My steps echoed, but the echoes didn’t seem to come from walls or ceilings—they felt as if they were resonating from the bridge itself. Each sound rippled outward like a wave before abruptly fading. The darkness surrounding me wasn’t like a wall but more of an endless void. It felt as though if I took a single step off the bridge, I would fall forever. A chill ran through my body. The bridge seemed to stretch on infinitely; there was no visible end or exit ahead of me.

As I walked deeper into the darkness, the sounds around me began to change. At first, I could only hear the echoes of my own footsteps. But then I noticed a faint murmur coming from afar. It was like a strange melody—something without words but carrying a sense of meaning. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but the more I listened, the more real it seemed.

After some time, something new emerged in the darkness: three massive stone pillars rising from the middle of the bridge. Each was spaced evenly apart, and all three hosted a door. The pillars looked identical at first glance, but their markings were distinct.

The first pillar, on the left, had a surface deeply etched with intricate carvings. A figure of a skull pierced by a sword was engraved on it. The hollow eye sockets of the skull stared blankly, while the thin blade of the sword seemed to coil inward, wrapping around the skull’s interior. This symbol spoke of death, war, and the consequences of battle. The notches around the skull appeared to tell a story—a tale of pain and the many facets of mortality.

The middle pillar was different. Its surface was adorned with an intricate pattern of interconnected geometric shapes. Circles, triangles, and stars merged into one another; when viewed from one angle, they conveyed a meaning, but shifting one’s gaze revealed a completely different one. This pillar seemed to represent the intertwined nature of order and chaos, the complexity of the universe. I could feel the depth of these shapes, as if I were standing in a place where time and space themselves were intertwined.

The third pillar, on the right, featured a striking figure. A lion standing amidst grass was carved toward the base of the pillar. The lion’s majesty was intertwined with the elegance and wildness of its stance among the grass. Unlike the other symbols, this one wasn’t as harsh or menacing, yet it radiated power and freedom. The lion’s eyes almost seemed alive, glowing faintly as if they were looking directly at me.

Each door had a small but clearly visible keyhole above it. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the key, gripping it tightly in my hand. I could now feel the weight of the golden key more acutely; it was clear that I was meant to make a choice here.

Beyond the three doors, further ahead, there was another massive door. However, this one was entirely different from the others. It was larger, more intimidating, and far more intricate. It seemed to be made of black metal, its surface carved with deep grooves. At a glance, it looked like it held countless hidden stories. Yet, unlike the other doors, this one had no visible keyhole.

Standing before the pillars, I gazed at the keyholes above each door, feeling the golden key in my hand. This key was an opportunity—a chance to open one of these doors—but deciding which one required careful thought. Each symbol demanded a choice, yet which one was the right one?

I couldn’t decide immediately, so I began to think. The carvings had to mean something. The golden key in my hand most likely opened one of these doors, and with three distinct designs and doors before me, it was clear that whatever lay beyond each one would be different. Perhaps I was about to face a kind of trial. If this was the first floor of the tower, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume something like that.

If each of these doors held a different challenge, then their purpose might be to teach me something—perhaps something about surviving in this tower. Could that be possible?

“No,” I said, clenching the key tightly in my hand.

There might be some kind of trial behind these doors, but would the tower help me? Impossible.

I was confused. Three doors, three different symbols… Each of them seemed to carry powerful meanings, but deciding which one was the right choice wasn’t easy. Clutching my key tightly, I thought about what each symbol was trying to convey. Did the skull mean death and war? Were the geometric shapes about uncertainty and chaos? And the lion… was it a symbol of might, freedom, and courage?

I took a deep breath, but no matter how deeply I thought, the indecision within me refused to fade. Time was slipping away, yet I still couldn’t figure out which door to open. Each door promised me a certain path, but I wasn’t sure which one was the right one.

My head was spinning. Every thought gave birth to a new question, and every question made me doubt the previous answers. Time seemed to be running out, but I kept thinking. What if I chose the wrong door… what if there was no way out?

Suddenly, I heard a sound behind me. A thin, shrill noise, like a distant scream, rising in intensity. My skin prickled as my ears picked up sounds from every direction. Taking a few steps back, I heard the ominous creak of something shifting behind me. Something was moving.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

And then, I heard the sound of the bridge collapsing. The groaning of stone, the terrifying rumble from deep beneath the ground. My eyes darted back instinctively.

The bridge was falling apart.

For a moment, I thought it might hold, but I could see the structure cracking, the stones slipping away one by one. It was as if the bridge was being pulled out from under me with every passing second. Everything was crumbling rapidly.

I realized then that this was the moment to make a choice. There was no time left for deliberation; I had to act. As everything around me rapidly disintegrated, my eyes locked onto the pillar with the lion symbol. The figure of the lion standing amidst the grass stirred something within me, just for a moment. Was it courage? Freedom? Perhaps… this was the right door.

My hands, battling the hesitation in my mind, quickly placed the key into the lock of one door. The sound of the lock turning echoed with a metallic creak that reverberated deeply. I took a deep breath and moved forward decisively. Even as the sounds of the collapsing bridge roared behind me, I stepped toward the lion’s door.

At last, I had made my choice.

The moment I passed through the door, everything changed. One step forward, and I found myself surrounded by darkness and an endless expanse of tall grass. It was everywhere, so dense that I couldn’t see anything. It felt as though I had been swallowed by a sea of dry, golden blades. My eyes strained, but I couldn’t make out anything in the distance.

The moonlight barely reached this massive field, casting only faint glimmers on the ground. The tall grass around me was stifling. With every step I took, it wrapped around my legs like a phantom, making each step more difficult than the last. The chill in the air carried an earthy scent that filled my nose, and with every breath, I felt as though I were sinking deeper into the thick atmosphere.

“Where am I?” I thought, but there was no answer. This place was vast and utterly ambiguous. I couldn’t be alone here; something had to be out there.

There was no sound around me. The only thing breaking the silence was the faint rustle of the grass in the soft breeze. Taking a deep breath, I started to scan my surroundings. But I couldn’t see ahead of me or behind me. As I moved slowly from side to side, the rustling of the grass under my feet followed me. I continued cautiously, each step heightening my unease.

“What is this place? There’s something here, but I can’t see what…”

After a while, amidst the stillness of the grass, I started hearing something moving. The rustling came from afar at first, but suddenly, it was much closer. The sound hinted at something walking around me, in the dark, from every direction. I began to step cautiously, trying to head somewhere, but with each step, the movements increased, almost surrounding me.

I could feel something’s presence, yet I couldn’t see it. I had no idea what was lurking around me. I stopped immediately and strained my ears to listen. There was a low rumble, like something approaching from beneath the ground. But understanding what it was seemed impossible.

Then, suddenly, something leaped.

Through the grass that wrapped around my body, I felt a massive, solid impact. I staggered backward, a cold shiver running through me. My arms throbbed with sharp pain, as if something had struck me with a force that threatened to tear me apart. Claws… yes, I felt the sting of sharp claws. Instinctively, I knew I had to retreat quickly. Yet for a moment, I was paralyzed with terror. Everything spun around me, and the fear of not knowing what had struck me made it all the worse.

I paused, trying to catch my breath as I glanced around. That damned sound… a roar. A deep, terrifying roar shattered the silence. It echoed in my ears, enveloping my entire being.

And then, it all became clear. There, in the shadows, among the same tall grass, was a massive beast. A lion. It knew exactly where I was, as if it could see into my very soul, and it was watching me.

The lion began to take shape among the tall grass. Its enormous body moved through the field like a tidal wave. With each step, it clawed at the ground, letting out another deep roar. As it advanced rapidly, the menacing expression in its eyes spoke of both a hunter and the true ruler of this domain.

For a moment, my mind went blank. Fear… anxiety… but I quickly pushed those feelings away. I knew I had to. Taking a deep breath, I worked to suppress the panic rising within me. I focused on myself. I had to survive this.

Stay calm. You can do this.

Those were the words I told myself. I began moving carefully, every step calculated to keep me hidden in the dark. My boots carried me almost silently, ensuring I didn’t make a sound amidst the grass.

If I breathed too loudly, it could sense me. Everything hung by a thread. Every sound, every breath, every movement was critical to my survival. I stepped quietly, observing my surroundings as I moved.

After some time, I heard rustling again. The air seemed to shift, carrying the presence of movement. The grass swayed more aggressively now. I knew the massive lion was still nearby.

I couldn’t see it, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t hear it.

My ears were attuned to every direction. At that moment, I felt like I could sense the lion’s every move. Gathering my strength, I knew that a single mistake would mean death.

I waited silently to see what would happen next. The lion’s rustling grew closer. My skin prickled as I anticipated the moment it would pounce again. My body tensed slowly, fear no longer in my mind but still clinging to my muscles. For a brief moment, everything seemed to pause. I could feel every movement the lion made in the grass. It was about to take another step, and I knew I had to use that moment.

At that exact moment, I realized where the lion would strike. I took one last step and swung my poisoned dagger swiftly, slicing deep into the lion’s body. The blade pierced through the lion’s dark, tough hide. The poision spread quickly through its body.

The lion let out a cry of pain, its roar echoing through the surrounding darkness. As it fell to the ground, its body writhed in agony. The silence of the grass was shattered by its anguished cries. The lion collapsed, still writhing in pain.

Its body trembled, but I stepped back quietly, sliding the poisoned dagger back into its sheath. I moved as carefully as possible, using the noise caused by the lion as an opportunity. Without leaving any room for error, I prepared myself for the next step.