Peace is found in every activity, but sometimes it isn’t so easy to see. Often people seek what was always before them and only realize it the moment that serenity is gone.

~Manannan, God of the Sea & Weather

Number fifty was the halfway point, or a little past it. Crow wondered if the Shrine would have always been a Spirit type or if it was a random occurrence. It was another tricky event, and all he could do was sigh. He wasn’t sure why the Spirit-based Shrines were so sinister.

Body challenges weren’t getting easier, but between the two of them, they were straightforward. Mind challenges were also simple, at least for Crow. Combat progressively grew tougher but, again, a simple challenge.

Spirit…

“What is this?” Hooligan asked, afraid of the answer.

Two doors appeared before them with a sign above each. They had to choose Path of Pain or Leisure, but he knew it wasn’t that simple.

“One person to a door. Both of you must vote on who takes which path,” the Shrine told them.

“What happens if we tie?” Hooligan asked.

“You’ll find out.”

Separated from each other, Crow saw a table appear in front of him with two holes labeled Pain and Leisure. Between the two holes was a black ball with Crow’s name etched into it.

Crow picked the ball and tossed it a few times. The weight of the item was surprising, but maybe that was because it carried the weight of irony. Crow was unfated, and yet he knew his fate was already sealed. The ball dropped into the slot for Pain, and his isolation ended immediately.

Hooligan looked at Crow, and he looked back, and before him was the Door of Pain. Seeing that, Hooligan smiled.

“As smart as you are, you are an idiot and a masochist. Who the hell would choose pain?” Hooligan felt a little guilty, but she knew Crow chose it to spare her. She was positive the outcome would have been the same either way.

“You didn’t even hesitate, did you?” Crow grumbled.

“Don’t worry, lover. I’ll take good care of you when it’s all over.”

“Sure,” Crow grinned. “Enjoy your stay!”

She watched his broad straight back as he walked through the door without hesitation. A man who protects and willingly carries the weight of the world for his woman. A man that doesn’t bow or bend despite the weight. Her heart was pounding just watching him take all the pain, sparing her all of it.

“Why couldn’t I have met you before my world went sideways?” She whispered to the closed door and stepped through her own.

Inside was a luxuriously decorated room, and a phantom butler waited for her.

“Ma’am, I’ll be at your beck and call during your stay. Would you prefer to eat, visit the hot springs, or experience a massage from our experienced staff? There are other amenities if you are so inclined. All you have to do is ask.”

“Eat? What kind of food?”

“Anything you like. We can reproduce any type of food for your enjoyment.”

Hooligan rattled off a dozen different dishes, and not even ten minutes later, a line of staff walked in carrying covered plates. As they placed them down, the table grew larger until they uncovered everything she ordered in front of her.

The aroma filled the room, and her mouth was watering. Like a wildling, she tore through the food as if she hadn’t had a meal in years. The cafeteria food at Sanctuary was alright but wasn’t like this. Every bite was like heaven.

Thirty minutes later, she could not move because of her distended belly. She moaned as she leaned back in her chair.

“Would you like to tour the garden? It’ll help with digestion, and we can provide some beverages that will aid in your cultivation and speed up your body’s metabolism.”

“What does that mean?”

“In an hour, you can eat as much as you want again.”

“Oh, that sounds amazing. Let’s do that, but before I eat again, the hot springs sound amazing.”

The butler nodded, and they appeared inside a maze-like garden. There were so many exotic plants—it was magical and alien at the same time. The air was so pure, and the smells cleared her mind. Her fatigue disappeared and helped her focus on cultivation.

In every new section of the maze, she’d spent ten minutes in light exercise and downed the drinks the butler provided. Energy coursed through her body in such abundance that she couldn’t help but want to work out more. Not only did she feel stronger, faster, and more alert, she sensed a qualitative change in her Source.

She knew without even opening her eyes that the impurities in her body and Source energy were being expelled. Not even the purifying smell of the flowers could hide the stench coming from her body.

However, she didn’t stop doing what she was doing. It was primarily because she could sense that the food was still in her, like a large block of energy still needing to be processed.

Unsure how long she’d been at it, she had finally digested everything and threw away her clothes before dropping herself into the hot springs. The waters had a curative effect on her and made her drowsy.

“You don’t have to worry, ma’am. You may sleep here if you like. The water won’t harm you.”

Hooligan nodded and ended up dozing off. It was strange how she didn’t question anything. Except Hooligan was questioning everything. Something her mother told her resonated the moment she entered this place. She said, ‘gifts always come at a cost,’ and something about all this had her on edge.

Getting betrayed and cut up by her sister had trained Hooligan to school her emotions, thoughts, and expressions. She rarely let loose as she did with Crow and only allowed people to see what she wanted them to see. That was how she survived.

Her hooligan persona wasn’t a façade, but it was a side of her that only her parents knew about. She took after her mother, and Crow’s remarks weren’t far off the mark. She wasn’t sure why her mind followed this train of thought, but she knew it was necessary. So she faked her excitement and took in everything they were offering.

Something wasn’t right, and Crow was the reason she thought that way. No way was her side of this challenge as simple as enjoying herself until Crow survived whatever it was he suffered through.

Days went by in a blur of activity, but she felt she was grasping at something important every time she slept in the hot springs. The moment she closed her eyes, it felt like she was waking up. In that ethereal state, she kept searching for Crow, expecting him to be there waiting for her.