("Are you 'him'…?")
A faint voice echoed out in innocent yet curious wonder.
("Are you … Xaphire's Champion?")
"Wha-?!"
Zaron awoke from his slumber with a sudden startle, feeling abrupt pain surge through the various nerves in his body. He then proceeded to shake his head warily, attempting to dismiss the immense headache. His eyes them focused gradually after a few blinks, allowing him to visualise his current destination. Examining the place that surrounded him, Zaron recognised the dome-shaped throne room immediately, watching it radiate in its heavenly splendour. Although his eyes were hazy, the room's distinctive features were familiar enough to connect with his memory. From the eclipsing clear dome, to the thin, running aqueducts on the floor below: it was all fresh in his mind. Everything was in the correct place – except for him.
(Why am I … sitting on the throne?)
The dazed Zaron searched the fragments of his scattered memory, attempting to find sense of his current situation. He soothed his head with his available hand, wondering if someone had moved him from the floor below to the throne. He considered the possibility of sleepwalking briefly, yet dismissed the idea as absurd considering he has no strength in his body at the time of collapse. The female figure that approached him as he fell unconscious then came to mind.
Even though the encounter was only a blur, Zaron never forgot the pure aura surrounding her and the soothing voice. Her presence was so mysterious yet calming, causing him to wonder whether she was even real or merely a hallucination. Zaron then decided to examine his damaged arm, hesitant to witness its current condition. He froze up in an instant, his eyes widened with absolute shock.
"No way..."
The arm was hanging comfortably in a sling, secured with a fresh, layered bandage that immobilized the extent of the damage. Aside from feeling numb, there were no signs of pain nor lack of comfort. There was no doubt in his mind: the female silhouette was authentic.
"The wings of an angel…"
Zaron's whispery voice echoed throughout the dome room as he leaned back with a sigh, reminiscing the peculiar appearance of the female silhouette. As his mind wondered, Zaron observed the vacant, golden sky above. With the sun descending over the far-off horizon, he expected nightfall to soon eclipse the forest – and the rest of Dragora in the process. The Draiken boy felt like he had slept for an eternity, sighing out at the grogginess and stiffness throughout his body. Assuming it was hours since he was thrown into Denzo's 'game', he was left with a disheartened shrug as he accepted his failure. His main priority was to reclaim the pendant, to which he succeeded on.
"The pendant…"
He murmured wistfully, leaning back against the thrown as his mind wondered. And then, his eyes shot open in sudden realisation.
"Oh crap! The pendant!"
Zaron leapt to his feet abruptly, his eyes darting back and forth as he attempted to locate the missing pendant.
He turned and checked the seat of the throne initially, considering it was the very place he had last seen it before he lost consciousness. He also checked around and underneath the throne itself, wondering if it had slipped from the seat at the time of his arrival.
However, as he expected, it was missing. He then examined the extent of the room, scanning every section of the dome in his view for any potential sign. And yet, there was no sign of the pendant whatsoever.
(Dammit, 'she' must've taken it.)
Zaron shoulders dropped and the realisation sunk in. His mind was blank, left clueless of how to proceed. He felt lightheaded and nauseous due upon rising to his feet far too hastily, causing him to support himself against the throne. A part of him that felt grateful for the mysterious female's generous hospitality, wishing he could thank her personally. And yet, another part of him felt unsure whether she was trustworthy considering the missing pendant, feeling she was toying with him.
As his thoughts wavered, Zaron noticed an object from the corner of his left eye. He then noticed his jacket as he turned, folded up neatly on a small, glass table next to the throne. Upon further inspection, he was baffled: there were no stains or marks of blood left on the jacket whatsoever. In fact, it seemed refurbished completely due to the level of dedication placed in its restoration. Zaron was sent into more confliction, feeling appreciative for the girl yet concerned that she had deceived him purposely to claim the pendant for herself.
(Who is that woman? Where is she now?)
The questions continued to loop in his mind, soothing his temple as his headache surged.
"I'm guessing you're looking for this?"
Zaron straightened up in abrupt fright as the soft, echoing voice called out to him curiously. As he switched, he noticed a young maiden – considered to be around her early twenties based on overall appearance – step out from behind the throne nonchalantly. Zaron froze on the spot, his eyes widened at the sight of the girl as she approached.
She was a natural beauty beyond mortal comprehension: her long, wavy, platinum-silver hair swayed like the ocean waves; her smooth, fragile, ageless face beamed like the summer sun; and her large, dazzling blank-white eyes illuminated like the moon in the clear night sky.
As he continued to admire her euphoric aura, Zaron noticed two unique aspects of the girl that caught him off-guard: her angelic, feathered wings and her plain white dress. Although her wings were a structure to the average Draiken's – including a sharp, pointed talon at the tip of each wing; the wings were coated with thousands of intricate platinum feathers. The feathers were beauty incarnate, shining brilliantly as though they were untouched by mortal hand. They were uncanny, causing Zaron to wonder if the wings were part of a fantasy-styled cosplay. However, upon further observation, the feathers were far too real and full of life to be considered artificial.
And then there was the dress. At first view, the dress was far from anything special, it was as plain and white as a blanket of snow. However, Zaron then realised that the dress was engraved with various hidden patterns and symbols, relating to the most obscure of ancient Draiken culture. The young Draiken only recognised the markings after slaving away through the history books back at the academy.
Placing aside the girl's angelic appearance, Zaron was baffled by her unexpected arrival, wondering how she appeared from an area he assumed was entirely vacant. He considered the possibility of a trapdoor underneath the throne, only to be disappointed that there was no sign of a door to be found from his position – the girl was a walking anomaly.
"I – Err..."
Zaron was attempting to respond to the girl yet could not utter a word, feeling his voice was lodged in the depths of his throat. He felt a sense of inferiority the moment he laid eyes on her, believing he had no right to speak a word in her presence unless granted permission. However, his sights then shifted to the girl's right hand.
The girl's hand was held out open before him, her kind smile glowing purely as she awaited her reaction. In that moment, a small chain slipped free from her grasp and the attached emerald jewel fell into view. Zaron breathed out, his eyes fixated on the pendant's jewel as relief overcame him. The pendant dangled freely below the girl's grasp, swaying back and forth like a pendulum. It was hypnotizing, drawing the young Draiken into its addictive spell.
"So, are you going to take it from me?" The girl then questioned him in a tease, watching his mesmerised daze casually. "…Or am I just going to wait for my arm to drop off?"
Only just realising he was stuck in a trance, the flustered Zaron snapped back to reality quickly and met eyes with the girl before him.
"Ah, right … sorry." He nodded warily, attempting to hide his flushed cheeks.
He then reached out in anticipation, the pendant soon to be in his long-awaited grasp. There was a sense of satisfaction rising from his chest, his heart leaping as his struggle would soon be in the past. Although he assumed he failed Denzo's challenge, he felt he could at least return knowing the pendant was back in safe hands. He then reminded himself regretfully that he would need to explain himself to his mother upon returning home, fearing her reaction to hearing the events that unfolded. And yet, it was nothing compared to the deathly reaction if he were to return without the pendant entirely.
Fwip!
Zaron's feeling of resolution was short-lived.
Just as he reached out to reclaim the family pendant, the girl pulled her hand back in a flash. The girl stared back at him a subtle, teasing smirk; her arm held high up yet acting as though she had not moved whatsoever. The young Draiken paused, glaring back at the girl with a bewildered expression as he was convinced that the feathered maiden's pure beauty was a mere ruse to her demonic heart.
"What are you…?" Zaron questioned before trailing off, hesitation in his words as he considered the girl's true intentions.
"Come now." She taunted back with a light giggle, shrugging obliviously as she continued to act innocent. "It's so simple: all you need to do is take the pendant from me and you can go home."
Zaron's previous expression evaporated from existence, leaving a blank, condescending stare in its place.
"…Fine. I'll bite." Zaron murmured in dissatisfaction, his bored eyes left half-open as he saw through the girl's poor acting skills. "Why don't you just skip the playful banter and get to the point."
"Aw, you're no fun." The girl sulked with a forced frown, placing her arm behind her back casually in the process. "I was just thinking it'd be more fun if we treated this like a game."
Zaron shivered abruptly, a sense of déjà vu hitting him.
"…A game, huh?" Zaron echoed back in uncertain contemplation, his eyebrow raised at the absurd suggestion. "And … what if I decline?"
The girl shrugged back nonchalantly, "Then the local auction house it about to get very popular."
(She's blackmailing me?!)
Zaron glared at her in silent disgust, confirming to himself that behind the delicate smile was a woman with devious intentions. And yet, he had no choice but to play along – regardless of his resent to the idea.
"I hate to be a stick-in-the-mud, but ... I'd rather avoid anything physical strenuous right now." He then informed her, a hint of irritation in his voice as he indicated to his damaged arm.
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. This game is strictly mentality-based." She assured him with a confident tone, hoping her upbeat words would motivate him. "And besides, I'm sure an injury of that magnitude is nothing for the likes of you. I mean – looking at you now – I could easily tell that you're the type of person who would take on any challenge … no matter the setback."
(She's certainly the smooth talker…)
Letting out a frustrated sigh, the agitated Zaron felt his patience dropping, believing he was wasting more time and effort. Regardless, he continued to play along with her.
"I assume there's countless questions running through your head right now." The girl predicted curiously, reading him like an open book. "One example being: 'Why am I playing along with a stranger like her?' Well, you don't know me by conventional means, but … it'd be surprising if anyone in Dragora didn't know who I am, I assure you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Zaron queried her cautiously, finding the girl's mysterious tone disconcerting.
"There's no need to worry, I'll explain everything you need to know." She assured him with an innocent smile.
However, as she continued her speech, her eyes locked onto the Draiken boy with a sharpened gaze.
"All you need to do ... is take the pendant from my hand."
As she spoke, Zaron noticed her closed hand emerge from behind her back, the family pendant falling into view once more. He watched it as it dangled freely from her palm, swaying casually as though enticing the young Draiken into a false sense of security. Zaron was left hesitant, refusing to fall for her tricks.
"..."
There was a moment of silence between the two, Zaron showing initial uncertainty to the girl's playful proposal, whilst the girl was shown brimming with confidence.
"So, are you up to the task?" She wondered curiously, eager to commence with the game as she awaited his answer.
Zaron dipped his head in continued silence, hiding his expressions as he pondered the challenge. The girl tilted her head, hiding an amused giggle as she watched him battle his conflicting thoughts. He then sighed out, a small chuckle escaping his breath.
"It's not like I have any choice in the matter anyway." He played off with a light shrug, showing a cocky grin as he lifted his head. "Fine. I'll play your game."
The girl nodded calmly in response.
"That's the spirit."
With her arm stretched out fully, the girl stood frozen in place as though mimicking a graceful statue. Zaron watched on, his sights locked onto the girl in front of him as he analysed the situation subconsciously.
Rumble!
Just then, the entire dome erupted in tremors, causing Zaron to be thrown off balance without warning. He firmed up his stance immediately, spreading his wings to maintain balance and hugging his bandaged arm as the quake shook underneath his feet. The girl opposing him stood motionless, oblivious to the surrounding quake whilst the dangling pendant shook violently in her grasp – acting as though it was attempting to escape. In that moment, a light aura engulfed the outline of her body, shining more radiant by the second.
Whoosh…!
Just then, the grid of aqueducts beneath Zaron's feet exploded abruptly with jets of water, shooting up towards the glass ceiling like a series of torpedoes. He stumbled back in retaliation as the rushing waters blasted him directly from below.
"Urgh…! A warning would have been nice!" Zaron yelled in bitter complaint, coughing and spluttering as his top half drenched to the skin in cold, fresh water. As he shook himself off, the Draiken boy attempted to regain focus whilst attempting to ignore the cold shiver breaking through his body. However, as he observed the evolving room, he was left awestruck.
It was an incredible sight: the once 'harmless' aqueducts had created entire walls of crystallized water, rising gracefully and seamlessly as the overall shape solidified. Furthermore, five of the walls had morphed together to form an enclosing pentagon. The Draiken boy was so mystified by the spectacle that he was oblivious to the pentagon trapping him in its liquefied prison. As he snapped out from his daze, he found his own reflection was emulated within each of the five transparent liquefied walls. They were almost flawless in design, the typical rippling effects non-existent whilst the overall lighting was bright and crisp. It was as though they were replicating mirrors, designed specifically to mimic the real world and warp reality. Zaron brushed his hand through the erected water-wall, blown away by the event whilst also wondering if the walls were simple illusions propped up by external contraptions.
"Whoa…"
Watching the stream break into ripples through the gaps of his fingers, the Draiken boy realised the water-walls were the real-deal, flowing up from the aqueducts as a reverse-waterfall. The odd sensation threw him off-guard, feeling as though time had reversed unexpectedly. And then, the reflections surrounding Zaron proceeded to warp. The Draiken boy stepped back in reactive response, removing his hand from the water-wall as he watched his mirrored counterparts transform their appearances. The girl's figure took form on each wall in replacement of his own, her kind and cheerful aura thriving just as strongly as the waters were clear. Just like before, her five reflections held out their pendant towards Zaron. Each reflection stood in patience, waiting for him to retrieve his family pendant.
Observing every reflection, the young Draiken smirked in amusement.
"That's a neat trick."
"Oh, why thank you! It's nice to know my efforts had paid off." The girl responded in gratitude, giggling away as her proud yet distorted voice echoed the room. "Ah! I just realised I never told you what the game was called!"
Zaron's held a sense of caution, assuming her playful words were exaggerated to a certain extent.
"It's an all-time favourite of mine. I usually refer to it by its original term: Wres Petravis." She informed him, her heightened enthusiasm growing more contagious by the second. "I assume you're more familiar with its other, more current term: 'Water Perception'."
('Wres Petravis'…?)
To Zaron's surprise, he realised that the feather-winged girl had referenced the dead language of the Draiken species. Admittedly, he lacked substantial knowledge of the ancient dialect, only able to recollect occasional phrases and words from his Draiken History studies at the academy. However, he recognised the frequent use of stronger syllables in individual words and phrases.
(Just who is this girl…?)
His thoughts wavered, wondering why someone of her apparent age would use the ancient language voluntarily when it was rendered a dead-language centuries ago.
"The rules are as follows: As you can see, these walls are projecting my image along with the pendant." The girl's voice echoed as she explained the game in detail, "Four out of the five are just mere reflections – an imitation of my true self. However, one projection hides the 'true' me, waiting for you to take the pendant from my clutches. All you need to do is choose the wall I'm standing behind correctly. You'll have three chances. If you choose the correct reflection, you'll get the pendant back and I'll tell you everything you wish to know. However, if you're incorrect on all three attempts … you'll go home empty-handed."
With a firm nod, Zaron agreed to the proposed terms.
"A word of warning: this is not a guessing game." She then pointed out in an unexpected stern tone, emphasising the severity of the rule. "If you decide to guess on any of your attempts – correct answer or otherwise – you will lose one of your three chances by automatic default." "Wha…? Are you serious!?" Zaron erupted in sudden disdain, caught off-guard by this unusual rule. "That rule's a load of bullshit!"
(How would she know I'm guessing anyway?)
"…That's debatable." The girl muttered quietly as she changed the subject with a question. "Any questions before we begin?"
Zaron planned to shake his head in decline initially, feeling he was set to go. And yet, his wondering thoughts caused him to answer otherwise.
"Yeah … just one." He pointed out, deciding to speak his mind. "If I'm banned from guessing, do you have any advice on how I should decide?"
"A valid question..." The girl murmured cheekily, attempting to hide a dark giggle. "However, if I were to tell you now, I would only be spoiling the game … and I don't think either of us would want it to be so anticlimactic. I hate to say it, but you'll have to figure that one out as you play along."
"R-really…?" The disheartened Zaron murmured out, letting out a low sigh as his shoulders drooped.
"Yep!" The voice answered in blind optimism, her upbeat tone echoing throughout the dome as though it was mocking him purposely. "No easy-mode, I'm afraid."
"Dammit..."
The Draiken boy cursed underneath his breath, feeling defeated already.
"And on that note: Zaron Nitro … Let's play!"
Vroosh!
As though her words were a trigger, the liquefied walls lit up in an instant flash, signalling the game's launch. Taking a deep breath, Zaron tossed aside any further thoughts that could cloud his mind. His only focus was on the game set before him, avoiding any sense of pressure in the process. With the rules on mental replay, he commenced to analyse each surrounding wall.
(Three chances...)
He could hear an ominous voice echo in his mind, warning him of the consequences.
(Guessing only leads to penalty...)
Peering through each water-wall with an intense glare, Zaron wracked his brain on how to beat the challenge whilst considering every detail imaginable. As he examined, the girl was immovable in each of her reflections, enduring the perfect imitation of a stone statue – except for her eyes. Each reflection of her vacant stare followed his every movement, watching him as though anticipating his inevitable mistake.
As Zaron realised her gaze followed him, a sudden shiver crawled up his spine. He felt the sense of ongoing pressure loom over him, taunting him on whatever decision he committed towards. Attempting to ignore the intimidating eyes, he chose to inspect other areas of the reflected images. Thinking the process through, his initial tactic was to search for possible irregularities within each of the five reflections, believing that a definite contradiction was the most probable solution. However, such a strategy was difficult to implement in practicality, considering each projection of the girl's appearance were near-identical. No matter the perspective, it was impossible to determine what was considered as contradiction or otherwise. Additionally, there was the concept of the anti-guessing rule. If the girl had not implemented the absurd rule into the game, it would be a simple one-in-five chance to guess the correct reflection.
The thought alone frustrated Zaron immensely, feeling as though he was forced into submission beyond his control. He felt trapped in cage of uncertainty, unsure whether to commit to a choice or find alternate solutions. Through his spiralling dilemma, a question loomed in his mind.
(How would she know if I guessed my answer?)
Zaron stood in complete silence, his eyes lowered to the floor as he wondered about the legitimacy of the rule.
(...I guess there's only one way to find out.)
Deciding to bite the bullet, Zaron raised his sights and stepped forward. He reached out to the nearest wall blindly, directing his attention to the Second wall of the Five. His eyes were fixated entirely on the projection that stood before him, assuring himself that his decision was worth the risk. With a breath of certainty, he stepped through the wall of water.
Splash!
As he passed, his entire body was drenched from top-to-toe from the abundance of water attacking him relentlessly. He braced upon impact, feeling the sudden shock of the fresh cold-water blast through his clothes and against his skin. Part of him desired to leap back from the shock, fearing the possibility of hypothermia if he were to stay drenched for too long. Regardless, he endured the rush of water against his body, knowing there was no point in regretting his decision at this stage. As he emerged, he made instant eye-contact with the girl standing before him, causing his heart to leap as a flame of hope reignited within his body.
"D-did … did I do it!?" He blurted out in heightened excitement.
He then lowered his sights, praying to see the pendant dangling from her grasp. And yet, the pendant was nowhere to be seen.
"You guessed your answer and failed your first chance by default." The girl revealed to him bluntly, forcing a dissatisfied expression due to his poor choice – even though she was struggling to hide her enjoyment. "It's a shame really: I was beginning to think you nailed it on the first try, but ... alas, you ignored my warning and broke the rules."
Dreaded realisation dawned upon Zaron swiftly, throwing his hands over his head in exaggerated despair as he came to terms with the consequence of his decision. The feather-winged girl then broke into a sly, feline-like smirk.
"Although I must admit, I did find it rather amusing … to see you choose the correct reflection on a mere guess."
"ARE YOU SERIOOOUUUUSSSSS?!?!" The Draiken boy bellowed out as he imploded mentally, cursing his overtly reckless tendencies. "I swear, that damn rule will be the death of me…!!!"
The girl held her composure as she continued to watch his never-ending turmoil, her grin more devilish than pure. There was a sense of anticipation growing within her, wondering how he would overcome the set-back pressing forward. She could imagine the cogs turning in the young Draiken's mind, connecting dots as he inched closer to the answer.
Just then, Zaron bounced back hastily to his default self, regaining his composure as he returned focus to the challenge before him.
"…I can't give up now." He breathed out, nodding to the girl in revitalized confidence.
Seeing him return to form, the girl grinned back silently. She then vanished from sight in an instant.
"WHA-?!"
Zaron stumbled back in unexpected fright, taken by surprise as he witnessed her disappear. At the same time, the liquefied walls shot up from the aqueducts in unison once again, forming another shape like the previous pentagon. As the reflections of the girl emerged, her ambient voice echoed throughout the dome in reminder.
"Two chances left … choose wisely."
"That girl…" Zaron murmured with an irritable groan, struggling to find logic behind the girl's trickster-like behaviour.
Shaking off the water from his body adamantly, Zaron proceeded with his analysis of the new set of walls. Unlike the previous round with the pentagon, there were now six liquefied walls surrounding him. Additionally, the overall shape was different from before, the walls forming an obscured hexagon in the process. It was as though losing one of his chances was far from enough for the girl, so she conveniently heightened to difficulty as part of the penalty.
Scanning through each new projection, Zaron observed every small detail to a miniscule degree – refusing to leave any aspect unchecked or overlooked. He was adamant to follow through with his initial strategy, reminding himself not to fall back into the habit of guessing the answer as the thought of losing to the feather-winged girl edged towards reality. And yet, no aspect of the reflections stood out to him whatsoever: they all felt identical to him.
The unyielding frustration consumed Zaron gradually, observing the reflections obsessively to where he felt he was stuck in a time-loop. His thoughts clouded his judgement whilst his eyes strained, clueless as to whether he was dragging out the investigation far too long or rushing it in desperation to end the game.
And then, his eye caught a curious anomaly on the Fifth Wall of the hexagon. At first, he found nothing out of the ordinary, wondering if it was his imagination playing with him. However, he was unable to shake the feeling that the reflection was uncanny compared to the others. The Draiken boy stepped closer; his eyes fixated on the feather-winged girl's dress as he examined the detailed patterning all the way to its stitching.
Twitch!
"Urk-!"
Realising the oblivious creepiness of his intense stare, Zaron lurched back in awkward fluster. The feather-winged girl was unfazed by his blunt approach, holding her angelic stance upon awaiting him to retrieve the pendant. She was silent and patient, smiling at the Draiken boy without a hint of judgement. Zaron returned focus on the Fifth Wall – choosing to be more subtle in his approach. And then, upon examining the dress once more, he located the possible alteration. Based upon the direction of the sun, the shading of the dress seemed to correlate with the sun's evening rays – but not with the other reflections.
(This is it!)
The feeling of excitement welled up inside Zaron, his body shaking with anticipation as certainty clouded his mind.
(This must be it!)
Overcome with a flash of hope, Zaron held out his working arm and stepped forward, closing his eyes as he entered the water-wall and prepared himself mentally for the inevitable.
Sploosh...!
As expected, he felt the rushing waters collide against his body, soaking him once again without any mercy. Whilst the shock was less abrupt the second time around, it had not stopped him from feeling unpleasant from the water rushing through into his clothes. Once emerged on the other side, he opened his eyes gradually. Standing opposite him was the girl, her face so close to his that their noses were on the verge of touching.
Ba-dump!
Zaron's face became as red as a tomato, his heart leaping from his chest due the unexpected closeness between him and the mysterious girl. He shuffled back slightly, allowing a comfortable distance between the two. He then switched his gaze to her hand, believing he had made the correct decision and was adamant that he avoided the temptation of guessing. However, upon witnessing her presented hand, he realised there was no pendant to be seen – he chose wrong.
"No! NO-DAMMIT-NO!!!" Zaron bellowed out at the top of his lungs, throwing his arms over his head in despair as failure returned to bite him.
"A good attempt … but, not good enough." The girl sighed with a light shrug, although her crafty smirk continued to shine. "And so, we now enter … the final round."
"Wait, could you at least give me a-!"
Whoosh!
"…hint."
Before he could get her attention, the girl once again vanished in a blink of an eye. At a complete loss, Zaron stood in absolute silence, gazing into the abyss blankly as his patience fell to an all-time low. He crumbled internally as the threat of his 'last chance' loomed over his consciousness like an invasive parasite, whispering into his ear hauntingly on his impending failure to reclaim the family pendant. The girl's overly eccentric personality was agitating him immensely, causing him to assume that she could be conning him out of pure amusement throughout the entire trial. Feeling the anxiety churning into his soul, he caved into the pressure.
(What do I do…? What do I do? DAMMIT, WHAT DO I DO?!)
Zaron was stuck screaming at himself internally, scratching his head vigorously as he attempted to rationalise his choice.
(…I don't get it! I checked those bloody reflections ten-times over and I STILL messed up! What am I even meant to be looking for, anyway?!)
However, after venting his frustrations, his arms flopped to his sides as he let out an exhausting sigh.
(Focus … I need to focus.)
WHOOSH!!!
As he reassured himself calmly, walls of water burst up from the floor once more. Zaron's stance was firm as he watched the water form into the next shape, unfazed by the eruption. He watched as the walls formed and connected to one another, his fiery glare set on the prize and the lingering doubt was cast aside. Despite the attempt to reinvigorate himself, his refreshed mind-set as merely a whisper. As the walls completed their alignment, Zaron's mouth dropped in absolute disbelief. The number of walls had increased to Ten, forming a decagon that spanned the entire dome. Within one fell swoop, the renewed confidence and strive to overcome the gruelling challenge had evaporated, leaving behind the Draiken boy's empty shell of despair as compensation.
Clump!
Zaron dropped to his knees lifelessly, his mind consumed with impending failure and humiliation. The internal pressure was suffocating him, preventing him from thinking of any viable solution. Instead, he was thrown into a loop of self-loathing, believing he was useless, incompetent, and felt his chances of success were minimal at best. He even considered admitting defeat.
("Are you really going to give up now? After everything you've been though?")
Zaron's froze as a familiar voice echoed in the depths of his mind.
("Man … you suck at this!")
He tensed up, his teeth grinding as his eyes twitched irritably.
("So, what's the plan now … Baby-Bro?")
"Tch…! That prick."
Zaron tutted underneath his breath, his brother's infuriating voice echoing throughout his mind as though it was part of his conscience.
"Even as a figment of my imagination, he's mocking me."
With a sudden sense of urgency, the Draiken boy rose to his feet. The intensity of his glare was like a wild flame, flickering and expanding at a pace impossible to contain. Imagining Denzo's voice taunting him from the shadows, Zaron desired nothing more than to shove it all back in his face and prove him wrong. Forcing his mind-set into a state of patience, he proceeded to analyse every water-wall – leaving no reflection unchecked. Learning from the mistakes of his previous attempts, he was adamant not to cut corners nor overlook any miniscule detail.
(What am I missing...?)
Zaron knew he was close to the answer, feeling he only needed a single hint to proceed.
"Wait..."
And then, examining several reflections numerous times over, the clue he desired finally struck him.
(I shouldn't be looking at the girl whatsoever ... I should be concentrating on the pendant itself!)
Within an instant, Zaron shot into action, his eyes shifting to the pendant on each reflection at lightning speed – relegating the girl as a mere afterthought in comparison. At each reflection, he reminded himself constantly that it was imperative not to rush no matter how tedious the nature of the game was to him. He was silent, he was focused, and he had faith in finding the answer.
"..."
As time pressed on, Zaron completed the analysis of the Tenth Wall, feeling the overwhelming effect of déjà vu throughout the process. He recapped his examination process, reflecting on every notable aspect of the pendant whilst casting out any other aspect that he deemed insignificant. With the emerald pendant set as his primary focus, Zaron was able to pinpoint the notable suspect of the challenge – shadow.
From his overall analysis, the young Draiken found that the pendant was reflective of the sun's evening rays, releasing distinctive shades of light that varied from dim to as bright as the sun itself. Additionally, the reflections from each emerald all matched an identical pattern, meaning the sun's rays was hitting the pendant for the exact same point.
However, due to the size of the emerald matched an average pebble, it was hard to tell if any were shining differently. Unless Zaron had a way to magnify the jewel, he was at a disadvantage.
"...Crap."
As much as it pained him, he decided to repeat the investigation process.
***
Time pressed on. Zaron felt as though he was stuck in a constant loop of mental torment: never progressing, yet knowing he was on the edge of salvation. Glaring at each reflecting emerald with the utmost intensity, his desperation was on the tipping point.
"Come on … come on ... I'm almost there." He breathed out in a heavy growl, his motivation waning.
(What's the point anymore...?)
And then, after circling the border once more, he halted abruptly. Wondering if he was losing his sense of reality, Zaron shifted back to the centre of the surrounding decagon, numbering off the walls underneath his breath. After that, he circled the decagon once again, counting out each numbered wall in process of elimination.
Step ... step ... step.
"…That one."
He stopped in his tracks, pointing out the selected wall in front of him with a dagger-like glare. It was the Seventh Wall. Zaron's sights set upon the projected pendant on the flowing water-wall, his intuitions strengthening as he found an anomaly. Although hard to locate from the naked eye, the reflective rays casting off from the projected emerald was a contradiction compared to the other walls. From his observation, the Seventh Wall was the only wall reacting to the evening sun from the real world, whilst the other nine projections were reacting to the sun's rays from their own dimensions. As a result, the emerald of the Seventh Wall was more vibrant and distinct with its reflections compared to its mirroring, warped counterparts.
(But ... what if I'm wrong again?)
Zaron was hesitant in his decision, wondering anxiously if there were other aspects of the projections he neglected to consider. He glanced at the Sixth Wall and Eighth Wall respectively, praying not to find them projecting similar light patterns to the Seventh. In retrospect, his choice could lead to the same conclusion as his previous attempt: pushing forward with absolute certainty, only to be met with absolute failure.
Zaron shook his head hastily and gazed upon the Seventh Wall once more. his eyes fixated on the pendant's emerald jewel as though he was entranced by its immaculate beauty, knowing he was a single step from retrieving his family's beloved heirloom. His thoughts were blank and his breaths slowed to a gradual pace, whatever doubt clouded his judgement dissipated – Zaron was set on his final answer.
Without further ado, the Draiken boy stepped forward with his eyes closed and arm reached out in full stretch. With his choice confirmed, any possibility of second thoughts were rendered impossible. Accepted his fate wholeheartedly, he felt the wall pull him inside forcefully.
Whoosh…!
As expected, Zaron felt the water drench his entire body from tip-to-toe once more, grumbling underneath his breath inaudibly in dissatisfaction in the process. Even so, he kept his eyes shut, his mind racing with a combination of excitement and dread. The feeling was so intense that he was oblivious to everyone around him – including the fact that his entire body and clothing had dried up immediately after he stepped through the wall.
It was the moment of truth: win the game and reclaim the pendant; or lose and go home humiliated.
"You do realise you can open your eyes now, right?" The girl's voice then echoed in casual suggestion, giggling amusedly at the Draiken boy's exaggeration.
"Wha-...? O-oh ... right."
The anxious Zaron opened his eyes upon hearing the girl's suggestion, allowing the world around him to reform gradually. After being trapped in the cage of surrounding water, the sight of the large open dome was a refreshing and welcoming return. He felt free from the clutches of the many trials he faced throughout the afternoon whilst also praying that he reached the end of his nightmare.
However, he then noticed the girl's calm smile before him, void of any distinctive emotion yet emitting a warm, soothing aura. Zaron stared at her cautiously, unable to read her emotions behind the invisible mask.
(Who is this girl...?)
Regardless, his eyes then lowered to her hand. As reality dawned on him, he froze in disbelief.
The emerald pendant sat in her palm, dazzling radiantly upon the amber light breaking through the dome.
Zaron chose correctly.