Destiny, p.11
Destiny, page 11
`Fair enough. I just want to escape this place.'
`Ah, now that is something I would like to do as well. It's not going to be easy, I can tell you that much... Tell me, where did you come from, the ice chamber, or the mosaic room?'
`What?'
`There are two paths that lead here.'
`But there's only one door... Bah, never mind. We came through the mosaic room, if you're referring to the room where...'
`The room where the door vanishes as you enter and the floor is covered in tiles of a mosaic which, when properly reorganized, depicts a trap door which can actually be opened.'
`Yes... We came through there... I guess you've been there yourself.'
`Yes. Three times. Pretty annoying, really. At least the mosaic is always mixed up the same way, so the third time around I rearranged it properly in just a few minutes.'
`Three times?' I ask, surprised.
`Yes. So far...'
`So far? You sound like you expect to see that place again.'
`Sadly, I do. It seems to be one of the, so to speak, focal points of this maze. Tell me, how many different rooms have you been to?'
`Eight or so. Maybe ten. I didn't keep score.'
`I guess you haven't seen the same room twice yet, have you?'
`What's your point?'
`Here, let me show you.'
He takes a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolds it. It looks like a drawing of rectangles, each with some words in it describing one of the different areas of the inn, with arrowed lines connecting some of the rooms.
`I've been trying to explore this maze properly.' he says. `Trying to draw a map. So far it looks like there is no exit. Although there are many paths I have yet to take. Have a look. There are many rooms, I've been to around two dozen so far. It seems the only place I can't seem to find my way back to is the bedroom which, I guess, is the entrance to the maze. I've been to a study with a corpse in an armchair, a chamber covered in ice, a pantry full of foul smelling rotten food, a room with an elaborate fountain in the middle that tentacles come out of if you get too close, some place that looked like a torture chamber, the aforementioned mosaic room, and many others. And of course this little chamber that we're in right now.'
Instinctively I look around as I realize that I have not properly examined our surroundings since entering this room. The area around us is a fairly barren room with no furniture at all. Other than the only door of the room, there are only two things significant about the room. One is the usual painting on one of the walls, the other... The other is a group of blood red symbols painted on the wall opposite the painting...
The symbols are unfamiliar, and they look rather disturbing...
`What the Hell are those?' I ask. The elf looks at the symbols, shrugs his shoulders, and looks back at the map.
`Nothing of importance. Just some writing with blood. They're meant to scare people, I guess. Funny place, this inn. I get the feeling that whoever created this place designed it with the intent of scaring the crap out of anyone unfortunate enough to enter. Many of these traps seem lethal, but in fact nothing can hurt you. Not even the pit.' he says, pointing at a room on the map.
`You've seen that deep pit then? We've been there, too.'
`Yes, I have. Did you fall down the pit?'
`No. Well, almost.'
`I fell down.'
`You... what? How come you're still alive?'
`As I said, these traps don't seem to be able to kill. I fell down and after a while I started slowing down. When I was just inches from the ground I was falling as slowly as a feather. I reached the ground safely and found a new door. I must say, the jump was quite exciting!'
He is insane...
But at least he's not afraid of heights like some people, ha ha!
`Exciting isn't the first word that would come to my mind about falling down a pit.'
`What can I say, I am a thrillseeker of sorts.' he says with a wide smile. Oh, don't you dare smile like that you crazy elf!
`Thrillseeker?'
`Yes. I am a mercenary, basically, though I prefer to style myself as a freelance adventurer. I try to find thrills in life wherever I go. It is too short to waste it on boring things, after all. Even for an elf.'
`Thrills or no, I want to get out of this place.'
`Agreed. I had fun, but I don't want to spend my life here. The problem is, if you look at the map you can see, there's no sign of a way out.'
The assassin suddenly takes the map and examines it. After a while he hands it back to the elven mercenary and then begins to talk.
`Someone or something is controlling this illusion. If we find the source of the illusion, we could break it. There has to be a central area, or a hidden area somewhere in this illusionary maze. That is what we must find.'
`I agree.' replies the elf. `I also think that someone is behind this illusion. It makes sense for this someone to be hiding in the most inaccessible part of the maze.'
`Then we need to take the more dangerous paths.'
`Yes, that seems logical. Although there are still multiple paths to take. It would be good to have some clue which way to go, but I really have no idea...'
`What about the painting?' I ask.
`What painting? Oh, that thing? What of it?'
`Did it not give you any clues?'
`What? How? It's just a painting.'
`This painting can talk.'
`What?'
The elven mercenary turns towards the painting and looks at it with narrowed eyes. He steps closer to it and suddenly notices how the gaze of the painting follows him.
`This thing can talk, you say?' he asks.
`Haven't you heard voices in here?'
`Ah, I heard whispers, but I concluded that it's just another illusion so I completely ignored it.'
`We think it's more than that.'
`In what way?'
`I'm not sure, but it is possible that somebody's soul is bound to that painting.'
`How can that be?'
The assassin replies to him.
`Demon magic can bind souls in this way. It is possible that a demon is at work here.' he says.
So, it seems now the assassin also believes that a demon is behind all this, just like the spirit of Zack's sword. Interesting...
`A demon?' asks Andrei, not sounding particularly excited or worried about it. `I guess that makes sense in light of the situation outside.'
Then he reaches his hand towards the painting. I quickly push his hand away before he could touch it.
`Don't do that! Just talk to him!' I tell him. The elven mercenary shrugs his shoulders.
`I guess I've done crazier things before. So be it. Hey, you in the painting! Take a look at this!' he says, and he shows the map to the man in the painting.
A long minute passes in silence until he finally lowers the map. He looks at me with narrowed eyebrows.
`Are you sure this thing talks and it's not all in your head?'
`What did you just say?!'
`I meant no offense, but let's face it, he's not talking.'
Suddenly the familiar whisper is heard at last.
`The source...' says the voice. The elven mercenary looks back at the painting and his eyebrows run up to the top of his forehead.
`The source...' says the man in the painting. `Find the source...'
`What source?' asks Andrei, quickly overcoming his initial shock. `The source of the illusion? Which way do we go?'
`The innkeeper... Find the innkeeper... He can lead you to the source...' says the man in the painting, sounding like he's struggling hard to utter each word, until his voice completely fades away. The elven mercenary opens his lips to speak to him again, but the face slowly fades away and the canvas vanishes without a trace, like it did in another room once before.
`I knew it! I knew that wretched innkeeper was behind all this!' says Andrei in the end, but then he sighs and just stares at his map. `But he could have at least told us which damn way to go...'
`I think he can't.' says the assassin. `If this man's soul was bound here by a demon, then the demon no doubt has him on a tight leash. Each time he tries to communicate must take him tremendous effort. He's already helped us more than the demon would like, I am sure.'
`Alright... I guess we'll just have to find the rooms I haven't been to yet. I just hope this maze is not infinite... That could be a problem...'
`I love that optimism of yours.' I tell him.
`Do you? And I didn't even mention that we could all starve to death in here.'
No, Andrei, that is unlikely. Because if Zack was right, this whole world could die with us long before we could starve to death. Zack is a liar, but I shudder to think what could happen if he was telling the truth...
We need to escape...
Right now!
The innkeeper
Purple Star Inn, present day (1 day and 6 hours after Twilightfall)
After studying the elven mercenary's map a while longer we left through the trap door and started looking for a possible way out. While we didn't find any kind of exit so far, we have stumbled upon a few places the elf had not seen before. Judging by the look on his face, the one we just entered is also new to him.
This new room we find ourselves in seems like a kitchen of sorts. There is a fireplace with a large cauldron by one of the walls. A table covered with some food ingredients and plates stands close to the cauldron. Knives, spoons, and other cooking instruments are hanging from small hooks on the wall. And of course there's the usual painting on the wall.
Next to the table, we see a chair. A man is sitting on it. He is rubbing his eyes, and seems like he hasn't noticed us yet. I address him.
`You there! Who are you?'
The man startles slightly, and lowers his hand from his face. He looks at us with a slight smile and stands up. He is a middle-aged human man dressed in elegant clothes. His hair is short and sparse, and his eyes are those of a weary man. He bows his head slightly.
`Forgive me, kind lady. I did not see you and your companions enter.' he says. His voice is calm, his tone is warm, like that of a man who hasn't seen anything unusual as of late. Is he another illusion?
`That's alright. Just tell me who you are.'
`My name is Karl, kind lady. I am the keeper of this inn. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.'
`You are the innkeeper? I want to have a word with you...'
`Of course, kind lady, what can I do for you? Would you like a room?'
Suddenly the elven mercenary coughs. It is a forced cough, no doubt meant to attract attention. The innkeeper looks towards him and he smiles.
`Ah, it is you. Was the room to your liking, kind sir?'
`It was... until the bed tried to swallow me.' replies Andrei. The smile fades off the innkeeper's face immediately.
`Yes, well... I can get you another room if you wish...'
`No, Karl, I don't want another room. I want something else.'
`Something else, kind sir? Such as?'
`Let me see. How about you cook me something? I'm quite hungry. Some answer soup would really be nice. And make sure you put enough honesty spice in it.'
The innkeeper nods and sighs. He reaches into his pocket and takes out a toothpick. He puts it between his teeth and starts chewing on it.
`Forgive me for this.' he says, pointing at the toothpick he's chewing. `It calms me down...'
`Just start talking.' I tell him. `Are you really the innkeeper?'
`Yes, I am.' he says, nodding. `Not that saying this would make a difference. If I was an illusion, I could still claim to be real, after all.'
Good point...
`Then how do we know that you are not an illusion? You seem exceptionally calm...'
`I assure you, that's just the surface. I've learned to hide my emotions as best I can. I had to. But that's irrelevant now. What matters is, that I've been waiting for you. For people like you. You need to help me...'
`Help you? Bah! I don't care why you trapped us in here! I want to leave this place at once!'
`I assure you that I wish to leave just as much as you do. No, that's not entirely accurate. I don't want to leave. Rather, I wish the newcomer to leave so I can resume running my inn like I used to.'
`Newcomer?'
`The one who created this illusion. A strange looking beast. Have you encountered it yet?'
`Beast? Not yet.' says Andrei. `Describe the creature.'
`Tall, skinny, very smooth and shiny skin, sharp teeth. Sharp claws. Pretty small eyes... I have no idea what the Hell that thing is.'
The assassin, who has been quite silent until now, suddenly steps forward and interjects into the conversation.
`Where is the demon?'
`Demon? You think it's a demon?' replies Karl, nearly biting the toothpick in half.
`That would make sense.' says the elven mercenary.
`Whatever it is, we have to destroy it.' says the innkeeper. `That thing has tremendous magical power. It cast this illusion on my inn and forced me to do its bidding. You must understand, I didn't have a choice here...'
`Ah, I see. The demon wants you to lure people in so it can capture them. Makes sense. But my companions tell me you did not greet them earlier. Why is that?'
`I was with that creature when your companions arrived. It... demanded my presence... It likes to remind me that I am its servant. I guess it did not expect so many visitors at a time... But indeed, I was to direct guests into the different bedrooms, so they would wander around between the different areas. The creature seems to delight in the predicament of others. I do apologize for luring you into this, but I had no choice. It would have killed me, had I not obeyed.'
`You're just a coward, Karl...' I tell him. `Just like all your pathetic kind...'
`Look, I'm just an innkeeper, how am I supposed to face a creature like that? What, do you think I gave in to the creature's will just because I was afraid to die? That creature has taken over my inn, and already killed two people. I intend to stop that creature, but I need capable assistance to do it. People like you. You are mercenaries, by the look of you. You can certainly face this creature, and I can take you to it.'
`So, you know where the demon is after all...'
`I do, yes. As I said, I intend to deal with it, but I need help.'
How awfully convenient this must be for you, Karl... but I don't like this. Something is very wrong here. You are hiding something...
`Now you are surprisingly helpful... I'm still not sure I believe you. Why didn't you begin with that when we entered this room?'
`You could have been illusions, sent by the creature to test my loyalty. I had to be sure you were not illusions before revealing myself.'
`Are you convinced now?'
`After seeing your reactions to the way I greeted you here? Yes. I am convinced.'
He looks confident and very certain of himself. He reminds me of Zack, except for the lack of that conceited smile... I look around and observe the others. Andrei seems to share my concern, and even the assassin with his emotionless face seems to be suspicious about the innkeeper. The way he's looking at Karl...
`Where is Kevin?' he asks the innkeeper.
`Who?'
`The previous owner of the inn.'
`Is that his name? I don't remember any more but I think he called himself by some other name. Either way, he's in Port Cehir. Assuming that he made the journey. Why?'
`He still ran this inn the last time I was here.'
`When was that? I took over about half a year ago. The old guy wanted to get away from the war.'
`Did he? How come you didn't mind the war?'
`What can I say, I don't think living in Port Cehir is any safer than around here... But why do you keep asking me such things? I thought you wanted to leave as soon as possible.'
`He does.' I tell him. `We all do. So if you have a plan, do tell us. Fast!'
`Certainly. Although the plan is really very simple, kind lady. You and your companions don't know where to find the creature, but I do. I have observed this labyrinth of illusions and I know how to reach each part of the inn. I know where the creature is, and I know how to get there. I will lead you to the creature. After that, it's up to you to kill it and free us all.'
`Fine, show me the map then.' says Andrei.
`There is no map. It's all in my head. But don't worry, I know the way. I've been observing this place ever since the demon created it. There are over forty rooms. I memorized all the rooms, all the paths, and all the traps. The traps can't kill you, but they can disorient you and hold you up. There is only one correct path through the maze that leads there, but I know the way. I can lead you to the creature.'
`How the Hell could you possibly have memorized all the paths?'
`I have a good visual memory, kind sir.' says Karl, looking offended.
Suddenly I hear a familiar voice. A voice that usually whispers, but now it echoes through the room as a loud scream.
`Liar!' comes the voice of the man in the painting.
Karl turns towards the painting and takes the toothpick out of his mouth.
`Ignore that.' he says. `It's another illusion created by the demon.'
`Liar!' screams the man in the painting once more.
Andrei suddenly pulls a dagger from his belt and jumps in front of the innkeeper. He grabs Karl by the sleeve and raises the dagger right in front of his neck. Karl drops the toothpick to the ground in his surprise.
`That thing may be an illusion, but so far it has given us sound advice. It would seem you didn't spice the soup well enough after all...'
`What are you doing?! Let me go!' says the innkeeper, staring intently at Andrei.
`The truth, Karl! What did you lie about?'
`Nothing! Nothing, I tell you!'
The man in the painting screams once more.
`Liar! Murderer!'
Then the painting suddenly falls silent, and the face slowly fades away, like it did once before.
`Ah, I see.' says Andrei. `All of this is your doing after all. I knew it! I knew it!'
`No. It isn't. And you will release me, right now.'
`Not until...'
The elven mercenary suddenly falls silent. He slowly releases Karl and lowers his dagger. He backs away from him, slowly measuring each step. As he steps back, it is revealed that Karl is holding a large, sharp hunting knife in his hand. A knife which was apparently dangerously close to Andrei's crotch until he backed away...
