Trials 13

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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>Rumbles could still be felt through the stone beneath their hooves.

>Echo let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in, glancing to her right at Speck who nodded slowly to her.

>Puffing out her chest, she moved forwards into the room, Speck following suit.

>Night Watch cracked her neck and started walking behind Echo, while Mosina reluctantly followed by her side.

>As they walked, the light from their crystals pulled away from the entrance and wall behind them, leaving them on a circular, flat surface of stone.

>The darkness hid the walls and ceiling.

>Her heart pulsing to the point of pain, Echo kept her weapon at ready, feeling as though something could reach out of the dark and snatch them up.

>They were in a spotlight, being eyed by something.

>She felt naked.

>Slowly, they walked, inching towards what they thought was the center of the room.

>Speck had a hardened gaze, ready for anything.

>Mosina was visibly having a hard time to breathe, and Night Watch kept a scowl on her face.

>They were ready to fight.

>Or die, horribly. Terribly.

 

>The rumbling stopped.

 

>Time seemed to literally stop between the four bat ponies.

>They froze--in fear or anticipation, they could not tell.

>Echo felt herself unable to breath, as if a breath could disrupt whatever lurked beyond the veil of light.

>Night Watch snorted from behind and muttered, "Circular formation."

>The four of them each face outwards, their backs against each other with their weapons at the ready.

 

---

 

>A terrible growl, with which Echo could only describe as gasoline, filled their ears.

>She let out a quiet huff through her teeth, like a response, or an invitation.

>As if to answer her, a giant, unshapely form exploded out from the dark.

>Except, it wasn't dark--it was white, and it reflected the light from their crystals easily.

>The entire room, hundreds of feet tall and wide, lit up upon the creature's entrance.

>Eight giant and hairy legs landed with a loud thud in front of Echo.

>Before even taking a good look at the beast, she yelled,

"Here!"

>Night Watch swung to her side and blindly thrust her blade towards Echo's call.

>Echo lunged forward, swinging her blade at one of the legs, as Night Watch's spear collided with another.

>In a burst of blue sparks, their weapons deflected off of the white, rocky legs.

>They leaped backwards, Speck and Mosina at the ready behind them.

>"Back!" Mosina called, diving to her left.

>The others dove out of the way as well, as the giant spider slammed its body down where they once were.

>Two giant fangs, each as long as her own body, narrowly missed Echo, slamming into the floor.

>With a loud hiss, the spider pulled up and slammed down again, Echo diving out of the way once more.

>Eight round, ugly green eyes stared at her with a cold desire to devour, before it pulled up again.

>She rolled but couldn't get out of the way of the spider's superior reach, until a silver spear came up and stabbed between its eyes.

>Night Watch's spear made a dent, but ultimately deflected off.

>The giant spider swatted her away with one of its legs, rearing up its fangs to impale Echo.

>She hopped up onto her hooves and leaped backwards, only to witness Speck slam her entire, armoured body into the spider's side.

 

 

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>"Haah! Mosina, get ready!"

>Speck's momentum staggered the spider, and it annoyingly stumbled to keep its balance.

>With her shield, she slammed against the nearest leg, taking its grip off the ground.

>Its body fell, allowing Mosina to hop up onto its back.

>"Nngh! Here goes nothing!"

>She threw her claws into it with golden sparks, only for them to merely scratch its hide.

>Echo ran up to one of the spider's flailing legs, helplessly hacking at it with her sword.

>However, with a small shrug, the spider sent all three of them flying in different directions.

>Night Watch hopped in front of it with her spear pointed at its face.

>"Guys! I think we should use the light crystals!" she muttered, keeping the spider at bay.

>But with a grunt, the spider charged at her, her spear getting pushed aside by its hide, effortlessly.

>It slammed into her, sending her flying, landing beside Speck.

>"Its hide is too thick! Take to the air, we can fly in this room!" Mosina screamed from near Echo.

"Right! Let's go!"

>With a light push off of the ground, Echo took to the air, Mosina following after her.

>The spider helplessly hissed at them from the ground as the four air-bourne bat ponies met.

>"Hnngh.. I'm not sure how long I can keep this up," Speck said, flapping her turquoise wings hard to compensate for her heavy armour.

>"Right. Well, we're off to a rough start," Night Watch remarked, as out of breath as the others, already.

"I don't know how to use the light crystals. Th-there aren't any statues around for us to use," Echo stammered.

>Night Watch sighed and shook her head.

>"I guess that's out of the question."

>"What do we do? Its hide is too thick," Speck pointed out.

"We have to go for its mouth with a lucky stab, some how," Echo uttered.

"Let's not take took long up here, Speck has to land soon."

 

---

 

>"I can distract it fine." Speck grunted, letting out a distraught breath. "Gotta land, now! You guys have to--"

>A giant form fell from above, colliding with her and sending her to the ground.

>"Speck!"

>Night Watch dove after her, watching helplessly as Speck slammed onto the rocky ground.

>The giant spider landed beside her, turning to her unconscious body.

>Before Mosina and Echo could dive to help her out, another giant form collided with the two of them from below.

>They flew through the air before stabalizing themselves, scanning the room to find the giant spider latching onto the wall near them.

>With a confused glance, Echo stared at it and then to the one on the ground that Night Watch was quickly approaching.

"Dear Luna, There are two!" she screamed as Mosina floated in place, shocked.

"Guh... go help Night Watch and Speck! I can keep this one distracted, for now!"

>"R-right! Be safe!" Mosina remarked before flying off.

"Go!" Echo urged, watching her dive.

>She turned to the spider on the wall as it glared up to her, getting ready to leap once again.

>Anticipating its path, she flew out of the way as it sailed past.

>It fell far to the ground below with a loud rumble, and Echo dove after it.

>As she neared, the spider reared up its front legs as if to catch her.

>Skillfully, she waved between them and skimmed her blade along its back.

>Blue sparks sailed out, only for a linear scratch to mark the place she had struck.

>It hopped and rotated in mid air, landing while facing Echo.

>Crouching down onto its legs, it leaped at her with incredible speed.

 

---

 

>"Rraugh!"

>With her spear in front of her, Night Watch picked up speed quick and aimed right for the spider's back.

>Her wings folded against her body, she made no plans to stop.

>The spider ejected its fangs, ready to pierce through Speck's armour like butter, before Night Watch slammed into its back.

>She hit hard in an explosion of blue sparks and rolled off of its back, smashing into the floor beside Speck, unmoving.

>Her spear was deeply embedded into the spider's torso.

>It reared back in pain and let out a loud, gurgly hiss.

>"Night Watch!" Mosina screamed, flying down to the scene.

>Both Speck and Night Watch lay unmoving next to each other, their light crystals bathing the rearing spider in white light.

>She quickly flew to the spear sticking out of its back and grabbed it, pulling to get it loose.

>Feeling the new presence on its back, the spider shrugged in hopes of getting her off, only for her to hang onto the spear tight.

>"Gaah!"

>Every move it made, the spear dug slightly deeper.

>Begrudgingly, the spider crouched onto its legs and leaped upwards, towards one of the walls.

>Mosina held on tightly, still, flying with the spider.

>It landed on the wall with a loud thud, but she did not relent.

>She tried to twist it or pull it out, until she found it would only budge if she thrust it inwards.

>The spider tried to shake her off, flailing madly, only for her to push the sharp blade deeper into its flesh.

>And as the spider became more agonized with pain, it flailed harder.

>Finally, it slammed its legs against the wall, the sudden movement prying Mosina off of its back.

>She rolled in the air and steadied herself, finding the silver spear between her hooves.

>A loud growl caught her attention, only for her to find two large fangs flying straight towards her.