Lost for words, at the magical scene reflecting back at me. All I could do was stare in awe. Like I had entered a magical dream, I stepped through the dark crystal floors eying the vast expanse and beyond. I could see gods battling one another, lovers holding one another with gentle care, scenes of torment, and heroism. I could see it all.
With each step, a new scene would appear. With each flicker of a glance, a shift within space would occur.
Placing my hands near the crystal walls, I could feel the crystal walls reflect not just an image, but the emotions, the tensions, the belief held by man and beast. Yet it went a step further, transmitting to my palms the very nature of the Dao around what I saw.
"A mirror," I then whispered to myself, knowing that was both wrong and correct. The Mirror was merely allowing me to see, but the darkness brought these images to the crystal.
"Abaddon," Gurvel softly whispered my name, with strained tension whin his jaw. He was frightened, and rightly so. "What is this place?"
"Your the one who seemed to know everything," I countered, tracing my fingers through the endless crystals. "But it these crystals seem to be a by produced of a comprehension of darkness I have never seen. It feels boundless and far out of my grasp no matter how much I try to obtain it."
Eternal, Boundless, Ethereal: Three concepts that could be used to describe the darkness, or are they one and the same. No, it must be different!
"This is only the entrance, yet the entirety of the Bed of Chaos is being mirrored by these crystals," Gurvel swiftly muttered in amazement. Wishing to reach out towards the dark crystal but fearful of what may happen.
"Let's go," I said, understanding what this palace entrance presented. It was a guide into the Concepts. Concepts were not meant to teach, for they could not be taught similar to Dao. One simply needed to understand it on their own.
Gurvel held me in his sights, unaware that I was also watching him, even with my back turned. There was a hungry glint hidden beneath his eyes.
Tilting my head towards him, he nodded, "Y-Yes," He hesitantly acknowledged," It's just tempting, is it not? Simply here, you could learn and see everything."
"Indeed, but nothing is ever free." I lightly replied, holding a solemn grimace, "If we remain, we shall stay forever,"
"I know," He said, sending a final glance towards temptations.
Stepping further throughout the Crystal Temple, the images slowly began to fade, revealing the original forms of these crystals. They were no longer black, filled with darkness but instead translucent and at times reflective.
Not distracting myself with these objects, we dived further in, only to notice they were becoming more unrefined. At the entrance, they appeared structured to allow one to enter and exit freely. But the longer we traveled, the more we had to maneuver; it was as if these crystals were growing.
Memorizing everything I saw, I tried to grasp any concepts I could find. But the same three kept popping into my mind. While there were others, Eternal, Boundless, and Etherial were the ones I kept returning to. I felt a profound affinity for them that I could not explain. It was like a calling, a whisper.
Coming to a halt, we stopped before a massive iron gate covered in crystal. However, they were covered in a dark gloom. I
"Gently touching it, I held the lamp whin my palm high. Lighting the path, the barred crystals seem to simply vanish before our eyes before reappearing when I pulled away. Knowing it was the lamps doing, Gurvel smiled.
"Why not hand me that? I am swiftly recovering. I am sure to protect." He kindly asked like an aged uncle would.
"Are you sure?" I hesitantly appeared rather unsure what to do. "This lamp did appear within my hands; It could be destroyed."
"Nonsense, I am housing a power of a Demi-God, and I can tell you for sure, this lamp will be safe. You got us through the beginning; let me handle the rest." He generously said, betrayed by the ever so slight smirk that slithered past his lips.
Glazing at the Lamp of Darkness, I hid my amusement within a mask of trepidation. So was the path of deceit. Lifting the lamp to my eyes, I handed it to Gurvel, who was slowly regaining his youth.
Consumed with glee, Gurvel shone the Lamps Darkness upon the crystal wall, "Quickly now, let's go!" He said, feeling far more in charge than before.
I, however, could care less. Gurvel was but a small stepping stone that was way over his head. While that lamp is indeed essential, it appeared within my hands. It was formed by my intents and my emblem. For all intended purposes its was bound to me within this realm.
I wonder how gods taste... No, stop it, Arsene... But man, how long has it been since I actually cooked me some human? I may even make a stew. Damn... I got to wait till he gets more meat and blood. I can't waste all that sauce. I wonder what realm he is in? The higher, the better.
Making our way through the crystal gates, the scent of decay and inc flooded my nose, till it burned and my eyes grew wet.
"A library?" claimed Gurvel, as we gazed upon the endless tower filled with what seemed to be an infinite supply of books stretching higher than the eye could see.
Drawn by the information, it contained Gurvel rushed the first shelf he saw pulling a manual with swift haste. His brow was all but covered in sweat, and his pupil vast as a sea. Breathing like a mad man he flipped through various pages, growing more depraved the more he read.
"NO!!!! It's empty!" He desperately screamed, rushing to another book, followed by another and another. Baffled by what had gotten into him, I lifted the manual he tossed.
"The Integration of Light And Darkness," it read just above the table of context.
Flipping through the pages that were filled with text, my brow tightened, "Why make a book empty of text... Wait, Gurvel, try the lamp!" I shouted, glancing towards the depraved man rushing through the library.
"I already bloody did!" He dismissively replied, clenching his fist.
Releasing the manual, an invisible domain of darkness began to spread. Covering the entire entity of the many shelves around me. I could not ready read these books individually, but my innate ability to see and hear everything within my domain of darkness while also having a mind palace gave me the perfect opportunity to copy each manual into my palace.
"All the wasted years. Stuck here, was it truly for not? Am I bound to simply die?" He whispered to himself, breaking down in tears. "Ala, are you still even alive? What of our children? And there's."
"Lift your head Gurvel." I said with solace, "Are you not a man? Forget your greed, and let's get out of here. This is not a realm for those like ourselves. Let me ask you, how many of these so call monarchs of darkness were from the Bed of Chaos? Or even Iluthath? This treasure was not meant for us.
Disishvel like that of a beggar, he arched his head covered in tears, "You cannot see anything, can you?" he hopefully asked.
"Nothing," I said without lie. "But if you are still not convinced, let's keep heading up. Let us see what leads to the end of this path."
Witnessing a simmer of hope sparkle like flames in his still hollow eye, my heart oozed a rather sinister intent. This man, Gurvel, will be my experiment till he breaks, and all that is left is nothing but a hollow husk of a man.