Prepare for the trial.

Lady Vex waves her hand and her ally disconnects the magical phone call. It leaves the three of you to contemplate in silence for a moment.

"This'll be easy!" Niki blurts out. She slams her fist down onto the table, causing the entire thing to creak and shake. "Are you gonna let her taunt you like that, Kyle? Whatever this trial is, we have your back, and we'll show her who the true Demon King is."

"You know, if I start willingly calling myself that, I'll never be let back into Tivera even after figuring everything out," you reply.

You cross your arms and think to yourself. Now that I think about it, I've never really seen how another Demon King lives other than Sa'dis, and it's my understanding he hadn't been here for a long time. William apparently has some sort of flying fortress, though I've only seen it from below, and he's only been in this world about as long as I have I assume. I wonder what kind of home somebody like Lady Vex has then. For all I know, she's been ruling for several years or longer.

Amara's soft hand grazes over your shoulder before she slides her fingers up against your cheek. "Please do not stress so much," she whispers calmly. "As Niki previously said, we will overcome this together."

"How long have you stopped saying Ms. Niki? Honestly I can't remember."

She giggles. "Ah, well... we are like a family, are we not? I realized that they have been calling me Amara since the beginning, and we have been through so much, so it would be strange of me to continue saying Ms. Beela and such. They are Eva and Niki, and you are Kyle. My closest friends."

Eva cheers and wraps her arms around Amara from the side. "Yay! We love you too, Amara."

The moment is broken up by a rapid knocking on the meeting room door.

Before you can speak up, you hear Koblix frantically shouting out from the other side. "Sorry to interrupt, but we have guests! A portal just appeared near the front gates, but on the inside! Our soldiers are holding just in case a bunch of people start coming through, but you should come immediately!"

"Oh shit," you mutter. Could this be Lady Vex, or is it someone else? "You three get dressed and armed just in case. I'll run over right away."

Quickly, you throw open the door to see your goblin companion waiting on the other side. He gives you a wave, and the two of you speed away through the great hall, out the castle exit, and towards the supposed portal that has appeared within the walls of Castle Phoenix.