After six hours of rest, the group had regained some of their strength. The pills had taken effect, stabilizing the wounded and restoring most of their spiritual energy. When the time limit expired, the protective golden barrier quietly dissolved, signaling that their respite had ended.

"Do we head up, or search sideways for another route?" Grace asked the group.

"Up," one of the retainers suggested. "If this trial is about climbing the mountain, then the higher we go, the better."

Dustin sho