Trial and Tribulation (Part 1)

Within the tower, the party strolls through a spiraling hall.

Brrr!! It's even cold in here. What could they be planning with the cannon?" Katty wondered.

"We'll have to plan carefully. This tower will test our skills and endurance." Blade said.

The room temperature immediately shifts upon entering the room. A room filled with gravel of stones piled up. Solid ground dirt and stacks of mud and clay surround the field. The floor begins shaking as Alistor and the party stands their ground. Two hands emerge from the soil as a massive torso pulls itself out. A monster of the earth stands in their path. A solid diamond shape is embodied on its base.

"Looks like our first opponent is ready," Alistor said.

"That was fast. Havok sure doesn't waste any time." Katty added.

Their team member Bow was the first to step up.

"Are you sure you want to go? You're still tired from that fight with that umbrella guy. I'm still at full power. Let me fight!" Katty insists.

"No! It's okay…let me take this one. You'll need to preserve your strength for the later floors."

He pulls out his quill, dust emitting from the back of his jacket.

The monster throws the first swing for Bow to dodge as the rest moves back. A heavy swing shakes up the ground. Bow retaliates back with his feather, chipping a part of the monster's back. The beast turns around to strike back, knocking him across the floor. It begins rooting itself to the ground, fist of rocks starts to pop out from a distance. Bow rolls across the dirt flooring, trying to make a recovery.

"I have to get in close…."

He charges in, strafing through what the monster throws at him. It forms a clay wall, but Bow doesn't hesitate to fire his magic quill. A colossal gash of wind pierces through the wall from the tip of his pen. The barrier shatters, catching the golem off guard.

A whole part of the monster breaks off.

"He seems to have this one in the bag." Katty believed.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet. Look!" Blade pointed.

The golem turns around with no feeling of pain or damage. Stones begin pulling back to reform a lost limb. Then, the monster makes a massive leap in the air directly into Bow's position.

Bow moves out of the way as quick as possible, avoiding the impact but gets plummeted from the debris flying across the room.

"That's it! I'm going in." Katty yelled.

Katty attempts to jump in, but Alistor stops him. Bow got back up to mindlessly swing at the oncoming stones. The swirling motion of the rocks begins slowing down as he catches something out of place moving away. It was a glowing object visible within his sight.

"A core! Of course!"

Distance away, he tosses his quill at the glowing core. The swirling stones begin to stop as the monster rushes to reform itself. Damage and sparks burst out from the monster's body.

"So that's the source of your power. You need it to retain your certain form."

Cracks begin forming across the monster. It struggles to hold its body together. Finally, the beast self-destructs with his quill destroying its core. Bow immediately kneels to the floor. Alistor and the rest go to assist him.