9 Second test: Glowing Stone

The Director turned around and walked towards a stone alter which Iris had missed on her first inspection of the room. Once the Director had walked over, she took hold of a golden chalice decorated elegantly with two intertwining serpents.

"Drink it".

She held out the Golden Chalice with both hands, one on the bottom and on the side, treating it with respect. Iris walked over, slightly confused by this:

—The second test?—

Iris took the Chalice and stumbled back a few steps clutching it. The Chalice weighed around three kilos, it was made from a coating of pure gold around a magic crystal armature. When Iris touched the chalice she instantly knew where the divine aura came from.

"From such a small object? It must be very special."

Iris balanced herself and brought the gold to her lips. A familiar flavour touched her lips.

—Orange juice? Really?—

It tasted the same at first but there was a spiciness to it. As she continued to drink her throat started to burn, as it slid down her throat. Her conscience started to fade.

—W-what?—

thump... Although the director didn't catch her as Iris fell and watched with a calm expression, she had a forgiving smile on her face as she took the spilt Chalice from Iris limp body.

"Good luck, young bud" The Director hoped that Tom the Tailor had been right about this young faerie.

Meanwhile, Iris opened her eyes to nothing, there was no light in this place. Had she been drugged and dragged here?...

—no, you can't fall asleep in dream software(1)—

Iris looked around again once her eyes adjusted to the light but could only see as far as her hands. She was not sure what to do.

"Ah! How could I forget" she swiped her hand towards her to open the system front,

*ding* "This test does not require the use of the system and thus been disallowed."

"Huh? I'm still doing the test? Oh, it must be a hidden map test(2)."

Iris felt a new courage after she found out she was still in the test if she got the first one she can get the second she thought and stood up. Iris started to feel around dragging her feet over the uneven floor when her foot tapped something in the dark. She reached down to pick it up and it started to glow, becoming brighter then darkening again it was engraved with small runes that could not be interpreted in this dark even if the runes themselves were glowing.

"What is it". Was it glowing because she was touching it? Iris carefully placed it down again and sure enough, it stopped glowing, returning her surroundings to black. She quickly picked it up again to try to identify it, then realized she couldn't use the system and put it in her pocket.

Iris fumbled her way around the dark in what she thought to be somewhat of a straight line. On her way she found and picked up 8 more of the glowing stones and pocketed them. Coming upon the tenth stone she picked it up and found her surrounding lighting up around her. She stood before a grand white temple which seemed to be inside of the cave she had been walking through. Iris did not know where the source of the light came from, as she looked down at the stone in her hand which was now pitch black even in this midday-like light. Filling herself with courage once more she walked into the temple.

(1): Falling asleep in dream software

-I would like to point out any 'inception' fans.. the movie made me uncomfortable thus there will be no dreaming in dreaming in dreaming in a Dream.

(2): hidden map

-the only way to go is through special means.

-here it means that the test site is on the special map for test purposes.