Chapter 296: Perseverance

"Vedas?"

The Goblin King smiled. "You’re really going to give up here?"

Arthur stared at him. For several seconds, he couldn’t understand what he was seeing. He was exhausted. His body was barely responding. His hands were bleeding.

His legs felt as though they had been crushed beneath the weight of the boulder. Yet Vedas stood behind him with that familiar grin, as if the impossible hill in front of them was merely another battlefield.

Arthur slowly smiled. "I thought you were back there."

"I was." Vedas placed both hands against the boulder. "Now I’m here."

Arthur looked at him. "You can see me?"

"I can see you."

"And you can actually touch this?"

Vedas pushed against the boulder. It moved.

Arthur’s eyes widened. "You’re kidding."

Vedas laughed. "Apparently not."

Arthur looked at the enormous boulder, then at the endless hill, then back at Vedas. "This trial is ridiculous."

"I was thinking the same thing." Vedas pushed again. "Who creates a trial where someone has to push a boulder up an endless hill?"

Arthur placed both hands against the stone. "Someone who really hates people."

"Or someone who wanted to make sure we suffered."

Arthur laughed. "That’s even worse."

They pushed together, the boulder moving, one step, then another, Arthur gritting his teeth as his arms immediately began burning again. "You know," he said between breaths, "I was doing this alone before you showed up."

Vedas glanced at him. "And?"

"I was making progress."

"You were on your knees."

"I was still making progress."

"You were about to collapse."

"I hadn’t collapsed yet."

Vedas laughed. "Your standards are impressive."

Arthur smiled despite the pain. "You’re one to talk."

"I wasn’t the one arguing with a boulder."

"You’re literally pushing it with me."

"Because someone has to make sure you don’t lose to a rock."

Arthur snorted. "After this, I’m telling everyone you said that."

Vedas’s smile widened. "Tell them whatever you want."

They pushed harder, the boulder rolling another few feet, Arthur’s breathing becoming heavier, his legs trembling, the hill seeming to stretch farther the more they climbed.

Arthur looked upward. "Does this hill actually have an end?"

Vedas looked up. "I don’t know."

"Great."

"Maybe that’s the trial." He pushed. "Maybe the point is that we don’t know where it ends. But we keep going anyway."

Arthur was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. "Yeah."

They continued. The boulder moved, step by step, their shoes digging into the dirt, their arms shaking, sweat rolling down their faces. Neither stopped.

Then, CRACK! The ground beneath them split.

Arthur looked down. "That’s new."

A huge section of the hill collapsed, and the boulder tilted.

"Arthur!"

"I’ve got it!"

Both of them threw their weight against it, the stone nearly rolling backward, and Vedas dug his feet into the dirt. "Push!"

Arthur gritted his teeth. "I’m pushing!"

"Harder!"

"I’m already pushing as hard as I can!"

"Then push harder!"

Arthur laughed through his exhaustion. "That’s not how strength works!"

"Apparently it is!"

The boulder finally stabilized, and they pushed together, rolling it over the broken section. Arthur collapsed against it for a moment.

Vedas laughed. "You almost lost."

"You almost lost too."

"But I didn’t."

"Neither did I."

Vedas nodded. "Then we’re both right."

Arthur shook his head. "You’re annoying."

"So I’ve been told."

They continued upward, and the environment suddenly changed. Dark clouds appeared overhead.

Arthur looked up. "You have got to be kidding me."

Thunder rolled across the sky, rain began falling, and within seconds it became a violent storm. The ground turned to mud, the boulder became slick, and Arthur’s hands slipped. "Vedas!"

"I’ve got it!" Vedas wrapped both arms around the boulder as the wind slammed into them and rain poured over their bodies.

Arthur pushed from the other side. "This is absurd!"

Vedas laughed. "You’ve said that three times!"

"Because it keeps getting more absurd!"

Lightning struck nearby.

BOOM!

Arthur jumped.

Vedas glanced at him. "Scared?"

"No."

"That looked like fear."

"It was surprise."

"Of lightning?"

"Yes!"

Vedas laughed so hard he nearly lost his grip.

Arthur stared at him. "If we survive this, I’m telling Mithra you were laughing while lightning was striking us."

"She’ll probably agree with me."

"About what?"

"That you’re dramatic."

Arthur laughed. "You know what? I’m glad you’re here."

Vedas looked at him, and Arthur’s smile became smaller. "Would’ve been boring otherwise."

Vedas nodded. "I know."

They pushed, the boulder moving through the mud, the rain continuing, the wind growing stronger. But they kept moving.

Eventually, the storm vanished. Just like that.

Arthur blinked. The sky was clear. The ground was dry.

Vedas looked around. "...I hate this trial."

Arthur laughed. "Finally, something we agree on."

They barely had time to enjoy the change. The ground darkened, shadows spreading beneath them.

Arthur’s smile disappeared. "That’s not good."

Vedas reached for King Maker as the shadows began crawling across the ground. One rose. Then another. Then dozens. Faceless creatures emerged from the darkness.

Arthur stared. "Shadow monsters."

Vedas smiled. "At least these are familiar."

The first shadow lunged, and Arthur blocked it with King Maker.

CLANG!

The creature’s claws scraped against the spear, and Vedas struck from the side, his weapon tearing through the shadow until it dissolved.

Arthur looked at him. "That was easy."

A larger shadow emerged.

Vedas looked at it. "Don’t say things like that."

The creature roared.

Arthur laughed. "Fine." He raised King Maker. "Let’s get rid of them."

The shadows rushed forward, and Arthur and Vedas fought side by side, Arthur thrusting, Vedas sweeping his spear, Arthur blocking one attack while Vedas destroyed another. A shadow tried to attack Vedas from behind, and Arthur intercepted it. "Behind you!"

Vedas turned. "Thanks."

Another attacked Arthur, and Vedas struck it down. "Behind you."

Arthur glanced back. "You’re learning."

"I pay attention."

More shadows appeared.

Arthur sighed. "How many of these things are there?"

Vedas looked around. "Too many."

"That’s not a number."

"I stopped counting."

Arthur laughed. "You’re becoming like me."

"Absolutely not."

The two continued fighting, the shadows becoming stronger, until one enormous creature emerged from the darkness, towering above them.

Arthur stared. "That one’s yours."

Vedas smiled. "Gladly."

The shadow charged, and Vedas met it head-on, the creature’s claw slamming into King Maker.

BOOM!

Vedas was thrown backward, and Arthur immediately rushed forward, slamming his shoulder into the creature. The shadow staggered.

Vedas recovered. "You could’ve let me handle it."

Arthur grinned. "You looked like you needed help."

"I didn’t."

"Sure."

Vedas thrust King Maker, and Arthur attacked at the same time, their strikes landing together.

BOOM!

The shadow exploded.

Vedas looked at Arthur. "Good teamwork."

Arthur nodded. "See? You do need me."

Vedas laughed. "Don’t tell Sun that."

"Why?"

"He’ll never stop talking about it."

Arthur smiled. "Then let’s make sure we give him plenty of material."

They pushed the boulder again, and the trial changed. The shadows vanished. The heat returned. The sun became unbearable, and Arthur’s body began trembling.

Vedas looked at him. "Still okay?"

"No."

Vedas laughed. "Honest answer."

"I’m exhausted."

"So am I."

Arthur glanced at him. "You?"

Vedas nodded. "My arms feel like they’re going to fall off."

Arthur smiled. "Good."

"Why?"

"Now we’re equally miserable."

Vedas laughed. "Fair."

They pushed, the boulder moving, one step, then another, the hill seeming endless. At some point, Arthur stopped knowing how long they had been walking.

There was no food. No water. No rest. Only the boulder. The hill. And the sun.

Arthur stumbled, and Vedas immediately grabbed his shoulder. "Careful."

"I’m fine."

"You almost fell."

"I said I’m fine."

"You’ve said that every time you’ve almost fallen."

Arthur looked at him. "You’re starting to sound like Mithra."

Vedas smiled. "Maybe she’s rubbing off on me."

Arthur laughed. "That’s dangerous."

They continued, and eventually the terrain changed again. Snow began falling.

Arthur stared at the sky. "Seriously?"

Vedas looked up. "Apparently."

"We just survived a storm."

"Now we get snow."

Arthur rubbed his face. "What’s next?"

Vedas looked ahead. "Knowing this trial?"

"Yes?"

"A dragon."

Arthur laughed. "Don’t say that."

A distant roar echoed across the landscape, and Arthur froze.

Vedas slowly looked at him. "...I hate this trial."

Arthur burst out laughing.

The roar came again. But nothing appeared. Instead, the snow stopped, and the landscape returned to normal.

Arthur stared. "That was cruel."

Vedas laughed. "They’re playing with us."

Arthur shook his head. "Then we’ll play back."

They pushed, and the hill finally began to flatten.

Arthur’s eyes widened. "Vedas."

"I see it."

The endless slope was ending. At the top was a vast white platform.

Arthur could barely believe it. "We’re there."

Vedas smiled. "Finally."

They pushed harder, their final strength going into the boulder. One last step, and the boulder rolled onto the platform.

Arthur and Vedas both collapsed to their knees, Arthur’s breathing ragged, Vedas dropping King Maker beside him. For several seconds, neither could speak.

Then Arthur laughed. "We actually did it."

Vedas looked at him. "Of course we did."

Arthur shook his head. "That was the stupidest trial I’ve ever experienced."

Vedas laughed. "You’ve fought corrupted Beasts, ancient Guardians, and an entire Miasma region."

"And somehow the boulder was worse."

"I agree."

Arthur leaned backward. "If Sun sees this, he’ll never let me live it down."

Vedas smiled. "He’ll probably ask why you needed me."

Arthur looked at him. "And what will you say?"

Vedas shrugged. "That you couldn’t do it without me."

Arthur laughed. "I’ll tell him the opposite."

"Then we’ll both lie."

They laughed together. Then the world became silent.

A voice echoed across the white landscape. "Trial has ended."

Arthur slowly raised his head. The entire platform began glowing. "The new master of Phanetium has been accepted."

Arthur’s eyes widened.

Vedas looked toward him.

Arthur smiled. "We really did it."

Vedas nodded. "Together."

Then, WHOOM! Light exploded across the world.

The hill disappeared. The boulder disappeared. The sky disappeared. Vedas disappeared. Everything became white.

Arthur’s final thought before the light swallowed him was simple.

Phanetium.

And then nothing.