The Final Test

Legends & Fairytales

Standalone episode — no prior listening required. 

Three minutes at the threshold of a final trial.
At the end of a long and deadly journey, he steps into the last chamber, certain that strength and steel have carried him this far. Within the silent stone room, the trial that awaits is unlike any he has faced before.

A brief legend of pride humbled, where destiny turns in a single breath and a life shaped by violence is set upon a different path.

Transcript

Presenter 0:02

You are listening to Stories from Väruld. In this episode, the Final Test.

Narrator 0:12

The final door. The ultimate test. His whole journey, with all its potentially lethal challenges, had at last led him to this spot. At this place, the score would be settled, and the prize won. If he passed the trial, that is, now he was about to prove his worth. Now his soul was about to be examined. All the other contests had been physical or mental. He had proven himself quick and lithe in his body, vast in muscle capacity, unafraid at heart. He had shown he was a sound thinker and could stand the stress. During the previous test, he had established beyond doubt what he was capable of when he had killed a man in cold blood. With the blood of the dead man still on his hands, he pushed the gates open to his final test. On the cold stone floor lay a naked baby, crying. Stunned, he looked at it. What was he supposed to do with it? All the other tests had apparent goals. This room was empty apart from the little infant. There was nothing to give him a clue about what he was expected to do. He hated feeling like a fool. So that he at least did something. He bent down and lifted it off the floor. Quickly, he caught its dipping head, surprising himself by doing so without thinking. The crying stopped, and a couple of big eyes stared at him with what he deemed to be curiosity. What was he supposed to do now? Deliver the baby somewhere? Kill it? It was a fragile little thing, easily done. It would probably die if he simply dropped it to the floor. His hands took a better hold of the small being, putting him closer to his body. The baby boy took a grip of his finger, found the coziness of his fur jacket, and was soon asleep in his arms. With amazement, he realized that this little fellow had found comfort with him. The baby had placed his life in his hands with complete trust, and he knew that he would never be able to break that confidence. So the whole journey ended up with this. He still didn't know the right answer for the test, but he didn't care what others thought was right any longer. He turned and left the little room with his new son.

Presenter 2:40

Thank you for listening to Stories from Väruld. In the next episode, behind the scenes of this podcast, part two.