As I lay there I use my imagination to add animals large enough for the drake to hunt and eat. The more the drake can enjoy itself the less guilt I feel about killing it. The anger I feel towards whoever created the trials and trapped the drake doesn't fade at all.

If the drake had been a creation or a normal monster it wouldn't bother me. But the drake was real, and intelligent, it didn't deserve to be trapped in a room for who knows how long. Right now I don't have the mental strength to face another trial, so I will stay here with the drake for a few days and recover.

Of course in the soulscape my body won't recover, but I need a break, I haven't really rested in a long time. Surrounded by the smell of the grass and the warm sunlight I fall into a deep sleep. While I sleep the drake is happily running around exploring and hunting.

I sleep for days, which is fine since it is only hours in the trials and minutes outside. When I wake up I feel very refreshed and slightly confused. I feel a weight across my legs and my head is not resting on grass.

Opening my eyes I first look down to see what is on my legs, only to find the drake sleeping with his head across my legs. When I look up to see what my head is resting on I get a much bigger surprise. My head is resting on Krenocia's lap, and the view when I look up at her makes me blush furiously.

Krenocia says "Good morning!"

"Ah, good morning?"

Krenocia says "You have been through a lot since we last spoke."

"Um, yeah I guess so. Is that why you are here?"

Krenocia says "Actually no, there are two reasons why I am here. One is the trials you are going through, the other is him."

As she says this she points at the drake, who opens one eye to glance at her. Now that I know he isn't asleep I reach out with one hand and start petting him earning a happy sounding grumble.

"What about him?"

Krenocia says "He is a greater monster, so when his soul didn't immediately come to my realm I was worried."

"Sorry to have interfered, I was just showing him my regret at killing him."

Krenocia says "You are definitely a weird one, Ash."

As I am about to move my head from her lap she starts petting my head so I freeze. Having a beautiful woman play with your hair is one thing, a beautiful goddess is something else altogether. I lay there in absolute bliss until she stops with a giggle.

Krenocia says "Haha, you were purring!"

"So, what happens to him now?"

Krenocia says "He will be reborn as a drake again most likely."

"Any way to make sure he is born somewhere where he can see the sky?"

Krenocia says "You really are a softy aren't you?"

"Let's not talk about that. Can you do it?"

Krenocia says "Yes, I can do that."

"Thank you!"

Krenocia says "You're welcome. Now about the trials."

"Yeah, what are they?"

Krenocia says "You remember I told you my sister and I were the only survivors of our pantheon?"

"Yeah, I remember."

Krenocia says "Well, there were seven other gods in the pantheon before they died. The trials are basically the body of one of the dead gods."

"Wait! I'm inside the body of a god?"

Krenocia says "Well, not literally the body! The trials were made from the god’s power and body. They are meant to test the worthiness of a successor."

"Oh, I guess that makes more sense."

Krenocia says "The problem is the trials are meant to test demi-gods not mortals."

"Are you saying there is no hope of me finishing the trials?"

Krenocia says "The trials are set up so that a worthy successor will gain divine power through the trials and emerge as a god to replace the fallen god."

"Finishing the trials will make me a god?"

Krenocia says "No, you are not a demi-god so you are unable to absorb the divine power that is released each time you complete a trial. This has helped my sister and I since we have been able to absorb the divine power from the trials that you have passed."

"Is that why you are able to be here without being all transparent like last time?"

Krenocia says "Yes, even without a temple being cleared your actions have given my sister and I a decent power boost."

"That's a good thing right?"

Krenocia says "Yes, the power is a good thing. However, you being in the trials is a bad thing."

"Because I'm not a demi-god?"

Krenocia says "Yes, because only a god can pass the final trial."

"Ugh, you know what the final trial is?"

Krenocia says "Yes, the final trial is to escape the barrier."

"You mean the barrier I entered through?"

Krenocia says "Yes. That barrier must be broken or taken down before you can leave. My sister and I cannot pass through it so we can't help you."

"Why would it be so hard?"

Krenocia says "As I said the trials are meant to elevate a worthy demi-god into a god. The last trial is set to make sure they can either control their power or control the orb enough to escape."

"Orb? What orb?"

Krenocia says "The orb of Arkat, if you opened your eyes right now you would be able to see it through the open doors of the room you are in."

"Could I use the orb to pass the final trial?"

Krenocia says "No. Unfortunately it takes divine power to operate the orb. Even my sister as she currently is could not operate it. If all the temples were cleared she might be able to, but even then it would take her a few decades to figure it out."

"So, my only option is to somehow break the barrier?"

Krenocia says "Yes. While I won't say it is impossible, considering the amount of impossible things you have done already, it is very unlikely. I am sorry, but you are most likely going to die down there."