Trials

"Have you tried the trails yet? It's the quickest way to get stronger." Tom said, showing the option on his own display. Looking over, Kamari shook his head. He only ever practiced shooting his one spell at the target, he had no clue there was even such a thing as trials.

"Yeah, my brother told me all about them when he was holed up here. He said that the quickest way to get more powerful is to be put in a situation where your body, your Nature, feels the need to evolve." Tom opened up his Wind Chronicle, showing it to Kamari. He already had five spells.

"And I assume trials put you in those situations?" Kamari asked, getting a single nod in response. "Go ahead and tap the option on the display right there." Tom told him, pointing to the holographic display in front of Kamari. Using his index finger, Kamari tapped the display, and instantly, he found himself transported into a digital realm, one that looked exactly like a Magic Duelist arena.

The arena was ovular in shape, having stands for an audience to watch, though there was no audience. Like he'd seen when watching the tournament live, the arena itself was around the size of a tennis court, having a line down the center that separated both sides. Beneath Kamari's feet was a circle, the Summoning Circle, which was where a duelist must stand in order to not receive a penalty.

Kamari's eyes widened as he stood in place, looking around at the empty stadium around him. "A digital world within a digital world?" Kamari whispered, compelling Tom to chuckle. "Mental, right?" As Tom spoke, Kamari could not see him at all, but he could hear his voice as if he were right next to him.

Meanwhile, in front of Kamari, he could see massive, bold letters informing him of the trial he was on.

[Trial 1: Defeat the enemy]

As he read the prompt, a hologram appeared across the field from him in the opposite Summoning Circle. This hologram looked like a person, having two legs, two arms, and the rest of a human's body. However, it had no face.

Though it had no eyes, Kamari could feel the hologram's cold gaze looking deep into his soul, or perhaps it was looking through him. Before Kamari could think of anything else, the stage began to change in front of him. As it transformed, Tom's voice once again was heard by Kamari.

"Basically, it puts you in situations that you might find yourself in while in a match. The thing about Chronicles is that they adapt to your situation, they are constantly evolving. You've seen anime, right? It's the same thing. The best part about trials is that they won't kill you." As Tom explained this to Kamari, three Defensive Spells appeared in front of the hologram, appearing as walls of ice.

Kamari could also spot his MP and HP, along with the hologram's, floating at the center of the arena on a holographic display.

[Kamari Yelekal - HP: 1000 MP: 50]

[Level 1 Trialgram - HP: 300 MP: 120]

Kamari was up first, looking through his Dark Chronicle to see that he still only had one spell to cast. Having no other choice, Kamari chose that very spell, speaking the name of it out loud. "Dark Fireball." he said, pointing his arm at one of the ice walls.

[Spell Cast: Dark Fireball]

[Spell Type: Offensive]

[Spell Cost: 100 HP]

Just as before, black flames began to shroud Kamari's hand, and then a ball of fire blasted out from his hand, destroying the ice wall in front of the hologram, leaving only two left.

[Ice Wall: HP 0]

[Destroyed]

[Turn Shift]

The floor then lit up beneath the humanoid hologram as it was its turn to attack Kamari. Kamiri looked up once more, seeing that he now only had 900 HP remaining.

Without even a moment to think, the hologram extended its palm outward toward Kamari before the display above them changed once more.

[Spell Cast: Icicle Blast]

[Spell Type: Offensive]

[Spell Cost: 10 MP]

The hologram's palm began to glow a bright blue before releasing three massive icicles toward Kamari, hitting him directly. "Ah!" Kamari screamed in pain, falling to his knees. "What the hell, man? I thought you said it wasn't going to hurt me?" he said to Tom, despite not being able to see him.

"No, I said it won't kill you. It's just a trial." Tom told him calmly.

Kamari got back up on his feet, looking up at his Health Points that have now dropped even lower.

[Kamari Yelekal - HP: 850 MP: 50]

[Turn Shift]

'Damn it. At this rate, I'll barely be able to beat this thing.' Kamari said internally before he once again flipped through his Chronicle. 'Still nothing new.' Kamari thought, once again choosing the same spell he did before, aiming it at one of the two remaining walls of ice.

[Spell Cast: Dark Fireball]

[Spell Type: Offensive]

[Spell Cost: 100 HP]

Again, a fireball of black flames flew across the arena, striking an ice wall and destroying it in a single hit.

[Ice Wall: HP 0]

[Destroyed]

[Turn Shift]

As the floor lit up beneath the hologram, Kamari scoffed as he watched his own health points continue to drop.

[Kamari Yelekal - HP: 750 MP: 50]

'This is stupid. I'm going to kill myself with my own abilities before I can even defeat it.' he thought, staring at his stats before redirecting his gaze back down toward the hologram before him. The hologram did the exact same attack as before, firing shards of ice at Kamari.

[Spell Cast: Icicle Blast]

[Spell Type: Offensive]

[Spell Cost: 10 MP]

Once again, Kamari bellowed as the shards of ice struck him, feeling as if his body was truly being damaged, impaled by sharp, chilling frozen spears.

[Kamari Yelekal - HP: 700 MP: 50]

[Turn Shift]

With a grimace on his face, Kamari once again looked through his Chronicle, hoping a new spell would appear for him to cast, though nothing else could be found besides his Dark Fireball spell. "I thought you said that once I needed a new spell, it'll appear." Kamari told Tom, compelling the English boy to laugh.

"It ain't that simple, mate. Go on." Tom knew exactly how Chronicles worked thanks to his brother and his own training, however, he wanted Kamari to learn. "You can't expect the Chronicle to do all the work, that's all I'll say."

"Wow, thanks for the help." Kamari quipped sarcastically as he pointed his hand toward the final ice wall. "Dark Fireball."

[Spell Cast: Dark Fireball]

[Spell Type: Offensive]

[Spell Cost: 100 HP]

Once again, his attack struck an ice wall and destroyed it, though this time, the hologram was left open for an attack.

[Ice Wall: HP 0]

[Destroyed]

[Turn Shift]

Kamari then mentally prepared himself to be attacked by a barrage of spears once again, however, to his surprise, the hologram held its hand upward and began charging an attack.

[Spell Cast: Hellish Blizzard]

[Spell Type: Offensive]

[Spell Cost: 100 MP]

'That can't be good.' Kamari thought to himself, watching as the hologram used the remainder of its own MP to cast this one single spell. Kamari remembered what the Game Master said, the stronger the spell, the more MP it would cost. However, to Kamari's surprise, the attack didn't go off and the floor beneath him started to light up.

[Turn Shift]

"Huh. Okay then." Kamari whispered before aiming his palm at the hologram and uttering the name of his spell. "Dark Fireball."

[Spell Cast: Dark Fireball]

[Spell Type: Offensive]

[Spell Cost: 100 HP]

The Dark Fireball then released from Kamari's palm, striking the hologram's body. The hologram did not react, however, Kamari could see its HP drop in the display above them.

[Level 1 Trialgram - 200 HP MP: 0]

[Kamari Yelekal - HP: 600 MP: 50]

[Turn Shift]

Kamari wanted to celebrate finally landing a hit, but the fact that the Trialgram was still charging that attack from before was worrying. Despite the floor beneath the Trailgram lighting up, signaling its turn, the Trialgram did not move an inch.

[Turn Shift]

The floor then once again lit up beneath Kamari, confusing him further. "It's my turn again?" he whispered, only to once again cast his same spell. "Dark Fireball."

[Spell Cast: Dark Fireball]

[Spell Type: Offensive]

[Spell Cost: 100 HP]

Kamari's black fireball flew across the stage and struck the Trialgram once again, though it did not react just as it did before.

[Level 1 Trialgram - 100 HP MP: 0]

[Kamari Yelekal - HP: 500 MP: 50]

'One more hit!' Kamari thought to himself as the floor beneath the Trialgram began to glow. However, this time, the Trialgram would act.

[Hellish Blizzard: Charged]

The Trialgram then threw its arm forward, releasing a massive ball of energy toward Kamari. Despite this being nothing but a trial, Kamari was struck with the fear of god. This ice attack was massive, and there was no telling how much damage it was going to do, though the MP cost would give a good place to start guessing. All Kamari could do was watch as the blizzard sphere flew toward him, hitting him directly.

[Kamari Yelekal - HP: 0 MP: 50]

[Kamari Yelekal - Defeated]

[Trial End]