I caught my breath after the wormy death squad passed, leaning against the cold stone wall. The pulsating glow from the orb in the center of the chamber was tempting—almost too tempting. But if there's one thing I've learned from years of being a parasite in questionable bodies, it's that glowing orbs are never a good sign.
"Uh… what now?" Kaleb's voice was still shaky, his fear practically vibrating in my head.
"Now?" I wiped some dust off my cloak, trying to look as casual as possible, even though we were standing next to a death orb surrounded by skeletons. "Now we see what the hell this glowing thing is."
Kaleb groaned internally. He'll come around eventually.
I stepped into the chamber, walking toward the orb. The light pulsed rhythmically, almost like a heartbeat, and I could feel it pulling at me, urging me to come closer.
"This is a terrible idea," Kaleb muttered.
"Yeah, probably," I said with a smirk, "but terrible ideas are kinda my specialty."
I got closer, squinting at the orb. It wasn't just light; there was something inside. A shape, moving slowly, like it was trapped.
"Is that…?" Kaleb began, but I finished his thought.
"A person?" I took a step back, crossing my arms. "Well, that's new."
The orb shimmered, and suddenly, a voice boomed through the chamber. Deep, echoing, and overly dramatic.
"BEHOLD! THE MIGHTY FORK OF FATE!"
I blinked. "Wait, did you say fork?"
"Uh… yes! The Fork of Fate! Do not mock its power, mortal!"
I glanced at the glowing orb. "Right. Sure. A fork." I couldn't help but shake my head. Of course it's a fork.
"You dare question the mighty utensil of destiny?" the voice continued, trying hard to sound more impressive than it actually was.
Kaleb groaned in my head. "This just keeps getting weirder."
"Alright, glowing orb," I muttered, crossing my arms. "What's the deal? You trap people in there and make them... eat with giant forks?"
The orb flickered slightly, as if taken aback. "Only the chosen may wield the Fork of Fate and... liberate the prisoner!"
I squinted. "Are we seriously doing this? A giant fork to free someone from a cursed orb?"
"Yes! You must pass the trial, mortal! Only the worthy can handle its… tines!"
I sighed. "Right. Of course. The tines of fate."
I stepped closer, my eyes narrowing as I saw a woman inside the orb—Elara, no doubt. She was unconscious, bound by glowing chains. So, this is why no one comes back. They get stuck in orb jail.
"Okay, fine. Let's see what this trial's about," I muttered, walking toward the wall where ancient runes were etched into the stone.
Kaleb's voice was shaky. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for the 'unlock the giant fork' button," I muttered. "Or maybe some instructions. This kind of thing usually comes with instructions."
I ran my fingers over the runes. They lit up, one by one, casting a faint glow through the chamber. The orb hummed louder, almost like it was gearing up for something.
"You have activated the Trial of the Fork! Prepare yourself, mortal!"
The ground rumbled, and a pedestal rose from the center of the chamber. On it rested a massive, gleaming fork. It looked ridiculous, honestly, like something you'd use to serve a giant salad.
Kaleb's disbelief echoed in my head. "It really is a fork…"
"Yup," I muttered, stepping toward it. "Guess we're fighting cursed magic with tableware now."
I grabbed the fork. The weight of it was heavier than expected, and as I lifted it, I felt a strange surge of energy pass through me. Powerful, but still a fork.
"The mighty Fork of Fate is now yours! Only you can use its tines to cut the chains of doom!"
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "Enough with the drama."
With the fork in hand, I walked back toward Elara. The glowing chains crackled as I approached, and the orb pulsed with energy. I raised the fork, feeling the strange power coursing through it.
"Let's get this over with," I muttered, bringing the fork down onto the chains. They shattered with a loud crack, and the orb let out a strange whimper as Elara collapsed into my arms, unconscious but alive.
"You… you have defeated the mighty forces of fate…" the orb mumbled, sounding almost disappointed.
"Yeah, thanks," I muttered, hoisting Elara over my shoulder. "You've been real helpful."
Kaleb sighed in relief. "So… we're not dead?"
"Nah," I said, heading for the exit. "But let's get out of here before the orb decides to give us a lecture on spoons or something."
The ground rumbled as we left the chamber, and I glanced back at the now-dormant orb. At least we made it out with a new utensil.
"Let's hope that's the last time I get cursed by cutlery," I said with a smirk.
Kaleb, still trying to process everything, simply muttered, "What just happened?"
I grinned. "Just another day in the mines, kid."