The dragon's scales of blue and pink crystal shimmer with the dwindling light of this half-world as the great dragon's neck extends and huge luminous orbs take in Tyrvaan and those that stand behind. A deep rumble seeps from her chest like the expulsion of a great sigh, causing crystals around the cavern to vibrate with a high-pitched ringing.

'More hath come,' the gentle voice appears in the minds of all, 'Such a long time with none to pass through, and now many have returned to mine world. What doth thou seek?'

The group stands speechless as they regard her, and Misxibis elbows Tyrvaan as Zips pushes him forward.

"Who else has come through here?" He grumbles.

'That ist not for thee to know. Till the test hath been passed, these answers cannot be given.'

"Do you know where we are? And how to get out of here?" Another sigh fills the room.

'Thou are in the Ether Realms. Created long ago by the Falmirians. Built as a gate to their most sacred of locations, I wast created to test those who wish to pass. To test thine worth.'

"Vhat happens if we fail?" Misxibis whispers, her voice echoing through the room.

'Should thou fail, thou couldst never leave this place, or thou couldst be ejected. Much depends on the manner of thine failure.'

"How many turns ve get?" Misxibis asks, licking her lips nervously.

'Turns?'

"How many tries, to do test?" The dragon nods in understanding.

'How many turns dost thou life hath?' Those behind Tyrvaan shuffle awkwardly as they exchange glances.

"Not long without rest," Tyrvaan grumbles, looking over his wounds and at those of his comrades. "Who is testing us? Is it you?" The dragon shakes its massive head, slowly.

'It dost come from within. Thou willst administer thine test. I am purely the judge.'

"Vat is test?" Mixsibis adds.

'What thou keepest deep within will be thine trial. Thine heart and soul. Thine fears and worries. Whost thou truly is.'

"Can... can we just leave?" Tyrvaan mumbles peering around.

'The choice ist ever thine. Thou mayest choose thine manner of departure. Whether thine soft body wouldst survive is unknown to me.' Charles lets out an awkward chuckle of laughter, before clamping his mouth shut as the hollow eyes of his companions turn to him. Zips steps out from behind Tyrvaan.

"We're not afraid of it! We have one of the dragons on our side!" She exclaims defiantly slapping Tyrvaan on the upper thigh and planeting her balled fists on her hips.

'Ahhh, one of dragon kind,' her voice purrs as her neck extends bringing her massive head up to Tyrvaan. 'Cousin... thou willst do fine. I canst see what is within thee.'

"Can ve recover first," Misxibis adds. "Probably night outside. Need to rest."

'Thou willst be rested upon commencement of the test."

Everyone shares another glance of confusion and Misxibis puts her hand to her head.

"Ow," she mumbles as she scrunches her face in discomfort and disappears. Heri takes an uncertain step back and shakes her head to clear it, vanishing a moment later.

"DRAGON!" Zips screams, her eyes bulging and her face reddening. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MISSY? GIVE HER BACK!" Her mighty head swings to Zips, though her eyes show nothing. No sympathy, no fear, and no sorrow.

"Where did they go?" Tyrvaan shouts, peering round.

'It wast their time. Thou will soon follow. It willst make sense in time.' Zips ignores the words and takes a step forward, pushing past Tyrvaan.

"Look dragon! If you don't give them back, I'm gonna be very cross!" Her great head swings to face Zips and she takes a step back as her eyes regard her with an otherworldly intensity. Zips falls to her knees and puts her hands to her temple as she lets out a squeak of pain and vanishes. A burning sword appears in Zylnan's hand and he peers around for any signs of danger.

"Charles do you see any magic... Charles?" He turns and finds him gone, swearing as he raises his sword in a defensive gesture.

"Sephina!" Talkoris calls and the others turn to find him glancing around fervently. Tyrvaan turns to his friends and watches as first Zylnan, then Ballen vanish from sight. He sighs as the pressure in his mind mounts and pulls the mace from his belt, and the shield from his back, before vanishing from the dragon's presence.

The Blue Crystal

'To labour in prejudice ist noble.

When thine world hates, spread care and peace.Change thine world with ebb and flow.Find those that hate most, and make them see.But fare well, for not all hearts canst be changed.And truth is knowing one from other.'

The voice of the dragon echoes in her head, and she peers around the giant blue crystal. The glowing palace she had been in moments before can be seen far in the distance of the abyss, shining like a white star in the darkness. A shadow slides from the crystal beneath her feet and materialises before her, flashing a dark wicked smile. One that is a perfect reflection of hers with glowing crimson eyes. Misxibis stares at the shadow replica of herself and her mouth drops open. She takes an uncertain step forward.

"Ve friends?" The shadow's grin becomes a smirk, one a little too wide.

"How could I be friends with such a monster!" she bites back. Misxibis rolls her eyes and puts her hand to her chest in an expression of mock pain.

"If I monster, you monster. We look exact same." The doppelganger mimics her pose.

"I am your heart. I see vot is in you! You're just as ugly on the outside as within. Everyvone can see it." She shouts, lifting her crossbow and letting loose. A bolt of shadow slams into Misxibis and burns. In reply green fire arcs from Misxibis, along the path of the bolt and envelopes the shadow.

"You're not my heart. You are mean person!" Misxibis shouts definitely and her eyes widen as black flame plummets towards her. "Oh stars..." It crashes over her and Misxibis grits her teeth against a scream as it burns. As it subsides and she rights herself, she finds the broad shoulders of Tyrvaan standing before her, his head cocked to the side, as a shadow of him materialises beside the shadow of Misxibis. She sighs, draws her crossbow, and fires, the bolt swings wide and clatters across the smooth surface of the crystal before vanishing into the darkness below. She waves her hand and magic glows around her closing some of her wounds. Tyrvaan holds out his arm and places it encouragingly on Misxibis' shoulder. Light and magic flow into her and the rest of her wounds knit shut. She takes a deep breath, feeling revitalised, and nods to him.

Tyrvaan's shadow charges, swiping with his mace, though he side-steps the swing and it passes harmlessly through the air. A bolt of shadow slams into Misxibis and she staggers back.

"Bitch!" she shouts and green fire explodes towards her shadow, wreathing her thrashing form. The shadow snarls and raises her hand, darkness appears around it and the wounds begin to close. Tyrvaan growls.

"This is not our way, Demon!" A bloom of fire explodes from his mouth and coats both of the shadows in flame. As the fire dissipates the shadows stand tall, their crimson eyes glowing with anger.

"You know you can't win this war! You left your people to die. They'll perish without you, and it's all your fault" the shadow of Tyrvaan rumbles.

"How dare you!" Tyrvaan booms, as Misxibis fires her crossbow and it slams into her doppelganger. She glares and replies in kind as her fiery shadow bolt catches Misxibis' shoulder. A spark of green fire erupts from her body and sizzles against the shadow, though it pays it little heed. Black fire blooms around the doppelganger and barrels towards Misxibis.

"You're a monster. You know vhat ve really are! Vere ve come from! Ve vill destroy this planet!" She screams and Misxibis' eyes widen as the wave crashes onto her and burns. The flesh peels from her skin, becoming charred and blackened as Misxibis staggers to one knee.

“Ow…,” she mumbles through clenched teeth. Tyrvaan’s shadow steps up to him and raises it mace. Darkness coalesces around its tip and it slams it against his chest. The shadow explodes with a wave of force and fire and Tyrvaan staggers back from the exploding darkness. He snarls in rage, as the darkness burns around him and charges.

He seizes the shadow, finding its form hard beneath his claws, and heaves it above his head.

"I didn't forsake my clan, and I will never give up!" He roars as he throws the thrashing shadow into the abyss. Mace and shield fall from its claws as it tumbles head over heels into the darkness, bellowing with a roar of rage as it breathes dark fire.

Tyrvaan turns to the beleaguered Misxibis and waves his hand. A shield of light springs about her and she pushes herself to her feet, unstoppers her potion, and downs it. Misxibis' wounds begin to close. The shadow darts for her, drawing her dagger and ducking beneath the outstretched claws of Tyrvaan. She swipes wildly and Misxibis jumps back as its blade passes inches from her face.

Tyrvaan spins and brings his mace down upon the shadows' head. Light explodes from the darkness high above and Misxibis raises her hand to shield her eyes. A beam of pure light slams down with ground-shattering force, consuming the shadow. Its form burns up beneath the power of holy energy, and as it dissipates Tyrvaan lets out a triumphant shout. The giant crystal cracks and the platform begins to float away as Tyrvaan vanishes.

Misxibis' hand goes to her chest and she feels a profound sadness and calm at the death of the shadow. She gazes into space for a moment, alone, and then vanishes.

The Amber Crystal

Heri stumbles back as his foot lands upon an uneven surface.

'Loneliness kills as much as sword or spell.

But something lost canst always be found.Search where thou became lost, and the hole in thine heart canst close.'

The dragons' words echo in his mind and he surveys the dozens of small broken amber crystals before him. His eyes lock onto a shadow of himself materialising upon the opposite floating crystal, eyes blazing with crimson fire. Heri doesn't waver, but draws his bow and looses an arrow across the space. It flies true and slams into the shadow's shoulder. The creature rocks back a step and snarls in reply, a sound that fills Heri's mind, rather than his ears. The shadow pulls the arrow from its chest, drops it into the darkness, and draws its bow.

"I know what you've lost inside you. You'll never reclaim it!" It screams as a bolt of shadow flies across the space and washes over Heri, burning with agonising black fire. He grits his teeth as the fire burns itself out and turns as Ballen appears upon a crystal before him, standing face to face with his shadowy doppelganger. He strikes a combative pose and Heri shoots another arrow that drives deep into the shadow's shoulder.

"You'll never find your missing heart!" the shadow calls and releases another bolt of darkness that wreaths Heri's body in black flame. Ballen swipes, over-extending himself, and his shadow slashes across his side with a longsword.

"You'll never find your family again." It breathes, disgust tinging its voice. Ballen swipes back, but the shadow easily dodges. Heri draws her bow, sights down the shaft of the arrow, and breathes what little magic he has left. Luminous butterflies flap from his mouth and circle the shaft of the arrow and he lets fly. It drives dead centre into the shadow's chest and the creature grimaces, before exploding into motes of darkness. Heri freezes, deja vu gripping him, as he remembers the out-of-body sight of his dead self pinned to the wall of The Sandlion. He shakes the thought from his mind, as a weight vanishes from his heart, and tension he's held since that moment dissipates.

Ballen catches the shadow’s blow on the haft of his halberd, spins it around him and slashes across its chest, leaving a deep, dark wound.

"I will always have friends," he says back, his eyes narrowing. An arrow flies past the shadows' shoulder into the darkness and Heri swears loudly, before vanishing from sight.

The shadow slashes forward, leaving a gash across Ballen's chest. He stumbles to his knee as his hand instinctively goes to the wound. Blood drips and begins to pool beneath his feet, and he moans as he stands upright again. He slashes forward, his foot slipping in the blood and the shadow catches the haft with one hand, steps forward, and drives the sword into Ballen's chest.

"You were never good enough. That's why they left you," it whispers in his ear. Ballen's halberd falls from limp fingers, clattering to the crystal and he coughs blood. The shadow yanks the sword out and leers down at him with a smirk of satisfaction, before planting his boot on his chest and kicking him from the crystal. Ballen felt none of this, his body numb to the pain. The weightlessness feels right and as the sight of his triumphant shadow shrinks from view, darkness consumes him.

The Emerald Crystal

'Prophecy ist a heavy burden.

It will cheat and lead thee to darkness.Rise above the dangers.See with eyes of crystal clarity, what thine true goal ist, or fall to doom.'

"Did you hear that?" Sephina asks and Zips nods her head as two shadows blossom from the emerald crystal beneath their feet, taking their forms and striking combative poses.

"Yes. I heard something about prophecy," Sephina nods and a blue potion appears in her hand with swirling silver flakes. She downs its contents and pockets the vial as two daggers appear in her hands. She darts forward, her form blurring with speed as she swipes at her own shadow with four vicious swipes, each removing chunks of shadow from its body.

"You'll never be good enough!" It screams in Sephina's face. Zips ducks beneath Sephina's shadow, avoiding her doppelganger entirely, and drives her rapier up into its back.

"You think you're cute! But you're not!" Zips' shadow calls, swiping her rapier at her. Zips sidesteps the blow as Sephina drives her dagger into her shadow once more.

"Why are you doing this?" Zips shouts.

"You don't deserve what you have? You know in your heart you don't deserve it!" Zips stabs up, her rapier point driving through Sephina's shadow and out through her heart.

"You'll never fulfill the prophecy," it mumbles, its eyes narrowing. Sephina kisses the palm of her hand and blows it into the shadows' face as it swirls around the rapier's blade and vanishes. She shoots a wink at Zips.

"You need to stop fighting me. You know how this is going to end." Zips says, turning to her shadow.

“I am you! I know exactly how this is going to end,” the shadow drives its rapier towards Zipz’s heart but she dips to the side and it passes through clean air. Sephina dodges behind, her form blurring with speed and slashes wildly at its back, knocking her forward beneath her frenzied assault. Zipz grabs her stumbling shadow by the shoulder and steps into its guard, driving her rapier through its chest. She peers into the hateful crimson eyes and sighs.

"I told you how this would end, and I am beautiful." The shadow sneers in reply and explodes into rapidly vanishing motes of darkness. Zips feels a sense of relief at its disappearance and smiles at Sephina. The words she heard when she first stepped onto the crystal echo in her mind and she tilts her head in thought. She knows with certainty that prophecy will play a heavy role in her life, and in Sephina's too, and that is what brought them to this emerald crystal.

"You're alright!" Zips says.

"You too," Sephina nods. "I like you. Ever thought about joining The Purple Hand?"

"Ooohhhh, what's the pay like?"

"Keep what you steal?" Zips grins.

"I do that already. I'll stay with my friends, for now."

"Well if you ever need my help. Don't hesitate to find me."

Zips smiles and vanishes along with Sephina.

The Green Crystal

Charles glances around at the broken green crystals scattered before him, his eyes landing upon the shadow of himself across the abyss.

'Duty ist as heavy as a mountain.

Its rocks willst break and crush.Thou cannot run or dodge its onslaught.But, trust in others canst hold it back.They canst grant you strength beyond thine thought.'

"Heavy as a mountain, huh!" Charles holds his hand before him and squeezes his fingers. The crystals beneath his shadow's feet begin to churn and take the form of a giant hand, though it deftly leaps back as the crystal seeks to seize him. Talkoris materialises beside Charles and looks at him, before glancing at his shadow and the newly forming shadow of himself. He charges Charles' shadow, jumping the chasm between them, landing easily, and swipes at it leaving a deep burning slash across its chest.

"Get out of my way! You're not the one I need to kill!" The shadow screams locking eyes on Talkoris as it stumbles back a step. He rights himself and a shadowy ice shard appears before him, shooting across the intervening space, slamming into Charles's body, and exploding, as Charles scrambles away.

"You're not strong enough to be a leader!" The shadow calls. Talkoris's shadow runs across the crystals, jumping onto the last and landing within the body of Charles' shadow. He swipes forward, but the blow is caught easily on Talkoris' shield. The crystal arm clamps onto Charles' shadow and squeezes, motes of darkness leaking through its thick fingers. Talkoris steps forward taking advantage of the distraction and swipes twice. The first drives into his shadow and the next cleaves Charles in two. Motes of darkness explode and disperse into nothing. Charles feels a sudden lightness in his chest, as if a weight has been lifted, and sighs in relief.

"You’ll never be as good as your brothers. You’ll never make the changes you wish,” Talkoris’ shadow snarls, swiping with his blade, only for his attacks to be easily batted aside. Three arcane blades appear around Charles and he directs them forward with startling speed. They fly through the shadow, each emitting a puff of darkness from its back. It he staggers beneath the assault and Talkoris seizes the advantage, stepping forward slashing back and forth across its chest before removing its head with a final spinning blow of his magic sword.

The shadow explodes into vapour and he sighs, sliding his sword back into his scabbard and waving thanks to Charles. Charles nods and smiles, as everything shimmers and he vanishes from sight.

The Red Crystal

Zylnan staggers, his back colliding with something solid and he peers around at an arena surrounded entirely by huge red crystals. They all but touch above, revealing darkness and distant broken crystals without, and a shadow grows before him, holding a matching longsword wreathed in black fire.

'What's hidden within causes great harm.

To thoust and others.Release the pain. Release the secrets.Or perish with them.'

Revin peers at Zylnan, a grimace on his face, then turns to his shadow doppelganger, his expression changing to visible worry and fear. A ball of fire appears in his hand and he throws it with as much force as he can muster. It burns a chunk from the shadow's shoulder and it snarls.

"You're a traitor. You know it, and I know it. You'll never outlive that!" The shadow shouts in return. The shadow charges and Zylnan brings his sword up in time to block. Their swords and eyes lock, and Zylnan sees the burning hatred in the crimson eyes of his doppelganger. A beam of frost cuts across the crystal behind them as Revin's magic goes wide, missing his shadow.

Zylnan waves his arm and his form begins to shimmer and blur. "What is he talking about?" He shouts to Revin, who flicks a glance at him.

"Don't listen to it! It's clearly a hallucination!" he calls back. Zylnan arches an eyebrow, then dips to the side as his shadow's blade passes through the blurred image of him and rings as it strikes the crystal behind.

"You can't hide. I know your secrets. I know the real you," the shadow shouts, turning to Zylnan. Zylnan swipes with his sword and cuts cleanly across the shadow's chest, shouting

"You must have heard the same message. We'll talk after this Revin!" Darts appear in the air around Revin and shoot towards his shadow.

“Talk about me! What about you? This one is saying you posses dark secrets.” He calls to Zylnan. The shadow swipes at Zylnan and he parries, cutting back and leaving a gash across his chest. A bolt of fire slams into Revin and he staggers.

"Die you traitor!" The shadow screams at Revin, as Zylnan ducks another swing of his shadow's sword, and swipes back, catching it in the shoulder. The two dance back and forth, exchanging dozens of blows and Zylnan starts to feel the strain as sweat beads on his face. Revin shouts triumphantly as his shadow explodes beneath the force of an exploding shard of ice. Zylnan takes a blow to his shoulder and ducks another, sweeping his sword through the shadow's legs as several arrows of magic smash through the shadow's chest. Revin abruptly vanishes and the shadow falls to the ground, scrambling back across the crystal. Zylnan strides forward and drives his sword down through his doppelganger's chest. It explodes into melting motes of darkness and Zylnan lets out a sigh of relief as a lightness imbues his heart. He peers around at the red crystals and vanishes from the arena.

Charles finds himself once more before the great dragon and peers around to find himself alone.

'Well fought. Take thine prize.' The voice appears in his head and it gestures towards an altar, upon which lie nine items. He steps up and grabs the familiar pages of his research notes, the ones placed upon the altar to gain his key. They shine with a crystalline green complexion and as he lifts them up, he notes the words scrawled across the top of the page in a hand, not his own.

'Knowledge grants power. Trust grants Strength. Duty grants honour. Use them well.'

Charles thumbs through the book and nods to the dragon in thanks. Heri appears in the space he had and he feels a moment of relief at the sight of his friend. Heri tilts his head as the dragon regards her and he turns to the altar and Charles.

"You made it then?"

"Aye, and Talkoris. Yours?"

"Ballen was still fighting when I disappeared." Charles nods in thought and gestures to the altar behind him. Heri smiles and steps up. His eyes widen and he grabs the remade amulet, gifted him by Titania, and presses it tightly to his chest. He lifts it to his face, studying it as he had so many times before, and sees an inscription glittering across its metal filigree.

'A hole lies within your heart. A touch of death. It will consume you unless dealt with. Seek out the one shown, free her, or perish. May this gift guide you there.'

Heri lets out a slow breath as Zips appears beside Sephina. Zips runs to the alter, climbing up and swiping her emerald-tinted dice.

"Yay! My favourite dice!" she exclaims. She turns them over in her hand, feeling the indents along their edges, and reads the words carved there aloud.

"Even the smallest act, in a single moment can change everything. Hmmmm. What does that mean?" Charles shrugs.

"I think they're special. Try throwing them?" Zips hops down and throws the dice across the floor. As they stop rolling, they turn to emerald crystal and a number appears above them.

"Oohhh, I see now!"

"What does it do?" Heri asks, leaning closer.

"It's a secret!" Zips sings, grinning as she scoops them up. Sephina grabs something from the altar and ties it around her neck, as the others watch Zips. Talkoris appears next and greets the party with a warm smile, before moving forward and clapping his hand onto Sephina's shoulder in triumph. Tyrvaan arrives a few moments later and takes in his friends, acknowledging their triumph with a nod and steps towards the alter. He quickly grabs at the gauntlets there and bares his teeth, a smile amongst the dragonkin. He turns them over in his hands and inspects the dracanoid writing scrawled across the metal.

'The power to heal and harm. To save those you deem worthy. Beware the power does not corrupt who you truly are.'

"Missy!" Zips exclaims from behind and he turns to find the battered tiefling stagger forward and embrace her friend, whose enthusiasm nearly barrels her over.

"I knew you'd all make it! It was easy!" Zips shouts, turning to the others with a grin. Misxibis glares at the great dragon before limping towards the altar and emitting a squeak of glee as she grabs at the lute sparkling with blue crystal and reads the inscription carved across its neck.

'To help or hurt. To hurt now can ease future suffering, or magnify it a hundredfold. These are the choices of mortals. Your choices. Take this tool and let it remind you of when to choose one or the other. To help or hurt.'

Misxibis hugs the lute and turns to the others.

"Ve did well, yes?" The others nod, though a few turn to the spot where they appeared, hints of concern visible on their faces. Time passes in silence. Revin appears and smiles weakly, looking around at the others and moving towards Talkoris and Sephina. Zylnan appears next, light wounds leaking blood, and Tyrvaan steps up, clamping a hand on his shoulder and nodding. Light flows down his arm and the wounds begin to close.

"Thank you, friend," Zylnan acknowledges and steps around him and past the others who watch him go. He steps up to the altar and picks up a simple copper ring. He peers inside, reading an inscription that wasn't there before.

'Secrets burn and kill, but the choice to choose trust is yours, and yours alone.'

He slips it onto his finger and turns to the others, his eyes catching on Revin as he eyes him suspiciously.

'You have all done well in your test, and these rewards will help you with what is to come.' The great dragon's voice appears in their head and they all turn to it.

"Wait, wait. What about Ballen? He isn't here yet," Charles interrupts, peering around at the others.

'I could not stop, he who passed before, for he held the Gem of Lanikor, and I am not bid to stop his entry into the temple of Vidinor.' The dragon continued.

'Hey!" Zips adds as others begin to rumble with uncertainty. "Where's Ballen?" Misxibis and Tyrvaan turn to the altar and see the boots of amber crystal, the last remaining item, crumble to shards.

'I slowed his passage through the Ether, for I saw darkness in his heart and future. He should not have arrived long before you. Good luck, adventurers.' The voice reverberated through their minds.

"Wait!" a collective shout rose from the group, as they vanished.