The Trials

doom.

Both me and my companion woke up, ate a quick breakfast of some birds we found, and continued The Trials. As we were walking I stretched out my hands. "Do you maybe think this is too easy?" I asked her. "L-like so far two of the trials we've encountered included, like, seducing. And then one of them was just some crazy bat lady."

"Who made you all poisoned and stuff," Cassandra noted.

I shrugged. "Yeah, but you know I thought it'd be a bit harder-"

I yelped as suddenly, the ground made a rumbling noise. Not the earthquake type of rumbling, but as if large gates were being opened for the first time in decades. The ground opened underneath us, and I stepped to one side and my partner to the other. It continued to open up, forming a large chasm. Before it could separate us too far from each other, I yelled at Cassandra. "JUMP!"

Without warning, I leaped down the large cavity, using my claws to slide down the wall safely. I looked up at my companion, who was looking around as if she could use something to slow her fall. I gave her an angry look. "CASSANDRA, JUMP! NOW! BEFORE WE GET SEPARATED!"

"But how will I get down there?! I don't have claws like you!"

I shouted at her, "GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE BEFORE WE GET LOSS! JUST USE YOUR SWORD OR SOMETHING!"

She sighed and leaped down, thrusting her silver sword into the rocky walls of the large opening. She fell down roughly but unhurt. I smirked at her. "Took you long enough."

She swatted at my arm but I moved away. "Ugh, whatever," she retorted. "Where are we?"

I looked around at the darkness. "Dunno. Strange earthquake?"

She gave me an unamused look. "Of course it's caused by earthquakes but strange rifts like these happen in like 20,000 years or something like that. But happening right away like this? Not normal..."

I shivered and hugged myself. "NOTHING'S normal in this forest."

"Why, of course it isn't. You are in The Trials right now, correct?"

Cassandra and I sped around and saw a man in a dark cloak, his face covered; only dark wisps of hair were seen. We both got in battle positions: me in a low crouch ready to pounce and my companion holding her weapon. "Who are you?" demanded Cassandra.

"Well, I am your doom. It's my job to help you fail The Trials. Are you ready to die?"

I widened my eyes. "Huh? Uh, no thanks, I think we'll just rest here for a little while-"

All at once, the man in a cloak screeched and rushed at us. Cassandra took my arm and looked at me with frightened eyes. "RUN!!"

We bolted. The ground was rough and it didn't help that the weird man was super fast and shrieking at us. I looked back and saw he had a long scythe. I quickly turned back around and gulped. "Cassandra, we need to get OUT OF HERE!"

She looked around desperately. "We're too far down!"

I looked up. "Maybe I can climb up! I'm really good at that, especially with my claws!"

"W-what about me?!"

"You can either try to climb up with me or wait here while I try to find some vines in the forest."

"Vines? In the FOREST?"

I shrugged helplessly. "I-I don't know! We just... need to find a way outta here or else we're gonna die by Doom or whatever his name is."

"Yes, that is my name."

Cass and I whipped around and screamed. He was right behind us. Without a word, we both sprinted faster than a bullet, jumping over craggy rocks and cracks. I heard Doom's screeching behind us and we ran faster. My partner looked to her left and pointed at whatever she was looking at. "There!"

She curved towards it so I (naturally) followed her. It was a large crevice in the rock wall. We swiftly ran into it. We both panted side by side against the wall. I turned my head to look at her. "What are we gonna do?"

She shook her head. "I don't know."

I looked from side to side to make sure the man in the cloak wasn't around. "Okay. Doom's not here right now. Maybe he lost us, but that means we'll only have a little time to find a way out," I whispered.

Cassandra nodded but looked unfocused. I frowned. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Fine," she mumbled.

Her eyes were trained to her left. I looked where she was staring. Oh my gosh... it looked like a temple. My face turned pale. "Is that a building?" I questioned.

She nodded slowly. "Think so. Looks ancient."

"Yeah..."

It was made of white stone with openings that were probably glass windows back then when the temple was still in operation. It looked quite sturdy and well-built. I nudged my companion's arm. "Let's go."

She blinked multiple times. "What? We can't just IGNORE that building."

"No, pre-turd. I didn't say we ditch the temple thing, I say we go IN it."

"Oh." She nodded in agreement. "Fine. Let us go."

And before Doom came back with his deadly scythe, we jogged towards the white building.