The comforting feeling of the bed was replaced by that of cold ground. Cold wet ground. Getting wetter with him along with it. Opening his eyes he then had to shield them from the down pour of rain. Standing up he took the scene in around him. Woods somewhere now in the storm itself. It was hard to see through the rain but knew he had to find some sort of shelter. Why was it he fought so hard to get to it now wished anything to be out of it. The hard drops felt like needles pricking at his skin. He moved his way through the forest exactly where he was heading he didn't know. It never failed him before & hopefully not now. Then again all those times before she wanted to be found…this time it seems she was doing what ever she could to keep him away.
He didn't even know how long he was walking till he realized he was approaching a mountain, the rain mixed with the darkness he didn't even realize it till he was almost right at it. "Great now where…don't tell me I need to climb this thing?" Looking around hoping for some sign he then saw it. The yellow eyes of the panther looking at him. Moving towards it he saw them vanish as first it seemed thin air & sadly there that was possible. He looked closely where the panther was & searched around some bushes that were growing near the base. It was then that he found the opening to a cave. At least he could get out of the rain for now. Walking inside he carefully walked in deeper.
He knew in real life there could have been who know what already living in there but at this point he really didn't care. He just wanted shelter from the storm. Walking deeper he reached a cavern. Strange phosphoric stalactites hung from the ceiling giving it a strange glow. Looking around he saw there were other paths out of that area but who knew where they lead. Part of him thought to wait, dry off then brave the storm to look for Jade. The other part said to explore, check the paths. Who was to say she wasn't also in there somewhere.
"Jade?" His voice echoed off the walls. He closed his eyes as he felt something but what. "Jade I know you're near. Lead me to you."
"No…Steven…leave now…please." Her voice echoed around him as well it was faint, weak, pained.
"I am here to help."
"No…too dangerous…please go." He tried to focus on which path she may have been down. Opening his eyes he looked the air began to feel a little thick. Trusting his instincts he just picked a path & started walking. "No Turn back…Please….beg you…turn back." That told him he was on the right path.

As he got closer he felt a breeze blowing by him. Not enough to deter him just enough to remove the staleness to the air around him. He also saw a glow ahead of him slowly getting brighter. It was only when he got to the opening of the next cavern that he saw the light was caused by candles place around the area. In the ceiling was a large opening to the night sky allowing the rain to pour inward to a pool of water in the center. In a far corner he saw a form laid out on a pallet of leaves & sticks
"JADE!" The form stirred faintly lifting her head. She was pale but also bruised. Looking towards him though her eyes could not show it her face did. A look of fear. He started to move towards her.
"NO Turn Back…Don't step closer." He stopped looking around. He was so close he was not going to leave her now. Was there some sort of trap he didn't see.
"What it is?"
"You get closer you will get hurt, I have no control over it…please."
"Control over what?"
"Him."
"Him?"
"Ple…ACK." A wave of pain hitting her a hand moved to her chest to was then in the faint light Steven could see that darker bruises almost like wounds that were on her chest.

"JADE!" He didn't care at this point as he rushed over to where she was. Before he could even reach the halfway point the felt a brief wave of dizziness. He pushed himself forward.
"Turn back please Steven…please." He kept trying to shake the feeling getting closer he could see a rope tied around at least one of her ankles preventing her from moving. Getting close enough to almost touch her he kneeled to look at her. Her eyes full of fear & sadness, her rich…Brown…eyes…but in the dream realm they were dark before. Why were they different now?

"You stubborn fool…I am Sorry." She lowered her head closing her eyes as she knew she had no control over what was to happen next.
"Sorry for what…no tell me once I get you freed." He reached to undo the rope if he could, but before he fingers could even feel the knots he felt something grab him from behind. He tried to struggle against it. It seemed the harder he struggles the tighter it held on to him. He also began to get that dizzy feeling again. It was then that he placed it…the feeling of his energy being taken from him…it was feeding off the energy he expended to fight it only making it stronger.
"Please…don't…Don't kill him…" He felt himself tossed off to the side hitting hard rock. The last view he saw was a faint glimpse of a form of all black…had he ran into the true Shadow? His eyes then closed as he slipped into darkness.