All who do the ritual before you say you wont be the same when you come back. They say it changes you far more then any number of lifetimes you could live. In our recorded history no one has ever seen the same thing another.

Once you reach your 16th birthday you must visit The Spelunca Errorum. Face whatever challenge it presents to you. If you come back the tribe holds a celebration. If you dont… the only one that will miss you would be your mother.

You are given a torch at the mouth of the cave and nothing else. Your only weapon is your mind.

The beginning of the cave depicts the history of our tribe. The further you venture the darker it got, the less on the walls you could see. Some tried to depictate what they experienced, but failed to provide the clarity in their drawings.

One foot in front of another, down the labyrinth you venture. To the unknown… your unknown… to the thing you fear most. Above all else this you must over come… here. Call it magic or misunderstood science or whatever else makes you feel better about it. But know that it will confuse you. It will consume you. It will hurt you.

Further and further around the twists and turns of the maze. No longer are the pictures on the walls, but now blood stains and hand prints. Your torch getting dimmer, your clarity becoming hazy. The realization that you have no idea how much longer this goes on. Minutes… hours… time has no place here in the darkness.

What seems like the end after all of the mental and physical torture to get to that point. Your torch glows the faintest of blue… your ears reach for any sort of sound. Your eyes adjust to the walled room around you, a podium dead center. Stepping toward it the dim blue flame snuffs out, you reach and grasp the podium as if somehow it will keep you safe. You stand in the darkness listening to the endless silence.

This seemed so easy, you think to yourself. So much for seeing my greastest fear. You chuckle.

You stand there a moment longer, nothing happening but your labored breathing. Turning around you search for the tunnel entrance you came in from. Now you cannot find it. Scouring the walls your hands touch only stone. No empty spaces… no void. Nothing but cold hard stone.

You search for the podium. Reaching your hands out again you feel nothing. Now you start to panic. Your previous chuckle now a curse you wish you hadnt brought upon yourself. Was that my greatest fear… fear of being wrong about anything i feel confident in? My pride holding me back from completing this ritual? It couldnt be… could it? I thought more to myself in that moment then ever before.

This couldnt be how i die. I have too much i want to show everyone that i can do. Too much to prove. Sure im self centered but i am essential to the tribe. And they will know it! I focus my minds eye on my surroundings. Searching for my way out. Come on! Where is that damn doorway?! Then a voice called to me.

“She wont make it.” It snorted at the thought of her downfall.

“Good riddence if she dies. Shes nothing but trouble.” Said another.

How could they say that about me? I do so much for the tribe.

Her mothers voice became clear, “You let us down. How can we face the tribe now?” She asked me.

Tears rolled down my cheeks at my mothers words… Im not a failure mother. Surely you know that. My thoughts had me trembling. Does my tribe truely want me gone? My own mother? Their murmuring voices became so distant now. My cheeks were stiff from the dried salt water that was my tears. I sat still on the stone floor willing to give up.

I never liked being alone. And here i will die alone. Wait… thats it. My fear of being alone is keeping me here. I thought about my little sister. I cant leave her alone. She needs me. I stood up and searched again for my doorway out of here. Where she called to me, “You cant do it!”