Chapter 4: the light at the end of the tunnel
It had been a really long day : some had lost their patience, others their self-esteem, and some were starting to lose their sanityas well. But the guardian was not done with the ordeals, there were still people to get through and he seemed to have some more ideas.
Very well adventurers! Bit by bit, you're coming to the end of your ordeals! Only a few of you still need to get through! Be proud to have come this far!
Strangely, many doubted that they could be proud of having participated in this kind of events and, on the contrary, some would much prefer to forget them. Either way, the guardian was once again pointing his big finger at people in the assembly.
Well! Now let's move on to the rest of you lot! For this test, you! The man with fire in your hair! And you, proud dwarf warrior! Come forth, adventurers!
The blacksmith and the dwarf stepped forward, wondering what the creature would have in store for them.
Here are two strapping warriors! Two different, but powerful physiques! Adventurers, tops off!
The two looked at each other for a moment, not quite sure what the golem wanted and why he was asking such a thing.
Show some spirit, gentlemen! Are you afraid to catch a cold?
With a sigh, both finally got to work, shedding their weapons, clothing and armor, until they ended up bare-chested. If Gareth's powerful dwarven physique was more than visible, Welf could be proud of his as well, for a human. He was naturally tall and between the fairly physical blacksmithing and his adventures in the dungeon, he had developed an athletic build of which he had no need to be ashamed.
Prepare for a physical test! This stone table will show you what to do!
The guardian made another hand gesture and a slab of stone appeared from the floor a crystal plate was set upon it.
Your test is very simple, you just have to reproduce the poses that will appear on this stele! Be ready! For it starts… now!
Without really giving them time to breathe, the two adventurers saw a pose pattern appear and did their best to reproduce it, which consisted of a sort of bodybuilding pose, made to highlight their muscles. But it wasn't going to be just one pose, soon enough, another appeared, forcing them to change positions, then another, and another, and yet another. The two men went through the bodybuilding poses for quite a while, while these were getting more and more ridiculous.
Yes! This is perfect! ZA WARUDOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Everyone then looked at the golem with a wary air.
This is an ancient mantra that only true initiates of the gods can understand! Basically, it means you've done it!
So the two got dressed and headed back to their own, not without feeling that they had just missed something potentially critical.
Well! There is only one person left among you who must submit to her ordeal !
Lefiya gulped, for she knew full well that she was the only person left and that the golem was talking about her. Which was naturally confirmed when the stone finger turned towards her.
You, elven adventurer! Only you are left! Come forth!
Trying to gather her courage as best she could, she stepped forward. The only thing that reassured her was knowing that there was little chance of her being asked to kiss Bell Cranel. Especially now, she hated him even more, after catching Aiz's attention, now he dared to soil Lady Riveria's pure lips! Indeed, in her own eyes, the elf had oddly blinded herself to the fact that it was her royal peer who had taken the lead in this matter.
Unfortunately, you came in odd numbers, so you will have to go alone! But be not afraid, for this ordeal will not be more demanding because of this!
She wasn't reassured, not a single, bloody bit! The golem used his magic again, which caused a bracelet of a rather simple make to appear before Lefiya.
All you have to do is wear this bracelet to start the ordeal!
The elf turned her gaze to his familia in search of support, but only found looks that strongly urged her not to back off after everything everyone had gone through before her. Gulping again, she slipped on the bracelet which locked around her wrist.
Your event is a test of endurance! All you need to do is stand up straight and weather the storm! This ordeal will be that… of fanservice!
Fan what now? the elf tried to ask.
Let's begin! School girl uniform!
In a small smokescreen, Lefiya's outfit transformed, making her clothes disappear in favor of others she had never seen in her life. It wasn't the worst thing she could wear, but her instincts whispered quickly that it wouldn't end there.
Let's proceed!
And it was twenty long minutes when the golem made her go through outfits, each crazier than the last.
School swimsuit! Bunny-girl! Catsuit ! Neko-girl! Short qipao! Bikini armor! Hot teacher with glasses! Revealing evening dress!
All of this was just a sample of everything Lefiya was forced to wear under the dumbfounded gazes of her comrades. When the golem was finally done with her, the bracelet turned to dust, as the elf also fell to the ground. Kneeling on the ground, Lefiya stared blankly and her body twitched with small jerks coinciding with strange nervous giggles.
Good, adventurers! Your courage and your ability to face the most unexpected situations are to your credit! You have succeeded, you can be proud of yourselves!
But strangely, no one was.
Go through the doors and come join me, your fair reward awaits you!
At least a nice pile of loot would soon make them forget all this madness. At this stage, even the less materialistic of those present still preferred to go to the treasure step directly, and skip on blathering about the ordeals which, to be sure, had not earned them the slightest Excelia. Some people were nice enough to drag Bell and Lefiya behind them, as their souls were still recovering. The thirteen adventurers therefore passed through the great stone doors, which opened before them to lead them to the treasure room, as the golem descended from his balcony to join them.
But to everyone's surprise, the great treasure room was now empty : of the mountains of wealth seen before the trials, only a few poor gold coins scattered here and there remained, not even enough to buy a beer at Mama Mia's pub.
You've gotta be kidding me! Lili said, offended. It was all there a moment ago, where is it now? Don' tell me we did all of that for nothing!
Ha! It is true that the trials involved… expenses! the golem suddenly said from its corner.
Expenses? What do you mean expenses!
Well, it's been over twenty years since I've seen anyone here! So your arrival caught me off guard! So I had to urgently order the necessary equipment and have it delivered immediately! Do you know the price of an express delivery by spatial rift? But by all means, all that's left is yours!
At that moment, something broke in their minds. This time, the joke had really come too far. Lefiya, suddenly recovered from her trauma, was the first to break the silence.
Tell me Lady Riveria, if I remember my reading correctly, isn't a golem's heart, or its core, an extraordinarily precious magic item? she said with a tone as calm as it was strangely creepy.
Ho! Now that you say it, I think I have read the same thing. The high elf replied in the same tone.
And suddenly thirteen auras of pure hostility were directed against the trolly guardian of the place. If the latter had been provided with sweat glands, he would certainly have a nervous flop sweat right now.
Come on adventurers! No violence, please! I am a being made by order of the gods!
No longer than five minutes later, the golem was lying on the ground, a gaping hole in its stone chest as Tione, with her creepy Berzerker smile, stood proudly over him, holding a large stone sphere in one hand, encrusted with crystals and covered with runes and other esoteric symbols.
Ha Ha! My mission is accomplished anyway! said the golem, ominously, before shutting down.
Later that evening, in Orario. In Babel, at the guild exchange counter.
An employee gave an enormous yawn. He and his colleague next door were on the evening shift and hours were getting long. Even though it was more crowded during the day, it was not unusual that sometimes adventurers left the Dungeon really late and still wanted to exchange their magic crystals and other drop items. As he dozed off with a blank stare, he was abruptly brought back to reality by the thud of something somebody had just slammed on the counter.
Good evening! What do you want to exchange? he said, turning around and trying to be as professional as possible. In front of him stood a group of people he could only recognize. On the one hand, the most famous adventurers of the Loki Familia and on the other, the rising star of the moment, the Hestia Familia. But his attention was quickly taken by the object in front of his eyes.
Well cut my legs off and call me shorty! Is that ... Is that a golem core?
He had only silence for an answer, but upon hearing it, his colleague joined him.
Are you serious ? But… it's true! And look at this complexity!
It's a high-quality golem core! But where did you ... find ...
He couldn't even finish his question when he met thirteen pairs of eyes with a dark and pretty darn intimidating gaze.
Forget it, it doesn't matter ... Gimme a minute please, I'm looking for the value of this item.
He and his colleague went to find a third man and the three rummaged for a few minutes in different books to finish their estimate and it resulted in the sum being far, very far from negligible. A golem core of such complexity fit in the highest category drop items, in terms of price.
Uh ... do I divide the sum equally? It is quite a tremendous amount... I'll have it delivered to your familias's home ... tomorrow morning?
It was not easy to do your job calmly when the people in front of you remained silent and looked so scary.
Can the two representatives sign the receipt for me, please?
That was the only move he got from Finn and Bell since the start of this exchange.
Thank you and good night…
And without saying a word, the two groups of adventurers left the scene, each going their own way, leaving the three guild workers quite perplexed.
I thought Loki and Hestia hated each other's guts. When did their familias start working together?
Yeah mate, that's pretty weird...
Well that's hardly our goddamn business is it? Call everyone! We got ourselves a golem core!
And indeed, very quickly, the guild's experts preferred to look at the drop item brought back rather than its origin.
Meanwhile, in the house of the Hermes Familia.
The traveling god was sitting at his desk, facing the outside window, a mysterious look on his face. Asfi Al Andromeda, also known as Perseus, his captain, was wondering what was on his mind. He had begged Lulune to find something earlier today and had a panic attack when she came home empty-handed. Since then, he had kept the same posture.
Asfi.
Yes Master Hermes?
The storm is coming ... And I'm afraid it will be a very violent one.
The azure-haired young woman raised a questioning eyebrow. She wondered what kind of mess her god would make, but surely enough she would have to mop it up.
To be continued…