Author's note: Hehe… I just found an error in the sixth chapter. It was a real obvious error (It was the dialogue between Opal and Emerald. It's not "peace of cake", but instead it's "piece of cake"). Sorry for that careless mistake, and probably more.
Chapter 7: The Four Trials of Kairi
Kairi entered the awaiting door that would test her strength and determination. As she went in, her eyes were in total darkness. She could not see a thing on her path. She walked cautiously little by little until the torches on the walls burned. It was magic. Kairi was mesmerized as she saw this phenomenon, but she regained her self in moment's time, and ran quickly.
"I can't stall… My friends are at stake." She said as she ran.
Suddenly, she went to a stop when five gigantic crescent blades, hanged on a chain, dropped down from above and swung like a pendulum. She tried to pass the first one slowly, but her timing was not right that she almost got herself cut in half. Swiftly, she jumped backwards to avoid the fast moving blade.
"(… How will I do this…?)" She thought.
This time, she walked backwards as she observed the blade. At the right time when the blade was not on the way, she ran as fast as she could. Before she knew, she passed the first one, but there were still four more to go.
"(Phew… One down…)"
She sighed in relief and looked at the next blades. She concentrated again, and waited for the right time to move swiftly. Soon, she saw an open path, and ran as fast as she could. However, as she reached the fifth blade, it moved back towards her as if it detected her presence. She ducked down and made a roll. She breathed heavily as she finished that obstacle…
"(That was a close one…)"
She moved forward carelessly, and found herself on top of a cliff, with just long "bridge-like" path with no handles on both sides. She looked down and saw a deep hole. She gulped and proceeded on the path, which would lead her to another opening. Balancing herself, she walked cautiously to prevent herself from falling down. However, a geyser of lava erupted from below, which destroyed the connection of the path to the entrance. Destroying everything that went against its way, it was now heading towards her really fast. Her eyes widened and ran again to the entrance to escape the menacing eruption of thick hot lavas. It was inches away from her when she reached the ending. She was really perspiring, because of the heat as well as the pressure that it was giving her.
"What will I do now…? I can't go back…" She said to herself.
She was catching her breath at the new opening… She thought that she was going to have a heart attack. Suddenly, new phrases flashed before her eyes…
Swiftness of the body…
You have passed the first trial…
However, it is not over yet…
She took one deep breath and entered the new opening. She was wondering what her next trial would be. She proceeded cautiously in the next area. It was dark again, but small tints of white light shined around the place. She figured out that the area was in a circular form, and at its center, she saw two daggers on the ground. She went towards it and held it on her hand. It looked new, but in reality, it was an ancient weapon abandoned eons ago. She saw the next opening, and went on her way…
"(This wasn't so bad…)"
Suddenly, two metal doors slid down at the two openings. Kairi was trembling as she heard footsteps, which came out of nowhere. She went towards the edge of the wall to prevent herself from being ambushed at the back…
"Who's… Who's there!?" She shouted.
No one gave an answer, but she saw a sword that attempted to pierce her. She screamed in fear, but the sword did not hit her. Instead, it hit the wall. Kairi used her new found weapon, and used it to block the sword that was about to hit her again. She kicked the figure that held the sword, and moved quickly at the center. Holding her two daggers tightly, her heart was pounding really fast as she anticipated the next move of her attacker. Soon, the tint of white light suddenly flashed before her eyes, which gave brightness to the dome. She gasped as she saw that it was not an individual, but there were dozens of them. It looked like the Heartless, but all of them had swords. They all gathered around Kairi as the poor girl trembled…
"(I can't give up now…)" She cried.
Suddenly, her pendant glowed again. The next thing she knew is that she was fighting the Heartless simultaneously. She was shocked as she was moving swiftly, slashing the Heartless at the same time. It was as if she had no control over her body…
"(What's happening to me…?)"
She ran towards the wall, as the other Heartless were chasing her, and made summersault against the wall. She was now at the back of the Heartless. She ran swiftly again slashing menacingly against the Heartless. Now, They were all dissolving as she slashed them bit by bit. In the end, she managed to defeat them all without giving her a cut on her body.
"(… Did I just do that?)"
The metal doors rose above again as she went closer to it. Soon, a new phrase flashed before her…
Strength of the fist…
You have passed the second trial…
Move on…
"(I hope this ends soon… I can't take this any longer…)"
She passed two trials already, and was now approaching the third. It was just a square room. She became suspicious and looked around the area. Suddenly, a sphinx appeared at the end of the room. Readying her daggers, Kairi approached him.
"Drop your weapons. I am not here to attack you…" It said.
"What do you want then?" Kairi asked.
"I am just here to ask you some questions. That is all…"
"I see… What is it?"
"Mind you… One wrong answer, and it will cost you your life."
"I am ready for your challenge!"
The sphinx flapped its wings, and gave a sigh…
"Well then… My questions are in the form of riddles. I shall ask you three questions. If you answer all three correctly, then you can pass. Fail to answer even one, I shall take your life." It warned.
"I'm not scared… I'm willing to risk my life."
"Let us start then."
Suddenly, the whole room glowed with weird symbols. Kairi looked around, and looked back at the sphinx.
"I am neither living nor dead. You cannot see me, but you can feel me wherever you go. I give life to everything, and without me, you are dead. What or who am I?"
Kairi gave a quizzical look as she thought of an answer. She could not waste her life with this silly game. She has to save her friends. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers as if she discovered the answer.
…
"… Is it the air? It isn't living and as well as dead, but wherever a person goes, he can feel it even if he can't see it. Without it, not a living thing can live."
"Hmmm… Correct. That's just an easy question. Let's go to the next."
Kairi sighed in relief as she found out she got the answer correctly.
"I am abstract; a mixture of anger, excitement, sadness, and happiness. I can become a curse or a blessing. It just depends on how you see me. What am I?"
This time, Kairi sat down on the ground. It was quite difficult for her to handle. Thinking of a probable answer, she closed her eyes. After a while, she snapped her fingers again and stood up.
…
"… Is it love? It's abstract and is made up of many emotions. It can be the source of our death and depression, but it can also be a source of happiness and inspiration. Like you said, its perception is different from person to person…" She said.
"You impress me. It is correct! One last question and you may pass…"
Kairi almost fell down to the ground, because of her excitement. One last question and she could save her friends… She waited anxiously for the next question. In fact, she was having fun answering the questions. It made her mind turn.
"I have the power to control you; what you think, feel, and how you act. I can store many things inside of me even the heaviest loads. Your survival depends on me. What am I?"
Kairi's heart started to pound. She could not think of a probable answer. It was giving her a bit of pressure. After some time, an hour glass suddenly popped out of nowhere, which surprised Kairi.
"What's that for?"
"The sands are pouring down fast… If you do not give an answer before the time runs out. It's game over…"
"Unfair!"
"Rules are rules. No matter how much you blabber, you can't change it."
This gave Kairi even more pressure. She was now perspiring. She was biting her finger nails as her knees trembled. Her trembling feet could not support her body, and knees first, she fell slowly to the ground.
"(It can't end here… Think, think, think!)"
The sand was starting to get fewer and fewer on the top. It signaled that Kairi's life was about to end if she would not give the right answer. Soon, Kairi had only about ten seconds to guess… The sand was flowing down fast. Kairi stared at it as she waited for her death. She could not think of an answer. Suddenly, her eyes began to widen as if an idea came into her mind… Just before the last bit of sand was about to go down, Kairi shouted.
"I know it! It's the brain! Our brains control us as individuals. It stores our memory, intelligence, and wisdom. Did I get it correctly?"
The sphinx flapped its wings again, and gave a cold look and sighed.
"… You are one of the few people who have passed my test. I am really impressed. My test is finish, you may now pass."
Kairi was overjoyed when she heard what the sphinx had said. The sphinx vanished, and Kairi proceeded to the next area…
Power of the mind…
You have passed the third trial…
Please proceed…
When Kairi had entered the next area, it was not dark anymore unlike the other rooms. This time, a pool of lava could be seen before her eyes. Tall pillars were everywhere. Kairi gulped when she saw one pillar went down and up as the lava splashed every time.
"What is this place…?
Suddenly, more phrases that are glowing appeared.
You are near to the last trial…
Incorporate what you have learned in the past obstacles…
Prove that you are worthy to get what you are seeking…
She stepped forward to the first pillar that she could step on. It went high above the ground. She could feel the intense heat that the lava was radiating. She looked around to see if where she could jump on next to reach the last door. Soon, the pillar went down really fast. She did not think of what to do next, and jumped on the next elevating pillar. She was relieved that she got on the next pillar safely. Suddenly, two flaming spheres elevated from below. It started to form its eyes and hands, but still shaped in a sphere. It tackled Kairi, which made her almost fall, but a new pillar caught her.
"What are these things!?"
She took out her two daggers and began to confront them. Her pendant glowed again, and soon, she was jumping from pillar to pillar as she was slashing the two spheres intensely as they evaded her moves.
"(Is this the power of the pendant?)"
Soon, she reached a dead end. The two spheres were going at her slowly. The pillar started to fall down. She saw the two spheres, which gave her an idea. She jumped as fast as she could and bounced on the two flaming spheres quickly to prevent herself from burning and tumbled on another pillar. It was moving swiftly towards her again. She gave a long leap and made a twirling jump as she hit one of the creatures. The was cut in half and dissolved into thin air.
"One down… One more to go…"
She moved swiftly from pillar to pillar to reach the last room that was on top of a cliff. The creature made a ball of fire and blasted it towards Kairi. She did not foresee this and got hit while she was jumping. Luckily, she was able to grab on one pillar. She tried to pull herself up, but the pillar went down rapidly to the pool of lava.
"Aaahhh!" She shouted
The pillar was nearing the hot liquid as Kairi looked around to find another ground to land on, but there was none near her in sight…
End of Chapter 7...
* Cliffhanger again… I hope you like the seventh chapter. How did you find the riddles? Pretty corny or dumb, eh? Anyway, please review and tell me what u think of it. Thanks! I really appreciate it! =)