Irium

"Well, things happened." Danny says calmly. The other two, I and Roswaisa, don"t say anything.

"So it seems." Trevor sighs. "Anyway, I have been asked, or more like, ordered – to show you a particular place in the castle."

"And what is this place?" asks Danny.

"It"s better to just take you to the place rather than show it to you." Trevor answers and turns around towards the interior of the castle. "So, please follow me if you would."

Danny straightens up and looks at the two of us to do the same, and we do. I mean, there"s no point in not seeing the place Trevor has to see and author can"t think of any memes to pa.s.s time either, so why not do as Trevor says.

*****

"What the h.e.l.l is this place? Asgard?" I say sarcastically as I look at the somewhat dimly lit golden halls that look like they stretch to infinity.

"I"m impressed." Trevor says, "I thought your referencing skills would be limited to anime, but I guess you know a thing or two more."

What the-

"I know how you feel man." Danny says, "I was pretty d.a.m.n surprised myself when I heard a reference to Marvel from his mouth the first time."

…

"You don"t wanna say anything?" Danny asks mockingly after seeing me silent.

"What can I say?" I smile like some anthropomorphic villain would, "My skills far surpa.s.s the grasp of your puny brains."

"Yeah, yeah! Whatever you say, Demon Lord Irium!"

Holy h.e.l.l! That really is pretty cringe.

"Anyway, we are here." Trevor says at the same time he stops walking, and points to a door as tall as 5 Dannys on top of each other would be and as wide as 12 Dannys standing next to each other would be.

"Something gives me the feeling you are being rude to me in your monologues." Danny says with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Well, your feelings sure know what they are talking about, don"t they?" I add and move in front of the door. Before Danny can find a good retort, I bring the conversation back to the topic, "What is behind this door?"

"You"ll know if you enter it." –is the answer Trevor gives me and steps back a little.

I look back at Danny and Roswaisa, and both seem to be in agreement on the choice of opening the door. Well, I don"t see any reason not to either.

"Here goes!" I say and try to push it open.

…

…

The d.a.m.n thing doesn"t open. It"s too big and heavy. I can"t push it with enough force just by myself.

"What the h.e.l.l!" I look back at Trevor as I say so.

"I"m sorry but I can"t help you with that." Trevor says, "You"ll have to open that door by yourselves."

"Why?"

"It"s the test to see if you have what it takes to see what"s inside."

"…" the heck!

"Anybody who steps inside that room should be capable of opening that door." Trevor says with a calm and slightly mocking expression, probably something akin to payback for dismissing this realm"s life philosophy.

"That sounds fair." Roswaisa tightens her arms and says with a cheerful and motivated expression, "Let"s do it!"

Danny nods and says, "Yes! That sounds like a good idea!"

"…"

"Well, Irium?" Danny says as he looks at me with an inquisitive look.

"Do I look the type of guy who"ll agree to this?" I ask with a smile.

"Well, you don"t." Danny says, "But you are a pretty weak-a.s.s guy for a protagonist."

This … guy!

"It might be good for you." He says it like it"s a matter of fact. Well, it is, but that"s not point. You don"t insult the G.o.dd.a.m.n protagonist, d.a.m.nit!

"Listen, Trevor," I say while turning to him, "I"m not partic.i.p.ating in this BS, so open the door for me."

"I can"t. It is supposed to be "

"No, it is not. We are not straight-up ripping from Hunter x Hunter here." You are crossing the line of rip-offs now, author. "Now OPEN the G.o.dd.a.m.ned DOOR!"

"…" He stays silent for a moment and then says, "Look, I was asked by your father to-"

"Show me the proof that you were asked by him to do "test" me like this." I yell.

"Well, there is no proof." Trevor says, "I was just verbally asked-"

"For all I know, you could be lying to me and trying to make a fool out of me." I say, 100% sure that is not the case, "My father didn"t give you the order in front of me, so I cannot believe you."

He looks like he"ll try to retort so I immediately put up a finger to him and continue, "I am the prince of this realm, alright? And as the prince of this realm, I order you to open up that door."

"…"

"What!?"

"Fine!" Trevor says and goes to the door and kicks it lightly, opening it up far and wide.

"Thank you!" I say as I take a long breath.

Danny comes and whispers to me, "You sure that was a good idea? That really could have benefitted you, you know?"

"I know."

"Wait! You know?"

"Yes, I know. I just wanted to make sure there really is something valuable behind those doors and we are not going to get hit with some BS like "the goal of that test was to make you stronger and there was nothing important behind the door"." I say in my best old man voice.

"Wait! Has that actually happened somewhere before?" Danny asks with a surprised expression.

"Nowhere I know of but you know, can never be too careful."

"Hah!" He sighs and continues, "So what now?"

He asks as he points at the room behind the door, a room full of mirrors and mirrors and mirrors. Well, it looks cool, probably is significant.

"Now that you know there really is something significant behind that door, going to ask Trevor to close the door and then take the test for yourself?"

"Oh h.e.l.l no! Do I look like that kind of a man to you?" I ask.

"Well, you don"t."

"Hey, you two, done murmuring." Trevor asks in a slightly loud voice, "Might as well go inside now that you have made me open it."

Yeah, let"s do that.

*****