“Where are we?”
“Is it some kind of temple?”
Liam’s friends exge careful whispers when a notification suddenly appeared.
[Discovered Dragorial. Reward 400 EXP]
[EXP: 1560/4800]
The notification solved some of the party’s doubts even though the reward was fusingly generous.
However, the atmosphere was still tense. A kind of invisible pressure permeated the air. No one dared to behave presumptuously.
Silver Bde looked around, searg the source of the stifling feeling in her chest.
She g the enormous stoe at the front. It was taller than five people, adorned by lifelike images of people riding on majestic dragons. Gems pulsing with magic were inid ie, illuminating the surroundings.
But the paths to the left and right were drowned in eerie darkness.
“Mirage, did we e to the right pce?”, asked Cye carefully.
“Don’t worry. This is it.”
The female mage sighed in relieve, her posture straightening subsciously.
But a moment ter she flinched. A loud click echoed betweeley stone walls. Receiving an invisible signal a couple of torches suddenly lit up to the right.
Everyone’s attention was immediately attracted by the majestic armors and ons quietly resting on a few stands as if waiting for their owners.
In the back was a solid wall decorated by a tall mosaic. Although many pieces were missing one could still roughly make out the images of battling dragons.
But the party didn’t stare for a long time. Suddenly torches als to life on the left side.
Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise looking on the low ptform carrying six old but fortable thrones. Five of those were empty, but one was occupied right now.
The person ohrone magically gathered all eyes on herself. It was a tall woman with green skin. Wherever her silver pte armor didn’t reach, solid brown bark could be seen growing from her body.
Instead of hair the woman had thin branches decorated with geous white flowers. Her fair face seemed peaceful, resting with closed eyes.
One of her arms was missiirely while the other held a valiant spear made from a strange bck material.
Just by looking at the impressive woman, everyone realized that the pressure filling the room was emitted by her.
“What… is she?”, asked Cye in her most quiet voice.
“A dryad.”, answered Liam naturally.
Suddenly, as if awoken by the he dryad opened her eyes, showing her deep blue irises. The party members felt their souls drawn in as if sinking into the o.
“Hmm.”
A melodious, soothing hum came from the dryad. She blinked her eyes seemingly puzzled about the sudden appearance of a group of people.
“Rerutvevd?”
The dryad spoke in a featherlight voice but the pressure apanying her words instinctively gave them the dignity of an emperor.
Liam took a deep breath, bowing calmly.
“Bleary Mirage ezigolop o nidurtn.”
Tilting her head slowly, the dryad mustered the party. Her eyes cleared up as if awakening slowly. Suddenly she seemed to realize something. With a thought the ubiquitous pressure quickly receded.
“You… came… here?”
The other party members were surprised as the dryad switched to the on nguage. It appeared to be difficult for her as if she wasn’t used to speaking it.
“Answering the master, we arrived through a dragon statue.”
“How… did you… know?”
Liam’s chest tightened. He khat this was the most important question. Usually, this pce could only be reached through a quest and a certain item had to be presented.
But knowing the code allowed him to arrive without meeting those ditions. But even he wasn’t certain how the dryad would react.
“I read about this p an old book.”
Immediately the earlier pressure filled the hall again. The dryad’s eyes slowly narrowed. Her voice lost some of its gentleness.
“Such a… book. Should… !”
Liam felt his heart sink. Silver Bde looked at him strangely before stepping forward.
“Master, please. We mean no harm. We were chased by our enemies and could only escape here.”
Swiping her eyes over Silver Bde, the dryad’s face couldn’t help but soften. Liam cursed the overpowered charisma stat inwardly.
A chuckle echoed in the hall.
“Harm? How could… you harm me?”
Silver Bde’s thoughts turned tinuously, trying to figure out the dryad’s mind. She g the floor below the green-skinned woman where an inactive teleportation circle rested.
“Master. Please excuse us if our intrusion disturbed you. If you might allow us the use of this teleportation circle, we would leave immediately.”
“No. The rules… ’t be broken. You… came here. Face the trial!”
Finishing speaking, the dryad finally showed some movement. She slowly stood up from her throne, each tiny move emitting an uionable majesty.
With a wave of her hand the gems inid ioe suddenly fshed before instantly extinguishing. The entire room began to shake. A gap opened in the heavy gate. It only opened wide enough to allow one person to enter before it stopped as if all its strength was exhausted. Only a mystical blue swirl could be seen behind it.
An inexplicable sigh came from the dryad’s lips, unnoticed by ahe party was focused on the quest appearing before them.
[
[Overe the trial on Syer.]
[Hint: The trial is separated into five stages.]
A careful whisper came from Cye:
“Mirage, why… why is there a skull o my quest?”
“Because the quest is impossible with our current level. We are so far away that not even the best strategy could help us.”
The others could only smile wryly upon hearing Liam’s expnation.
“So we not go in? Or do you have some trick up your sleeve?”
“No. We will get rid of our red names and then suicide. Our only priority is not losing items.”
“Great…”
At this moment the dryad’s voice echoed in the room:
“Please, brave warriors. Step in.”
The party members stared at the gate in front of them. Adjusting their mentality they slowly walked forward. As soon as they touched the swirling blue portal, they vanished.
When Silver Bde opened her eyes again, she found herself standing on a rocky path. It was uneven, filled with boulders, seemingly going on into infinity. To the left and right only a thick fog could be seen.
“Get ready to fight!”
Liam calmly reminded his party, staring into the dista some point oppos had already appeared on the broad path.
“My friends, it seems there is no way around it. Let’s bravely face this trial and fight until the end!”
Radiant Shield shouted loudly as he walked to the front, brag his shield. Silver Bde stood o him. The two tanks watched their oppos quickly closing the distance.
Soon, they were in range for [I].
[Violent Horned LizardRank: on
Level: 20
HP: 2400/2400]
[Fming Horned LizardRank: on
Level: 20
HP: 1800/1800]
Silver Bde’s expression turned solemn looking at the two huge lizards with dark gray skin and promi horns on their foreheads.
A lightning bolt shot through the air, crashing into the Violent Lizard.
[-572!]
[-85!]
Cye grinned proudly, looking at the damage dealt. This was the result of a few days of arduous leveling.
Instantly a sphere of are magic followed. Together the two mages took about a thousand HP form the lizard.
The monster let out an angry hiss. It sped up, about to crash into the two tanks. Meanwhile its panion stopped on a rge boulder in the distance.
Suddenly a spear made of fierce e fmes erupted from the Fming Lizard’s horn. It traveled at insane speeds, arriving before the Party.
Silver Bde’s eyes opened wide in surprise.
“It’s a magic attack!”
The female tank moved instantly. Sturdy as a wall she blocked the path towards the fme’s target, Cye. A heavy impact rocked her body, but the experienced martial artist diffused the force skillfully.
[Stance -14]
“It’s not that bad, I block for a while.”
Just as Silver Bde said so, a loud crash reached her ear. She g Radiant Shield who collided with the huge lizard monster.
Immediately the party members swarmed out, attag the ob. With Liam’s remihey used their skills sparingly, just enough to kill the lizard.
The Fming Lizard appeared angered by its panion’s death. It instantly sent out atack, but Silver Bde blocked skillfully.
Immediately the rest of the party surged towards the Fming Lizard. The beast obviously had low defeributes, falling quickly uhe rain of attacks.
“It’s not that difficult. Maybe we make it through.”, stated Balm with a worry-free smile.
Liam only g her, deg not to ent. Instead, he urged the group tather, weling the wave of monsters.
It didn’t take long for more Lizards to appear. This time they were four. The party was still able to deal with them.
But their hearts grew heavy whe new enemies appeared after the st four were killed.