"He is already at twentieth floor. Do you think he will beat the others and win first place?"

"I don't know. But he is not faster than others. Maybe he might be same as the other two guys who are in the lead."

"I think so too."

"I don't think so. He might even withdraw from the next floor."

Some candidates and spectators are discussing about Sam as they spectated the tower.

Meanwhile Sam is being under the test that will lead him to the last set of the tests in the tower. The test to enter twenty-first floor.

Sam is sweating all over as he looked at the time as he sat on the platform. His conscious is wide awake. In his mind.

Sam is hanging on to a tall vertical rocky surface. He looked down and beneath him is a pool of hot lava, from which the hot vapours came out searing his skin. He looked upwards towards the mouth of the volcano. He can clearly see a blue sky filled with white clouds.

Sam started climbing. His spiritual energy is sealed and his memory is blank. The only thing he knew is that he cannot hold on to the rocky wall at the same spot if he wants to survive. His body has several cuts and bruises and some of the wounds are bleeding. He slowly started getting near the mouth of the volcano. When he finally placed his hand over the mouth and pulled himself up, a light flashed and he found himself at the point he started.

"F.u.c.k" He cursed out loud as he looked at the pool of lave very near to his legs. This is the fourth time this happened. Every time he climbed up with all his might, he will come back down as if he was struck in a loop and worse every time this happened, his injuries will worsen due to the close exposure of the heat from the lava. He is growing tired and he wants to rest, but something in his mind is telling him that climbing is the only escape route. If he wants to live, he needs to climb.

He started climbing and again reached the top and again came back to the bottom in a flash.

Fifth time.

Sixth time.

.

.

Tenth time. Sam is fully wounded. His skin cracked. He has third degree burns; he is holding the rocky protrusion with all his might. But he refused to give up. His palms are covered with blood and burns. He is hurting all over and he still tried to pull himself up, but this time his hand lost the grip and he fell into the lava pool.

*splas