//------------------------------//
// Ch 27: In the Court... 
// Story: The  Trials 
// by Zee 
//------------------------------//

	"How long have we been walking up these steps?" asked a semi-exhausted Speck, trudging along with her heavy armour. 

Echo let out a sigh, the fur on her face matted with dried tears. 

"About half an hour, I think. It seems pretty steep..." 

Frowning, Speck gently nudged her side with her turquoise head. 

"I'm telling you, they're fine. There was another exit to the room, remember?" 

Echo gave her a weakened glance. 

“I know, but I can't imagine going through this with just us two. We really do need everyone."

"We'll find them. I know we will."

Echo took a deep breath in, choosing not to say a response. The duo walked for several more minutes in a seemingly endless climb up the narrow staircase. However, the cave walls soon took a sudden drop off, leaving the stairs to seem to be floating in the darkness. Neither of them said anything other than a wordless exchange of glances, but the two continued climbing.

As they looked above, a dim, white-blue glow began to emerge, as if coming from something distant. Eventually, the steps finally ended onto a dark, rocky platform.

The two of them stepped onto it and gazed in awe at what beheld them; far off in front of them, glowing a cold, blue light, was what seemed to be the entrance to a fortress, embedded onto the far cave wall. A fortress made of ice.

Tiny cracks on the very high ceiling let light in from what seemed to be outside, bathing the tall wall and turrets of ice with light and reflecting off into the large expanse before it. Echo glanced around—the only way forward was down the long, wide platform and to the fortress of ice. A faint wind could be heard blowing in the distance.

"This... I've never seen anything like it," Speck breathed through her teeth, stepping beside Echo as they gazed at the fortress entrance.

Between the two tall, cylindrical ice turrets was a tall, seemingly fortified double-door. Sighing once more, Echo began to step forward.

"Looks like it's our only way to go."

Speck nodded before falling in step beside her. 

The fortress was distant enough that it took them several minutes to get there. Nothing else notable was in their way, other than the flat, rocky platform that dropped off into darkness at the sides.

As they got close to the gate, Echo began to tense up, ready to draw her golden sword at an instant. Speck seemed to ready herself as well, shifting the Keel Regalia on her side to be ready for action. 

The temperature seemed to drop drastically as they approached, their breaths becoming visible mist in front of their faces.

When they finally got to within a few meters from the gate, they stopped, Echo squinting her eyes to focus on the details of the icy gate. The giant double doors really were made from pure ice, as was the walls around it.  Though, they seemed unlike normal ice, as Echo couldn't see past them. It was dense enough to not let light through.

"Should we try to open it?" Speck suggested, looking to Echo.

"I dunno... it seems like we—" As Echo took a step forward, a loud crack sounded, cutting her off. The doors began to move themselves outwards, seemingly opening at her proximity.

Tremors reached their hooves as the doors grinded against the stone floor, and small clouds of snow fell from the rumbling ceiling. When the gap between the double doors was large enough to peak through, Echo craned her head to look. On the other side was what seemed to be a tall hallway, its walls and ceiling made of smooth ice. 

The rocky ground turned into a ground of snow as it went past the doorway. At the end of the hallway seemed to be an opening, but not much was observable beyond that. Light seemed to bathe the place naturally, shining through the translucent walls and ceiling. Everything was lit in a blueish-white light.

"Wow... it's so pretty," Speck whispered to herself, admiring the structure that could have very well been made from crystals.

Finally, the doors stopped, leaving the two mares in front of the wide opening of the ice palace. After a moment of taking it in, Echo spoke up.

"Let's go, shall we?"

"Mhmm," Speck agreed, walking forwards with Echo in tow. "I'm pretty excited to explore this." Echo inwardly smiled. 

"I guess I am, too. Just don't let your guard down, we don't know what we'll find in there."

Speck's hooves finally met snow as she trotted forwards, the sides of her vision becoming engulfed by the shiny ice walls. Their hoofsteps crunched the snow beneath them, echoing off of the smooth surfaces. Every breath was of cool air, filling their lungs with a fresh feeling.