce hug, clinging like she could anchor me here. I held her just as tightly, patting her on the back. Our time together was short but memorable. When she finally let go, she turned to Balt and wrapped him in a hug too. He patted her back awkwardly, but his grin was softer than I’d ever seen.
Tears welled in her eyes as she stepped back. She tried to smile, but her voice cracked. “Then go. Do what you have to do but know you always have a place at Blackfern.”
The door closed gently behind her, leaving silence in its wake.
I stood there for a long moment, staring at the wood grain of the door, feeling the ache of goodbye settle deep in my chest. Then I reached into my Anchor and pulled out the Sector Key. Its surface shimmered with otherworldly light, humming with power.
As much as I wanted to stay and help, I knew every bond I made on these floors was temporary. That didn’t make them any less important but my true goal was clear. I had to grow strong enough to save Alice and Liz. The next floor promised more time, more trials, and more chances to sharpen my power.
The air split open before me, a portal swirling into existence, its edges glowing like molten steel. The pull of the next floor beckoned, promising challenge, danger, and something greater than anything we had faced before.
Balt stepped up beside me, his presence solid and unshakable. He glanced at the portal, then at me, his grin wide and reckless. “You ready for this? I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be our most epic floor yet.”
My lips curved into a smile that was equal parts focus and anticipation. “You bet I am.”
Whatever waited beyond that light it would bring me one step closer to saving them.
Together, without hesitation, we leapt through the light.
How was floor 3?
