The next day, my training resumed. I stood before my Gramps.
"What's next Gramps? I'm ready to resume my training" I said.
"That's good to hear. However, before we proceed, I've arranged a little test for you" my Gramps said with a smirk.
"A test?" I asked.
"As long as this test is incomplete, your training isn't going to continue. I'll be halting your training until you pass this test" my Gramps said.
"What is this test?" I asked.
"Follow me" my Gramps said as he led me outside the Castle.
In the distance, I saw what looked like a cave.
"You will enter that cave and overcome all the challenges it presents" my Gramps said grimly.
I gulped and approached the cave. I entered it. I noticed that the walls of the cave were lined with mirrors. The ceilings and floor as well. I walked deeper and deeper into the cave. As I walked further into the Cave, my footsteps began to echo and gradually, I began to perceive another figure approach me from the front. It had bright golden hair and golden eyes and was cloaked in elements. Like me, its armour was made of water and it's cape of fire. In its hands, it held a brilliant blade cloaked with both bright golden flames and navy blue flames.
"Uh…this is unexpected. I was totally expecting to encounter a yanderic version of myself but you look nothing like Zanfar so happy ending happy ending" I said and performed a one-eighty and turned to leave the cave.
"How long are you going to hesitate?" the figure asked.
I turned to look at it.
Aside from the brilliant golden hair and blade, it resembled me in every respect.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"The walls of this cavern are lined with mirrors so you should understand. I am your reflection" the figure said.
"I figured as much and I'm glad you don't seem to be yanderic so I'm taking my leave now" I said.
"At the same time…I am your worst fear" the figure said.
"O-kay, you lost me at that last line. You trying to say my worst fear is to become a pretty boy?" I asked.
"Look closely at me and you should be able to see for yourself…what you fear most" the figure said.
I looked at the figure. It's flaming cloak and armour resembled mine. The only thing different about us was that its features were predominantly golden in colour and it wielded a sigil.
"Is that…the Nightbane?" I wondered.
"Yes, the sigil that symbolizes the Houses Of both Dreams and Nightmares…also…the symbol of the Dreamweaver" the figure said.
I sighed and assumed a serious gaze.
"What are you so afraid of?" the figure asked.
I remained silent.
"Why are you so scared of Zanfar…when your bloodline defeated him?" the figure asked.
"I'm scared of Zanfar?" I wondered.
"All the misfortunes that befell your grandparents and parents were wrought upon them by Zanfar. To fear those misfortunes is to fear Zanfar himself and that makes no sense if he was defeated by your father…a Dreamweaver" the figure said.
I had never thought of it that way but I knew that this mysterious figure was speaking the truth.
"Do you want to know why I appeared before you instead of a reflection of Zanfar?" the figure asked.
"I'd like to know" I said.
"My form should tell you what it is you lack. What you lack is what you fear most…your Dreamweaver heritage, however you should recall the warning your father left at the end of his tale" the figure said.
"As long as humanity doesn't forget the lessons learnt from that day, the day of Zanböngfar's rampage, Zanfar will never return. Have you forgotten the lessons from that day?" the figure asked and faded away.
I left the cave and met my Gramps.
"So what did you encounter in the Cave?" my Gramps asked.
"My worst fear and ironically…it wasn't Zanfar" I said seriously.
My Gramps smiled.
"I can tell what it is you encountered after all…your motivation for receiving the Tome Of Thirteen Rules was to avoid the misfortunes that befell your predecessors however…those misfortunes…are the reason we are Nightbanes. To deny them is to deny yourself and your heritage" my Gramps said and laid a hand on my shoulder.
"What are you trying to say Gramps?" I asked.
"I already handed you the Tome. You should have recognized from that act that I deem you worthy of succeeding me however…you are unsure of whether or not you wish to succeed me. There is only one thing that could further prove your right to succeed your father and I, the Nightbane, the sigil of the Houses Of Both Dreams And Nightmares and symbol of the Dreamweaver. I doubt your failure to summon it is due to lack of ability. You have all the ability needed to summon it. The only thing hindering you…is your hesitation" my Gramps said and walked away.
"I would have been totally fine facing a yanderic reflection of myself" I muttered in anger and headed to my room.
I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I heard a knock on my room's door.
"Come in" I called.
My Granny walked in.
"San, your Gramps told me a bit about your trial today" my Granny said.
"Yeah, I never really thought it through. My reflection was right. To fear the misfortunes Zanfar is capable of causing is to fear Zanfar himself and that makes no sense if Dad and Gramps defeated him. But I never really thought that my greatest fear was my Dreamweaver heritage" I said.
"Being a Dreamweaver, even though you didn't choose it…it is who you are. To fear your heritage is to fear yourself. That presents doubt which Zanfar excels at capitalizing on. Self-doubt clouds perception, it can raise needless suspicion. If you can't trust yourself…who can you trust? In the end you begin to see enemies where there are none. Though the other extreme is just as dangerous. Overconfidence also prevents you from recognizing an obvious threat. Zanfar knows very well how to take advantage of both extremes. I believe that is why the Seal Of Kolmnid has 'Balance' as its theme" my Granny explained.
"You know about the Seal Of Kolmnid?" I asked in surprise.
"Yes, I know all about the Seals. Each Seal is also a tale and before the protagonist from the World Of Kolmnid, whose tale you're trying to unlock now achieved the strength needed to overcome the darkness threatening his world, he had to face the same trial you're facing now…his reflection. Once you overcome that, your perception should be clearer and I'm certain you'll know what to do when the time comes" my Granny said and turned to leave.
That evening, my Granny, Gramps and I ate our dinner with the Castle's attendants. When I was left with my Gramps and Granny, we began to talk.
"Think you can face your reflection?" my Gramps asked.
"Before you gave me the Tome, all I wanted to do was avoid the misfortunes you and Dad went through…" I said seriously.
"And you could have. For the First Rule, you could have decided to let the Armoured Tank rampage in Dream City and destroy all those lives not to mention Ciella's…but you didn't" my Gramps said.
I sighed in exasperation.
"I had no control over the second and third rules though. Their fulfilment was to a large extent dependent on Ciella. There's no way I could have known she'd transfer to my school" I said.
"But that Rule could have been avoided as well. To avoid that Rule, all you needed to do was ignore a distressed stranger you came across in the park…" my Gramps said.
"And the Fourth?" I asked.
"You could have mercilessly beaten down a rival family but instead you chose to make peace. For the fifth and sixth rules, you could have left Dream City vulnerable to a Nightmare invasion but as powerless as you were, you chose to intervene" my Gramps said.
"Wait, wait, wait, don't tell me the Rules are set up so that I can't break them without being a total jerk to someone else?!" I exclaimed in horror.
"You should be proud of yourself. The very fact that you couldn't avoid fulfilling them proves that you have a very good heart and I'd die first before allowing someone with a heart like Zanfar's to succeed me" my Gramps said. "The tragedies you think I endured began the moment I chose to confront Ziri, the King Of Lies when he invaded my homeland back when I was still an ordinary human. Your Dad's misfortunes began when he rescued your mother from a Nightmare I sent to test him and his sufferings became much worse the moment he gave his heart to your mother to save her from the Chaotic Resonance inflicted upon her by Chaos in his attempt to save your father from Zanfar's influence. Though of course at the time, even Chaos was unaware that his actions fell within Zanfar's expectations. Fortunately, your Dad was much stronger than even Zanfar anticipated and made a real choice instead of falling for the quasi-choices Zanfar attempted to impose on him" my Gramps said.
"I get what you're trying to say and I understand it. Even if it seemed that way, I've never been ashamed of my bloodline and I'm proud to have been born a Dreamweaver. Meeting Ciella…I could also understand Dad a bit. Some things are worth risking getting hit by curses" I said.
"Spoken like a true Nightmare" my Gramps said.
The following day, I returned to the cave. My reflection appeared.
"So…why are you hesitating?" it asked.
I sighed.
"After speaking with my Gramps yesterday, I realized something important…that I didn't really know myself very well and if you are my reflection…a true reflection of me…then at the moment you first appeared, you didn't really know yourself either. If I were ashamed of my bloodline…" I turned my back to my reflection and pointed to the golden insignia of the lion on my flaming cape.
"…then I wouldn't have my family's crest branded into my sigil now would I?" I said seriously and turned to face my reflection.
It smiled at me.
"The Nightbane may be our family's symbol for legitimate succession however, the Pyrostellis Luminares is my family's sigil. When the day comes that the fate of my kin is threatened…" I said as I threw my fist.
A vast hole was blown right through the wall of the cave.
"…the Nightbane…will reappear!" I declared with determination.
My reflection smiled and disappeared.
I walked out of the cave and met my Gramps. He smiled at me.
"I see…so that's your answer…you'll continue to fight…your way huh?" my Gramps said with a smirk.