The Elders' Secrets

Four

We got ranked 98 in Eden! :DDD

A bright light, in a circular shape. A diamond. And a ruined castle.

That's the first thing I saw when we entered the trials. Then, my eyes fell down to the oddly colored sands and blue waves in the small area we were lying in. I sat up, looking around. My friends lay on the ground around me, unconscious.

I rubbed my head and stood, nearly falling over. When I regained my balance, I looked around. Where were we?

Isle of Dawn

"What?" I asked no one in particular.

My friends slowly woke up, all very perplexed about what happened. "Ugh, what's going on?" Vela asked, the first one to really gain consciousness.

"I think... I think we're in the trials!" Aqua exclaimed, and jumped to her feet, immediately falling back over. I giggled and helped her up.

(A/N A lot of the Kingdoms will change because the book has to be more interesting, but we'll try to keep it as closely related as possible.)

"So... where do we go now?" Eri asked.

"Forward," Lyra answers, shakily standing and heading towards a small hill. "It's the only way to go."

I walked towards the water and dipped my hands in. "How long do you think it will take for us to get through the trials?" I asked, pulling my hands out. The water rippled and stood still.

"I dunno. A week, maybe? Two weeks?" Eri answered, looking around. "Where did everyone else go?" She asked.

"Well... they're probably more used to it than us, since they've experienced it before," Aqua said thoughtfully.

"That makes sense," Lyra agreed.

I nodded, and then immediately shuddered. "Ugh. It's weird not having a cape." My friends nodded in agreement. "When do you think we'll get them back?"

"I did some studying on the trials. They apparently only started like, 40 years ago. But that's not the point. I think you get a few stars at the end of each trial? I'm not really sure," Vela said.

(A/N I know, that's not how it works in Sky, but I feel like it would get kinda boring if they had to collect them.)

"Well... I guess we should get going, then," Eri said, and began to walk toward the hill that Lyra was on. I smiled slightly and nodded, walking forward, the sand weighing my feet down.

I was the last person to reach the hill, probably because I was next to the water. "So... where to now?" I asked.

"Well, there's a cave ahead, I think we go in there," Aqua said, and I followed her point to the dark outline in the mountainside.

Lyra walked towards the water, dipping her feet in. "I think we might be able to go around." She began to walk slowly into the water, until it was up to her neck. "I think we can!' She went a little bit deeper and was suddenly thrown backwards onto the sand. "Owww..."

"Are you okay?" Vela asked, and helped her up.

"I'm fine. Just a bit winded," she said.

"Well, I guess we have to go through the ominous cave of doom," Eri said.
"Now you're making me want to just sit here and not go," I groaned.

"Well, then we wouldn't be able to finish the trials, now would we?" Aqua said with mock sweetness.

"Why are we even doing them anyways?" Lyra rolled her eyes.