A Shade of Red

by Crimson-Wing

The 3 Trials

*Bang, Bang, Bang*

"Prince? Prince Crimson? Are you awake, your father requests your presence!" Comes a muffled voice, although the voice was shouting, it sounded soft and weak as it traveled through the large crystal door to the chamber room. Having been given no response to the questions being asked, whoever was behind the voice began to knock once more.

*Bang, Ban-*

"You keep knocking on that door, and I'll have your family tossed off a cliff!" An immensely angered and tired Crimson shouts, nearly to the top of his lungs. Then as soon as the response was given the crystal door parted inward and stood a very ragged looking stallion, his thick black hair was in a frenzied mess, and his eyes were hung low with bags underneath them. "Now what is a slave like you doing here at my chamber door waking me up at this ungodly hour of 12:30 pm, let's hear it then cause as sure as the sun rises in the morning I'm not going to wait for much longer." Crimson snaps, the constant and nearly non-stop training that his father was putting him through was starting to take its toll on him.

"Please sir forgive my intrusion, but your father has insisted that you make haste to the throne room immediately." The slave says, cowering before him unaware of the anger that may arise within him.

"I see, that's very unusual for him." Crimson mumbles to himself. It was sporadic that he was summoned to the throne room and when he was there, it was something important, like a declaration or another war with a weak nettlesome nation. Now his eyes shifting back towards the slave who was still bowing before him, he rolled his blue eyes and rubbed his wild hair with his hoof. "Is that all, you know no enters the throne room without reason? if he wants me there with him, then something else is going on here." Crimson barks.

"He h--." The slave chokes on his words gripped with the fear of an outburst that might result in his death. "King Sombra has commanded me to tell you that your initiation was going to begin today." The slave nearly had to force the words from his own throat, again gripped the reality that his demise could occur with the slightest inconvenience.

"I have known this was to come, but I have never expected to come so soon. I'm still only a teenager; why does he want this to be done now." Crimson utters to himself, he thinks for a moment or two and then directs his attention back to the slave. "Get out of my sight." He commands.

Obeying the command given, the slave runs off with quick haste as Crimson returns inside his chamber. With no one around to await on his orders, he takes a mere moment or two to collect his thoughts together. Was his father really going to have him go through the process so soon, especially someone of his age as well? He remembered that as a small child, his father took him to the castle's balcony where he could see all over the kingdom and the major cities that were held within. Watching the slaves as they toiled and worked themselves away to bring prosperous gems and gold ores for the benefit of those who ruled over the Crystal Empire, that is where his father told him about the three types of ponies that existed in the world. His father had told him of the sheep, sheepdogs, and wolves. The sheep who were needed to do the labor and prosper the lands with the fruit of their work, and then the sheepdogs who guarded the sheep against the vicious wolves who sank their teeth into the sheep.

His father had also told him about the 'Herd' and the sacrifices the herd needed to survive in the world, those who were weak and slowed the 'herd' down were cast aside so that the rest could have a better chance. The world worked like this, and this principle was taught to every nation, according to his father that was. He was told that one day he would be called upon to go through the three trials, and if he passed the Crystal Empire would have an heir to the throne but if he failed the mines would have one more worker.

These trials were to test him and see which of the three he would become, a sheep a sheepdog or a wolf. He couldn't say that he was ready nor could he say that he was looking forward to it either, but those thoughts were best kept away in the back of his mind. A sign of weakness and his fate would already be decided, although everyone does get cold feet every now and then. If there was one thing that he could say and stand behind it confidently was that he was curious to see what the trials were.

Now the time for thought was over, and if there is one thing that his father lacks it was patience. After combing his hair back to its final resting place with the help of the restroom mirror, he stretches his wings flapping them a few times to wake them up. Taking a long deep breath he exits his camber and makes quick haste to the castle's throne room.

---

There he was just poised outside the throne room, a huge set of dark black crystal doors was now the only thing that separated him from his destiny. Technically he was the only thing separating him from this destiny, as he remained still outside the doors. It wasn't like when a little one would fake being sick to get out of school like he was told by a friend he made on a diplomatic trip to a neighboring nation, that nation now conquered after they refused to surrender and pay to the Empire. The only way for him during this whole process was to go forward, there was no going backward unless he wanted to become a miner for the rest of his life.

That thought now coming clear into his mind, he had the two guards open up the doors for him so that he may enter. Once he had made the journey in the throne room, he had spotted his father sitting on top of the black and red crystal throne. His father eyeing him as he made his way to the base of the throne, silently he waits for his father to say something or anything for that matter. He knew just how bad it was to talk out of his place, so he waited and dared not.

"I see you got my summons boy, do you know why you are here?" King Sombra asks as a grin slowly spread across his face.

"To become a wolf in a land of sheep and drones?" Crimson laughs confidently, already sure of his place in the world. He was anxious more than anything now, and the doubtful thoughts that circled through his head made him cringe, the idea of leaving his emotions out had the same effect.

"Not even close to why your here boy!" Sombra barks to Crimson's surprise. Watching the confident look fade from his son's eyes made him roll his, "You are here because there is a great task ahead of you, and I need to know if you are ready to take charge of the countries' army. The drills, lessons, and codes have all been leading to this very moment, and I must have a secure trust in you to know the goals I need to be reached are reached." He takes a long breath and looks right into the eyes of his kin. "You are here for the Three Trials, the same trials I was put through but at an older age."

"I promise you my age does not matter. I'm ready for this." Crimson responds. "Since day 1, I waited patiently to take charge; no one is going to stop me from achieving what I must. Not the trials not even you 'Old Man.'" He snickers.

"Mind your tongue boy before it is cut, I have been waiting for this day as much as you have. The task of leaving the Empire to capable hands is weighted on my shoulders, a task I shall very much like to pass on to you." King Sombra states. At once he rose up from his spot on the throne and made way to where his son stood, even through his eyes, Crimson was still a child at this age and still required more training. The more training his son received the better chance he would have, but time was running short. All the more reason to leave the Empire to his son if he passed at this age, drilling him to the core since the moment he could stand what did he have to worry about. He knows that his son is to achieve a great deal.

"I am ready! I need this just as much as you. Lead the armies, conquer the weak, and all will bow before this Empire. Whatever you could ask for it will be done, but all I need are the trials to prove it." Crimson exclaims. His head now matching the movement of King Sombra. King Sombra stops dead in his tracks, and a twisted laugh could be heard as if a fire had been lit in his father.

"That all I needed to hear, you are going to be tested, and you are not going to enjoy what happens I have my confidence in you. Fail me, and the mines will have a new worker succeed, and you will be rewarded; this will be your last warning. Back out now and we will wait another year, or we commence at once." King Sombra asks already knowing the answer to his rather dumb question.

"What is the first trial I need to pass?" Crimson asks with a dark grin forming on his face.

Author's Note:

Just installed Grammarly so hopefull the grammar mistakes are no more but if they are there then please let me know