“That sounds great, shall we get started?” Viers couldn’t help to burn with desire.

“Righto, right this way please,” Kala extended her palm to the dead end of the cave then a portal of light opened up before Viers’ very eyes.

“Woah, what is that?”

“A portal, you don’t think we’ll have the trial in this dark, damp cave wouldn’t you? Don’t be afraid, it’s very safe.” Kala encouraged him.

Easy for you to say… But I’ve come this far. Viers steeled himself then walk through the portal.

Viers arrived immediately to a strange place, he checked his body to make sure all of his limbs still there. I don’t fancy torn apart from teleporting accidents, thankfully its only unneeded fear.

Before his eyes was a huge blue-grey stone hall with many stone pillars of the same color extending to the ceiling. The pillars were adorned with carvings of snakes while the ceiling, floor, and walls, had frescoes and murals of the lamia civilization, depicting their glory. Other than those, there were three doors, each had a different marking.

“…Where are we?” Viers asked the floating lamia ghost.

“We are inside the Rift, in a place between dimensions. More accurately, this is a place the Lamia Queen carved and isolated from outside interference,” Kala explained.

Like a pocket dimension? “Apologies, madam lamia, you lost me.”

“You don’t know the Rift?” Kala was puzzled.

“This humble one lacks the means to have higher knowledge at this point.” Viers gave his excuse.

“The place we’re in, the world of Dunias, exist surrounded by a void. This round world, is orbiting the sun and the moons are orbiting the planet, you with me so far?”

Viers nodded, hungry for lore. “The world… is round? I’ve always thought it is flat…” Viers muttered to appear more idiotic and naive in her eyes.

“There are other planets out there beyond the sky in our dimension, but the place is horribly distant. No one has ever reached them, including the Gods. In fact, the stars that you see in the night are actually suns that exist far, far away.”

“What!? The stars are suns? But they’re so tiny! And, and, they’re not hot!” Viers falsely perplexed.

“The place beyond the sky is very mysterious,” Kala was amused looking Viers acting like a dumb monkey. “Back on track, although other celestial bodies are so far away from us, the world of Dunias is connected to other dimensions. You’ve definitely heard at least two of them, Heaven and Hell.”

“Ooo,” Viers ooh-ed.

“In our world, there are places where the space is weak, connected to other places. This happens from time to time, it can appear everywhere in our world. We call this link to other places the Rift. Inside the Rift, you’ll find Biomes. A location rich with Mana, resources, and danger.”

“Biomes are rich in Mana because it connected with places more abundant with Mana than our world. Most Biomes only have a thin and weak connection to the other side, but even the lowest grade Biomes provide ample harvest to those who find it. Rumor has it, if the connection is thick and strong enough, you can even pass through to the other side. To Heaven, Hell, or other realms. Biomes have rare plants and minerals, fierce monsters with strong cores, and mystical spots. When I was young, I once went to a Biome with an upside and down volcano and an edible lake of lava. If a fire Path-seeker drinks the lava, it will raise their affinity by a tier.”

“Usually, there already exists a ruling existence of said Biomes so you can’t just swagger inside and plunder the place. You first have to defeat the ruler there. The better the Biome, the stronger the guardian. It wasn’t uncommon back then for the advancing party to get wiped out in exploring a new Biome. Risk and reward often go hand in hand.”

Kala’risyah explained with the patience of an elementary school teacher while Viers absorbed the information like a sponge.

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What she said, sounds a lot like a dungeon! This world’s, Dunias’ version of dungeon. Marvelous!

“But, nothing lasts forever. Biomes have lifespan too. Its connection to the other side would diminish gradually until no Mana trickle from that side. After reaching that stage, Biomes would become more and more barren, resources become scarcer until only a desolate husk of a place remains. This place is a Dead Biome modified by the Lamia Queen. Following the nature of the Rift, ‘tunnels’ will randomly appear from your world. You’re lucky enough to stumble upon such a tunnel and met me.”

“…So you didn’t build the entrance to this place in hidden a cave below a lake?” Viers asked.

“Of course not! I have no idea where I’ll end up. Who would place a trial grounds in a place like that? The entrance could be on the other side of the continent for all I know. If I'm not wrong, the entrance has been there for a few years. The Rift probably will disappear and appear again in a different place soon. That’s why I said we met because of fate.” Kala brushed her brown ghost hair backward with her arm stylishly.

The way a soul’s hair still followed the rules of gravity while the rest of her body was floating in the air, made Viers bewildered about the broken rules of physics currently at work.

“Hmm… fate, huh…” Viers was in deep thinking. Oh well, I’ll take what I can get. Viers looked around the place, especially at the murals.

“All women? There are no male lamias?” Realizing there was no male version of the snake people, Viers asked Kala about it.

“Mmm, there used to be… it’s a long story and complicated,” Kala wrinkled her eyebrows because of his question.

“I see… Well, I think that’s enough history lessons for three days. Lady lamia, I wish to start the trial to prove my worthiness. Thanks for the clothes, by the way. It’s very comfortable and cool-looking, or hot-looking, you know,” Viers refocused his attention to the test ahead. His performance would determine how valuable the things he would get.

I have to get that Aspect reward!… but the criterion is vague. Full approval from the Lamia Queen, what does it really mean? Thinking too deeply about it won’t help. I just got to do this as best as I can!

“You’re welcome, then please enter the door on the left,” The floating, transparent, top-only dressed, ghost lamia gestured at the left door.

Viers approached step by step, the stone doors were looking archaic and majestic. Viers felt pressurized as he got closer to the left door but he didn’t stop or slowed his steps. He was determined to do everything he had to do.

The stone door opened by itself, slowly and creaking with weighty sounds. Only darkness could be seen on the opened door. Viers cast Kala a questioning look which she replied only with a nod. Viers took a deep breath before boldly stepping in.

When Viers could see again, he was in a round arena lit with braziers. Other than him, a stone construct stood unmoving in the arena.

The golem was stone dead at first but its eyes lit up with magical orange light after Viers arrived. Its arms were longer than normal human, it uses both of its fists like gorilla knuckle-walking. The golem’s upper part and lower part was of different proportion, the lower half of its body was small while the upper was big and robust.

“BWOOO!”

The golem sounded like a rock scraping against another rock; raw, gritty, and unpleasant. In its gorilla posture, it had a height of 2.5 meters, towering over the tiny Viers. The boy looked at its boulder arms; big, heavy, hard. Imagining his flesh and bones smacked against that was not a pleasant thought.

“Kala!” Viers yelled, a sweat of worry flowed on his cheek.

“Yes, yes, what is it?” The friendly lamia ghost beside him replied.

“That thing is my opponent?”

“Quite obvious isn’t it?”

“How strong is that? I’m just a level 1.”

“The trial is designed to give the challenger an appropriate level of adversary. Since you’re a level 1 than its specs are also a level 1.”

“… I’m a water user, I’m guessing an earth attribute opponent is not a coincidence?”

“Bingo. No matter what element you have, you’ll fight an opponent with an advantage against your affinity.”

This is bad… as a water user, my attack power isn’t that high. That thing defense power is clearly top-notch. And a punch from it could shatter my bones. My water Artes also aren’t suited for a heavily armored opponent. Since the start of my arrival in this world, I only have human beings as my enemy, humans are ways easier to kill than a moving, fighting rock!

“Um, I’ll have to fight barehanded?” Viers showing his fists to Kala, “against that?”

“You can shout for your preferred weapon while imagining it if you like, but it will only be a standard weapon hardened with magic. It isn’t an enchanted weapon but at least it won’t break easily.”

“Fine, better than using my fist to pummel it. Sword!” Viers shouted to the ceiling. While Viers was strategizing, the golem remained still although it was no longer in its off state. Like a car turned on but there's no one putting a foot on the pedal.

A sword with a familiar shape magically appeared in front of him, his water container sword. Although only the shape and weight were similar. Viers swung it around a few times to check and it already felt familiar in his hand.

“Alright then, so what’re the criteria to win? Reduce it to pieces?” God, I hope not, Viers asked Kala.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give you any tips. You can begin the trial anytime you want. Good luck,” Kala explained.

“Got it, watch me. Please begin the trial!” Viers thanked Kala then shouted to the ceiling.

A female voice rang through the closed space. Different voice than his newly acquainted lamia ghost, Viers guessed this must be the Lamia Queen’s.

“The first trial, the trial of valor. Prove yourself against a worthy adversary.”

The stone golem moved and swung its arm of a weapon immediately at Viers. Viers managed to dodge by jumping backward but the stone floor cracked as if there was a meteor impact.