"I ask that I may be blessed and become a great ruler," a child's voice said, making ZaiWin turn around again.
"I pray I may live a long and happy life," another child declared, the voice coming from another side.
"I want to be rich and powerful. The most powerful man in the whole Empire," said another voice, and something seemed to glow amidst the darkness, right beneath ZaiWin's feet, giving him something to focus his attention on.
"I want to be the best at everything! I want to be the best of them all!"
The glow returned. It looked like ripples of golden light, as if something was responding to those children's voices.
"I want to marry a beautiful El'Gin when I grow up. He must be rich and handsome," another voice said, this time a little girl's voice, and more golden ripples spread across the dark floor beneath ZaiWin's feet.
"I pray that all my enemies may perish at the tip of my sword!"
As to be expected more ripples formed, and suddenly the ripples weren't just beneath his feet, but around him as well, as if he were slowly sinking into the dark ground. They didn't appear always in the same place, he noticed as the voices of the children kept reaching him from all around him. And then he could actually see it. It was as if he were surrounded by small pools of dark water. And every time a voice echoed one of the pools would respond to it, rippling in gold light, almost as if it were answering those requests.
"I pray to the Gods that I may become a brave Calzai, with a large and valiant army under my command!" Another dark pool rippled in gold.
"I wish to be the most talented healer ever known!" To ZaiWin's left more darkness waved in golden light.
After looking around for a while, ZaiWin could easily understand the predictable pattern. But where was Snow in the middle of all that darkness?
Gathering his thoughts, he reminded himself of what he'd been doing before falling into that dark pit of desperation.
This was new, he concluded, finally able to restart his analytic brain. Before he had somewhat been in sync with what the brat was feeling, while he relieved his memories. But he'd never been actually dragged into one of them as well. So this was the brat's daitai doing, he concluded, sighing inwardly. Or maybe it was a result of how well the nature of ZaiWin's energy matched this specific daitai. In any case, if this was the memory that had led to those daitai appearing on Snow's back, where was the one that should be reliving said memories? Where was Snow? He had to be somewhere close by, ZaiWin decided, looking around again, the darkness rippling in gold every time a new voice echoed.
"I'm tired of my life. Of being forced to do what others want me to do. I wish my mother would simply die!"
More golden ripples.
Where was he?, ZaiWin searched the darkness, ignoring both the voices and the small dark pools. Until he saw something glistening deep bellow his feet. His heart immediately jumped, when his eyes captured a weak silver-like shimmer.
"Snow …?"
He couldn't tell how he'd done it but, in the next instant, he was descending through the darkness as if someone or something was pulling him down by his feet. Deeper and deeper he went. And yet, the deeper he got the closer the silver glow became. Until he was finally hovering right above it.
Just another small pool, ZaiWin quickly concluded. The difference was that the still waters beneath his feet weren't black, like the pools now floating above his head, but silver in color. The watery substance was so still and undisturbed that it looked like a silver mirror with nothing but darkness to reflect.
Looking around, ZaiWin still couldn't find a single sign that Snow was even remotely close to that place.
"I know I'm the youngest. But I still hope to be the next El'Dur. If only the Heavens would grant me more power!" Another dark lake rippled in gold above his head, but the silver surface remained undisturbed.
"Please! Please make me stronger, faster, and more powerful than my brother!"
"I pray the Gods will save my Province and make it the most important on the land!"
ZaiWin sighed as the voices followed one after the other. Male and female, they all sounded like kids. But no matter the words they uttered, the silver lake remained still as if it had frozen solid. Only the dark lakes would respond to those voices. And yet, the more he looked at that silver surface, the more familiar it felt. As if he'd been there before, which was obviously impossible since, somehow, these must be Snow's memories. The memories that were at the origin of the daitai that he'd activated.
"I pray …" ZaiWin's entire being went very still at the sound of that uncertain young voice. He didn't dare move. He didn't even dare breathe. "I pray that everyone may be happy. That they may smile more often. That they all may have a soft bed to sleep in, and a warm meal to fill their bellies."
That small voice was like a breath of fresh wind. He could actually smell the scent of fresh grass surround him. And after remaining still throughout so many similar voices, the silver lake beneath his feet finally answered, its surface gently undulating, as if vibrating to the sound of those words.
In the next instant, he was being sucked at a dizzying speed, making him grit his teeth. ZaiWin had seen and lived enough not to be easily scared, but he still couldn't push back the cold fear that made his heart beat faster.
In the next moment, ZaiWin had been stuffed somewhere, and it was dark again. It was also frighteningly constricting. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. It was almost as if his entire existence had been reduced to his rational, thinking mind. It took him a while, until he was finally able to claim victory over his fast increasing panic. And then he realized that, in truth, he actually didn't need to breathe. Although it was dark and tight, wherever he was now, it was also warm and rather comfortable.
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Hmm ... A crazy ride 😊 I wonder where dear Snow is ... 🤔