James still had pockmark scars from his last time here. But unlike his last time here, he wasn't afraid. He wasn't afraid! He was determined and ready to prove himself, and no owl was going to stop him.

"EMUH!", he cried, flaring his wings, gold layering over his feathers as a horn grew from atop his gem, armor coating his head, nose, neck, back, and his legs.

He was mighty now, and he could only grow mightier.

"I've come to take your test again!", he said, head held high, no longer the pitiful mess that had first arrived here, seeking to somehow prove to himself that he was worth it, when worth didn't come from accomplishments or great achievements.

No. Worth came from love and acceptance. Worth came from kindness and caring, and he'd learned since then that all he needed to be worth it was to surround himself with wonderful people and to be kind. Today, whether he succeeded or if he didn't, he'd accept the outcome and return to his life with his beloved family and be happy.

Succeeding would be nothing more than an added perk when he and Tahi left for Ursa with Vargas and the other Gembound. But he had nothing to prove anymore. He just wanted to protect his family now.

The flutter of black feathers led to a green-eyed squint as the great owlbeast Emuh landed and fixed James with a baffled stare. "WHO-OO ARE YOU?" he asked, seemingly not recognizing the horse.

An aura shrouded the owl, soft green with illusionary flowers blooming and closing all around him--and as he eyed James it changed, settling into a soft and shimmering pink-violet that crackled gently with arcane energies. Wings readjusted, and he snorted in sudden recognition. "OH. YOU'RE THE GUY WHO DIED TO SNAKES. AHAHAHA!" With this crowing laughter ringing, raucous, through the little room, Emuh turned and took flight again. "I DOUBT YOU'LL DO ANY BETTER THIS TIME. EMUH WILL SET THE STAGE FOR ANOTHER GLORIOUS TRAGEDY!"

As he spoke, as he vanished into the darkness, the room once again began to shift. First, a small pedestal of blue-gray stone, cracked and worn, rose from the floor before the winged horse: in its center was an empty keyhole. Then the room lengthened, darkening, the ceiling dropping low and the cave itself stretching away into shadows. A crevasse opened in the floor, three narrow bridges spaced out over it--each leading into the black.

The room settled into silence. It wasn't clear if James could simply fly over the gap, or even what lay beyond it. Without some form of scouting, the horse would be flying--or walking--blindly into danger. "-Well? GET GOING," the owl screeched; "I HAVEN'T GOT ALL DAY."

@James

James breathed in and out, ignoring the laughter, ignoring the shame that welled up. No, he wasn't ashamed. He was proud of his scars because they meant he tried.

"And like a phoenix...", he mumbled, "I rose from my ashes into a new life. One not riddled with doubt. So... I can do this."

The glowing light of his armor faded, but it was just enough to give him a little bit of light before the room lengthened and dropped. He stared down into the abyss, jaw clenching.

He fell, a voice shrill and high-pitched above. He'd been tricked-

No. No he could do this. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale... he had this.

Now, if he stepped across the... center bridge. What would happen? He took a step forward and halted, intend in his mind as he closed his eyes. He'd done this before with Pride, he knew how this worked. He just had to focus. One of these paths had to be clear, or at least safe-ish.

Emuh did not hear the horse, or chose not to respond; James was left standing alone before the bridges, magic casting out.

The cave around him seemed to swim past, as if he were stepping forward, as if he were crossing that bridge in flowing colors: it seemed real, yet unreal, like a strange dream or perhaps a memory. The moment was disconcerting and perhaps a little dizzying, particularly when the jaws of the giant spider clamped around the back of his neck from where it had dropped down from the darkness of the ceiling, the fangs punching through muscle, blood running as agonizing venom took hold-

-...the vision faded.

1/3

@James

James hissed and reared, stepping back from the bridge. Nope, not that one.

He shook his head out and opened his eyes, blinking back into reality. Perhaps if it came to it, he could cast a shield over himself and run as fast as he could without falling, but he'd have to see. There were still two other bridges to check out.

He inhaled and exhaled before stepping to the right, standing in front of that bridge and once again taking a meaningful step forward.

In, out. In, out. Focus.

He closed his eyes and leaned forward, once again with intent.

James stepped forward (or did he?). Wind whistled, weak but still ominously precarious, around his hooves as he paced out over the abyss.

This time, his head was up, his equine wide-range vision ready and his attention on the ceiling above. This James knew the dangers. This James had used his Sight, and-

Legs, long and hairy and impossibly spindly, lurched up from beneath the bridge. Webbing snared hooves, Thoroughbred limbs rapidly tangled, dragged off the edge. The world swung dizzyingly, blood rushing to his head and now he was upside-down, panicked, trying to fly but going nowhere: tangled and hanging from the underside of the bridge, caught in the spider's web.

Glowing eyes stared down at him as, fangs glistening, it began to descend.

...James stood at the head of narrow walkway again. It seemed that the third was not the best option, either.

2/3

@James

James winced and stepped back, shaking his head, "Nope... not doing that."

He shuddered and finally went to the leftmost path, the first. He was a bit wary this time around. Would this be the path that got him across, or would this one spell his doom too? So far if he went towards the rightmost path, he could try and fly across, but that wasn't guaranteed either.

Besides, he still had to check out this one.

James swallowed and closed his eyes, stepping forward again. In... out. Okay.

James's magic flickered again.

A vast shape began to descend from the ceiling over the third, leftmost bridge. For the most part it was only shadow within shadow, but the dim light in this room glinted, here and there, in iridescent blue-green off the bristles of enormous arachnid legs.

It was slowly lowering itself toward the walkway-... and suddenly it became clear, if it hadn't been already, that this one wasn't a vision of the future. No: this was an enormous cave spider, descending to block James's path... and, undoubtedly, to then advance on him.

@James

James snorted and stamped a hoof, backing up. Okay... that path was blocked right now, but... what if he could do something to at least immobilize it? A mental attack could render it too brain-fried to go after him, and he could easily jump over it and use his wings to steady himself.

"Here goes nothing," he mumbled, "Let's hope at the least I can get into my chrysalis first."

He didn't want spider fang scars too. Snake ones were bad enough.

James reared, magic flaring up. He stamped his hooves down and bared his teeth, his mind reaching out to tap into the spiders... and screamed.

It was a riot of screams. Loud and overwhelming, some laughter (condescending and shrill) seeping in. Voices, memories, bright lights and flashing visions, meant to overwhelm and to cause strife.

"Sorry, spider," he mumbled, "But I'm not losing today."

The great spider seemed to hesitate, hanging there but a thread away from the bridge, one leg frozen just shy of touching. Then, with haste, it scurried back the way it had come: and the sounds of it skittering away across the rock ceiling were quietly audible.

A glint of metal shone at the end of the walkway. It seemed that all that remained was to retrieve it, and slot it into the keyhole in the pedestal behind.

3/3

@James