Eden-Re

They pressed their hands together, clasping each other tightly as they neared the hulking, spinning gem, its sear size more prominent the closer they drew. Their breathes caught int heir throats as the gem came to a screeching halt and everything became suspended. Time had stopped yet the twins continued to remain untouched. They crept ever closer and gulped back their uneasy fears as they leaned closer and closer. The closer they got the more their faces became clear in the facet, both faces perfectly recreated. Unlike the other reflections, a fracture from both of their souls was contained within this giant jewel. They spent so much of their lives trying to be separate from one another and now they were forced together again by this blasted magical headache. Unsure of the outcome, they looked at each other. Would they sacrifice one to save the other or would they be incomplete without their other half? Adenor squeezed Izetite's hand and, with one last brave gulp, stretched out their trembling hands toward the reflections with two faces. In their haste to be whole again, they stretched forth their trembling fingers and grazed the placid surface of the transparent glass jewel. They expected it to burst like all the other had done thus far but, the gem did not break. Not a crack or chip could be seen. No particles of light to twinkle in the darkness. What greeted them was something far more gruesome than they could have ever imagined. Their skin split and peeled back like tanned leather and their flesh slipped free from their bones in sinewy threads as their anguished screams bounced all around them. The squelch of wet flesh echoed as the remnants were pulled into the confines of the gem like a ravenous beast consuming its prey. When the screaming stopped, the twins shoes floated, empty, in the void; drifting from its partner in the growing darkness. The gem began to slowly spin again, its facets distorting the disturbing imagery trapped within: two faces molded into each other like melting plastic, tufts of hair and skin pulling back to reveal the cracked bones that lay beneath on their misshapen shared body. The twins had been suxked into a new nightmare where one could not survive without the other; their flesh fused into a single vessel, trapped both souls in one flesh that strove to tear itself apart; a fitting punishment for brothers who constantly stabbed each other in the back. They cried and screamed, theirnpain replaced by their rekindled hatred of one another. They bickered and hurled insults as they tore their skin and dislodged joints in an attempt to turn and face each other. But the flesh would pull them back and the bones would mend in awkward juts leaving them in more agony. They cast their disgust and dislike across the floating shards around their new prison, using the reflections to send their foul insults like letters. Their contempt grew as they ran out of words to express their immeasurable disdain. It was Izetite who stumbled upon a gift within their new curse. In his fury-driven rampage, he plucked a shard from the glassy imprisonment. What his eyes saw, was not a reflection but, a distant world gar outside of their grasp, outside of the Impasse. He smiled to himself as he watched the world unfold inside his little sliver of sanity. He flipped the shard and a new world swam across its surface. Each place the Impasse touched was connected to this magical maze and Izetite had figured out how to access those locations. Forgetting his anger, Izetite passed the shard to Adenor who grunted,exasperated and irritated with his brother. "You gotta see this!" He beamed excitedly. Adenor snatched the shard out of the air as it floated by and glanced at what he thought would be another terrible set of expletives. His eyes widened at the many faces that scrolled across the shard. "What is this? How did you-" He questioned cut struggled to find the words. Izetite replied to his sudden pause,"I don't know. I just flipped it over and there it was. Crowds of people!" Adenor pouted quizzically and flipped the shard who rippled and a woman's face appeared through the hazy blur. She was leaned in close and her sullen face was staring blankly right through Adenor. "Back up. I cant see anything else, woman!" He snapped and the woman moved mechanically, like a living puppet. "Whoa.... I wonder what else this thing can do," Adenor smirked as an evil glint sparkled in his eye. He cleared his throat and Izetite felt a tug at his intuition. Adenor was known for pushing things too far and Izetite could sense his intentions through their shared body. "Go to the edge of the balcony behind you," Adenor instructed the woman in the image. Izetite squeaked, " What are you doing?" Adenor ignored him and watched with anticipation as the woman approached the edge. She climbed the banister and stood like a statue. "Jump," He barked and the woman fell out of sight, a thud, and the screams of people they could not see filled the silence that followed. In that moment, the twins realized how far their influence could reach. Each shard contained a new world that they could manipulate theough the mirrors. So many unfortunate people passing bythier own reflection, unaware of the face behind their own playing devil's advocate with their thoughts and emotions. Where one reflection praised and comforted, the other of malice and paranoia. They shifted back and forth, driving the hapless souls to the brink of insanity by the voices they heard whispering through the reflections. The pendulum of friend and foe swayed in the timeless void between the sharp edges, bringing ruin through all their flaws as the image shifts.

The boy was alone, surrounded by strangers yet, so very much alone. He fidgetted on the bench and rubbed his palms on his pants, the sweat soaking the fabric. His nerves were shaking violently and his breathes quivered as he pushed each exhale through his teeth. The sound of the bells and horns caused him to jump with a start, practically leaving his shadow behind and jumping out of his own skin. The sound cascaded around him and urged him to stand on jelly-like legs, lugging the lead weights tucked into his boots. He shuffled to the small possé of waiting combatants, his heart pounding harder until it was a constant buzz inside his skull. He swallowed his fear and, with knocked-knees, stepped into the steering cloud of roars, through the portal and into the unknown. His vision blurred and he raised his hand to shiled himself from the light that shone menacingly into his face, blinding him. The white haze reminded him of his childhood, of long summer days hunting in the forests and fishing in the streams, of countless sparring sessions as he danced and perfected his swordplay, and of the spirits that hounded him, haunting him throughout the years. "Stick to the plan," He murmured under his breath. He lowered his hand and strained to focus. A familiar scene unfolded before him, a forest had encompassed the arena and the crowds were nowhere to be seen. The crowds were gone but, their voices echoed like thunder from some unseen place high above. The sky was dark and starless, lacking celestial bodies to illuminate the land. He had ventured, willingly, into an ancient magical puzzle box. The dreamy landscape manifested fears and nightmares as fleshy realities for these unfortunate few that dared to enter. Not dreams, nor illusions. Reality; a horror filled nightmare with no escape, only survival. The boy wondered through the ever-changing terrain, searching high and low through the chaos for the man and woman he came with. When he burst some thick undergrowth he, finally, set eyes upon the man he sought out battling a vicious beast. It's serpent-like body lashed out and writhed in the heat of battle. They bashed together in their onslaught, blood and swest speaking across the dark soil. "Dad!" the boy shouted as he tumbled and skidded towards the ensuing battle. "Stay back!" Hus father urged before being caught off-guard by a scaly barbed tail piercing hus chest and launching him into the sky, his screams fading into a distant wail that came to a sudden stop. The boy stood still for a moment, processing what had just happened. He felt his knees buckle as a pained wail escaped his tight throat. He screamed and the beast turned toward him, its fangs glisteningwith saliva as it lumbered toward him. The boy's saddened cries were clipped short as a familiar voice ushered him back to his feet and pushed him ahead. Her voice beckoned him to move faster as she pulled and pushed him through the wall of snapping branches and prickly needles. She jerked and jumped at every tiny nuance of sound that emanated from the darkness, shoving the boy ahead aggressively as she swiveled her head every-which-way. Something was stalking them, hunting them like scurrying mice. The boy slowed to a halt and gulped breathes, one after the other. "What was that thing, mom?" He whispered and his mother hushed him. "No time. Keep moving," she uttered and then a swill of cold air lulled over them. She shushed him with a quivering hand, nudging the boy slowly into a large bushy growth, tucking into safely into its thorny embrace. His eyes went wide as an ashen figure emerged from the darkness, tall and lanky and severely emaciated. It's cloudy eyes learned blankly and it's lipless teeth chattered in the frigid cold. It's breathed deeply and let out a shrill scream liken to a flute on its highest note. It's wiry limbs failed and it's jaws unhinged as it's boney fingers clasped around his mother's wrists and pulled her into its gapping maw. With a monumental crunch, the woman's horrified scream stopped abruptly, the fragile threads of her vocal chords snapping under the pressure. The boy ran, trees bowing away and gathering around him again. No matter which way he turned, he was always surrounded by trees. He took a moment of respite on a fallen, nearby log to collect himself. His breathes came in ragged pants ND his body shuddered violently. His legs were sore and his lungs burned. They felt as if they would burst. The trees loomed silently and a single snapping twig echoed like deja-vu, again and again. The boy sat stiff and silent like death, afraid to move, afraid to breathe, afraid to blink. It was just like before. Those same trees, those same voices. His vision wavered and a screech peeled between the trees like bullets richocetting in the air. The branches snapped in clusters and ended with a loud, wet thud. A lump of skinless flesh lay a few feet in front of him, still writhing in pain as it contorted its mangled body to face the boy. "K-Kay-" it groaned through its blood-filled gullet and, with its final dieing breath, sputtered, "Run." Kay say like a statue, frozen by the fear that burrowed into him by what he had just witnessed, still wrapping his mind around the loss of his parents. He gripped his sword and squeezed his eyes shut, pushing away the tears that threatened to fall.

The air hung heavy with grief and sorrow and the silence was stifling, cut short by the soft slosh of a wet mop in an adjacent room, a byproduct of the requirement to keep a clean premises to accommodate the constant influx of numerous guests. Despite the large space being occupied by a small army of sullen faced citizens, the building was still and quiet as the statues that guarded the entrance; stoic and unflinching in the barrage of tears and sniffles that painted each crevice of features that bowed toward the ground and turned away from curious gazes. Kay could hear his saliva slide down his own throat as he gulped audibly and took another tentative step deeper into the cage of despair that cradled the sorrow stricken folk within. His heavy footsteps creaked and groaned as the wooden planks curled and dipped and slowly assumed their original position, attracting a few glares of disdain as the groaning floorboards continued to moan painfully with his weight. He held his breath and focused on his feet; heel to toe, rolling the flat of his foot as he inched forward toward the concierge desk. An older gentleman with dark robes pulled far over his head concealing a fair portion of his grey features sat quietly as he flipped through dusty pages of a large leather-bound logbook. His croaked finger glided over the many names scrawled across each musty page and then, with a quick flick, turned the page and continued to search each curl and sweep of the pen. Ahem. Kay cleared his throat and leaned over the ledge of the desk bringing his face closer to the small lighted candle. His eyes glazed over the text upon the page catching a glimpse of a page tucked carelessly between pages. A map? Of what? The man snapped the book shut as his eyes met Kay's and he grimaced. "Can I help you with something?" He smiled but the sight was anything but friendly or helpful. It made Kay shiver and he withdrew, straightening his spine as he stuttered. "A-a.... a room. Please," Kay muttered nervously as a bead of sweat slid down the back of his neck. He swallowed hard and his eyes darted around the room as the alcolyte heaved and reached for a large key in the cupboard behind him. He swung back toward Kay and flipped the key over in his hands before jotting down a number on the last empty page of the dust covered book. He then turned the book and nudged an inkwell and quill toward Kay. "Sign your name and state you purpose. 20 Pi'at each night. No exceptions. No room sharing. No wandering after curfew," the man stated succinctly. "I'm sorry? Curfew?" Kay asked puzzled. The man rolled his eyes and began piling the books on a nearby table, thier dusty jackets sending clouds of particles Into the air as he plopped them atop one another. "Curfew is midnight. Be in your room and lock the doors and windows. Not all souls are kind to the yet living. This is thier domain. We are but simple visitors. We must follow thier rules or pay the consequences. Sign and I shall escort you to your room but, I would hurry. It's almost time to lock down for the night." Kay rummaged through his pockets and produced a single shiny coin that clattered on the desktop. The alcolyte scooped the coin into a small lockbox and reluctantly rose from his chair. He waved an impatient hand in a gesture to follow and shuffled down one of the dark corridors. Kay obliged and as he was led down the twisting halls, his eyes wandered down the labyrinth of corridors and rooms. His mind kept returning to the scrap of paper that was tucked into the logbook. Perhaps, after everyone is tucked in for the night there may be an opportunity to get a better look at the logs. That scrap may hold a clue to where the Eye of Lyre is hidden. Kay was snapped back to his senses when the alcolyte pushed open an old heavy wooden door with a heave and the smell of vanilla smacked his nostrils. "Lady Vendri is said to have stayed in this room when she visited. She passed over a century ago but her perfume still lingers," He placed the key on the bedside table and bowed before exiting the room and turning back to share a message of warning. "Beware the smell of brimstone and chill of death. Stay inside. Stay alive." Kay nodded solemnly as the door clicked shut. Once he was alone, he let out a shaky breath and wiped his brow. He was in and now, the hard part would be waiting for curfew to take affect. So Kay sat in the oversized armchair and stared out the window at the cloudy sky outside. Kay's eyes flickered open and he rubbed the crust from the corners. He stretched his limbs and dragged his feet across the floor as he shuffled to the window and peered outside. A few hours had passed and the sky had traded the silver puffy clouds for a sheet of black chiffon that sparkled with starlight. The only sounds were Kay's own breathes and the rattle of the glass with a gentle breeze. The flowers swayed in silent choreographed dance in the caress of the wind. No crickets or idle chatter in the distance could be heard. Only silnce in the moonless darkness. Kay slowly opened the door to the room he rented for the night and quickly glanced down each direction of the hall. Not a soul to be seen, not even a mouse, in the dark quiet night. He inched out into the hall and quietly shut the door with a soft click, wincing as the sound echoed down the hall and faded down the many branches of corridors. He relaxed and quickly scampered down the hall as he tiptoed past each locked door, holding his breath as he leapt carefully like a cat across the sensitive wooden floorboards. The halls stretched far and narrow and twisted into a web of confusing interlaced avenues. It was a miracle that Kay found his way back to the lobby where the pile of dusty books still sat in towers of dust and mystery. Those pages held secrets, he was sure of it. Kay scanned the large foyer and sprinted from one place to another, ducking behind every object he could in an attempt to remain hidden as the goal drew closer. Finally, upon reaching the concierge desk, Kay quickly rummaged through the pile, placing each book to the side as he scoured the contents of each ancient tome. Halfway through the last tall tower of signature filled books, Kay was beginning to lose hope of finding any clues, when the very thing he searched for had broken free from its confines and floated to the ground with a flutter of various clippings and small notes that scattered across the floor at his feet. He quickly dashed to retrieve the pieces before they could disperse to places unseen in the darkness of the night. He gathered them into a loose pile and held them close so he could ascertain their messages in the small light that the stars shared. He quickly jammed the useless pieces back into the rear flap of their original resting place and hurriedly fumbled with the last few pages. It was the the very last page that caught Kay's attention. The torn edges were frayed and burnt but the image emblazoned across the crumpled paper was clear as day from night. The labyrinth of hallways was much deeper. Kay was standing right on top of the vault entrance and he would need to traverse the depths of the belly of the Inn to find the divine object he sought. He plopped the book off to the side, not caring where it landed as he was too preoccupied by the gnawing sensation in his stomach that sapped the saliva from his mouth and filled his head with a buzzing unlike any other. He grasped the page tightly in his hand and struggled to read the inscription. It was written in a language Kay was unfamiliar with but, he recognized the symbols on the tapestry that hung behind the desk. It seemed strange to hide the entire wall but not entirely uncommon. Now it was clear that it was, indeed, hiding something. He yanked the tapestry aside and revealed a giant locking mechanism. The same strange symbols were etched into the stones and they were arranged in an oddly circular pattern with a large mirror at its central point. There were no keyhole or levers, not even a button. Kay grazed his hands across the stones' rough surface and felt a cool breeze from between the stones. He pressed his face against the cold rock and heard the sound of whispers just beyond. He stepped back and peered down at the paper with its strange language and trembled with frustration. He scratched his head and pulled at the sparse hairs on his chin when the thought crept into his mind. If the symbols are the same as the ones on the page, then perhaps it is a key of sorts. He frowned as he held the paper close to his face and scrutinized the sweeping lines and dots clustered together like a string of decorations that swirled around a central point. He touched one of the symbols on the stones and sighed when nothing happened. Again, he studied the language and compared the strange symbols. He brushed his fingertips across the symbols that were sprawled on the page and then ran his fingertips across the same symbols in the stones, each one illuminating in succession. They trailed in a spiral and, upon meeting the mirror, sunk into the wall with a grating sound followed by a loud thunk. The stones receded into the darkness beyond and a gust of putrid wind blasted Kay's face. He raised his hand to block the forceful barrage, his fingers trembling against the wind as it whipped and roared and pushed him back with the force of a tidal wave. Just as quickly as the wind rose to a deafening roar, it quickly dissipated into silence once more, leaving Kay taken aback. His eyes darted to each empty corridor, his breath caught in his throat as he waited for a crew of angry alcolytes to storm upon the gates that Kay had just crashed. Yet, as the seconds ticked by and the minutes drowned on into oblivion, not a soul had stirred and the chill of the emptiness caused Kay to shiver. Why had Noone come to see what had caused the silent night to quake in the vast darkness? Was noone brave enough to break the curfew to find the source of the disturbance? Or was I the only one aware of the secrets that scream to be uncovered? Or did they scream to keep the door locked tight?