He was once again standing in front of the Tree. The midday sun still shone into the mouth of the extinct volcano. All the time that Hadjar had spent in the artificial world had been a few seconds in the real one. As if it had all been just a simple dream.
“But I overpowered the monster!” Hadjar replied, outraged.
The Tree sighed sadly. The birds flew off its red crown and continued to circle around its rustling leaves. “Maybe you did, if fighting was what you were doing. But by defeating it, you lost. After all, your test wasn’t in the pursuit of victory, which you could probably attain... But in the defeat that you would accept, but you stand here without having accepted it. So, if you fought and didn’t lose, you’ve failed the test.”
Hadjar shook his head, trying not to let the Tree d
