Monique held her breath waiting to see if the key worked. It seemed like ages until she finally heard the click. She slowly pushed the door open. She looked around. There was just a steep corridor.

Really? Was she done? She took a deep breath. Smelled like... FRESH AIR! Monique had done it. She was free. Smiling, she held tightly in one hand the mirror and tightly in her other her wand. She then headed up the slope in a run.

Your wand hits something hard underneath the leafy wreckage. If you tug it out with your wand, you'll see it's a key.

Large, heavy and simple, it is rusted.

As you do, however, you hear a rumbling and the floor beneath you shakes as the beanstalk has continued to grow and has, indeed, broken through the top of the cave. The holes are not large enough to climb out of, if you could even get good footing on the stalk. But, they are large enough to let light stream in. Slight tendrils curl off the main stalk and the light shining through reflects off something attached to one of them. It's just out of reach, unless you'd like to try to stretch and risk falling.

Elsewhere in your general vicinity, one aptly placed hole allows light to shine down illuminating a door. A door! Upon further inspection, however, a large, rusted padlock stands between you and what looks like your best exit.


As the champion exits, the door closes behind her.

A key?

Where was the lock?

Brielle had no time to look, as the insides of the cave began to shake and rocks to crumble and fall all around her. The girl cried out in pain, as a falling rock hit her right on the side of the head, momentarily knocking her out.

On the ground in a pool of thick blood, Brielle came too. Her vision was blurry and her head was throbbing, there was blood everywhere. As she began to pull herself up to a seated position, the whole cave began to swim in front of her eyes, forcing her to lie back down, her eyes dazzled by a reflection of light in the branches of the stalk. Her breath came in weak broken breathes, her body felt numb, but her determination was not going to let her give up.

Forcing herself up, Brielle decided she need to stop the bleeding, her jacket was gone, now the prized possession of the army of bowtruckles. All she had was her singlet top, which was torn and shredded. However it was easy to rip, and rip it she did. Tearing off a stretch of material, Brielle wound the top around her head, trying to stop the flow of hot sticky blood. The blood helped to hold it in place, acting as a glue.

With that sorted they were the shiny object to attend too.

High up in the branches of the stalk, Brielle could see a reflective something, she could not figure out what it was, but she needed it, that much was clear.

With her wand pointed directly at the object, she cried, “Carpe Retractum!”

Your spell wraps a rope around the tendril. Steady now, it could as easily pull you over the cliff as it could pull the tendril closer to you.

But if you have the strength to pull it closer, the shiny, silver-framed mirror will be in your reach. Etched in the frame is a simple roman numeral. III.

To the girl's dismay the rope had closed itself around the tendril holding the object.

Not letting go of the spell, Brielle knew what she had to do, it was going to hurt, but it had to be done.
With a blood-curdling scream, Brielle summoned all her reserves of the strength and slowly pulled the tendril towards her. The exertion required causing the flow of blood from her head to increase.

But it was there, in her face, a mirror, all she had to do was take it.

Reaching out a hand, whislt the other held the wand and it's rope, Brielle closed her hands around the shiny surface and with that he had it.

Snap!

The rope broke from her wand and sent the girl stumbling back, smacking her into a door that she hadn't seen before.

She had a key, here was a door. It was her way out.

Pulling herself up, her body swaying due to the blood she was losing, Brielle fumbled with her numb fingers as she inserted the key into the lock.

This hand to work, or else.......

The key turns in the lock as the light continues to stream in, and the cave grows still once more.

Behind the door is a steep, empty corridor, well lit from light streaming in from an opening at the end.

If you take a deep breath, you'll smell something you haven't since you entered the cave. Fresh air.

You're out. You're done. You're alive.

Just a little walking left.

With her hand clutching her wand and the mirror to her chest, Brielle gave the door the slightest push. That was all that was needed, for the door swung open wide. The smell of fresh air, rushed at her filling her body with the scent of freedom.

A sob escaped her lips, her breathing still short, and broken.

The opening of the door acted as the open of the flood barriers that had been holding back her pain. It all rushed at her at once, her head was screaming, her hands aching her behind bruised.

But she was free, she just need to walk.

No more climbing, crawling, or running, just walking.

As the champion exits the cave, the door swings closed behind her.

Jermaine continued to swim through the rough waters. Feelling his strength leaving him he knew he needed to fight even harder if he was going to survive here. He HAD to make it out. Choking for air as the water flooded over his head he fought to keep his head out of the water.

With determination in his mind he finally made it to the shore... only to get pummelled by flower bulbs? Looking around and seeing no where to go to escape the attack he knows his only defense is to stop the bulbs.

Holding his wand in his itching, bleeding hand he starts waving it around and pointing it at the bulbs. "Fixate!" he shouts over and over. He must stop them from moving, that is his only hope.

Looking around frantically for something that will help him climb that wall he spots something growing out of the ground. It seems to be growing right before his very eyes.

What was that?

The bulbs hover in mid-air as if suspended by string as the waves lap on the shore.

Meanwhile, the tendrils become a thick stalk, with smaller tendrils shooting out the side as it climbs up the side of the cliff. It is growing at a rapid rate.

Jermaine is glad that the bulbs have stopped hitting him in the head. He didn't need lumps on his head to go along with all the cuts he had on his hands, arms, and face. Those were enough injuries to last him for a life time.

He watched as the plant started to grow at an amazing speed. Not only was it growing fast but it was also growing up the wall. Yes! He would be able to climb it.

Running over to it he pulls on it a bit. Hopefully it is strong enough to hold his weight as he climbs to the top. Grabbing the vine with both hands he starts to pull himself up.

The climb is long and arduous, but unblocked.

If beanstalks were elevators, this would be your floor. Climb the stalk any higher and there would be no ground to set your feet on. Tread carefully, however, as the path quickly narrows and there are no walls. Instead, perilous drop-offs await on both sides should one slip.

Soon, you come to another fork. From where you stand, the only different you can notice is that one path looks wider, at least as far as you can see, that is. Nothing else betrays what may lie ahead. Which way? Left and narrow or right and wide?

It felt as if this climb was never going to end but Jermaine kept on climbing up and up and up. Finally making it to the top of the wall he carefully hops off the stalk. Looking ahead he sees a path and starts to run...

Only to come to a sudden halt. The path was so narrow it was like walking on a balance beam. One wrong step and he was going to go tumbling down the side back to the bottom where he started. He did not want that to happen.

Now slowly inching his way along the path he comes to yet another stop as he approaches another fork in the road. Great now to choose again. Looking down both paths he doesn't hear any loud noises or smell any disgusting smells. He does see though that one path is wider than the other. Having spent enough time on a narrow path just now he chooses to take the wider path.

Shining the light from his wand in front of him he starts down the path hoping he doesn't run into anything that will prevent him from getting out of there.

The path was wider, for sure, but as you travel further down it, the incline grows steeper and the path slick with water. Watch your footing. It's a long way down.

As you proceed forward, the path becomes more difficult to navigate until your path is completely blocked by a number of greenish yellowish plants. At first they seem like normal plants, until you get closer and see that they’re covered in a number of big, yellow thorns. In fact, as you venture even CLOSER, the plant shoots one of the thorns in your direction! Thankfully it misses, the thorn flying over the edge into the abyss, but hopefully you’re good at dodging those thorns, because the only way to proceed is to defeat these plants!

Feeling confident that he had chosen the correct path Jermaine continues his journey. Noticing that the path is getting steeper and steeper as he goes he suddenly feels himself starting to slip as water runs down the hill. Slowing down he carefully walks up the path. He will not let himself slide down and have to start over again.

Looking ahead hoping he is coming to the end of the path he sees that the way is getting more and more blocked by more plants. How is it that all these plants can survive down here in this dark place? Walking closer to the plants since there is no other way for him to go he sees the spikes on them. Carefully making his way closer and closer he suddenly jumps back as a thorn comes flying off one of the plants right towards him. Thank Merlin it missed and went flying to who knows where.

Having a feeling there are going to be more of these spikes flying towards him he puts up a shield. "Impiriano!" he says as he shields himself. Now the thorns won't be able to get in yet he will be able to cast out if needed.

Venturing forward he holds his wand out in front of him paying very careful attention to those plants and their thorns.

As you venture closer, the plant shoots its spikes at you in defense, though, if you cast your shield strong enough, they will simply bounce off.

One after another the spiky, prickly thorns fly at you.

Making sure his shield was in place Jermaine kept on moving closer to the spike throwing plant. Spikes were bouncing off his shield left and right. Praying that none of them get through he knew he needed to do something to stop the spikes from flying at him or they may eventually break the barrier.

Feeling weak from all the cuts and gashes on his body, not to mention the blood loss he slowly raised his wand and pointed it at the plant. "Immobulus!" If only he could freeze the plant it should stop firing the spikes at him then maybe he would be able to get by without any other problems.

As the thorns continue to be shot from the plant, one lone spike becomes frozen and ceases to defend itself against you. The other spikes, however, seem to not be bothered by the spell you've casted, an indication that Immobulus may not have been powerful enough.

Meanwhile, that one lone spike looks as if it may start to twitch back to life any second from now.

Well this wasn't good. Spikes were still coming at Jermaine just as fast as before. Quickly moving past the one spike that did get immbilized he starts pointing his wand at the spikes again while shouting "Poetrificus Totalus!" over and over again. It had worked on the bowtruckles maybe it would work on these things.

As the plant isn't a creature and is without a body to bind, the body-bind curse does nothing.

The spiky, prickly thing before you continues firing spikes.

Well that didn't work either. It was like nothing could stop those spikes from coming at him. There had to be a way to stop this plant from attacking, somthing that would make it incapable of shooting those spikes at him.

That's when it hit him (no, not a spike, an idea). He would just remove the spikes himself before they were shot off towards him. Pointing his wand at the plant and concentrating like his life depended on it... oh wait, it does, he said "Diffindo!" and started to sever the spikes from the plant. Well he hoped that's what he was doing.

Whether or not you intended to, you hit the center of the plant with your spell... exactly the spell you needed.

Severing the plant from its roots, you stopped its attack as the plant falls over, dead.

As it falls, it covers something that shines just the slightest bit.

But before you can investigate, you hear a rumbling and the floor beneath you shakes as the beanstalk has continued to grow and has, indeed, broken through the top of the cave. The holes are not large enough to climb out of, if you could even get good footing on the stalk. But, they are large enough to let light stream in. Slight tendrils curl off the main stalk and the light shining through reflects off something attached to one of them. It's just out of reach, unless you'd like to try to stretch and risk falling.

Elsewhere in your general vicinity, one aptly placed hole allows light to shine down illuminating a door. A door! Upon further inspection, however, a large, rusted padlock stands between you and what looks like your best exit.

YES!

The spell worked and the plant was DEAD!

Not taking any chances right now Jermaine decides to keep his shield up, you know, just in case there is a rogue spike waiting for him somewhere. Spotting something shiny he starts to fo towards it when he stops suddenly.

What was going on now? Feeling the ground below him shaking he notices the beanstalk is once again growing. Looking up and watching as it grows he covers his head with his shield once the vine breaks through the ceiling. He didn't need anything hitting him in the head now. Seeing the light come through the ceiling he starts to get just a little excited, that is until he realized that the holes up there are not large enough for him to climb out of. However, he was able to see somthing hanging from the leaves of the beanstalk thanks to the light coming in from the ceiling.

Looking around to trying to figure out how he is going to get what is on that vine he notices a door.

A DOOR! YES!

NO!

There is a padlock on it. Of course there is, why would there be an unlocked door making it easy for him to get out.

Turning back to the beanstalk he decided to climb it and see what that shiny thing is that is in it. Maybe it will be something that can help him open the door.

The stalk itself is easy enough to climb on, but the tendril holding the shiny object is thinner and hangs over a serious drop. Are you confident you can climb without falling to your death?

The growth has stopped, and the cave is once again still.

As Jermaine climbs the stalk he realizes that he still will not be able to reach whatever is hanging onto the tendrils... that is unless he wants to most likely fall to his death, which he does not want. What he wants is to get out of this cave alive and find Monique all his friends.

Stretching his arm as far as he can he is still not able to reach it. Well crud, there has to be some way he can reach it.

Shining the light from hs wand towards the objsct to try and see what it is another idea hits him. His WAND. He is a wizard afer all, might as well use his wand to get what he needs. If he can't go to the object, he will have the object come to him.

"Accio..." Well it would probably help if he knew what the thing was but since he didn't he would have to improvise a little. "Accio shiny zing on ze beanstalk." Hopefully that worked or else he was going to have to risk stretching for it next.