Zeroth led the group through the winding tunnel, the subtle slope beneath his boots slowly but surely climbing upward. He could feel it in his bones, the faint divine sense guiding him toward their goal. His heart thudded heavily, the adrenaline from their recent battle still surging through his veins. They emerged suddenly from the tunnel's narrow confines into a staggering, cavernous expanse. Zeroth halted at the edge, eyes widening in awe. Before them stretched a vast open chamber, dominated entirely by a dizzying array of interwoven stone staircases suspended midair by some ancient, unknown magic. Each staircase twisted impossibly around others, spiraling upward in intricate, overlapping patterns. At the cavern's apex, glittering faintly with divine aura, was the crown they had been tasked to retrieve. It hovered serenely, high above them, resting tantalizingly close yet frustratingly far away.
"Of course," Zeroth grunted sourly. "Can't just have it on a pedestal somewhere reasonable."
Beside him, Varic let out a low whistle. "Whoever designed this must've had way too much free time."
Pyronox tilted his head upward, his blazing eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "It's guarded by ancient magic. It won't let us reach it easily."
"Naturally," Zeroth muttered. "And these stairs don't exactly look dwarf-friendly. Especially in my current form."
Tingle stepped forward, eyes wide with curiosity, the arcane light of his mana-charged gear illuminating the precarious stonework. "The structural integrity is questionable at best. One heavy step could collapse half the room. Especially with someone as big and fiery as you, Zeroth."
Zeroth sighed heavily, turning back to study the others. He could sense the energy around the stairs, the fragile threads of magic barely holding them together. One misstep in his towering godform would likely send them all plummeting into oblivion. He shook his head, resigned.
"Guess I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way," Zeroth grumbled.
He exhaled deeply, focusing inward and letting his godly flames diminish. The divine blaze receded, leaving him back in his compact, four-foot-two dwarf form. The sensation was always disorienting, shifting from towering and mighty back to being eye-level with Tingle, but Zeroth quickly shook off the vertigo. He rolled his shoulders, adjusting to the weight of his armor and shield.
"Right," he announced, adjusting his grip on his axe. "Let's move carefully. Last thing we need is to give these gods more entertainment."
As they approached the first staircase, Ardric glanced upward warily. "This isn't going to be easy. One wrong step..."
"...And we end up as decorations on the cavern floor," Zeroth finished grimly. "Let's not test how sturdy they made these stairs, aye?"
Varic nudged Zeroth lightly, a smirk playing across his lips. "If it comes down to it, maybe we could just toss you up there. Quick and easy."
Zeroth shot Varic a mock glare. "We are not tossing the dwarf."
Varic laughed quietly. "Just an idea."
They began their careful ascent, each step cautious and measured, the stairs trembling gently beneath their feet. Zeroth couldn't help but feel dread coiling in his stomach with each footfall. He knew, deep down, that retrieving the crown wouldn't be as simple as reaching the top. Zeroth paused mid-step, staring upward at the dizzying web of stairs above them. His brow furrowed deeply; each step forward brought an unsettling awareness that disaster lurked just beneath their feet. He glanced sidelong at Varic, quickly making a decision.
"Varic, take point," Zeroth instructed, his voice firm but tinged with concern. "Your blinking might save your hide, and ours, if anything gives way."
Varic nodded, moving cautiously ahead. "Just remember," he called quietly over his shoulder, "If I disappear, don't panic."
Zeroth grunted softly. "No promises."
As they ascended, Zeroth watched each footfall of his companions, his heart tightening painfully at the slightest tremor beneath their steps. Every sound echoed off the cavern walls, amplifying the sensation that the very stones were mocking their efforts. Pyronox, trailing closely behind, suddenly halted. His molten form flickered strangely, his posture going rigid. Zeroth's gaze snapped to him instantly, unease spiking sharply in his chest.
"Pyronox? What's wrong?"
The fiery being raised his head slowly, eyes blazing brighter. When he spoke, it was with Vulcanix's unmistakable rumbling voice. "Three champions have already fallen. Drex among them."
A sudden coldness seized Zeroth, his throat tightening painfully. "Drex?" he murmured, almost disbelieving. The mighty, stalwart half-orc dead so soon? He clenched his fists tightly around his axe and shield, anger blending with the chill in his gut. "How?"
"Traps," Vulcanix's voice replied through Pyronox, a dark chuckle woven into his words. "Ingenious, brutal, efficient. Drex never saw it coming. Kelandra and Tarin from the elf's alliance were lost to similar fates."
Zeroth felt his jaw clench painfully. He knew death was inevitable in such a brutal contest, but the loss still hit hard. Drex had been formidable, powerful, almost unbreakable. Yet he'd been struck down by something unseen, something that didn't even allow him the dignity of combat.
His fists tightened further, knuckles white beneath gauntlets. "You sound amused," he growled quietly, unable to hide his disgust at Vulcanix's tone.
Vulcanix laughed through Pyronox once more, harsh and cold. "Only impressed. Even Aeonis has outdone himself."
Zeroth turned away sharply, feeling sickened. He glanced at Ardric and Varic, catching the strained expressions they shared. Tingle's normally eager face had grown somber, the heavy silence hanging like a fog around them.
"We keep moving," Zeroth said firmly, forcing strength back into his voice. "No more mistakes. Eyes sharp."
He resumed climbing behind Varic, each step measured, each breath tightly controlled, hyperaware of every creak and groan of the precarious stonework beneath them. The crown loomed ever closer, but so too did the sense of dread building steadily in Zeroth's gut. If even Drex had fallen so swiftly, who else would they lose before this bloody contest ended? Zeroth pushed the grim thoughts away, focusing instead on the faint, steady pulse of Vulcanix's power above them. They would reach the crown. They had to.
Zeroth felt the first tremor beneath his boots before the stone even shifted, a deep, unsettling vibration echoing through the soles of his feet. His eyes widened in immediate recognition of the danger.
"Move!" he shouted, his voice booming across the cavern as the staircase began to fracture and crumble behind them. The deafening crack of stone breaking apart sent adrenaline surging through his veins, igniting every nerve in his body.
"Faster!" Ardric shouted, bolting forward with uncharacteristic agility. "Come on, brother! Thought dwarves were natural sprinters!"
Despite the chaos, Zeroth barked out a laugh. "We're very dangerous over short distances, Ardric!"
Chunks of stone crashed violently behind them, scattering deadly fragments through the air. Zeroth's heart hammered fiercely, his lungs burned with exertion. Tingle stumbled briefly but regained his footing, eyes wide with panic. Pyronox surged ahead, fire trailing in his wake as he helped forge a path through falling debris.
Just as another devastating crack tore through the stairs behind them, Varic's voice rose urgently above the mayhem. "Everyone, close together! Now!"
Zeroth didn't hesitate, pulling Ardric and Pyronox closer as Tingle raced desperately toward them, feet slipping dangerously on crumbling stone. Varic's form wavered as dark tendrils of shadow spilled from his hands, flowing outward to encircle the group in a binding embrace. The half-elf's eyes glowed with the green inky darkness of Eldrinacht's power.
"Hold tight!" Varic gasped, clearly straining under the immense power. Shadows lashed around them, tendrils desperately reaching toward Tingle, who was still too far, sprinting frantically.
"Varic—!" Tingle cried, panic-stricken as he leapt forward just as the stone collapsed beneath him.
With a guttural cry, Varic thrust one final burst of magic from his fingertips, the shadowy bindings barely catching Tingle mid-air, yanking him into the group just as the stairs vanished beneath them into the abyss.
Then, reality twisted violently. Zeroth's senses reeled as Varic blinked them forward, darkness enveloping their vision before abruptly dropping them onto solid ground. Zeroth stumbled, knees buckling as he gasped for breath, his heart pounding violently in his chest. Ardric landed hard beside him, coughing, armor rattling loudly. Pyronox knelt silently, flames dimmed in exhaustion. Tingle sprawled face-down in the grass, mumbling something unintelligible, seemingly stunned.
"Everyone...alright?" Zeroth panted, struggling to regain composure.
Tingle lifted a shaky hand, giving a thumbs-up without moving his head from the dirt.
Ardric groaned, sitting upright slowly. "Remind me...to never mock your speed again."
Varic, however, collapsed immediately, his body trembling with the aftershocks of his magic. His face was pale, drained beyond exhaustion.
Zeroth quickly knelt by him, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "You saved us back there, Varic. Rest now. You've earned it."
Varic gave a weak chuckle. "Next time... remind me to leave Tingle behind."
Zeroth smiled faintly, relief washing through him even as he remained alert. The scent of lush greenery and damp earth filled his lungs as he surveyed their new surroundings, a dense, vibrant forest. They were still within the Coliseum, but entirely new terrain. They had barely survived and the crown's magic had delivered them to a fresh battleground.
Zeroth's eyes shifted from Varic's exhausted form to the ornate crown resting beside him, its surface shimmering softly as it reflected the residual magic lingering in the air. Cautiously, he reached forward, fingertips barely grazing the delicate metal. Instantly, flames surged forth from the crown, blazing fiercely with the unmistakable intensity of Vulcanix's fire. Zeroth recoiled, shielding his eyes from the blinding heat. But before he could fully understand what had just occurred, the flames subsided, leaving the crown no longer at his feet, but perched firmly upon Pyronox's head.
Pyronox stumbled backward in shock, molten fingers carefully touching the crown that had inexplicably chosen him. "What is the meaning of this?" he growled, confusion flickering through his burning eyes.
Zeroth met Pyronox's uncertain gaze, sharing his bewilderment. But their questions would have to wait.
"Zeroth!" Ardric shouted urgently, breaking through his confusion. "Varic and Tingle need assistance. We'll sort out the crown afterward!"
Snapping back to attention, Zeroth swiftly turned, seeing Ardric already channeling Luminara's healing radiance into Varic's weakened form. Beside him stood Tingle, still visibly rattled but regaining his composure. Zeroth exhaled slowly, pushing his doubts aside for now. But peace was short-lived. The air around them abruptly thickened, growing oppressively hot. Zeroth felt his skin prickle as Vulcanix's fiery essence surged into their midst, flames coalescing rapidly into the towering form of the deity himself.
"Well done, mortals," Vulcanix sneered mockingly, his molten eyes sweeping contemptuously across the group. "Your pathetic cooperation has seen you through the first challenge. But now, we move forward."
His voice thundered through the chamber, each syllable resonating heavily.
"For this second round," Vulcanix continued, his blazing form pulsing ominously, "your alliance shall become the attackers. You will besiege the fortified stronghold held by Mira's alliance. Your objective, specifically," he emphasized, fixing Zeroth with a cruel glare, "is Mira herself. Alive or dead, I care not."
Zeroth's heart clenched painfully in his chest at those words, the grim reality setting in.
Vulcanix's fiery visage twisted into a dark, satisfied grin. "The other alliances, Aunrae's and Ralgar's, will serve as wildcards, bringing chaos and unpredictability. They have their own ways to succeed without direct confrontation... although direct conflict is never off the table."
Tension spread palpably through the group, the weight of Vulcanix's words settling heavily upon them. Zeroth exchanged solemn looks with Ardric and Varic, understanding passing silently between them. The fragile alliances they had forged were about to be tested beyond measure.
Vulcanix chuckled darkly, his form flickering like an infernal phantom. "Prepare yourselves," he growled menacingly, gaze lingering ominously on Pyronox's crown. "The real Godswar has only just begun."
With a final burst of fire, Vulcanix vanished, leaving the alliance in tense silence, each warrior grappling with their new mission and the troubling uncertainty it carried. Zeroth clenched his fists, grim determination hardening his features.