Thankfully, this drop wasn’t three stories deep, and I had the foresight to take out my mace mid-fall. My muscles tensed as I landed, knees bending to absorb the impact. This time, I wouldn’t be caught off guard. Not again.

The air down here was damp, but there was less water than the previous room. I could hear the soft sloshing of liquid beneath my feet, but visibility was practically zero. The inky blackness pressed in around me, almost suffocating, reminding me all too much of Malikap’s shenanigans. A part of me tensed at the thought of encountering another one of the gods’ ridiculous trials. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with them right now.

And then, out of nowhere, a red light pierced the darkness.

My heart stuttered in my chest.

Dozens of tiny, glowing orbs bobbed through the blackness, trailing long, thin tendrils that sparkled with brief flashes of red electricity. I recognized them instantly—those jellyfish-like things from earlier, but now, there were dozens of them. Their soft glow barely illuminated the area, but it was enough for me to make out my surroundings. They floated lazily, their tendrils sparking and crackling with energy that arced between them like a deadly web.

I spotted a single door in the distance, its outline barely visible beyond the floating horde. It seemed like my only way out. I crouched low, keeping my body as close to the ground as possible, and began to move. The jellyfish pulsed softly above me, their movements slow, almost hypnotic.

I made it halfway to the door when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Something wasn’t right.

I glanced up—just in time to see a tendril crackle with red lightning and lash out. I barely ducked in time, the spark missing my head by mere inches. Close. Too close. I bolted toward the door, heart pounding, each step feeling like I was pushing my luck.

When I reached the door, I skidded to a stop, panting. But it didn’t budge. My eyes widened in disbelief as I spotted a thick, bizarre chain wrapped around it, leading to an absurdly large keyhole that looked straight out of a cartoon. A comically oversized keyhole for an oversized chain. Of course. Just my luck.

I wasn’t getting out of here without dealing with these things.

The air crackled ominously behind me, and I could feel the buzzing electricity in my bones. I spun around, raising my mace. The jellyfish were gathering, their tendrils sparking with energy, the red glow in their centers intensifying. I clenched my teeth. I couldn’t avoid them any longer.

"Alright, you glowing bastards," I muttered, gripping the mace tighter. "Let’s do this."

The first jellyfish lunged, tendrils crackling as it dove at me. I swung my mace in a wide arc, smashing into the glowing orb with a satisfying crunch. Sparks flew, but before I could celebrate, another jellyfish came at me from the left. I pivoted, slamming my mace into its soft body, feeling the jolt of resistance as it burst into a spray of red light.

But as the second one fell, a third came from above, tendrils outstretched. I didn’t see it in time.

Electricity surged through my body, sharp and blinding. My muscles seized up as pain shot through me, my grip loosening on the mace for just a second. The shock drained a chunk of my health, but I grit my teeth and fought through the pain, yanking my mace back up. I wasn’t going to fall here.

The next jellyfish lunged at me, and I was ready this time. I smashed it down with a grunt, sending more sparks flying into the air. Another zap hit me from the side, catching me off guard, and I hissed in pain. The shocks were coming more frequently now, their electricity biting into me and sapping my strength.

I stumbled back, trying to catch my breath, but the jellyfish didn’t give me time to rest. Two more came at me, their bodies glowing fiercely. I swung wildly, taking one down with a powerful strike, but the other latched onto my arm, its tendrils digging in deep. My vision blurred as the electricity coursed through me again. My health bar dropped dangerously low.

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I slammed the mace down onto the jellyfish, wrenching it off me with a final, desperate swing. I could feel my strength fading, my body heavy from the repeated shocks. But I wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.

With one last surge of energy, I raised my mace high and brought it down onto the remaining jellyfish. The creature burst into a shower of red sparks, and for a brief moment, everything was still.

I stood there, panting, body aching from the shocks, but alive. Barely.

As the last jellyfish fell, the red glow that had filled the room began to fade, leaving me in darkness once more. But then, something clicked.

A soft hum filled the air, and in the center of the room, a chest materialized, glowing faintly. I staggered toward it, hoping it wasn’t another trap. The chest creaked open, and inside, nestled among bits of dust and cobwebs, was an ornate key.

I immediately heard a rushing noise, like a river flowing through the room. The air was cool and damp, the unmistakable sound of water splashing against stone filling the space around me. As I stepped through the doorway, I took in the sight of the room before me.

It was massive, much larger than the previous chamber. A wide, raging river split the room in two, its dark waters swirling with relentless speed. Large stone platforms were scattered across the river, some moving slowly with the current, others remaining stationary but distant. Four of these platforms were tucked away in the far corners of the room, their positions symmetrical but separated by the surging water.

I had no time to admire the view.

A sharp whistling sound shot past my ear, and I barely ducked in time. An arrow slammed into the wall behind me, the shaft quivering from the force. I glanced toward the source and spotted small, lizard-like creatures perched on ledges above the river. They were no taller than gnomes, each with scaly skin, yellow eyes, and tiny bows that looked absurdly small in their hands, but their aim was dead-on.

The creatures hissed, drawing back their bows again.

"Of course," I muttered, gripping my mace tighter.

I leaped onto the nearest platform, my boots skidding slightly on the slick stone surface. The river roared beneath me, threatening to pull me under if I lost my footing. Another arrow whizzed by, this one grazing my shoulder, and I winced at the sharp sting. The lizards were persistent, their high-pitched screeches filling the air as they reloaded with surprising speed.

I scanned the room quickly, noting four switches in the corners of the chamber, each marked with a bull's-eye and cross-eye target. They had to be connected to something, maybe even the door to the next room. But I couldn’t get there without clearing these lizards first.

Another arrow ricocheted off the platform at my feet, jolting me back into action. With a grunt, I jumped to the next platform, then the next, my movements quick and calculated. My muscles ached, still recovering from the jellyfish shocks, but I powered through the pain. There was no other option.

I landed on the first corner platform, nearly slipping as I touched down. Before I could catch my breath, two of the lizard creatures spotted me, their beady eyes narrowing in unison. They unleashed another volley of arrows. I raised my mace just in time, the arrows clattering harmlessly against the weapon’s metal shaft. Then, without hesitation, I slammed the mace into the switch, feeling the satisfying click beneath my grip. One down, three to go.

The platform beneath me shuddered as the water’s current tugged at its edges, but I kept my balance. I glanced up and noticed the bull’s-eye targets positioned high on the walls. That was it—they were guiding me. Hitting the switches was part of the puzzle, but those targets had to be related to taking down the lizards.

Two more arrows flew toward me. I darted to the next platform, the slick stone barely offering traction. The lizards weren’t giving me much breathing room.

I launched myself toward the next corner, dodging arrows as I ran. The second switch was right in front of me. I swung my mace and struck it hard, the sharp click echoing above the sound of the river. Another switch down.

But the lizard creatures weren’t letting up. Their arrows rained down with a rapid pace now, forcing me to duck and weave between the platforms. I risked a glance toward the final two switches. They seemed impossibly far, but I had no choice but to push forward.

I jumped to the third corner, adrenaline coursing through me as I dodged another barrage of arrows. My boots skidded on the platform as I landed, but I didn’t hesitate. One swing of the mace, another switch activated.

As I prepared to leap for the last platform, the lizards seemed to grow desperate. Their screeches became frantic, and the arrows came faster than before. One of them clipped my leg, and I stumbled, nearly falling into the rushing water below. I steadied myself, gritting my teeth against the pain.

One more switch.

I lifted the item from the chest, admiring its craftsmanship. It had a metal claw at one end that gleamed in the faint light, intricate engravings running along the length of its handle, and the chain felt impossibly light for something so solid. I was about to pocket it when a notification blinked across my vision.