Sanul was stirred from his rest when he heard footsteps. Getting up off of the floor where he sat against the wall, he peeked out from the stiarcase to see who or what it was.
He was glad to see Lance, and surprised to see him alone!
"Well, well, well, it seems we find ourselves reunited. Come, let's see what we're up against," he said as he began walking up the stairs with Lance.
As the duo took their steps upwards, Sanul felt... odd. Something wasn't right with him. The scepter in his hand no longer hummed quietly, and he felt tired, even though he had just rested up.
Lance, however, was a completely different story. Looking over to his companion, he saw a great fire burn in the warrior's eyes; he felt a strong radiance resonate within him grow stronger with every step they took upwards.
When they finally made it to the fifth floor, he was impressed; instead of the halls and doors of the other floors, he was presented with a single massive chamber, lit by ancient runes carved into the immortal stone of the spire.
The metal door behind Sanul and Lance closes with a loud CLANG; no turning back now.
At the center of it lay a single man: Asdom, Twelth Grandchild of the Bright. A man of true royal blood blessed with an immortal existence, he simply meditated in the center of the chamber, lying in wait for the next mortal to challenge him.
Rising from the floor, the monk presents himself to Sanul and Lance; his youth is undying, with the appearance of a man in his twenties with millennia of existence. He's not thin nor large, but well-toned and with a strong build. His voice is smooth and silky, as he directs some words to the duo that now faces him:
"Congratulations, Lance and Sanul. You've made it this far. Clearly, neither of you are like the rest; not everyone can make it here."
Pacing towards his challengers slowly, he kicks a few skulls across the chamber as he continues:
"Of course, you're here to claim the prize at the top of the spire. If you wish to take it, you must prove you deserve it; by defeating the Royal Family in its whole, starting with me."
Stopping abruptly, he raises his hands.
"But a battle like this should have an audience, yes?!" Asdom screams into the arena. "So let's get to it!!!" From the floor, thousands of seats rise up and form a center-stage for the heroes to fight the champion in. From the blackness of the ceiling, beasts of all kinds fill the stadium; spirits of fallen heroes, horrendous beasts, corrupted priests and mages take their seats to watch the glorious fight take place.
Within minutes the once empty chamber is now a roaring arena! Asdom, pleased with the witnesses in place, finally declares:
"So! Now that everything's in place, let the trials BEGIN!"
Pulling up his bare fists, he takes a defensive stance at the center of the arena, waiting for Sanul and Lance to make the first move. The mage decides to let Lance take the first strike, seeing as he's more able against their opponent.