The roar reverberated through the chamber, shaking dust loose from the ornate golden ceiling. Trevor squinted at the emerging monstrosity, its glowing eyes scanning the room like it had just stumbled into an all-you-can-eat buffet.“Okay, Lyra,” Trevor said, gesturing with his sword at the creature that looked like it had been cobbled together from nightmares. “What’s the play? Diplomacy? Negotiation? Running?”Lyra rolled her eyes, her staff already glowing with swirling arcs of light. “I was thinking more along the lines of ‘hit it until it stops moving.’”“Classic strategy,” Trevor muttered. “Very original. How’s that working for us so far?”The creature let out another earth-shattering roar, causing Trevor to stumble back. “Right. Less talking, more stabbing,” he said, charging forward.The man in tattered robes raised a hand to stop him. “Wait! You cannot simply attack it recklessly.”Trevor skidded to a halt, sword still raised. “Define recklessly. Because honestly, I’m just mak

The cavern didn’t stop shaking. In fact, it felt like the world itself was gearing up to collapse. Trevor adjusted his grip on his sword, glancing between the massive, dark-armored Warden and Lyra, who stood ready with her glowing staff.“Any last-minute strategies?” Trevor asked, trying to mask the crack in his voice.“Don’t die,” Lyra replied flatly.“Great plan, love it. Let’s aim for bonus points and actually win too.”The Warden’s fiery eyes locked onto them as it raised its colossal blade. “Surrender the fragment, or be destroyed.”Trevor pointed at the glowing box in his hand. “Oh, this? You want this? Sorry, but I’ve kind of bonded with it. You know, emotionally. Can’t just give it away now.”The Warden wasn’t amused. It let out a guttural roar and charged, moving faster than anything its size had any right to.“Here it comes!” Lyra yelled.Trevor barely had time to dive out of the way before the ground where he’d been standing exploded in a shower of rock and debris.“Okay,”

Trevor trudged behind the robed man, his boots scraping against the worn stone floor. The dim tunnel stretched endlessly ahead, lit only by the faint glow of Lyra’s staff.“Just a thought,” Trevor said, his voice echoing off the walls, “but maybe the next trial could involve a comfy chair and some sandwiches? You know, really test our ability to... relax.”The robed man ignored him.“Take that as a no,” Lyra muttered, rolling her eyes.The tunnel widened into a massive chamber. Unlike the previous one, this room was alive with movement. Rivers of molten lava crisscrossed the floor, casting eerie red light on the walls. Floating platforms bobbed and swayed above the fiery abyss.Trevor let out a low whistle. “Well, this screams fun. Who wants to bet the platforms sink if we step on them?”“They probably do,” Lyra said grimly.“Perfect. I love a good game of ‘The Floor is Actual Lava.’”The robed man stepped aside, gesturing toward the platforms. “The next trial will test your endurance

The moment Trevor stepped through the doorway, the ground trembled. A deafening crack split the air, and the stone floor beneath him gave way."Trevor!" Lyra’s shout echoed as he fell, tumbling into the darkness below.“Lyra!” he yelled, reaching out, but his fingers grasped only empty air.The fall ended abruptly with a hard landing on cold stone. Trevor groaned, rolling onto his side. His sword clattered nearby, and he grabbed it, scrambling to his feet. Above him, the ceiling had sealed itself, cutting off any sign of Lyra or the robed man.“Well, this is new,” Trevor muttered, glancing around. The chamber was vast and eerily silent, illuminated by a faint blue light emanating from the walls.A voice broke the stillness, deep and disembodied. “Separated by the tides of fate. Only those who prove their strength can reunite.”“Great,” Trevor said, gripping his sword. “Another cryptic trial. Why can’t these just be quizzes? I’m great at guessing.”As if in answer, the ground ahead of

The calm didn’t last long.Trevor and Lyra barely had time to catch their breath before the chamber began to shift. The glowing crystals dimmed, replaced by jagged, dark spikes that sprouted from the walls. The warmth in the air vanished, replaced by an icy chill.“Why can’t we ever get five minutes of peace?” Trevor groaned, grabbing his sword.Lyra stood, her staff glowing faintly. “Because this place hates us. Obviously.”A low rumble echoed through the chamber, and the floor beneath them cracked. Trevor and Lyra jumped apart just as a massive rift split the ground between them.“Okay, seriously?!” Trevor shouted.The rift widened, and before either of them could react, the floor under Trevor gave way completely. He barely had time to yell before he plummeted into the darkness below.“Trevor!” Lyra screamed, running to the edge of the chasm. She knelt, peering into the void, but there was no sign of him.The chamber shook again, forcing her to back away. The dark spikes closed in,