The dreamy place changed, and I was now in a strange world with floating mirrors, lights that weren't real, and things that looked like they were there but maybe weren't. Zephyr, one of the spirits, said, "Welcome to the Challenge of the Enchanted Woodlands, Wanderer."
Three spirits, Embera, Torrentia, and Zephyr, appeared next to me. They looked see-through and glowed in a magical way. They looked at each other without talking, making the test seem even more mysterious.
Embera, who looked fiery, said, "The Enchanted Woodlands test isn't just about being strong but also being smart. To go on, you have to go through these floating islands, and each one has a different challenge."
Torrentia, who looked like flowing water, added, "Be careful, Wanderer. The challenges might look normal, but things in this magic place can trick you."
Zephyr, a gentle breeze, whispered, "What you decide will change what happens next. The forest wants more than just you being strong."
I went ahead, and the first mirror had a bright sign with a riddle: "I talk without a mouth and hear without ears. I don't have a body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?"
The spirits watched while I thought, and they nodded when I got it. "An echo," I said with confidence.
The sign glowed more, and the mirror showed me the way to the next challenge. This time, it was a puzzle with mist, and things didn't look real. Torrentia warned, "In the Enchanted Woodlands, things might not be what they seem. Be smart to move forward."
While I tried to figure out the misty puzzle, the spirits whispered strange things about my choices. Embera said, "Having balance matters, and the forest is watching how you decide things."
After finishing the puzzle, everything changed again. Now, I was on an island surrounded by shadows. The spirits explained, "These shadows are like memories from your past, showing choices you made. Face them to go on."
They saw moments from my past, like when I fought Asparus, a powerful being, and the scary things that tried to upset the magic balance.
Zephyr said, "The Enchanted Woodlands looks at not just what you did recently but all your past. Remember your experiences; they matter in this old place."
But when they expected to see more scenes from my birthplace to childhood memories, nothing happened. The spirits were confused. Embera looked puzzled, showing that my journey was maybe different from what they expected.
The spirits looked at each other, trying to understand why there were no scenes from my past. Embera showed that things were complicated, and maybe my journey had surprises they didn't know about.
The blankness stayed, and Zephyr said again, "The memories should be here, but it's silent. Something is different."
Trying to figure it out, Torrentia, who looked like flowing water, said, "The Woodlands has secrets, and your journey has a rhythm we can't see yet. Your path isn't just about the echoes but a feeling we don't get."
While the spirits were confused, I stood on the empty island, feeling like a mystery in the old dance of the Enchanted Woodlands.
'Why did nothing appear in the mirror? Even if I am not the real Alex yet there should be some scenes of this body's past. So why? Was it due to my reincarnation or is there something beyond my understanding? "
The spirits looked confused too, showing that the test got more complicated, and the next steps were unclear.
In the midst of the puzzling island, the three spirits gathered, their ghostly forms shimmering with uncertainty. Embera's fiery essence flickered as she said, "This Wanderer's journey is different from any we've expected. The lack of memories challenges the very foundation of this test."
Torrential, like flowing water, added, "The rhythm of this path escapes us. The forest may be telling a story we don't get, and the puzzle is beyond mist and shadows."
Zephyr, the gentle breeze, whispered, "But what now? The next steps are unclear, and our usual guidance may not work for this wanderer's special quest."
During their thinking, a mysterious feeling filled the air.
The spirits felt a subtle change in their thoughts.
A voice echoed in their minds, commanding and ancient—it was Deadra, their boss, the higher spirit in charge of the Enchanted Woodlands.
"Let the Wanderer pass," Deadra's voice echoed in their ghostly beings. "This journey has a purpose we don't understand. Trust the unseen forces guiding this one."
The spirits looked at each other, their features changing with a mix of surprise and understanding.
Embera's fiery gaze softened, and Torrentia's flowing form stilled. Zephyr, the gentle spirit, nodded with the hidden directive.
Embera spoke with more confidence, "It seems the forest is speaking through Deadra. We might not get it all but trust the bigger purpose. Let the Wanderer go on."
Torrentia, in her liquid grace, added, "The Enchanted Woodlands weaves destiny threads we might not fully see. This wanderer's journey is a dance with the unknown."
Zephyr, whispered in agreement, "The forest's word leads us, even when the path is unclear. Let the mysteries unfold as they may."
With a shared decision, the spirits turned back to the wanderer. The shadows around the island seemed to react to their decision, moving like a curtain.
"Wanderer, we have decided to let you pass the 2nd puzzle, so go forward and figure out the 3rd. "
"Thank you to all and yeah, my name is Alex, not Wanderer. "
"Ok, Wanderer. "
"Alex!!" (Alex)
"Ok, ok, we understand now go. "
A path emerged, leading deeper into the heart of the Enchanted Woodlands—a path full of uncertainty but inviting me forward.
The last challenge appeared as a bridge of shining light leading to a massive, old tree in the middle of the dreamlike place.
Torrentia said, "Walk on the Bridge of Reflection, Wanderer. Meet the guardian in the heart of the Enchanted Woodlands and fight him without speaking anything to him."
With determination, I stepped on the bridge, each step echoing the challenge I would face. The guardian, a monstrous creature tangled with the roots of the old tree, waited at the other end.
As I got closer, Deadra's voice echoed, "Alex, your journey has uncovered parts of your spirit. Now, confront the guardian and show the essence that ties you to the Enchanted Woodlands."