Sunlight filtered through the two tents much earlier than Aila would have liked. After the second trial the previous day, the group was in need of a longer rest. They didn't even have the energy to speak about what they'd faced yet. Aila, Kaiden and Castor had all arrived within roughly fifteen minutes of each other, and it was clear their trials had simultaneously been very different and yet also very similar.
Castor didn't even take watch through the night; they were quite literally in the middle of nowhere and didn't think the possibility of a threat was likely.
"We have to start early," Kaiden's voice broke through the thin fabric separating them.
"Why?" Aila groaned as she rolled over, accidentally slapping a sleeping Castor beside her. At last, he had slept; she thought it was remarkable that he'd survived so long without having had a decent night's rest.
"Because we have to conquer that today," Kaiden replied, in a sombre tone.
Curiosity washed over Aila and she unzipped the tent flap before peeking out. She sharply inhaled at the sight before her.
They were at the edge of a large field, just out of the way of the maze's exit. In the middle of the field, about two kilometres away, was the base of a mountain, with steep steps carved into the rough rock. Clouds concealed the peak from view, but from what Aila could see, the climb was a long one.
"The third trial," she whispered, feeling the beginning of exhaustion begin to grip her.
Kallias flashed in her mind and she vowed to herself that once Merelia won the war, she'd introduce horses to her kingdom.
"No point in wasting time," Kaiden spoke as he took a bite of his sandwich. "Unless you want to be climbing down that in the dark?"
"Absolutely not," Aila shook her head. "Cas," she slapped his arm. "Wake up."
She wasn't surprised when his eyes opened immediately and he sat up, registering his surroundings for a minute before reaching into his bag.
The three of them had finished eating, packed away their kit and were approaching the base of the mountain within fifteen minutes.
"The trial of the spirit," Kaiden murmured as they reached the first step. They had left their rucksacks at the edge of the field, and only carried some food and water in their jacket pockets. "Pace yourselves. Don't burn out. It's designed to make people give up."
"Do you have any idea how many steps there are?" Aila breathed, gazing up in wonder and wishing the clouds would part. This would be much easier if she could see her destination.
"Myths say one hundred thousand."
Stars.
"In that case," she began to climb. "I'll see you at the top, Ashwood."
By the sixtieth step, Aila's thighs were burning and her heart rate was kicking up. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, hoping the men would be a fair distance away, but they were only a couple of steps behind her. She slowed and decided to stop counting, coming to the conclusion that Kaiden was right and pacing was important.
"What was your second trial like?" Her breath was shallow.
A story would take her mind off this stars-forsaken trial.
"I met Anger and thought I'd lost Kallias forever," Kaiden sighed, and Aila was struck by the fact that he didn't seem to be out of breath in the slightest.
He didn't offer up more information and she didn't think she'd be getting any more out of him. His mind seemed to be elsewhere and he looked troubled when Aila had brought up his trial.
"How about you, Cas?" She changed the topic.
"I met Truth," he responded. He paused, and also seemed reluctant to share more. "How about you?"
"Oh, I met Misery. She's truly a delight."
"What did she say to you?" Kaiden held a frown in his tone, and Aila turned to see his brows furrowed. She wondered what Anger had told him, and why it had impacted him so.
Her mind then turned to what Misery had told her, and she understood why the two men didn't want to share their experiences either. She didn't possibly know how she could tell them that Misery had punched her, bit her and then told her that the three of them would die.
"Just... a lot of things," she sighed.
An understanding settled between the three of them and they continued to walk in silence.
Aila tried every tactic in the book: she played music in her mind, she told herself constantly that they were almost there, she imagined how her parents and kingdom would feel when she returned with the chalice, she imagined her trainer back at the palace shouting at her to push harder, she imagined her soulmate at the top of the mountain (despite not having a clue what they looked like.)
None of the tactics worked.
As they ascended, the chill in the air grew stronger, seeping into Aila's bones and numbing them. Climbing became harder and harder, but she pushed herself and continued. For her kingdom.
"Are either of you counting?" She asked, as she turned around.
"Twenty eight thousand, eight hundred and thirty three," Cas replied without hesitation. "We're climbing at a rate of ninety eight steps a minute, and so we'll be at the top in... twelve hours."
Aila groaned.
"Really?"
"If we don't take any breaks," Cas continued.
Aila fought her desire to scream, and instead kept her head locked on the ground before her.
Seventeen hours at a brutal pace.
The trial of the spirit.
She continued with her tactics, feeling some relief as the sun grew stronger with the passing day. When it shone directly overhead, she knew they were about halfway, which gave her an odd mixture of frustration and relief.
Kaiden and Castor were also struggling. She could see it in the sweat on their brows and their laboured breathing. It gave her immense strength to know that she wasn't facing this alone.
"I'm glad you're here," she murmured to the two men. "Both of you."
The weight of The Dragon Temple was sitting on them, the tension from knowing that only one kingdom would win at the end of the day. Despite it, Aila knew whatever happened always happened for the best. Gratitude filled her at the thought of having had the two men by her side this whole time. She didn't know how far she'd have gotten on her own.
"I think Aila's losing it," Cas feigned concern. "Perhaps we should take a break."
"I'm fine," Aila rolled her eyes, not even faltering in her step. "The sooner we get there, the sooner this is over."
Kaiden released a breathy chuckle. A silence settled before he broke it.
"I'm glad you both are with me too."
"Oh no, not you too!" Castor exclaimed. "We really do need a break."
"No, Aila's right," Kaiden replied. "Let's finish this."
The three continued.
As Castor had calculated, it took them another twelve hours to arrive at the peak. They had taken a ten minute break twice, and had eaten to maintain their energy.
Seventeen hours in which their spirit truly had been trialled, almost broken, and tired out beyond what Aila thought could be possible.
The sight of the large double oak doors before them was the most rewarding one Aila had ever seen. She inhaled a shaky breath, unable to believe she'd managed it, unable to believe that a week ago, she had been in the safety of her own palace.
The desire to lie down for a little bit of time and just rest crashed into her, but she had a chalice to retrieve, and a truth that she and Kaiden could no longer avoid.
She looked to him, and a silent conversation passed between them.
She was no longer Aila, and he was no longer Kaiden.
They were the heir of Merelia, and the heir of Perador. They both wanted the chalice on the other side of the doors. Only one of them would succeed in retrieving it.
May the best kingdom win.
Hello! Hope you all are doing well!
Just a couple of notes:
- I imagine the field with the mountain in the middle like the scene from Tangled. It's very secluded.
- The trial is long and hard. I cut it down and only showed certain aspects because I didn't want it to be a long chapter, and I didn't want to make multiple of the same thing.
Please vote and comment if you enjoyed! The next update is hella good - I've been planning it for months! ;)
~ MaddyWilson 💙