The Thirtieth Entry - Part One: Purpose

 Aberus’s torch cast long shadows upon the walls of the cavern, the cave system opening into a wide berth and a high ceiling. Like the entrance - no runes played upon the rock face, nor indications of inhabitance were seen. The walls appeared naturally forming, no carving bore the cavern.

The dampness of the earth outside did not move into the cavern, however, a remnant dry chill coiled over the ground. Barren in appearance, the cavern twisted and coiled through the mountain going ever deeper into its depths.

Aberus was quiet still, but so was our party.

“Aberus?” I asked.

“Yes, my lord?” Aberus asked in response.

“Does this place feel familiar to you?” I asked.

Aberus was quiet a moment before responding: “Yes, I do not know why. We are getting closer.”

“To this Wych?”

“Yes, they are close. They will be waiting for us.” Aberus said.

I did not continue this line of conversation. Aberus was not himself.

A’re and Yulthar remained close to me, but closer still to each other – the darkness swallowing the light behind us.

As we traveled further down the cavern the walls began to change color. From the grey rock face to a chalk white. Aberus’s pace, however, quickened as the chalk turned into bone. The bone walls replaced the rock face, as if we traversed into a different area entirely; the rock beneath us covered in the soot we saw at the entrance to the cave.

Aberus halted, the steady flame of the torch flicking in the dark.

“We are here.”

Just as suddenly as he halted – the torch went out.

I could feel A’re and Yulthar behind me, but Aberus felt as if he had vanished in front of me. I hesitated to flick on the mask’s NV, and instead decided to trust my instincts. I stepped forward, and A’re and Yulthar followed behind me.

A crunch was heard as I took a step forward, and then another. With each step we took, more crunches followed. We’d stepped into another area, or on it. As we rounded what appeared to be a corner, an entryway came into view. Beyond the entryway was Aberus.

Aberus stood in the shadow of a very large room, the ceiling high above the ground, and at the ceiling’s center: a crystal reflecting moonlight into the room. The moonlight illuminated every corner of the room, the natural light extremely proficient in its ability.

In the glow of the pale moonlight at the center of the room was another white dead tree, its size smaller than the one in the village. Beside the tree, however, two figures waited opposite to one another – waiting for us. Dark robes hid their lower features, but their heads were crowned in bone horns. A pale white face sat between a row of large fangs that encased the head on the top and bottom. Their eyes were closed, their hands completely hidden away in the robes. The Wych.

I stepped into the room beside Aberus, and I could hear him whispering.

“Aberus?” A’re asked from behind us.

“Accept your purpose.” Aberus said in a whisper.

“Accept your purpose.” Aberus said growing louder

“Accept your purpose.” Aberus’s voice said louder.

“Accept your purpose!” Aberus began yelling.

Aberus’s head whipped towards me, screaming: “ACCEPT YOUR PURPOSE!”

Aberus continued screaming this over and over, A’re trying to shake him from his trance.

Flinching, I could feel a pull. A pull that had moved me forward once before. A feeling that was in the depths of my being, an invisible force that could not be fathomed – becoming my own will. It was strong in the face of the Horror of Nathar, and here again I could feel it stronger. It pulled me forward - my legs moving.

The tree rested upon a small mound, its roots displaying through the ground and reaching into the walls. The ground, I realized in my trapped state - was not ground at all. Each crunch different from the next. Every undamaged horn cracking under heel. Every helmet and mask destroyed with each step and smothered into ash.

This was a graveyard of Dark Lords.

Upon reaching the summit of the hill, just in front of the base of the tree, I was compelled to kneel before it; Aberus’s wails still echoing behind me with A’re and Yulthar attempting to stop him.

The two figures from before grew closer, their steps silent. They positioned themselves in front of me on either side. Aberus’s wailing ceased, and all fell silent except Aberus’s quick breaths.

“Axiom!” Aberus shouted between deep breaths, “Wake up! I was wrong! All of it was wrong! Wake up!”

Yet his voice seemed so distant, becoming echoes that seemed deep in the caverns. Where was I again? What was I doing? Everything felt like it was floating, my shoulders light and my mind without troubles. Then everything faded back into reality with a tremendous amount of pressure pushing down on me – like being crushed in a shuttle decompressing. The pressure pulsed over my body like someone was sledgehammering away at every bone, every tendon and nerve feeling like they were speared and snipped. My fingers felt like they were curling as if being snapped in slow unison, my skin boiling as if being burned alive inside my own armor.

I could barely open my eyes, the excruciating pain bearing down on every fiber of my being. Over the pain, the Wych spoke.

“Another of the kin has returned – powerful, and prepared.” The Wych prayed in unison; their words gnarled as if in pain. Turning to the tree: “Great Seer, bearer of our Dream, awake and know our deliverance.”

The Wych turned to me, and spoke only: “Know thy purpose, return to thy purpose. Accept thy purpose.”

They reached towards me their pale hands stopping in front of my chest. The red gem centered in my being – lurched forward into the air slowly at their beckoning. The Wych then pulled back, the gem following their hands, and centered between them. One of the Wych perched their hand over the floating gem – while the other underneath.

I felt another pulse run over my body. I could feel my own blood rush through my body from head to toe.

The gem then turned black.

I must have screamed, for I felt my lips part – yet I never heard it.

The voices returned, their screams of agony clearer as if they were right next to me and all around me. Dreams and faces poured into my mind, just like before. I didn’t understand. I couldn’t. What was I to understand?

“Know thy purpose, return to thy purpose. Accept thy purpose.”

I understood then. Images of the Crystal Knight flooded my mind.

I pulled out a key, a key for a certain door. A key specially made. Open the door – it commanded. Open the door.