The fields stretched on for miles. No wind, no life: there was nothing to be found among the grass. Not that Wander could see anything, the grass was brown. Wander moved along the plains very carefully. He didn’t want to disturb anything. After hours of searching, Wander stopped to rest. Night was coming and it would be impossible to look during the dark. He couldn’t be tired for the trials.
For many, sleep is an escape. It is a tool used for the afflicted to forget. It was indeed, a warm place. As with all good things, it has to come to an end. Wander slept, he didn’t dream, he didn’t feel. That did not last.
A mighty storm was born. Like the land that it now terrorized, it was not “normal”. Yellow rain came down flooding the land.
Wander, who had just awoken, ran to escape the flood that was destroying the land. He found asylum on a large hill. The grassy fields were now gone, replaced by a yellow lake. The water level was rising as the rain came crashing down. By the time the storm blew over, the hilltop that Wander was on was almost at the water’s level.
“There, I helped you out” a voice whispered in ears. Discord’s voice came from nowhere and Wander did not know what he meant by that. He found out about ten seconds later.
A huge explosion suddenly erupted behind him. Water showered down on him, blinding him. A whirlpool was forming in the water. The ground shook as another explosion of water came from the center of the vortex. Through the upward jet of water came a worm. It was gigantic in proportion to Wander. In the front of the creature was its jaw. The front spilt open so as it flew through the air, it would close and open as if it propelled the monster forward. Teeth lined the inside of the front flaps and the eyes lay on the top. The body had massive spikes covering it, each pointed diagonally from their perspective side. The end looked like a fin as it was also split in two. It flew through the air, each flap of its jaw made a howl. It turned around and dived into the water directly in front of him with another large splash.
Wander watched the water carefully, not knowing when the creature would next appear. He trotted around his small little platform waiting. He did not have to wait long. Another whirlpool was forming. Wander moved over to the closest possible distance. “Hur, Hur, Hur” erupted from the whirlpool as the beast appeared. Its head stuck over the water and look downward toward Wander. Both the titan and Wander stared at each other. Silence covered the lake. Maybe the creature was taken aback by the fearlessness of his opponent. Maybe Wander could not express fear he might have felt. This moment of peace was erupted by the smash of ground and clash of jaws. The beast had made the first move.
The creature opened its jaw and it thrust forward, trying to kill Wander. Wander was able to dodge to the side and the creature’s front passed by and snapped closed. In an incredible show of athleticism, Wander jumped on the creature’s back, bounded up to the top of it and slammed his hoof down into the creature’s eye. Taken by surprise and blinded by pain, it threw its body backward trying to dislodge Wander. Wander held on by biting onto its scales. It flew up in the air hoping to get away but without realizing that its assailant was still there. Wander took the initiative and ran up and used his hoof to pierce the already hurt eye. Blood pour out staining his hooves. The blood was black and at first Wander didn’t know what it was at first. His loss of concentration amounted to him being thrown backward when the beast writhed in pain. He tumbled along the creature’s spine and fell from the back, only to be saved by clamping onto the very end of the monster with his teeth. The titan was now losing attitude and was now flying over dry land. Wander let go at the very last second before it crash landed. He landed and flipped over a couple of times on the grass. As he stood up, there was an enormous boom nearby. Wander ran to catch up to the beast.
The titan landed on the other side of a group of hills. Before Wander saw the beast, there was a faint noise “Hur…hur…hur”. The beast was hurt. It was on the ground, black blood pouring from its cut eye. As soon as it saw Wander, it snapped its jaws at him. Wander again jumped to the side and ran around it to the tail. It did not see where he went and it turned to the opposite side of which Wander was running. Its tail swung towards Wander and he jumped back on the rotating tail and once again sprinted upward. The beast threw its head to the side but once again, Wander bit into its scales to hold on. Wander than jumped to the top of the head and brought his head down the eye. Wander clamped his teeth into the titan’s eye and pulled. The ripping of flesh could be heard followed by the howling, roaring and the strange crying of what now was dead.
Wander did not notice he was covered in blood as he stepped down. The beast flinched for a few moments before becoming still. Wander stopped and looked at his handiwork but something was not right. The beast was dissolving into shadow. The shadow blanketed the ground before merging together in a strange movement. Wander watched it dance across the ground before he was taken by surprise. The shadow shot into Wander, absorbing into him. Wander fell to the ground feeling extreme pain, then nothing.
“Well, you seem to be very capable of the task I gave you”
Wander opened his eyes. Confused; he stood up. Then he realized that he was back in the temple. At that moment, one of the statues started to crack. It was a statue of the creature he killed,
“You seem to be tired, you should rest. Why don’t you take a load off and eat.”
A table appeared in front of Wander that held bowls of apples, oranges, grapes and very startled and confused, miniature sperm whale. Wander looked upon the food and turned his head back to look at the remaining statues. One collapsed but seven remained.
“Where do I go next?”
Discord laughed “You seem to be all business but I forgive you.”
The mist that called itself Discord moved itself above Wander.
“Thy next enemy hides itself within rainbow colored boulders.” Discord pause, then added. “I think you know the way”.
Wander said nothing just turned around and left the temple. He had no time to spend resting.
Indeed he knew the way as once again, he descended from the mountain top.