Roseline Jones
Death had been disappointingly dull for her. The expectation she had was that there would be an epiphany or some spark of revelation. Something significant. Floating nowhere, she almost wanted anything to happen. Though, the incipient seer was careful not to think it too loudly while staring into the face of oblivion. Mostly it was boredom she felt waiting in the void for resurrection.
The emptiness of her mind was one of the main issues. Turns out that she was free of the Tapestry there, but that wasn’t something to celebrate as Roseline had expected. Weeks living with the threads of fate spinning through her awareness had become something cherished rather than just an obligation. Exhausting, but the lack of it was a true loss. It was a burden she was happy to shoulder. Missed it.
Thinking about the threads as her soul drew closer to oblivion, Roseline decided that the change of heart wasn’t really that much of a surprise. The power of the Tapestry was after all in line with her nature. People watching and predicting the patterns of their lives. Once you saw the flow of things, it wasn’t too hard to start foreseeing behaviors. After a lifetime of that, guidance had become a talent of hers.
It was a relief when the white light found and surrounded the incipient seer. Sensations returned first and then the Tapestry spun out before her eyes. She strummed the strings, seeing what had been missed and the current state of things. The Titan had fallen. Roseline sighed in relief at seeing that things had shifted down that avenue. Even when the odds were in their favor, it was still nerve-wracking to see things run their course in real-time. Especially when she was very aware that anything can happen with the right nudge. Chaos always played a hand too.
Reading the Tapestry during the battle had been an interesting experience. It wasn’t much more difficult than being outside one, but it did differ greatly in the timings. There was much less room for forgiveness in the heat of the fight. Trying to plot out where to be in time was overwhelming. In the end, the incipient seer had been forced to give up most of the opportunities to improve the Sixty’s Path. Roseline had chosen to focus on some key moments to keep things balanced in their favor. It could have been better, but she wasn’t good enough yet.
Those that had died before her were already up and waiting near the Doors. She noted that the crowd converged on Vincent rather than Warner who lingered at the edge. Out of favor, but Roseline wondered how long that would last. The answer was uncertain to even her. The brawler’s thread branched erratically in reflection to what must be that man’s own mercurial vision of his future. Some things weren’t very predictable. There was a special amount of uncertainty when someone was considering changing.
Quietly, Roseline joined the gathering. Everyone was anxious. Whether chattering or solemnly quiet, those that died fretted over the fate of the rest. She decided it was best not to reveal her own knowledge. Preferring to keep the Tapestry quiet for now. Much better to avoid the chaos of questions that would invite. Futures unraveled because she gave the wrong answer. Regardless, there was a party arriving shortly to escort them upwards. Soon their worries would fade and through the Golden Gates the Sixty would go.
Then something happened that she did not expect.
The world shook and rumbled. Dust stirred and rained from the ceiling. Muffled screams breached through stone walls that looked ready to crumble. But they didn’t. The pained shrieks faded and The Pit grew stiller. The rumblings became distant, lingering. Looks of shock were shared as the conversations turned to whether that was a good sign or not.
She wasn’t sure, but the incipient seer was determined to find out.
Into the Tapestry Roseline dove, her mind’s eyes tracing the moment back. Playing it backward to the source choice before playing everything forward again. Her vision of moments wasn’t perfectly clear like a movie, but close enough to that when it came to living things. The terrain in visions was often very hard to see when tracing people.
So she saw enough to see the horror itself and the fiery reaction that sight elicited. The Ratsins had been eliminated at the wellspring. What birthed the abominations had been burnt to ash. The permanency of the act was beyond the pale, deep in the ocean of threads. Roseline had a feeling that they could return, but only that spark of intuition. Nothing was within sight.
When Molly arrived with an escort, Roseline almost didn’t notice. Absorbed completely in tracing the cause before paying any attention. Unwilling to lose her place, bookmarking the related thread for later was necessary. The incipient seer blinked. She hadn’t realized that was possible. It may not have been before. A very useful tool for keeping track of important events.
Smiles came quickly as the rest of the recently dead were brought up to speed on the death of The Titan, but Molly shrugged off the patter of questions about the shaking. The acolyte of curses had no answers and cooly gathered them to march up the tunnels. Roseline was all too happy to keep to the woman’s schedule. Moving quickly meant that they would get to the good stuff all the sooner.
At the Vile Fields, they picked the self-proclaimed Coward’s Club. The Council had decided when the Titan was dead that maintaining the Ratsin blockade was no longer necessary. Believing everyone should be there when the Gate opened up. Relieving the rearguard was all the easier when it was relayed that the Young Ratsin had stopped appearing. This restarted the storm of questions. The subject was now about if the shaking and the end of the rat things were related. Molly once again stepped in to motivate them forward.
Roseline hummed to herself.
The Coward’s Club had quite the tale to tell as everyone passed into the Upper Tunnels. Their time holding back the Ratsins hadn’t been quite the cakewalk as expected. The Pale One had made an appearance and brought them to the brink. Roseline could have taken a closer look through the Tapestry, but enjoyed the story as it was told. Roderick Lear had quite the way with words. Entertained by the grand touches to the telling, upwards they marched. All sixty would unite above.
The rest of the Sixty were waiting for them in the Hall of Perdition. Malachi held them a respectful distance away from the Golden Gate. There was a new gleam to the only way up, keen and expecting. It drew the eyes and mellowed the tongue. A pleasant shade of silence draped down on everyone. The two groups quietly merged into one crowd that stared forward. Every eye reflecting the golden glow.
Malachi smiled at all of them, words failing to come several times. Finally, he took a step forward gesturing forward. On the second step, they all moved forward. Everyone was walking in sync by the fifth step and strained against running on the seventh. The Golden Gate grew and filled their sight as the distance across the charnel field. A fast walk, cheerful and barely polite.
Had the length of the chamber been any longer a mad dash would have broken out, but they arrived with sanity intact. The Sixty slowed to an unwanted halt, excited and impatient. The words of requirement appeared as their proximity. It revealed what was expected and a sigh of relief from all of them brushed the air. The necessary kills had been made.
The words shattered apart like fireworks. Illusionary dust flurried to the ground and a deep tone played as the last spot of light winked out. The sound of gears whirling from within the walls and the circular door creaked. Like a coin rolling on its side, the gate slid into the wall to reveal the way forward. Cautiously, the Sixty entered the new space.
Roseline felt like a child sneaking about on Christmas Eve, seeking wonders.
After everyone filed through, a new stillness overcame the group. Before them was a long and wide hallway. It was shaped like half a cylinder with the curved part as the ceiling. Painted across the walls and ceiling were murals of celebrations. Parades in a wide variety of city streets with watchers displaying several different dances. There were two doors within the room, a silver one close by on their left and another golden one at the other end.
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The golden door was inviting, but by silent agreement, a few people split off to check the closer one. She budded off to follow in their wake for her own look. At their presence, the door parted in the middle. It revealed a circular room that could uncomfortably fit sixty people. A quick look inside made the purpose readily apparent. The buttons started at the bottom with “The Hall”, then “2” before running up to “100” at the top. Most were dull and unlit, but the bottom two were glowing. “2” was green and “Hall” was just a soft, uncolored light.
Reuben, ever the explorer, had joined them in the discovered elevator. He called out the nature of the room before pushing both lit buttons. The green one did nothing, but the doors closed on the push of “Hall.” A few seconds of nothing before the air suddenly became thick. Not uncomfortable, but the air felt full. There was a crackle of blue lighting and then a flash of it. When Roseline’s vision returned there didn’t appear to be any change, but there was a feeling. A very real sensation of being in another place than before.
The silver door parted slowly, allowing a rock wall beyond to rise and clear a path. Soon they had an unobstructed view of the lobby area and the stalls beyond. An unremarkable wall had been secretly hiding the teleporter the whole time. The small group didn’t take much time to observe this, as it was pretty self-evident. They stepped back in and pushed the “2” button that was now a white light. The green seemed to be an indicator of where you were.
Another flash and Roselina was back in the long hallway. Reuben spoke with Malachi as the little group rejoined the bulk of the Sixty. Now that everyone was together again, it was time to see what the next floor was like. The bigger group had waited because there was an unspoken desire for them to do it together. Through the Tapestry she knew it would be this way, but still nice to see that actually happen.
They made it halfway down the hall when a cloaked figure appeared. A ghostly shape stood between them and the golden doors. The Sixty startled to a halt. A rumble of chatter before Malachi took a step forward to greet the transparent person. The newcomer didn’t respond at first, the question echoing out hollowly. Ignored.
The ghost blinked forward a few feet and lowered the cowl. An ancient face observed them with a smile. Heavily withered with age, but it was a kind face despite the uncomfortable angles. There was a green tinge to the form so that it was impossible to decide the color of the eye or skin. Simply said, the only description that could be tied to the projection was “an old man.” Weary looking, but with a spark of excitement in the eye and the quirk of his mouth.
“Hello! Welcome!,” called a rich voice eroded by age. “It gives me great pleasure to see you here. My name is Xavier Ceaitle, the last living human. Or was, until now, because… all of you. My precious sixty. I am the reason you are here.”
“There are no doubt many questions and I shall answer a few of them today. Before I begin please know, and take comfort in, that everything here is done for a reason, a purpose. At each floor’s end more will be revealed. It is best not to overwhelm you. Just a few things today.”
“First, congratulations are in order! You have made it past the first hurdle of The Pit. An achievement worth speaking of even if it is the first. The Ratsins are abominable things, but what a wonderful trial they make! One knows their mettle after meeting them. Many souls had their ambitions crushed by those wretched creatures. The use of those monsters is one of the few things I acknowledge I was wrong to doubt.”
“We found them beneath the original facility when it was being converted into the first iteration of The Pit. They were feeding and living off the toxic waste from ongoing experiments. Yes, the cause of their horrible mutations. Most of us Sages were immediately inclined to destroy those blasphemous things. Abracoatl saw the potential of the Ratsins and persuaded us to use the horrible creatures. A hardy test for those wishing to be Braves. He was always a wiser man than I.”
There was a pause as the ghostly Xaiver looked sadly inwards. Visibly summoning strength, he continued.
“More importantly, this is a test you have surpassed! And frankly, I asked more of you than those of the past. They fought to be worthy of the war above and you fight for something much heavier. I must ask more of you, knowing the hardship to come, I have faith that you are capable of passing every hurdle ahead.
“Why? I imagine that is the question you ask the most. In a thousand different ways beyond my ability to guess. In the fullness of time, the scope of everything will be explained to you. Made clear. I hope it gives you some comfort to know that I picked you each individually. It wasn’t random that you woke up here. It was the result of an arduous process of searching for people with the right qualities.”
“Successful, experienced, unattached, righteous, unsatisfied, cultured, adventurous, had vision! These were just some of the qualities that I needed, and were found in you. It has been centuries in preparation for your coming. I used the culmination of an entire people to bring all of this about. This moment proves all of it was worth the effort and seclusion. I am overjoyed! I am proud of you!”
“The World has changed with your coming, Humanity is no longer dead! It is glorious, but the work is not over. The surface has a high price of entry and there are ninety-nine more trails to go. My precious sixty… I have absolute faith that I shall see you in the sunshine!”
The old man gave them a huge smile before flickering and returning to the original position with the hood up again. The ghostly figure turned and pointed at the golden door before fading away. The Sixty broke free of the silence in a roar of questions and exclamations. There was a great clamor as the subject of their attention disappeared and they turned to each other. Confusion flew through the air.
Harken appeared at her side, “Do you see anything for him?”
“No,” replied Roseline, a waste of time to ask who. That was perfectly clear. “Whether my view is narrow or they’re protected somehow, I only see the threads of the Sixty. I’m not sure they were really here anyways.”
“I suspect you are right. Too bad you can’t see more. We have more questions now than before.”
Roseline reflected the priestly man’s smile. “With that tone, it seems to me you’re happy about that, and you’re the only one.”
“We’ve learned quite a bit today, that is a cause for celebrations, a good mood too!” nodded Harken, with a good-natured smirk. “I have believed in the promise of Purpose since seeing the words in stone. That faith has been rewarded with revelation. What greater Purpose to ask for? To bring back humanity to this world. I feel honored.”
“It’s a big responsibility to thrust on people.”
“We were chosen for this. This Xaiver believes us to be worthy heirs, so I too will have faith in the Sixty. After all, he had the power to pluck us from our world to his. Being or just a man, either way, that is something to respect.”
“Your optimism will see us through,” laughed the incipient seer.
Harken replied seriously, “I have every reason to have faith.”
The conversations died down as the weight of the golden door drew enough eyes. Any answers were ahead. Discussions could happen another time. Many found that idea appealing. Later to talk, for now, there was a way forward. The door to the next floor was right there. The Sixty got moving again. Gears cranked and the door rolled into the wall.
Sunlight and the smell of water were the first things to hit. For a moment, several of the Sixty thought that the one hundred floors were just part of a sick joke and this was the surface. Longer exposure erased that certainty and horror. The light felt artificial, though the water smell appeared real. Through the door was a narrow passage between stone cliffs. Above was foliage and beyond it was a rocky ceiling with sunfire crystals. Ears caught the constant roar of rushing water in the distance. By smell and sound, a river appeared to be close by.
The Sixty crowded in the entryway taking in the new environment. Unwilling to go far, but all wanted to see the new floor. Feelings were mixed on the subject until a monstrous chortle broke the pristine nature sounds. A chorus of unnatural cries replied before everything subsumed under the constant rumble of water. That killed most of the enthusiasm for any further exploration.
“I think we’ve done enough today,” declared Malachi. “The new floor can wait.”
“A drink would be nice,” dreamed Vincent wispily. “Some wine to cap off the day. That would do nicely.”
“Let’s celebrate!” cheered Phelain.
Damian broke in, “Cookie and punch party?”
“It would be good for morale,” interjected Molly. “There is a lot for us all to digest about today.”
Clarissa grinned, “Punch, wine, beer, and all the booze! Cookies, cake, steak, and more! Let’s not just celebrate! Let us feast and party hardy!”
“I’m with them,“ smirked Julia with the roll of her eyes. “Party time!”
Warner turned to Malachi respectfully, “Whatcha think, boss? Backyard BBQ this? Share a couple brews?”
The leader of the Sixty smiled at his people, the calls for festivities and suggestions continuing. “Alright, let’s all get out of here! Time to plan a party! We deserve it!”
Everyone cheered, for the day was over and they had done good works.