Trial Three – Touch
They reached the bottom of the stairs, where a door was already open. Beyond it stretched a vast corridor that seemed to go on forever.
Alynia and Veil exchanged a glance before stepping through. They walked a few meters before stopping, their senses on high alert.
The corridor was spacious, silent—almost oppressive in its perfection. The brick walls, a uniform beige, appeared flawless, while lit torches along the way cast a soft, steady glow. The ceiling, surprisingly high, gave the place an overwhelming sense of grandeur—as if it had been built for something far larger than themselves.
The floor, made of matching bricks, was equally pristine. But as they moved forward, an irregularity finally revealed itself. Farther ahead, several tiles jutted out from the floor at random intervals, breaking the nearly suffocating symmetry of the path.
And at the end of the corridor, they discovered the reason behind the towering ceiling.
An enormous statue loomed over the space, carved from slightly gleaming gray stone, its surface marked by numerous cracks that made it look like an ancient suit of armor worn down by time. The statue depicted an imposing humanoid figure, holding a strange weapon in its hands.
It was a spear—but instead of a traditional point, its tip ended in a spiked sphere, sculpted with fascinating detail. Intricate patterns ran along the junction where the spear met the sphere, as if the weapon held some particular significance.
"Why such an imposing statue here? It's too obvious… It can't just be decoration," Alynia murmured, wary.
They moved forward cautiously, their eyes scanning every corner of the corridor, alert to the slightest anomaly.
"Nothing for now… But I don't like it," Veil said under his breath, tense.
"Keep moving. And watch the tiles. If they're raised, it's not for nothing," Alynia advised, calm but alert.
They reached the tiles without incident, which only heightened their unease. The elevated stones were engraved with strange symbols—runes neither of them had ever seen before.
These carvings… They seem familiar, but I don't know why, Veil thought, perplexed.
Alynia turned her gaze to the walls, noticing that the same symbols were etched there as well, forming a kind of pattern running along the corridor.
"They're not here by accident. They must be connected to those tiles or the statue," she added, focused.
She crouched near one of the raised tiles to examine the engravings more closely. Her fingers gently brushed the patterns, trying to understand their texture and meaning.
"Careful, Alynia. If you trigger something…" Veil whispered, worried.
"I know, Little Wolf. Let me think," she cut him off, calm.
The silence between them grew heavy. The torches cast flickering light on the walls, while their shadows danced around the raised tiles.
"These symbols… They seem connected. Maybe…" Veil murmured, observing them.
He lifted his eyes toward the massive statue at the end of the corridor, his expression hardening into a look of focused determination.
"There has to be a link between the statue and the tiles. Nothing here is left to chance," he said, determined.
Still crouched, Alynia ran her hand across another tile, noticing a slight irregularity beneath her fingers. She turned her head slightly toward Veil.
"These symbols aren't just decorative. I think they need to be activated… But if that's the case, it'll have to be done in a specific order," Alynia explained, serious but composed.
"And if we're wrong?" Veil asked, thoughtful and cautious.
"Then that statue might wake up… And I doubt it's here to help us," Alynia replied, grim.
She stood up slowly, her gaze scanning the walls and tiles with renewed focus, while Veil kept his eyes on the statue, fixated on the weapon it held.
"I think we'd better not get it wrong," she added, serious but with a smile.
Her words were light, but her tone revealed sharp concentration. She studied the first symbol engraved on the wall to her left, tracing its shape with her finger before spotting its counterpart on a slightly raised tile to her right.
"Are you sure about this?" Veil asked, wary, hesitant.
Alynia turned to him, one eyebrow arched.
"If you've got a better idea, Little Wolf, I'm all ears," Alynia said, calm but teasing.
Veil bit the inside of his cheek, choosing not to reply. His thoughts looped with unease, dreading what might happen if she was wrong—while also admitting she was probably right.
"This should work… But if it doesn't?" Veil murmured, tense.
Alynia gently placed her foot on the engraved tile, applying careful pressure. The mechanism was silent—almost imperceptible—but nothing happened immediately.
"So? Did it work?" he asked, curious but uneasy.
"I don't know yet," Alynia replied, sharper, focused.
She remained still, eyes locked on the statue at the end of the corridor. Her thoughts raced.
"Is no reaction a good thing? Or does it mean we got it wrong?" she added, still focused.
Their gazes instinctively turned toward the statue. But it remained motionless, frozen in its apparent eternity.
Alynia resumed her progress, following the symbols carved into the wall and matching them to the tiles. Step by step, she placed her foot on each one, careful not to rush. Veil followed closely behind, taking care not to step on the tiles she had already activated.
"If we step on it again, it could cancel everything… or worse," Veil murmured, cautious.
They moved forward slowly, their eyes constantly flicking back to the statue, which—thankfully—remained still. The air seemed heavier with every step, and the silence in the room only heightened their tension.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the far end of the chamber. A large door stood behind the statue, adorned with intricate designs that mirrored the symbols on the walls.
"We're here. Finally," he breathed out, relieved.
They both exhaled at the same time. Alynia turned to Veil with a faint smirk.
"See? That was easier than I expected, in the end," Alynia said, releasing the tension.
Veil didn't answer right away, casting one last glance at the massive statue.
"Too easy… Why didn't it move?" Veil murmured, suspicious.
Despite their apparent success, a lingering tension hung in the air—like a dormant threat waiting to awaken.
"Maybe. But we'd better not linger here," he replied, uncertain.
Alynia nodded, her gaze hardening slightly, well aware that their journey through this dungeon was far from over.
They moved toward the massive door, their attention still split between their destination and the imposing statue behind them. Alynia placed her hand on the cold handle and tried to turn it. The resistance made her frown.
"Locked… Of course, that would've been too easy," Alynia growled, frustrated.
She turned to Veil, a hint of doubt in her eyes.
"Little Wolf, try it. You managed to open the sealed doors at the entrance—maybe it'll work here too," she said, calm but urgent.
Veil nodded, stepped forward, and placed his hands on the handle. He applied a bit of force, then more—but the door didn't budge an inch.
"Why isn't it working? There must be something else…" Veil murmured, perplexed.
He stepped back, shaking his head.
Alynia turned her attention to the symbols carved above the door, their intricate patterns almost irritating in their obscurity.
"Nothing. It doesn't budge at all," he said, calm but frustrated.
She turned around to check the statue, her heartbeat quickening at the thought that it might have moved while they were focused on the door. But the stone figure remained still—immobile, like a silent sentinel.
"It has to be linked to her. Why else would she be here?" she added, suspicious.
She approached cautiously, scanning every detail at the base and around the statue. But nothing seemed out of place. No tile, no visible mechanism. Just raw stone, worn by time.
Meanwhile, Veil was examining the walls adorned with carvings. These markings were different from the symbols they had followed before. They weren't runes, but more like depictions—scenes or instructions he couldn't quite understand.
"It's not random… But what does it mean?" Veil murmured, focused.
He called out to Alynia, hoping she could make sense of the engravings.
"Look at this. You think it means something?" he asked, pressing.
Alynia joined him, studying the carvings with a sharp eye. But after a few moments, she shook her head.
"I don't know. It looks like instructions, but I don't understand what they're saying," Alynia replied, calm but puzzled.
They exchanged a frustrated glance. Their thoughts were scattered, their minds desperately searching for a solution.
"How do we open this door? Those symbols up there… on the walls. What did I miss?" she growled, confused.
After a moment of reflection, she stood and turned to Veil.
"Maybe we missed something earlier. Come on, let's go back," she said, resolute.
Veil nodded silently. They retraced their steps to the start of the corridor, carefully avoiding the already-activated tiles. But upon returning to their starting point, nothing had changed.
The symbols and plates remained exactly as they had found them—silent and unmoving.
Alynia sat down on the cold floor, her thoughts spinning.
"What did I overlook? Everything seemed right… Then why is the door still closed?" Alynia growled, frustrated.
Veil, standing beside her, studied the corridor with a pensive look, searching for any clue or idea that could help.
"There has to be something. It can't be a dead end," Veil murmured, determined.
As they continued examining the carvings on the wall, Veil paused in front of an image that caught his attention. It depicted a figure placing a foot on a slightly raised tile. Around that tile, thin lines seemed to glow, converging toward something that resembled a statue.
"It's strange… Why emphasize that detail? Alynia stepped on the tiles, but nothing happened," he added, intrigued.
He pointed at the carving to show Alynia.
"Look at this. What do you think?" he asked, curious.
Alynia leaned in to study the image. Her eyes stopped on the foot in the carving—bare, resting directly on the tile. She frowned slightly, thinking.
"A bare foot… That might be important. But why?" Alynia whispered, focused.
She straightened up, crossing her arms while staring at the tiles in front of them.
"You think… direct contact might be required? But the tiles didn't react when I touched them with my hands," she said, hesitantly, thinking aloud.
Veil stayed silent for a moment, processing the idea.
"Direct contact? That would explain why nothing worked so far. It needs both contact and weight. But that sounds… too simple," Veil murmured, skeptical.
Eventually, he shrugged.
He bent down and slowly removed his boots, casting a final glance at Alynia, who hesitated in silence.
"Are you sure about this, Little Wolf? If we're wrong and trigger something we can't control…" Alynia asked, calm but cautious.
Veil nodded slowly, his confidence bolstered by the detail in the carving.
"This whole dungeon runs on twisted rules," Veil replied, resolute.
Alynia crossed her arms, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She cast a glance at the statue—still unmoving.
"All right. But if you're wrong, we'll have awakened that monster for nothing," Alynia replied, resigned but pragmatic.
Barefoot, he gently placed his foot on the engraved tile.
CLICK.
The sound echoed through the room—clear and sharp. A faint light burst from the tile, snaking along the floor and walls like a current coming to life.
Veil straightened, scanning the surroundings. Alynia, meanwhile, kept her eyes locked on the statue, wariness etched into her expression.
"If that's the right solution… then why do I feel like this won't be the end of it?" she murmured, tense.
A deep rumble began to resonate through the chamber—the sound of some mechanism awakening—filling the air with a palpable tension. The glowing filaments, vibrant and alive, slowly stretched out like veins of energy, all converging toward the statue, which now seemed to stir.