Prismatic

Self

The place was darker than the previous floor. I saw a violet shining carpet sprawled across the floor. I followed its never ending trail until it led me to a three-step staircase. In front of me was an ivory white podium. On it was a thick hardbound book of an unknown language. Its leaves were ancient, almost powdery to the touch. I saw a long rectangular box of violet marble behind it. Three violet candles lit up on both sides of it which were the only sources of light. The violet-blue flames it emitted were stagnant and lifeless. Inside the box was a man dressed in a ceremonial clothing of dark violet. Only the first half of its body could be seen. He had a light hazelnut hair with a slightly tanned skin. I heard some gossiping voices behind me that sent chills down my spine. There were only empty long violet wooden seats when I looked back. When I returned my attention to the man, it started to decay with a bluish green complexion. I started running out of the place. All of the good memories I had of him came flashing before my eyes. I also saw memories of my time with Aina and Tyke. Come to think of it, where are they?

I scanned for my memories on what had happened. I felt some force blocking them and felt a sharp pain on my cranium. The pain eased for a while and thought of what I had to do here. I went back inside the room to see if I can do something. I followed the carpet again to the podium. I scanned the book again for some hints. This time, it was just a blank fragile book. I closed it and saw a triple triangle drawn on the cover. It started to speak to me after I traced the shape, “Witch Hazel of the Order of Luminescence, what troubles you?”

“What did you call me?” I was taken aback by the long introduction.

“Certainly, you have heard an illusion call you Witch Hazel”, the cold deep voice replied. “It is of truth that you are of the aforementioned order as you are the cream of the crop in your league.”

“I don’t understand”, I tried to digest his answer, “why don’t I have any memory of that?”

“Some force is obscuring your memory. Worry not, you will discover it yourself soon enough.”

“Who are you, really?” I realized that I missed the most important question.

“Know yourself and all will be unraveled. Failure to do so will doom those around you.”

“Why must you speak in riddles? Why could you not give it to me straight?”

“I could not reveal to you the answers only you can uncover. You must remember yourself before it is too late”, his voice was slow and precise. “Danger lurks in close proximity. Be careful. Be aware.”

“What is this danger that you speak of? You all keep on saying it over and over to me.”

“I must go. There is no time but this I will tell you, maintain the balance between your heart and your mind for it will show you the original truth that you seek.”

I shook the book but I got no response. I was alone again in this violet themed room. I looked at the rectangular box again. The man was still there with all the signs of death vanished. He looked fresh and looked like he was sleeping eternally. I removed the thin heavy glass that protected the upper body and placed it beside the podium. I tried to touch his closed eyes, nose and lips but I felt nothing. The body vanished upon contact and a scrap of crumbling paper was left in place. The words read, Lumen Vivo. Rays of different colors of light came from the paper and brightened the room. I could see clearly that I was still alone. The rays were blocked by the door so I approached it. It was an ancient wooden door made from ash trees. There were words carved on it that read, “Release thyself from the imprisonment of thy mind. Let thy heart guide you for the important reasons. Don’t let thy mind cast thy own delusions.”

I need to think because Bry isn’t here. He had always been the brains of our operations, the thought of him casted a frown on me. Some rays of light emphasized the words “imprisonment”, “mind” and “delusions.” I tried to piece the words together. Let me get this straight, I am trapped in my own mind and these are all delusions? What? Why? How? Suddenly, my memories from the previous floor came surging to me like rapid currents. I think I get it now. We were being punished for what we did on the previous floor. I checked my body for any sign of my items but I didn’t feel anything. I tried pushing the door but it didn’t budge a fraction. The book violently flipped its pages but no wind could be felt inside the room that caused it. It threw me a sword made out of light and I slashed on the horizontal wedge of the door. It opened to another room of no color. A huge dark purple padlock with no door blocked my way. Suddenly, the silver feather rose from the colorless floor. I grabbed it and clipped it to my hair. I briefly remembered what one of the spirits shouted while we were being transported, “Reshape your mind and let your heart follow suit.” The Sword of Light became a Key of Enlightenment. The padlock gave way easily when I struck it. Another room embraced me with its emptiness. There was not even a door or padlock that signified escape. I closed my eyes and fell silent for a second. Shining mustard light made me open my eyes. Words illuminated the empty wall in front of me, “But the will to do comes from the heart.” I must will it, no… I must want it to get out of here. The Key of Enlightenment shaped to become Lightseeker’s Wand. It was a wand of pure light and nothing more. The book from the podium showed me the words, Solvo Portero. A shining white light broke through the wall and I went through the violet opening.

I opened my eyes and got up to look around. I was on a triangular ivory pedestal with Bry, Aina and Tyke still unconscious lined side by side beside me. No wall or door could be seen, only the continuous violet painted the triangular floor. I looked at them again and thought of a way to help release them from their mental imprisonment. Suddenly, the scepter I was holding transformed into the wand that I was holding before I broke out to consciousness. I waved it above their heads and it shone a bright light of white. I gave them a guide within their minds to find their way to me. A few moments passed, Bry opened his eyes then got up beside me. He was still in a state of shock. Aina soon came to and looked at Tyke. A long time has passed and he hasn’t woken up so Aina whispered to his ears. Soon, he too gained his consciousness. Aina hugged him tight in relief, Tyke was gasping for air.

The pedestal leveled to the floor after we all regained our consciousness. Lutin greeted us in a hard but careful tone, “Welcome, champions!” his smile was sardonic, “Congratulations on passing the previous floor.”

“This room is called, Hiardemum”, he continued, “The requirement was to escape from your own mind. It is clear that you have passed this floor the moment you gained consciousness. You are qualified to proceed to the next floor.”

“However”, his sardonic smile changed into a grimace, “I must inform you this, a sacrifice was needed to transfer you to this floor. Do you have any knowledge as to what it was?”

I looked around us and I felt around my body if there was anything missing. “I don’t think I lost anything”, I assured myself.

“Me, neither”, Aina agreed.

“I still have my limbs with me, so I think I’m fine”, Tyke assessed himself.

“I don’t think it was us or our things”, Bry made a point. “do you guys hear them?”

“Hear what?” Tyke responded.

“I don’t think we missed something”, Aina was confused.

“I think I know what Bry means”, I started to notice his point. “I don’t hear anymore singing nor laughing. I think it’s the Halvers.”

“Indeed”, Lutin cut in, “They are the ones sacrificed to ensure the stability of the previous checkpoint.”

“Why them? They didn’t do anything”, I interjected.

“They are the ones responsible for the destabilization of the previous checkpoint”, he asserted his point, “The foundation that maintained it collapsed after the souls were released. They were an integral part of the tower.”

“Why punish them? Why not me? I was the one who sliced the door open”, Tyke was downcast.

“No, it should be me. I opened two doors without thinking”, their attention shifted to me.

“No, it should be me, if only I stopped the spirit that was roaming with us”, Aina grabbed Tyke’s arm.

“I should be the one to blame, I shouldn’t have let things unfold like that”, Bry took my hand to his.

“You were merely instruments with no knowledge of the events that have unfolded”, Lutin raised his hand. “You were being misled by the shadows that followed you up to the previous checkpoint. You were forgiven, no more discussions. You have a quest to fulfill, do you not?”

“What is done, is done already”, Bry whispered to my ear in his deep sweet voice, “They have done their job well.”

“No point in mourning, right?” I rubbed my eyes, “Let us move forward.”

“How can you be so cold Jo?” Tyke cut my moment, “You moved on just like that?”

“Hey, enough”, Aina hushed him, “it’s hard for me also but we have no choice.”

“Let us just be thankful that we were spared, at least”, Bry commented.

“Right”, Tyke held on to Aina, “I will miss them so much with all their singing and cheerfulness.”

“Me, too”, Aina agreed.

“Yeah”, I seconded.

“Now that all is settled, you will be transported in just a few moments”, Lutin was smiling again, “Prepare yourselves and wait for instructions.”

“Oh, before that”, he stopped and grabbed two Lutins from the shadows, “you are entitled for item reinforcements. On the left is for weapons and on the right is for armor and accessories. Only three items per category may be reinforced.”

I was the first one to approach. I reinforced my necklace, wand and armor. I felt a total boost in my attributes. Tyke was next in line. He reinforced his shield, weapon and shoulder plate. Bry came in after. He reinforced his wand, jewelry and armor. Aina was last, she only reinforced her glove. After we were done, Lutin pushed the two into the shadows and was never seen again.

With his hands raised in a triangle, the pedestal started floating and spinning slowly as we as ascended. The colorless ceiling revealed a sky filled with lilac. Petals of lilac were falling from the open ceiling above us. Fragrances of different flowers sent a relaxing breeze and the smells were getting stronger the closer we got to the ceiling. We were already on our destination when Lutin spoke. “As you enter this floor, you must remember your purpose. All is lost if it is forgotten”, Lutin reminded us. We all smiled at him then he disappeared with the pedestal the moment we all jumped off to the next floor. At the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a menacing grin the moment he dropped out of sight. I shrugged it off and continued to the floor we were on.