tonight we make our dreams come true [Transcendence!]

"Come on-!", he wheezed, head jerking to stare at the descending wall, at the two remaining snakes.

His heart was beating a mile a minute, his wings fluttering nervously. He couldn't fail, he couldn't fail, he couldn't-

He just had to scare that stupid snake! COME ON!!!

His magic didn't come, dammed by his own stress and fear, and he took two steps back, shaking like a leaf, trying not to snivel like some scared child. He was powerful, he was James! He'd defeated a golem, saved dozens of gembounds from being taken by Mother-

~~And managed to fail so many others.~~

He couldn't fail! Comet and Pegasus were waited at the entrance of the tunnel, waiting to take him home to Pride and Kaimana and Leviathan and Tahi. There were so many people waiting to congratulate him on succeeding, two of which had already, and passed with flying colors. He couldn't fail.

"Just let me try again!", he cried out, practically begging.

At the last—and final—attempt, the window shattered entirely. Every wall surrounding James came down. In their wake, swarm upon swarm of snakes. They slithered over one another and, upon taking note of the stallion, made a beeline for him. Fangs sought out his legs, and frostbiter venom coursed through his veins. The chargers did not bother injecting their own venom as they gnawed. Lurkers coiled where they could.

It was painful, but at least it was brief. James's chrysalis snapping up and black wings stirring the air brought the end of the assault.

"Just let me try again!" the stallion had cried out.

Emuh regarded his chrysalizing form for a moment, and wagered, "IN TIME, IF YOU STILL DARE." There had been potential, but the horse was too familiar with misfortune.

The earth churned beneath the horse, a rippling wave drowning all the snakes. It shoved his chrysalis to the room's entrance, at the end of the Place of Ascension's corridor. There, it could finish forming and start the process of healing. No more danger would befall James.

James will fall into a chrysalis due to the combined assault of Frostbiters, Lurkers, and Golden Chargers. He will emerge and be able to attempt the trial again on November 12th.

He has rolled no chrysalis consequences.

He failed.

James shrieked as the walls came down, snakes pouring down like a waterfall. He failed and thrashed, choking as Lurkers wrapped around his throat and legs, teeth sinking into his fur and flesh, injecting potent venom that turned his limbs numb before they froze up completely, the fur and skin turning grey, the muscles hardening to stone.

His screams echoed around the chamber- or what was left of it, high-pitched and terrified, his eyes glazing over.

'Not again-', he thought, already feeling his chrysalis forming.

It was agony as his chrysalis took it's sweet time covering him, at least until he passed out, stiff and brittle, like a statue. The pain went away as he fell asleep, not to feel anything until he awoke again.