the 15th floor

I hung suspended in midair, the arrow aimed straight at my head. I could feel the wind whistling past my ears as it approached. Death seemed inevitable.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. If I could turn grace into a light, why couldn't turn grace into a shield it now?

I closed my eyes and concentrated, whispering to myself, "Slow down time."

The world around me slowed to a crawl. I could see the arrow moving in slow motion, its tip gleaming in the fading sunlight.

I opened my eyes and imagined a shield of grace before me. It was a simple, circular shield, made of pure light. It shimmered and glowed, as if it were alive.

A blessing seeped from me, forming the shield in front of me. I could feel the power of grace flowing through me, empowering me.

The arrow struck the shield with a dull thud. It bounced off harmlessly and fell to the ground.

Time returned to its normal course, and I was left standing in midair, the shield still in front of me.

I looked down at Lina, who was watching me with wide, stunned eyes. I smiled at her, then turned and burst through the gates

I collapsed on the ground inside, breathless but alive.

I had done it. I had used grace to save my life.

Lina looked at me, her face radiant with a wide smile. Her eyes sparkled with mirth and excitement.

"You're really something else," she said, her voice husky with desire.

She approached me slowly, she grabbed my clothes in her fists and pulled me close,

Her face was so close that I could feel her breath on my cheek. Her scent was intoxicating, a mix of vanilla and lavender.

"How did you do that?" she asked, "Just from a few words I said to you yesterday?"

I looked into her eyes, which were so blue and clear that I felt like I could drown in them.

"I did it because I was going to die," I replied, my voice low and intense.

On the precipice of death, one may face their end with a smile, or cling to life with every fiber of their being. I realized that I belonged to the latter category.

Lina smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I won't lie," she said. "I thought you were a dead man." Her laughter echoed through the air, followed by a playful slap to my arm. "But you disappointed me."

She gestured forward. "Now, let's move on to the second test."

An arrow still protruded from my shoulder. I gritted my teeth and pulled it out, ignoring the sharp pain.

"Direct the grace to the wound," Lina instructed.

I closed my eyes and concentrated, imagining the healing power of grace flowing through me. To my amazement, the wound began to close, the torn flesh knitting itself back together.

"Damn it," i muttered. "It's healing."

Lina moved forward, her voice low and conspiratorial. "It takes others months or even years to learn a skill that you learn in a few seconds."

I didn't hear her clearly, but I followed her anyway. Flares began to go out around us, plunging the world into darkness. We emerged into a large square, surrounded by towering walls. Behind the walls, I could see creatures lurking, their weapons gleaming in the fading light. They were ghouls, massive creatures with large heads, larger noses, and yellow bodies. Some carried swords, others shield, and still others arrows. They stood motionless; their eyes fixed on us.

"The second test," Lina said. "It is protecting the castle. One of us will protect our castle and the other will attack the enemy's castle and try to steal their flag and destroy it. But if our castle is destroyed before we do that, we lose."

It was clear that all of the tests so far required two or more people to work together. It seemed that the purpose of these tests was to strengthen the bond between the teams. But why?

I looked at Lina and said, "I'll attack and you'll protect the flag. You're stronger than me, so you'll be able to protect it better."

Lina smiled. "Are you saying that because you're afraid for me?" she joked.

"No time for joking," I said.

Lina entered the castle. It was small, and the flag was clearly visible in the center of the courtyard. There was a clear path leading to it.

"When I grab the flag, the test will begin," Lina said.

I nodded.

Lina grabbed the flag, and the ground immediately began to shake violently. A tall forest appeared around us, so thick that I couldn't see the ghouls anymore.

"This test looks like it's going to be a lot of fun," I said.

Outside the tower, the quiet place began to shine with lights. From these lights, one child after another began to emerge. They looked very exhausted and tired.

"I've finally finished the fifth floor," someone said in a bitter voice.

His friend said to him, "Despite all this fatigue, we gained a lot of gems."

At that moment, a bright light lit up and a child with a horse's head came out. He was wearing golden clothes. Everyone looked at him in great astonishment.

He showed a look of pride. "I got this armor from the fifth floor. Hahahaha."

In fact, there are some things about the tower that Morgen don't tells to Hope.

Initially, this tower has 20 floors. But it opens every 3 years, and whoever signs in can enter it every beginning of the year. He is only allowed to pass 5 floors. At the end of the fifth floor, he receives a prize, then exits the tower and waits until the following year.

And on the 15th floor…

The mysteries of shall remain hidden for now.

Within the fifth-floor walls, a multitude of battles rages, each with its own unique challenges. Yet, amidst this tumult, the most arduous test awaits Hope and Lena.

What rewards await them?