Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:
“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”
“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”
“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”
So,Icalledforth“me.”
Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.
Timepassed.
Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.
“gratutions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”
Theeokeup:
Panting,Iasked,
Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.
Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.
Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:
Themountaiobesappingmystrength.
Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.
Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.
AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?
“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”
Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.
“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”
TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.
Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.
Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.
ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.
Quietly,Imuttered,
Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”
“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”
Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”
“Oh?”
likeaflowingstream.
Halftheeffort...?
Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:
Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar
“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.