The warm night breeze floated through the desert, rippling at the torch in her hand, the flame alit. She walked through the desert, wearing her fancy purple dress, her high heels making shapes in the sand as she approached the pyramid.

Dara Desert was full of ancient wonder if not just mysterious, with the many old statues, temples and pyramids still standing after all these years. And within the Dara Pyramid, there was a treasure that hadn't been taken from it; the Dune Bracelet, once worn by an ancient ruler long past.

Tifa felt her hair swaying in the breeze, rubbing against her tone back exposed by her dress. Perhaps Cloud would like the bracelet, if she were to give it to him anyway.

Her torch flickered, often sending sparks in every direction around the meteor-showering Tifa Lockhart. She blinked, making sure they weren't getting in her eyes. She walked closer towards the pyramid and walked around the area by the entrance, studying it all, entranced by the architecture that had stood for so long.

She approached the entrance, staring into the shadows, prepared for what was in store within the ancient walls.

Her firm fingers grasped her torch more tightly, slow breaths rose from within, and then Tifa stepped over the threshold, walking into the darkness. The torchlight illuminated the darkening walls, the moonlight fading behind her. Her feet stepped over the edge, touching the bottom of a step and then another.

Beneath Tifa, the flight of stairs led into the unknown. Beyond her knowledge, nobody had been down here in centuries. If anybody had, they'd likely fallen victim to ancient traps that were more than likely now inactive.

Confidently, slowly, and very cautiously, Tifa crept down the stairs until her feet touched stable ground. She walked through the tunnel ahead, carefully stepping around the patches of sand and old broken slabs laying in the floor. Tifa ducked her head as a rock fell, missing her head by inches.

In her hand, the torch illuminated the way through the ancient structure, providing light within the old walls. The intrepid adventurer walked on, looking ahead at the end of the hall, seeing a torch-lit chamber where two eagle-faced statues stood, representing the ancient deity known only as Ra.

Tifa Lockhart looked around the ancient sand-filled chamber, seeing the murals etched into the walls, showing the pyramid's great architects and the treasures that were created all those years ago.

And then she looked in the middle of the room, seeing the bracelet sitting upon the dais. She saw the skeletons on the ground, seeing what remained of those who'd guarded the treasure here until time caught up to them. Now she was here to take it, perhaps see more of the pyramid before leaving.

Moving delicately, Tifa crept towards the platform and looked at the gold-white bracelet adorned with diamonds and sand symbols upon it, laying still, untouched for years as though no time had passed for such an ancient artifact.

It was hers now.

Without a hint of hesitation, Tifa reached over the edge of the dais and picked up the bracelet, holding it in the palm of her hand before slipping it upon her wrist. Then she walked around the dais, looking for more secrets.

Her foot tapped something in the floor and part of the wall slowly opened, revealing an entryway into another room.

'More secrets, of course...' Tifa thought.

She walked through the door, still holding her torch firmly, and discovered an assortment of torches lighting the room, glinting golden statues on the left and right and a tall crocodile statue near a large shining pool of water on the other end.

A thud behind Tifa indicated the door had closed, locking her in the room... at least for now. She wondered what was next, hoping this wasn't a trap.

"What's the challenge?" she asked aloud, "Is this a test you planned?"

The water bubbled and Tifa stepped forward, holding her torch cautiously. Then, a serpentine being with a beaked mouth emerged, hissing viciously. The creature eyed her with narrow eyes, Tifa stood firm, prepared to fight back against the pyramid's last guardian as it moved towards her.

Confident and emboldened, the shapely fighter held up her torch and the snake opened its beak, attempting to bite her. Tifa swung her torch and the flame made contact with the creature's mouth, causing it to retreat as it's tongue singed severely. The snake hissed and moved closer to Tifa, its mouth smoking and watering.

"Bet you don't like hot food, huh?" Tifa asked, 'Just be vigilant and focused, Tifa.'

'HISSSSSSSSSSSSSS!' The snake attacked again and Tifa brought up her fist, punching the reptile's jaw hard. It attempted to bite her once more and Tifa leaped into the air, coming down with a dolphin punch before hurling a magic meteor at her serpentine enemy's face.

In a second, the snake reared back, disoriented from both attacks, and then it collapsed into the water and vanished, defeated.

With her foe gone, Tifa studied the room and set down her torch on a nearby platform, looking at the pool of water. It was more than just a place where that snake resided, this had to be some sort of special bath for those who came here.

Tifa removed her high heels and stepped towards the water, treading down the steps as her feet touched H20. She walked until the water was up to her shoulders, Tifa threw the water over herself and then ducked under the surface, feeling the water around her. There was something magical about this pool, something warm.

Mist encircled her body and Tifa closed her eyes, then she opened them and raised herself to the surface. She walked out of the pool, water dripping down her body. She looked down, noticing her dress had turned into a golden color.

"Guess it doesn't hurt to have a Midas touch." The combat-capable Seventh Heaven bartender remarked.

She put her shoes back on and picked up the torch, noticing she still had the bracelet. Perhaps Cloud really would like it. She walked around the room, looking for a way out when her foot touched a loose spot in the floor.

The door opened again and she walked through, retracing her path the way she came and exiting the pyramid with her treasure...

The End