Chapter 6: Courage or Stupidity?
"My hand is so warm." Xanphia started opening her eyes. "I wonder what is warming my hands." She opened her eyes fully to see Kazuki sleeping away peacefully resting his cheek on her hand.
"Yes he has been watching over you all this time."
Xanphia looked up to see Hiroshi. "H-how long was I asleep?"
"A good day and a half."
"And he watched over me the whole time?"
"Yes, I do not know of the reason, but he forced me to bring him his food here if I wanted him to eat, which I of course did."
Xanphia blushed.
"I am going to get the next part of his training set up, don't wake him." Hiroshi left the room closing the door silently.
Xanphia looked at Kazuki sleeping, she ran her hand through his hair gently. "Thank you." She whispered. She then kissed his forehead before she even realized it.
Kazuki stirred.
"Oh please don't wake up, you need your rest."
"Don't worry Xanphia, I am always here for you." He mumbled in his sleep.
Xanphia looked at him blushing even redder than before. She placed her other hand on top of his and just laid in bed, feeling the warmth of his hand.
Hiroshi knocked on the door. "Could you wake him up now, his training is ready."
"Ok." "Why didn't he just open the door?" She nudged Kazuki softly. "Kazuki, your training is ready."
Kazuki opened his eyes. "Xanphia, you're awake."
Before she had the chance to say anything she was embraced by Kazuki.
"You wouldn't believe how worried I was about you, even Hiroshi said that the herbs should not have caused you to sleep that long." He wrapped his arms around her tight for a second before letting go. "We should get to Hiroshi though, you could watch my training if you would like to." He was smiling widely.
Xanphia who was clearly trying hard not to blush replied. "Of course I want to see you train, I want to see the man who is going to save my kingdom after all." She smiled to hide the blush even better.
The two of them went outside to where Hiroshi was awaiting them.
"Ah good, I see you are both awake. I hope you are ready Kazuki."
"I am ready for whatever this test is."
"Good, good, this is a test of stamina, I want to test many different things, how long you can run, hold your breath even how much pain you can handle."
"Psychological or physical pain?"
"Physical, this is all about your body, not your mind."
"I am ready."
"Good, then if you will come this way, I have set up a sort of, gauntlet run, if you will." Hiroshi started to walk off in the direction which lead to the start of Kazuki's next trial.
Xanphia turned to him and reached behind her neck where she removed the necklace which was hanging there, she then walked over to Kazuki and placed it around his neck. "For watching over me I will give you this."
Kazuki looked at the necklace and then at Xanphia. "Thank you, I wont let you down."
She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "That is for good luck."
Kazuki went running off towards Hiroshi rubbing his cheek softly.
"I hope you are both mentally and physically prepared for this, I wont be able to help you out, not if you are to be our saviour, you will have to do this on your own strength."
"I am ready, but I do have one question."
"What is it?"
"Explain to me what will happen inside this gauntlet, you say that it will test me, in what way?"
"It will test your stamina, but it will be testing your strength and willpower as well, so be prepared."
"Ok, I am ready."
"Then enter." Hiroshi opens a large door leading into what seems like an old cavern. Kazuki walks through completely calm and hears nothing but the door shutting behind him.
"Hah, this should be easy, my stamina has always been higher than others."
A loud bang caused Kazuki to jump, he looked around to see the walls light up to reveal a narrow path with big gaping scars on both sides.
"Balance?" Kazuki walked up to the path and put one foot on it, a loud screeching noise and a few javelins flying out of the walls caused Kazuki to stop. "Looks like it isn't only balance."
"You are correct."
"Who said that?"
"Do not worry, I am merely the guide through this gauntlet. I will explain to you what needs to be done."
"Ok, sounds reasonable."
"Although I am sure you found out what needs to be done here, but as a word of caution, spears are not the only danger that awaits."
"Ok, I understand. Here goes nothing." Kazuki starts to run down the path as fast as he could, spears came flying out just barely behind him.
"What are you doing?! You cannot simply run through this!"
"Just watch me!" Kazuki was still running when a log dropped from the ceiling to shoulder height, he twisted his body and went sliding forwards ending up underneath the log. "Hah, did you see that?"
"You are not done yet."
Kazuki just kept on running. A hole opened up mere meters away from him.
"See, now you will have to stop and figure out what to do, no man can jump this."
Kazuki either wasn't listening or just didn't hear it as he picked up his pace to a sprint, as his right foot hit the last piece of ground Kazuki trusted himself into the air.
"Fool! You cannot make it."
"Your wrong." Kazuki landed on the other side and started to run again.
"H-How is that possible."
"Because I am not going to let a certain someone down." A blade of two meters popped up in the middle of the path 'cutting' it in half.
"Slow down now, you may of been capable of that distance, but can you really be sure you can just jump over that blade?"
"Yes!" Kazuki leaped into the air and twisted his body over the blade, rolling over shoulder and thus back onto his feet as he hit the ground.
Kazuki ended up in front of a door which had no handle.
"Congratulations, your stamina seems to be in top condition and your mind unwavering."
"What do you mean?"
"My job was not to guide you, but to try and make you doubt yourself, which you did not do."
Kazuki looked at the door again. "How do I open this?"
No answer was heard.