The group pressed forward, their exploration branching in different directions as Eeyore decided to forge ahead alone. Meanwhile, the rest of the heroes encountered an air myrmidon, who questioned their presence. Fortunately, their responses proved convincing enough, and they were granted passage without incident.
However, Valerian’s thunderous call for Eeyore stirred unexpected consequences. His cry drew a group of minotaurs from the shadows, who, upon witnessing Eeyore shift into his troll form, saw him as a worthy trophy and launched their attack. Sensing the danger, Isaac, Xeiros, and Yurian rushed in to aid Eeyore, and together, they brought down the minotaurs in a fierce battle.
Meanwhile, a group of hill giants emerged, offering a simple challenge—play a game with them. Valerian, always ready for a distraction, accepted, engaging in multiple rounds of tic-tac-toe. Though his divine skills were formidable, his game-playing prowess was… inconsistent. Let’s just say he won as often as he lost.
Continuing deeper into the temple, Valerian stumbled upon ghostly apparitions. Their eerie forms lingered briefly but quickly retreated, unable to withstand the radiant aura of his holy presence.
With fatigue settling in, the group took refuge in the minotaurs’ room to rest. Isaac and Xeiros, however, ventured out to scout the area, uncovering Howling Hatred cultists preparing to sacrifice a captive. Before they could act, back at the resting site, an unexpected attack was underway—a nothic and fire-breathing minotaurs descended upon the exhausted heroes, eager to claim their hands as gruesome trophies.
The fight was brutal, and Mini-bin was quickly slain. Yet, despite the overwhelming odds, Xeiros’ expert healing kept the group standing. With relentless determination, the heroes turned the tide, surviving what could have been a massacre.