Elevate | ONC 2021

11. Sacrifice

"Your final task is as follows: Climb to the top of the mountain closest to your elevator. Good luck, Geniuses!"

A grimace marred Sintra's face as the group shared hesitant looks between each other.

"That's it?" Jesse asked.

A very valid question.

This was too easy for a final quest. Not that the mountain looked like an effortless feat but Sintra couldn't help but think that it was much too simple.

Climb to the top of mountain. No catches, no riddles, no battles, no monsters. It seemed to good to be true.

Lightning struck across the sky, illuminating the harrowing looks placating their faces.

Anxiety had Sintra frozen in place as her mind ran through a million possibilities. These game masters never made anything this easy and now they were suppose to just climb a mountain?

What was at the top of the mountain? Was there a time limit? What would happen after they had arrived at the top? Could she even make it to the top?

The mountain was incredibly steep, not to mention it was almost the height of the Eiffel Tower. How long would this take? Could her limbs hold out until she got there or was someone or something going to attack them before that?

So many questions, so many possibilities. It was too much for her.

"Hey," Vante said, snapping her out of the marathon of thoughts running through her mind. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that it's too easy."

"You look at this giant sized tower of rock and think it's easy? You grew alot of balls since I met you, Sintra."Jesse pitched in.

"I mean, I understand what she's saying. What's the catch you know?" Felix defended.

"There's no catch. We climb the mountain and we win. Just try not to fall off or we'll die. Same treatment as every game," Jesse retorted.

Sintra wasn't so sure about.

A few participants had already started climbing and it wasn't long before Sintra herself had been pulling her body up the mountain.

It was a very lengthy journey but some how they managed to keep going by what Sintra believed was a miracle.

A scream echoed from behind them, followed another, and another. Indication that some people had fallen to their deaths.

Sintra's hand shook with every grip of rock, her anxiety taking a seat within her bones as it kicked up a foot to enjoy wracking her nerves.

As she reached for another piece of gray rock to anchor herself, her foot slipped, dangling in the air momentarily. She hurriedly found her balance again, exhaling deeply at the close call.

Her entire body was shaking uncontrollably now, the possibility of falling to her death even more imminent.

"Don't look down okay, Sin? It's gonna be fine," Vante said as he stopped next to her.

That however, was easier said than done.

"Why don't I tell you why I bought shares in your company as we climb? Take your mind off the fall?" He then asked and Sintra's ears suddenly perked up, interested in learning this forbidden knowledge.

"Okay," she nodded, reaching for another piece of rock.

Sintra didn't understand how Vante could be smiling at a time like this but he did, shaking his head at her as they climbed.