- 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.
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