At the other end of the chamber, Terrain surveyed the fog, a furrow deepening between his brows.

They haven’t responded in a while… I hope everything’s alright.

As if summoned by his concern, five sharp white flashes pierced through the heavy mist.

That’s not true or false, he thought, puzzled. He rechecked the answers displayed on his screen. They should be on question four.

Terrain raised his lamp and flashed it twice.

He waited.

A response blinked back, eight flashes.

“Now it’s eight?” he murmured. “And their light’s not getting any brighter…”

“What could they mean?”

Then, with a sudden gasp, realisation hit.

He quickly blinked the lamp once.

…

“True,” Furna announced as the distant light flicked out.

Sky held her breath as Furna reached for the button. Please be right...

With a low rumble, the platform extended.

“Yes, it worked!” They celebrated in unison.

Excited, Furna raised the lamp and signalled the next question. A single flash blinked back in return.

The platform shifted again.

Sky and Furna high-fived, thrilled that their new system was working. They were finally making progress and on their way to completing the second trial.  

…

As they continued forward, the light on the far side of the chamber grew steadily brighter.

“Uh oh,” Furna muttered, eyes narrowing at the stone wall. “It’s exactly what I was afraid of.”

“What is it?” Sky asked, her voice tight with worry at Furna’s sudden shift in tone.

Peering over her shoulder, she pouted. “The question did change.”

What was once a simple true-or-false question had transformed into a written text.

Sky groaned. “Oh, come on. How are we supposed to answer that?”

Furna glanced across the foggy gorge. Despite their progress, Terrain’s silhouette was still nowhere in sight.

“We need to tell him what question we’re on,” she said.

Sky nodded and took the lamp. Holding it steady, she flashed it eleven times.

They waited.

Nothing.

“He’s not responding,” Sky said, panic creeping into her voice.

Suddenly, the light on the other side flickered erratically, but intentionally.

Sky looked to Furna, eyebrows slanted.

Furna studied the pattern, then her expression softened. “I think… he wants us to use the message.”

They exchanged a glance, both remembering their earlier disagreement. But this time, they nodded in silent agreement.

Sky tapped the envelope icon. A message board flickered to life.

Furna stared at the question, biting her lip. It asked them to name the colour of a specific object.

“What do I even say…?” she muttered. Then typed: colour system.

They watched and waited.

A reply popped up.

“The rainbow?” Furna read aloud.

Three flashes flickered from across the fog.

“Oh, I get it,” she said, eyes lighting up as the pieces clicked into place. “Quick—what’s the third colour of the rainbow?”

Sky thought for a second. “Yellow.”

Furna typed in the answer, her body tensing.

The platform surged forward.

“Nice!”

Sky leaned in to check the next question. “Looks like the next one’s also a colour question,” she said, visibly relieved.

Furna smirked. “Then I’d say we’ve got this in the bag.”

…

Minutes passed. The fog thinned further as the final platform extended into view.

Just one question stood between them and Terrain.

“Terrain!” Furna called out with a playful smile as they finally stood face-to-face. “What’s the answer!?”

Terrain, now clearly visible, stifling a laugh. “Magenta.”

With a final thud, the platform locked into place.

“Finally!” Sky cried, throwing her arms up in exhausted triumph.

Terrain smiled as they crossed onto his side. “You guys did it.”

Furna high-five him. “Thanks to you.”

FWOOSH!

They all turned as the previously dormant torches by the exit burst into flames, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow. The chamber, once cold and sterile, now felt almost…welcoming.

Above the elevator, a glowing neon sign flickered to life.

“Welcome to the Dungeon,” Furna read aloud, raising a brow.

Sky glanced between them. “Wait–when did we start naming the rooms?”

“I bet it’s a puzzle maze,” Terrain said as he hit the elevator button. “Make sure to stick together.”

With a soft hiss, the torches vanished in a puff of smoke. The doors slid open.

The Elemelons stepped inside, ready as the door sealed shut behind them.

Trial Two: Complete.