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.
 
----------

>The dust settled, and the three bat ponies had a little coughing fit.
>Slowly, Mosina pulled herself up off of the stony floor, shaking her head.
>To her left, Gloomie was sprawled over Night Watch's back, who was lying on the floor.
>"Ah... is everyone alright...? Mosina asked, coughing once.
>"Guh... I think I'm okay..." Gloomie groaned, rolling off of Night Watch, belly side up.
>"Mnn..." Night Watch muttered.
>Mosina took several steps back until she noticed some of the group, missing.
>"Oh, no... Speck, Echo..."
>"Wha--"
>Gloomie was interrupted as Night Watch suddenly stood up.
>"N-uh?! What happened?!" 
>"We were split... oh, dear," Mosina droned.
>"Th-they're not here?" Night Watch took a look around, before turning to the rocky wall that impeded their way back.
>"I... I think I saw them running towards the other part of the cave," Gloomie suggested, hopping up.
>Mosina's eyes glinted.
>"You did? Are you sure?"
>"I think so... I remember seeing a purple flash come from their direction, after Speck used her shield on something," Gloomie answered.
>"Oh, thank Luna..." Mosina let out a deep, relieved sigh. "They must have made it out in time."

---

>"I hope so." Night Watch walked up to the imposing stone, resting a hoof on it.
>She gave a little push.
>"I don't think there's any hope of going through this."
>"Feh... I hate things like this," Mosina spat, feeling exasperated. "We can only hope their path will meet with ours, some way."
>She cast a glance to the dark tunnel awaiting them, her light crystal and Night Watch's only illuminating so far.
>"Well, hey, maybe it was meant to happen like this," Gloomie insisted. "I mean, why would Luna make a ceiling that could crumble so easily?"
>Mosina furrowed her brows in thought.
>"That kind of makes sense... but at the same time, it seems most of our encounters were by chance, and we barely overcame them."
>The thought of Speck saving them in the nick of time, and them saving Gloomie, flashed in her head.
>"They'll live. They're hard nuts to crack," Gloomie reassured.
>Night Watch snickered before recieving a light punch from her.
>"Nah... you're right. Speck is pretty much indestructable."
>"Hey... do you guys hear that?" Mosina piped up, her ears perked.
>The other two fell silent, perking up their ears, too.
>"Sounds like... water?" Night Watch suggested.
>"I suppose we'll have to find out, yeah?" Mosina said, beckoning the others forward while beginning to trot.
>"Nothing to do but move on, I guess," Gloomie agreed, following.
>Night Watch shrugged, falling in behind her.
>"Damn... this probably means my map is useless, now," Mosina muttered.
>Gloomie rolled her eyes. "You never know--we might end up backwards, somehow."

---

>Silence fell upon them, saved for their footsteps, the water dropping from the ceiling and the distant sound of running water.
>The further they went, Mosina took note of the increasing concentration of stalactites and stalagmites surrounding them.
>Puddles frequented the ground until they all merged together to leave a thin layer of water over the floor.
>After rounding a short corner, a distant, blue light seemed to glow in the distance.
>It was faint, but it seemed to be another room.
>"Hey, guys, let's pick up the pace... I think there's something up ahead," Mosina said, quickening her trot.
>Gloomie and Night Watch exchanged shrugs, following the turquoise ponytail.
>Several seconds of power-trotting later, the group crested the dim, blue light into the opening.
>They came to a fairly wide and long hallway, a large, underground river flowing alongside their path.
>What kept their gazes upwards, however, was what seemed like the night sky.
>Dotting the rocky ceiling were hundreds of tiny, glowing orbs that resembled stars.
>Mosina felt like she were put into a trance.
>"Are those... glow worms?" Gloomie whispered from the side.
>"That's... really pretty," Mosina remarked. "Yeah... I think they are."
>"Hey, guys, look," Night Watch said, cutting them off from their stupor.
>She pointed down the wide cave, at what seemed like a stone structure in the distance.
>An orange light fed out from what looked like the open door of a small, stone shack.