Read this story and all of its chapters in paragraph format with better editing, here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/129684/the-trials
 
This version of the story is heavily unedited.
 
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>Pain.
>The first thing she feels is pain, most of it concentrated to her head.
>She holds her head tightly between her front hooves, her body squirming against a cold, hard floor.
>The air was thick, damp, and cold, but there was no wind.
>As she shifted, the sounds of displaced gravel and dust echoed across the room.
>She groaned, but the pain finally decided to subside enough for her to pop open her eyes.
>After taking in a deep breath, Echo placed her hooves on the rocky floor and pushed herself up with a grunt.
>Her crystal clear voice echoed against the uneven rocky walls, snapping herself to attention.
>She was in a modestly sized cave-like room, the stony walls caked with uneven, rocky protrusions.
>Stalagmites and stalactites were scattered across the ground and ceiling.
>The only source of illumination was a lone wall torch on the far side of the room from her, flushing the room with a dancing, orange light.
>She shook her head a bit, gathering her bearings.
>This was it.
>She made it into the Trials.
 
>With a final shake of her body to snap herself out of her grogginess, Echo took her first steps towards the burning torch.
>Who had ignited it? Would it burn forever?
>She didn't know, but she was told she would encounter the impossible in the Trials.
>The rules were different, here.
>A dark tunnel greeted her to the left.
>She knew she wouldn't go down there just yet, being largely unprepared.
>It was then that she noticed a wooden chest off to the side, against the wall, near the torch.
>It was behind a little rocky protrusion, the light from the torch barely highlighting the wooden box.
>Reluctantly, she approached it, seeing as it was the only thing she could examine in the room.
>She tapped the box once, hearing a faint rustle from objects inside.
>Something metal, with a lot of components.
>Slowly, Echo lifted the lid and her eyes widened at the contents presented to her.
>Inside of the chest was what looked like a plate of chest armour with several leather straps.
>It seemed that other mundane parts of armour were underneath.
>She pulled out the chest plate and examined it.
>It was a bit rusty and plain, but it would have to do.
 
>Echo finished putting on the last component of the rusty armour.
>Her chest, sides, back, haunches and legs were more or less protected.
>It wasn't perfect, but it would be better than nothing.
>However, she was only provided with a small, rusty dagger that strapped to her left shoulder.
>She was also provided with fairly small saddlebags, which hung off from her sides.
>She still felt reluctant to go down the dark tunnel just yet, until a small glint of light caught her eye.
>Something metallic peered over a large rock to her right, hiding anything behind it in its corner of the room.
>Echo took in a deep breath and made her way around the boulder.
>Hidden in the shadows was a weapon rack.
>Although the weapons looked a bit worn and flimsy, they were a lot more satisfying than just a dagger.
>The metal glint that appeared above the rock was the head of a spear, attached to a wooden pole about one-and-a-half times as long as her body was.
>Next to it was a pair of hoof-claws; quick and deadly without imposing too much on her mobility, but would cause her to go in close.
>Finally, there rested a straight sword about the length of one of her legs, accompanied by a worn-leather scabbard.
>While she would like to bring all of the weapons with her, she only would be able to bring one.
>Her saddlebags were too small for the hoof-claws, and if she wore them, she would be unable to wield the sword or the spear.
>Those, too, were fairly imposing by themselves and she would only be able to carry one.
 
 
A fairly short start, but we are now posed with our first decision to make!
 
What will it be...
The spear?
The sword?
Or the claws?
 
Most popular answer, or dubs, decides for the next chapter.
 
***Chapters in full paragraphs with better editing, here: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/129684/the-trials