Trial of Death – Part IV

The champions and their guides formed a disciplined line, ready to enter the grand gates that had swung open before them. Leading the procession was an angelic figure. The first champion approached her, guided by his loyal companion.

"Augustus, Champion of War, pick your weapon," the angel commanded. Augustus raised his hand, and with a solemn expression, he summoned forth a scythe. This weapon was unlike any other, its blade a deep, ominous red, with a massive hammer attached to its back. He confidently declared, "I choose the Blood Scythe."

The angel nodded and then turned her gaze to Demitry, Augustus's guide. "Now, pick a weapon for your guide, Demitry," she instructed.

Augustus pondered for a moment before replying, "For Demitry, I select the War God's Battle Blades." As he spoke those words, Demitry conjured two menacing, bloody-red blades, their edges shimmering with an unsettling crimson glow.

"Alright, you may pass through," the angel declared. "Your other weapons will be sealed for the trial. Proceed to the first tunnel on the left, marked by the War banner."

With weapons in hand, Augustus and Demitry ventured into the darkness, disappearing into the foreboding tunnel.

The second champion stepped forward, and the angel repeated the ritual. "Darlyn, Champion of Love, pick your weapon." Darlyn couldn't help but grin mischievously as she held out her hands, causing a pair of dark gloves to materialize. She chirped, "I shall use these Succubus Gloves to charm them!"

Her guide, Anthrax, shook his head in mild disappointment at her choice. The angel then turned her attention to him. "Now, pick a weapon for your guide, Anthrax."

Darlyn paused for a moment before replying, "Hmm, Anthrax here should wield the Love Trident."

"Please call me by my name, miss," Anthrax gently corrected her. At his command, a red trident took shape, its form resembling a heart with three arrow-tipped prongs.

"Very well," the angel said. "You are cleared to pass. Proceed to the second tunnel on the left, marked by the Love banner."

With their selected weapons, Darlyn and Anthrax followed the path that led them into the enigmatic darkness, vanishing from sight.

The remaining champions made their choices: Chrys, the Champion of Wisdom, selected the Wisdom Orb for himself and Daggers of Mercy for his guide, Apollo. Iggaunt, the Champion of Earth, opted for Quake Gauntlets while providing Darth, his guide, with a sandglass. Sitra, the champion of Water, chose Staff of Aqua and picked Mermaid Helm for her guide, Quarius .Blaire, the Champion of Flame, chose the Burning Wisp as her weapon, while her guide, Agni, received the Soul Blazing Guns.

Finally, it was Sephir's turn to make her selections. She had already made up her mind. With determination in her eyes, she chose the Tempest Vase as her weapon and the Death Scythe for Sraptor.

As they made their way to the last remaining tunnel, Sephir couldn't help but wonder if the number of tunnels had been specifically crafted to match the number of competing champions. The darkness swallowed them as they ventured deeper into the tunnel, and Sephir began to feel a growing sense of unease. She glanced back and realized that the entrance had disappeared entirely, leaving her to question whether it had been sealed off.

Concerned, Sephir decided to employ her Wind Step ability. She dashed back toward the entrance, Sraptor closely following suit. After a mere five minutes, Sephir reached a gate and murmured to herself, "So the entrance has been closed." She observed the gate's movement, realizing it was drawing nearer at an accelerated pace. Normally, it would have taken her fifteen minutes to reach the original entrance, but this gate was advancing much faster.

Summoning the power of the Tempest Vase, Sephir conjured two small wind tempests. Riding these tempests, she hurriedly sought to find the end of the tunnel, Sraptor keeping pace. They soon arrived at a fork in the tunnel, and Sephir waited for Sraptor, scanning for any clues. Unfortunately, there were none.

As Sraptor caught up, Sephir noticed a gentle breeze emanating from one of the tunnels. Trusting her instincts, she decided to follow the wind and continued riding on the tempests. Their journey led them to a sudden clearing.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Sraptor spoke, "Well done, my lady. Your wisdom has served us well. Had you chosen the other path, it would have led to a dead end, and you would have failed this trial. You still have three more trials to conquer."

With Sraptor's words of encouragement, Sephir felt a renewed determination surging within her. The trials ahead were shrouded in mystery and danger, but her choices and wisdom had guided her thus far. As they ventured deeper into the unknown, Sephir couldn't help but wonder what other challenges awaited them in this mystical realm. One thing was certain: she was prepared to face them head-on, with her faithful guide by her side. The trials were far from over, and Sephir was ready to prove herself in the face of the unknown, one challenge at a time.