Crown of Thorns and Roses

The forest grew colder as they pressed on, the ground turning from soft earth to jagged stone. The mist thickened again, clinging to Elena like icy breath, but this time it carried no whispers—only an unnatural silence that set her teeth on edge.

Cassian walked ahead, as steady as always, his silver eyes scanning the path before them. Though he gave no sign of concern, Elena noticed his hand never strayed far from his sword hilt.

"How far until the second gate?" she asked, her voice low.

Cassian didn't look back. "We're close. You'll know when we've reached it."

"What makes this one different?"

He paused just long enough for her to catch up, turning to face her. "The second gate doesn't test your fear," he said. "It tests your will."

Elena frowned, shivering as a chill ran down her spine. "My will?"

"Your ability to endure," Cassian clarified, his tone steady but grim. "It will break you down, strip away your strength, and demand to know if you are worthy of continuing."

"And if I fail?"

Cassian's gaze hardened. "Then the forest will finish what it started."

The implication settled over her like a stone. Elena tightened her grip on her cloak, swallowing the lump in her throat. She had faced her fear at the first gate—faced the guilt that had weighed on her for years—but this sounded worse. Endurance. A trial of sheer will.

Would she be enough?

The thought haunted her as they walked, until finally, the trees parted, revealing a clearing unlike anything she had seen before.

The ground was barren, covered in fine, gray dust that swirled in slow circles, though there was no wind. At the center of the clearing stood a massive archway made of dark, cracked stone, its surface carved with runes that pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat.

Elena stopped, her stomach twisting as she stared at it. This gate felt different—alive, watching her.

"The Gate of Endurance," Cassian said, his voice low. "Once you pass through, it won't let you leave until you've proven yourself."

Elena tore her gaze away from the gate to look at him. "How do I pass?"

Cassian's expression darkened. "You survive."

Elena stepped through the arch, her breath catching as the world shifted around her. The clearing disappeared, replaced by an endless expanse of white nothingness—like she had walked into a void.

She turned sharply, but the gate was gone. She was alone.

"Cassian?" Her voice echoed unnaturally, the sound swallowed by the void. "Hello?"

No answer.

She took a cautious step forward, then another, her footsteps making no sound. The silence pressed down on her, growing heavier with every second, until it felt like a physical weight on her chest.

Her pulse quickened. Where am I?

The answer came in the form of a voice—a soft, familiar whisper that sent a chill through her veins.

"Elena…"

She froze. That voice. She knew it.

Slowly, she turned, her heart hammering against her ribs. Standing just a few paces away was a figure she had not seen in years—her mother.

Elena's breath caught. "No… you can't be here."

Her mother smiled faintly, though her eyes were cold, empty. "Why did you leave us, Elena? Why did you let us die?"

"I didn't… I couldn't save you," Elena stammered, taking a step back. "I was just a child—"

The figure of her mother stepped closer, her voice rising to a cruel hiss. "You ran. You hid. And now you think you're worthy of a crown?"

The words cut deeper than any blade. Elena clenched her fists, tears stinging her eyes. "Stop it. You're not real."

"Not real?" another voice echoed.

Elena turned sharply, her blood running cold. Her father stood there now, his face twisted in disappointment. "You were weak then, and you're weak now. You'll never be enough."

"Stop!" Elena shouted, the sound ringing into the void. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the voices. "You're not real. None of this is real!"

But the voices didn't stop. They grew louder, overlapping, shouting at her, pulling her down like hands clawing at her skin.

"Failure!"

"Coward!"

"Worthless!"

Elena fell to her knees, her breath ragged. The weight of their words crushed her, dragging her deeper into despair. It felt endless, inescapable, like she was drowning.

You can't survive this, a voice whispered in her mind. You're not strong enough.

"No," she murmured, shaking her head. "I am strong. I am…"

The voices only laughed.

Time lost meaning in the void. Hours, days—Elena couldn't tell. The voices never stopped, and the cold seeped into her bones, numbing her to everything but their taunts.

She wanted to give up. To let the darkness swallow her.

But then, faintly, another voice echoed through the chaos.

"Elena."

It was deeper, steady—Cassian's voice.

"Elena, focus," it said, cutting through the noise. "Remember who you are."

She gasped, her eyes snapping open. The void was still there, the voices still screaming, but the spark of light she had felt before flickered deep inside her.

Who am I?

Elena gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stand. Her body ached, her legs trembling, but she straightened, lifting her chin.

"I'm Elena," she said, her voice steady despite the storm raging around her. "I'm not weak. I'm not a failure."

The voices roared louder, furious, but she ignored them, taking a step forward.

"I am more than my guilt. More than my fear." Another step. "And I will not break."

The spark inside her flared brighter, flooding her with warmth. The voices began to fade, their power weakening. The white void trembled, cracks splintering through it like glass.

Elena raised her hand, the light pouring from her fingertips. "You don't own me!"

With a final cry, the void shattered.

Elena stumbled forward, collapsing onto solid ground. She gasped, her body trembling with exhaustion. When she opened her eyes, she was back in the clearing, the dark arch behind her. The runes had gone dark.

Cassian was there, crouched beside her. "You survived."

Elena looked up at him, sweat plastering her hair to her face. "I thought… I thought I wouldn't."

Cassian's silver eyes softened—just slightly. "The crown tests everyone, Elena. But you endured."

She sat up, her hands still shaking, and looked at the gate. "That was worse than the shadows."

"It always is." Cassian stood, offering her his hand. "But you passed."

Elena took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. Her legs wobbled, but she stayed standing, her head held high.

She glanced at Cassian, determination burning in her chest. "One gate left?"

Cassian nodded, his expression grim. "One gate. And it will be the hardest yet."

Elena took a deep breath, the weight of the trials heavy on her shoulders. But she was still here—still standing.

And she would not stop now.