Chapter 91: The Last Step into Daylight

  Time passed, but Emilia never stopped walking. She felt as if she had been hiking for an eternity. The mist around her grew thicker, and the steps steeper. An ice-cold wind relentlessly lashed at her body, while occasional, strange screams pierced deep into her consciousness, attacking her soul directly.

  She moved forward without pause, often staggering and leaning against the wall for support. Her legs were not used to these increasingly high steps, and their sharp edges bit cruelly into her flesh with every misstep. From time to time, strange shapes drifted through the fog, but for some reason, they did not approach to attack her.

  Emilia walked with desperation. She stopped and fell, her body covered in wounds, her strength perpetually on the brink of failing. The only thing keeping her from quitting was the energy of the unique herb she had absorbed. It had not only immensely boosted her power but remained partially unabsorbed; now, Emilia carefully channeled its medicinal properties toward her limbs and organs.

  Periodically, she drank from the various potions she carried, and on three occasions, she rubbed her body with precious troll blood. She had painted and sold countless talismans over the months, investing the profits into various rare treasures, and now she was seeing the fruits of her hard labor.

  Day turned to night, and night to day. Emilia endured things she had never experienced even during her most grueling training sessions with Cassian, as well as pain and exhaustion she had not felt even during the most brutal surgeries back on Earth. Despite everything, she pressed on. Finally, slowly and almost imperceptibly, just as she reached the point of total and final collapse, she reached the last step.

  Her legs wanted to keep climbing, but her hands, which left bloody trails on the wall, found nothing left to grasp. Her eyes, long accustomed to the gloom, squinted to protect themselves from the sudden, brilliant daylight.

  The mists that had been constantly assaulting her body abruptly receded, and Emilia had to immediately halt the circulation of her mana to prevent damaging her energy channels.

  As she struggled with the aftermath of the climb, she suddenly heard a voice.

  "Hmm... have two hundred years passed already? I had only just laid down for a nap."

  The voice was soft yet sharp. Emilia looked around, and as her vision adjusted to the light, she saw a castle crafted from gold and jade, adorned with strange seashells and conchs.

  Eight miniature trees were arranged around a small pond, where three rats turned a wheel that powered the pond's fountain.

  Right in front of the castle stood a tiny man dressed like an ancient wizard, wearing a long golden robe and a pointed hat. In his hand, he held a majestic staff topped with a gemstone that seemed far too large for his stature.

  What are you waiting for, girl? Cat got your tongue? What do they teach the youth these days? Don't you know you should honor your ancestors and show respect to your elders?

  Emilia quickly recovered and bowed low.

  "Junior Emilia pays respects to the... very well-rested guardian."

  "Ha, well-rested? Ever since I turned three thousand, I haven't had a single day of rest. Either my back hurts or my eyes itch. Two centuries ago, there was such a powerful storm that my old bones started aching again. It was a good thing the sacred snake that guards... Ahem. How did you end up here?"

  I am here as part of the ten-year challenger group, Master Guardian, Emilia replied uncertainly.

  And you, with that scrawny body, managed to climb all those steps? Let me see you—are you hiding a flying carpet somewhere? No, the formations would have stopped you. Or did you sneak in from above on a flying broom? No, the great snake would have had you for breakfast. Come, sit and tell me your story from the very beginning. I have been alone here for a long time. Sit, sit, show some respect to an old man.

  Emilia hesitated for a moment before deciding to start from the very beginning. She spoke of her childhood and her early intelligence, of the games she played with her brother and the other children by the river. She described the ever-vibrant Sister Edda and the wise Pastor Joren. She spoke of the holy books and her favorite stories within them. Then, she moved on to the battles and the children of the moon.

  She revealed her deepest fears, recounting how she had wept upon realizing the grave challenges facing this world.

  She spoke of the horror during the battle in her grandmother's village, how she stood at the base of the magic tower surrounded by the corpses of satyrs.

  She told him about Master Fjorn and how his formations had saved the city. She spoke of the mayor, his son, and the crossbowmen. She described their journey through the forest and their encounter with the Echidrids, the strange ruins, and the private space of Gaia.

  She spoke of the slums and the daily fear that she would be attacked or kidnapped because of her power. She explained how she had learned to use blood from the hearts of monsters to avoid the risk of using easily traceable ink. She spoke of her friendships, of Chief Nikos and his lake. She talked about Boss Titus and the hunters. She shared the brave adventures of Lora, Petra, and Zevan. She spoke of armors and herbs, and even mentioned the Abyssal mushrooms.

  Then she paused, remembering the days spent with the other children from the district—Vano, Tobin Parima, and the shy Tim. She spoke of her brother and his best friend Kemora. She mentioned their cousin Gozo, who had already finished his training and become a junior guard. She told stories of the neighborhood children and the Griffin Tower, describing the light in their eyes when they applied to become griffin riders. She spoke of Kael's dreams, how he intended to find a griffin egg or perhaps even domesticate a Pegasus.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  She talked on and on, her face often flickering between a smile and tears. The small guardian frequently asked guiding questions, as Emilia was completely exhausted from the climb and her mind was clouded by the mists. With a magical gesture of his hand, a pitcher of warm tea and cups appeared before them. With a second gesture, a bowl filled with twelve types of sweets materialized.

  Emilia continued to speak while sipping the tea. She talked and ate the sweets, starting slowly and shyly at first, then with growing boldness. The treats were incredibly delicious and satisfying.

  Finally, the short guardian stopped her and nodded thoughtfully.

  Young Emilia, it has been a long time since I heard such a strange and muddled story. Perhaps we should have started with the tea and only then the story.

  Emilia nodded and took another sip of the warm, refreshing tea.

  There is just one thing I do not understand. Why did you decide to risk your life for this herb? You possess excellent mana control and could have claimed numerous prizes further down the mountain. I cannot even fathom how you did not explode from the massive energies involved.

  They were not that strong, Emilia said with her mouth full, quickly washing the sweets down with tea. Are there any more cakes?

  The ancient guardian sighed. After another magical gesture, more sweets, tea, and warm goat milk with pungent spices from the Far East appeared. Emilia immediately grabbed the milk and took a huge gulp, leaving a large white mustache on her upper lip.

  Drink more carefully or you will choke. If I have to carry you all the way back down with these old bones of mine, it will be extremely annoying.

  The two talked for a long while longer until at last the ancient sage spoke.

  I am here to congratulate the victor of this challenge and bestow one of three rewards. However, you have impressed me deeply, both with your strength and wisdom and your immense determination. I can offer you a special reward, provided you can endure a challenge of my own.

  I have been placed here since ancient times to guard this place, and I must abide by certain rules. If you accept my challenge and fail, I will take your left arm and fashion a chimney for my castle out of it. If you win, there will be a special reward.

  Emilia listened patiently, but when he mentioned her left arm, she flinched in fear.

  "This... I am not sure I am worthy..."

  The challenge of the stairs was about the strength of your spirit and body. Now, only the test of your wisdom remains. For that, I challenge you to a game of chess.

  Emilia looked at the pointed hat and the mage's staff. And why do you need my left arm?

  "I told you already, I want to make a chimney out of it."

  Emilia could not fathom how he would turn her arm into a chimney, but she was instantly reminded of the fairy tale about the wicked witch who ate children and lured them in with sweets. A chill ran down her spine and she immediately stood on guard.

  The ancient guardian, however, did not react. He simply sat there, sipping his tea. Gradually, Emilia calmed herself and began to think.

  "But I am not good at chess. Sure, I know the rules and I played for a while online... maybe a few hundred hours. But that does not mean I can beat an ancient mage... especially not when the stakes are my left arm!"

  Then, something occurred to her, and a smile crept across her face as a hint of playfulness entered her gaze.

  "And what happens if we draw?"

  "Hmm... a draw? Ha, if we draw, I will only take half of your arm!"

  "I refuse! Emilia said flatly. She stood up and prepared to head back down the stairs."

  "Wait, wait, I was only joking. Do not be in such a hurry to leave. I have only just woken up and I have not had a visitor in such a long time. Sit, sit, calm yourself."

  Emilia sat down, but she was far from calm. This ancient wizard, the guardian of the trial, had welcomed her with sweets only to suddenly start talking about her left arm.

  "Look, if we draw, I will still reward you, but with a smaller prize."

  Emilia thought for a moment before answering slowly.

  "Could we play two games simultaneously? Just to make it fairer. One board where I play white, and another board where I play black. That way, if I lose, I cannot make excuses about having the weaker pieces."

  The guardian stroked his beard.

  "Why not? We can play on two boards at once. It will be even more interesting that way."

  Emilia rejoiced in her heart, but she was quick to hide her delight.

  "Fine, let us clarify the rules. We start with two boards. You start with white on the first board, and I start with white on the second. Then you play black on the second board, the one I just moved on, and after that, I play black on the first board. And so on until we finish. One point for a win, half for a draw, zero for a loss. Is that acceptable?"

  "Yes, no problem. Just do not forget your promise regarding the left arm. Ha-ha-ha! But do not worry, even if you forget, I will remind you. I may be old and my legs and back may ache, but my mind is still sharp!"

  Emilia gave a small smile and hurried to agree.

  "Then, the ancient guardian waved his magic wand. The strange gemstone flashed twice, and two boards with the pieces already set up appeared between them."

  The boards were large and sized perfectly for the taller Emilia. She bowed politely, wished him luck and a pleasant game, and waited for the wizard to begin.

  The ancient guardian pondered for a moment and then moved one of his pieces two spaces forward on the first board. Emilia smiled faintly and made the exact same move on the second board.

  The mage made a move with the black pieces on the second board, and Emilia immediately mirrored it on the first.

  The game continued for several more turns. The ancient sorcerer began to frown, the tip of his pointed hat twitching toward the pieces. He waved his staff several times, nervously scanning both boards.

  "Clever, clever, truly clever. Let us see just how cunning we can be, eh..." he muttered under his breath in a shrill, piercing voice.

  Emilia was utilizing a very sharp tactic. They were playing on two boards, but she had twisted the rules in such a way that the moves were being repeated identically across both. For instance, if she were to lose with the white pieces on the first board, the exact same result would occur on the second. However, on that second board, she was playing as black, which meant she would win.

  In reality, the trick worked because the same game was being played out twice. If she strictly followed the rule of repeating the mage's moves without making any mistakes, there was no possible way for her to lose.

  The outcome would either be a loss on one table and a win on the other, or a draw on both. Neither he nor she could win both matches. It was a well-known trick from the Information Age.

  The guardian, however, did not surrender. He realized what was happening very quickly and began to sacrifice his pieces indiscriminately. He rapidly lost his queens, two minor pieces, and several pawns. Emilia knew this trick well.

  It was likely a trap designed to make her abandon her rule of mirroring his every move, which was her 100% guarantee of a draw. Instead, he was making numerous sacrifices to trick her into thinking she had a chance to win on both boards.

  Emilia sincerely regretted not being a true master. With an extra queen and two minor pieces, she would have certainly won both games.

  "Ha, so this trick has two applications. First, to guarantee a draw at any cost, and second, to force your opponent into making strange moves or sacrificing pieces, giving yourself a massive advantage to suddenly snatch a surprise victory!" she thought.