Yuki’s fingers drummed the side of her thigh as she sat waiting for what was to come. For the first time in what seemed like ages, she was sitting with familiar faces that weren’t named Ember. Alex and Karie were beside her, talking to her about a momentous time that they said they’ve never seen yet.

“You might be the first person to escape,” Alex remarked. “No one we’ve ever talked to has told us about someone doing that.”

“I’m just glad you went back to normal,” Karie said. “You seemed really out of it for a bit.”

“Sorry about that,” Yuki replied. “I was going through some problems.”

“Problems that made you kick ass,” Karie laughed. “I kinda want problems like that. Minus, you know. The actual problems.”

Yuki couldn’t help but smile at that.

“How did you get out?” Alex asked. Yuki frowned at her and she clarified. “Your problems. How did you get out of them?”

“I found help,” Yuki said. She paused. “Rather, help found me. If she did, I probably wouldn’t be here talking with you two.”

“Ember. You two did seem really close.”

“Is there a little thing between the two of you?” Karie asked, leaning in with a conspiratory grin. “I’ve seen how she looks at you.”

“Maybe. I do like her,” Yuki admitted. “She’s fun to be around and is quite a bit more perceptive than I thought at first. Plus, she saved me. That’s something I can’t ever forget.”

“How far have you two gotten?” Alex asked. 

“Well. We’ve kissed, but not much further than that. Not a lot of time for romance in this place.”

“But there still is some,” Alex replied. She smiled at Karie . “We found it.”

“True,” Yuki laughed. 

“How about the other girl you mentioned a while back?” Karie asked. “How do you think she’s doing?”

The smile on Yuki’s lips fell and she fell silent. Seeing Akira was something that she wanted badly. So badly that it no longer felt like a want but rather a need. Seeing Yuki’s reaction, Alex punched Karie in the arm. 

“How are you feeling about your final match?” Alex said, switching topics. “Nervous?”

Yuki nodded. She was nervous. Though, it wasn’t for the reason that Alex was probably thinking. 

“I’m sure you’ll kick whoever’s ass you face next,” Karie said confidently. “Get those jitters out. We’ll be rooting for you.”

“Thanks. If I do get out, then this would be our last talk,” Yuki remarked. “I want to say sorry.”

Alex frowned. 

“For what?” she said. 

“After...Jesse’s death. I just left you two behind without a word. Ignoring you. That’s something a friend shouldn’t do. So, I want to apologise. Formally.”

“Apology accepted then,” Karie said. Yuki smiled at her, thankful that she didn’t try to beat around the bush. 

“We don’t blame you though,” Alex said. “We were mad as well. I know how close the two of you were, besties and all that. There wasn’t any need to apologise.”

“She’s right,” Karie nodded. “But we’ll take it anyway, Although, you killing that Ghost was apology enough in my books. The bastard deserved it. I’m glad you were the one that did it.”

“Now you can stick it to one last person,” Alex smiled. 

“I will,” Yuki replied. She looked at them in the eye. “I can guarantee it.”

“Then we’ll be waiting. Don’t make us wait too long now.”

“Yeah, especially since we have so many exciting things to do here,” Karie said, teasing Alex. 

Alex ignored her and looked around for a bit before asking Yuki a question.

“Where is Ember? I would think she’ll be here with you to wish you luck.”

“Oh. Ember is occupied with something,” Yuki said. “You might see her later though.”

“What’s she doing?”

“Something important. It would be something that she should tell you two. I’ll leave that up to her. I don’t like talking about friends when they’re not here.”

“Fair enough,” Alex shrugged. “Well. Good luck. Again.”

“Thank you. Again,” Yuki smiled. “Really. If I can get free, then I hope we’ll be able to meet again.”

With that, the three of them quieted and Yuki watched the battles going on in front of her. Anticipation grew within her as she waited for her final battle. Her mind went to Ember and Ember’s assigned role in what was to come. She hoped that all would go well. 

The telltale signs of her impending battle soon began to crawl along Yuki’s skin. She took a deep breath in and glanced over at Alex and Karie, giving them a small nod. They smiled back as she turned away and focused her mind. 

‘I wonder which version of the plan we’ll need to use.’

When the battle in the arena finished and the usual comments and announcements that followed were said, the space around Yuki warped until she was the one in the arena. She blinked a bit as her eyes adjusted to the sudden change in light. Her eyes zoomed toward the other end of the arena. A faint smile appeared on her lips as she saw her opponent.

Ember stared back at her, her eyes narrowed as she glanced over at the box where the Fiddler stood. Yuki looked as well and found the Fiddler with a satisfied expression on his face. Just what Yuki wanted.

The Fiddler went on with his introductions, waxing on eloquently about Yuki and her achievements inside the arena. He talked about how she could be the first to achieve the coveted fifty win milestone that would set her free. 

While he spoke, Yuki stared straight ahead, her eyes locked with Ember whose face was one of stone. Yuki’s was as well as the plan ran through her mind. A plan that they had been creating for the past week. The first piece had already been put in place.

Weapons appeared and dropped down from the sky. Yuki grabbed the sword that threatened to stab her. With a small flourish, she gave Ember a small nod who gave one back in response. They both knew what they needed to do next.

The timer flashed in the sky. The crowd around them roared as they chanted down in time with the countdown. They were louder than any time Yuki had ever heard them, but she paid them no attention. There was only one person watching that she cared about. The Fiddler.

When the timer hit zero, the two threw themselves at each other, swords at the ready. As their blades clashed, Yuki began channeling magic to her other hand. Satisfaction filled her as she found her magic working perfectly. Her finger began to move as she inscribed runes into the ground.

Ember did her job of attacking with flashy moves that were telegraphed just enough for Yuki to notice them in time. They went back and forth, metal hitting against metal as Yuki directed the battle. 

The plan was simple now that Ember was Yuki’s enemy. Under a guise of a fight, she would begin to lay the groundwork for what was to come. Ember was adept at playfighting due to her job before the arena. With both of their skills combined, they made a spectacle that only those that watched carefully would be able to see through.

Their fight shuffled them around the arena in a vague circle. The entire time, Yuki peppered the ground with runes that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. Her dragon eyes came out with a single thought as she gave the area a quick look over to ensure everything was in place. When she was certain, she winked at Ember who’s lips twitched up in response.

They clashed one last time, this time making sure their battle led them to the center of the circle Yuki had made. Their blades locked as Yuki blocked a massive chop from Ember that made Yuki laugh inside. 

‘Is she even trying to hide it now?’ 

But now with the two of them separated by only inches, it was the moment of truth. In a single motion, Yuki spun away from her block and knelt down on the ground. She slammed her palms down as Ember erected a wall of flame around them to obscure them from view.

Mana surged out from Yuki as she activated the runes around her. They triggered like dominoes, flashing on one by one. When they had all been powered, they connected with each other and Yuki gave it one command. 

“Control,” she breathed.

In her mind, she claimed the land she and Ember were standing on. She claimed everything within the circle she created. Every grain of sand, every drop of water, and every ribbon of wind was hers. She was their goddess. 

Nature complied with her demands and the area with Yuki’s spell was ripped away from the Fiddler. She stood and glanced over at the box where the Fiddler stood. Only, the box was no longer there. The stands and the crowds of spectators were gone as well. 

“Ember, kill the flames,” Yuki whispered. 

Ember complied, the wall of roaring fire around them disappearing. With her vision now unobstructed, she found herself in a dirt clearing. A box building stood in front of her that looked too simple to be a house. Trees rose above her, taller than any she had seen before. The air smelled crisp and clear.

“This isn’t the arena,” Ember remarked. 

“We’re in a forest,” Yuki muttered. She frowned as she looked around. “How did we get here?”