[To see through the veil of others, you must see through yourself— The No Name Paragon]
James stared at the writing one more time, feeling there was more to that than meets the eye. After all, his blindness to the machinations of his friends caused him everything.
'If only I had kept my eyes open and accepted what I saw instead of turning a blind eye and making up reasons for their odd behaviours.
He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in anger.
A deep breath later, he turned back around only to see most of the onlookers still gazing in his direction while those outside found the courage to enter.
His eyes landed on Thalia who tried to remain as uninterested as possible.
'I want to move but I also can't leave her behind like this.'
He thought of a way around the problem but ultimately decided to do what felt right to him. Glancing in the direction the reptilian creatures came from, James decided on his next course of action.
Suddenly, his form disappeared and before anyone could react to his abrupt disappearance, he appeared before Thalia and disappeared with her.
The people couldn't follow his movements as they could feel a gust of wind zoom past them.
"What the hell? Did he just abduct someone or are my eyes deceiving me?"
Those close to Thalia but didn't pay her much mind released when she disappeared from her spot.
Among the onlookers, one particular being took out his communication crystal and sent a message.
"My lord, I think I've found him."
A few seconds later, a reply came through.
[Are you sure?]
"…"
The man remained quiet for a moment to put his words together before replying.
"Not quite. The person had a cloak on and showed combat prowess beyond his level."
[Then why are you wasting my time?! Find something concrete or the next time you message me without being certain, it will be your head!]
"Understood."
The communication ended as the man furrowed his brows in the direction James disappeared into. He paid no mind to the last words of the young lord as he was known for being volatile like his father.
But his reasons for sending word was to keep them on the lookout even if he wasn't the one. The mysterious figure stood out too much to not be focused on.
But he had a feeling that being was somehow related to who they were searching for and he was going to find out.
'I'm following him,' he thought and stepped forward.
However, he wasn't the only one with that line of thinking. Some people followed his trail because they believed being close to him would provide a measure of protection from the horrors in the inheritance grounds.
Unfortunately, keeping up with James was going to prove a challenge most would give up on.
...…
James came to a stop sometime later in a large open hall after covering a lot of distance and making sure to avoid some of the obvious traps.
Naturally, there were those he accidentally triggered, but he was moving too fast to fall for them and some even released some dreadful-looking monsters on his tail.
All of which he easily lost and continued his random run through the massive structure that was way bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.
Setting the still-flabbergasted Thalia on her feet, James stepped forward and looked up at the massive double doors with runic inscriptions that gave off an ominous aura of danger.
"What happened to keeping my distance for my protection?" Thalia ignored his actions and asked with crossed arms after regaining composure from the abrupt abduction.
"I don't want you out of my sight."
He explained without looking back, his sharp eyes still focused on the large doors. He had no plans of moving slowly and understood that Thalia couldn't keep up with him.
Stepping close, he placed a hand on the door and felt how cold it was.
The runes were not something he could read nor did he care enough to find out what they meant. There was something behind the door and he intends to find out what.
Where there was danger, there was most likely something good.
Thalia smiled at his reply and then turned to look at the door with narrowed eyes. The ominous aura emanating from the door tingled her skin.
And while her expression revealed her fears, she had faith in James's ability to protect her.
"Stand back and to the side," James instructed and Thalia complied.
Glancing her way to make sure she had backed away enough, James placed both hands on the doors and pushed them open.
The giant doors creaked from the effort of James's power as the many years of being shut did a number on its hinges.
As the doors slowly opened, a cold breeze rushed past James's figure with an even stronger dose of the ominous feeling, yet James was undeterred.
Not because he wasn't scared or cautious, but because the aura didn't frighten him one bit. It was one of the reasons he chose to enter the chamber.
*BANG*
The doors finally opened up and revealed a completely dark chamber without a single light source in sight.
Thalia gulped just feeling the intensity of the dreadful feeling and backed away some more.
"Stay close."
Thalia nodded and rushed behind James with her staff held tightly with vigilant eyes.
Then, James stepped forward and Thalia followed close behind. The chamber was still very dark but as the two moved further inside, they adapted to the darkness and could make out some silhouettes.
With narrowed eyes, James came to a stop and waited till he could see and what he saw made him perplexed.
However, the eerie feeling they induced caused Thalia to shudder in fear and in revulsion, feeling her skin crawl from the hideous expressions of the countless mannequins lined up in long rolls and columns.
"What is all this?"
Thalia couldn't help but mutter in disgust.
"See through yourself," James replied, recalling the words on the statue of the No-name paragon. The mask it carried in his hands was a giveaway of the paragon's modus operandi.
"What?"
Thalia was confused as she saw no connection between what James said and the mannequins before them.
Each one had a different expression; some were calm, kind, smiling and represented all the positive aspects a person's face could reveal.
Others had expressions of hatred, anger, disgust, creepy smiles and everything under the negative side of the banner.
Those faces were the cause of her disgust and revulsion. They sent chills down her spine and whenever her eyes fell on one of them., she felt like they were looking at her.
*Gulp*
"Just stay close," James assured and began moving between the mannequins towards the back. His steps were without hesitation as he was not bothered in the slightest.
It felt like…
'…A walk in the park.'
He mused in silence and slowly approached the raised platform. James climbed the platform that appeared to be the end of the chamber and looked at the raised rectangular slab of concrete on the platform with a question boldly written on it.
Thalia stood behind and nervously looked around from time to time, half expecting to see some of the mannequins turn to look at her.
"What is on it?"
She asked in an anxious voice. The chamber was still pretty much dark as some of the mannequins were hidden in areas she couldn't spot.
"Just a question." He replied with furrowed brows and then bent down.
"Who are you?"
The moment he read what was on the slab, it came alive as the edges glowed in a dark grey colour. James abruptly backed away a bit.
He may not be afraid, but that didn't mean he should walk straight into the burning pyre.
But then, a loud shriek from Thalia drew his attention and when he looked back, he noticed all the lifeless mannequins come to life with sinister red eyes all turned in their direction.
Thalia quickly came to stand by James as her body trembled slightly from all the stares.
'This is not disturbing at all…' He thought oozing sarcasm.
He stared at the mannequins for a few seconds but they still remained in their spot and didn't move after their initial turn.
James looked back at the concrete slab that was still glowing and back to the mannequins and quickly found the connection.
'We're to answer the question or face them.'
Ignoring the mannequins, he recalled the words he read before,
'[To see through the veil of others, you must see through yourself] … Know thyself, huh?'
Now the question was: Who was he?
James reasoned the question was more than meets the eye. Every piece of warning had to have a purpose.
Just saying your name wasn't enough. Was he just the son of a deceased duke, a son, a kind man? … scratch that…
'I have felt myself change in the last few days and I'm sure there is more to learn about myself. Things that I don't know myself, even then… I'll still be me.'
Thalia swallowed enough of her fears to see what James was doing and seeing the question on the slab, she understood he was thinking about the right answer.
Otherwise, they would have to face all the mannequins and only the heavens knew what they were capable of.
'There has to be a clue, right?' She looked around the slab and found nothing that could act as a clue.
They only had themselves.
James felt that he was close to finding out what the right answer was.
'Regardless of what I become or what I do, the dilemmas I'll face ahead or what may come, it will all be me. But can I accept that about myself?'
He didn't know, but it was a journey he was willing to take. To learn all about what he was becoming and find his truest self was a journey everyone must embark on.
James took a deep breath and then exhaled as the air around him changed.
Then he spoke the answer he felt was the right one, an answer that came from the depths of his spirit as the moment he chose, he felt a tad bit lighter; like some burden had been lifted off his shoulders.
"I am me."