- 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.
- ----------
- >As Echo and Night Watch touched down on the rocky shore, Speck ran up to them with a concerned gaze.
- >"Is she okay?" she asked while Night Watch let the bat pony in her hooves down onto the floor.
- >"She fought hard, but she seems fine," Night Watch responded.
- >"Th-thanks..." the bat pony whispered, her eyes half open.
- >A lock of her white mane covered her eyes, which was brushed away by a hoof from Echo.
- "You're torn up..." Echo said, dropping down and turned to go through her saddlebags.
- >The black leather armour on the bat pony had many cuts and scratches, many of them open to show the cuts on her skin underneath.
- >Thankfully, none of them were lethal, but she seemed out of it nonetheless.
- "Here, drink this," Echo said, pulling out a half-empty healing flask.
- >The bat pony's yellow eyes widened at the sight and leaned upwards, drinking the red liquid in big gulps.
- >She took the flask between her hooves as she drank, her worn, iron hoof-blades clinking against the glass.
- >"It looks like the monsters are retreating," Night Watch stated from the side, gazing at the lake.
- >Sure enough, several of the bipedal creatures wearily dipped back down under the water's surface, seemingly afraid of coming out again.
- >"I wouldn't blame them," Mosina said grimly, coming up from behind.
- >Night Watch laughed.
- >"Show off."
- >"We shouldn't linger. They could come back."
- >Mosina walked over to the others, kneeling down.
- >"Hey, Gloomie, are you alright?"
- >After finishing the rest of the healing potion, Gloomie wiped her mouth with a hoof and peered over to Mosina.
- >Her brown wings unfurled, excited.
- ---
- >"M-Mosina! Oh... I'm so glad you guys came. I-I thought I was done for..." she quivered.
- >"It's alright, you're safe now," Speck said gleefully. "Can you walk?"
- >Hesitating, Gloomie pressed one of her hooves down on the ground, quickly pushing herself up.
- >"Yeah... yeah. I feel much better."
- >She shifted around in her spot a bit, examining the cuts in her armour.
- >"All of my cuts are gone... whew."
- >"Hey, Gloomie! I know how much you like claws," Speck exclaimed, suddenly diving into her saddlebags to pull out a golden object.
- >"We saved these for you. We hoped to find you as soon as possible!"
- >Gloomie's eyes widened, seeing the shiny golden hoof-blades being offered to her.
- >She gasped, immediately throwing off her broken iron ones and grabbing at the new weapons, examining them closely.
- >"Whoa... these are made of... gold?"
- "Yep," Echo said, coming up beside her. "It seems that equipment in the Trials are magical. It's unorthodox, but it's effective."
- >Taking her gaze away from the hoof-claws, Gloomie glanced around at her comrades.
- >"Wow... you all have such fancy equipment."
- >Night Watch flashed a grin, putting her golden spear on her back.
- >"Weren't easy to get. We had to go through two, giant spiders to get most of this stuff."
- >"And there is Umbra equipment, evidently," Mosina said, indicating to the Wind Ruler on her back.
- >"Umbra... but only the elite guards are equipped with those," Gloomie breathed.
- "I thought it was kind of sentimental for Luna to include them in the Trials," Echo piped up.
- >"And they have super powers, here," Night Watch added in.
- >"Super powers?"
- >"No time, Gloomie," Mosina suddenly asserted. "We have to get out of here, and there's only one way we haven't gone, yet."
- >"Where's that?" Gloomie asked.
- >"Up there," Mosina answered, pointing a hoof to the bridge that led from the lake shore to the highest tunnel in the room.
- >"I just came from there, kind of," Gloomie admitted. "But there was a fork--a way I didn't come from."
- ---
- "Right, we should go there, then," Echo said, moving to the head of the group. "The quicker we find A--"
- >A giant splash erupted from the lake, cutting her off.
- >A form much larger than anything they had encountered emerged, and it let out a loud roar, sending vibrations throughout the room.
- >"Run!" Mosina cried, taking off in a wild sprint towards the stone bridge.
- >Night Watch, Speck, Echo and Gloomie took off after her, not caring to look at the monstrosity.
- >As they ran along the shore, the bipedal, amphibious creatures re-emerged from the waters, chasing after the bat ponies.
- >Loud splashing could be heard behind them, the large creature advancing through the waters towards them.
- >"Guh... I'll slow them down!" Mosina said, drawing her spear and spinning around. "Keep going, guys. I'll catch up!"
- >Echo passed her a knowing glance as she and the others ran past.
- >"Haah...!"
- >Mosina immediately swung the Wind Ruler horisontally at the immediate group of monsters close to her.
- >A short gust of strong winds pushed them off of their legs, sending them backwards.
- >However, her eyes widened once she saw the large monster as it let out a roar.
- >Standing 30 feet above the water was a creature similar in appearance to the small amphibious monsters.
- >Through its dozens of serrated teeth screamed a terrifying roar.
- >Lined along its back were long, sharp protrusions.
- >Electricity sparked between them.
- >Snapping out from her stupor, Mosina turned around and took flight towards the stone bridge.
- ---
- >The group of bat ponies were already halfway across, and Mosina landed behind them in a thud, running with them.
- >"I-I've taken care of the little ones, but that big one's going to reach us!"
- >Night Watch held an awestruck gaze at the monster as she ran.
- >"It... charges electricity?!"
- >"I don't know! Just run!"
- >Every stride the beast took with its thick, reptillian legs sent huge waves across the lake.
- >Its hideous, eyeless head was fixed on them until it finally reached within striking distance of the bridge.
- >It let out another loud roar, raising up its right, heavily muscled arm.
- >Very long claws protruted out of its finned fingers.
- >"It's going to hit us!" Gloomie cried.
- >The beast threw its clawed hand, smashing into the surface of the bridge behind them.
- >With its palm open, it dragged its hand across the bridge, seemingly to catch all of the bat ponies in one go.
- >"Aaah!" Mosina cried from the back of the group as the hand closed the distance with her.
- >Suddenly, she was pushed forward as Speck charged past her towards it.
- >With the Keel Regalia held in front of her, she immediately rooted herself to the ground as the hand collided with the shield.
- >Indigo light erupted all along her body, magically binding her to the floor through her hooves and protecting her body.
- >A loud pang rung out, and the hand suddenly blasted backwards, deflected from the immobile pony.
- ---
- >The creature let out a piercing wail, its hand snapping backwards from its arm, broken.
- >It reeled back, momentarily distracted from the group.
- >The light faded from Speck, and she groggily stood up from behind the shield, nearly falling over.
- "Come on, Speck, I got you!" Echo said, having run back to her from the group.
- >"Guh... that took a lot out of me..." Speck drawled.
- >Echo nudged her with her head before she begain to trot.
- >Speck followed Echo with a brisk trot back towards the end of the bridge.
- >The other bat ponies waited at the tunnel entrance, Night Watch reaching out to help Speck along when they neared.
- >"Quick, let's keep going!" Mosina beckoned as they ran past her.
- >Dozens of the small amphibious creatures were running across the bridge at them, letting out a chorus of gurgly growls and wails.
- >After the last of the group ran into the cave, Mosina followed, taking the rear.
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