After returning to the main room with the keystone I put it in the appropriate altar. After sliding it into the appropriately hole I heard a sliding then a clanging noise, now the keystone was firmly in place. Even if I pulled on it, I could not budge it. After that happened, the corridor from which we just came was closed and the drawings on the three other walls appeared once again. We will now have to choose the next trial we will face.

“Well, that wasn't too bad. Which of the trials do you want to do next?”

Probably still excited about the success we just had, Kardenon is eager to give his opinion.

“Oh, I know! We should do another one with traps and things like that. I will show you guys how harmless they are with me around.”

He seemed full of confidence, which wasn't a bad thing. Though I suppose too much of it isn't too great. I look at Helena and she doesn't seem to disagree with the choice.

“Okay, seems good to me. Just remember to not get overconfident. Never get hit by anything in a dungeon that you can afford to dodge.”

I walk to the corresponding drawing and touch it. Like the first one, it shines briefly, then turns into an open passage. The two other drawings disappear. Like in the first trial we are faced with a very tall corridor, but this time it is also very wide, enough that one could fit three of Kardenon's armor shoulder to shoulder. Despite that, we proceed with the same formation as in the first trial.

If there's a difference now, it's that it seems the traps this time don't really have triggers. Almost as if the dungeon knows exactly were we are, bolts sometimes come flying out of a small hole in the wall that none of us is sure was even there before we were attacked. It also seems like the dungeon is somewhat adapting to us: One of the traps was a vial containing a strange liquid that came flying out of nowhere and while I was able to dodge it, as it broke on the wall, the liquid seemed to eat away at the stone that makes up the dungeon. When I pointed it out to Kardenon, he agreed that him getting hit by that would probably be really bad.

It was also quite strange that no more gremlins appeared, instead, we were now attacked by small earth golems that seemed to rely primarily on bludgeon force to deal damage. They were much more dangerous opponents to someone like me and Kardenon who were covered in armor that made most slashing and piercing attacks ineffective. The other enemy we encountered in this corridor were small snakes that were probably quite dangerous. Whether they fell from the ceiling or quietly slithered between us while we were distracted by golems, they always aimed for gaps in our armor and tried to bite. Getting bit was probably quite dangerous, so we really had to pay attention to those. In one occasion, I cut the head of one of these snakes that were aiming for Helena's legs while she protected me from attack of a golem with her two projected batons.

I must say, Helena's proficiency with her projection talismans was commendable. Personally I am very bad at projecting anything other than a shield and I cannot do it at a distance. Helena, on the other hand, is able to project an array of objects, though batons seem to be her favorite, and is able to project a fair amount of distance from herself. She can even float these objects around. Maybe it's because she was educated in order to be able to undertake bodyguard duties if necessary, but I still feel like it's the field where she excels the most.

After a surprisingly long amount of time. We arrive at the end of the corridor, where we find the keystone just sitting on a stone altar.

“So, according to your information, once we grab this keystone, something will happen and we will have to run back to the main room, right?”

Exactly, Helena got it. I nodded at her. As for his part, Kardenon wondered out loud.

“Would I be able to stop whatever trap we found here?”

At least he sounded doubtful now instead of confident. I don't think he will try to face it head on. I headed to the keystone, sheathed my sword and extended my hand.

“Okay, are you two ready?” The two of them nodded. I grabbed the keystone a rumbling started. The wall behind the altar opened and a huge lizard-like earth golem was revealed. Uh, oh. It immediately started moving towards us. Getting caught by it would probably not be good. “Well, I don't think you can stop that, Kardenon, start running!”

The three of us started running, but one thing was very obvious almost immediately: Kardenon was much faster than either me or Helena. Although more importantly than that was realizing by the stomps behind me that the two of us were barely faster than the pursuing monster.

“Whoa! What is going on?”

Ahead of us, a good part of the floor looked like it had collapsed, turning the once wide corridor into quite a narrow as well as winding passage with an abyss on either side. Kardenon was hesitating. Well, that gave me time to ask for something that would be slightly humiliating but which had to be done.

“Kardenon, please, grab and carry the both of us, we will protect you from the traps!”

He didn't waste a second. Helena's eyes went wide, but she let herself be lifted from the ground.

“Ah! Can't you carry me in a more delicate manner? Unbelievable!”

Even as she grumbled at being carried like a sack of potatoes, Helena's projected baton swung in the air and perfectly deflected a vial that was shot at Kardenon without breaking it. Kardenon hurried and sprinted through the narrow passage, while the lizard golem pursued us. Wondering how it was walking through the narrow passage, I looked up and saw that the lizard golem was gripping the passage as a chameleon might a branch.

“Hey, don't move too much, what are you?”

Helena was trying to move on Kardenon's shoulder, trying to sit I think?

“Just pay attention and don't step out...”

Everyone held their breath as we started to tip. Were we going to fall? Was it all over? Did we fail. We did not fall.

“Huh, that's strange, what am I stepping on?”

I could only think of one thing.

“Hurry up and step back into the passage! You're heavy! I.. can't...”

Helena had used one of her projections to save us. I can't imagine how much concentration and force of will was needed to keep it up while holding that much weight, but she managed to do it. Kardenon was able to step back into the passage, the problem was that the lizard golem caught up with us. I deflected a swipe from it using a projected shield, but the attack was heavy enough that we were almost knocked off the passage.

“Come on! I know you can go faster, you're amazing, aren't you?”

I shout the best encouragement I could think of at the moment to Kardenon. A few glowing lines started appearing in the surface of the armor. He was probably increasing the mana output.

“Of course! If I'm serious there's no way this thing can catch me.”

He started running faster. It didn't take long for us to open a big difference to the lizard golem. In fact, he was running fast enough that Helena barely needed to protect him from traps. Soon enough, we were once again at the main room. The moment we did so, the passage closed behind us. The three of us were nervous and panting.

Helena's face looked slightly pale.

“Ah, ah, please, remind me not to let myself get carried by you unless we are in a similar situation. I don't think I feel too good.”

Kardenon was lying on the ground.

“Uh, I used... too much... mana. Please... let me... rest a while.”

It seemed like a break was in order. Well, we did just complete the second trial.