Below us the arena floor begins to look very far away.
Wind from the stadium ventilation system rushes past the structure, tugging at my clothes as I reach for the next handhold.
Bron moves beside me with careful precision.
Not fast.
Not reckless.
Just steady.
“You’re being weirdly cautious,” I say.
“I’m listening to you.”
“That’s unusual.”
“I contain multitudes.”
Another puzzle node appears above us.
Bron stops immediately.
“What’s the pattern?”
I examine the symbols.
“They match the base lock sequence. Reverse order.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
He follows the instructions without hesitation.
The lock releases.
Another panel slides open.
We continue climbing.
Several teams below us struggle with the puzzles, losing precious minutes while the structure rotates and closes alternate routes.
One couple falls when a misaligned puzzle lock seals their platform.
The crowd gasps as the safety fields activate.
Bron glances down briefly.
“That’s a long way.”
“Focus.”
“Yes ma’am.”
We reach the final ascent just as the top four teams converge on the last puzzle gate.
The mechanism here is larger.
