3 - The Trial (Revised)

Chapter 3 - The Trial

"As you command.....Ryota."

...

"Get ready Equestria...Your new and ultimate leader is approaching..."

(PoV: ???)

"So this is what he wanted from me all along..." I said in my head as I had finished hearing the plot of number 1 and 5. "This is why he asked me to join the organization. To make number 10 and I...no...to make Alex...and I, make these group of Enigmas look like the good guys while we have to do all the work and they are just here to manage us!" I was furious at why they actually wanted me. "...That's it...I need to reveal this to Alex and his new friend...From this point on, I am will no longer be referred to as number 11...but as my true name...the name that I died with...Nikki...This could be risky for me...but as long as the truth is out, I could care less about what happens to me. No one here even likes my presence anyways...but...I feel so drawn to Alex...He is so different from the others around here. Even if we Enigmas only pretend to have emotions...it's sometimes almost as if he is not one of us...like a pure soul, with a heart and feelings...Gah! I can't be sitting here admiring him! I need to tell him about what is truly going on!" I then took off, hoping that I didn't attract any attention of any other member.

(PoV: Alex)

It's been a good 10 minutes since me and Silver had arrived here in the Eternity Realm, but he still hasn't waken up yet and Sareena is no where to be found. I began worrying as to what may be going on. I stood up from where I was sitting and began walking in circles, thinking about what may have possibly happened that's keeping Ree so long.

Did she get caught? Was she seen by someone in the act? What's going to happen to us?

These questions kept running through my head like crazy. This was starting to get really uncomfortable...especially since I brought Silver here. What will the others think of him when he becomes number 12?

"Wh-What is this place?!" I look behind me to see that Silver had woken up from his slumber. "I never in my life would have dreamed of seeing a place like this..." He then looks in my direction. I could tell by the look on his face that he was terrified by the way I actually look. "Who are you?" He quickly asked.

I was glad to see that he was awake, so I gave him a smile and said, "What? You didn't expect me to look like this Silver?"

He seemed even more surprised at the fact that I was the one talking in this form.

"Alex?!" He asked. I laughed a little and gave him a nod. "You could have told me what you actually are before bringing me here." He said clearly angered at not giving him a warning.

"Sorry." I replied, "I should have worked on getting a proper introduction ready." He looked at me confused.

"What do you mean by that?" He asks me.

"Well," I began, "originally my sister was supposed to meet with me here before you woke up from your sleep. She hasn't arrived yet and I'm starting to wonder if this plan is such a good idea after all..."

"Oh..." He replied, "Well, how long was I out for?" He asks me.

"I would estimate a good ten minutes..." I then remembered how strong that spell was. I should see if he needs any help. "Are you alright?" I ask him worried about how bad it hurt.

"My head is giving me some trouble, that's for sure." He answered, "But other than that, I really don't think I'm hurt."

"Well that's good hear." I told him, "Using a spell to teleport two beings into a different world takes a lot out of you. I've heard that some unicorns down there can't even master the simplest forms of it. Is that true?" I ask curiously. While I do watch over this world, I don't get to experience much detail in it's workings, culture, history, and other things. Father told me that it wasn't necessary information to use for the organization.

"Yes it is." He replied, "While most unicorns, such as myself, rely on magic so much, there are some who learn to live without it. It's rare to find some but believe me they are out there. But no pony's magic can compare to the princesses. You practically have to be some sort of god to rival them." He tells me. Now this is information that sounds really interesting. Heck, maybe even father would find this good. "You know...I haven't had a nice conversation like this in a long time. To tell you the truth...it feels great."

"Well...I agree." I said, "Not many people or ponies here in this world like to interact with me. In a way, we are kinda the same." He looks at me with a surprised look.

"Really?" He asks me.

"Yeah, I mean...we both have lived not so great lives...we have been alone all these years...but I want to change that...for both of us. So...would you be my fri-"

"AL!" I stopped speaking when someone yelled my name. I look to where the source was and I saw that it was the tardy Sareena. "I see that you managed to make it out in one piece." She then looks at Silver. "Hey there new guy!"

"Ree! Where were you this whole time? I was worried about you," I told her while Silver just looked clueless. I then quickly told him, "Oh Silver, this is my sister Sareena. Sareena, this is Silver."

Silver still was clueless at Sareena's sudden appearance. "Heeey.....you..." He responded. "Nice...to meet you."

Sareena just gave her usual smile to him and said, "Aww...It's nice to meet you too kiddo!...But anyway Al, I need you to come with me. Father has given us another mission...aaaaand I wouldn't mind if Silver here comes along." This made me worried. Silver has little to no experience against what we have been doing.

"A-Alright Ree...Let's go." I said. Silver approached me.

"Alex...does she always act like this? Please be honest with me." Damn...If I tell him, then it may give him second guesses on joining or not...but if I lie, he'll probably find out later and he won't trust me...What do I say?

TIP: When talking to certain characters, you may be given the option to choose what you want to say. Use the Left Analog Stick to navigate your choices, then press X to pick the response you want to say. Some choices can grant you light or dark side points depending on the situation. IMPORTANT!: Some choices may effect how characters react to you. So choose carefully.

Choices:

1. To tell you the truth...Sareena is acting kinda suspicious.

1. Can we talk about this later?

3.No. *chuckle* Not all...

Silver seemed a bit more worried about Sareena now, "Yeah? Suspicious how?" He asks me.

"Well," I began, "She usually isn't this hyper about stuff like this...I'll admit that she is an energetic enigma most of the time, but she seems a bit off today. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with you or not though." After that response he seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"Ok, at least that's been answered for me...thank you for being honest with me Alex. It really does  mean a lot to me." He gives me small smile.

"No problem buddy." I responded. Hearing the word buddy being directed towards him made him feel good. His smile was was no longer small.

"One last thing," He says, "Do you know where we're going exactly?" He asks. Now that I think about it, Ree never really did give us any details.

"Sorry, even I don't know what's going on right now." I responded.

"Well, that's alright...nice talking with you Alex." He says.

"Likewise...it's so good to see that you're starting to change already." I responded.

We then ended the conversation and noticed that Ree was getting the portal ready for us.

"Hey Al," Ree says to me while she's getting ready, "You might wanna use the circle to get rid of any unnecessary wounds."

"Yeah, I'll do that." I respond then look next to her to see a circle of light forming.

This is your HUD.

It displays your HP (Health Points) and MP (Magic Points). The HP bar shows how much health you have. Keep your HP high to stay alive. If Alex hits 0 HP, it is Game Over (Unless in certain situations). The MP bar displays how much magic you have. Magic is still a mystery to you, progressing further in the story will later grant you new abilities that involve magic.

I then approached the light. When I stepped inside of it, the brightness grew and two orbs circled around me rapidly. While inside, it felt like having the greatest massage ever.

This is a Save Point. You will come across many of these on your quest. Use them to save your game progress. When you enter a save point, all HP and MP is fully restored. Press Triangle to save your game.

Reaction!: Save

Save Game

-

Memory Unit A

Memory Unit B

-

Slot 1

Slot 2

Slot 3

-

Saving...

Save Complete!

Eternity Realm - Lv. 3 - 0 Bits

I then looked at Sareena, who had just finished preparing the portal to our destination. "So," she began, "What do you think about the place we're going to?" She asked wanting my opinion. I took a peak inside the portal and saw the environment we were heading into. It was a forest clearing...but it seemed to filled with large amounts of light energy. It looked beautiful too. The sun shining bright in it's location, the flowers blooming, tall trees, and the sound of waterfall in the background. I looked back at Sareena and Silver, who were awaiting my thoughts on the place.

"It looks amazing...." I said simply.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Sareena says filled with excitement, "Let's GO!" She then jumps inside. I look at Silver, who was standing right next to me, and asked him...

"Are you ready?"

He approaches the portal and responds, "...Y-Yes...If it will change both of our fates, then let's do it." He then jumps in. This left me all alone, unsure if what we are about to go through is a good idea. Even thought I was still clueless, I just slowly approached and walked into the portal.

As I finish entering, I can only hear the sound of birds chirping, and the distant waterfall. I surveyed the area in hopes of finding some kind of life here, but there was nothing. Not even Silver or Sareena was around here to help. I gave a stressed sigh and said to myself...

"It's gonna be a loooong day for me." I lower my head with my eyes closed. "I don't even know what's going on or where the others went...What should I do?"

I bring my back up at the sight of a red butterfly flying around me. It made feel.....something...since I'm an Enigma, we really can't feel emotions. We simply pretend to know how it feels to have hearts. In reality, Enigmas aren't born with a heart. This means that we shouldn't exist at all. Father always told me that the princesses of Equestria will never see our importance in life simply because we aren't supposed to exist. But from what I have seen, the princesses are really generous and kind spirits to just about everyone they meet. Why would they want us gone? If I ever do get a chance at meeting them, I want to discuss this topic with them.

Anyways, the butterfly then stopped circling around me and started flying away leaving dust behind. It then formed into 3 different colored orbs with a symbol inside each of them. One was red with a sword inside of it, another was blue and had a staff inside of it, and the last was green with a shield inside of it.

These are what make up a true hero.....Choose the one you would like to specialize in...

The words echoed far, telling me to choose one of these 3 orbs. Judging by how these look, I assume that what it's inside them is what they represent. Red with the sword would mean strength, blue with the staff would mean magic, and green with the shield would mean health and defense. I'm not so sure about this voice considering me a "true hero." I wonder what this all means. None the less, I should examine these.

I believe that I am not ready for any sort of magic yet. Sure I can do the basics, but not any physical magic. Defense seems to be out of the question too since father put me through many endurance tests. So, I believe strength would be the right choice since I've always used my sword, the Void's End, when I need to defend myself. I then approached the red orb.

The power of the Heroic Knight. A sword that will vanquish all evil. Strength above all others. Is this the power you seek?

You Bet!

Let's keep looking...

You're path has been set...Now, let's put you're skills to the test...

I then felt weight on my right hand. I look at it to see that I am now carrying a new sword. This sword carries a lot of light energy from what I can tell by it's glow. The blade itself was made of gold and sharpened to the tip. The grip/handle was a beautiful platinum with a cyan colored diamond at the end of it. Just by looking at this thing seems to give off strength and it also feels...ancient. I look at it in awe and wonder.

This is the Eternal Harmony...a blade of remarkable power...only usable by the catalyst...the one who is destined to save all...and that person...is you...

(Song End)

I have no idea what any of this means. Am I really the one? Am I really a hero? And also.....Who is the threat that stands before me?

These questions ran through my head but remained unanswered. Instead, I could the sound of someone, or something, running coming from behind the trees. I look in the direction if where the noise was generating only to find that..."they"...were here....the Inverted, as the organization calls them. They are basically what becomes of a person who has fallen. They are what you call the remains of the person, only alive.....and inside out.

There were a group of six of them and they quickly surrounded me. I was about to panic but then the voice kicked in again.

Do not be afraid...prove yourself against these enemies...

I gave a nod to myself and got into a balanced fighting stance.

Information: Defeat all of the enemies!

NOTICE: This is your command menu.

Use this to execute simple actions such as attacking. Cycle through the command menu with the D-Pad. Press X to perform a command. The command menu will also change color depending on the situation. Blue = No Enemies, Yellow = Non-Forced Fight, Red = Forced Fight. For now, you only have the option to attack. Press X to attack the Inverted. Pressing X continuously on the Attack command will allow you to start a combo. Use these to quickly defeat your opponents.

I started off by focusing my attention towards the one that first appeared. I really wanted to see how effective this sword really was. I gave this enemy a combo of vertical swing, then a stab, and ending it with a full horizontal swing. Just like that, he was gone. +4 XP He also dropped a couple of gold coins and green orbs. I proceeded to pick up these coins. +12 Bits

This was a foolish move however since it left me wide open. Another one of the Inverted had already gotten a head start on me and gave me a good high kick to my back. "Aah!" I cry as I am hit. -4 HP

I quickly regained focus from that hit and followed up with the same 3 hit combo, thus destroying my attacker. +4 XP He also dropped the same green orbs as before and I picked them up. +1 HP +2 HP +1 HP Judging by how my wound was restored so quickly, I assumed that these orbs may possess healing properties. None the less, I kept my focus on the enemies who were quickly approaching me.

I found that the attack pattern of these enemies were quite predictable. They leave themselves vulnerable when they walk and jump. This allowed me to easily hit them in almost every way. Their main aspect though is to quickly duck under any none-vertical slash and follow up with a reversal.

This battle was clearly an easy win for me. As I slashed through the last of the Inverted that ambushed me, the world suddenly went slower and a flash of red light surrounded my body along with two energy balls circling around me.

Get Bonus! - Alex

Ability: Air Recovery

Ability: Scan

Alex has gained the use of abilities. Abilities are used to preform different actions in combat, movement, or add extra elements to your HUD. To equip an ability, go to the pause menu and select the option, Abilities.

(Song End)

Pause

-

Abilities

*One equipping spree later*

-

Resume

I felt as if I learned something new from that battle as this energy circles around me. It quickly dies down and time starts to flow normally. I gave a relieved sigh and de-summoned my new weapon. It grew a bright golden colored light and then disappeared. Behind me, a small figure started to form out of light. I look at it and it soon turned out to be a treasure chest. I smiled at how I was rewarded.

Information: Use reaction commands to open the treasure chest!

I approached the chest, wondering what was inside of it.

Reaction!: Open

Out of instinct, I hit the top of the chest, which made the treasure chest open.

Obtained - Potion (Restores 40% of Max HP)

NOTICE: The Items command has been added to the command menu!

Use the Items command to use an item such as potions to help you stay alive.

After taking the potion that was inside the chest, I looked in the opposite direction it was facing to see a door had appeared. I approached it and then the voice then spoke...

Walk through it to start your journey and to find your friends...

I still wasn't too sure about what was going on. I stopped walking and just looked at the door for minute. The voice spoke up at this.

Do not be afraid...keep walking...do not stop moving...the light will always be there to guide you...

I then gained to courage to open the door. Before I did though, I saw that a circle of light had formed next to the door, so I went ahead and stepped inside.

Reaction!: Save

Save Game

-

Memory Unit A

Memory Unit B

-

Slot 1 - Eternity Realm - Lv. 3 - 0 Bits

Slot 2

Slot 3

Saving...

Save Complete!

Forest of Awakening - Lv. 3 - 12 Bits

I stepped outside of the circle and went on the other side of the door.

(Song End)

What was behind it looked terrible. It looked like the same area I was in, only.....dead. The trees and grass were red in color, the flowers were dead, and only the sound of the cold wind could be heard. I looked at the sky, which was a pinkish color and it was sunset. It seemed to be the only thing normal in the area.

I then heard a loud crash behind me. I look to see a large pair of feet in front of me. I look up at what this was. It was an Inverted...bigger than anything I have ever seen before, it even had it's skeleton armor on. The only exposed part I see is the head.

I gave a stressed sigh and said, "Why is this happening? Who is doing this?"