- 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.
- -----------
- >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