We were afforded all the rest we needed for the grand finale, the Dungeon Master. I had not expected or planned for the three of us to actually sleep in the dungeon, but that is what we ended up doing. Me and Kardenon took turns as watchers, but turns out that the precaution was not needed. Absolutely nothing came to attack us while we rested.

After we all woke up, prepared ourselves, put on our gear, said our prayers and drank our favorite potions, I touched the orb in the middle of the platform. It then started moving down. The excitement rose within me. I wonder what kind of enemy we are going to face. What is the Dungeon Master like? None of the books that I read on the subject had anything to say about the Dungeon Master itself. I wonder if it's out of some kind honor thing where nobody is supposed to tell anybody else, or if there just isn't a fixed form for it. Regardless, we would finally know.

“I wonder what kind of monster the Dungeon Master is.”

Helena smiled as she gave her opinion.

“Well, it might end up being underwhelming, but I hope that it's something weak. It would be nice if we didn't have too much of a problem after all those terrible things this stupid place threw at us.”

Kardenon crossed his arms, I wonder if he was shaking his head inside that huge armor.

“I'd say that's a wee bit too much to expect. I'd be thankful if it's nothing worse than what we have seen before.”

Helena sighed.

“Fine, I suppose that would be acceptable, nothing that we haven't seen before shouldn't be too bad.”

Unfortunately, these words might have jinxed us. Do dungeons have ears?

“Oh! Looks like we have arrived.”

The platform finally left the pit. Now, it felt like we were floating in the air in a huge room. That was kind of scary. I wonder how big the Dungeon Master is if it needs such a big space. Unfortunately, even by the time the platform touched the ground we did not see any enemies. It felt like we were enveloped by a strange fog. While our vision in our immediate vicinity was not hampered in any way, we couldn't see anything a few paces away. That was dangerous. This place is really huge, I hope nobody gets lost during the fight against the Dungeon Master.

“Oh no... That's not what I am looking at. No! Damn you, you stupid place!”

I quickly turned towards the direction that Helena was looking at. I understood at once why she was distressed. Nothing we hadn't seen before, huh. We saw the lizard from the second trial emerging from the fog. If it was just that, then it might not be a big problem, however, mounted on it was the big golem from the last trial, now armed with a lance and shield. Even though it has no face I can feel the smugness coming from that thing, as if it was pleased by our surprise.

“Well, I suppose that's nothing we haven't seen before... Albeit not both together.”

Helena glared daggers at Kardenon, but before she could say anything, the lizard reared on its hind legs and roared.

“What is going on?”

As if it had cast a spell, a strong wind began to blow and I couldn't resist it. In moments, the three of us were scattered. No good!

“Ah! Alexius! Alexius, where are you?”

I hear Helena's panicked voice. No good, she's letting it get to her. That's the likely intent behind this attack. I start walking towards her voice. I probably should have listened more for the stomps. Before I realized it, the Dungeon Master had emerged from the fog in full charge and I was almost trampled. Although I avoided the worst scenario, I was hit in my breastplate with almost full force. It hurt. When I looked down, there was a crack on it. I panted with nervousness, I had never seen this armor cracked before. I can't afford to get hit like that again.

“Breathe in, breathe out. Pay attention to the sounds around me...”

I hear stomps, they grow louder and faster. This time I am expecting the attack from the fog and easily dodge it. I start running towards Helena. I dodge another attack with ease. As I keep running I hear Kardenon's voice.

“Ha! Got you! Earth, impale my enemies!”

I watch as Kardenon, who is holding the golem's lance, chants an Earth Spike spell. He must have put a considerable amount of mana, because the spike that springs from the ground is bigger than the Dungeon Master and, while it doesn't pierce it, it blows it away. Behind Kardenon is Helena, knees on ground with tears in her face.

“Uh, thank you, uh.”

It's been a long time since I've seen her sob like that, she probably must have felt a lot of pressure. Wait, wasn't I being attacked this whole time? Shortly before encountering them, I had just been attacked. Then what was the thing Kardenon was fighting against? I realized the terrible truth.

“Be careful! There's more than one of them!”

I ran and just as I shouted I saw a Dungeon Master emerge from the fog, ready to attack Helena. I take a deep breath and put my all in that swing. My strength, my unwavering will, it takes everything, but I am able to stop it in its tracks.

“Nice one!”

Kardenon smashes into its side and topples it. It didn't seem too hurt, but there's a way that it might get more brittle.

“Helena, I think our attacks might work if we freeze it!”

Me and Helena cast frost bolts at it. Another one shows up to try and stop us, but Kardenon was also able to flip it on its back. Things aren't going too bad. I take a mace out of the Treasury and use it to smash the now pretty frozen Dungeon Master. Helena is now also freezing the one Kardenon just toppled over. After we break it, I feel a sense of relief. Is it over?

“Oh! I can see much farther now! Oh...”

The fog now dissipated, but now we had a problem. There was a third earth golem riding a earth lizard thing. Except this one was considerably bigger. Instead of the hit and run tactics of the other two, this one just came at us. It was all Kardenon and me could do to not get hit by the lizard's slashes or the golem's thrusts.

“Damn, Helena, can you see an opening. Helena?”

Before I realized, she wasn't behind me and Kardenon anymore. What is she doing? But I could ill afford the luxury of worrying about her as I was almost flattened by a paw from above. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to dodge the following attack and was hit by a sweep from the golem. It hit right where my armor had cracked and I was thrown. I landed on the floor, coughing blood and in pain. Damn, the armor cracked even more and caved in. Some of the shards went straight through the chain-mail.

“I found something!”

I saw Helena brandishing a vial with that strange liquid from before in the dungeon. Oh, that should work! Using a projected sling she threw several of them at the Dungeon Master and, while it wasn't destroyed, it was visibly weakened in terms of defense.

“Well, I can't stay down like this.”

Conjuring some more force of will, I fight through the pain and stand. I charge in order to help Kardenon break that that thing down. It takes a few good hits, but after we managed to break the lizard's legs, everything got easier. Little by little we break it, until it stops moving.

“Ah, ah, we have done it, Haha! We have done it!”

Kardenon throws himself at the ground, panting. Next to us, an altar appears with three intricate golden brooches on it. They are likely the proof of our glory. A little farther away was a glowing circle that would probably teleport us out of the dungeon.

“Yeah, we did it...”

Now, free from the rush of the fight, I feel the full pain of my wound and collapse on my knees.

“Alexius, are you okay?”

Helena approaches me with a worried look on her face.

“Don't worry. It's nothing that a decent healer can't take care of.”

Of course, we would only find one back at the city, but I can endure the pain until then. Thus we cleared the Eternal Testing Grounds.