The Celestial Forge
By: Schin Ka'Tharos
CHAPTER 18
(Part 1)
What is within us? Is it the beginning? The Ending? Is it the Way?
~
They followed me through the corridor and into the open room of Reflections. It was, of course, as I had left it previously when I had gone out to get the Falling Jade fruit after bonding the Voids Eye. The constellations covering the ceiling and walls lit our way and also illuminated my destination. Near the middle of the room, ten or so yards on the other side of the spiral stairs, sat the assorted items that Uncle had gathered for me, organized like a small bedroom.
“Wow, not what I was expecting.” Adeon said beside me as he drank in the open chamber. His voice barely carried in the eerie quiet of the room.
“This is the room of Reflection,” I said. Each breath was labored. It felt like I was breathing through a heavy blanket of snow.
“Fascinating.” Ciara said but her steps were slowed. “I feel…what is this? Why does my Flame feel like this?”
“I don't have…an eternal Flame.. remember,” I said, continuing to shuffle forward. “ What, what are you feeling?”
She now stood still with arms cupping a small flicker of her Eternal Flame. Her eyes were glazed over as if the world around her didn't exist. “It's like my flame is…comfortable? Content? Confused? Sleepy?” She looked like she was about to fall asleep herself, her words beginning to slur.
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“What the hell is this Schin?” Adeon said flatly. Any usual playfulness in his tone was gone and he stared at me without emotion.
“Adeon, you better catch your sister before she hits the floor.” I said still crossing the room as quickly as I could get my body to move. I needed to get to whatever medicine Uncle had left me. I was crashing. My vision was blurred at the edges.
“Hey ash pile, she’ll be fine if she hits the floor, she's a 3rd Disciple. Whatever else is going on is the problem. You have about five seconds to explain what this is.” Adeon said and already held one of his black blades at ready.
Ciara barely whispered “...It feels like home…” and then slid to the floor.
Adeons eyes darted to her and confusion flashed across his face. Then he blinked his eyes in quick succession and rubbed his temple with his free hand. His eyes locked on mine and the blank expression returned. He tensed up preparing to lunge towards me and then simply stumbled for a few feet before crashing face down onto the pale purple stone floor.
“Welcome to the bloody room of Reflections” I said through thick heavy breaths. “Hope your first night isn't too terrible.”
I felt like I was walking on the sea floor but I finally reached the cabinet stocked with items. I was on the edge of passing out myself. I had been soul-fourging whatever essence I could muster through my first flowline attempting to provide some semblance of vitality within me and to help my breathing. I was nearly incoherent but I managed to open the cabinet and grab a couple of the vials from one of the lower shelves where I thought I remembered seeing healing tinctures.
I collapsed on the floor and downed the contents of two vials, managing to get at least a portion of the fluid into my mouth. My consciousness floated in an endless void. Sensations, smells, sounds, and images flashed in and out like light reflecting off the surface of water. At the end imprints of voices floated through the ether like echoes of instruments played on a distant ridge of a mountain.
“He doesn't know himself.”
“Does anyone?”
“He should. It would bring change.”
“Or ruin.”
“That is often the way of things.”
“Is that not what a Path is for? To find oneself?”
“But it is not guaranteed.”
“No, but it is the only way.“
“Silence, let us honor the physical vessel.”
Then the void took me completely and all awareness left me.
Next Chapter...
Chapter 18 (Part 2)