“Hold on. First, look in the uppermost left drawer. There should be a hand lamp inside. I have drawn out most of the ether that had nourished my soul, but this one was not connected to the rest of the equipment. I hope it still works.”

It was there, and it worked. Nua held the oval shape in her hand and it brightened upon touch, making her skin almost translucent. The light was soft, golden, and mellow. It filled her with a strange feeling of reassurance.

“It’s beautiful.”

She was certain that she couldn’t take it back to the Bottoms.

“It’s just a lamp”, Anki scoffed. “Now wait while I’ll do a little excursion to examine whether our clunky friend is somewhere around.”

“What?”

“Just… never mind. Wait a moment, will you?”

He transformed into a bluish sprite just like before, then went through the door. Nua gasped. Then continued to gawk interchangeably at the lamp and the fantastic reliefs that seemed almost alive when lightened up. Too much sorcery already, and she hasn’t even started to produce her own. And what does it mean, she asked herself, that every Unsagga has an aptitude for it? Everyone? Even the street thugs and beggars? And what about Auntie?

“If I think too much of all these marvels, my head is going to burst. I’ll just go along with it.”, she decided. Anki was an ancient king and he was on her side. Or rather, both of their sides were currently one side or something.

The spirit reappeared after a while. Although Nua wasn’t even sure how she recognized it in a blue cloud, she could see that he looked content.

“The guardian could not operate the lift.”, he started. “It tried to tear it apart, but failed and got discouraged. We’ll choose another way, though. My private passage is still intact.”

“Uh-uh.”

“Did you take a look at the door? What do you think?

“They’re sure awesome, but I know that’s not what you mean.”, Nua frowned. “They have those animal shapes, drawings, and writing. It’s etheric. They were shining when I opened it the first time.”

“I recall that your aunt is a scholar and tried to teach you how to write. Do you recognize, perhaps, any of those symbols?”

The girl snorted.

“Auntie Hala’s no scholar. She did not teach me ancient writing. Just the common one.”

“Ah, from the way you speak of her I thought she was a temple devotee to the poor. So the simplified notation caught on. I thought that would be a good idea.” Anki noticed Nua’s blank look. “This is the emegir. It has over seven hundred ideograms and it is able to capture the most abstract concepts.”

“Whoa.”, Nua said. Even ancient writing was infinitely greater and better than contemporary. “Ours has only about thirty letters.”

“So that’s another script entirely,” Anki said. “I might address it later. It would be a shame if I couldn’t read in this modern world. Now, back to the point. Do you see the string of ideograms around the handles? The one that has little suns and moons every third symbol?”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Nua nodded.

“There will be similar signs at each door. Touch it so that the fingertips rest on the two suns and three moons. It doesn’t matter which hand you use.”

The girl obeyed, fascinated. The metal was cold to her touch.

“All right.”

“Now I’ll drive the ether through you. Try to feel what I do.”

Nua closed her eyes. She felt the spirit melting back into her, like a sprinkle of water to the skin. Then, there was a faint warmth, vaguely similar to the burning of the tongue she once experienced upon tasting a peppercorn. It left her muscles so suddenly that she shuddered.

The symbols lit up and the door creaked wide open.

“There was something.” She said. “It was red and gold. And tasted of pepper.”

“Have you noticed where it was coming from?”

“Nope. Is it bad?”

“No. Actually, you’re quite perceptive for a first-time user. You might be a bit more than a minor talent.” Anki pondered, and Nua felt her heart beating fast. Someone had praised her and called her talented. “Let’s go.”

Amazing how much can a little light change. Before, the corridor looked terrifying. Now, Nua found it eerie, but rather calming. She was listening to her steps, alone in the ancient labyrinth, and watched the hypnotizing trail of unknown symbols. She did not pay much attention before when she was fleeing from the guardian, but now it was obvious that the door to Anki’s chamber wasn’t the only one. They passed by several less impressive entrances, with just one door leaf and not too many symbols. There was a tinge of sadness in the air, and after a while, the girl started to notice other emotions. They were… different from what she herself knew. More complicated, piled one on top of another. She strived to give them names and for some, she didn’t have any. Joy and… love perhaps, but less fierce, mixed with painful longing. Then anger. Then a flash of burning hatred, more intense than she thought anyone could feel, even her hatred for Flavius.

“It’s too much.” She whispered. “Could you be quiet?”

“Do you hear what I’m thinking?”

“I know what you feel.”

“Ah. The unintended consequences of our symbiosis. I’ll try to shield you.” As he promised, the emotions subsided. Nua was left with an uneasy feeling that she hosts an entity even less controllable and more dangerous than she had feared. “We’re here. There’s a recess on the right. Look for the symbols.”

This entrance was placed in a niche and wasn’t recognizable as a door at the first sight. On her own, she wouldn’t tell it apart from the surrounding walls. It was similar to upstairs, at the back of the god’s figure plinth. There was no chalice for the blood though (or, as Nua now suspected, it was really a chalice for the ether or an etheric mixture).

On the side, though, she had noticed signs with a familiar pattern. Two suns and three moons. Again, she put her fingertips on the symbols and braced herself for the sorcery. This time she could feel traces of warmth concentrating in one tiny orb before flowing out. She was strangely certain that the energy didn’t start within her. It was coming from something that was located inside – not her stomach - but wasn’t a part of her. Confused, she shook her head.

“I don’t have my own sorcery, then,” she said, looking at the door that slowly opened. “It’s your ether.”

“Of course, otherwise the symbols wouldn’t react.” He said. “This lift is, was, reserved only for me and a few others. I couldn’t use it if you didn’t have the potential, though.”

Nua didn’t respond. She gaped at the inside of the carriage with sheer dread.

“What is going on? Why don’t you go in?”

The girl ceased moving altogether as if paralyzed.

“Nua, I command you – speak!”

“Th… there is a ghost inside. A small Unsagga, just like me. She’s holding a lamp.”

“By the Sun God. You’re looking at the mirror. It’s your reflection.”

“You sure? Mirrors aren’t that clear. Completely transparent, as if made of air.”

The ghost moved her mouth when she was speaking.

“Is… it an ancient etheric mirror?”

“It’s made of glass. Don’t tell me it’s the first time you see one.” Anki sighed. “Listen, Nua. We’re going into a chamber that contains many more ancient and probably shocking works of art and science. You cannot freeze each time you look at something new. Trust me that I mean you no harm.”

“Oh… sure.” Nua relaxed, but only a little bit. After all, the problem was if he recognized the harm he could do without meaning to. “So… what to expect, exactly?”

“Automata.”, he replied. “Lots of automata.”