Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The crystal path stretched before me, a ribbon of light winding deeper into the heart of the pulsing structure. The path seemed alive, responding to my presence with subtle shifts in color and intensity.

As I ventured farther, the walls came alive with movement. Prisms of light danced across their surfaces, swirling and coalescing in mesmerizing patterns. They never quite formed complete pictures, but they hinted at shapes and scenes beyond the edge of recognition.

One moment, I thought I glimpsed a forest of crystalline trees, their branches reaching toward an unseen sky. The next, it morphed into what could have been a storm-tossed sea, waves of light crashing against invisible shores. Each time I tried to focus on a specific image, it would slip away, replaced by new, equally tantalizing visions.

The air seemed charged with energy. The tiny motes of light swirled in eddies as I passed as if trying to whisper secrets. The faint hum that had been present since I entered the structure grew stronger, pulsing in time with the shifting lights on the walls.

As I continued along the path, I still couldn't shake the feeling I was being watched. Not in a menacing way, but as if the essence of this place was aware of my presence, observing and evaluating my every move. The prisms on the walls seemed to follow my progress, their dance becoming more intricate and urgent the deeper I went.

The path ahead curved sharply, disappearing around a bend. What lay beyond was hidden from view, but the intensity of the light and the urgency of the humming suggested I was approaching something significant. I drew a deep breath, tightened my grip on the mirror, and pressed forward, ready to face whatever truth or challenge waited around the corner.

Pit-pat-pit-pat-pit-pat.

With each step, dread and anticipation pumped through me. Either ultimate success or utter failure awaited me. I could scarcely breathe.

The trail abruptly ended, leaving me standing at the threshold of an octagonal room. The sudden transition made me stumble, and my boots scraped against the now-smooth floor. As I regained my balance, I took in my surroundings with wide eyes.

The octagon's walls shimmered with an inner light, but the one directly in front of me caught my attention. It rippled and swirled like water, reminiscent of the Mirror of Aethereal. As I watched, transfixed, I realized it wasn't a wall but an enormous mirror.

My breath caught as a face formed in its depths. It was unlike any face I'd ever seen. Neither definitively male nor female, ageless yet ancient. It reminded me of the evil queen's mirror from the Snow White tale. My heart felt heavy, as if the seven dwarves had walked across it.

When it spoke, the voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Sawyer," it intoned, my name rolling off its nonexistent tongue with an unsettling familiarity. "You have been found worthy to take the test. All you seek is within these walls."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the face continued, its tone growing darker. "If you lose, you'll never leave."

A movement to my left caught my eye. The wall there changed, transforming into a window to another place entirely. A chamber materialized. No, not a chamber, I realized with growing horror. A dungeon.

My blood turned to ice as I took in the grisly scene. Skeletons littered the floor, a macabre testament to those who had come before and failed. Some still had tufts of hair clinging to their skulls. One skeleton was propped against the wall, bony fingers eternally reaching upward in what must have been a final, desperate attempt to escape.

A single torch flickered in the dungeon with anemic light. It cast long, dancing shadows across the walls, giving the illusion that the skeletons were moving, writhing in their eternal prison. I could almost hear the echoes of their final moments, the scrape of fingers against stone, the fading cries for help.

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry with fear. This was no illusion or trick of the light. The danger here was real, and failure meant joining those poor souls in their endless vigil.

I forced my gaze away from the nightmarish scene and turned back to the face in the mirror. It watched me impassively, giving no hint of comfort or further instruction. The challenge ahead was a marathon I had to win.

"What's the test?" I finally managed to croak. "What do I have to do?"

The face in the mirror remained silent, its enigmatic expression unchanged. As I stood there, heart pounding, I forced myself to be patient, waiting for the test.

"You're on the island of ice. Its real name is Rimespire Isle. You will see visions of your future, your past, and what you seek. You must decide which path to take, but be warned. There are many paths. Only one is correct."

As the voice faded, the world around me shifted. The icy walls of the chamber melted away, replaced by a swirling mist. I felt myself pulled in multiple directions, each tug accompanied by a flash of images.

To my left, I saw a scene that made my chest clench. My friends—no, my family—were locked in a heated argument. Justice, his face contorted with uncharacteristic rage. Garrick, the Unseelie king, his usual regal composure shattered by fury. And Maggie, still in her dire wolf form, hackles raised and teeth bared.

The air around them shimmered with unnatural energy, and I could almost see the tendrils of the lust demons' influence, pushing them to crave power above all else. They were still engaged in battle, their blows savage and deadly.

Despite the anger on their faces, I caught glimpses of pain and confusion in their eyes. A hint that deep down, they were fighting against this unnatural compulsion. But they were powerless to stop it.

The lust demons seemed stronger than the others we had faced.

To my right, a brilliant flash of flame caught my attention. Through a veil of mist, I glimpsed a landscape that took my breath away. A verdant, craggy mountain with steep cliffs rose from the sea. Perched atop one of its jagged peaks, silhouetted against a brooding sky, was the majestic form of a phoenix. Its fiery feathers cast an otherworldly glow, illuminating a hidden cavern carved into the mountain's face. The bird's radiance breathed life into the rock, transforming the stark beauty of the landscape into something magical and alive.

I swear I could reach out and touch it. I blurted, "Is the phoenix in Scotland now?"

Surprisingly, the mirror spoke. "She is on the Isle of Skye. Is this the path you choose?"

I held up my hand. "I only asked a question."

The mirror grew silent, and I prayed asking a question didn't mean I had chosen a path.

Directly ahead, I saw myself, older and wearier, clutching an ornate hourglass. The sand within seemed to flow both up and down, defying gravity and time itself.

The visions swirled around me, beckoning, promising answers. Each path led to a different fate. But according to the mirror, only one was the true path. One false move and I'd lose everything.

I tried to center myself amid the chaos of potential futures and revelatory pasts. The hourglass, the phoenix, my corrupted friends—each held a piece of the puzzle, but which was the key?

Maybe the compass would show me the way. But the needle spun around and around as if keeping the choice hidden from me. I glanced at the Mirror of Aethereal, and it remained silent.

No, the power resided with me, not the compass or the mirror. I had to rely on myself. Only then would the choice be revealed to me.

I lowered myself to the ground, crossing my legs on the cold, hard surface. I set aside the mirror and the compass, physical reminders of the powers at play. They clattered softly against the ice, the sound echoing in the vast emptiness around me.

I closed my eyes and focused on my breath. In, out. In, out. Each inhale brought crisp air into my lungs. Each exhale carried away a fragment of my turmoil. One by one, I let the clamoring thoughts and fears fall away.

First breath: the image of my friends locked in battle faded.

Second breath: the allure of the phoenix dimmed.

Third breath: the mystery of the hourglass receded.

I lost count of my breaths as I sank deeper into this meditative state. Time seemed to stretch and compress all at once. The cold of the ice beneath me faded from my awareness, replaced by a growing warmth in my chest.

Then, something shifted. The warmth intensified, becoming a steady burn. It wasn't painful but insistent, demanding my attention. From that central point, tingling sensations radiated outward. They rolled over me in waves, from my core to the tips of my fingers and toes.

In this state of deep calm, my mind cleared. It was as if I'd stepped into the eye of a storm, a place of perfect stillness amid the chaos. The burning in my chest crescendoed, and suddenly?—

A flash of light burst behind my closed eyelids, brilliant and all-encompassing. In that flash, clarity struck. The path forward revealed itself not as a vision or a voice but as a deep, unshakeable knowing.

My eyes opened slowly, readjusting to the dim light. The visions were gone, the swirling mists dissipated. But the certainty remained, a warm glow in my chest and a clear purpose in my mind.

I knew what choice I had to make.