//------------------------------//
// The Trials  
// Story: Azure Flame 
// by Silver Page 
//------------------------------//



“So, what exactly is going to happen now?” Azure looked around him, taking in the sights of the secret garden while keeping pace with the Dahli Llama. After they’d finished their tea, the Phoenix-turned-Llama had stood, and asked to be followed. So the trio had done so, meandering through the impossible botanical wonder after him. He had refused to answer any questions during the meal, preferring to have his afternoon ritual in peace and quiet. 
“You have many questions,” Kido said, leading them through the green and vibrant area. “And where we are headed will be able to answer them all.” After a few minutes of silence, their guide led them to a marble shrine, nestled away in the back of the gardens. 
It wasn’t very large, no bigger than a barn, and extremely plain. No decorations or carvings appeared on it, leaving the whole structure to appear like a bland white shed.
“This is the heart of Ever Rest Mountain,” the Dahli Llama said, a hint of reverence in his voice. “Created by the same beings who built the gate, it is an entryway to answers and salvation.”
“It doesn’t look like much,” Slim said, eyeing the building with a critical gaze.
“What you are looking at is the shell, a mere covering I had built to contain the full majesty and power of the Flame,” Kido explained. He placed a hoof on the door, and closed his eyes in concentration. A bright golden glow suffused the Llama, and intricate patterns and runes lit up all along the entrance to the shrine in a similar golden light. After a moment, the door swung open with deathly silence, and the Dahli Llama stopped glowing. He shook himself slightly, and blinked rapidly.
“Never gets easier,” he muttered to himself. He walked in, and after a moment of hesitation, Azure and the rest followed him.
The interior was just as stark and simple as the exterior; plain white blocks of marble stacked and fitted to form walls, floor, and roof. The architecture was very minimal, no arches or vaulted ceilings. But then, it didn’t need to be awe inspiring. That job was taken care of by what lay in the far end of the shrine.
Three steps made of polished obsidian led up to an altar of a strange, glowing silver metal, atop which a giant roaring inferno of golden flames danced. The bonfire was enormous, brushing the roof with tongues of fire and swollen to surround the entire rear of the shrine. Instead of heat, it radiated magical energy, making the air thick and heavy with raw, wild mana and stinking of ozone. Azure Flame clutched his head as his horn burned with pain. Next to him, Slim and Creepy groaned as well, holding onto their own skulls as the weight of the entire world seemed to crash down upon them.
“Behold, the Flame of Eternity,” Kido said, seemingly unaffected by the presence of sheer magical power before him. “For countless generations, it has been guarded by the Llamas, protecting it from those who might use it for evil, and shielding the world from the constant flow of pure, unfettered mana. When I was cursed by Discord, I spent many a lifetime before I was reborn as a Llama. As a child, I was different. I had flashes of lives that were not my own, memories of places, things, and beings I had never known. And through it all, I felt a pull towards the top of the mountain. In my tenth year as a Llama I made pilgrimage to this hidden garden, as was customary for all young ones of my tribe. I made it, but left the path and wandered deep into garden. Here I was drawn, a moth to a flame, and all my past lives were revealed to me in the flickering dance of light. I knew who I was, and what I was meant to do.”
“To get the answers you crave, you must enter the Flame,” Kido continued, helping Azure to his feet. The pressure was weaning, and after a few moments of deep breathes, the Unicorn was able to stand, followed by his friends a while later.
“If you do, the fires will not harm you, but they will test you. You shall be forced to take the Trials of Salt. Pass them, and you will be allowed to receive the answers you seek.”
“Trials of Salt?” Azure asked, a throbbing headache on his mind.
“Indeed. Salt is a powerful element. It has ties to life, and to death. It preserves food for later, ensuring survival. It embalms the dead, letting the remains pass unmolested into the next life. Salt can cleanse wounds of infection, preventing suffering and death. It is harvested from the earth, and holds the unmoving qualities of such. It is drawn from the sea, and bears the nourishing power of its origin. In days long past, salt was used in rituals of purification. Why? Because it is a bridge between worlds, a catalyst that lies within many different realms of existence. In a time when Faith was just as powerful, if not more so, than Magic, it banished demons and curses. Salt even lies in our bodies, making it a part of the circle of life. Salt is small and unassuming, yet powerful. And if you are able to understand that, you will pass the Trials.”
“And if I fail?” Azure asked, his voice a mere whisper. The Dahli Llama looked down at the young stallion, and sighed.
“Then you will burn for eternity, your soul becoming fuel for the Flame.”
“That’s insane!” Slim cried, Creepy nodding in agreement. “We can’t let him do something so dangerous!”
“He must!” Kido said, stomping his hooves. “Visions I have been given! Visions that tell me this Unicorn must brave the Trials, or else he will not have the strength to succeed in the coming war!”
“War? What are you on about?” Creepy shouted. “We came here because he heard a voice, and because he wants answers about life or some shit! But it isn’t worth risking his own life!”
“You said you had visions, right? Then does that mean he is successful?” Slim asked hopefully. 
Kido turned away. “Some paths lead to success. Others, to death.”
“Then we won’t let him do this! It’s crazy!” Slim said, stepping forward.
“Enough!” The argument died instantly, as they turned to face Azure. During their confrontations, He had walked, as if in a trance, towards the Flame. At the moment, he stood before it, the fire dancing excitedly at his presence. 
“I need to do this.”
“No you don’t! Are the answers worth your life?!”
“This isn’t about that anymore!” Azure shouted, staring down at his friends. “Ever since we started this journey, I have felt something change. At first, all I wanted was to find Black Phoenix and make them pay! But things have taken new turns! Someone, or something, wants me here! Whatever is going on, with the Dragons, Alicorns, and gods damned undead Goats, is drawing me to the center! I don’t know why, but I have to do this!”
Damn it, no!” Slim shouted, running forward. But it was too late. Azure Flame turned around and closed his eyes, before leaping into the golden inferno.