The Emerald City Adventurer’s Guild Branch went on high alert. The mages of the guild had sensed large mana fluctuations from the nearby forest just outside of the city limits. Not wanting to spook civilians, a B-Class-level team was hastily gathered to deploy with the highest urgency to the site of the mana fluctuations. The team chosen without hesitation was the Sky Knights Order.

The Sky Knights were led by their fearless leader, Sir William. The Knights in shining armor carefully walk towards the source of the mana fluctuations. A guild mage follows them recording everything in sight and transmitting it back to guild headquarters. The Sky Knights quietly tromp through the forest just outside of the skirts of the city except for the clumsy guild mage. After a while, the Guild mage swallows loudly and whispers, “It’s just over this hill.”

Sir Williams handsome face is rather valiant in the moonlight as the scar on his chin grows deeper in the shadows. Sir William valiantly charges into the clearing to only halt in shock as do the rest of his team with their blades raised in the air. In the middle of the clearing is a rather large cottage with the door swung wide open in invitation.

Sir Williams glances at the mage who hastily says, “I’m sorry, Sir Williams, but that would appear to be a new dungeon.” The mage lets out a sigh of relief and adds, “We should go back and report it to the guild!”

“Michael, please escort the mage back to the guild to make a full detailed report to the guild councilmen,” Sir Williams ordered.

“But sir-!” Michael protested at being left out of the dungeon expedition.

“No, but’s Michael do as you are told,” Hilde chided the newbie member of their group.

Michael sighs and gruffly says, “Follow me,” as the mage happily follows the knight back to the guild.

Sir Williams carefully leads the way into the cottage as their figures disappear through the dungeon entrance. The team enters the cool area of the first floor and to their shock find hordes of poisonous insects coming towards them.

“Holy Shield,” Sir Williams cried out as a magical holy shield appears around them and protects him and the Sky Knights troop from the poisonous insect’s attacks.

Sensing traps nearby, Sir Williams and his team carefully make their way through the bobby-trapped floor before encountering Giant King Slimes. The woman Knights let out groans as the King Slimes tentacles rummage stealthy only towards them as the tentacles make their way into woman’s armor. The male knights valiantly fight off the slimes, but not before the female members are left rather flushed in the faces from the slimes wretched clutches.

Sir Williams and the Sky Knights tiredly continue onward to find to their surprise that the next floor is completely desolate except for a giant golem sitting in front of the connecting passageway to the next floor. Worried that this was a trap, Sir Williams attacks one of the golem’s limbs and to his and the Sky Knights utter shock the golem instantly regenerates back it’s destroyed limb.

Before Sir Williams can attack again, the golem in a booming voice says, “10 questions must be asked, 10 questions must be spoken truthfully, 10 questions will open the door, but take heed my friends, a wrongful truth will lead you astray to begin anew. Are you sure you want to begin?”

Sir Williams glances at his comrades as Hilde softly says, “It’s like the Sphinx, we must answer the 10 questions truthfully to pass.”

Sir Williams nods his head in approval and turns towards the Stone Golem. “We accept the challenge, oh stone one, please being.”

The stone golem points at Sir Williams and says, “How many women have you slept with?”

The Sky Knights choke as Sir Williams pales at the question. Hilde and the female knights narrow their eyes at their leader as Sir William’s nervously clears his throat. After a moment, Sir Williams quietly replies, “I don’t know. I lost count a long time ago.” The woman snorts in disgust while the male knights nod in approval of their hero.

The stone golem nods its great large head and says, “Correct.” Turning towards Hilde it ruthlessly asks, “Did you enjoy the Slime King’s tender caress?”

Hilde turns red as the Sky Knights turn rather expectantly towards her. “NO, I did not,” Hilde roared in fury.

“Incorrect, the challenger has failed!” The stone golem roared, before once more saying, “10 questions must be asked, 10 questions must be spoken truthfully, 10 questions will open the door, but take heed my friends, a wrongful truth will lead you astray to begin anew. Are you sure you want to begin?”

The Sky Knights guffaw with disbelief as Hilde red-faced turns away. Once more, Sir Williams accepted the challenge as the stone golem points to a male knight member. “Are you still a virgin?” The stone golem asked.

With tears of pain and of embarrassment the male knight truthfully replied, “Yes.” The female knights glanced at the male knight with eyes of interest, while the male knights snorted in laughter at his confession. However, soon those men were quiet too as their turn came far too soon.

One male knight was asked if he was cheating on his girlfriend, which just so happened to be another female knight in the troop. With pain in his heart, the male knight confessed that he was. Which subsequently caused his girlfriend to not only break up with him but to beat the hell out of him in front of the rest of the group. Finally, his girlfriend was pulled off by other female knights who took her in their arms as she cried.

The following questions only grew harder and harder as they were forced to restart the horrifying challenge by those unwilling, to tell the truth. By the end of it all, there wasn’t a troop member who had received emotional or mental damage from the golem’s asked questions. With tears of joy in their eyes, the Sky Knights heard the golem say, “Thy answers have been truthful, you may pass!” And with a large groan, the Stone Golem stood aside to allow the Sky Knights to pass.

The Sky Knights gladly rushed past the 2nd-floor MONSTER vowing to never return again to this cursed dungeon again. However, little did they know, this would only be the cruel start of the dark things to come. For surely, they would return, whether they wished to or not.