Chapter 155: The Trial (14)
The moment their feet left the glade, the peaceful illusion snapped like a bubble. Warm wind was replaced with cold, dry air; the path ahead spiraled upward into a jagged, spiraling mountain trail carved out of ancient black stone. A staircase—uneven, cruel, and relentless—waited before them like a final gauntlet.
"Okay," Isolde muttered, already stretching her neck. "So we just finished a metaphorical emotional cleansing, and now we’re getting a cardio trial? This labyrinth really wants to be a lifestyle coach."
Vivienne clung to Verena’s arm for dear life. "That looks... vertical. Very vertical."
"I don’t like it," Verena replied grimly, staring up at the endless flight. "But the trial’s not going to finish itself. Let’s keep moving before it starts raining metaphors."
Step by step, the climb began. And the higher they went, the more intense the pressure in the air became. Not magical—emotional. As if the mountain was deliberately trying to weigh down their thoughts. Regrets whispered with every step. Doubts flared up like blisters. It wasn’t a monster guarding the final trial—it was themselves.
"I wonder if we’re really making a difference," Vivienne said softly, halfway up. "If any of this matters..."
Verena didn’t answer immediately. Her legs burned. Her lungs ached. And yet—she kept going.
"It matters," she said. "Even if no one sees it. Even if it’s just for one person. It matters."
Isolde let out a snort. "Verena getting sentimental is scarier than any of the bosses we’ve fought."
"I will personally throw you off this mountain."
By the time they reached the summit, the path opened into a platform of smooth, silvery stone. In the center stood a single figure.