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20. Those Who Forgot II

Having reached the point of divergence, the boy chose the leftward path, the last unexplored trail that held the final glimmer of hope in unraveling the mysteries of his identity and the nightmarish terrain he traversed.

After covering some distance, the faint sounds of a flute reached his ears, emanating a soothing melody that oddly brought a sense of peace to the boy.

A hazy figure gradually materialized in the distance, likely the one responsible for playing the flute.

"Hello there," said the figure as soon as it caught glimpse of the boy.

It was a woman. She was adorned in a long red robe with wide sleeves, cradling a wooden flute in her hands. Her eyes were concealed by a white blindfold, and her long, dark hair flowed straight down.

The woman sat on a rock, and was surrounded by the neon blue Mika flowers.

In her tranquil and soothing tone, she inquired, "What is your name, young one?"

"I—" the boy stopped, then took a step back. He remembered the great warrior and how he sliced him open once he told him that he didn't remember.

"I see that you've already met Golaneth. Don't be afraid, I do not share his blood thrust."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Dina. I act as a guide for the fortunate souls that step into this realm, and I will be answering your questions, but bear in mind that I speak only half of truth."

"So... The other half are lies?"

"Yes."

This place can't get any weirder, he remarked.

"Is there a limit to the questions I can ask?"

"No."

"Then... What is this place?"

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"This is no place. This is where the nameless wander. It is the destination for every being that has lost their essence."

"Are there others besides me here?"

"The cries you hear in the fog all come from tormented souls who ended up in here after losing their names, much like yourself."

"Did they all come from the library?"

"Libraries, mazes, ancient tombs... the nameless are drawn into here from the farthest reaches of the world."

If I am to believe her, then I'm really not in the library anymore, the boy concluded.

"How do I leave from here?"

"You must answer Golaneth's question, the only exit is guarded by him."

"And how do I acquire the answer?"

"The answer you seek in in the lake."

"The lake?"

"Yes. The lake is a reflection of your soul. You must embrace it to retrieve your name once more."

"And the fog?"

"You must never step foot into the fog. To venture into it is to embrace one's end; once swallowed, there is no path back."

"But the reflection I saw in the lake told me that the answer is in the fog, does it lie?"

Dina remained silent.

"What's the matter?"

Dina raised the flute to her mouth, then started playing again.

So there was a limit to the questions, that was a lie, the boy thought. Although I can't believe everything she said, I don't have much knowledge about this place other than what she told me, with that in mind...

The boy returned to the lake, and stood a couple meters away from the bank.

"Are you there, reflection?" He asked.

The reflection kept quiet for a while before it spoke, "did you venture into the fog?"

"I met a woman named Dina who warned me from doing so, she said that I must dive into the lake instead."

"She lies!" The reflection yelled.

"And you do not?"

The reflection didn't respond.

The boy stood at his place waiting for an answer before he finally decided to approach the bank. He then crouched and gazed into the reflection.

"Don't," the reflection uttered, warning the boy from going into the water.

The boy drew a deep breath, then swiftly submerged his head into the water.

In the pitch-black depths of the water, the boy found himself looking at profound darkness, unable to discern anything. The cacophony of tormented souls' screams echoed relentlessly, surpassing even the haunting cries within the fog.

Abruptly, a powerful grip seized his shoulders, pulling him forcefully into the abyss. The boy fought against the grab, yet more hands clutched at his shirt and head, intensifying the struggle against the relentless pull.

Summoning all his strength in a fierce struggle, the boy managed to free himself from the lake's grasp. Gasping for breath, he crawled back to safety.

"I told you she lies!" Shouted the reflection.

Breathless, the boy lay on the ground and gazed into the gloomy dark sky above him.

Feelings of fear and despair gripped the boy. He was in a place where everything tried to drag him into a fate that may prove to be even worse than death. If only he knew more about himself, maybe he could find a solution to his dilemma. Alas, he was lost in both mind and body.

Wearing a somber expression and casting his gaze downward, he retraced his steps to the divergence. Contemplating the middle path, he chose to journey along its course once again.

Having reached the battlefield with the thrusted swords, he rose his gaze to the colossal warrior.

"What is your name, wanderer?" The warrior questioned.

"I... I'm... Luca?" He guessed.

With swift precision, the warrior unsheathed his sword and, in the blink of an eye, lunged at the boy, thrusting the formidable blade into his head.

At the path's outset, the boy opened his eyes, staring deeply into the sky before an outpouring of tears consumed him.

After a prolonged moment of lying still, he summoned his courage, rising to his feet. Gathering resolve, he set forth once more on the path towards the warrior.

Doubt clouded his thoughts. Dina's deception about the lake left him uncertain about her claim of the exit behind Golaneth. With no other apparent choice, the fog loomed as an alternative, but the agonizing screams from within painted it as a perilous path.

Choosing to play a game of guesses, he realized Golaneth's strikes were not a finality but a painful reset. Undaunted, he accepted the prospect of enduring this cycle repeatedly until he uncovered the solution, knowing the vast array of names in the world were not endless. He would definitely find the right answer at a certain point.

But when would that be? That he didn't know.