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Part 24: How to deal with "PROBLEMS"
“I can't keep track of time anymore,” speaks the Seeker to the Stranger, as they wander aimlessly through the never-ending corridors of the eternal maze. “How many hours... How many days... How many weeks have passed, since we entered the labyrinth of mind?”
“Trying to figure it out is pointless,” comments the Mysterious Stranger. “Within these walls, time and space are of little meaning.”
The Seeker looks at the tower in the distance. Despite countless hours of walking, the two haven't made any progress at all. It's as if with every step towards the tower, the structure moves two steps away from them.
“Like seriously,” continues the frustrated Seeker. “It's as if the maze is alive. The corridors change all the time. We walk into a dead end, turn around and the path is completely different... Finding a way out of here is impossible! The labyrinth wants to keep us trapped! “
Suddenly, both the Seeker and the Stranger are startled by a loud growl, thundering through the corridors of the maze. The ground and walls are shaking. A Veil of white mist pours in from the junction, where two pathways maze cross.
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“What's happening?” asks the unsettled Seeker.
“It has arrived,” mumbles the Stranger quietly and turns to the Seeker. “Lay on the ground! Now! Don't make a sound! Control your breath! If it notices you, it's over!”
The Seeker and the Stranger both take cover on the floor. The Seeker holds their breath and observes attentively. From the corner steps a monster into their field of view. It has hoofs for legs. Each step sounds like an eerily rhythmic drum. The beast carries the hands and torso of a man and the head of a bull. Its presence is surrounded by an ominous, white mist.
The Seeker is frozen at the hideous sight of the beast. Sweat drops from their forehead. With both hands, they keep their mouth shut. When the beast disappears behind the corner, the veil of mist dissolves. As soon as the monster is out of sight, the Seeker gasps relieved.
“What the hell was that?” whispers the nervous Seeker, after the footsteps fall silent. “That beast looks like a Minotaur from ancient mythology!”
“I dare not speak its name,” responds the Stranger. “The 'labyrinth of the mind' is its kingdom. If you hide from it, you will always run into it again. If you escape from it, it will always hunt you down. If you fight it, it will always rise again.”
“Perfect...” sighs the Seeker sarcastically. “As if being trapped in an inescapable maze wasn't difficult enough...”
“It's not 'inescapable',” comments the Stranger. “Were you not listening? There always is a way. I have been trying to tell you that, ever since we left your bench...”
The Seekers eyebrows contract. “Then show me the way!” they demand infuriated.
“Seriously, I have enough of aimlessly wandering through this damned maze without progressing even a little bit!”
“Only you can find your way out of here. It's your own minds maze, that you need to escape. No one can show you the way out of the prison, that you yourself have built... Anyhow... If you really don't have any patience left, there is a short-cut... A glitch, a cheat, an exploit... If you want to use it now, we can make it to the tower in no time. However every Seeker can only use it once in their entire run. After you used it, the system will be patched. Do you want to use it now or save it for a later time?”
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“What do you mean by 'glitch'?” asks the Seeker confused.
The Stranger thinks of a different explanation. “Well... You could say the real-life equivalent for this metaphor would be tripping balls until the walls of reality fall apart.”
The Seeker is even more confused. “Wha- What does 'tripping balls' mean?”
“Look... I am not saying that using psychedelics is a short-cut to enlightenment. There is still much work to do and using plant medicine or consuming mushrooms alone won't do the trick. However they make for great tools, if you are already on the journey and can accelerate the process of spiritual growth vastly.”
Unable to understand, the Seeker scratches their head. ”I really have no idea what you are talking about... Will you now show me the shortcut or not?!”
The Stranger sighs. “Alright... We'll make a trip by climbing the walls of the psyche. But be warned, it won't work a second time.”
“Whatever... I don't care,” responds the Seeker. “Just show me how to get to the tower and I'll figure out the path from there!”
The Mysterious Stranger faces the massive stone wall of the maze and touches it's surface. “You see those protruding rocks on the smooth surface of the wall? Use them to climb your way up to the top.”
The Stranger climbs the massive wall, jumping from one ledge to the next.
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The Seeker follows the Strangers exact movements. The Seeker pulls their body over the edge and reaches the top of the wall. Both stand on the surface. From there they can see the entire infinite labyrinth. Every corner, every corridor of the path forms like fractal patterns of a living, breathing organism.
NEW ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:
Psychonaut
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“Something feels off up here,” mumbles the Seeker. They have a strange indescribable feeling of being somewhere they are not supposed to be... Seeing something, they are not supposed to see.
“How... How is this possible?” asks the Seeker, unable to grasp what they are seeing. “This feels more real, than reality...”
“After this trip is over, you'll forget it again. Very few people can stare directly at infinity and remember. For the moment just focus on not falling over the edge. Keep your balance. Watch every footstep with close attention and move towards the tower in the center. Don't look left, don't look right. Observe only your feet.”
The Seeker closes their eyes, takes in a deep breath and breathes out again. They focus on their feet and continue walking. Following closely behind the Stranger. They try to avert their gaze from anything they shouldn't see. Avoiding anything, that could bring them out of balance.
The two of them finally make progress. It's as if the narrow path below the Seekers feet is altering itself and forms a straight line, leading directly towards the tower.
'It's so close now...' thinks the Seeker silently. 'Just a little more and we are in the center of this damned maze.'
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Suddenly the Seeker notices a sound. An eerie tune. Ominous drumming. Heavy breathing. The Seeker looks down below into the corridor. The white mist is back. The Minotaur has returned.
“Oh damn! It's that monster again!” shouts the startled Seeker. The beast hears the noise and looks up. Its glowing red eyes stare directly into the Seekers soul.
The Stranger turns around and faces the Seeker. “Watch out! Don't lose your balance.”
But it's too late. The Seeker panics, trips and falls. They land down in the corridor, just below the Minotaur's feet.
“I only have five Vibes left,” screams the Seeker in panic. “If it hits me once, I'm gone!”
The trip turns bad, the Seeker starts running. The monster growls and hunts after them. When the Seeker turns left at the corner, the monster follows closely. Jumping over obstacles and avoiding distractions. Whenever the Seeker peeks over their shoulders, the Minotaur is still hunting them with unwavering tenacity.
At the end of the corridor, the Seeker sees an entrance into a big, open hall. “That's it! There's the tower!”
However just before the Seeker makes it to the finish line, the Minotaur catches up, jumps in front of them and blocks the way ahead. The red, glowing eyes of the hungry Minotaur stare at the Seeker. The monster puffs out white mist from his snout and licks his lips with appetite.
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“I... AM... PROBLEMS!” growls the wild Minotaur. His words echo like thunder through the maze. Everything shakes and vibrates. The Seeker trembles in fear. There is no escape. There is no way out. Only despair. The Seeker falls to their knees.
“That's it... I am dead...”
However seconds before the Minotaur attacks, the Stranger jumps from the top of the wall between the Seeker and their adversary, fighting off the monster with a staff.
“RUN TO THE TOWER,” shouts the Stranger while fending off the Minotaur. “I'LL KEEP HIM BUSY!”
“I won't leave you behind!” shouts the Seeker.
“I'll be alright on my own... PROBLEMS can't harm me. But it just needs one hit against you and its game over! I'll buy you some time! We'll meet up again later!”
The Seeker nods and runs away.
'I hope they won't die this time,' thinks the Stranger silently, while dodging a hit. 'I really don't wanna do this checkpoint all over again...'
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Meanwhile the Seeker runs through an open, circular area towards the tower in its center. They open a black door and enter the building. They shut the door close and barricade it with a wooden bar.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The Seeker takes a look around. The floor is made of chess-board patterned tiles. Throughout the hall, there are several columns in an ancient Greek style, connecting the floor to the ceiling.
“Weird... It's bigger on the inside...”
Suddenly a deep voice thunders, through the hall:
“I see... You are running away from PROBLEMS.”
The Seeker recognizes the voice. It's the sphinx, the winged lion, who guarded the entrance of the maze.
“You mean that Minotaur?” asks the Seeker. “Naming him 'PROBLEMS' is kinda strange...”
“It's not just his name,” responds the sphinx. “He literally IS PROBLEMS. This is what he represents within this maze, which is the matrix of the mind. It's his kingdom. Many Human minds are plagued by PROBLEMS. Speaking his name alone causes worries and anxiety. If he once sets his eyes on you, he won't stop until he catches you. You can't hide, you can't run, you can't fight. No matter where you go, PROBLEMS will consume you.”
“Then what am I supposed to do?”
The Sphinx wants to answer, but she is suddenly interrupted by a loud, violent knocking against the door.
“PROBLEMS is here,” thunders the voice of the Sphinx. “Take the stairs upwards. On every level you will encounter a new guardian who blocks your way to the staircase. Solve their riddles and they'll let you pass on. Be fast, before PROBLEMS catches up to you!”
A spiral staircase made from white marble, suddenly manifests out of thin air behind the sphinx. The knocking gets louder, the wooden door begins to bulge and splinter. The Seeker runs towards the staircase.
As the Seeker advances to the next level, the door of the tower falls apart. A raging Minotaur breaks through. Thunderous Growling echos through the hall. As the Seeker takes a look behind, they catch a glimpse at the Sphinx fighting the Minotaur with a burning sword.
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Entering the next level, the Seeker takes a look around. The floor is made of many mosaic tiles, like in an ancient roman bathhouse, depicting abstract images of geometric patterns. No walls are visible in the endlessly large hall. The Seeker hears the sound of a flute, playing an enchanting melody.
On a single couch in the vast empty room sits an obese man with a flute in his right hand and a silver goblet of wine in his left hand. He wears ancient garments, a goatee on his chin and curly hair on his head. Two goat horns are attached to his head.
“Tell my name and you shall pass on to the next level,” speaks the ominous figure. “I am the dreams you are chasing. I am the emptiness you can never fill, the prey you will never catch. If I give you something to drink, you will continue to thirst. I am born in your senses and live in your thoughts. It is I who tells you what should be yours and who you are supposed to be. Who am I?”
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For some reason the Seeker thinks back to when they climbed the dark tower in a race against two mice.
“You are DESIRE,” responds the Seeker.
The man in the chair grins. “You shall pass.”
He starts playing the flute. The sound of his instrument vibrates in the entire hall. A new spiral staircase appears behind DESIRE. The Seeker moves on to the next level.
The Seeker walks up the stairs, but just as they are about to move on to the next floor, they witness the Minotaur attacking the man with the flute. PROBLEMS feast on DESIRE. As he consumes the man, the Minotaur gets larger and larger. DESIRE lets our PROBLEMS grow.
The Seeker turns around and enters into the next floor. A carpet is laid out on the floor, showing a mandala in various colors. Again, the room seems endless. In front of the Seeker sits a woman on various cushions. She has three eyes and four arms, bearing multiple necklaces and jewelry.
“Speak my name and pass on to the next level,” speaks the ominous woman. “I am the thought, that makes you cower. I am the shadow, you never dare to look at. I chase you around, I circle your mind. At night I whisper in your ear. I am the idea of failure. I am the memory of pain. No matter how fast you run, you can never escape from me! Who am I?”
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The Seeker is suddenly reminded of when they fought against the winged demon at the dark tower.
“You are FEAR,” responds the Seeker after some contemplation.
“You shall pass,” speaks the three-eyed woman, as a new spiral stair case appears behind her.
As the Seeker walks to the top of the stairs, the Minotaur catches up and throws himself at the woman. Tearing her apart and consuming her essence. PROBLEMS grow with FEAR. The Minotaur grows further in size. FEAR feeds our PROBLEMS.
The glowing red eyes are gazing at the Seeker. It's as if they are saying 'YOU ARE NEXT'. The Seeker runs up the stairs into the next area, panting heavily.
The Seeker enters into liminal space. Like an empty office space. Eerie, yet familiar. Dreadfully empty. There is a single office desk with a computer and a man in a suit behind it. He wears a tie around his neck and a golden watch on his wrist. He sits on a chair coated in black leather. A name tag states 'CEO'.
“Do you know who I am?” asks the ominous figure. “I have been with you since your childhood. You can't shake me off, you can't get rid of me. If you fight me, I always come back stronger. You hide me so you don't seem weak. As long as you don't see me, I have power over you. I have my seat in the mind of every person. What is my name?”
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The Seeker suddenly remembers, how they ventured together with the Stranger through an old mine shaft and fought a giant scorpion.
“You are SUFFERING,” responds the Seeker with certainty.
“You shall pass,” speaks SUFFERING, as a new spiral staircase appears behind his desk.
While the Seeker walks up the stairs, he already hears the growling of PROBLEMS. The Minotaur destroys the computer, hits the desk and eats the boss in just one gulp. SUFFERING causes PROBLEMS to grow. The muscles of the Minotaur become bulkier. SUFFERING creates new PROBLEMS.
The Seeker makes it to the end of the staircase. They stand on an open rooftop. It's the end of the tower. There is no way left up. The Seeker oversees the entire maze.
“That's it...” utters the Seeker, as the growls from downstairs, increase in volume. “There is no way left to go.”
The Seeker looks down at the area below, gulping. “I'd rather fall, then face my PROBLEMS,” utters the Seeker while closing their eyes and inhaling deeply.
But just as they are about to jump, they hear an unfamiliar voice:
“Hey psst... You! You don't really wanna jump, do you? I see that you are plagued by PROBLEMS. Perhaps you could need some assistance.”
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It's a serpent crawling out of the shadow into daylight. Toxic green eyes, glowing in the sun. The snake climbs the Seeker's feet and sits himself on their shoulder.
“Who the hell are you?” asks the Seeker.
“Let's just say, that I am here to protect you,” hisses the forked tongue of the serpent. “I can give you something... A weapon, that helps you out of this desperate situation. Surely you don't want to run for the rest of your life, do you? No... You want to fight back. You want to end your PROBLEMS once and for all, don't you? So why not show PROBLEMS, that you are not to be messed with?”
“Yes...” responds the Seeker. “This damned Minotaur thinks that I am his prey... He thinks that I am weak...”
“But you aren't weak,” hisses the forked tongue. “No, you are THE SEEKER. After all... Wasn't it you who overcame this many obstacles? It was YOU, who made it through the land of truth. And it was YOU, who took the leap of faith into the Great shift... Who does this Minotaur even think he is?”
The Seeker nods. “You are right... Who does he think he is?!”
The serpent smiles. “How about we make a deal? I can give you the power to solve your PROBLEMS, if you are willing to make a contract with me.”
“What do you want in return?” asks the cautious Seeker.
The serpent moves his twisted tongue into the ear of the Seeker and whispers something quietly into their ears.
The Seeker contemplates for a moment, looking down and looking back at the staircase. The growling of the Minotaur and his steps get louder with every passing second.
“Alright... We have a deal...”
The serpent grins and opens his mouth. “Pull out that sword.”
The Seeker puts their hand in the serpents mouth and grabs the handle of an ancient sword from its insides. Pulling out a silver sword, covered by green slime.
NEW WEAPON ADDED:
Problem Solver
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“One more thing,” hisses the twisted tongue, before crawling down from the Seekers body. “Keep our meeting a secret from the Stranger.”
As the Snake vanishes behind the shadows, the Minotaur storms from the staircase into the open rooftop of the tower.
The Seeker holds their new sword tightly, waiting for the perfect moment to strike the beast. PROBLEMS charges at the Seeker.
With a single strike the Seeker decapitates the Minotaur. The bulls head of the mythical creature rolls on the ground.
The Seeker exhales in relief. “I did it... I finally solved my PROBLEMS... Now I can be at peace.”
Looking down, the Seeker spots an abandoned cart filled with hay standing just at the feet of the tower. 'Perhaps I can just aim for that cart of hay and fall down without any fall damage, like those assassins from a certain video game franchise.'
As the Seeker faces the ground below, a shadow rises up behind them. The headless Minotaur stands up again and re-attaches his head back on his severed neck.
“I – AM – PROBLEMS!” thunders the voice of the immortal monster.
The Seeker turns around, their face is filled with fear. “This... This can't be happening... I defeated PROBLEMS... Why is he standing up again?!”
The Seeker strikes their sword against the Minotaur. Stabbing his body again and again. Until the Monster stops moving. Even after the beast stops breathing, the Seeker continues to stab its lifeless body. The exhausted Seeker looks at the bloody mess, panting heavily.
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“Even that monster can't handle this amount of damage...”
But then, blood flows back into the body. The wounds close again. Life returns into the monsters eyes.
“That damned beast is invincible,” shouts the Seeker in panic. Standing at the edge of the tower, with the cart of hay right beneath them, there is only one way out. The Seeker closes their eyes and jumps into the depths. Falling right into the cart.
“This should at least buy me some time, until PROBLEMS catches up...”
Before the Seeker ends their sentence, they are interrupted by a sudden shake. A cloud of dust forms right next to the cart. Cracks in the floor. As the dust vanishes, PROBLEMS stands upright, fully healed and ready to fight.
“Nope,” sighs the Seeker with a tired voice, turns around and flees the scene. “I can't deal with this any longer...”
The Seeker runs back into the maze. PROBLEMS hunts after them. But the Seeker is faster. The distance grows. They turn left at a junction, then right, then left again.
“Did I shake him off?” questions the exhausted Seeker, breathing heavily. They wait a moment, looking back at the corridor from where they came. Nothing happens.
“Seems like he lost me.”
The Seeker calms down and continues to walk through the corridor. Up ahead the path splits in two. When the Seeker turns left at the corner, they bump into someones chest. They look up. An angry bullhead stares at the Seeker.
“Why do I always run into PROBLEMS?!” screams the Seeker, running away once more, as they are chased by the furious Minotaur.
The Seeker runs and runs. They take a left turn and stand in a dead end. There is no way forward. They turn their head. The way back is blocked by the Minotaur. The Seeker tries to climb the wall, but there are no protruding rocks anymore. The surface of the wall is completely smooth.
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“Damnit! So the glitch was patched after all! I should have saved it for later!”
Slowly the beast approaches the Seeker, who holds their sword in a defensive position.
“Stay away from me!” shouts the frightened Seeker. “Move one inch closer and I'll cut you down, you damned monster!”
The Minotaur takes a step forward, then another. Until the tip of the Seekers sword is mere centimeters away. The Minotaur growls violently, like a wild beast. His growling turns into coughing. The beast spits out slime, clears his throat and speaks with a clear voice:
“I have been trying to reach you about your extended warranty.”
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The Seeker looks at the Minotaur with an open jaw. They are speechless.
“My... What?!”
“Your extended warranty,” repeats the Minotaur. “For that book you purchased some time ago. Do you perhaps have a moment to talk about it?”
The Seeker stutters in disbelief: “No... I... umm... I already sold that book... But wait a second... Let me get this straight... Does that mean, that you weren't trying to eat me?!”
“Well... Sometimes we make out PROBLEMS to be bigger, than they are.”
The Seeker still can't wrap their head around this. “So you are telling me, that you were never going to hurt me? I was never in danger?”
The Minotaur chuckles. “PROBLEMS can only hurt you, if you allow them to hurt you. It's all about your mindset.”
“So... Now what?” asks the Seeker. “Does this mean, that you will now go away and will never bother me again?”
“That's not how it works,” responds the Minotaur. “PROBLEMS are a part of life. They will come and go. You can't change that. The only thing, you can actually change, is how you deal with them.”
“Then how am I supposed to deal with you?!” asks the Seeker frustrated. “I tried literally anything! When I hid from you on that wall, you found me. When I ran away from you, you caught up to me. And when I fought against you, you stood up again!”
“But you never tried to understand me,” responds the Minotaur. “You wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible. If you had taken the time to find out where I come from and where I go to, you would perhaps found a better way of how to deal with me. You could have seen, that there is value in PROBLEMS, because they give you the opportunity to grow. Perhaps we could have even become friends.”
The Seeker bursts out in sarcastic laughter. “Becoming friends with PROBLEMS? That's ridiculous! They just cause stress, pain and disturb the peace of my mind!”
“Then imagine a life without PROBLEMS. Wouldn't it get boring, if things always go your way? There is no development without challenges. Only in death are you free of PROBLEMS. So while you are alive, if you can't hide from your PROBLEMS, run from them or fight them, why not try something different and befriend them?”
The Minotaur reaches out his claw towards the Seeker.
After some contemplation, the Seeker takes a deep breath. “You are right... It never even occurred to me... Perhaps it's worth a try... Let us be friends.”
The Seeker grabs the claw of the Minotaur and shakes hands. The Minotaur begins to glow. His physical body dissolves into colorful energy, which flows like a stream directly into the Seekers heart.
INTEGRATION OF PROBLEMS
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The Seeker suddenly feels different. They feel more whole, than they did before merging with the beast. Like finding something, they lost a long time ago.
“Now I understand it,” utters the Seeker. “I AM THE PROBLEM.”
LEVEL UP!
LVL 18: + 2 WISDOM
VIBES FULLY RETORED (55 Total)
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“I knew that you would make it,” speaks the Mysterious Stranger, who sits on the top of the wall, while biting in an apple.
“Where do you suddenly come from?” asks the Seeker confused. “Were you sitting up there the entire time already? Why didn't you help me?”
The Stranger jumps down, landing right next to the Seeker.
“I placed my trust in you. And it turned out to be the right decision. Tell me Seeker, what did you learn from this experience?”
r/We_Are_Humanity - How to deal with "PROBLEMS" [https://preview.redd.it/how-to-deal-with-problems-v0-1sfqkxzhn4dd1.jpg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1efe326b3429ca8f4ab1832855d4c589abe2bc9f]
“I always believed the PROBLEM to be something outside of me. I always thought, since the Problem is external, the solution will be external as well. Turns out, the PROBLEM only ever existed within me.”
“Exactly,” confirms the Stranger. “The Solution lies within the Problem. We are conditioned to solve PROBLEMS by using our accumulated knowledge. When facing PROBLEMS we follow the pattern of our fight-or-flight instincts. However we rarely ever try to find out the root of our PROBLEMS. If we look at the PROBLEM with our complete awareness, without any emotional distortions or biases, we find out how to deal with it.
You see, more often than not, we ourselves are the root of our PROBLEMS. Not only are we unable to deal with the problems at hand, we are even creating new problems through our Desires, Fears and through our suffering. And if we are attached, we only add to the PROBLEMS, we already need to face.
It's like when your car breaks down. You can run away by distracting yourself from your PROBLEMS, but this won't change the fact, that the car needs to be fixed. You can bring your car to a garage and pay the minimum amount. But if you only fix the symptoms and won't get to the root of things, your car will soon break down again.
Your PROBLEMS are not outside of you. Your PROBLEMS are not different from you. Separating yourself from your PROBLEMS is just another illusion of the mind. So go within. YOU are the PROBLEM and YOU are also the SOLUTION.”
TO BE CONTINUED