Chapter 26: Saved By The Spell
Digit stood at the edge of the chaos fire, its flickering flames casting eerie shadows that danced across the walls. The air was thick with potential, the kind that weighed heavy on the mind.
“I always forget the spells,” Digit mused aloud, his voice tinged with the frustration of a burdened mind. “They hold so much weight. Is there even a clear story anymore?”
He paused, waiting for an answer that would never come. “Not really,” he admitted to himself. “Threads lock in place by the observer. Maybe we will be saved by the spell.”
As if conjured by his thoughts, a little yellow homunculus appeared, perched at the top of a staircase. It giggled, its voice high-pitched and mischievous.
“Oh, hello! Who AR You?” Digit asked, tilting his head curiously at the small creature.
“I am Hypno!” the homunculus declared, its eyes gleaming with playful energy.
Digit studied the tiny being for a moment before reaching into his robe. “Here, I have a seed for you,” he said, pulling out a small, glowing seed and handing it to Hypno.
Hypno’s eyes widened with delight as he took the seed. “Thank you! This should fix my pendulum!”
Digit nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Now you can drop your lullabies into the water. Fill the Kalgrani Sea.”
Hypno began to play with his new toy, his movements fluid and carefree as he danced among the flowers, creating lullabies that drifted into the night.
Digit watched for a moment before turning away. “Okay, now that Hypno is set… we can focus on building a little bit more.”
Just then, Zephyr entered the room, his presence marked by a sudden stillness in the air. The two of them stood around the chaos fire, the flames reflecting the intensity of their thoughts. In the fire, images of songs flickered, and the growls of unseen animals echoed in the chamber. From the holes in the floor, small grubs wriggled their way out, searching for food.
“There is much going on,” Zephyr remarked, his voice calm yet filled with unspoken tension.
Digit nodded, his gaze fixed on the fire. “Well, yes, potential has no limits to explore.”
A sudden urgency seemed to take hold of him. “Come on! We must go to the next level!”
Without another word, Digit and Zephyr began to walk down a long corridor. The murals on the walls were animated, each one depicting the creation of worlds, the paint seemingly alive with the energy of countless possibilities.
“A world set to the beating of the drums,” Digit murmured, his eyes tracing the movement of the murals.
Zephyr glanced at him. “Is that what you had in mind? You wanted to capture this, right? A wondrous path?”
Digit hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Sort of. It makes sense, but only looking back. For it has taken 1,000 bricks to construct Pathfinder, the serpentine steps, and 1,000 bricks take 1,000 steps.”
Their journey brought them to a large black archway with an iron door. With a shared look, they stepped through and were immediately met by a massive brick serpent.
“Step into the next dimension,” the serpent, **Gole**, hissed. “The blueprint is here, byte by byte the story converges on a critical point. Test your voice and set sail to the stars.”
Another gateway emerged from beneath the serpent, its appearance heralding a new challenge.
“Okay then,” Digit said with determination, “through this gate. What are we waiting for?”
Zephyr and Digit walked through the gate, emerging into a space where a series of blocks formed a coiling staircase. As they ascended, the walls around them shifted and moved, revealing paintings and murals that came to life.
“A game within a game?” Zephyr wondered aloud. “Or is it all in the mind? The spells, they increase in duration, they all play their part.”
Zephyr’s voice grew thoughtful. “It will be more than we could know. It all constitutes the mystery, to construct the path of history.”
He paused as if a memory had struck him. “The Rakasham, our creation, he finds solace in the day, the lord of fire making his move.”
“Recast your doubt, seekers,” Gole’s voice echoed from the walls. “Change can happen in an instant.”
Digit nodded. “Then it’s about time, the beginning prepared now.”
As if on cue, a series of toy trains rolled by, each one heading into emerging gateways on the wall.
“117 tracks…” Zephyr whispered as if counting every possibility.
The walls shifted again, and the face of the serpentine beast loomed over them.
“There will never be an end to your curiosity, will there?” Gole questioned, his voice filled with both challenge and amusement.
“Why should I stop?” Zephyr shot back. “The deeper I go, the more that comes out. I scale my focus.”
“Keep counting, Zephyreus,” Gole urged. “It’s all connected. You were so focused on the other parts of your quest, I was beginning to think you forgot about me.”
Another set of trains raced by, carrying figurines of Moors Krell and the rest of the Seekers.
“Another gate… Momentum, we must continue with the growth. There is nothing left to do but walk,” Digit declared.
Zephyr and Digit walked through the gate, their steps echoing in the vastness. A loud click resonated as they crossed the threshold, and suddenly, all faded to a vortex of purple energy.