SHADOWBOUND HEARTS

Chapter Eight

As Selene stepped through into the Chamber of Trials, the cool musty air enveloped her, carrying a whiff of ancient magic and mystery. The chamber was vast; its high ceilings lost in the shadows with the stone columns that stretched into the darkness. The floor was a complex tapestry of symbols and patterns, each one glowing faintly under the light of the torches lining the walls.

Selene's heart pounded at her chest as she moved forward cautiously, her footsteps echoing softly in the cavernous space. Distant chanting seemed to reverberate all around her and added to the eerie atmosphere of the chamber. There were no dangers that she could immediately see, but the feeling of tension was palpable.

In the center of the room, there was a raised platform where a large, ancient-looking pedestal stood. The pedestal was carved with runes just as those on the floor, and on top of it was placed a brilliant, pulsing crystal orb. The orb gave off a soft, otherworldly glow that sent frisky shadows skittering across the chamber. Selene was drawn to it as if it held the answers she sought.

Before her, from the dark, could step another figure—a ghostly guardian, shrouded in shining, semi-transparent robes, the effect of which, combined with the glow of its gaze, was as imposing and soothing as a paradox, something that set Selene's nerves on end. The figure's eyes shone with a dim, eerie light that seemed to burn a hole in her from the firm, fixed gaze.

"Welcome, Selene," the guardian's voice again bellowed, clear and echoing. "You have entered the Chamber of Trials, where only the most determined find secrets hidden within."

Selene squared her shoulders, steadying her nerves, then replied, "I am ready to undertake all that might lay ahead, for I wish to understand the ancient book, to know its secrets, and find my own worth."

The guardian gave a solemn nod, an action that seemed to convey his approval. "Then let the trials begin. You must overcome three tests in order to proceed; each of them will exercise another of your strength, wisdom, or courage. Only then will you have the knowledge you seek."

The guardian raised his hand, and without further ado, the entire chamber shifted. The grating sound of the movement seemed to shudder through the floor beneath Selene, and where there had once been a wall with glowing runes, there was now a series of doors, each marked with some different symbol. The guardian gestured towards the doors.

"Pick a door, beyond which you'll have your trials," the guardian said. "Beyond these lie different trials. Your choice will determine the first trial."

Selene looked at the doors: each different in their way: flame on the one, wave on the other, mountain on the third, and the last an eye. The images somehow suggested the elements of nature or something in accordance with them, and Selene wondered which would be the most difficult.

Finally, with a jolt of resolution, she picked the door with the symbol of flames on it. As she did, the door silently swung open on well-oiled hinges and let light spill out into a long, torch-lit corridor. This place seemed warm, the air itself heavy with heat and smoke.

The corridor led her into a room to the middle of which ran a roaring fire. With mirrors inlaid upon the wall, the entire hall was boiling with stifling warmth. It was full of crackling fires, and in them, Selene saw the reflection of her face twisted and duplicated through the mirrors into a vision of infinite fire.

At the end of the room, a pedestal with a silver chalice is placed on it. A ring of fire surrounds the pedestal, and the heat is almost unbearable. Selene can see a path going around it, but it's full of obstacles: spikes, swinging flames, and other dangers she would have to be careful to make it across.

Selene took a deep breath and started forward toward that chalice. It required speed and carefulness—speed to avoid the spikes and flames which would rise and totally block her path. She treaded on the edge of paths with her heart pounding, each step getting her nearer and closer to her final concave goal.

The inferno was so menacing, the flames reaching for her as she moved. Selene felt a little weak but pushed it to the back of her mind, focusing on the chalice that was now in sight. She dodged her way around the obstacles with all her agility and wits, making some headway little by little.

The flames grew fiercer, as did the challenges of the obstacles, as she neared to the chalice. Approaching the chalice cheerfully in the middle of the fight, Selene had to time her leap not to swing into the flames and also to jump over the spiked obstacles. Smoke mingled with her sweat, and heat burned her clothes ever more.

At last she stood before the pedestal and reached for the chalice. The fire there about flared bright, but Selene did not move. She lifted up the chalice, and suddenly she felt as though an immense victory was at hand, as the flames subsided and the room began to cool. The chalice was warm but did not burn her.

In the direction from which she had come, Selene walked back down the path with the chalice in tow, sidestepping obstacles in the same way that one would in a relationship where one did not want obstructions. Mirrors lined the walls and reflected so perfectly to her the intent and force that she gathered around her as if into protective armor.

As she reached it, it opened to reveal the inside she had emerged from. The firelit room was at her back, and Selene found not altogether an unwelcome feeling sweep over her as she returned to the main chamber. At the end of her path, the guardian stood with an expression firm and assuring upon her face.

"You have gloriously bloomed in the midst of fire," the guardian continued. "It tested your valor and determination. Now, one more thing awaits on your journey. Choose another door."

Selene eyed the remaining doors; she was feeling full of mixed anticipation and apprehension. She knew that the second trial would test her in another way, but she was ready for it. With renewed resolve, she selected the door with the wave symbol and stepped forth into the unknown.