Her voice snapped him out. He looked at his bloody hands and noticed his sword was missing. He turned toward the voice—it was Elaine, his older sister.
She had long silver hair and bright amber eyes. Her skin was white. She wore a silver breastplate, with armor on her legs and arms.
His expression turned soft and gentle. He fell to his knee, tears pouring out of his eyes uncontrollably.
He tried to explain what happened, but no words would come out, like he had lost the ability to speak.
Elaine softened her gaze, put her sword back at her waist, and wrapped her arm around him. He didn't have the energy to embrace her back. His arms were numb and in pain.
He let her hold him for a moment, before he slowly lost consciousness in her arms.
Then she turned to one of the guards.
"Take Luis to the doctor, and send one to Sylas's room."
The soldiers carried Luis away, and Elaine lifted Sylas up, carrying him in her arms to his room. Once inside, she laid him down.
She sat next to his bed, watching him sleep until the doctor came into the room. He healed all the damage Sylas had endured and left.
Elaine started to pet his head, like she hadn't seen him for years.
He felt the familiar feeling of safety flow through him.
He slowly opened his eyes.
"Hey, Elaine. Long time no see."
A small but warm smile formed on his face.
She hugged him tightly.
"Where have you been? I went to find you, but you weren't there."
He didn't have an answer for her.
"I'm sorry," was the only thing he could spill out.
A moment later, she let him go, and the room got quiet. No one talked, until Sylas noticed he didn't have his necklace.
He started to panic until Elaine took it out of her pocket and handed it over to him. He grabbed it and pressed it tightly against his chest.
"That's really special to you, isn't it?" she asked.
He just nodded. Then he looked at her.
"That's the last thing she left me when she died."
Then he looked at her again, his tone soft and quiet.
"Please let me leave. I don't want to stay in this hellish place."
He started crying like a child.
Elaine wiped his tears away and started telling him why he was here.
"Listen to me, Sylas. You are here for a reason. The entire Virelia family and noble families will gather, and they will send their kids inside the Door. It happens every three years," she explained.
She kept on talking, but he didn't understand what she was talking about. His mind was clouded. But one thing was clear.
"I don't wanna be part of this family, Elaine."
He paused.
"They are all monsters. They all killed my mother."
She cupped her hands around his face and looked him in the eyes.
"Your mother and I trained you, prepared you for this reason, Sylas," she continued.
"That key is the entrance to the Door. Only that key can open it. It's your mother's last gift to you."
Then she paused.
"But you need to complete the quest and come out of there alive. That's why your mother trained you until her last breath."
He looked at the necklace in his palm.
He thought about it for a while.
"Fine, I will do it."
Her face filled with joy. She hugged him once more before leaving the room.
He laid back down, staring at the necklace dangling above his face.
Then a knock came at the door.
"Come in."
It was the same maid from before. He leaned against the bed frame and looked at her.
"Come here."
She walked toward him slowly, her head lowered as if Sylas were some kind of monster, so he softened his voice.
"Your name?"
"Elizabeth."
"Do you know where the bathroom is?"
She pointed at the room in the corner. He got out of the bed and looked at Elizabeth.
He took a deep breath.
"I could use some privacy."
She ran out of the room.
He didn't remember the last time he saw himself clean. After the shower, he picked up the pair of clothes she had left for him. It was a black shirt, with a black suit with red stripes.
He wore it and looked at himself in the mirror. He barely recognized the person in front of him.
From behind the door—
"Young master, are you done?"
Sylas opened the door and stared at her in surprise.
"Were you standing there this whole time?"
She just nodded. He realized how gullible this girl was. He looked at her.
"Why are you still here?"
She lifted her head up.
"They are all here."
"Ok. Let's go."
He cracked his knuckles as he followed her. His heart started beating fast. He didn't know why… but he knew one thing—he must not show any weakness.
Elizabeth guided him through floors and floors, doors after doors. He didn't know where she was taking him. But now, she was much more cheerful. She was skipping through the hall while singing.
It caught him off guard.
After what felt like nonstop walking, they finally came across a floor at the bottom of the basement. The floor was lined with torches.
They were interesting—they stayed off at first. But as they passed, they lit up. And as soon as they passed by, they turned off.
Complete darkness.
"How many times have you been here?" he asked.
She looked at them with a smile on her face.
"First time."
For a moment, he thought she was messing with him. She guided him so easily.
"How did you know this place so well?"
She stopped humming.
"Because I'm your maid. I was trained for this purpose since I was born."
He wondered,
"What if I didn't accept this trial?"
She stopped walking, her tone soft.
"Then I would be Sir Luis's maid. But he is mean to all the maids."
She started to walk again.
"You are scary, but you are not mean."
Sylas walked beside her and petted her head.
"Well then, pray I don't die."
She giggled as they walked toward a massive black door with bumps on it.
"We are here."
The door automatically opened as they got near it. The room was completely black. Torches everywhere lit up the room.
Inside were kids. They stood in a circle, their fathers behind them. Sylas walked in, his head held high. They all stared at the man sitting at the top.
It was his father.
He was a giant man, with white hair, a thick white beard, and wide shoulders. He wore a long white coat. He was sitting on a throne, his massive sword laying next to it.
Someone from inside shouted,
"Last participant is here—Sylas Virelia!"
"No," he spoke out, his voice filled with confidence.
He put both his hands in his pockets and walked in with his head up.
"It's just Sylas."
Everyone looked at him.
Then he heard a familiar voice.
"How dare you talk to Father like that!"
It was Luis, and he was standing in front of his mother. Sylas turned his eyes sharp.
"Did you already forget the beating?"
Everyone stared at him in disgust. They wondered why he was here.
But then a slow, deep voice cut through it all.
"You did that to my precious boy."
It was his mother. Her voice was powerful. It sent shivers through his spine. His legs and hands shook. He was afraid. Her presence was so intense he couldn't look her in the eyes.
Then from behind him—
"That's enough."
It was his father's voice. The room shook. The chandeliers above swayed, like they were about to rip off.
"We don't have time for child's play. Let this trial begin."
He looked at Sylas.
"Now, all of you take out the key you were given."
He continued.
"You will go through the gate. Once you're in there, you must complete the task and gain a blessing."
No one talked.
"If you fail, you will be trapped in there and die."
Sylas looked around at everyone's keys. They were mostly gold and platinum.
When he took out his own, they all started laughing and mocking him—as if they already knew he wouldn't come out of this alive.
All the parents stepped away from their kids. Then they all turned around.
A small pillar with a keyhole rose from the ground. They each put their key into the slot and twisted.
Suddenly, the pillar became a door. As the kids entered, their parents waved them goodbye and told them to make them proud.
For Sylas, he could only wave goodbye to his maid.
And with that, he passed through the gate.