Descent into the Evertread

To Aya, nothing was more interesting than books and magic.

By reading, she could explore different places and become other people. With illusions, she could make dreams a reality even for a moment.

While the kingdom's origin fascinated her, satisfying her curiosity wouldn't probably be worth the consequences of knowing the whole truth.

“Um, didn't you say you can't give all the details at this point in time?” Aya reminded Lorenz. “I-I’m good. You don't have to tell me.”

“I can disclose at least this much, and you might want to put in effort once you hear the reward if you pass.”

“The only reward I want is to go back home where Dad is.”

He regarded her in quiet contemplation. She winced as she realized she was too blunt. If Roniel were here, he'd definitely scold her.

“Very well,” Lorenz sighed in resignation. “If you make it out, you may return home.”

“Really?! Oh, but… Doesn't making it out mean I finished the trial?”

“Whether you pass or fail, you'll get to go back. Just make it out.”

‘A saint! He's a saint!’ Aya teared up, relieved. ‘But make it out of what exactly?’

The answer to that question came the next morning—in the form of an abyss.

Aya was aghast to see the hole yawning wide open on the ground like the mouth of a giant. The entrance descended into absolute darkness. A frigid wind drifted upward from imperceptible depths. Inscribed all around it in a coruscating rim were ancient symbols, their glow waxing and waning like a heartbeat.

As she stood there, she felt she's a human sacrifice waiting upon a slumbering god.

‘Ayaya?! Is this another Primer Beacon, and I'm the dedication being offered?!’

“Good luck down there, little lady.” Cassian patted her head in encouragement.

“H-Hold on! Aren't you coming?! Is this the trial?!”

Lorenz gave her an apologetic smile. “I was about to explain it before you fell asleep, but you did need the rest.”

‘Ah, yeah… It's also my fault for not asking.’

They'd arrived at dawn. Cassian had carried her inside while she snored and drooled away in her sleep. When she woke up, they were in an underground passage. Lorenz had let her rest more in a sleeping chamber before guiding her there.

“To think the palace where the King is would have…w-whatever this is…”

“His Majesty is not here. He's in the Royal Palace, and we're at the Amethyst Palace, where Lord Lorenz used to live when he's a prince,” Danica corrected.

Aya snapped her head to Lorenz. “A prince?!”

“I was once royalty before becoming Rah Aerowenlore. A new prince now resides in this palace, and I live in my territory,” Lorenz explained.

“G-Got it… So, uh, the trial?”

“It is quite simple. You need only reach the end of the stairs of the Evertread.”

“The Evertread… Wait, what?! I can't even see the stairs, much less the end!”

“You will once you go down.”

She whimpered, feeling her stomach churn from nerves, “A-And I'll be alone?”

“Yes.”

“Is s-something there?”

“Well…”

The darkness wasn't all too daunting. Rather, it’s the unknown. Aya couldn't help but imagine what horrors she'd find. Worse, she'd be on her own.

“Can I die there? That'll be child murder, you know. I don't want this.”

“Miss Aya,” Lorenz sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We really should work on your…brusqueness later on. I'm certain you'll be fine. You simply need to find the way out.”

‘No flesh-eating monster with sharp fangs or long tentacles, then…? Okay.’

Aya promptly did some warm-up exercises, stretching, jumping, and running in circles. She would finish this in no time and return home to her stepfather.

“Must you do all that?” Cassian snorted, watching patiently with the others as she pumped herself up.

“I'm ready!”

“Alright~”

“Take care, Miss Aya.”

Alas, the trial began.

Not bringing any source of light with her made her hesitate. From the top, there were no stairs in sight—just eternal, eerie darkness. But she used her imagination and took the first step down nonetheless.

‘I have faith in you, Lord Lorenz! Let's try to think there's a stairway made of stars and clouds… Oh?’

Right then, stairs came into view. Stone steps spiraled downward in a helical structure, and cold air blew. Still, she couldn't see the bottom.

"H-Hello?"

Her voice floated. Each echo grew quieter—stranger until it no longer sounded like her. She glanced behind.

The opening she'd entered was nowhere to be found. She shuddered.

“Ngh… I can't turn back, huh?”

Looking ahead, Aya placed one foot onto the next step, then another, and another.

Her heart hammered loudly against her chest. The deeper she went, the darker it got. Her imagination immediately filled what's beyond —

Something standing, watching, waiting.

Her eyes squeezed shut. Her breath stuttered. Without realizing it, she lowered herself onto her hands and knees.

"Maybe I'll crawl..."

It sounded ridiculous. But it also seemed safer. She moved slowly like a terrified kitten trapped in a tree.

‘Don't look down. Nothing's there. Don't look down. Nothing's there. Don't look down.’

She looked down.

Her stomach lurched in an instant. She clung harder to the stairs, but it was too late. Her foot slipped past a step.

“Gyaaaaahhhhh!!!”

Aya plunged through empty air.

Everything happened at once. The staircase rushed beneath her in a blur of grays and blacks. She clambered for balance, hands flailing, feet scrambling. The wind roared in her ears for a long fraction of time.

"Nooooo! I don't wanna dieeeee- Ack?!”

Suddenly, the steps vanished under her. She stumbled forward and collided face-first with a stone wall. Then, she blacked out.

When she regained consciousness moments later, she found herself exactly where she'd landed, pressed against a hard surface and aching all over.

“Ow, ow, ow… This is worse than when I fell from the neighbor’s tree.”

The staircase that threw her into oblivion now towered above her. It appeared as endless as it first did, but it didn't feel like she spent any longer than half an hour treading it. The bottom didn't seem as dark either, though she couldn't tell how the surroundings were still visible.

“I made it…?”

Her knees quivered as she stood back up, and her heart raced. But she was glad it's over. She brushed the dusts off, steadying her breathing.

With renewed composure, Aya walked around the stone wall to find a gate—a way out.

“Yipee!” she cheered, “Just wait a little longer, Dad! Aya’s coming home-”

The gate was closed. It was also locked.

She despaired.

“Where's the key?!”

“There is no key.”

Hearing the voice, she looked up in surprise. A black rabbit sat atop the gate, with big, round eyes like drops of ink. For several seconds, she only stared at it.

“Did you…?”

“You must open the gate with your own power, child.”

“Y-You did talk!”

It sounded ordinary, as if rabbits had always spoken.

It had small paws, long ears that twitched, and a body built for skittish movements. Yet it carried itself like a person. Even its silence felt deliberate.

Aya read about encounters with magical creatures. Every time, she enjoyed it. She even used illusions to reenact the scenes. But in this case, she wasn't sure whether to be elated that she met a talking animal or be alarmed that it happened in this kind of place.

“Um, hi… Are you stuck here? Wanna get out too? How did you get in? Can I touch you-”

“I believe introducing oneself is the proper human etiquette when meeting someone,” the rabbit said.

“More like something… Or are you really someone? If so, what's your name? I’m Aya!”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mistress Aya. Well done getting this far. From this point onwards, you must endeavor to open the gate-”

“Mistress Aya?! Oh, wow! That sounds so fancy! Ehehehe...”

Aya was a simple girl. She's happy being treated like a lady. She's also happy being praised.

The rabbit looked the opposite of happy, though.

“Ah, yes, yes! I will open it!” She faced the gate once more. “How exactly…?”

“With your own power,” it repeated. She tried to pry the gate open with her bare hands. “Your magic, I mean,” it clarified.

“How did you know about my…?”

“Every human who enters here should have magic. I very much look forward to yours.” An excited smile spread across its furry face.

“I don't think it'll be useful for this, but…”

Aya raised her arms, and flames burst into existence. It swelled into an enormous fireball that bathed the surroundings in fierce red-orange light. The rabbit watched with wide eyes as it surged towards the gate like a blazing arrow.

“Impressive, Mistress Aya!”

Yet, when the light faded and dusts settled, the gate was revealed to be untouched. It was merely an illusion.

“J-Just kidding!” Aya tried to laugh it off, embarrassed. “Thought I could threaten the gate to open itself with my Sageflame illusion.”

“...Do you know any other spells?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

The rabbit seemed a tad disappointed. It acted as though she used a parlor trick rather than magic. But that's just how illusions were. She left it be and searched for another way out.

“Well, you ought to persuade me to open it for you, then.”

Aya turned back to the rabbit. “You can?!”

“Of course. After all..." It straightened up and smiled proudly, a paw on its chest. "...I am the ambassador of a goddess.”