The Hollow was silent.
Not from peace, but aftermath.
The Bloodmarked Duel had left a scar on the amphitheater: fractured stone, blackened air, the scorched outlines of power unleashed. Caesar stood at its heart, his hand still tingling from the memory shard he'd absorbed from Valen Dray.
Above, the mist churned unnaturally.
Something had changed.
Jack broke the silence. "We're in third place now. That puts us in the Ascension Bracket."
Leo cracked his knuckles. "So, what—someone sends us a ladder?"
Jack didn't laugh. "No. Something worse."
As if on cue, the sky above them pulsed red. A massive ring of crimson glyphs lit up over the Hollow, casting rays of distorted sunlight down upon the shattered land.
A voice boomed—one they hadn't heard before, yet felt carved into their very bones.
> "Ascension Trial Initiated.
Combatants Ranked 3rd through 5th:
Caesar.
House Ironsong.
The Laughing Shade.
Prepare. You ascend only if you survive.**"
The clouds above parted like curtains—revealing a spiral staircase of floating platforms leading to the next island, suspended in the void.
Each platform glowed with ancient runes.
Jack squinted up. "Is this thing serious? It's like a floating dungeon crawl."
Leo grinned. "Good. I hate elevators anyway."
But Caesar wasn't smiling.
Because that voice—the one from the glyphs—was the same one from his dream.
The Warden was watching.
And whatever the Ascension Trial was, it wasn't just about climbing.
It was about being judged.
---
The First Platform
The three of them stood on the outer ring of the lowest platform. Runes flickered beneath their feet as they stepped forward.
Then the mist thickened into shape—humanoid, ten feet tall, armed with double-bladed axes and featureless faces.
Trial Sentinels.
> Challenge 1: Survival Round
"Endure. Adapt. Do not fall."
The Sentinels attacked without hesitation.
Caesar's whip danced like lightning, wrapping one around the legs and yanking hard. Leo drove forward, fists ablaze with new upgrades—Molten Uppercut, a card he'd unlocked from their last clash.
Jack flanked, setting pulse traps that redirected two of the Sentinels into each other.
It was grueling.
Each Sentinel adapted—mimicking Caesar's movements, resisting Leo's flames, countering Jack's tactics.
But Caesar adapted faster.
He triggered Bonecaller's Resilience, absorbed earlier, and turned one Sentinel's broken blade into a temporary weapon.
Five minutes of blood and dust later, the platform rang hollow.
The Sentinels were gone.
> Challenge Passed.
Next Platform: Activated.
---
The Second Platform
The air grew colder.
This one wasn't about combat. It was worse.
A single card floated at the center, glowing with sickly green light.
> Challenge 2: Temptation Round
"One may draw. One may sacrifice. One may watch."
A table formed.
On it lay three cards:
1. [Forbidden Upgrade: +3 Power, but permanently corrupts your lowest card]
2. [Memory Drain: Trade a personal memory for a rare ability]
3. [Null Sigil: Erase one card permanently for complete healing]
Jack read them aloud, voice dry. "Wow. Really makes you miss punching monsters."
Leo stepped forward. "I'll take the first one."
"Wait," Caesar said. "You sure?"
Leo didn't hesitate. "We don't win by playing safe."
He grabbed the Forbidden Upgrade.
A burning brand appeared on the back of his hand—and one of his older cards, Fist of Echo, turned black and cracked.
> Corruption Registered.
Power +3. Fist of Echo: Permanently unstable.
Jack gave a low whistle. "You're either brave or nuts."
"I'm both."
Jack chose to watch, keeping his deck intact.
Caesar took the Memory Drain.
Instantly, a memory vanished from his mind—a girl's face, laughing on a beach.
He didn't remember her name. Only the echo of a feeling.
> Card Gained: Phantom Step
"Teleport short distance. Cooldown: 10 seconds."
His heart was colder now, but his deck was stronger.
> Challenge Passed.
Next Platform: Activated.
---
The Third Platform
They weren't alone this time.
Two other teams stood across the stone circle: House Ironsong, clad in runed armor and war masks, and The Laughing Shade, masked figures with sharp-edged smiles and decks that shimmered like mirages.
The glyphs above turned crimson.
> Final Challenge: Dominance Trial
"One team ascends. Two are returned to ash."
Jack grimaced. "Straight fight, huh?"
"No," Caesar said. "Look at the runes. Only one card may be used per duelist. One move. Sudden death."
The rules lit up in runes:
Each member picks one card.
The fight is simultaneous.
Only one team may stand at the end.
All other decks will be destroyed.
Leo swore. "That's insane."
"No," Caesar said. "It's precision."
He looked at his team.
"We pick the right cards—we win."
---
The Duel Begins
The three teams stood in equidistant triangles. Wind howled around the platform. Below, the Hollow glowed faintly red.
Caesar chose Phantom Step.
Jack chose Chain Pulse Trap.
Leo chose his corrupted Fist of Echo (Unstable).
Ironsong picked heavy-duty shield breakers. The Laughing Shade picked chaos cards that randomized the field.
The glyph flashed.
> BEGIN.
Instantly, the Shades let loose mirror clones—projecting eight false selves. The Ironsong warriors launched straight for Caesar, seeking to remove the perceived leader.
Caesar vanished.
Phantom Step blinked him behind the Ironsong captain, landing a brutal kick that sent her sprawling.
Jack's trap caught two clones mid-charge, detonating into an arc of electricity.
Leo aimed straight for the heart of the real Laughing Shade.
His Fist of Echo (Unstable) hit like a meteor—crushing bone and mask alike—but also detonated on impact.
Leo flew backward, smoking, barely conscious.
Caesar ran to him. "Leo—!"
"I'm good," Leo gasped. "Tell me we won."
The dust cleared.
All opposing teams were down. Only Caesar's team remained standing.
> Challenge Passed.
Ascension Trial Complete.
Elevator to Island 2 Activated.
---
The Gate Opens
A tower rose from the center of the platform, ancient and ringed in chains.
Inside: a spiral of light that shimmered with stars.
The gate to Island 2.
Jack stared. "It's… beautiful."
Leo dragged himself up, leaning on Caesar. "Hope it's got beds."
But Caesar was quiet.
Because standing just beside the gate—half in shadow—was a figure cloaked in ragged gray. No name, no deck, just presence.
A voice echoed in Caesar's mind.
> "You step closer to the truth. But beware the next island.
It's not a test of strength. It's a test of self."
He blinked—and the figure was gone.
---
They stepped through.
---
Island 2: Greyhold
They emerged into darkness.
Then a bitter wind hit them. The smell of wet stone and old iron. And in the distance—a city in chains.
Greyhold.
Ruled not by force, but mind games. Duels were psychological warfare. Cards altered perception. Trust fractured like glass.
The first words they saw carved into the stone arch above:
> "Here, lies break before bodies."
Caesar tightened his grip on Hollow Maw.
They'd survived blood and steel.
Now came something worse.
---
End of Chapter 9