"You really managed to squeeze your way in here under the pretense of showing us the dungeon, Ainle!"
As Nafız and Alyon advanced toward the second dungeon on the Wild Swamp Continent, they couldn't help but tease their guide, the druid; moreover, Ainle, practically clinging to the arm of the female orc running down the edge of a massive canyon, was in no state to react to this situation.
"Life is so comfortable when you ride on Pehlivan's back; really, Nafız, why don't you use Alis too!"
While descending the ninety-degree slope, Alyon relied on the powerful claws of his power animal; unlike him, his friend was just running, paying no mind to the druid she was swinging in her hand like a grocery bag.
"Instead of admitting you can't handle it on your own... drop the act, my lion! You watch out not to fall from Pehlivan's back, I don't want to search for your pieces down below!"
In the moments when the two friends were picking on each other out of boredom, the druid must have seen something, for he shouted excitedly.
"Over there, just a bit further down to the right!"
After traveling about a kilometer inside the canyon, they had finally found the place they wanted to reach; without slowing down at all, they headed toward the spot indicated by the guide druid.
A few breaths later, they would appear at the entrance of a cave from which a warm and humid wind blew; contrary to the air getting colder as one descended into the wide rift, the opposite situation prevailed in this wide hollow.
"The location of the dungeon entrances was written in the ancient inscriptions, but I don't know what we'll do after this?"
Ainle spoke with a timid attitude before starting to advance on the path that became pitch-black as one looked further ahead; after this behavior perfectly fitting his nature, the two orcs were grinning slyly.
"What else should they write? We're just going to smash straight through!"
When Alyon grabbed the poor druid by the arm and started walking with large strides, taking him along, the fear inside Ainle would surface. This state of the scrawny youth, whose hands and feet began to tremble, had thoroughly cheered up the two barbarians beside him; as a result of making eye contact for a moment, they decided to do something completely unexpected.
Suddenly starting to run, the duo wouldn't even turn back to look at the druid they left on the ground; they had abandoned Ainle like a child left in the dark by mischievous parents.
"Nafız, do you think this trembling one will be able to come to us?"
"I don't know; he's been with us for so long, I guess he's become man enough by now!"
The orc warriors ran for five minutes after entering the dark tunnel with no visible end; this journey, made by relying solely on their instincts in a tunnel where they could barely see a step ahead, would lead them to a rather large cave whose ceiling was adorned with sparkling stones.
While the cave was fifteen paces by ten in size, the stones hanging from its ceiling were long enough to almost touch the heads of those wandering inside. Ten altars containing clear water seemed placed randomly; taking a glance at them, the duo set about waiting for the druid to follow them.
"You are so mean! Why did you leave me and go?"
Fortunately, before long, Ainle would step into the cave where the two orcs were loitering; this journey, which lasted almost half a day, could be considered light speed by the druid's standards.
"Cut the crying; as far as I understand, there will be some business related to these altars, but I haven't figured out what it is yet!"
Nafız spoke while advancing toward the altar, which was full of clear water and resembled a giant bowl in shape; her aim was to determine a plan of action by doing a bit more investigation.
"I'm so overwhelmed, I'm covered in sweat; I'm going to dip my head in and cool off!"
"Hey stop, what are you doing?"
Nafız had shouted in panic, but to no avail; the grey-haired orc had already dunked his massive head into the clear waters inside the bowl-shaped altar.
The female orc would immediately run to her friend's side; Alyon's head was in the water up to his neck, and he didn't seem to have any intention of pulling it back out.
"You dived into the water like a buffalo going down to the stream; enough, take that ingot head of yours out!"
When Nafız wanted to pull the hulking orc out of the altar by grabbing his hair, she would have to face a result she hadn't expected at all; no matter how much she pulled, she couldn't pull Alyon back.
"Mistress, what is happening?"
Ainle would let out a wail upon seeing the event occurring before his eyes; the young druid saw a responsibility on himself for bringing them here.
"My dear, how curious you are to panic like this; calm down for two minutes!"
While speaking, the female orc was also checking her friend's condition; inwardly, she was actually quite worried herself.
"What kind of breed are you, Alyon! Don't be afraid, mama's boy, our guy has figured out how the dungeon works!"
All vital activities of the grey-haired orc were normal as of that moment; in this case, there could be only one explanation for their inability to pull him out of the altar.
"Pick one for yourself and dunk your head in the water, Ainle."
Since everything was clear, there was no need to wait; Nafız would go to the altar closest to her and do what was necessary.
When her face touched the clear water, the female orc felt a relief enveloping her entire body; a second later, she opened her eyes in a strange world.
When she acted immediately to examine her surroundings, the first thing she noticed was some sounds coming from afar. Nafız knew this timbre well; the sound made by clashing weapons reached her ears regardless of the distance.
When she turned in that direction, her aim was to see those making this noise, but the lights emitted by the sun shining madly above her were hindering her.
Helpless, the female orc began to walk; as the sounds rose with every step, the image slowly became clearer. Finally, upon getting close enough, Nafız encountered a very strange scene; two female orcs, exactly identical to herself, had entered a struggle to the death.
A naked Nafız was attacking madly with blood-colored daggers in her hand; on the other side, another Nafız, wearing armor blacker than night, was skillfully countering every incoming attack.
The naked one had blood-red hair extending to her waist; where her weapons were insufficient, she was trying to bite her adversary's neck with the two orc tusks overflowing from her mouth.
As for the Nafız clad in armor from head to toe, her hair was very short; in one hand she had a shield that could be considered huge for her size, and in the other, a short sword she had never seen before.
The orc warrior entering the dungeon's trial was completely dumbfounded; she couldn't take her attention off the struggle being waged.
This astonishment lasted until she saw the sphere floating in the air a bit further ahead, amidst the struggle of her two reflections; she definitely had to go and look at what was inside.
When she moved rapidly toward the sphere, something she hadn't expected at all would happen; the duo fighting each other to the death suddenly changed their targets and attacked her.
The female orc, thrown back by the shield blow landing on her right side, escaped at the last moment from the move of her reflection wanting to take her left leg.
Things were getting more interesting; becoming the target of the enemy Nafızes upon moving toward the sphere, the orc warrior began to think of a plan.
Since two against one was acceptable here, why wouldn't she use this way? After watching the struggle continue for a while longer, she determined her new target.
Nafız would stand beside the short-haired reflection resembling her current appearance; when they began to attack the wild-looking lookalike, the armored version who had previously hit her with a shield seemed to accept the help with pleasure.
When the two Nafızes became one, the other side didn't have much of a chance; when they started landing blows one after another, the naked orc would be covered in blood in a short time.
If there were someone watching what happened from the outside, they might think the person passing the trial was following a very correct path, but right now Nafız's body was saying the exact opposite.
With every blow her wild-looking lookalike received, her body shook, crushed as if her soul would shatter; this situation was practically screaming at her that she had made the wrong choice.
She would immediately separate from the armored one with whom she made a joint attack and move to the spot where she stood when she first came here. Following this move, she watched in amazement as the long-haired orc, who had just been cornered, regained the balance.