Waking up from a restful recovery Cloud opens his eyes again to find nothing has changed, and getting to his feet again he move to the next area.

Coming away from the cliff side he walks toward another “Well that was a short wall, I’m impressed that it stands on its own” Clod sparks in shock and looking at the new edge he sees a stone bridge starting from the new cliff edge stretching outwards to the darkness of a now roofless cavern. He steps to the first stone brick of the bridge and sees blades about thirty feet in front of him start to swing from side wall to side wall, holding an enormous blade size that rivaled a small home in width. Cloud looks to examine the next test phase that he has now determined he is in, and sees that the axe blades and hammer heads are attached to chains from each side of this dreaded looking gauntlet. He goes through this test dodging and pacing himself as he weaves through each blade and hammer that is at least ten times his own size.

Getting about half way nearest he could tell, he suddenly hears the added whistling sound of arrows; looking to his body to see if he is shot he finds nothing but then hears stones grinding behind him.

Looking back he sees that the arrows are impacting the sides of the stone making up the bridge and they are then falling to the blackness below, hurrying his judgment in between shuffles he goes for a distance again keeping ahead of the falling bricks until he steps on a brick that glows blue. “Well that was weird” Cloud says to himself and starting to move again he bolts through about ten bricks going past two more swinging heads in the blink of an eye Cloud digs his heels to the stone stopping for the next one which nearly cuts him in two. “a speed spell was caste on my feet…neat” Cloud says and moving through a bunch more quite fast he then hits another brick right in the path of one axe blade, the stone caste the reverse to Cloud making him super slow moving and seeing the blade coming at him he jumps very slowly but enough to dodge the blade landing face planted on more further ahead bricks. “Oh great” Cloud says and pulling out his sword he says some words to lift the slowness curse from his feet. Moving again through more at normal speed Cloud continues to go but this time being cautious about each block, stepping on it and moving back in case of a side effect, the falling blocks behind now catch up pending Cloud’s falling doom sooner then he wanted.

Cloud now seeing the other edge side in his view loses focus on the stones beneath him, and pressuring without backing up the stone under his feet glows white. He lose feeling in his feet and looking down as to why he sees his feet turning to stone, waving his arms back and forth to keep his upright balance. Cloud looks behind to see the bricks hiding his path to the black oblivion below almost upon him, thinking fast Cloud judges the swing hammer coming just in front of him and reaching out for it, Cloud grips the handle the head hangs by, lifting him swiftly into the air Cloud hangs on to the rod letting it bring him close to the one wall side; Cloud sees that the handle and the head piece go into the wall thus leaving him nothing to hang on to.

Bracing himself for a painful impact Cloud hits the wall hard but doesn’t fall, he grips a small ledge that is made between the slits in the walls where the blades and poles come out. Hanging while shimmying across he looks back to the bridge that is now completely gone; waiting till the blades have retracted Cloud then shimmies over the slits of the doom bringing blades till at last he sees the ledge of the other side just to the right of his feet. Running out of ledge Cloud then swings his sore stretched body back and forth straining his arms yet even more. Letting go and floating in the air he lands hard and rolls on the new ground busting concrete all over the turf freeing his feet from their motionless prison.

Once again getting to his feet Cloud gets up and now starts to wonder when these acts of proving himself will come to an end. He looks around on the new surface to which he landed on to only see one way to go, this time through a solid wooden door similar to the ones in the castle of Silverspire. Walking up to the door Cloud touches the handle for only seconds and then pulls back and away expecting something to happen. When nothing results from the action he continues to open the door the whole way, his darken filled eyes were then filled with light emanating from torches spaced around on the wall in the room resembling a huge dungeon area. The light to him is bright but dark compared to most and the floor is now laced with stone plates and stone bricked walls, emerging to the room Cloud only sees two things; first a large portcullis like seen from the inner layer of a draw bridge and a young female elf with both arms chained heavily to an alter like sacrificial chamber. She was wearing a pure white toga dress that was ripped and torn from the cause of what looks like deterioration of aging, and had golden blonde hair draping down past her face half way past her shoulders. Strands of her hair were braided in a rope fashioned like a wreath, and was tied around her head housing an elegant if not a royalty look. She had some cuts on her face and wrists from trying to escape, and even covered in dirt her elven features seemed to push through the murky mess like sun shine through heavy cloud cover. She heard his entry but didn’t flinch a lift from her head it to see who had just shut the door. Cloud gases to the ravenous beauty and putting away his blade Cloud runs to her side trying to undo the chains holding her captive.

“Are you hurt, who has done this to you?” Cloud questions the young elf

“I…I don’t know…I mean I don’t remember” she says and looking around Cloud notices decayed bones of past heroes to her rescue,

“How long have you been here?” Cloud asks her

“A time…hundreds perhaps thousands of years it has been…so long it has been, since I’ve seen the crisp air, the warm sun, the world” she finishes

“You mean in that time none have come to your aid” Cloud inquired to her

“I didn’t say that …just none have survived the beast” she replies and stopping with the chains Cloud looks to her

“What beast!” he says having moments past before he hears a noise, Cloud turns to see the metal gate raise up from the shadowy corner and a set of sinister red glowing eyes pierces through his body and into his soul, striking a bone chilling amount of fear running his blood filled veins cold, Cloud swallows hard his courage.

“That beast” she says to him and advancing out of the darkness the creature has a head like a small dragon reaching his gangly long thin neck out to get a clearer look at Cloud.

“Oh…that’s it” says Cloud regaining his lost pride thinking he misjudged the creature’s evilness “He’s not so bad” and griping his sword to his strong arm Cloud advance to it.

“That’s not the head to be worried about” the women replies

“Not the head…how many heads does this thing have” and following his speech Cloud sees three more dragon like heads advance from the darkness and following enters its large body where all the necks convene and join.

“Oh great, a hydra” Cloud says

“They carry the scourge of the elements” the girl cries out to him and now pulling his shield from his back Cloud renders closer to the beast.

Getting ready itself, the Hydra extends its massive claws from the hidden skin of its paws growing about a foot in length, as well it uncovers a razor sharp spike extending from the tip of its tail, and seeing the tail spike dripping some vile looking red venom from its tip Cloud moves distantly around the Hydra watching the move of the tail carefully.

Snapping at Cloud from one mouth of the Hydra the battle begins, moving around and dodging the biting heads and swing slashing of the tail, Cloud swings when he can, and the girl grits her teeth at the close encounters.

“Watch the tail! The claws!! Behind you!” she shouts to him

“Would you let me do the fighting” snapped Cloud and turning away from the Hydra for a moment to look at her the Hydra throws a head into Clouds shield bashing him into the air and slamming into the wall.

“The Fire!” she cried to him, and looking up Cloud raises his shield for the pending flames barring down to his body, breathing the intense heat upon him Cloud rolls to the side swinging a lob severing the neck. Having the head plummet to the ground, turning quickly Cloud swings rapidly to the rest claiming the same result.

Having all four heads impact the ground, Cloud takes a breather and goes to the woman.

“I’ll have to cut the chains to free you, so please wrap this around that rock so you don’t jolt back to me from the force of my cut; she does and waiting with her eyes close and face scrunches up Cloud throws all of his might into the swing sparking flicker all around, the blow causes the chain to light up with a white glow and the chain doesn’t break,

“What the…” said Cloud disturbed at the chain not coming in two, he tries again and again not having any luck breaking it.

“I don’t get it, why won’t it break…the Hydra is dead” Cloud said again

“Oh No!!” cried the girl who was looking at the corpse of the beast, and turning around Cloud witnesses the Hydra regaining its footing and growing more heads in where the others were cut, two now sprout where one was before. The beast now stares eight sets of eyes angrily down on Cloud’s position.

“GET DOWN!!” Cloud yells to the girl who curls up in a ball, Cloud runs from her spot luring the beast away and with a bunch of acrobatic flips and rolls, Cloud evades the breaths of ice, fire and lightning directed at him; but seeing one final breath hocked up from the throat of the last head Cloud raises his shield to have a thick sticky film coat and cake itself on the metal, turning it over quickly from the sizzling sound the shield was making, Cloud saw the body shape of his shield melting into a metal puddle dripping into the ground.

Tossing it away before the acid hit his hands, he looked to the beast intensely. It’s a Leannean hydra Cloud thought in his mind, the regenerating head kind, and the only way to kill them is to go for the body.

Getting a good running start Cloud uses his sword tip and pole-vaults himself up and onto the body of the beast, wasting no time he hacks and slashes through the flesh pouring blood on to the ground and himself. Slowing the Hydra down but not enough, Cloud is hit by the tail and knocked again into the wall, getting up Cloud looks to his gut which was cut by the tail razor edge and notice the vile red venom leaking into his stomach.

His vision goes blurry but he shakes it off and goes again, getting back up to the Hydra’s back, Cloud remembers the move his uncle did to the Stormguard guards in the ring and with that thought Cloud turns his blade around impaling the blade deep into the creature. Closing his eyes he says the words to apply the force ability and the sheer velocity of the power blows the Hydra to pieces hurling parts all over the room, coating walls, torches and even the girl with the extremities of the beast. Falling to the ground hard Cloud lays motionless but turns his head to see the chains of the girl’s glow blue and unclasp from her wrists, she throws them off and runs to his side. Holding up his head in her lap she looks to the gaping wound in his torso.

“You have been poisoned dear knight, but don’t worry I have the power to cure it from your body and soul” she smiles to him as his vision grows dark again “this is not your end” Cloud hears the words echo in his head as he passed out.

Cloud awakes and comes around a time later or so he thinks, opening his eyes he hears the sweet sound of gentle music coursing through the voice of the young elf. Moving around to sit up Cloud sees that his armor has been removed and put to the side, his shirt was missing and replaced with a damp cloth wrapping from her toga dress, wrapped around his wound. Looking over to her Cloud sees the tear in her dress that she made to form the bandage, and laying back down Cloud made some noise that disrupted her singing

“You’re awake, thank the lords” she said to him smiling and coming to his side “The bandage around your waist is to slow the flow of blood thus slowing the venom’s spreading wake” she explained

“What is your name?” he asks

“Serena” she replied

“That’s pretty” Cloud says smiling to her

“Thanks, it was the name also given to my grandmother before me; it means perfect harmony”

“As I can see with no argument” Cloud flirts and makes her blush a bit, “How long have I been out?

“Two days” Serena answered

“What” snapped Cloud startling her as he jumped to his feet, moving to the door where he first came in, he budges it “Damn it’s stuck”

“Actually I think it’s locked, when you defeated the beast the door made a sound and I think then it locked shut” she said to him, and gripping his sword he smashes on the door with his blade to splinter it lose,

“I’ve took the liberty to try that myself when you were out, I think it’s protected by magic” she went on, Cloud then looks to the metal gate where the beast came in and sees it’s shut tight again.

“Well we need to find some way to get…ahhh!” Cloud said falling to the ground and dropping his sword,

“What, what’s wrong?” she asked coming to his aid

“My legs, I can’t feel my legs!” Cloud panicked

“Then I must act now!” Serena says and moving her right hand to her shoulder straps of what was left of her dress she lifts them off dropping the dress to her waist.

“Whoa, Serena what are you doing?!” Cloud said starring at her chest for a moment then looking to her face,

“For me to cure you, I have to give myself to you for my blood carries the cure and it’s the only method to transverse it to yours” Serena says

“Serena I can’t do this…I’m married to a beautiful woman that I love” Cloud says

“But it has to be done; you will die if you don’t get the cure” Serena pleads

“There has to be another way Serena, my brother back home is the best alchemist there is and he has never known this way to cure someone; although he has often dreamt of such an event” Cloud explains

“Well there is other more none prosaic ways to do this but the ingredients are through that door to make the concoction, but in your current state door open or not you would be dead before we could get them” she replies putting Cloud quiet for seconds “It won’t hurt…of that I promise you” she smiles and moving closer to him Serena make a gesture to kiss Cloud.

Cloud stops her advance and looks to her “Your wife will never need to know this Cloud and you’ll be alive to tell her that” reasons Serena discouragingly

“No…no she won’t” and getting close to his lips she is stopped again “But I will, and that’s enough torture for me, I couldn’t do that to her and I won’t…I’d rather die than betray my vows to her…I’m sorry Serena” Cloud says prideful to her and giving him a very serious look she bolts to him “So Be It!” she stands and watches the rest of his body go to a numbness state and breathes his last breath until all goes finally dark to his eyes.

Feeling a patting to his cheek Cloud opens his eyes again, “Cloud” he heard Dawn speaking to his ear, and turning his head Cloud sees his sister by his side

“Am I ….dead?” Cloud asks her

“Not exactly” Artanis says to him, who was to his left

“How long have you guys been here, wait I’m still in the cave how are you two in here?” he asked again

“After you went in, we waited for a while and then saw a bright light from your direction, we tried to go in again and we were allowed in this time, we followed your trail and found you only about eighty feet from the entrance on the ground passed out” Artanis answered

“No that can’t be right, I’ve been in here for two days already” Cloud corrects Artanis

“Umm, Cloud it’s only been a few minutes, since you went in, we saw a flash, and then the force field was gone” Artanis reassured Cloud and still not believing them Cloud got to his feet and heard a clang on his back, reaching back there he felt his shield that was melted when he fought the Hydra, Checking his stomach under his armor that was also back on he sees his skin unscathed.

“What the hell happened to me?” Cloud said to the air with a bewildered look to his face.

“Perhaps I can shed your puzzlement, young Drow Captain” echoed a familiar voice and the three looked up to see Serena standing before them just further in the cave.

“You have got to be kidding me” Cloud said with a tone of disbelief “This was a test, wasn’t it” he asked

“You are correct, Cloud” she said smiling

“Who is that” responded Artanis locking to her beauty

“A young girl I thought, I had to save…” replied Cloud to his question

“And save me you did, but the ultimate goal was for you to save your soul, and passed that challenge you did” she said walking toward them “For this series of tests was to prove to us four key features we look for; Fortitude…Resourcefulness…integrity…and loyalty; and you Cloud were the first in ten thousand years to prove to us that such qualities all exist inside one soul. For the essence of corruption is the worst amongst the stones, and could only be entrusted to someone who is fully resistant to all the charms” she concluded

“But…I was down there for days and they say not, how is this possible” Cloud inquired

“This test took mere seconds to them, but during the flash they saw we entered your mind and wrote scenarios to you taking days in your own thoughts to solve and master, time is all relative in the mist of the mind” she answered

“But why my mind” Cloud asked

“That is obvious, why corrupt the body when the mind is the center of control” she says to him and finishes by changing forms into a pedestal made of crystal and sitting on its center is the Amber jewel they seek, going up to it Cloud hears an echo of her voice once again “Congratulations, and may good guide your path now and always” he smiles saying thank you to the wind that blows when the echo stops and going to grab to stone he looks at it. It had a black misty swirling shroud on the inside of the shell.

“Hey” bolted Dawn “That pedestal is the same one as I found at the bottom of the pool”

Picking up the stone Cloud gently puts it in his pouch and turns to his group “Let’s go guys, I’ve had enough of this place” and nodding in agreement they all depart.