The Contest of Champions

by Alexpv22

Throughout the vast reaches of the multiverse, heroic champions are being summoned for an unknown purpose. Where will these champions arrive, who is calling out to them, what purpose do they have for them and most of all; will the champions work well together, upon meeting one another? All this and more will be answered, when the trials begin and the champions test their mettle

15. Chapter Fifteen: The Test of Wisdom

The Test of Wisdom

After the Test of Courage was completed...and after everyone took a moment to clean themselves of Luffy's mucus, the time had come for the second to last trial. Of course; by this point, the lads appeared on the verge of collapsing due to everything their bodies previously endured. "Please...Please, tell us that this next challenge will be something simple" groaned Danny, "like maybe...I dunno, a round of trivia questions?!"

While she and the rest of Team Phantom understood Danny's reluctance to continue, Sam still couldn't help but sigh dejectedly. "This is a tournament, Danny; not a game show" she groaned, "a round of questions isn't going to prove your worth as a hero!" The rest of the team was ready to echo the same response...until Thaylog not raised his hand, thus silencing them.

"We shall see what the future holds on your trials, lads" the elf king stated, "but for now...ready the carriages, we ride off to the next trial!" All the guards gathered there saluted Thaylog respectably and hurried off to collect the royal carriages. Meanwhile, the lads first looked upon him and themselves with mild dread; wondering what sort of arduous challenge he had in mind for them next.

(Line Break)

Sometime later, everyone was brought into what looked like a sort of monastery or a temple. The rich yet soothing scent of incense permeated both the air around them and their collective sinuses. "What is this place" murmured Raven in awe, "it reminds me a little of the temples of my home world, Azarath."

With a light smile on his face, Gabriel revealed that they had been brought to a Dragoonian monastery; a place where warriors would come and practice meditative exercises after training their bodies. "Is that going to be the next trial" questioned Luffy while gesturing at the Dragoon monks around them, "are we gonna do that weird chanting stuff as well?" With a light smile on his face, Gabriel shook his head and revealed that he had other reasons for bringing them here.

"It is here in this place where we shall bear witness to your next trial, the Test of Wisdom" he decreed to the boys, "in order to be a true knight, one must master both the body...and the mind." Upon hearing these words, the likes of Zoro and Cyborg found themselves snickering quietly. "A test of the mind, huh...the captain may have a problem with that" he thought jokingly, "I just hope he doesn't hurt himself from thinking too much...if at all."

Meanwhile, the ladies found themselves feeling both worried yet conflicted about the upcoming trial at the same time. On one hand, some of them (specifically Sam, Nami and Raven) feared that their friends wouldn't get very far; considering how tests of the mind weren't really their strong suit. But on the other hand; after witnessing everything they've done so far, they realized that it would be best to give them a proper chance.

Then, all of a sudden; the doors to the monastery burst open, causing wisps of incense smoke to fly about every which way. Not long after that, everyone (save for our heroes and their colleagues) suddenly bowed their heads low as group of robed individuals entered the room. Each of them appeared to be dressed in different colored hooded robes, some bearing calm colors like blue or green while others wore ones with more standoffish colors (like a fiery red or violet.)

As they passed them; the likes of the Diamonds, or Nico Robin looked upon them and their kneeling compatriots with confused stares. "What is going on here" questioned White in a hushed tone, "who are these...outlandish-looking humans and why are you all kneeling like this?" With a light smile upon her face; Princess Donella gazed up slightly at the Diamond maid and assured that all would be revealed, in time.

After marching for a minute or two, these robed strangers took their places at the altar at the front of the room. This gave everyone the signal to stand up from their bowing/kneeling positions, once again. "Good people, I would like to introduce you to the judges for our next trial; the High Mystics" announced King Thaylog, "these men and women are the highest and most skilled practitioners of the mystic arts in all the realm!"

Within seconds, Beast Boy's inner nerd kicked in and he asked if the Mystics were a sort of group of high leveled wizards. This in turn, caused one of them to let out a soft yet hearty laugh; which made many assume that the stranger was amused. He looked rather old with his wrinkled face, long white beard and misty eyes.

But though he couldn't quite explain it, Beast Boy could tell that this fellow seemed stronger than he looked. "You are correct, lad; we of the High Mystics are considered as an order of...wizards" the man stated, "but in truth...wizards, sorcerers and magicians are novices; when compared to our prowess." Upon hearing these words, Raven found herself lightly fuming with annoyance; believing that the man's words may have been inadvertently directed at her.

But before she could speak up; a hawk flew overhead, bellowed out a loud shriek and perched itself atop the pommel of the bearded mystic's staff. After giving his companion a loving pet, the time had come for introductions to be made. "Friends, comrades, visitors of lands beyond; we are the High Mystics" he announced loudly, "for those unaware...like our champions; I am Falcore, head of my order and these are a select few of my comrades; Edric, Kella, Ptolemy, Doria and my sister, Serafina."

Without pause, the other individuals drew back their hoods and bowed respectfully to our heroes. Not wishing to appear rude in their eyes, the boys mirrored their behavior and bowed as well. "So...what sort of test will you guys be giving us" question Danny, "is this Test of Wisdom going to be a...written test, will we have to solve a puzzle or will this be a sort of guessing game?"

The group of mystics chuckled softly at him and Falcore decreed that there would be a game of sorts involved. "Allow us to properly explain" Ptolemy stated, "in battle or in life; a knight must be smart, clever, cunning...able to face unknown/odd circumstances and outwit their adversaries." Upon hearing him stress on the importance of being smart, Beast Boy and Luffy suddenly felt their confidence chip away slightly.

But before they could lament on this further, the Mystics quickly called for their attention. "To prove yourselves worthy in both ours and the people's eyes, lads; we shall play a game" Edric chuckled slyly, "the oldest game known in the realms...the game of riddles." After making certain they heard him correctly, the boys didn't know whether to feel shocked or confused by this announcement.

"Listen closely, gentlemen" Serafina interjected softly, "each of us shall present a riddle or a challenge that must be solved by deciphering each one; should you best us, you will win...understand?" After taking a moment to think everything over and having a brief huddle together, the lads presented themselves before the Mystics and nodded. "Excellent! Let us begin" decreed Falcore, "High Mystic Edric shall present the first riddle."

With that said; the aforementioned individual approached our heroes, drew back his hood and stared down at them intently. Though he appeared young with his lustrous head of golden hair, tone cheekbones and stature; he had an aura of strong authority radiating off him. "Seeing as how we have just started, I shall make the first riddle...easy for you lot" he murmured with a light snicker, "do we have a deal?"

Without delay, the boys nodded in unison; which gave Edric the signal to speak his riddle. What he said next sounded so eerie, it made even Danny's ghostly allies feel uneasy. "'I am alive without breath, as cold as Death; never thirsty...yet ever drinking, all in mail...never clinking'" he said cryptically, "what am I?"

To say that the lads were at a loss for words would be a gross understatement. Whether it be the words of the riddle or how Edric chose to speak them, not one of them could make heads or tails on what they meant. As if sensing this; the likes of Jazz, Gibson, Raven and even Peridot shot up from their seats and were moments way from shouting out each of their answer ideas.

But then, Thaylog raised his hand and a golden aura washed over them; causing their voices to fall silent. "No one is to help them during this trial" he declared, "only they can help themselves." To elaborate, the elf king said that the lads could discuss their ideas among themselves but no one from the stands may interfere.

"In that case, the guys are pretty screwed now" Sanji groaned, "what are the chances that even Luffy can figure this out?!" Rather than be insulted by the chef's lack of faith in his captain, Thaylog urged him and the rest of the crew to not be too quick to judge Luffy so suddenly. Meanwhile, the lads were in the middle of a huddle; desperate to figure out the answer to the riddle.

"Okay...the only thing I can think of that's alive without breath and cold as death are ghosts" Danny murmured, "but then...where does the ever-drinking and mail part fall into play?!" Unfortunately, at the moment; the other lads seemed just as lost as him. But then, Beast Boy suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head; which Raven could only describe as him actually using his brain "for once."

"OW...Ouch...Okay, I think I may...I may have an idea here" he mumbled while rubbing his forehead, "I think I remember being asked this kind of question when I was a kid." No sooner had he said this, the rest of the boys stared at him with a sort of "are you for real" kind of look. "Look...I don't like talking about my past that much" Beast Boy sighed, "but when I was a kid, I grew up in Africa; not in the city or suburbs like the rest of you."

While this reveal did intrigue them, the other lads questioned how it had anything to do with their current situation. "Just trust me on this" he stated, "someone my parents felt very close to used to play this kind of game a lot with me as a kid and I've heard a lot of riddles from it." This little pow-wow between the boys seemed to go on for quite a while, which made Edric feel quite annoyed.

"Gentlemen, we've been waiting long enough" he said firmly, "come along and give us your answer!" Not needing to be told twice, the boys broke apart from their huddle and presented themselves before the mystic. "Okay...we've talked it over, looked at every other possibility and now, we believe BB here has the answer you want" Danny stated, "go for it, dude."

With that said, the young green-skinned changeling stepped forth and gave Edric a sheepishly. "So, young one...what is your answer" the mystic asked, "'I am alive without breath, as cold as Death; never thirsty...yet ever drinking, all in mail...never clinking?'" After giving the riddle another moment of thought, Beast Boy offered up one simple word in reply; "fish."

Naturally, this answer caused a good number of the crowd to erupt into a mild frenzy of confused chatter. "What the...What kind of answer is that" questioned Bismuth, "fish don't wear mail, they have those...scale things, right?" Garnet nodded slightly in reply but explained to her comrade that the words of a riddle were not meant to be taken literally.

Meanwhile, the High Mystics proceeded to question Beast Boy on his answer; eager to know how he reached such a conclusion. "According to what King Tawaba told me; while most creatures need air to live, a fish doesn't" the meta-teen explained, "their bodies are as cold as a dead corpse, they need water to survive...but never drink it and their scales feel like those little bits of chain mail armor." For what felt like ages, the whole room was silent; which led Beast Boy to believe he was wrong.

But then, Edric let out a soft chuckle and proclaimed "lad...you are correct!" This caused everyone around Beast Boy to break out in a light yet enthusiastic applause. At the same time, the other five lads proceeded to swarm him into a light group hug; congratulating him.

"I never would've guessed fish, of all things was the answer to that question" laughed Luffy, "and I'm usually around them all the time." Not long after this, Danny patted Beast Boy heartily on the back and congratulated him on his success. "Thanks for the praise, guys" murmured the young changeling, "but remember, we've all gotta try and win this."

Steven nodded in agreement and decreed that on the next riddle, everyone would do their best to try and figure it out. The moment he said this, Falcore suddenly called for their attention by tapping the base of his staff against the floor. While said tapping wasn't very strong; because of the vastness of the monastery, the sounds echoed loudly off the walls.

"Shall we continue with the trial, gentlemen" he asked softly, earning a nod from the lads; "Master Ptolemy shall present the next riddle." On this signal; a bald-headed man with a pointed chin beard, mild traces of wrinkles, piercing green eyes and slightly pointed ears approached the lads. He was dressed in a red and gold robe, wore a bejeweled ring on each of his fingers (save for the thumbs) and the head of his silver staff resembled that of a ram.

He stared at the group silently for a moment and smiled at them lightly, wishing them luck in deciphering his riddle. "'My life can be measured in hours, I serve others by being devoured'" he began, "'thin, I am fast; fat, I am slow; the wind is my greatest foe...what am I?'" Within seconds; each of the lads, once more, began to rack their brains to the point of no return to figure out the answer.

Then, at that moment; everyone could see Steven's eyes glimmer like a pair of stars. To the eyes of the Crystal Gems and their allies, this meant two things; either Steven was happy or he had an idea...perhaps it was both. "Guys, I think I know the answer" the lad cried out, "I think I remember coming across this riddle in one of the Unfamiliar Familiar books me and my friend, Connie like to read."

While the other lads were pleased to hear their friend had an idea; naturally, they were confused by the odd book title he referenced. "Oh...That's right; back where you all come from, you might not have the books" Steven murmured in realization, "in any case, I think I remember coming across this riddle in one of them before." As if on cue, Ptolemy called out to the teenaged hybrid and asked to know his answer.

"Okay, I'll admit that it's been a while since I've last read the series" Steven confessed sheepishly, "but...if I remember right, the answer is...a candle!" Just like before; all was silent for a few moments, after the answer was given. Then, Ptolemy smiled at him broadly and decreed that his answer was..."correct!" When asked how he knew the answer; Steven, once more referenced the book series.

"I think it was in Book Four where I found it" he muttered, "anyway...the life of a candle is measured by hours, they 'serve people' by 'being devoured' (or when the wax melts;) the thinnest candles burn the quickest, the fat ones melt the slowest and the greatest enemy of a candle's flame...is the wind." After hearing this explanation, the crowd went into another loud applause. Among those who cheered the loudest was Garnet, who was waving a makeshift sports banner she created with Steven's name.

When the time came for the next riddle; Lady Kella, one of the female members of the High Mystics, was the one to present it. "This one may prove a little difficult for you, lads" she said warily, "so, think carefully before you answer." While they inwardly heeded the woman's advice, our heroes didn't wish to appear scared in her eyes and thus urged her to "give her best shot."

"Very well, then" she murmured lightly, "'I am a box without hinges, key or lid; yet...golden treasure inside me is hid...what am I?'" Just as she warned, the riddle not only left the young heroes feeling rather puzzled but their comrades as well. At first; not one among them could figure out how a box without a key, hinges or a lid could hide a treasure.

Then, at that moment; they remembered Garnet's earlier words, how a riddle's words were never meant to be taken literally. So, with that in mind; they began to think that maybe the answer wasn't truly a box of some kind. "Okay, so; what sort of thing holds golden treasure inside, doesn't have hinges, keys or a lid and isn't really a box" Danny thought carefully, "it's on the tip of my tongue, I just can't seem...(gasp) WAIT!"

The moment he came to his sudden realization, Danny let out a strangled gasp; which caused everyone to worry. But before they could question him on his health, he immediately called over his fellow champions in a huddle. For the next moment or so, everyone could hear them whispering amongst themselves; while only giving brief glances towards the Mystics.

"Okay, this is getting weird" Franky muttered, "you guys think they're lost on this riddle?" This inquiry was met with a light yet mixed murmur, some believing that the lads were having difficulty while others urged the cyborg not to lose hope on them. Finally, the huddle broke up and Danny approached the Mystics with a confident smile.

"We have your answer, Sir" he announced, "and it is...EGGS!" Upon hearing everyone call out how ridiculous his idea sounded, Falcore gently silenced them and asked Danny to provide an explanation. "See...it's like Garnet mentioned earlier, don't take the riddles literally" he stated, "while they aren't really boxes; eggs hold golden treasure inside despite not having any locks, keyholes or even a lid."

While clever and informative, there were those who still questioned his deduction; specifically the Diamonds. "What sort of 'golden treasure' could these 'eggs' possibly hide inside of them" questioned Yellow, "where might one find such things?" As if expecting this sort of inquiry; Falcore reached into the sleeve of his robe and, through the use of his magic, brought out a single chicken's egg.

Then, he conjured what looked like a frying pan and cracked the egg lightly against its rim. Afterwards, he broke apart the shell and dropped what looked like a yellow/golden lump onto the skillet. Naturally, this sight caused Beast Boy and Sam to recoil slightly; them being vegetarians and all.

Then, after Falcore gave a wave of his hand; the two items suddenly vanished. "Does that answer your question, Yellow D" questioned Amethyst, "and FYI...that 'golden treasure' is really tasty when it's fried, scrambled or served with some bacon." The moment she said all this, Luffy gave a loud groan and demanded her to not talk about food in front of him.

"Don't think about eating right now, dude" Beast Boy urged, "we gotta do this job first." With that, Doria approached the group and presented her own riddle; "'I am always hungry and must be fed, the finger I touch will soon turn red...what am I?'" Before anyone had a chance to think things over, Luffy let out a loud gasp and proclaimed "FIRE...THE ANSWER IS FIRE!"

Not only did this sudden outburst cause the other Straw Hats to fall over in dumbfounded shock, the rest of the heroes felt rather annoyed by it; thinking he should've discussed things over with them before making a reply. Alas, it was too late to make any take-backs now. Just like before, the Mystics stood silent; as if contemplating Luffy's answer.

Then, Doria smiled down warmly at Luffy and proclaimed "Master Pirate...you are correct." While this response caused many to cheer like before, the remaining Straw Hats (upon recovering from their collective fall earlier) were rather confused. "How is that the right answer" demanded Sanji, "and how is it that our rubber-brained captain was able to know it?!"

No sooner had the young chef had said this, everyone suddenly noticed a light blush forming on Luffy's cheeks. Feeling both intrigued yet worried, Nami asked if there was anything wrong. "No...I'm okay, really" Luffy answered suddenly, "but...there's a legit reason how I knew the riddle's answer."

Their collective curiosities piqued, all eyes (including those of the other champions) fell upon Luffy; eager to learn his supposed "secret." "Well...every now and again, I'm left alone on the Sunny for guard duty while the rest of my crew goes into port for supplies or...whatever" he explained, "one time, I was alone and got really bored; so, I...I went into the library." As expected, this response left everyone (mostly the other Straw Hats) with several questions.

How could a pirate ship have a library, why would the crew leave their captain behind on the ship to go collect supplies instead of the other way around and most of all; what would Luffy, of all people be doing inside of a library? "While I was in there, I knew I had to pass the time until my crew came back aboard" grumbled the young captain, "so...I started reading some of the books." Once again; this news shocked the crew so greatly, they fell over their seats in surprise.

But at the near last second, the Diamonds intervened and caught them all before they accidentally hurt themselves. After thanking the trio for their assist, the Straw Hats looked over at their captain and stared at him intently. "So...let me see if we heard you correctly, Luffy-san" Brook murmured respectfully, "you actually read some books...for fun and you liked them?"

While this behavior did confuse him, Luffy still did the respectful thing and nodded in reply. "Okay, so...what did you think" questioned Usopp, "did you find any books you liked and how does this apply to what's happening now?" Upon being asked this, Luffy smiled brightly and proclaimed he read about the fire riddle in a book called "The Riddle of the Sphinx."

"It's been a while since I've last read it" he murmured thoughtfully, "but...fire always needs to be fed wood or coal, in order to live; so, it's always hungry and if you touch it...well, you know the rest." After sharing a light chuckle at the end of Luffy's statement, the time came for the next riddle to be presented. After his hawk had gently perched itself upon his shoulder, Falcore stepped forth and called for the champions' attention.

Then, after a quick snap of his fingers; a strange box appeared around the boys and sealed them inside. "What the...WHAT ARE YOU DOING" Maddie cried in alarm, "I thought this was a game of riddles not a death trap!" Several others voiced their own concerns over what they'd just witnessed and demanded an explanation from Falcore.

"Calm yourselves, friends" he said in a hushed voice, "the lads are safe, think of this next part of the trial as a sort of...escape room puzzle." The moment they heard him say this, there was a light murmur of understanding amongst the crowd. Back in the Human Realm, the inhabitants (for one reason or another) found enjoyment in being sealed within escape rooms.

That being said, none of our heroes friends and/or families had pleasant memories around such things. Anytime they found themselves or the lads in such rooms, it was most likely a death trap.

(Scene Change: Inside of the Escape Chamber)

Meanwhile, within the chamber itself, the boys were feverishly pounding away at the walls; desperate to try and get out. "It's no use, guys...we're sealed in tight" groaned Steven, "why would Falcore or his friend even want to put us in this thing?" The other lads felt just as confused, wondering what sort of trick the "old creep" was playing on them. Then, as if on cue; Falcore's voice spoke to each of them within their minds.

"Do not fear, lads" he assured, "you are all safe, this is simply part of the next riddle you will need to solve." As expected, the lads shouted out in outrage; demanding to know how being sealed in a box was all "part of some riddle." "Peace, gentlemen...peace" Falcore insisted in a hushed tone, "if you seek answers, simply turn to the right side of the box."

After letting out a collective disgruntled groan, the boys did as instructed and turned to their side. There, they spotted a series of keyholes on the wall and above them was a collection of colored metal keys. "To escape this chamber, all you will have to do is place the keys within the holes" Falcore instructed, "but...be mindful of what order you choose to put them in."

At first, this reveal left the boys feeling rather confused. When they asked what order the keys were meant to be in, they heard only confused murmuring from Falcore. "It has been long since my sister and I have partaken in this game" he confessed, "my mind is (as your lot would call it) hazy on the combination...but I do recall one thing."

Feeling desperate for just a smidgen of help, the lads asked what it was that Falcore recalled about the combination. Alas, the only thing he offered was a simple yet mildly confusing phrase; "Yellow is to the left of Red and Blue, which is not next to Black. Purple can only lie beside Black and none else, Black is to the right of Yellow." After that, the mystic's voice faded away; leaving the lads to try and decipher his riddle alone in the silence of the escape chamber.

"Yellow's left of red and blue...but isn't next to black" Luffy grumbled under his breath, "but...i-if Black is on Yellow's right, what's on the left?" In response, Chiro and Artha simply shrugged their shoulders lightly while also proclaiming that the riddle made no sense. At the same time; Danny, Beast Boy and Steven appeared relatively calm about their situation.

When asked why they seemed so calm, the trio offered an odd reply. "Something about this puzzle riddle feels familiar" murmured the ghost boy, "feels like I might've come across it in one of my video games back home." As expected, the mentioning of "video games" caused Luffy to tilt his head in confusion.

"Video...Games, what the heck does that mean" he murmured, "how can you play something on a video." While he did understand the pirate's confusion, Danny proclaimed now wasn't the time to talk about such things. "For now, let's focus on getting outta here" he murmured, "and we'll start by using the yellow key."

With that, Danny picked up the aforementioned item and placed it into the first keyhole on the left side. "Next, we put in the blue and red ones" he muttered, "then, the black key and finally...purple." With that said, Danny collected the rest of the keys and placed them in the order he mentioned; hoping that his theory was correct.

Once each key was in place, Beast Boy urged everyone to turn them in the same order they were set. Much to their surprise, not only did the keys move fluidly; they also heard a series of metal clacking noises. Then, in an instant; the keys, the keyholes and the chamber itself suddenly vanished.

Within seconds, the lads found themselves back in the monastery; which caused their friends and family to gasp loudly in surprise. "Okay...things are really starting to get weird, now" Peridot murmured uneasily, "could someone please explain to me what that whole thing was about?" Steven chuckled softly at her and said tell her what happened later.

For now, the time came to answer the next riddle; "what is the one thing in the Multiverse that is so fragile that even speaking its name shatters it completely?" "Okay, this has to be a metaphorical thing...right" questioned Danny, "in other words, it's not a specific item we're meant to think of?" Rather than answer him outright; Serafina smiled warmly at him and simply replied with "perhaps...perhaps not."

This did little to ease the lads' confusion/frustration, unfortunately. But regardless, they did their best to keep their cool and try to figure it all out. "Okay, guys; let's think real carefully here" Steven murmured, "what's known to be so fragile that even saying its name aloud 'breaks it?'"

Then, out of nowhere; Danny was suddenly reminded of something from his civilian life as a school student. "This all reminds me of that weird library rule" he murmured, "where if you make even the smallest noise, you've immediately..." Before he could finish his train of thought, realization came to Danny like a flash.

"I KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS" he exclaimed, "HUDDLE UP, GUYS!" Without delay, the other five lads hurried over and stood together in a massive huddle. For the next few seconds, they whispered a and chattered amongst themselves; only sharing a brief glance over in the Mystics' direction.

When they finally broke away, Serafina asked them for their answer. "The answer to your riddle is...silence" Danny said while adding a hushed tone to the final word, "the very idea of silence is so fragile that even if you say the word in a whisper, it's broken." After this explanation, the Mystics immediately proclaimed it to be the correct response.

"Holy Moly, the guys are on fire out there" Dani cried out with delight, "I think they've got this trial in the bag!" While a part of her sided with the young preteen's enthusiasm, Valerie knew that things were far from over and wondered if the boys could keep their momentum going. After another brief applause, Falcore rose from his seat and informed everyone that four riddles remained in the Test of Wisdom.

"Bear in mind, lads...these final few are known to be the most complex riddles ever known" he said firmly to the champions, "do you still wish to continue?" At the moment, the young heroes were busy doing whatever they could to ease their throbbing headaches. This was the result of having to use their brainpower one too many times without rest.

But after a while, the pain faded away and they were able to continue on. "Let us see if you can solve my next riddle, laddies" Edric chuckled, "'Each morning...I appear at your feet all day, I will follow you no matter how fast you run. Yet...I nearly perish in the midday sun!' What am I?"

As the young spell-caster believed, his riddle left the young champions scratching at their heads intensely with deep thought. But then, they remembered a few of the key words within the riddle; such as "each morning, I appear on your feet all day." With that simple phrase, the group came to one unanimous (albeit hesitant) decision; shadows.

"An excellent response, laddies" Edric chuckled, "and lucky for you...it happens to be the correct one." The lads laughed heartily amongst themselves, pleased that they passed another part of the test. Next, Doria approached the group and presented her riddle; "what is it that is yours...but is more often used by others?"

In that moment, time seemed to stand still for the lads. Compared to the previous riddles they were asked, this one seemed much harder to decipher. "Okay, guys; what do you think" questioned Danny, "what thing do we have is often more used by others?"

Almost immediately, Luffy presented a most outlandish idea; clothes. "Dude, that's just weird" Artha murmured, "why would other people use your clothes?" In defense of his claim, Luffy brought up that Usopp borrowed his jacket on one or two occasions. "That may seem like an idea, dude...but it's probably not what Doria wants" Danny whispered matter-of-factly, "it feels like the answer isn't really an object of any kind."

Upon hearing this, the other lads realized that he had a point and began to think of other ideas. But after a while, everyone could clearly see they were drawing a blank and Doria called for their attention. "Your time is up, gents" she said matter-of-factly, "the answer to the riddle was...your names."

Naturally; this response left the lads feeling quite confused and so, Doria decided to help explain it. "All things in the realm has a name of their own" she began, "but...they are more often 'used' (or rather referenced) by others." No sooner had she said all this, several cries of outrage were heard among the champions' friends and families.

"HOW IN THE STARS WERE ANY OF THEM SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT" yelled White Diamond, "even I didn't know the answer...and I am centuries older than those robe-wearing twits!" Rather than feel bothered or offended by the Diamond maid's words, the High Mystics kept their decorum and turned towards the champions. "Unfortunately, you have failed to answer Doria's riddle" Falcore said firmly, "however...seeing as how your minds were rather frazzled from using them without rest, we are willing to overlook the loss and grant you another chance."

Though they were shocked by this sudden development, the lads were no less grateful for Falcore's generosity and thanked him. "Let us take a brief pause, before we continue" Serafina suggested, "bring the lads some tea to help ease their aching minds." With that command, a group of young Dragoonian monks hurried off into another room; leaving our heroes to take a much needed respite.

(Line Break)

Fifteen minutes later, the monks returned and handed each of the six champions a steaming cup of tea. After taking small yet careful sips, the lads could feel the tea's calming affect wash over them; which caused their earlier bothered expressions to instantly soften. "Ooooh...yeeeaaah" Beast Boy droned softly with relief, "now I see why Raven likes this stuff, it really is soothing."

The other heroes couldn't help but agree while also adding that the tea made some of them feel rather sleepy. "There will be time for naps later, boys" Bismuth sounded off suddenly, "look alive!" Almost immediately, the lads snapped out of their relaxed daze and stood at attention; appearing ready to continue with the trial.

"Seeing as though the last riddle seemed too difficult for you; perhaps, this one may seem easier...yet still quite challenging" Edric stated, "'what comes in the middle of March and in April that cannot be seen at the end of either month?'" Before finishing, he decided to help them by offering the lads one minor hint; "the answer lies within the months themselves." Yet even with this hint, the lads still felt confused.

At the moment, the only answer some of them could think of was the season of Spring. But then; they realized that while it might be technically correct, it may not be the true answer. "Okay...Edric said the answer lies within the months themselves" Beast Boy muttered, "but what else is in those months other than Spring?"

For what felt like ages, Danny kept repeating the hint over and over within his own mind; feeling mildly desperate to know the answer. Then, inspiration hit him like a hard punch to the face. Within the names of both months, there was something that was present right square in the middle (quite literally;) the letter "R."

In the end, Danny presented this as his answer; which led to Falcore's hawk, Xenos letting out a shrill yet joyous screech. "Nicely done, Master Daniel" complimented Edric, "let us see if you and your comrades can solve the final two riddles." With that said, Ptolemy stepped forward and presented them with his riddle.

"What is it that a man does standing up, a woman does sitting down and a hound does on three legs" he asked, "think carefully." Mere seconds after hearing this question; Luffy suddenly got an idea, much to the surprise of his crewmates. "Guys, I think I know the answer" he whispered to them, "but...you might think it's weird."

At first, he half expected the others to tell him to keep it to himself; if the answer truly was strange. But surprisingly, Beast Boy confessed he might've been thinking the same thing as he was. When both lads presented their idea to the rest of the group; Danny, Chiro, Artha and Steven were understandably bothered by it.

"I don't think that is the answer Ptolemy is looking for, guys" murmured Danny, "what about something like...shaking hands?" This idea created an even greater uproar between the lads (specifically from Luffy.) "Why the heck would guys do that standing up and girls do it sitting down" he prodded, "it makes no sense!"

As strange as it seemed to say it, Danny revealed that it was once considered "proper etiquette" for people (mainly women) to shake hands that way. "As for dogs doing it...it's just for show" he stated, "you know, silly dog tricks?" While the second half of the explanation seemed to make sense, it was the former that seemed hard for Luffy to swallow.

But they had little time to debate on it further, once they heard Ptolemy lightly tap his staff against the floor. "It is time for your answer, gentlemen" he stated, "what is it that a man does standing up, a woman does sitting down and a hound does on three legs?" For a moment or so, the group hesitated; mentally wondering how their loved ones would respond to their answer.

Then, after letting out a collective sigh; they sounded off the words "shake hands" in unison. "That is...correct" announced Ptolemy with a smile, "however, I would've also accepted answering nature's call as well." The moment they heard this reveal, Beast Boy and Luffy couldn't help but guffaw uproariously with ironic laughter; all while proclaiming "WE KNEW IT" in-between breaths.

"Err...Lars, forgive me for sounding stupid" Rhodonite murmured uneasily, "but what did he mean by...'answering nature's call?'" With a light blush upon his cheeks, the pink teen cleared his throat and proceeded to whisper the answer into her ears. Once the explanation was finished, her bulky hands immediately covered up her ears in surprise; while her thin ones covered her mouth.

Meanwhile, the High Mystics proceeded to congratulate the lads on their good work thus far. "You six have managed to decipher and answer each one of the riddles and puzzles we have presented you...save one" Falcore stated, "now, only one riddle remains...and it is considered one of the most difficult of its kind in history." Despite the rather cryptic tone in the bearded fellow's voice, it did little to deter any of the young champions.

"We've come this far already" Steven proclaimed, "we're ready for whatever you've got next...so, bring it!" Not long after this, the rest of the lads sounded off with equal gusto. Edric laughed merrily at their enthusiasm and whispered "this final test should prove amusing."

With that said, he raised his staff high over his head and suddenly slammed the base of it upon the ground; creating a massive smoke cloud. For the next moment or so, everyone within range of this cloud was left coughing loudly. When the dust cleared, everyone looked at the center of the room and gasped loudly with shock.

Standing before them were not one...but two Edrics, both of whom seemed completely alike in voice and appearance. When they noticed the confused looks upon everyone's faces, both Edrics decided to speak. "Here is your riddle, lads" they said in unison, "one of us speaks only truths, the other will tell you lies...by asking us only one question, you must decide which of us is the true Edric."

To say that this challenge left the lads dumbfounded would be a gross understatement. How could they tell which person was which by asking a single question? Of course, the most obvious idea on all their minds was "which one of them was real?"

But then, all too quickly; they realized that the liar would simply say something to confuse them. "Why not ask what the real Edric's favorite color is...or something" mumbled Luffy, "oh, wait...he never told us about that, did he?" While he believed that such a question proved too simple to ask, Danny pointed out that the liar would simply say something to confuse them.

"Truth is, guys...something about this feels familiar" he murmured, "just like with one of the earlier riddles, I feel like I've heard this one before." Not long after this was said, four of the five lads murmured in agreement; while Luffy simply tilted his head in confusion. Then, they turned towards the Edric doubles and scratched their chins in thought.

"Come, come; gentlemen" the second chuckled, "we mustn't keep the onlookers waiting for too long." After choosing to ignore his prodding, the lads resumed thinking over an idea of what to do next. Then; they, once again cast a glance over at the duo and stared intently (as if deep in thought.)

That was when realization struck five of the six lads like a bolt of lightning. "Guys, if you're all thinking what I'm thinking...we may just win this" Danny murmured slyly, "huddle up!" Once again, they stood together in a large huddle and proceeded to whisper to one another.

While they did this, all their friends and families were slowly becoming incredibly anxious. "Oh, jeez; I'm gonna lose the rest of my hair, if all this whispering keeps up" Greg groaned, "anybody got an idea on what they're saying?" Sadly, a good number of the crowd shook their heads no; also expressing their own disdain towards not being in the loop again.

Then, at that moment; the boys broke apart and approached the Edric doubles with confident smiles. "We've got just the thing to ask you two" Danny said boldly, "if one of you only tells the truth, then...which would he say is the real Edric?" The moment this question was presented, the entire room fell silent.

Then, mere seconds later; the Edric doubles soon found themselves becoming quite anxious. It was as if either of them appeared afraid to answer Danny's question. Then, after taking a moment to calm themselves; the doubles asked Danny to speak his question again.

"You two heard him clear as day, dudes" Beast Boy said with a raised eyebrow, "if one of you only tells the truth, which of you would he say is the real deal Edric?" After taking a moment to calm down, Edric 2 proclaimed that No.1 was the true Edric; to which his double happily agreed. "AHA! WE KNEW IT" Danny shouted, "you two fell right into our trap!"

Soon after this was said, the other four of the five remaining champions proceeded to do a series of victory dances. Then, seconds later; Luffy decided to join in on the "celebration." Meanwhile, up in the stands; the audience stared aghast at this display with looks of utter confusion.

"Okay...I dunno why you idiots are partying" Nami shouted, "you don't even know if you've won or not!" Upon hearing the navigator's cries, Danny turned her way and said that they had everything well in hand. "See, if one of these Edrics spoke the truth and were asked to give an honest answer; he would be naturally compelled to tell us the truth because that's all he's able to say, even when trying to lie" he explained, "buuuuut...on the other hand; if one of them is a liar and was asked to speak honestly, everything he said would be the exact opposite and therefore...be a lie!"

Alas, all this explanation seemed to do was leave the near entirety of the room feeling dazed and confused. Then, just as Edric was about to proclaim the trial finished; Chiro immediately raised his hand and stopped him. "Dan's not finished here...and neither are we" he said firmly, "there's also the possibility that the real Edric isn't really here, which would thus make both of these doubles a liar. Therefore, we conclude that the real Edric isn't even here!"

With that explanation made, the boys proceeded to give each other a high five in celebration of their apparent "victory." Luffy even decided to join in, a moment later; in spite of the fact that he had little to no idea what had just transpired. Meanwhile, all of the families and friends of our champions simply stared at them with blank gazes; as if their answer to the riddle had "fried their brains" (as they say in the Human World.)

Finally, they snapped out of their daze and glared in annoyance at the celebrating group. "Are...you...KIDDING ME" Peridot exclaimed, "NONE OF THAT EVEN MAKES SENSE!" The others couldn't help but sound off loudly in agreement; adding that all sounded like "hands down, the dumbest bit of nonsense they'd ever heard."

Eager for a second opinion, all eyes fell upon the two Edrics; who appeared to be smiling knowingly at the champions. "Yes, their solution was an odd one and no mistake" Edric 2 muttered, "however...it all doesn't change one thing." With a collective groan in annoyance, everyone asked what he knew that they did not.

"Simply put...they were right" Edric 1 said mischievously, "neither one of us are real." Before anything else could be said, the duo snapped their fingers and they suddenly burst into clouds of sparkly dust. This sudden surprise left everyone utterly dumbfounded, their mouths hanging agape in disbelief.

"Buh...Buh...Buh" droned Amethyst goofily, "but...that doesn't make any sense; if they were fakes, where's the real Edric?" As if on cue; the doors of the monastery swung open and, much to everyone's surprise, the real Edric marched into the room while guzzling down a beverage from a pint cup. "AH! Your people speak the truth, King Thaylog" he exclaimed while swiping away some juice from his mouth, "this truly is the best cider in the realms!"

As the mystic prepared to take another swig from his cup, he noticed that both of his doubles were gone. When he noticed the confused looks upon everyone's faces as well, Edric's smile faded into a mildly bitter scowl. "Oh, drat; you lot solved the riddle already" he grumbled, "I thought you would take much longer."

Falcore smiled lightly at his colleague and suggested that next time, he should not underestimate those who may not appear "all that clever" at first glance. Meanwhile, the friends and families of the champions were in the midst of trying to figure out just how they were able to figure out the final riddle. "Wait...I'm still confused" grumbled Cain, "if they both tell lies, how was the gang able to tell that they were lying?"

With the aid of her tablet, Peridot began to run a series of equations; each one attempting to try and decipher the words of Edric's riddle in a way she understood. At the same time; Cyborg, Franky and the Hyperforce's computer brains appeared on the verge of overloading due to their overwhelming confusion. "So...wait, wasn't the objective to try and find out who told the truth" Sparx inquired painfully, "if that's the case...how could the guys win, if the Edric pair were both liars?"

Just as Franky was preparing to present his theory, a loud "thud" suddenly echoed due to someone slamming their fists down onto the table. As it turned out, it was a few of the champions' female companions; who all appeared to be rubbing their collective temples painfully. "STOP IT! OKAY, JUST...JUST STOP TALKING, ALL OF YOU" Sam screeched while massaging her temples, "my head's hurting enough as it is from all this!"

The other ladies (sans Connie and Jinmay) couldn't help but agree, while they also rubbed at their heads painfully. Of course, in the end; it wasn't really the riddle that left them all in this state nor its answer. Rather, everyone was both amazed yet dumbfounded that their supposedly "immaturish" friends were able to solve such complicated questions.

"Guess the boys really are smarter than we gave them credit for" Nami murmured while rubbing her own forehead painfully, "just...don't tell Luffy I said that, he'd hassle me about it to no end." While still nursing their own headaches, the other girls quickly zipped their lips shut. Then, the Mystics suddenly tapped their staves upon the ground; calling for everyone's attention once more.

"The Test of Wisdom is finished" they announced simultaneously, "the champions emerge victorious, once again!" This news caused everyone to burst in applause, even the champions' loved ones...once all of their headaches dissipated, of course.

(Scene Change: The Savage Lands – Shuggazoom)

While the people of Overon celebrated; back in the forests of the Savage Lands, Skeleton King looked rather peaked. "Master...this cannot continue" Mandarin murmured worriedly, "if you keep straining yourself this way, your powers may dwindle...or worse." After letting out a few weak breaths, Skeleton King pushed himself back onto his feet with his staff and glared at the tree before him.

"I will break through whatever barrier the Hyperforce slipped through" he vowed, "even if it means tearing the entirety of the universe apart!" With that in mind, he held his staff high and slammed the pointed end deep into the bark. Not long after; Skeleton King started to once more, channel his power into the tree.

For the next moment or so, the tree remained standing; which further infuriated the Skeleton King. Then, he could see veins of his sickly purple magic softly pulsating within the tree. "Yes...I can feel your power waning" sneered the Skeleton King, "I don't care how long it will take or what will happen after; soon, I will break you!"

(First AN: Uuuuuh-oh...looks like we're in a dilly of a pickle now? Will the Skeleton King be able to break the barrier between Shuggazoom and Overon, will our champions be able to finish their trials before his arrival and...what is this talk of the Multiverse possibly being at risk?

Tune in next time for these answers and more, as the Contest of Champions continues)

(Second AN: In the world of Overon, the High Mystics are considered the highest ranking group of magic users. To put things into perspective, Falcore's power makes him strong enough to stand toe-to-toe against the likes of even Trigon; if the two ever met.

Despite the fact that he is blind, he has many other ways to see the world around him; such as using his hawk, Xenos. Think of him as Falcore's familiar, in a way)

(Third AN: The first few of the riddles presented in this chapter are found within several pieces of Lord of the Rings media; such as War in the North. Meanwhile, the riddle involving the multi-colored keys was based upon a puzzle from The Hobbit video game from 2003 from Sierra Entertainment.

As for the final riddle; though many might recognize it from the film Labyrinth, it's actually based on the Knights & Knaves brain teaser. I thought it would be the perfect way for our heroes to truly test their brains)

(Fourth AN: Steven mentioning Unfamiliar Familiar is a reference to the book series itself from his TV show. It was first introduced in the episode, Marble Madness and later in Open Book. It's unknown what sort of elements are featured within each book, unfortunately.

So, I thought it would be appealing to reference that several of the Mystics' riddles may have reminded Steven of something he came across in them)

(Final AN: Though I wanted all our heroes to show their smarts, I wanted to give Danny the spotlight almost all the time for this trial. The exact reason will be revealed, in time; so...don't think for a moment that I'm playing favorites)