Adam didn't continue digging because he only had the instructions up to this point. The rest seemed to be the most complicated, which his godfather hadn't told him about until now. According to his godfather, everything before could be repeated if he failed, but not this part.
Taking a pencil and his godfather's biography, Adam wrote: 'I found the wooden plank. What's the next step?'
The words faded away on the biography page, and a series of detailed instructions appeared in their place. The instructions were long, and some parts had complicated words, but Adam had a good grasp of the language, so he read it fluently:
'All right, now pay attention because you can only do this once in your life, and only on this particular day.
The instructions are simple: When you enter the bunker, according to the information I gathered in the past, you will find two masks. You need to put on the blue one to obtain what we seek. If you put on the red one, you won't be able to enter the cave of the eyeless old man and complicate many aspects of your life in the future. So, don't make a mistake: You need the blue mask!
If you notice anything strange, tell me immediately: before putting on the mask!'
Following the instructions, Adam continued digging around the wooden plank until a trapdoor could be uncovered beneath the sand. A bit tired from all the digging, Adam lifted the trapdoor and saw what was inside.
All he could see was a fairly old wooden ladder, which made him a little afraid to descend. The surroundings of the ladder were made of earth, and a faint light could be distinguished at the bottom of the hole.
Gathering courage, Adam started descending the old ladder as the creaking of the wood quickened his heart.
After a few minutes of descending, Adam safely reached the floor and could observe the bunker described in the instructions. The walls and floor were made of earth, and a torch dimly lit the room. The room had only two pedestals and nothing else. One of the pedestals had a red wooden mask with the face of a smiling man, while the other pedestal held a blue mask with the face of a sad man.
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Adam immediately noticed that the masks on the pedestals were very similar to the one the bookshelf wore that brought him to this place, but there was a difference: each mask had a complete face instead of half of one.
Carefully, Adam approached the blue mask, extended his hand, and tried to grab it, but the mask slipped through his fingers as if it were an illusion. A bit annoyed, the young hero investigated the room, trying to find some clue on how to take it.
That's when he discovered a hidden wooden plank in one of the earth walls. The plank was covered in dirt and dust, making it hard to see in the dimly lit room.
Adam wrapped his hand with his cloak and cleaned the plank. As he removed the dust, the young man discovered something written on the plank in the language of the middle floor:
> Congratulations on reaching the minor domain of my language. Studying is becoming more complicated; wars don't stop, and only the brave dare to master a language opposing the firm hand of the floor chief.
>
> With the knowledge you now possess, you have become a true librarian. With this power, you can master the hidden secrets in these books that make no sense to most of your people. But obtaining this power has brought you many enemies, and that's why today I give you my mask so you can hide your past.
>
> I'm aware that to read this message, you had to crawl through hell and commit many atrocities of which you now regret. That's why today I invite you to start your life anew on a different path. I hope my mask serves you well so you can finally forget your past.
>
> Become the hero who defends the grievances of your people or the villain who masters the secrets of these floors. Be whoever you want to be because now you can read; now you're free to be whoever you want to be in this life.
After finishing reading the paragraphs, Adam heard a noise coming from the pedestals and noticed that the two masks began levitating above their respective pedestals.
The young hero approached the blue mask again, and this time he managed to grab it. But when he put it on his face, everything turned black, and he fell unconscious on the bunker floor.
Dazed, the young redhead slowly opened his eyes and realized he was standing in the hallway without the cone on his head, looking at the two-colored bookshelf in a bewildered state.