The giant swung its massive club down toward Calvin, who barely managed to roll out of the way in time. The club smashed into the ground, sending shards of stone flying. Calvin regained his footing and gripped his spear tightly.

Calvin leaped back and activated Stormlancer's Arsenal. Dark storm clouds gathered overhead, crackling with lightning. With a sweep of his spear, six glowing duplicates appeared around Calvin. Infused with storm essence, the spears hovered in the air under his mental command.

Calvin thrust his spear forward, and the duplicates shot toward the giant in a blaze of lightning. They ripped through the thick shell along its torso and legs, leaving smoldering gashes. The giant bellowed in rage and swatted at the spears, but they were too quick.

With a fully charged spear, Calvin dashed forward. He vaulted up onto the giant's knee and drove his spear into its thigh. The lightning blast exploded out the other side in a shower of gore.

The giant stumbled, badly wounded but still standing. It lashed out in fury, its blows landing heavily near Calvin. He managed to scramble clear, directing his duplicate spears to continue their assault. Like a deadly swarm, they circled the raging giant, wearing it down with hundreds of small cuts.

With a final command, Calvin sent all six hurtling straight for the giant's head. They punched through its thick skull and into the brain. The giant spasmed violently, then crashed to the ground.

Calvin dispelled his duplicate spears. He slowly approached the fallen giant, spear at the ready in case it still lived. But the giant lay still, smoke rising from its ravaged body.

They had finally defeated the rampaging monster. Calvin sat down heavily, filled with relief. Amy and Freya had finished mopping up their hellhounds and the thunderous roar of the crowd drowned out everything else.

Amy and Calvin stood side by side, catching their breath after defeating the giant. Freya bounded over, tongue lolling happily despite her own injuries from the fight. The cheers of the Asgardian crowd washed over them as they awaited the verdict from Odin.

The Allfather rose from his throne, Gungnir in hand. He slammed it down, the echoing boom silencing the arena. "Well fought!"

Odin's one eye gleamed as his lips curled into a grin. "But one final trial remains. The Horde of Helheim comes for you!"

Black smoke erupted around the edges of the arena. From it poured a mass of thousands of skeletal warriors, their bones stained black and eyes glowing red. They wielded rusted swords and axes as they encircled Calvin's group with a chorus of bloodthirsty howls.

Amy drew her daggers, the blades hissing as venom seeped down them. "I'll soften them up first," she said. With an activation of Death's Door, she appeared right in the midst of the skeletons and activated Venomous Miasma. Noxious fumes erupted outwards, melting skeletal forms into bubbling ooze. She blinked back to her starting position.

The horde pressed forward heedlessly, trampling the melted remains of their comrades. Amy continued flinging daggers, carving a path of sizzling undeath through their ranks. Still they came, skeletal claws grasping.

"My turn," Calvin said, hefting his spear. He focused his will, drawing deeply from his mana pool. The tip of his spear crackled, then erupted with forking arcs of lightning. Calvin swept the spear in a wide overhead arc, slamming it into the ground and unleashing Thunderous Onslaught. An expanding ring of lightning smashed through the horde, blasting bones to powder. The survivors staggered back under the weight of the destruction. Lightning bolts rained down within the storm-charged zone, completely obliterating groups of skeletons as they tried assembling for an attack.

Gasps from the crowd told Calvin they had not expected this level of power from the group. Odin stood on his platform, wide-eyed at the display before him.

Odin's booming laugh echoed through the arena as he descended the steps from his viewing platform. The Asgardian crowd cheered and chanted the names of the victorious fighters. Calvin, Amy, and Freya stood together, catching their breath after defeating the endless tide of undead warriors.

"Well fought indeed!" Odin proclaimed, clapping them each on the shoulder. Though exhausted, they stood tall before the king of the gods. "You have passed the Gauntlet of Tyr and proven yourselves mighty warriors."

Odin turned and beckoned over a attendant. The slender man came forward carrying a wooden box ornately carved with scenes of battle. Odin opened it, the inside lined with black velvet. Nestled within were three items that shone with power.

"For your courage and skill, I gift each of you an item forged by the finest smiths in Asgard." Odin lifted a slender dagger with a glowing ruby set in its hilt. Intricate runes decorated the silvery blade. "For Amy, Dagger of the Valkyrie. Any wound it inflicts will sap the life force of its victim."

Amy reverently accepted the dagger, feeling its perfect balance. She knew with certainty this would be her new primary weapon, ideal for her fighting style. "You honor me, Allfather."

Next Odin drew forth an ornate gauntlet, forged from a gleaming silver metal. Jagged lines of energy flickered within the engravings that ran along its surface. "For Calvin, Gauntlet of Storm's Fury."

Calvin took the gauntlet, marveling at the power contained within. Tiny arcs of lightning danced across his hands. This would pair perfectly with his growing mastery over electricity and the sky. He bowed his head in thanks.

Finally, Odin lifted a spiked collar made of dark metal, etched with glowing blue runes. "For Freya, Collar of the Midnight Hunt. You will find your strength and speed doubles beneath the light of the moon."

As Odin fastened the collar around Freya's furry neck, she immediately felt more powerful. She barked excitedly and summoned a treat from her endless mountain of treats. Then she summoned a few more for such a job well done.

Odin stepped back, grinning through his great beard. "Use these gifts wisely. And now..." He raised Gungnir. "I return you to your quest!"

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

A beam of rainbow light enveloped the trio. In an instant the arena vanished. They found themselves back in the entry chamber of the first level of the dungeon. The trials of Asgard were over for now. They faced each other with excited smiles, eager to continue exploring with their new weapons in hand.

"Well that was fun!" Amy laughed.

Calvin hefted his new gauntlet, tiny arcs of lightning danced across its silver-colored surface. He examined it.

Gauntlet of Storm's Fury (Platinum): Crafted from shimmering myrthil and engraved with powerful runes, this gauntlet hums with the contained energy of a tempest. A crystal centerpiece, known as the Eye of the Storm, holds the power to summon the Gauntlet's fierce enchantment. The gauntlet not only provides formidable protection but also turns the wearer's arm into a conduit of destruction. Upon activation of the Eye of the Storm, the wearer can hurl a bolt of volatile storm energy that chains between enemies, weakening their defenses and leaving them stunned. Continuous wear channels the Storm's Boon enchantment, empowering the wearer's strikes with bursts of lightning following each impact. (Power+5, Speed +6)

Storm's Boon (Enchantment) - This enchantment embodies the chaotic and unpredictable nature of a storm. Each melee attack unleashed by the wearer has a chance to generate a localized storm effect around the point of impact, causing additional lightning damage and disorienting nearby foes with a thunderous clap. The fury of the storm grows with the intensity of the wearer's attacks.

"Damn, Odin wasn't holding back with the prizes." Calvin said. "Let's take a break here before we head into the final areas."

Calvin, Amy, and Freya sat together in the small antechamber, recovering their strength after the intense battles in Asgard. Though their bodies had been mystically healed following the trials, the mental exhaustion remained. But after sharing some dried meats and wine from Amy's pack, Calvin felt ready to continue.

"Well, that was quite the detour," Calvin said, standing up and stretching. "But now we're back, and I'm eager to finish this place up and get back home."

Amy nodded, slipping her new dagger into the sheath at her waist. "Yes, it will be good to get back. We've already been gone for who knows how long outside. Marshall is probably up to no good." She scratched Freya behind the ears. "What do you say, girl? Ready to press on?"

Freya barked excitedly, the runes on her new collar glowing brightly. She turned in a quick circle, anxious to be on the move again.

They gathered their gear and approached the stone door barring their way forward. Calvin placed his hand on the shield rune on the doorway and activated it. It flared brightly, as energy raced across the door in branching patterns. With a deep rumble, the granite door slid upwards into the frame. A wash of heat billowed out, along with a deep red glow. Calvin felt his excitement rising. They stepped through.

The atmosphere changed instantly upon moving beyond the threshold. The door sealed behind them with an echoing boom. The carved walls of the previous rooms were gone, replaced by jagged volcanic rock. Rivers of molten lava flowed lazily through channels in the rough stone. The light came from the swirling lava and thick columns of smoke that rose into the distance. The ceiling was lost high above them in roiling fumes.

"Well, I think it's safe to say we've entered the underworld," Calvin said.

They moved forward carefully along the narrow stone pathways winding between the lava flows. The noxious air shimmered with heat. Dark alcoves dotted the chamber, each with a small statue depicting the monstrosities of the underworld.

Soon the path branched, one fork leading down a gradual slope alongside a churning lava fall that spilled into a churning lake of fire far below. The other path led upwards along the chamber wall, soon disappearing into the smoke-filled heights.

Calvin felt the first tingling of unease. "I guess we should choose a path. Any ideas which way to--"

Calvin's words were cut short as a deep, rumbling growl echoed through the smoky chamber. All three of them froze, eyes darting to locate the source as they drew weapons. The growl came again, louder, the stone vibrating beneath their feet. From behind a towering spur of rock burst an enormous creature, landing heavily before them. They leapt back, Calvin's mind racing as he took in the nightmarish sight.

The beast was like some horrific fusion of giant dogs. Three gargantuan heads adorned the body. The monstrous creature bared its fangs at the trio. The three heads each fixed the group with a malevolent glare from burning red eyes. Rivers of saliva poured from their mouths, sizzling where they hit the stone.

"Cerberus," Amy whispered, voice tense. "The guardian of the underworld." Her blades gleamed green as she held them ready.

Calvin swallowed. He had guessed they might face the legendary beast, but its size and power exceeded his expectations. It was more like a primal force given form than a living creature. He tightened his grip on his spear as Cerberus prowled closer, each head tracking their movements. He knew any battle here would push them to their limits.

"Easy, Freya," Calvin murmured. The Aetherwolf growled deep in her throat but held her position. Her hackles were raised, fangs bared at the monstrous creature before them.

Cerberus halted twenty feet away, massive paws cracking the stone. Hellfire seemed to blaze in its eyes as it regarded the group. Calvin noticed the thick collar around each of its necks, forged from black metal and etched with glowing red runes he couldn't decipher. Shackles of the same metal encircled each ankle. He wondered who or what could have bound this beast.

For long, tense moments they watched each other, neither making an aggressive move. Then, apparently deciding they posed no threat, Cerberus turned away with a snort. It leaped powerfully to the top of a nearby rise, the ground quaked beneath its weight. At the summit it halted, silhouette framed against veils of smoke and rivers of lava far below. The three heads swiveled back to fix Calvin, Amy and Freya with unsettling stares before Cerberus bounded out of sight into the fiery depths.

They remained frozen in place for several heartbeats. Finally, Calvin let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Well... that was sufficiently terrifying."

Amy sheathed her daggers, the set of her shoulders easing slightly. "No kidding. I can't even imagine trying to fight that thing here."

Freya whined, then barked sharply as if to say she could take Cerberus. Calvin laughed. "Maybe someday, Freya. But I think avoiding that fight is our best bet for now."

He looked upwards along the path Cerberus had taken. It presumably led deeper into the volcanic underworld. Then he gazed back down at the lower tunnel wending its way alongside the lava flow. There was no way to know which path led to the end of this floor, but his instincts told him to head upwards.

"That creature guards the way forward," Calvin mused. "I say we follow and see where it leads. Maybe we'll find what we came here for."

Amy nodded her agreement.

The group carefully made their way up the narrow path of black volcanic glass. The way grew steeper, the roaring lava falls loomed closer. The air shimmered with heat. They climbed higher, soon losing sight of the chamber floor through the haze. Still there was no sign of their destination.

Eventually, the path leveled off, opening into a shelf carved into the cavern wall. Before them stood an archway leading into the heart of an immense volcano. Flames raged within its core, lava fountaining high into the smoke-filled sky. The very air rippled from the intensity of the heat. Jagged formations of obsidian dotted the shelf. In the distance, barely visible through the fires of the volcano, stood some sort of structure. Calvin narrowed his eyes. It appeared to be an immense set of gates set into the inner wall of the volcanic cone.

"There!" Calvin said, pointing with his spear. "I think that's what we're looking for."

Amy followed his gaze.

As if on cue, from within the volcanic gates strode the hulking form of Cerberus. The guardian beast prowled along a stone bridge spanning a channel of lava surrounding the gates. Its heads swept back and forth, breath steaming in the superheated air. With each step, molten rock boiled up through cracks in the ancient bridge.

Calvin set his jaw. There was no going back, they'd have to face this creature to move forward.