Like Hanifa, when the statue of Anubis rose, Menya dipped into a combat-ready stance, crouched low and ready to spring. Only when the statue explained its non-hostile intentions did she relax. Even so, it was a relief to move on into the next room. Hostile or not, an animated statue was still creepy.<br/><br/>"This looks like a test of magical knowledge," Menya said, after looking through all four of the trials. "No offense, but I'm probably more suited to take it than you are." With a deep breath, she proceeded to begin the first trial.<br/><br/><strong>Trial of Sacrifice</strong>: Menya made a cut on her left arm with her claw and let the dark red blood drip down into the bowl. When the altar finally glowed and released its ball of light, she staunched the bleeding and tied the wound off with a strip of cloth torn from the spare outfit she bought in Sothis. "I'm alright," she reassured Hanifa.<br/><br/><em>1 constitution damage</em><br/><br/><strong>Trial of Endurance</strong>: The catgirl placed her hands on the altar. Arcane magic surged through her; she redirected the flow before it could harm her, but the energies kept pouring into her faster than she could discharge it. Her eyes glowed, then her whole body, as lightning crackled and arced over her figure, the excess energy discharging through any available outlet. It looked rather like the prank she had played on Hanifa back in the libraries of Azghaad's Spire, but this was no joke; Menya was screaming in real pain as she resembled the mad aspect of Nethys more and more, but still she refused to let go.<br/><br/>She had drawn upon most of her own magical reserves, and was halfway to passing out, when the trial mercifully ended and she promptly collapsed into Hanifa's arms, where she stayed for a few minutes before she could stand on her own feet again. Despite anything Hanifa might way, Menya was insistent on completing what she had begun.<br/><br/><em>6 spell slots expended, 4 wisdom damage</em><br/><br/><strong>Trial of Wisdom</strong>: It was with some trepidation that the bard placed her hands upon this altar, half expecting it to suck out the remaining half of her life force. Fortunately for her it did nothing of the sort. She drew upon her extensive background and flooded the altar with all the knowledge of the arcane she had amassed over time, finishing the trial in record time.<br/><br/><em>Lore master ability: take 20 and auto-pass.</em><br/><br/><strong>Trial of Power</strong>: "Finally!" Menya said in relief. After the frustrations of the previous trials, here was something she could do very well to take out her stress on a not-completely-innocent object. She took a moment to line up her swing, then let loose, her claws causing a disturbing screeching sound as they dragged across the altar, leaving deep gouges in their wake.<br/><br/><em>Archaeologist’s Luck and Piranha Strike<br/>First claw: 16 damage (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=61892)<br/>Second claw: 15 damage (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=61893)</em><br/><br/><br/>All four trials passed, the statue of Anubis congratulated Menya's success. "Let's go!" she echoed Hanifa's triumphant mood, the fatigue of her trials all but forgotten in her excitement.<br/><br/>The treasures of the burial chamber were tempting, but Menya remembered Anubis's warning and resisted the urge to pocket the riches for herself. Instead she headed for the open sarcophagus. "Pharaoh," she murmured respectfully with a small bow, as she gazed upon the mummified figure. Then she retrieved the clay tablet from its arms, taking care to disturb the rest of the corpse as little as possible.<br/><br/>The archaeologist took out her chronicler's kit and activated her scroll of<em>Comprehend Languages</em>. She worked intently, copying the contents of the tablet both in the original Ancient Osirion as well as a translation in Catfolk, and explaining to Hanifa what the tablet said as she went. When she finished, she put the tablet back in the ancient pharaoh's arms, and with the help of Hanifa replaced the lid of the sarcophagus, leaving Pharaoh Acherres II to resume his eternal rest.<br/><br/>Before they left the burial chamber, though, there was the important matter of Menya's reward! She studied the items in the room with<em>Detect Magic</em>for magical auras, and finally settled for a vial of bright white liquid. Grinning mischievously, the catgirl dribbled the vial's contents over the chest wrap binding her ample breasts, and had Hanifa knead the liquid into the cloth. "Some girl-on-girl action for Acherres as a thank you! I bet he hasn't seen any in a lonya time!" Menya purred as she enjoyed Hanifa's squeezing hands.<br/><br/><em>Scroll of Comprehend Languages used. Body Wrap of Mighty Strikes upgraded to +2!</em><br/><br/><br/><hr/><br/><br/>"Hm, they're late," Menya observed, as the girls began making their way back through the chambers of the tomb, heading back towards the entrance. "The Aspis or the Hellknights," she explained if Hanifa asked more about it. "The best time for them to show up would have been right when we opened the way into the burial chamber. Or right after I translated Acherres's tablet. Or..."<br/><br/>They stepped outside the pyramid and into fresh air that tasted sweet after the musty, stagnant air in the tomb, only to find themselves face to face with the Aspis expedition. "...Or right now," Menya hissed. "Sa'adat." She recognized the Aspis leader from the descriptions she had gathered in Sothis.<br/><br/>Menya made a show of listening to and considering Sa'adat's offer. "You'll let us live?" she asked slowly as she drew out a scroll, making no sudden movements. If Hanifa was observant, she would notice that it was merely the now-useless scroll she had used up in the burial chamber. "Then catch!" She hurled the scroll into the air, grabbed Hanifa's arm, and made a mad dash towards where their horses were being held.<br/><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Trickery</div><div class="spoiler_body">Activating Archaeologist's Luck<br/>Bluff: 19+2=21 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=61910)<br/></div></div><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Status</div><div class="spoiler_body">Constitution 11/12<br/>Wisdom 4/8<br/>HP 41/41<br/>1/5 1st level spells remaining<br/>1/4 2nd level spells remaining<br/>1/2 3rd level spells remaining<br/>6/8 rounds of Archaeologist's Luck remaining, Archaeologist's luck active.<br/></div></div>