Alternate World Online - Chapter 101

Dro surroundings changed and he stood in the room he wasn’t in before. The new room was dark as the only light source in the room were the two torches that stood before Dro. These two torches surrounded the statue on each side. This statue that Dro saw was the same statue that introduced the trials to Dro. When Dro looked at the statue, its eyes turned red and it spoke, “Welcome to the first trial of the ancient one. Challenger, all you have to do is answer a riddle that I will pose to you. Are you ready?”

Dro took a deep breath and facing the statue said, “I am ready.”

When Dro’s spoke the words the statue began, “I’m always there, some distance away. Somewhere between land or sea and sky I lay. You may move towards me, yet distant I stay. What am I?”

Dro closed his eyes and he thought, “I’m always there, some distance away. Somewhere between land or sea and sky I lay. You may move towards me, yet distant I stay. That is easy.” Dro opened his eyes looked at the statue and with a smile said, “The Horizon.”

The statue nodded its head, “You are correct. You have passed the first trial congratulations. Your reward is to get your blood purified. But since your blood is already as pure as it can be there is no reward for you.” The statue paused, “Do you wish to take on the second trial?”

Dro looked at the statue and asked, “What is the second trial?”

The statue replied, “You will know when you take it. Will, you accept it or not?”

Dro said, “Alright, I will do this second trial.”

The statue nodded it’s head, “Very well.”

Once again Dro’s surroundings started to change and he was now in the new location. Dro looked around this location and saw that like last time he was in a room as well. But unlike the last room, there were three doors illuminated by the torches to left, right and straight ahead. In the middle of the room stood a statue illuminated by the two torches as well and unlike the last two rooms, the statue was different. This statue was a statue of a gargoyle.

In total there were eight torches, one statue and three doors in the room.

Dro nodded his head and he approached the statue. When he approached the statue’s eyes turned red and it spoke, “Welcome, Challenger to the second test of the ancient one.”

The statue looked at Dor and continued, “Listen closely I will now state the rules of the second trial. In this room, there are three doors. Behind each door, a guardian will await you. These guardians will ask you a question and you will give them an answer. If you want to pass you have to get recognition of two of the guardians. You may begin.” The gargoyle’s statue’s eyes dimmed and the torches that stood by the gargoyle had extinguished.

Dro nodded his head and he walked over to the door that was to the left. The door had no writings on it. It was just a simple door. Dro pushed this door open and he entered this room. In the room, he saw a statue of a bat and two torches illuminating it.

“Alright, let’s see what kind of question will I be asked,” Dro thought as he approached this statue of the bat. When Dro walked closer the eyes of the bat turned red and it spoke, “You wish to claim the power of the ancient one. Tell me why do you seek his power?”

Dro was taken aback by the question and he thought, “Why?”

The statue looked at Dro and said, “Well? Why do you seek power?”

Dro thought, “How do I answer this? I can’t just say that I get power because of its a game right?”

Dro thought for a moment then he smiled and said, “I wish to get power because I need the power to kill everyone that opposes me and to protect those that are by my side”

The statue nodded, “I have received your answer. Proceed to the next room.”

Dro nodded and he walked out of this room and he walked towards the next room. He opened the door and entered inside the room that was in the middle. This room as well had the statue of the bat. Dro approached this bat and its eyes turned red. It looked at Dro and asked, “Would you sacrifice yourself for your companions?”

Dro looked at the statue and nodded his head, “I would.”

The statue said, “I have heard your answer. Walk to the next and final room.”

Dro stepped out of this room and he walked to the last room. Like the last two rooms, the statue was the same as in the two rooms before. Dro looked at the state and looked into its red eyes. He waited for the last question. The statue looked at Dro and said, “Your question is this if your companion dies who would you get revenge against. The person that killed your companion. The person that killed your companion and his family or the person that killed your family and his entire race. Which option would you choose?”

Dro frowned and closed his eyes. After a moment he opened his eyes and said, “I would first find out why did the person kill my companion. Depending on the answer I receive I would decide then.”

The statue nodded, “You didn’t choose one of my answers but told me your own. You have passed. The second trial.”

Dro frowned, “What do you mean. What about the other questions?” The statue looked at Dro and spoke, “The questions themselves had no meaning as we don’t care about your choices. What we needed from you is whether you would get your own answer or if you use our answers. When you came up with your answer, you have already passed the test. Go back and talk to the gargoyle he will give you your reward.” The eyes of the bat dimmed.