“Waldhar! Death comes for you!”

I see him in the distance, sitting at the apex of a small pyramid, enthroned like an Aztec god. His Royal Guards assembled and arrayed in a defensive position before him.

I pause and contemplate my position.

My bones and joints ache. It’s distracting to my thoughts and focus as the essence continues to force growth within me.

The sound of rocks shifting somewhere behind makes me shift my stance and raise my guard. I watch as rocks impact the cavern floor where pieces of my fallen Raid party lay.

Looking up, I see movement. Someone is still alive. I run to the cavern wall and start climbing. The rock wall face is badly damaged, the impact and claw marks from the Bone Dragon have left cracks, ledges, and hand holds that I can use.

“Hold Him! Hold Him!” I hear Optata yelling as I continue to climb. The last I saw her, Jack had thrown her over his shoulder and was running for their lives.

“I am!” I hear. Climbing over the edge, Jack is lying on his back with Phaenippo in some kind of a twisted arm bar from behind. Optata is straddling Phaenippo, her hand in his open chest cavity.

“Pull him open farther!” She's yelling.

Jack sees me, “Potion! Now!”

Optata turns her head to look at me. “Potion! Scroll! Anything!”

Looking back down at Phaenippo, realizing that I had stopped moving and was staring. It looked like a motorcyclist and a truck collided. In this case, a Bone Dragon swatting a man. “Move your hand.”

After she pulls her hand out of his chest, I reach down, “Heal.”

Flesh starts moving and growing at the cellular level. The sounds of bone grinding against bone, flesh, and meat being ripped. Unseen forces move and push bone, tendons, muscles, and organs into place. “Ahhhh…” Phaenippo gasps air as his eyes shoot wide awake then slowly close as his head turns to rest on its side.

Looking at his bulwark, I would not have known that was his arm if I did not see it grow and heal back to being strapped into it.

“What!...?” Staring at me first, then back down at Jack. Jack, in the physical position that he is in, on his back, could not see the healing. I know the ‘What did I do now?’ expression he’s giving Optata as she’s accusing him of something about me.

Gently getting off of Phaenippo and rolling him slightly, she helps Jack get out from where he was under and behind Phaenippo. “You’re telling me!” Quietly threatening so as not to wake Phaenippo while intermittently poking Jack with an accusing finger while he’s trying to stand.

My eyes drift as the two of them work out their differences by staring each other down. I can see Art, or at least where he was. Looking at the area directly, I’m not sure if that’s all him or not. Scanning the cavern, only we survived.

Will you complete this trial with the rewards that you have earned?

Or will you continue? His words fill the cavern.

Phaenippo pushing himself to sit up breaks the standoff between the two love birds. “Food.” He asks.

“Let me look,” Jack replies, giving Phaenippo a hand pat on his shoulder as he walks by and into the rear of the cavern to look for rations. Optata is now looking me over seemingly to make or come to some decision or conclusion.

Tossing a backpack to Phaenippo, he opens it and starts eating the rations within. After a few bites, he looks up and throws us each some dried fruit and nut bars, then some jerky.

“I’m good to leave if Doug here is done,” Phaenippo says between bites.

“My job is to follow the Party and make sure everyone gets out alive.” Optata comments.

“Too late for that.” We all look at Jack.

“I’m done.” I break the tension.

Jack stands and starts gathering the supplies that are still intact. “Found one!” Holding up a healing potion and shaking it a little for emphasis. Optata scowling at him under her breath as she goes back to gathering.

*****

Climbing down the wall face, Jack takes the lead and picks out a path for us to follow. Looking down is a bit unnerving and making it more difficult for me than it was climbing up.

*****

Coming to where I stood before, we see him in the distance, sitting at the apex of a small pyramid, enthroned like an Aztec god. His Royal Guards assembled and arrayed in a defensive position before him. It doesn’t look like he's moved.

The Royal guards part a section through the middle, about the width of a car wide to let us pass. These are Bone Guardians, which fit the theme as I make more comments to myself that are better left unsaid.

We are allowed to walk to the base of the pyramid where two Royal guards block our path from going any closer.

Will you complete this trial with the rewards that you have earned?

Or will you continue?

As I look at the others, to make sure that we are all on the same page and in agreement, my jaw drops as I watch Phaenippo Shield Bash the two Royal guards aside and start running up the pyramid stairs that are on the center front face of the pyramid.

Javelins and arrows start flying as Phaenippo swings his Bulwark over his back like a turtle and continues to run up the pyramid stairway.

The three of us are attacked almost immediately. Optata moves and crouches behind Jack and I as she slowly backs up the stairs.

Using the thick rod and shield, I hold my ground, protecting myself and breaking their skeletal bones as they come at me.

Jack is pushed back up the stairway as I continue to hold my ground. The spears from the second row are more of a menace and seem to always be in my blind spots.

I hear Phaenippo war crying behind me as the sound carries down the front face of the pyramid as if he were only a few feet behind me.

I start backing up the stairway. It is not that wide. Jack and Optata stop the Royal Guard from flanking me. Past the stairs on either side, the pyramid face is too smooth and sloped for them to stand and fight on.

The Royal Guard are slipping and tripping on the broken bones I’m leaving behind as I continue to back up the stairway.

STOP!

The Royal Guard all pause and step back at the same time. Another step back, then they all turn as one and fall back into formation before the pyramid.

This Trial is Over!

Come! Collect your Rewards!

Looking at each other for a moment, Jack starts walking up the stairs with us following a step behind.

Reaching the dais, at the apex of the pyramid, Phaenippo points to the throne where the Skeletal King sits arrayed with all the jewels and a crown that you would expect.

Sweeping his spear over the head of the Skeletal King, it bumps into something, a wire, and the king’s arm moves. “It’s Fake! It’s all Fake!” Phaenippo starts pulling and picking at some more wires to make the king’s head and his other arm move.

What’s Fake!? You’re Fake! Stop Touching that before you Break it!

We turn to see a child standing back behind the throne, in the shadows.

This Trial is Over!

It is only set for the Bronze tier and below.

I will need some time if you would like to continue.

What reward are you seeking?

We stand ready and all look at each other. Is this a deception or what is going on?

Gold? Jewels? An item? A Title or land? Speak!

I’m at a loss for words as I shrug my shoulder looking at the others.

Speak! What is wrong with you? Or do you not know?

Good!

Then it is wisdom that you seek.

Waldhar will help you choose, come.

The child steps forth and continues to walk. My eyes grow wide as I take in its features. It is no child, but a skeletal pygmy. Its bones are black and unreflective, polished like anodized black aluminum. I watch it walk down the stairway, expecting us to follow. Each of its steps is a little drop to the next as it does not have the stride length to have its feet on two different steps at the same time.

We follow down the stairway, keeping a good distance.