The silent after the destruction of the Abyssborn seemed unnatural. The cavern's atmosphere had changed.
They no longer felt the pressure that had been on them, but instead there was a strange silence, as if the dungeon itself was keeping watch.
With the last of the abyssal energy still pulsing through his veins, Kael let out a breath. He felt sharper, stronger. At his side, the Abyssal Fang Dagger pulsed softly, content with its most recent meal. However, there was no time to think about it.
Reiner stood up straight and looked to the other side of the room. "That rift wasn't just a random incident. This is an evolving dungeon."
Mira brushed dust from her hands as she continued to kneel by the dying runes. "It was not intended for anything that was sealed here to awaken. We were fortunate."
"Luck had nothing to do with it." Sera gave Kael a hard look but remained silent.
Luthen grumbled, still rolling his aching shoulder. "There's no point in standing about. We need to move."
Kael was a step ahead of them already. The cavern was no longer a dead end; he had sensed it.
At the extreme end, where the Abyssborn had first appeared, a new way had opened. He took the lead without saying a word.
***
It turned out that the tunnel outside the chamber was shorter than anticipated. They transformed into something completely different in a matter of minutes.
The actual third floor was a vast, barren expanse of cratered rock and fractured earth that loomed before them.
A faint glow was spread over the wasteland by dim light that was filtered from an unknown source overhead. Age-scarred surfaces of towering stone pillars stood like ancient watchguards.
They weren't alone either.
Dozens of other adventurers were scattered around the terrain. Some were standing by themselves, watching from afar, while others had gathered in small groups and were whispering to each other. One could feel the tension in the air.
Kael looked around the crowd with keen eyes. Stragglers, mercenaries, and nobles. They were all here for the same reason: to advance and pass the third-floor trial.
However, one presence was more noticeable than the others, Dorian Valcroft. He was in the center of a well-organized elite group.
He was tall and sharp-featured, and his polished armor shone even in the poor light of the dungeon, making him an indisputable presence. He was surrounded like an impenetrable wall by his squad, which was composed of strong mages and noble knights.
Kael looked at him for a brief moment before turning away.
Reiner whispered to himself. "Looks like we're late to the gathering."
The ground shook before anyone could react.
Like the toll of a huge bell, a deep, resonant sound rolled across the landscape. Then something appeared right in the center of the expanse.
A figure, tall and unmoving. A guardian clad in ancient, battle-worn armor.
Despite having a humanoid body, something about it felt off—its movements were too still, its presence too heavy.
Its full-body armor, whose darker metal was etched with markings older than any known kingdom, was unlike anything from Valoria. A huge spear, throbbing with a dim, spectral light, lay against its shoulder.
Its voice, when it did speak, was neither human nor inhuman. It was somewhere in the middle.
"The Trial Begins."
The words pierced every challenger's bones as they traveled across the wasteland. "Your path forward is not by strength. It is not by power. It is by choice."
The adventurers stirred, glancing at each other. A few stiffened, prepared for combat. Others paused, uncertain.
The guardian's head turned slightly as it looked around the crowd. "Lone challengers—step forward."
Adventurers without established groups hesitated, then moved forward with caution. Mercenaries were among them. Some were rogue nobles who couldn't or wouldn't serve under a leader like Dorian.
Kael stayed in his spot. The guardian turned to face him, its eyes vacant. "You stand alone."
A couple of eyes shifted toward him. He disregarded them.
The guardian's spear lifted a little. "You won't make progress by yourself. Be a part of a group or risk falling behind." Kael's fingers twitched at his side.
"Convenient," mumbled Sera. "Forcing people into teams."
Mira's expression was unreadable. "It is a trial of morality. Thus, collaborating with others is a part of the test."
Kael remained silent.
Reiner gave him a quick look. "You with us or not?"
Kael looked him in the eye and nodded briefly.
The guardian went on, "Now, listen well. This trial is not fought here. It is not fought in this land."
Below them, the earth throbbed. Kael sensed the change before it occurred. The air was distorted as a burst of energy swept forth. Then there was no more wasteland.
***
After a brief moment of feeling like they were falling, the firm ground beneath their feet returned.
The world was different now.
Kael stood amid a great battlefield beneath a burning sky. The smell of blood and ash filled the air. In the distance, smoke rose from a city whose once-proud walls were now falling under attack.
The dungeon was no longer where they were. They were in a completely different place.
He looked around the area. Reiner's group was nearby, shaken but unharmed. The teleportation had caused the forms of other adventurers to solidify as they emerged across the battlefield.
However, this was more than just a survival test.
Not adventurers, but armored figures rushed across the field, engaged in brutal combat. Their weapons were crude but deadly, and their armor was different.
This was more than simply a battleground. It was a part in ancient history.
The voice of the guardian then resounded from above. "You stand in the war of a fallen age. Your trial is simple—rescue the captured royals of the Kingdom of Earth before they are executed by the Fire Kingdom."
Kael's eyes flickered, "A war."
This was not a battle with monsters. It was a test of morality. To see who would stand up for the weak. And who would stand against them?
The voice of the guardian went on. "You have the option to get involved. Or you may let fate take its course. Your decision… will determine your worth."
All around them the battlefield roared to life. The troops clashed and machines of war rumbled. From the enemy's stronghold, the cries of prisoners could be heard in the distance.
Kael was aware that this was just the start.