CREAK!!!!
The sudden creaking of the metal bridge under the weight of Alex's foot sent shivers up his spine, but he regathered his confidence quickly as the pressure from the mountain ahead of him reappeared the moment he climbed the bridge.
The weight of the burden became more unbearable. However, Alex kept his eyes upright and forward as he marched down the bridge. His confidence in his step seemed to become the backbone that prevented the bridge from collapsing under the weight. Even though there were deep footprints left on the bridge as he walked past it.
The creaking was no stop at all until in the last few steps, when suddenly one of the bridge's panels gave way. Alex lost his footing and was careening down into the abyss below, but before he was completely out of the bridge he mustered strength from an unknown source, and with a stomp of his feet he launched himself at the mountain ahead
On hitting the mountain face an instant later he grabbed onto the first step. Pinching into the hard metal surface of the step prevented the forces from pulling him back.
Alex holding on tight pulled himself up the step. Despite the increased burden and the arms that appeared once more to pull him down into the abyss. On getting on top he looked around and toward the bridge's direction he noticed that the last 2 meters of the bridge had been devoured by the abyss below under the force of his stomp
Gulping down and regaining his composure, he stood up with the knowledge that he could never go back on this journey from the moment he took the first step. To his shock, he found that the steps had increased to 4 yards in height each. Stunned he knew that the stakes from this point on would be higher than ever, so he began climbing again.
Stepping on a protruding rock he jumped upwards to the top of the 2nd step. And so one at a time he climbed, with the burden increasing with each step and multiple arms dragging him back but he continued
The very sight of it was distressing. A worn-out young man with a determined glint in his eyes, scaling an unending mountain with an unimaginable weight resting on his shoulders, building up gradually with every step, and bridges with an ever-worsening quality.
One by one doubts began to sprout in Alex's mind, threatening to blur out the glint in his eyes. Alex continued to climb the 4th mountain, ignoring all thoughts and whispers of doubt. Gradually he climbed, resting as little as he required on each step as he scaled the mountain. What seemed like weeks passed over and on him, the burdens began to manifest as physical chains.
Weighing him down more, as well as restricting his movements as they increased in number and weight. The arms which had now multiplied to staggering figures, began to fuse and gather into a torso, pulling him back and downwards. More began to form into bodies as the pulling forces on him increased.,
Alex was panting his body growing more and more exhausted. However, he paid these changes no mind and focused his whole strength on each step, making them firmly. One after the other. The arms increased in number and were paired up. The chains increased in weight and number. The doubts and whispers of uncertainty built up. The bridges grew rustier and rustier. The steps grew higher and even more unstable.
Alex climbed the 4th mountain then the 5th and then the 6th ceeded its apex to his view. At this point, Alex was being driven not by flesh or blood nor by his strength, but by pure will and stubbornness. As he approached the 6th apex he felt a familiar strangeness in the atmosphere. On reaching the platform at the top the chains and arms formed into full bodies, and all voices of doubt and whispers of uncertainty vanished.
Alex felt as though his feet were about to float him away, due to how light he suddenly felt. Taking a deep breath he looked up to see the shed he had seen previously. No not the same shed, but this time a shaded stage built from immaculate marble. The various stones made the stage look vibrant and full of colour seeming very inviting and warm. However, in the distance behind the stage was a lofty mountain, emitting not pressure but a matchless arrogance that could only be felt from the most haughty of beings. And there beside the stage was a wooden bridge leading towards it.
"Congratulations!!" a loud youthful voice said. The sound of which didn't differ much from the other voices, older but still just as creepy.
"You have proved our expectations false." A handsome teenager held a beautiful silver champagne cup that looked so fancy it seemed jarring. With gems embossed within it, and with so many engravings on it, it appeared crowded. Alex's attention was fixed on the strange silver cup yet again unable to control his gaze.
"You are indeed worthy of the Gateway. Come let's drink " the voice said as the alluring fragrance of the glowing amber colour liquid spread towards Alex as the teenager offered the cup to him.
Alex could clearly feel his body yearning for the liquid, as though a parched desert was receiving its first rain in centuries. He hesitated for a minute before looking up at the peak in the distance and turning to the bridge. Steeling his mind, he resolutely walked towards it.
Trying to set his foot onto the wooden bridge the force present on the bridge pushed him back 4 meters. Staggering Alex looked towards the mountain in the distance in shock at its power.
"Foolish brevary. You can't defeat the mountains by being brave. Bravery to the point of apparent foolishness." the voice said snidely.
Alex paid no mind to the voice and approached the bridge. Placing both his hands before him and pushing hard as he walked onto the bridge with a further effort he placed one foot in front of the other and entered the wooden bridge.
The pressure and force mounted onto him, the chains reappeared and the doubts resurfaced. The arms reappeared and the exhaustion returned. However, with both arms raised before him, he pushed back taking one step at a time.
A thick fog appeared on the bridge obscuring his view of the bridge ahead, leaving only the lofty mountain in the distance. With the appearance of the fog, the voices of doubt became clearer and louder, worming their way into Alex's mind slowing his progress but progress he made still. With chains of unimaginable weight and spectral beings pulling on them to drag him back. With a wavering wooden bridge beneath him and fogs of uncertainty and doubt before him, Alex pressed on nonetheless.
Although now much slower, he made his way till he arrived at the sky-breaking peaks. To his dismay once again he noticed the strange sight of each step up the mountain being a gigantic 7 metres high going up as far as the eye could see through the clouds and the fog.
Alex's heart palpitated for a moment and the bridge beneath him immediately made a loud creaking sound. Alex hurriedly steeled his resolve and began climbing with both hands and feet onto the first step. The voices of doubt and thoughts of uncertainty as though they had received renewed vigour blasted within his mind like a schizophrenic's delusions, making his thoughts fly all over the place.
"Focus!!" Alex roared in his mind with all his strength and began his climb up the first stairs one hand in front of the other and one foot before the next.
****************************************************
Meanwhile, within the Temple of Origin, the figure that stood before the massive gateway began to pulsate as though it was summoning something while the regal gateway began to glow brighter and brighter in response.
"Ahhh!!... So quickly?" Felix said surprised.
"Why?... What's wrong?" the mellow woman's voice asked
"This is a common sign when the final stages of the trial have started."
"Normally it would not be so soon, even taking into account the time dilatation within the trial realm."
"What does that mean?" she asked again.
"There is not much consequence yet. But the Temple Lord would likely reward him for having the fastest completion time in the entire myriad realms."
"But I thought the Temple Lord was dead."
"No, no little sister. Beings of such a realm are unfathomable. After all, they have exceeded the powers of the Grade 9 Divine Beings."
Felix explained to his companion with a face full of respect and yearning
"I wonder what surprises you will bring us Alex Regio," he muttered to himself before falling silent once again.
On a sky-breaking peak within the trial realm, a shadowy figure of what appeared to be a baby opened its eyes revealing shockingly blue eyes that seemed to contain infinite power within that small feeble-looking body. The apparition looked down into the mist below the massive peak and as though seeing something exciting, it smiled brightly before closing its eyes once again and vanishing from the peak as though it had never been there.