Sighing softly, Tristan found routine in what he was doing, Emily sometimes would talk to him. She seemed beyond interested in him, proclaiming that he was the loner kid with a lot of hidden past. He just gave her a look at that but didn't bother arguing with her.

Life after the trail was calm, hard to think that Arron was gone, but Tristan had resolved that the other possibly wouldn't have survived. Still, he hoped the guy didn't suffer too much. Taking a breath he had a light breakfast before Emily walked outside with him, "The trial was a little easy." She admits softly.

"I did find so." Tristan admits, "But, my g-gu-guess is easy to harder as we keep surviving. Isn't that how it always goes?" he asks her as they take to knives again. By this point, Emily had gotten used to his twitches and cracks of his joints. Tristan found they didn't hurt as much as they used to.

"I guess." Emily sighs quietly as they throw them at the targets to see how they fair. "Hey, Tristan... mind if I ask a personal question?" she asked softly.

Tristan looks at her out of the corner of his eye, "Sure." He shrugs at her.

"Do you believe in a God?" her tone was blunt, yet quiet and soft. "I mean... I've been thinking about this, the fact we are here, we are going to die possibly, and who our mentors are." She whispers softly looking down.

Silence rings between them, Tristan sighs softly after a moment making her attention snap to him again. "I'm not really a believer in a 'God', I'm a Pagan, or at least somewhat of one." He told her honestly. "I grew up Catholic, yet never felt anything to that type of belief, never had an experience that was 'life changing'. However, I've always had a connection to things around me." He explained to her, seeing no reason to lie about this. Not like Tristan hid what he was to people besides his grandparents.

Emily stares at him, "Like? What kind of connection?" she asks, at least she wasn't actively pushing him away or calling him names like most did.

"Well," Tristan looks thoughtful, "I've never felt afraid in darkness, I've always known my way even when it appears that I'm lost. I've participated in rituals, and always felt like I belonged in them."

"Wow," she looks back at the targets, "I grew up in a Christian home as well, but I've never given much thought to how I believe."

Tristan hums at that with a half shrug as he tilts his head to her, "It's a personal discovery, not everyone is what they are born into. Some are though, it's all up to how you want to be." He throws another knife hitting the target dead center.

Silence again stretched, before Emily perked up with the curious light in her eyes again. "So, what are the rituals like?"

"Well, there is one in about a week from now, Halloween as you know it." Tristan told her, "The veil between the living and the dead is it's thinnest. And normally it's the day we connect to our ancestors and leave them offerings." He explained as they collected their knives. Tristan then sighs, "How about we just focus on training today." At that she agreed, but Tristan could tell she was on edge and still bursting with questions.

He frowned a bit as they practiced, why would she be so interested in something like that. Granted, he didn't care who knew of his beliefs, but why would Emily be curious of it. Up until now, she just seemed to be curious about him as a person, simple questions about his favorites and other things. Now, onto life views and possibly more. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the mentors watching them curiously.

Tristan found himself wondering about what the next trial would be as he soon started to keep to himself again. Taking a break, he sat down in the grass and looking up at the sunny skies and soft clouds. Emily went off to talk to other people, as Tristan leaned on the stone foundation of the mansion in thought.

They didn't have as long for the next Trial, it was tomorrow, luckily, Tristan found with EJ his ankle had healed up just fine. They were just told that fighting would be a thing in this, nothing much else was said. Trial of Endurance is what it was called. Which many took up to weapons for this.

In that time, Tristan took up again to watching people, mainly the Mentors and other Proxies. Masky was intriguing to him, the man could easily disappear and reappear without much thought. He moved swiftly and silently when Tristan watched him do this, sometimes even he would lose track of the other. If Masky knew he was being watched, he didn't give any indication to it, and continued as normal.

Then there was his partner, Hoodie, Tristan found the other was so silent, enough so Tristan wondered if the man was breathing or not. He moved effortlessly when he once watched the two sparing in the day, it was when others were still in for dinner, and Tristan happened to look out a window.

He guessed life went on as normal for everyone who lived in the mansion. With a sigh he got up, and went back at it, this time doing so alone. Though, he did note some of the people watching him as he moved.

Nothing much else happened that was note worthy in the day, other than another girl watching him. But, he didn't say anything to her, however he did note that Emily and her seemed to give each other a wide birth.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Tristan woke up to his alarm and sighed as he looked over at it. Then got up, picking up a bottle on the table, EJ left a note saying one in the morning. So, he took out one of the white pills and easily took it, sighing softly to himself again. He shrugged off the idea they might be killing him slowly, if they were it wasn't like he cared at all.

However, he found they did help him, he was sleeping easier among other small things. Like he found, for once in a long time, he could think clearly again. Used to be the ones he did take just clouded his thoughts before bed and in the morning.

Getting up, he got dressed in simple clothing, comfortable to move in and still be warm. He looked around, nothing out of the ordinary so far. That was until he left and found on the door was a knife holding up a map. The words on it told Tristan to bring the knife. Well, seems he was right about the fighting part.

Walking away with the map and knife in hand, Tristan soon managed, after some confusion, to make it to the forest where a clearing was ten minuets away. Once there, Tristan found the girl from yesterday and two of the boys were there. All of which he didn't know the names of, Emily had still yet to make it.

He walked over to the girl as she looked to the mentors, "They haven't said anything yet." She tells him, as Tristan nods his thanks to her. "I'm Kate by the way."

"Tristan." He said shortly to her, and with that, unlike with Emily, a comfortable silence rang between them. Kate had sharp features with long black hair, where as Emily's was lighter. Kate's eyes were also coal black, making them seem more like two orbs in a sea of white. Her silence and noninvasive questions were a welcome change, and Tristan found their silence spoke louder than words.

Soon, Emily made it with others and went over to him, giving Kate a glare. Kate just looked impassive as Tristan frowned at them, this was something different. Maybe the two just didn't like each other? Women were all confusing.

"Welcome children." Tristan turned his attention to Slenderman as he saw Masky leaving again into the darkness. "Today's trial will be one of endurance and resilience. Today, you each will fight one of my proxies."

Everyone looked at each other at that, Tristan just kept his gaze ahead. He had a feeling it won't be Masky or Hoodie, that was too obvious. "This is not a task on strength, keep that in mind." Slender warned them lightly.

Not a task of strength, meaning they don't have to beat the person, just outlast them. Tristan mentally filed that away.

"Toby." Tristan looks over at a boy with orange goggles on, a mouth guard, and messy brown hair. He's never seen him before, his best guess is that this proxy was away on a mission before he got back today. Or something, Tristan wasn't totally sure of that.

Jeff grinned widely, blood dripping down his mouth, "Alrighty then, Kate, you're up first." He tells the girl near him. She nods and walks back Emily easily, she gives Tristan a smile, he nods to her in return.

Toby waved to the group, Tristan can tell he's smiling under the mouth guard. Soon, BEN ushers them into another part, where benches made of fallen trees are and some other areas.

Tristan sits down, better to conserve strength for now, some take to practicing, others sitting like him, or standing and chatting quietly. Emily tries to talk to him, but he blocks her out to find his center. That Toby guy looked strong, Tristan wondered if he even had a chance.

The clang of metal on metal was heard in the distance. Tristan took a breath, no need getting afraid now, if he lost, he lost. Though, after having gotten through the first trial, he wondered if he had a chance. But he snuffed that out, the first was meant to be easy, this wasn't.

One by one, they are called back, Tristan noted they kept the ones that went away from the ones that didn't. Most likely to keep the mystery of what they were to face. Soon, Tristan found himself to be the only one left.

Getting up when BEN came over to him, he walked with the other to the roped off clearing. Like a make-shifted arena. Then, he spies Toby, who doesn't look at all beat up or anything, if anything, after eight fights, he still looks the same.

Toby looks at him and tilts his head at Tristan curiously. Tristan sighs, lets just get this over with, he walks into the arena as Toby throws up a hatchet and catches it. He looks back at Tristan, and then his neck cracks to one side. Reminds Tristan of his own little tic, only, it looked much more sever with him.

Slender speaks first, "You know the rules of the trial, right Tristan?" he asks.

Tristan merely nods to him, Slender nods back, "Alright, begin!"

The two start to circle each other, then mental clashes. Toby ran forward, Tristan easily blocks with his knife. For a moment, that was all the two did, attack and jump back. Testing each other's speed and strength, Toby had a lot of strength, but didn't seem to be as fast as Masky was. At least, that's what Tristan got. But still, it was clear this guy had been at this a while, easily changing his tactics last minuet. Making Tristan unsure where his next blow would be.

Soon, they weren't holding back, Tristan getting up close and personal. His heart pounded, blood roaring in his ears, 'He moves slow, but he hits hard.' He thought as Toby didn't seem to flinch when he was cut or hit. Tristan made sure not to get hit, using his knife to block some, and sometimes going in with his free hand. Toby would attack one way, then use a fake up and use the other way. Keeping Tristan on his toes.

'He easily keeps up with my attacks, using fake outs... I wonder if I could do that.' Tristan thinks as he watches Toby use it again. Taking a stance, Tristan moved forward.

He takes his left arm, aiming for Toby's head, the other moves to the right, however, Tristan stops his arm midway and uses his knife catching the others shoulder in a deep cut.

The two of them jump back at that, Toby looks surprised for a moment that he had gotten such a serious wound like that. However, Tristan notes he doesn't seem in pain from it.

"Wow!" Toby laughs cheerfully, "You sure are a fast learner, Tristan!" he chirps, Tristan is ready for it when it comes again. This time, he easily sees it, and starts to give it back to Toby when he tries to use fake outs.

Now, this was close quarters, only think either of them could hear was the whistle of each other's blades, the sound of heavy breathing. Neither of them pulled away for a breather this time. Tristan was in Toby's personal space, and vice versa.

Tristan was tiring, but he noted so was Toby, as his moves were getting clumsy. Tristan got distracted by this for a split second, a hachet came from beside. He had to think fast, oh he'd have gotten lip for this, but he had to.

He raised his hand, and caught the blade with it, blood dripped from the hatchet. Tristan didn't even flinch, and in Toby's shoulder was his knife. Looking at Toby dead in the eye, Toby stared back. Then, the mouth guard lifted up, he was grinning.

The two stared at each other like this, "Enough!" Slender's voice said, then the tension dissolved. Tristan pulled back as he let go of the hatchet, blood running from his hand, the cut was deep, but not enough to have damaged the bone. Toby easily pulled out the knife and handed it back to Tristan.

"Can't feel pain either?" Toby asked Tristan, near vibrating with excitement.

Tristan nods to that as EJ was quick to make his way over and cursing under his breath at the wound on the others hand. Toby seems to grin wider, judging by his mouth guard's uplift. "You're such an idiot." EJ muttered to both of them.

"How did I do?" Tristan asks the mentors.

Jeff smiles widely, "Best by far." He comments, Tristan blinks in surprise at that. The smile seems real this time, not affixed to his face.

BEN nodded grinning also, "You managed to pick up on Toby's tactics faster than the other. Not only that, you managed to even mimic them!"

EJ mutters something but is too affixed on smearing a type of herb on Tristan's hand and bandaging it. "This is why I keep my med kit handy, BEN." He mutters to the other. BEN just rolls his eyes as Masky comes over and leads Tristan away. EJ following them, Toby was soon behind them, not at all bothered by his wounds. EJ had patched him up a bit also, as the task was over. They walk back to the clearing together, Toby sticking with Masky and Hoodie as Tristan walked over to Kate. Emily seemed to be sitting down, looking worse for wear.

Kate nods to Tristan, "You look better than most here." She comments.

Tristan shrugs, "Wasn't easy." He held up his hand, and the bloody bandage. "And I'm honestly exhausted."

She smiles at that with a small laugh, "I think we all are." She agrees. Then, they turn when the mentors come out of the area.

Slender speaks first, "Well done all of you, many of you fought well." For some reason, Tristan felt the beings 'eyes' were on him when he said this. "However, we have selected which one of you will not progress."

Silence hung in the air, as slowly he looks over at a girl about Emily's height. She had short hair, and her green eyes widen in horror. "No... no no no no!" she whimpers backing away in fear.

She turns to bolt, only for Masky to block her off from behind, Hoodie and Toby grab her arms, "NO! NO!" she screams out as she is dragged kicking and screaming to the arena area.

Her screams echo into silence as everyone stares at where she vanished horrified. Tristan seems impassive though, his expression blank, though inwardly he still heard her screams. "Best go and get some rest, Tristan, I expect to see you in the medical wing." Eyeless Jack said to him firmly, with a tone that meant he couldn't argue.

Tristan fought down the blush on his face at the eyes on him, and just nodded. Slowly, everyone started to make their way back to the mansion, Tristan making his way last.

"Tristan! Wait up!" he heard, turning back he saw Toby running over to him waving. Blood was on his hatchets, meaning he got the pleasure of the kill. Tristan guessed it was only fair, as he did most of the work. Toby's neck cracks again, then he seems to get over it, "Just wanted to say, you were the best fight I had out of the group!" he cheers.

"T-T-Than-Thanks." Tristan finds himself twitching again, Toby seems to grin at this.

"Wow! Masky was right, you have the same problems as me!" Toby seems to be even more excited, if that was possible, at that. "I'm Ticci-Toby! But most call me Toby." He says, holding out his hand. Tristan sees no reason to be mean and uses his none injured hand to shake Toby's hand with a nod.

Toby smiles at that, Tristan now could see the other's eyes upturn at that. Tristan finds himself smiling now also, this guy's excitement is contagious. "Again, just wanted to say, you were awesome!" he chirps happily, before going away with a wave, "See you later!" he said before vanishing after Masky and Hoodie.

Tristan stands there, a bit in shock, before sighing with a shake of his head. Well, that was something else. But, he still finds himself smiling despite it all.

-0-0-0-0-0-

A/N: So I get the trials are going fast, but really they are most of the story. Tristan isn't really a talkative person. But once we get to the forth, there will be more meat to it as their will be less people. I'm trying to not seem like mine are the same as Mirror Waves, but some will be. However, next Trial will be all me.

There seems to be more going on with Emily and Kate, what could you think it would be?