I awoke to the sound of Sakura and Hina giggling, and I opened my eyes to see them both leaning over me with broad smiles on their faces. "What''s so funny?" I grumbled as I sat up, rubbing my eyes with one hand.


    "You were mumbling in your sleep again; must have been having a good dream," Sakura said as she plopped down next to me, and I shook my head.


    "No, I actually just had a dreamless sleep, and it was nice," I said as I slowly sat up, gave Hina a kiss, and then stretched. "How long did I sleep? How is everything going?"


    "Calm yourself, you just woke up, and everything is going well here. All things are running, and the Sky Folk''s recovery is going pretty well from what Shiva said," Sakura exined, and Hina nodded.


    "Yeah, there are still two more hours until we are in the range of Mat City, and Shiva wanted you toe to the bridge as soon as you were awake so she can exin the battle n for you to take control of the Met race, or the trial by steel as she called it," Hina exined.


    "Yeah, I don''t know if I like that part. This whole, you fighting so much isn''t right! You are a Queen, a real one. You should have champions, and we should fight for you!" Sakura said but looked away.


    "You know just as much as I do that I have to do this myself. If this is what it takes to get the help that I need for my people, I will give my all. This mountain has taught me that everyone has a role to y, and right now, the rest of my people are doing what they can. I also have to grow stronger so that I can protect them just as much as they can protect me," I said as I floated off the bed with both girls and headed back to the bridge.


    Shiva, Kiliada, Davo, and Rai Cait were all waiting for me in their respective metallic Catfolk bodies as we entered.


    "So, did you get some beauty sleep, or were you girls just fooling around?!" Rai Caitughed, but I raised a hand to him, and a cannon formed on my arm, and I sted him with a bolt of electricity that took him to his knees.


    "What I do in my private time is my concern, and you will be wise to keep your lewdments to yourself. You decided to follow me, not the other way around," I said in a t voice as Rai Cait looked down.


    "My level of respect just rose with you, my Queen," Shiva said with a slight bow of her head and then waved for everyone toe over to a map table.


    "Davo, can you please fill everyone in on the n while I brief Queen Ashia?" Shiva asked as she walked over to me and Davo nodded.


    "Of course, Captain," Davo said as he began speaking to the group while Shiva led me away.


    We walked into a room with a table and map raised up on it, and she gestured for me to take a seat before sitting across from me. "You seem troubled," She pointed out after several long moments of silence between us.


    I shook my head as I leaned forward with my elbows on the table, "No, not really, I was just annoyed that he kept trying to make rudements."


    "I am d that you gave my husband what he deserved, but let''s get back to the trial," Shiva exined, and I nodded.


    Shiva used her hands to move the map and then zoom in on the Mat capital, which was huge. Then she zoomed in on a gouge through the city that looked like it had cracked from the south all the way to the center.


    "This is the Trial by Steel. You will start from the south entrance here, and you will have to battle your way through every Mat Ravager in this city until you reach the King''s throne room. Once there, you will have to defeat him in singlebat before he surrenders." Shiva exined as she pointed out everything on the map.


    "What happens if I lose?" I asked after a long moment of silence; I didn''t want to think about it, but I had to.


    Shiva looked at me with a level gaze and then shook her head slightly. "You cannot lose, my Queen; not only is your life riding on this but also all of us," She said as she leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, looking at me like that was all that needed to be said on the matter.


    "I understand," I said after a long moment, and Shiva nodded. "I will do my best to make sure that the Mat race falls under my rule, but do I need to fight alone for the Trial? or just when I get to the King?"


    "You will need to fight every step of the way, my Queen. The Mat people will not respect you if they do not see your strength. This is a test that you must pass alone; no one can help you." Shiva exined, and I nodded.


    "I understand," I said as I stood up and walked back to the bridge with her, feeling more nervous than ever before. I had faced these Mat Ravagers before, and each of them was under mymand now, but that was just a few, and they wouldn''t be helping.


    "I believe that you are strong enough, my Queen. Once you have won, you will gain millions of new followers, and if what I have seen so far is an indication of what is toe, you will make Rai Cait look like a child in his prime. We all believe in you!" Hina said as she came over to my side and took one of my hands.


    "If anyone can do it, it will be you. If you wouldn''t be limited back to the mountain, I am sure that you might even have been able to stop my father," Sakura said as she walked over and took my other hand. "You are the Queen, after all, and this will be kind of a fitting defeat for what they did to us."


    The four Mat looked away, but in truth, all could be fixed with time. Everyone had made mistakes, but neither of the races could be truly killed, so there was a chance to get back what was lost.


    "I promise that in time we will get everyone back, Sakura, but now is not the time for the me game," I said, looking around at everyone. "I need to do this alone, but I will take all of your strength with me. This battle will be legendary among the two races, and I will be pulling no punches!"


    There was loud cheering as I walked over to therger map of the Mat city, and I looked over it onest time. This was going to be a long battle, but I would not back down.