Novel's Extra: The Lost Heir of Dragon Queen

Kael felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through him as he noticed his body completely healed.

The burns, the pain, and the exhaustion from the first trial were all gone, leaving him with an unsettling sense of calm.

He barely had time to process the change when the deep, commanding voice echoed through the chamber once again.

"Your second trial is..."

Kael blinked, and the scene around him shifted.

He now stood on the edge of an impossibly vast chasm, glowing rivers of molten lava swirling far below. The air was thick with the oppressive heat made it hard to breathe.

A faint shimmer danced in the air, marking the treacherous path ahead.

In his hand, a small orb of fire materialized, flickering like a heartbeat.

The voice spoke again, its tone steady but ominous:

"Your task is simple: reach the other side while carrying this flame. The fire must not d. Should it extinguish, or should you fall, you will be returned to the start. The lava will not kill you, but it will serve as a reminder of your failure. Time is not your enemy here, but balance, focus, and perseverance are. Do you understand?"

(A/N : For a better understanding please refer to the photo attached in the comments)

Kael gripped the orb tightly, feeling its warmth seep into his skin.

The flames danced unpredictably, as if testing his resolve.

He looked ahead and saw a series of narrow, uneven platforms stretching across the chasm.

He nodded to himself, determination flaring in his eyes.

This wasn’t just a test of physical endurance; it was a trial of mental fortitude and precision.

One wrong step, one moment of hesitation, and he would find himself starting over.

The first step was the hardest. As Kael moved forward, the air around him grew heavier, the heat intensifying with every inch he progressed.

The flame in his hand pulsed in response, growing brighter, almost as if urging him onward. However, with each pulse, Kael felt the strain in his body increase, the orb’s energy seemingly testing his limits.

He clenched his jaw, sweat streaming down his face as the platform beneath him swayed slightly.

Each step required perfect balance, every movement calculated.

The thought of failing wasn’t frightening—the thought of falling was.

Kael took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the faint silhouette of the other side. He could do this. He had to.

Kael stepped cautiously along the precarious path, the glowing orb of fire in his hands pulsating with energy.

With every step forward, the orb grew larger and more volatile, as though testing his ability to maintain control.

Sweat poured down his face, the intense heat licking at his skin, making every breath feel like inhaling fire.

His focus narrowed to the orb, hands trembling under its weight and intensity.

As Kael took another step forward, his concentration wavered just for a moment.

The orb flared violently and slipped from his hands.

Before he could even react, Kael found himself back at the starting point, the orb safely in his grasp once again.

He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up. Determined, he stepped forward again, only to falter once more.

Two tries.

Five tries.

Nineteen tries.

Forty-seven tries.

Kael’s jaw clenched tighter each time he respawned at the start.

"Even in my previous life, this kind of repetition was frustrating," Kael muttered through gritted teeth, his voice a mixture of anger and despair.

He could feel the weight of the challenge crushing his resolve.

His steps grew heavier, his hands trembling more with every attempt. His mind screamed in protest as he pushed through the relentless cycle of trying and failing.

Days blended together, and the task became a maddening rhythm.

On his 103rd attempt, Kael stumbled just a few meters further than before, the orb stable in his grasp, only to step on a weak section of the path.

The platform crumbled beneath him, and he plummeted into the molten lava below.

Pain seared through every fiber of his being as the lava consumed him.

His body screamed in agony, skin blistering and peeling away in an instant. His vision blurred, his senses drowned in unbearable suffering.

He couldn’t even muster a scream before his consciousness faded. Then, he was back—respawned at the start, gasping for air, his chest heaving, his body trembling.

By his 201st attempt, Kael was exhausted beyond measure. His body ached, his mind felt like it was splitting apart, and yet, he refused to give up.

Each failure had taught him something, no matter how small. It was now his 202nd trial, and despite the overwhelming frustration and exhaustion, there was a flicker of resolve in his eyes.

This time, his movements were calculated, his grip steady. As Kael reached a half of the way across the path, he stepped onto a seemingly sturdy section of the platform.

CRACK

"No!" Kael growled.

He scrambled to stabilize himself, but it was too late. The platform gave way, and he fell once more.

The lava greeted him with its unbearable heat, his body screaming in protest as the pain surged through every nerve.

His skin felt like it was being torn from his flesh, his senses overloaded by the sheer agony.

As he hit the molten surface, his vision darkened, his cries fading into the void.

He awoke back at the start, his body whole, but the memory of the whole, but the memory of the pain still fresh and raw.

"Huff Huff..."

Kael sat on his knees, his fists slamming into the ground.

His frustration boiled over, his mind racing with thoughts of giving up.

But even as despair gnawed at him, a spark of determination remained.

His mother’s words echoed in his mind: "Don’t fear it. Embrace it." Those words were his anchor, pulling him back from the brink.

Kael staggered to his feet, his body trembling but his resolve unbroken.

This was not just a trial of balance or endurance-it was a test of willpower, a test to see how far he was willing to go to prove himself.

With a deep breath, he gripped the orb tightly, its heat searing into his palms, and stepped forward once more.