In front of us stood the door to the Chamber of Honor.

  It was so big it made me feel like a tiny ant looking up at a mountain.

  I'd seen the village gates, and I'd seen the big barn where we kept the hay, but this was different.

  This was old.

  Older than Papa, older than the village, maybe even older than the trees outside.

  Before the door, a magic circle was carved into the stone floor.

  It was large enough to accommodate a small tent, and the lines were so perfect they looked like they had been drawn by a star.

  Complex patterns overlapped each other, forming a beautiful yet solemn design, glowing with a soft blue light that made the shadows in the corners of the cave dance and wiggle.

  "So this is it…" I murmured.

  My voice sounded small and shaky, echoing off the high ceiling like a ghost.

  The Sacred Resting Circle.

  That was what the previous trial takers always called it when they told stories to us village children.

  I remember sitting on the wooden fence, swinging my legs, while the older boys bragged about reaching the blue light.

  They said everyone who reached this place was allowed to reach a "truce" with the mountain. It was a place where the monsters couldn't go, a place to breathe before facing the true trial.

  The stories about the Cave of Honor were always fascinating.

  No matter who cleared it, their story was always different.

  Some saw ghosts, some found hidden gold, and some said the walls whispered their names. Everyone's tale was special.

  Especially Frans's story.

  I still remember how I held my breath when he told his tale to the villagers by the big bonfire.

  I was sitting on the grass, my chin in my hands, watching the orange sparks fly into the night sky while everyone listened in silence.

  Frans had looked so tall and serious then, like he was already a man.

  I wanted a story like that.

  I wanted people to look at me and go "Wow, Rick is so brave!"

  But I didn't feel brave.

  I felt like I was going to throw up.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Frans sat down heavily on the glowing blue lines.

  His armor clattered, and he let out a long, tired sigh. "We'll rest here and recover our stamina," he said.

  He looked at me seriously, his four-ringed eyes slowly fading back to their normal brown.

  "Rick, drink the potion and water. Apply the herb to your wound. Eat the bread. We'll need energy inside."

  Without answering, I reached into my bag and opened it with trembling fingers.

  Everything inside was messy and covered in cave dust.

  I pulled out the things one by one: a bottle of water, a red-colored potion that looked like melted rubies, a bundle of medicinal herbs that smelled like wet dirt, and a thick piece of fresh bread that Mama must have baked just this morning.

  Then I saw it.

  Tucked in the corner of the bag was a seal token.

  I felt a huge wave of relief wash over me, making my eyes sting with new tears.

  Uncle Gradios didn't forget to pack it.

  Even with a hundred knights charging at him, even with the mana-monsters coming, he had remembered.

  Without this token, we would never be able to open the sealed door that blocked the passage to the Krona Duchy on the other side of the cave.

  I started to fix myself up, but my hands wouldn't stop shaking.

  I applied the herb to the scratch on my side, and then I uncorked the red potion.

  Surprisingly… I didn't feel much. Usually, I would be complaining and making a "yuck" face.

  I always hated drinking potions.

  They were bitter and tasted like old socks mixed with copper.

  And the herbs… the herbs always stung like a thousand tiny bees.

  Mother often got angry at me because I always tried to avoid them, running around the kitchen table while she chased me with a spoon.

  "If you weren't so naughty and didn't play in dangerous places, you wouldn't get wounded like this," she always said, her hands on her hips.

  "It's the consequence, Rick. Drink it. Now."

  And when Mother Avenir's eyes started showing, the rings appeared because she was so frustrated with her lazy son.

  I always ended up crying while obeying.

  Mother was scary when she was serious.

  …But I miss her so much.

  I miss her scolding me.

  I'd drink a hundred bitter potions if it meant I could hear her tell me I was being naughty just one more time.

  While drinking the bitter red liquid, applying the stinging herbs, and chewing on the bread, a strange warmth slowly returned to my body.

  It felt like a tiny sun was waking up in my tummy and spreading out to my fingers and toes.

  The sharp pain in my side faded into a dull hum.

  The heavy, bone-deep exhaustion melted away, like snow in the springtime.

  After some time, I realized that my body felt light.

  Refreshed.

  I didn't feel like a squashed bug anymore.

  Frans stood up, his boots scraping on the magic circle. "…Alright".

  He looked at the massive door, his face turning back into that stone mask. "Let's go."

  Together, we walked toward the massive ancient door.

  I looked for a keyhole or a slot for the seal token, but there wasn't one.

  This door was not meant to be opened by authority or fancy keys. It was meant to be opened by those who still had the strength to move forward.

  It was a test to see if you were still an Avenir.

  Frans placed both hands on the cold, rough stone.

  I stepped up beside him, my small shield bumping against my leg, and followed his lead.

  I pushed with everything I had left, my face turning red and my teeth clenched together.

  For a moment, nothing happened.

  The door felt like it was part of the mountain itself.

  I felt a surge of panic.

  What if we aren't strong enough? What if the knights catch us here?

  GROOOOM…

  The ancient mechanism deep inside the rock responded.

  The stone beneath my boots trembled, and dust fell from the ceiling like grey snow.

  Slowly…

  very slowly…

  The massive door began to move, grinding against the floor with a sound like a giant groaning.

  Light spilled from the widening gap, not the blue light of the circle, but a bright, golden glow that made me squint.

  The Chamber of Honor finally started to open before us, and for the first time since the fire started, I felt a tiny, flickering spark of hope.

  But as the door swung wide, I gripped my sword handle tighter.

  Please, I prayed to the God Who Sees Everything, let us be fast enough.