The Trial's: Grace's Trials

Falling through the sand, "AHHH!" it was so sudden that it had surprised me, and landing on a pile of soft sands breaking my fall, I was panicked as the floor just caved?

Looking around it was dark, I can't see a thing? "Avery?! Rika! Mariah! Anyone! Are you in here!" I called out as we were all together outside of the carriage when the floor.

The floor just caved in on us like it was eating us.

Wait! Are we in the fucking belly of some sand beast!

Grabbing my face and rubbing my face, this was so stressing me out. But then I remembered something, he, I mean, no wait, okay, Aster actually. He taught me something super useful.

Reaching for my side to feel my weapon belt, he had taught me how to see in the dark. But it's not with some spell either. I think it was just a survival skill. But I've never been good at doing it, he always did it for us.

Feeling the end of my sword, on the bottom of the handle, I pushed down on the center untill there was a click,and I felt something small and thin pop out, it was flint.

Taking it out, I drew my sword and took off my scarf, then proceeding to wrap the scarf around my sword and hit the flint against the side of my blade, running it down the blade causing sparks to come off as it had hit the scars of the blade. In which the sparks hit the wool.

Pieces of the scarf glew orange and I blew on it making a tiny fire that started expanding on the blade; in which is now torch.

Seeing it work, "Hehe, he always has good ideas" I remember when we were lost in the woods two years ago and he showed me how to do this, I couldn't believe him.

Getting up, I waved the torch around but saw that no one was with me. And I'm in some room on top of a sandpile. This is so unfortunate, looking up at what seemed to be the ceiling, I hope he's safe right now.

I sensed his energy run wild back in the carriage, did he get into a fight with someone over the sand mountain? I don't know, but Mariah said he told me to protect Avery.

But she's probably dead, so I should go find him now.

I wanted to fight with him when I sensed his energy, but the others stopped me again, I knew I should've latched onto him more, if he gets hurt I'd never forgive myself.

Looking around, all the walls were just walls, made from hard sand, there was a ceiling but I think if I break it, the sand above it might fall in, though that's only if there's actually sand above it?

But then again, this doesn't seem to be a mechanical trap, I heard no sounds after I fell, so it must be magic.

Ugh, I hate spellcasters, them and their damn spells.

Actually this is starting to piss me off, looking around, who just cages someone in a room full of sands, and what the hell did they do with my Aster, where is he?

I don't like this, and walking around feeling the walls to see if there was some mechanic to it, I was getting even angrier to the point where this THOUGHT occured to me.

"What if whoever's doing this is aiming for Aster?"

He's in danger, and if they already off'd everyone else in our group, they're probably aiming to capture him, after all Aster and Rika are demons, So they're in big trouble, also this means Rika's in danger... If she's not already dead?

Thinking some more, it has me madder than ever.

And knocking on each wall until I head that there was something hollowing it, meaning something has to be behind it. I cocked back my hand, and I didn't hold anything back.

Punching the stone wall and smashing throughit, there was a open hallway lit by torches throughout it.

So there was a way, and this is a trap, I know it, and I'm right too, I have to be, everything in it is telling me so.

Getting rid of the sword torch, and reusing the scarf.

I put it away for a new and maybe even later use.

Dashing down the hall, getting to some bright portal like white light, I ran through it without any hesitation, they're all after him, I need to get to him before they do anything. Well, possibly Rika too, but either way.

I know I've never made any promises to him, and always tried doing things my way, shit, for years when we made our deal I was trying to go without getting screwed over but nows a different story, I don't care what happens to me, only he does, he cares about me, and I don't want to ever lose him, not to them or his teammates! Fuck!!

Going through the white light into this open room, there was a man bandaged from head to toe with white eyes like a ghoul except unglowing and all white bazaarly?

"Welc–"

But rushing him, grabbing him by the collar an punching him in the face, "Where is he! What did you do to Aster!" I hit him, then back handed him, and then grabbing both his shoulders kneeing him in the stomach making him bend over coughing out air. Not ever letting him have a chance, I then grabbed him by the throat downing him.

And stomping on his stomach, I lifted both hands up, to release a ferocious amount of Demonic Energy making an aura of fury condensing around both my hands.

About to kill whatever this thing is, "Hold up!" sand came down from the ceiling, and appearing close in front of me was another one of these THINGS running at me.

Grabbing my sword and unsheathing it, I jumped off of the freak under me slashing the sword and cutting open its chest, slashing its blood to the sand all while startling the creature that didn't seem to die yet.

More sand came down and appearing right behind me, grabbing me from behind, "Wait wait wait! You're not supposed to be fight us human! This isn't apart of the trials!" the guy grabbing me said as the slashed guy stepped back holding his cut chest that wasn't too lethal, I mean, he looks to be breathing for now?

But slamming my head back and hitting his nose, he didn't let me go, and glancing to them, the fucker in front of me, beside me, and panting on the ground, "Where the fuck is my master!!! Where Did You Take My Aster!!!"

Screaming like a mad woman, as I was serverly enraged that they dared so this to us and was growling at them, I heard, "Aster? The Demon? He's waiting for you! So can you please! Please just calm the heck down, I'm begging you!"

And hearing him, I flinched, and letting go of my sword, ready to use my demonic martial arts if needed, I said back to the man, taking a long and needed breathe.

"Where is he, take me to him," I said trying my best to calm, "I can't do that," but hearing that, clenching my teeth and slammed my head against his nose again.

And letting me go, I turned around kicking his side, and getting him to be knocked over a little as he took a few steps. I'm surprised, I have the strength of a medium sized golem, This Freak Is Tough To Take It Well!!!

Getting into Balors Unarmed Martial Arts stance, "Then I'll just have to kill you and offer your flesh to lord Balor!" I growled, circling the Demonic Energy around my flesh.

My body grew hot and I could feel my veins bulging and my flesh boiling. I can feel myself growing stronger too.

And turning to him and the other one as it approached, it then put it's hand up to chest level, acting like it was trying to calm me, "Wait, we're not here to fight!"

Hearing him, "Save the talk for when your dead, freak!" I said and kicking the ground, I hit him sending him back, he was far weaker than the other freaks looking like him.

But then he shifted into a sand haze reforming over to my side where his freak friend was, "Stop running and fight me!" I growled again, knowing their stalling time.

But then the both of them said, "Wait, truly, that Aster and his captain made a deal with our boss, who said anyone who made it past the trails could join us, so your leader said to send you all, who is apart of his team on all this"

He said and hearing him, "I don't care what the fuckwit said! I want to know where Aster is being held! He's with us on this are or you using this as a trick to capture him!"

I said not believing a word of what they were saying.

"No, the Demon, Aster is already done! He's with one of our peers, no, waiting for the rest of you to finish the trials" the one without the slash said, and hearing him I clicked my tongue and relaxed my body, claiming this power.

And deactivating [Enchantment], I looked over to them and said, "Whatever, just stay out of my way," turning around, I saw a one eyes giant an walked over to it.

Kicking it's thick leg and destroying it's foundation it fell over and I continue walking to the wall, where I punched it and exposed the hallway opposite of the other one.

Leaving the room, "She scares me" the Pharaoh with a slash on his chest said groaning and falling back, and the other one went to check on the Pharaoh laying on his face as he didn't move after getting beat down.

"Yeah. . .She scares me too, man," he agreed with him.

Getting to the next room, I saw board over a pit and one more of those freaks with white eye balls, "Welcome, this challenge is about..." but hearing her, as she was talking I hopped down to the bottom of the pit and just walked.

"Uhhhh...." Looking at me as snakes were all around.

I walked and they didn't bother me, and I got to her side.

Hopping up, her mouth was wide open and looking at her, "Move it, bitch," I kicked the wall behind her opening the next hall, and walking into it, the torches weren't even up but I walked over to the next room, after getting to it.

"3 riddles you must answer to pass this test"

But looking at them, "Suck a dick," I walked past them, but they sand traveled into storms in front of me, both with there hands out, I retook out my sword looking in their freak eyes as they opened their mouths again.

"To pass this trail you must answer our riddles, human"

And hearing them, I growled releasing my Aura Of Fury.

"Not if I remove your tongues and bash your teeth in..."

Making them flinch, "Now move it freaks," I threatened and looking to eachother and then me, I shoved them and walked past the both of them. They didn't speak.

Kicking in the wall, I kept going, these trials are stupid, like our dumbass captain, why does Aster put up with him, I should have killed him the day we met that idiot.

I used to be an adventure, "Fucking idiot," and not even then was I this dumb to trust a bunch of freaks looking like ghouls, I should stab him for just doing this to me.

"Fucking idiot..."

Getting to the next room, there was no more of those freaks, instead, camps, humans, tents, and camps, all were frozen in place, and as I saw them, and walked.

It unfroze, and looking at them as they were chatting and eating meals, I sensed all of them in here, there must of been around 50 or more, they were normal humans and none of them seem to be made from the freaks magic.

They're just regular people living down here, isolated.

And hearing me, walking with my sword undrawn and my scarf half burned wrapped around my ankle after I put it out before the first room, back when I was in the latter.

Seeing me one of them got up approaching, "Hello!" he said coming over to me, and looking at this man as he came, "Traveler, it's been a while since we've seen one of you down here, join us, tell us about your travels~"

The man said kindly, reminding me of my old friend...

And shaking my head, "Sorry, forgive me but I must be on my way, maybe another time I'll visit with my friend," I said back to him and he laughed patting my shoulder.

"That sounds like a plan, just come back if you need to rest from your travels, we're not as nomadic, but we do like trade and enjoy when you younglings appear in our underground farms, anyways, do well traveler, farewell"

He said and I walked through the camp, being greeted by other humans and seeing them wholesomely share meals together, kids were around, and they laughed.

All greeted me kindly as I walked, and greeting them back, I walked to the other side of this large room, to where I saw the wall, and not knowing where the next hall was, I knocked on the wall untill I found the hollowed point, meaning that there was something behind it...

Cracking this one open with a kick, I continued.

And walking down it, "Seeing them reminds me of my home town, I should bring Aster there one day, yeah"

But why did they all speak of some Pharaohs? Hm?