Returning back to the starting passage was a walk in the park. Since we already cleared the Perception or Danger sense passage anyway, we did not encounter any traps nor were we blinded by the passage.
Me and Lucius arrived at the starting passage with ease as we then tried out the key that we found and put it on the stone door, which surprisingly absorbed it like it was just a piece of drink.
Our theory was right, the key that we found was indeed for the large stone door. Now, we moved onto another theory which was....each of these passages have another key like the perception passage, so for us to unlock the large stone door...we must get all of those key.
Lucius wanted to challenge the second passage right away but because we were both exhausted and endured, he collapsed and I told him that we should take a moment to rest for the next challenge.
We took two days off the calendar as our means of recovering from the injuries and as well as preparing for what the next challenge was. We read the stone tablet in the Large Stone door and we once again theorized that the challenges are probably about physical capabilities.
[ THOSE WHO RELY SOLELY ON THEIR EYES, WILL BE DEAD.
THOSE WITH NO STRENGTH SHALL CRUMBLE.
THOSE WHO ARE SLOW SHALL BE LEFT BEHIND.
THOSE WHO ARE WEAK SHALL BE CRUSHED.
—TRIAL CHAMBERS— ]
The first one about the eyes seems to be the perception passage.
The second one must have meant the strength.
The third one must have meant the speed.
Then the last one....What does it mean? There is already strength. Unless it meant having weak body...then it must mean it is the trial of endurance.
Staring at the passages with wonder in our eyes, Lucius and I stayed quiet for a moment before I opened my mouth to speak.
"So what passage are we challenging next?"
I asked the guy who just shot me a glance and rolled his eyes, as if he was asking if I was joking. Eh, I men it makes sense.
We don't even know which is which so.....why does it matter? What matters is that we can clear this place safely and alive.
It would have been nice if we knew what the passages are before we can go in so we can prepare but even that is not allowed for us. Haa, this is ridiculous...truly.
Taking out Flesh Eater from my waist strap, I stabbed him on the ground without drawing it from its sheathe, causing for Lucius to shoot me a glance of wonder.
I returned the glance back to him before smiling and letting Flesh Eater fall to the ground to point which direction we are going. Like a dowsing cane.
"There, we will be going here"
I declared to Lucius with a smile as the guy looked at me, bewildered. He tried to talk but he just stopped so and just sighed when he saw me getting ready to challenge the passage on the first left.
Putting Flesh Eater to my waist strap, I started stretching my shoulders which had been shot by the arrow. Lucius' medical skills are surprisingly good, as the wound on my shoulder had almost healed with a few days of rest and also that guy's herbology shit.
Seeing that my shoulder does not hurt as it was, I smiled and shot the guy a glance before he nodded to me. Affirming me that he was ready to go.
Chuckling, we then entered the passage that we are going to challenge.
————
As the duo entered the passage, as if they were teleported somewhere. They soon then found themselves in a cave full of floating platforms.
The Cave was hot, it was unbearably hot that it was taking more of the duo's breath and making them sweat heavily. The source of the heat in that cave was....the lava below them.
When they casted their gaze on the pool of lavas below them, they couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva because of how terrifying the image of lava was. It was bubbling in heat and it was even burning some of the floating platforms.
Then ahead of those floating platforms, they could see a Fire Monkey taunting them at the distance. By its waist, a key was dangling there.
Upon seeing that, The Duo's eyes then shot wide open as they hurried.
"LOOK! I THINK WE SHOULD CHASE THAT GUY!"
"Wait! What if he fights back and we drop into the pool of lava?"
"Fair. We can approach him slowly then—"
The two of them discussed a plan but before Lucius could state something, they felt the platform behind them tremble. They both looked back in unison and then saw the platforms crumbling down to the pool of lava, and being set on flames.
"Fuck"
Roanoke cussed as he bolted together with Lucius and jumped onto another platform and onto another.
"Fuck fuck fuck! What the heck is this trial!!"
Lucius cussed hurriedly as he ran and jumped from platforms to platforms and could barely keep himself in check because of panic, while Roanoke jumped quite carefreely as if he was playing around.
The Fire Monkey ahead of them had also started running away upon seeing that the two of them had started moving
It jumped from platform to platform quite skillfully, but Roanoke was better at jumping around because of his [ Bullshit Footwork ].
Upon seeing Roanoke move so freely as if he was one with the wind, Lucius mumbled some cuss words complaining why Roanoke was more adept than him at this stuff.
'Gosh damn it. I have been training my footwork to reach the best level and even become faster than my peers so how am I falling behind?'
Lucius continued to mumble while also throwing some envious glare on Roanoke's back.
Everytime he would land on a new platform, he would then stumble and struggle to regain his balance because of the shaking, this thing went on for a few more jumps until he was completely left behind by Roanoke and the Monkey.
Watching the man and the monkey's back slowly turn smaller in his view as they get further and further away, Lucius' will then started to shake.
"It's over....."
He muttered as he stumbled from the platform and tripped on his feet causing him to fall off the crumbling platform.