“Ok then what’s on the other side then? Let us see if you are right.” James looked at Sasha before continuing, “Once we open the door all we will see in there is black. We walk in a bit and blue torches will light up in the walls. There are a dozen high level golems with weapons, and several statues with instruments.”

Sasha simply walked up to the door and pushed it open. “It’s easier to open that it looks.” As James had said, the room that greeted them was dark. Once they were about five feet into the room, blue torches light up the room, just as James had said.

Once their eyes adjusted to the change in light, the first to speak was Sasha. “You said…Those things are… golems… that move?” She said as she looked around at the towering statues and unmoving golems the ringed the outer edge of the cavernous domed room. James was both proud that he was right and utterly terrified. Sasha turned to him, “We will die here, won’t we?” “Not if you listen to me.”

Then the question they had all been too afraid to ask was spoken, “Can even that one can move?” they said pointing to the largest statue sitting upon its large throne. James turned; he was especially weary of that one. “Yes.”

Sasha was silent for a long minute before the other’s chimed in. “Then tell us since you know so much. How can we beat the golems? Is it even possible?” James turned to his teammate and said flatly, “No it is not possible for use to win with our current strength. However, there is a still way to beat this dungeon.” The Dire werewolves, except Sasha, all crossed their arms looking expectantly at James.

“What about your horn?” said one followed quickly by the others asking the same. So, James simply pointed at the lord upon his thrown, and said, “He has laser eyes, numbers almost never win against strength.” They quickly quieted down upon hearing that news. He knew that this was not a situation where numbers would help him. He could still remember when Ainz had killed 170 thousand people with a single spell.

“First there is an angel holding a large tablet over there.” James said whilst pointing at said angel. No one made a move, however. “You said there was a way to win, but that we can’t kill the golems. So, what do we do then?” James knew what happened in the story but was not certain how much would hold true here. So, resolved himself.

“Before we continue farther into the room, either an admin is watching us, or two A. I’s are. In either case we could simply be slain in here for what I have already said, for what I know.” James waited for them to respond but none came. “Let’s have a vote, and before that you must all know only one can have what lies at the end of this.”

“What is all of this for, and what is the reward.” “This dungeon in the story was a test to find someone to be the vessel of a godlike entity.” Their postures immediately changed, and Sasha finally rejoined the conversation. “Will that power let us kill them?” “No, the only immediate result will be a buff. Then the room changes and all that will be left is that altar, and whoever is on it.”

“Is the buff powerful.” “The buff renders you immune to many negative conditions. Like poison, all diseases, all status effects are healed. Sleeping explosively increased regeneration ability. It even gave him a temporary buff that regenerated his missing leg.” James could see envy in the eyes of his comrades, tempered by fear as they looked out into the room.

“I don’t know if I can do this without you guys. I won’t force you to help me, you can still leave if you want to.” James turned to face the angel holding the large man-sized tablet then turned to the “lord” sitting upon his throne. “But I will walk this road alone if I must.”

James felt a hand upon his shoulder, turning to see it was Sasha. “I think we should do it. You are already OP, let us see how much higher we can push you up.” She said with a toothy canine grin. James looked at the others in his party only to find nods of agreement. James felt tears falling down his real face, these were the kinds of friends he had long missed.

“Do as I say, or you guys will get killed.” James said, “Hear that boys, if we don’t follow his lead we die.” Sasha said to her fellow werewolves. They stood there waiting for their first order. “When we are all in the room and away from the door near the angel with the tablet, the door will shut.” I will give you further instructions at that point.”

James took the lead and jogged over to the angel, not waiting for any possible responses. He was followed shortly there after by Sasha then the others. “Do you know what it says.” Sasha asked, “I know the translation for it but not how to read it. It says, Worship the Lord, Praise the Lord, and Prove your Faith. Those who do not follow these commandments will never return alive.” No sooner had he said that did the enormous double doors slam shut.

James was curious so he looked up into the darkness of angel’s hood and there he saw the angels face, and it starred back at him with a wide grin. James simply gave a small smile of his own, causing the angels own smile to waver ever so slightly.

“Don’t touch the door or you will get killed. Also, if any of us die here we may get account banned.” Some looked as if they were about to cry out in complaint, but those words never left their mouths. There was the sound of screaming behind him, “It looked at me! That thing on the throne looked at me!”

James ignore his teammate instead turning from the angel to the hoard of beasts that were still following him. He singled out a level three wolf and gave it an order. “Go touch the door handle.” The wolf sprinted off toward the door. “Everyone observe the wolf heading toward the door, this will show you what the golems can do.” As soon as the wolf arrived at the door, he put his front paws on the door and then one on the handle.

The poor thing did not even have the time to react. One second it was there the next, it was read mist and blood that painted the door and wall. He had not expected that to happen. Maybe the gore setting was cranked up to 11 in this dungeon. The huge golem lowered its bladed mace placing the tips of the mace on the ground as it placed both its hands upon the base of its weapon. Returning to its resting position. James turned to see the lord upon his throne starring, with his glowing gold iris’, straight at him.

The lord statue’s eyes began to glow even brighter, the first test. “Everyone on your knee’s NOW!” James said as he fell to his knees and kow towed to the colossal statue. His teammates followed suit, but the hoard of NPC’s did no such thing. They charged forward only seeing an enemy to attack. They did not stand a snowballs chance in hell and were obliterated in seconds. James wondered if the beams had destroyed their drops. A question for another time.

The beams stopped when the last of the hoard of NPC’s were dead. Everywhere the statue had looked there was a five-foot-wide, six-inch-deep, trench carved into the floor of the room. Sasha chimed in, “How do we, praise the lord?” James racked his brain for the answer. James saw the statues eyes grow dull, so he knew it was safe to stand. So james stood, only to see they statue’s eyes glow red, as it smiled its Joker like grin.

“We can stand now.” Was all that James could get out before the statue began to stand from its throne. James remembered now, “Run away from it and find the statues holding instruments, only one person per statue, run.” James turned to his teammate still on the ground, stunned by the sight of the towering statue moving toward them. James screamed, “GO!”

His voice rousing them from their stunned states as they ran to the statues holding instruments around the room. James did not want to tempt this things wrath, so he did not fly. He ran with all his speed, “Dammit why can’t angels run fast!” One by one the statues began to play their instruments as his teammates arrived. There was only one more statue for him to go to.

“This fucker!” James said as the golems flanking the statue began moving to intersect him. James needed to be faster, his feet left the ground as he flew at top speed. He looked back just long enough to see the lord statue looking at him and still grinning. The golems swung their blades and James arrived at the safety of the statue, minus both his legs beneath the knee. “Whoever made this dungeon, cracked the gore up to 100.” Said James as the statue began to play to sing.

You are bleeding, 5 damage every second until condition alleviated.

James took out some cloth from his inventory, “I hope this works.” James tore the cloth and it remained. He quickly used the cloth to cover the stumps, being notified that he had stopped the bleeding. James checked his health, he had 80% health left. “Lucky me.” James gave a small chuckle; everything was falling into place.

A moment passed before the lord statue used its hand to motion toward the center of the room where a circular alter rose from the ground. “Everyone to the altar!” James said as he flew at top speed to the altar, the lord still watching him. As each of them arrived a large orange flame sparked into existence on the ring in the floor around the altar.

When the last of them stepped into the circle dozens of blue lines raced through the cracks in the floor stopping at the secondary outer circle of the alter, sparking approximately 3 dozen smaller blue flames into existence.

The large double doors flung themselves open with a loud creak. “James?” was the question many on his team asked him. Then the golems began to move in toward him and his team. “Everyone look at a golem and it will stop.” They did so and they did stop. The blue flames began to go out one by one. Counting down until the trial was over. He would have to do this just right.

One by one he sent them toward and out of the door, the door. As each of them left the circle an orange flame went out. Until there were only a dozen seconds left and three people remained within the circle, including the legless Archangel, James. He told them, “GO!” and so they did. They passed through the door and it closed behind them. They turned and were horrified to see james still next to the altar as the door close on them and would not open.

James pulled the sword he had gotten from the dwarf out. He smiled, “Even if I die, I will take one of you with me!” He shouted defiantly. His form lifted as he flew up to be on level with the top of the altar. The first golem struck out at him with a spear he tried to parry it, but there was too much force behind the attack. All he succeeded in doing was losing his right shoulder and arm as he was thrown upon the altar bleeding profusely. He checked his health, 10%. This fucker had taken 70% of his health in one hit, when you include the damage from his impact onto the altar.

James refused to give up though he was to close! He raised the sword with his shaking left hand and said, “Come at me!” He pulled back his arm and threw his sword like a javelin. It pierced the head of the golem wielding a spear, but still the golem continued. “It’s over.” James thought as a golem with a sword swung it down to clave him in two. The last blue flame disappeared, and once more blue lightning raced through the crack in the floor.

The world came to a standstill, the golems sword less than an inch from his chest. “Cutting it close, weren’t you?” James was greeted by a female voice that could only be the admin who had made this dungeon. “So, did I pass?” The reply to his question was a prompt.

Congratulations you have completed all the necessary requirement for the hidden quests, “Courage of the weak”, and “True Leadership”.

You are awarded one Leader class level.

James was curious about the second of those quests.

You have earned the right to greater power.

Greater power? This was different.

You do not have much time remaining.

No shit! James thought.

If you refuse you will be erased. Will you accept? Yes / No

“I’ll take it!” Were James words as he was surrounded by blinding light. But he still saw the golems standing there before him. He was surprised at what happened next.

He found himself back in his chair. With a prompt in front of him.

“Your account has been suspended for 12 hours while I work on it. You did well in the trial. You best hope you can continue to perform so well. -Admin

“Fuck!” James looked at the clock beside him, 6:30 p.m. “I should probably get ready for my date.”