My eyes darted around the room, scanning every inch for hidden dangers, traps, or some unseen path to reach the platform where the golden page floated. The chamber was vast, its scale disorienting, with the ceiling lost in shadows far above. The air was thick with an ancient, musty scent, like old stone and dust that had lain undisturbed for centuries.
The walls, adorned with strange symbols, seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive with some forgotten power. Each breath I took was laced with the faint smell of dampness, a hint of something metallic lingering in the background, reminding me that this place was far from safe.
Doubt crept in, insidious and relentless, gnawing at the edges of my resolve. What if this is a trap? The thought echoed in my mind, sending a chill down my spine. What if there’s no way to reach the page?
“Any thoughts, Elizabeth?” I asked, breaking the heavy silence that pressed down on me like a weight. My voice echoed in the vast chamber, bouncing off the stone walls and amplifying the emptiness around me. The sound seemed to linger, as if the room itself was mocking my uncertainty.
Her glow flickered momentarily as she responded, her voice calm and deliberate, [I think I know what's happening here, but I need a few minutes to observe our surroundings.]
I trusted her judgment, yet the chamber felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for us to make the next move—as if it were a living entity, observing, judging, and perhaps even toying with us. I tapped my feet. Bit my fingers. Kept trying to pass the time.
“Figure it out yet?’
[It’s been 10 seconds]
I forced myself to take a deep breath, the air cool but heavy in my lungs. I looked around, scrutinizing the floating lights, willing the room to reveal a clue, a sign, anything that would help us. The orbs that floated in the air caught my attention, their soft glow looping around the room in what seemed like a deliberate pattern. They would settle in one spot for a few seconds before moving off, their movements methodical and precise. I narrowed my eyes, focusing on the way they hovered, almost as if they were marking something.
What if… The realization struck me like a lightning bolt: the orbs were marking the locations of invisible platforms.
“Thanks Liz, I figured it out!”
My heart raced as I pieced it together, the excitement of discovery momentarily pushing aside my fear. This has to be it… this has to be the way!
With a determined breath, I sprinted forward and leaped toward the nearest orb, my chest colliding with something solid but unseen. The impact jarred me, the force of it rattling my bones, but the relief of feeling something solid beneath me was overwhelming. I quickly scrambled to pull myself up onto the invisible surface, my fingers gripping its unseen edge. The texture beneath my fingertips was smooth, like polished stone, confirming that the platform was real despite its invisibility. The chill of the stone seeped into my hands, grounding me in the reality of the situation. I was right…
I crouched low, flattening myself on the platform, my hands and feet dangling off the edges to gauge its size. It was large enough to stand on comfortably but not wide enough to accommodate careless movements. The thought of a misstep in this precarious situation made my pulse quicken. The drop below was a vast, yawning abyss, the bottom lost to shadows and darkness. One wrong move, and I would plummet into the unknown.
I have to be careful… I decided to aim for the spots where the orbs floated, reasoning that they marked the center of each platform—a beacon in the dark uncertainty of the chamber.
I took a deep breath and leaped, landing softly on the next platform. The sensation of standing on something I couldn't see was unsettling, a disorienting mix of stability and vulnerability that made my heart pound in my chest. I pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. I used the momentum to propel myself forward and dropped onto the next one, my muscles straining with each jump. Each time I landed, I crouched low, testing the edges with my hands and feet before moving again.
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The golden page, glowing softly, was finally within my grasp, its light a warm, inviting beacon in the midst of the cold, dark chamber. Just then, the platform beneath me disappeared.
Panic surged through me as I fell, the cold air rushing past and chilling me to the bone. My mind raced, every survival instinct screaming at me to do something, anything, to stop my descent. No, no, no—this can’t be happening! The thought was a frantic litany in my mind as I remembered my class ability just in time.
"Shield!" I shouted, the word echoing through the vast chamber. A golden glow enveloped me, shimmering like a bubble of sunlight as I hit the ground. The impact was cushioned, the shield absorbing the brunt of the fall, but the force was still enough to rattle me. The shield shattered with a deafening crack, sending a shockwave that rippled through the air and echoed off the stone walls. The energy rebounded, launching me back up into the air like a rubber ball, and I twisted mid-air, desperately trying to regain control.
I need another platform—now!
I recast the spell, aiming for another platform, but the room spun around me, the orbs a blur of light and shadow. Unfortunately, I didn't find one in time. The familiar sensation of falling filled my stomach with dread, the weightless plunge into the abyss threatening to overwhelm me. But knowing the shield would bounce me back up, I steeled myself and let the fall happen, bracing for the impact.
Again, the shield broke, and I bounced back up, my eyes frantically scanning the room for a new platform. This time, I paid closer attention to the orbs, noting that one had blinked faster before the platform disappeared. A pattern emerged—when the orb blinked rapidly, the platform would vanish soon after. That’s it… I just need to time it right!
I acted quickly. "Shield!" I cast the spell, the protective glow enveloping me as I aimed and landed on another platform. I immediately got to my feet and ran, the urgency of the situation spurring me on. The invisible surface beneath my feet felt unnervingly unstable, the knowledge that it could disappear at any moment driving me to move faster. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat like a drum in my ears as I made a few more jumps, each one more desperate than the last.
Finally, I reached the last platform. The golden page was right in front of me, its light warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the cold darkness that surrounded me. I reached out, my fingers trembling with anticipation, and grabbed it. The moment I touched the page, a rush of warmth flooded through me, filling me with a sense of accomplishment and relief. The world around me began to fade, the chamber dissolving into a haze of light and shadow.
A notification appeared in my vision, the text crisp and clear against the fading backdrop. [Congratulations. You have received a golden page, one of 250. You have received 10 death boons.]
The library quickly came back into view, the familiar scent of old books and parchment filling my senses. The air here was warm, dry, a stark contrast to the cool, damp chamber I had just left. Blake was waiting for me, leaning casually against a bookshelf, her blonde hair catching the dim light of the library lamps. The long shadows cast by the ancient shelves only emphasized her relaxed posture, but the keen look in her eyes showed she was ready for whatever came next.
"So, how'd it go?" Blake asked, her voice tinged with both concern and curiosity, stepping closer as if to better gauge my reaction.
I held up the golden page, feeling a triumphant grin spreading across my face. The page gleamed softly in the dim light of the library, its golden surface catching the flickering glow of nearby candles and casting gentle reflections on the surrounding bookshelves. The weight of it in my hand was solid, real—a tangible reward for the harrowing ordeal I’d just endured. "I got a golden page," I replied, a swell of pride warming my chest, momentarily pushing away the exhaustion that clung to my bones.
Blake’s eyes widened, and she let out a low whistle of surprise. "And let me guess, you used up all of your tickets?"
I shook my head, still grinning, the victory fresh in my mind. "No, I only ended up using one." Her reaction was immediate, and I could almost imagine her jaw dropping.
"No way!" she exclaimed, her tone a mix of disbelief and admiration. "Everybody always uses at least three on their first try and then has to give up their golden page for more tickets. You're telling me you're keeping your first-ever golden page? What a rip-off."
Her disbelief was almost palpable, like a tangible force in the air. A flicker of irritation sparked in me. Did she really think I’d just gotten lucky? The challenge had been real, the danger palpable, and I’d earned this page with every ounce of grit I had. "Not my fault I didn’t get stuck on the first ride," I muttered, shrugging nonchalantly, though a part of me felt a bit defensive.
Just then, my stomach growled, the sound echoing embarrassingly loud in the quiet library. The physical toll of the ordeal was catching up with me, and I realized just how drained I was. My muscles ached with the memory of those desperate leaps across invisible platforms, and the gnawing hunger in my belly made everything feel even more overwhelming. "Please, let's get some food. I’m kind of hungry after jumping across those invisible platforms that kept getting destroyed."
Blake chuckled, her expression softening as she nodded. "Yeah, I can imagine. Come on, I’ll show you around." She led the way, her footsteps echoing softly in the otherwise silent corridors of the library.