The next room also lacked monsters. Which Kenn would have thought was significant, but he couldn’t focus on that because,

“This is so obviously a puzzle my head is already hurting”

Hailey hid a smile as his annoyed gaze turned to her.

She had always been the ‘yay, an essay’ kid during their schooling, so he should’ve expected this, but his own party member a puzzle-lover, Kenn had never felt so betrayed.

The room was weird. It was filled with several, you guessed it, crystals. One of which a beam of light shined into as it spun slowly in the room’s center, sending four separate beams of light out of its facets, yellow, red blue, and green, and across the room. Four other crystals sat in the corners, each matching a beam in color, they flashed and hummed as the right colored light hit them.

The floor was made of tiles, some of them lighting up with each crystal.

Kenn watched as green tiles turned off and red tiles flashed on, an almost random pattern to them, both turning blank as the yellow ones glowed.

On the other side of the room was the door with another obvious lock like the previous room but this time with four keyholes.

“There's a lock but where are the keys”

Ali pointed and as Kenn followed her gesture he sighed. There were cubbies in each corner of the room along with the gems, in each was a key.

The goal was pretty obvious, get the keys, get across the room. And do so while only stepping on colored tiles, or not stepping on them, it was hard to tell, but Kenn would guess the latter as it seemed the more difficult.

The group stood in a safe zone of unblinking gray floor as they looked over all this.

“There are about three seconds between each change” Hailey noted

“Is there a pattern to it?” Ali asked

“About a fourth change each time... but that's about it....” The elf looked thoughtful, which keen couldn't help but feel was a nice look on his ever shy friend “We could send one person per key… it’s probably the fastest way” she looked as if she half expected the idea to be rejected

Kenn didn't know why, it was a good idea.

“Why don't we just send him” Giel pointed at the Demon king “to get the keys? We just went over that he can teleport and with that shadow clone shit he does he could get all four at once”

They looked to the Demon who suddenly had a naruto headband on and said “I would but I won’t. Still not helping, figure it out yourselves you stupids.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“I’ll go!” Sandra offered excitedly.

Everyone turned to look at her and she pouted

“What? This’ll require agility and I’m the most agile out of us. Plus, longer legs mean I can reach the furthest tiles in each change.” She stuck her leg out in such a pose that would’ve been sexy if it weren't for the almost cartoonishly smug look on her face that just turned it silly.

“By that logic, I guess i should get one” Giel suggested.

After that, it was Hailey and Kenn. Ali, being the shortest, stayed back and would call when the floor was about to change. She seemed pissed when this was suggested but went along with it anyway.

Kenn Slowly reached his leg out, tapping one of the currently blank tiles with this foot and sighing when nothing happened. carefully he put his full weight on the tile. still nothing. It seemed his assumption was correct. They could step on the unlit tiles it was the colored ones that were bad.

He gave a thumbs up to the others who gave him angry looks, they had all insisted they be the one to test the trap due to his injuries in the previous room, but it was his role as the tank to prevent them from getting hurt unnecessarily.

The other joined him standing on the blank tiles

“Good luck” The Demon King grinned at them “I’d also avoid the lasers if i were you.”

Oh, what wise advice. Avoid the lasers, the deadly-looking, obvious, lasers. How would they ever have thought of that one?

They stepped carefully over the floor each going for a Key. Headed for the top left, nearest to the exit was Geil, Kenn aimed for the bottom left. Hailey aimed for the bottom right and Sandy headed to the remaining far right key.

“Yellow’s coming up,” Ali shouted causing her party members to search for new places to stand. Kenn hopped to a tile he distinctly remembered not being yellow and was forced to duck as the laser glided over his head the heat it gave off almost singing his hair, another four seconds, Then Ali yelled “Blue!” And the Four were forced to move again Kenn had to actually make a leap this time, as Hailey Avoided the laser with a hiss of fear. Getting close to his goal now Giel was forced to move back as Ali shouted that the tiles that turned green would be next, all the tiles he could reach turned emerald Kenn trapped on a single blank Tile in a sea of impasse. Sandra on the other hand had gotten her key and began to make her way to the other side where the locked door was.

The red gem hummed, Geil put in a weird position as he was stepping just as the change was happening, he tried to correct but his balance wasn't good enough to avoid putting his foot down on the tile that was now red.

A buzzer sound erupted from the walls and Kenn Wondered what had changed. He didn't have to for long as he had to duck the laser which was now spinning faster The tile changes coming at increased speed as well. Ali’s announcement of change now had a bit under three seconds between them.

Kenn felt like a frog as he hopped from tile to tile avoiding the colors

Geil was near his Key now a group of lit tiles Keeping him from stepping up and grabbing it.

Giel leaned over, straining to reach out to his key over the field of red tiles that keep him from stepping any closer. As the beast-man bent over, Kenn for his part tried really really hard not to stare. Now wasn't the time, he screamed at his traitor nether-parts but it was useless Kenn was an ass man, and...uh… had Geil been doing squats or…

Kenn was forcibly ejected from objectifying his friend by Ali’s shout of “Blue!”

Giel didn't move, his current spot lighting only with the green crystal. When the next change happened, the beast-man began making his way to the door as sandy was.

She actually seemed to be having a bit of trouble, her path constantly stopped by the color change.

Hailey stumbled, She almost caught herself but tripped, another lit tile being pressed causing the laser to increase in speed.

The elf grumbled something about not being able to see her feet before ducking under the oncoming laser

Things went from bad to worse then.

With the lasers moving how they were, they could barely move to avoid lit tiles let alone progress. It got worse when Ali pointed something out.

“Guys, there's something over there” She pointed to the rightmost wall where a door had opened up, revealing a small chest Hailey looked pained but said “We can't get it, this is hard enough as it is. It’s not a good idea”

“I think I can make it” Sandra countered.

“Sandra, No!”

“Sandra, Yes!” The thief shouted before dashing towards the chest as fast as she was able. She reached out for it and at that moment the light hit the blue crystal turning the Tile she was stepping on to blue.

The buzz was like the curse Kenn felt in his heart as the Lasers got even faster, it was nearly impossible to move now. Sandra threw herself to the ground the light almost sheering her in half

“Are you stupid!” Ali called from the sidelines, Sandra frowning.