Renard felt the spell take hold as soon as he started climbing. Mental attacks. The inscriptions carved into each step were designed to assault the mind, not the body.
He'd been hoping for something physical, but this made sense. A strong mind was the foundation for any mage. You needed a mind capable of handling complex formulas and spells, strong enough to withstand the pressure of immense magical essence. It was a basic requirement, so it wasn't surprising that the Silent Monastery would test for it.
As Renard climbed, he noticed the changes with each step. The mental pressure increased gradually, like weights being added to his head one by one. By the tenth step, it felt like a small headache. Nothing he couldn't handle.
But when he looked around, the other children were already struggling. Some had stopped completely, gripping the stone rails with white knuckles. Others moved forward one painful step at a time, their faces twisted with effort.
