Garden of Forgotten Souls

The Forgotten Path II

Dizzy and disoriented, Lily sat up slowly, her eyes straying in the gloomy light. She was in a vast room, and the air smelled strongly of moist earth and something ancient. Enchanting. She smacked hard against solid ground.

Then, a voice across the room questioned, "Fascinating, isn't it?" "

Lily swung around, her heart thumping. The faint light entering the cavern at its entry framed Professor Grey's body from above. His eyes glistened with almost predatory delight as he moved within the chamber.

Echoing throughout the cavern, "This, my beloved Lily," he murmured, "is the Undercroft, the hidden heart of Eldoria. Somewhere where memories linger, the veil separating worlds is thinnest, and souls find refuge."

He continued, This pool "is a nexus of magical energy, a conduit to the memories and emotions of those who have passed through Eldoria," as his image flickering on the lake sauntered over to the pool.

Driven to the hypnotic depths of the water, Lily moved carefully toward it and sensed a desire, a longing to investigate its mysteries and touch the echoes of the past.

Professor Grey said, in an enticing whisper, "Reach out, Lily," "Touch the water." Let Eldoria offer her secrets to you.

Lily hesitantly raised her hand to the water; her fingertips stroked the surface, and she felt a burst of energy. The pictures returned with fresh power, a conflict between ghostly figures, a kid smiling in a field of flowers, and couples hugging under the moon.

Among the beauty and anarchy, though, a young guy with dark eyes and a sorrowful face caught out Lily with a voice that resonated across the sights like a desperate plea.

Whispering, he pleaded, "Help me. Please help me remember..."

Lily gasped and drew her hand out from the water. She became terrified and began to fast-breathe as the visions stopped. Man, which was that? And why did her appeal strike such a strong resonance in him?

Professor Grey observed her with much interest. His speech seemed to mix respect with something else Lily could almost identify. "You really relate to this place, Lily," he added. "A relationship even I cannot totally understand."

He touched her shoulder, and she shivered down her back. "Embrace this gift, Lily," he urged, "use it to unlock Eldoria's secrets, to protect its magic, and to help those lost souls find peace."

Lily fixed her gaze on the peaceful, silent water. The Undercroft offered risk and wonder with its unusual flora and whispered memories. She knew she had merely begun her road, one that would challenge her, alter her, bring her into the heart of Eldoria, and at last reveal her true calling.

The ground rocked beneath their feet as a rumbling rumble passed across the Undercroft. Like flaming embers would do, the ethereal light flickering changed as the brilliant plants darkened. Lily's pulse pounded with a horrible sensation, implying danger lurking in the darkness.

"Something is upsetting the balance," Professor Grey Whispering said, his wide, worried eyes reflecting a terrified state. We have to leave this place now!"

Strong suddenly seized Lily's hand and dragged her toward the mouth of the hole. But as they turned to leave, the Undercroft trembled, and some of the tunnel walls collapsed, blocking their path of escape. Dirt and garbage swept down, blocking the little light nearly darkening everything.

Lily couched, coughing, wiping the dust from the air. Although an adrenaline surge heightened her senses, horror tore at her. Desperate power whirled the past's words about them, and she could hear the mumbling getting louder.

The little chamber echoed her scream, "Professor Grey, what's happening?"

"The Undercroft is unstable," he stated tensely, "something has upset its equilibrium. We have to quickly find another way out."

Looking for a way out, he stared around the tunnel walls. Lily tracked his gaze, heart thumping. The odd shadows the sparkling plants created twisted and turned, implying secret passageways and altered courses.

The tunnel rocked abruptly, and a groan of shifting ground widened the fracture in the far wall. From the gap, a weak brightness drew them to an unfamiliar road.

Professor Grey yelled, then drew Lily across to the spreading crevice.

Clambering over the small aperture, the rough stone scraped their bodies. The murmurs got louder, circling like a lost soul vortex. Lily sensed a drag toward the Undercroft as if the ghosts were trying to bring her into their domain.

Their last wave of adrenaline drove them from the collapsing tunnel into a secret passageway. The tiny and soggy corridor smelled strongly of rotting leaves and fungus. Their footsteps resonated in the little area they were advancing.