Olivia and Dongmei looked around in suspicion. They saw many towering trees hundreds of meters high. The emperor couldn’t be talking about those, right? After the difficult stairs, were they now also supposed to climb hundreds of meters high trees?

Meanwhile Martina faced Zotrahn’gra in annoyance.

“What second trial? I have just scared off a dangerous monster and now you want to tell me this wasn’t the second trial? Are you making fun of us, youngster?”

“Hero, no one ever said that the centipede had anything to do with the trials. Don’t make things up here.”

“What? I don’t hear you. Please speak louder, emperor.”

Tarun’gra giggled quietly at the side as she watched Martina putting her hands to her ears with exaggerated motions. The old lady had an innocent look on her face while ignoring Zotrahn’gra’s twitching eyebrow.

“The centipede was not part of your trials!”, repeated the emperor loudly.

“Whaat? I really don’t understand you.”

Not able to hold back, Tarun’gra held her belly in laughter. Everyone could clearly see that Martina was playing deaf on purpose this time.

Naturally the emperor could tell as well. However, he could only accept it. He wasn’t allowed to harm any trial takers, or the great god Khirotsan’ahn would punish him severely.

After a moment of contemplation Zotrahn’gra let out a defeated sigh.

“Alright. Since you proved your heroic bravery by facing off against a beast outside the trials, I will grant you an advantage in the name of the great god Khirotsan’ahn. During the next trial you can choose one additional helper.”

The three grandmas’ eyes lit up from the emperor’s proclamation. Olivia and Dongmei turned towards Martina, praising her shamelessly.

“God job.”

“Yes. Since this is how things work, we need to make sure to get another advantage for climbing those stairs.”

“Right, this was the hardest trial so far!”

Listening to their words Zotrahn’gra’s face darkened. He angrily waved his scepter.

“Enough, heroes! Don’t take a mile after I gave you an inch. Just complete your trial so we can all be done with it!”

Noticing that the goblin seemed to be really enraged this time, the three grandmas decided not to push their luck. He was right after all. After so much excitement the old ladies also felt a bit exhausted. They also started missing their homes.

Of course, for Olivia the urge of returning home was the most urgent. She hadn’t forgotten about her daughter’s call earlier. She was only relatively calm because she couldn’t change much either way. She could only do her best to pass all trials.

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With those thoughts in mind the old American woman turned towards Zotrahn’gra.

“Ok then, goblin emperor. What is our second trial?”

Still not completely calm, the emperor threw Olivia an annoyed look.

“I already told you. Safe a cat from a tree.”

“Which cat and which tree are you talking about?”, questioned Dongmei suspiciously.

“Isn’t it obvious? Right in front of us. Don’t you see the cat beast up there on the top?”

The three grandmas turned around in disbelief. Right in front of them was a small clearing, followed by one of the biggest trees of this jungle. Their eyes followed its dozens of meters thick trunk.

Olivia immediately gave up. The old pine tree at home was a joke in comparison to this behemoth before them. After a few meters her vision was filled with green. She would never be able to spot anything.

Martina and Dongmei continued with increasingly solemn faces. Ignoring the curious monkeys hanging from some vines and the slithering snakes posing as foliage, they tried to look for the tree’s top.

Unfortunately, they also had to give up. Just as they wanted to turn around and complain a pained shout once more rang out.

The high priest’s angry voice followed:

“What is up with this brain of yours? Have you even taken a look at your heroes? How are they supposed to climb those trees? Are you deliberately creating impossible trials?!”

“High… high priest. I’m sure dad is doing his best.”, injected Tarun’gra. Even the mischievous girl felt bad for her dad now. What if the high priest’s hits damaged his brain? Who should check her inventions in the future?

Meanwhile some tears welled up in the emperor’s eyes. Not from the hit he received, but because his daughter finally stood up for him. Trying to calm his emptions, the emperor spoke with a shaky voice:

“High priest, I’m doing my best. I can only work with the information my subordinates gave me. Don’t worry.

I’m sure Earth’s heroes will master this trial!”

The old goblin dangerously narrowed her eyes. Unfortunately, the trial couldn’t be changed again. She snorted unhappily.

Zotrahn’gra tried his bests to ignore the high priest’s anger. He addressed the three grandmas again.

“Heroes. Which of you wants to challenge the second trial?”

Dongmei and Martina looked at each other. After communicating with their eyes, Dongmei took a step forward.

“I will do it.”

“Good. Brave hero, choose your weapon!”

The old Chinese Lady hesitate for a bit. She wasn’t absolutely confident in her plan. But when she remembered Olivia’s performance, she decided to go with her gut feeling.

“I will choose the guqin!”

Zotrahn’gra blinked slightly.

He turned towards the high priest. He turned towards his daughter. Seeing the confusion in their eyes, he sighed before asking Dongmei:

“May I ask what kind of weapon a guqin is?”

This question left Dongmei dumbfounded. She started at the emperor before mumbling in displeasure.

“Youngsters are turning more and more uncultured. They don’t even know the ancestor of all instruments anymore. How can you not be ashamed of yourself?”

Zotrahn’gra sighed. He didn’t bother to question the choice of weapons this time. He waved his scepter, sending a message out.

After a few minutes during which Dongmei narrated the history of guqins, a goblin finally brought another magical storage.

Zotrahn’gra felt relieved. Fortunately, his subordinated had hurried up. He threw the magical story towards Dongmei before speaking loudly:

“This is your weapon, Hero. Due to your earlier bravery, you are also eligible to chose one helper. Choose wisely!”

Before Dongmei could even think about it, an excited voice reached her ears. The cute goblin girl was jumping up and down in front of her eyes.

“Here. Granny. Choose me. I can help! Please!”

The three grandmas chuckled endearingly. Dongmei thought about it for a second, but she wasn’t too picky. If her plan worked out, she might not need any helper at all.

With a kind smile the old lady patted Tarun’gra’s head.

“Alright. I will choose you. You are a small hero, too.”

The girl’s eyes lit up as she smiled widely. From the corner of her eyes, she watched her father. The emperor noticed his daughter’s gaze, but he wasn’t worried. With him here nothing would happen to his daughter. He smiled warmly before announcing:

“Get ready, hero! They trial will begin as soon as you touch the bubble!”