Vikram sat weakly against the broken remains of a wooden cart while the burning village slowly quieted around him. Smoke drifted through the cold night air. Pirates who survived had already fled into the jungle while villagers desperately extinguished the remaining fires spreading between homes. Somewhere farther away, dogs still growled around the captain's corpse while oxen snorted heavily beside the ruined streets. But Vikram barely noticed any of it anymore.
Because Seraphina was hugging him.
Her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders while tears continued rolling softly down her cheeks. Her body trembled slightly against him from exhaustion and relief. Vikram could still feel warmth from where the bullet had pierced his shoulder, but strangely the pain no longer mattered much.
"You saved me…" she whispered again quietly.
Vikram laughed weakly before burying his face gently into the crook of her neck. Her hair smelled faintly of flowers and smoke mixed together. For first time since entering this insane trial, everything felt strangely calm.
Peaceful.
Safe.
Then her voice suddenly changed.
"Vikram…"
The softness remained.
But something about the tone felt… different.
Gentler.
Older somehow.
"You should get up now."
Vikram slowly opened his eyes.
And froze.
Seraphina's appearance had completely changed.
The simple torn village dress was gone. In its place she now wore an elegant royal gown colored deep blue and white with silver embroidery flowing across the fabric like moonlight on water. A delicate silver crown rested upon her head while her long hair shimmered softly behind her.
The burning village had vanished too.
Vikram looked around in confusion.
They were no longer outside.
They stood inside a massive sanctuary-like chamber filled with warm glowing light. Trees grew directly through the polished floor while rivers floated gently through the air without falling. Golden vines wrapped around pillars carved from white stone. The ceiling looked like an endless night sky filled with slow-moving stars.
Vikram blinked several times.
"…What."
The girl stepped away from him gracefully before walking toward a massive throne positioned near the center of the chamber. The throne itself looked alive, crafted from intertwining wood, golden roots, and flowering plants blooming directly from the armrests.
Then she sat down elegantly while crossing one leg over the other.
And immediately ruined the entire divine atmosphere.
"Nah…" she mocked dramatically while mimicking Vikram's voice terribly. "You saved me…"
She placed one hand against her forehead theatrically.
"Uff… I almost fell for you."
Then she pointed toward him lazily.
"But you're not my type."
She burst into laughter immediately afterward.
Vikram's forehead vein visibly popped.
"Can you stop doing that?"
Her laughter somehow got worse.
"Oh gods, your face right now"
"You are unbelievably annoying."
She wiped fake tears dramatically from her eyes. "And short tempered too."
Vikram finally noticed something else.
His body felt normal again.
No bullet wound.
No bruises.
No exhaustion.
He looked down at his hands before cautiously punching a nearby tree growing through the chamber floor.
CRACK.
The tree shattered apart instantly.
Vikram sighed in relief. "Okay good. My powers are back."
The crowned girl rested her chin against one hand lazily. "Of course they are. During the trial your abilities were sealed completely."
Vikram turned toward her suspiciously. "So the whole thing was fake?"
The girl smiled mysteriously.
"Not entirely."
Then she straightened proudly against her throne.
"I suppose introductions are necessary now." She placed one hand against her chest elegantly. "I am Vaijanti. Heavenly Queen representative of Responsibility."
She paused proudly.
Then immediately pointed toward him.
"And you cry surprisingly easily."
"I was not crying."
"You absolutely were."
"That was smoke!"
"There was no smoke during the hugging scene."
Vikram looked genuinely offended.
Vaijanti laughed again before continuing more calmly. "You passed the trial because you fulfilled responsibility despite being powerless."
The teasing faded slightly from her voice now.
"You could have abandoned Seraphina many times. Logically speaking, leaving her behind would have increased your survival chances greatly."
Vikram crossed his arms. "Yeah well. Felt wrong."
Vaijanti smiled softly at that.
"You made a promise."
Images briefly flickered through the sanctuary air around them.
The pirate ship.
The village.
Seraphina crying.
"I'll protect you."
Vaijanti pointed toward the memory gently.
"You took responsibility for another life despite having no certainty you could protect her." She leaned back against her throne with satisfied expression. "Vaijanti happy."
Then she winked.
Vikram stared at her blankly. "Did you just refer to yourself in third person?"
"Yes."
"That's horrifying."
She ignored him completely.
After several quiet seconds Vikram suddenly asked, "So… Seraphina wasn't real?"
Vaijanti went silent.
Just for a heartbeat.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
Then she smiled normally again.
"Of course not. It was a constructed trial."
But something about that tiny pause bothered him slightly.
Like she answered too carefully.
Still, he eventually let it go.
Probably overthinking.
Vaijanti suddenly clapped her hands cheerfully. "Anyway! Reward time."
Her entire mood shifted instantly like an excited child.
"Your Mudra please."
Vikram pulled the Supreme King Mudra from his pocket carefully before handing it toward her.
The moment Vaijanti touched it, the entire sanctuary dimmed slightly.
Golden symbols began rotating around the coin while energy flowed between her fingers into the Mudra itself.
Then glowing circles suddenly formed beneath Vikram's feet.
Wind spiraled around him softly.
The sensation felt strange.
Light.
Like gravity itself weakened briefly.
The circles expanded outward before disappearing completely.
Vaijanti tossed the Mudra back casually.
"There." She smiled proudly. "Air Foot ability."
Vikram frowned. "What does that even mean?"
"You can briefly step on space itself."
"…What."
She pointed upward.
"Jump."
Vikram hesitated before lightly hopping.
For half second
His foot actually landed against empty air.
Like an invisible platform existed there.
Then gravity returned and he crashed face-first onto the floor.
Vaijanti immediately started laughing again.
"That looked stupid."
Vikram groaned from the ground. "You could have warned me!"
A loud knock suddenly echoed through the sanctuary doors.
Before either could react
The doors opened.
Power walked inside with her usual attitude of someone permanently convinced she was smartest being alive.
She wore her familiar crimson and white royal clothing while her braided hair swung behind her confidently.
Her eyes immediately landed on Vikram laying face-down on the floor.
"…So you passed?" she asked casually. "Good. Otherwise I would've kicked you out of the palace myself."
Vikram slowly lifted his head from the floor in disbelief.
"That's so mean."
Power shrugged. "Skill issue."
Vaijanti giggled from her throne while Power crossed her arms proudly.
Vikram pointed accusingly between both of them. "Why are all heavenly queens mentally unstable?"
Power narrowed her eyes instantly.
"Excuse me?"
Before Vikram could apologize, Vaijanti suddenly walked toward him and gently patted his head affectionately.
"Still," she said softly, "thank you for saving me."
Vikram blinked in confusion.
"…You mean Seraphina?"
Vaijanti smiled mysteriously again.
"Even if it wasn't real."
For some reason those words felt strange.
Too soft.
Too personal.
Before Vikram could think further, Vaijanti suddenly pulled her hand back dramatically.
"But no misunderstandings!" she announced loudly. "I'm not interested in short kings."
Vikram stared at her in disbelief.
Vaijanti proudly lifted her chin. "I am six feet tall after all."
Power nodded thoughtfully beside him. "Valid point honestly."
Vikram looked genuinely betrayed.
Then slowly he turned toward Power.
"Give me your sandal."
Power blinked once.
Then casually removed one sandal and handed it over.
"Sure."
Without hesitation Vikram launched the sandal directly at Vaijanti's face.
THWACK.
Vaijanti gasped dramatically while holding her cheek. "SO RUDE!"
Power immediately nodded in agreement toward Vikram.
"Huh. You deserved it."
"You traitor!"
Suddenly the entire sanctuary floor shook.
Water erupted violently from beneath the throne room like exploding rivers.
Vikram barely had time screaming before the flood swept both him and Power completely across the chamber.
"YOU BAMBOO WOMAN!" Power shouted furiously while tumbling through water beside him.
Vaijanti stood safely atop her throne laughing victoriously.
"OUT!"
A gigantic wave smashed directly into Vikram and Power before launching both through the sanctuary doors.
SLAM.
The doors shut instantly afterward.
Power immediately marched back toward them angrily while soaking wet.
"HEY!" she yelled while banging against the door. "Open this door right now! Do you want beef with me you oversized bamboo!?"
Silence answered her.
Vikram slowly stood up beside her dripping water everywhere.
Then he looked toward Power carefully.
"You guys are definitely not goddesses."
Power immediately smacked the back of his head hard enough to blur his vision.
The world spun.
Then everything vanished.
Vikram suddenly woke back inside his room in his home .
Silence filled the room softly.
For several moments he simply stared upward at the ceiling while thinking about everything that happened.
The pirate ship.
The village.
Seraphina.
Vaijanti.
Responsibility.
Then his fingers slowly tightened around the Mudra resting in his palm.
Two test completed.
Thirty queens remained.
Vikram sighed heavily before closing his eyes again.
"…What nightmare is next now?"