The figure that spun as the main attraction of this cold and dark place, moved with its paths formed like ribbons that faded each time they moved farther away from the disk-like shape with a glowing sphere in the center.
It reminded me of a certain planet I had read about in an ancient book. In the derit system there was a peculiar planet with three rings revolving around it.
Although unlike that planet this shape was more like a bright star with a ring separating it from the outside when inside it, imprisoning it so closely that they seemed to be bound together, the ring in the middle of the star deformed into several paths.
The paths of the figure were very familiar to me, yes, I think I had seen that material somewhere before…but where?
Thinking some more he remembered the gem dust that had earlier shot out towards us and had only been slowed by the barrier that had formed creating a shield for us.
The ring of paths was slightly faster than before as it increased its spin so I almost failed to catch it but lost stealth soon after as speed increased more and more, until I could no longer see them clearly.
Although the roads had disappeared from my sight I could still see the star but it didn't take long when I was able to see them again.
But unlike before the stardust seemed to be separating while still retaining the ribbon-like shape that gave the appearance of roads to the figure that kept spinning.
The paths suddenly exploded, joining with each other to create a single ring that looked more like a disk with a small ball trapped in its center.
And when the gem dust finished forming that disk it began to gather in the center in the one hole it had to finish filling the remaining space.
Even with the star still in the center of that hole, the disk did not stop its expansion, pressing harder and harder on the star, which had no escape route. The disk finally cut the sphere in half causing the two sides to pull apart in opposite directions, one part of the star rising while the other fell.
My companion still clinging to my sack tightly made me question
Why I was so calm in this strange situation?
Normally I'm sure I would have been worried and terrified in a situation where I was waiting in an unfamiliar place. However I wasn't at all, even in this situation where I almost seemed to give irrefutable proof that magic was real.
I wasn't even able to think of an idea that would make me lose my mind, wait I could be walking into a trap…could they…uh…kill me?.....
It was useless no matter how much I thought about it, it seemed to have no effect, and I realized, it was not that I could not create an exaggerated idea of someone's evil plan, it was more as if… it was not important, as if whatever they were preparing for me or that in normal circumstances would worry me, now was insignificant, like… something without value…
But I was so calm, none of the ideas that crossed my mind worried me in the least, I was not even worried about the fact that I was not worried about anything in general.
I was so calm in contrast to my companion who looked quite frightened and was on alert constantly looking around for any sign of any threat.
I was puzzled by the way I reacted to the events but other than that I continued as calm as I had been since I heard those trumpets.
I imagine they won't have the same effect on everyone but then why, on me they had acted as well as a tranquilizer and on my companion they seemed to have scared her much more than she already was.
Maybe she got even more stressed when I yelled at her, although I didn't really think that had much relevance in her current state of anxiety, I thought it wouldn't be a bad time to apologize for what I did for a while, maybe talking more could make her relax like me…
Hey…sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you or told you to shut up…I apologize I shouldn't have lost my composure like that…
My partner looked at me in disbelief, still holding me tightly with her grip she spoke.
What the hell are you talking about! That you don't realice what situation we are in, why?...You are so calm…
After he finished speaking he paused and kept silent once again, quickly releasing his grip on my jacket he moved a few meters away from me…
Shit, I seem to be making it worse instead of being helpful.
Returning my attention to the figure, I decided it was best not to pay attention to anything else for the moment, I'd figure it out later…
The halves of the ancient sphere stopped a couple of meters away from its previous direction.
A blue glow caught my attention. Looking down I saw a smoke emerge from wherever we were standing and from it something began to build behind.
But like a premonition, a thought appeared that told me to return my gaze to the figure in the center, heeding that premonition I saw the two parts of the sphere suddenly fall and rise.
The two parts quickly connected, passing through the disk they became one form again, forming the star-like sphere.
And as the two parts came together, I felt a wave of energy like a gust of heat wind rushing through the place, which only further overflowed my curiosity about this place, although my companion did not seem to have liked it as much as I did.
A strong cold current ran through me giving me a shiver, but this cold current I had felt before when I was on the bridge.
Looking over to where the smoke was now more like fog, I saw a turquoise color shoot out like a flash in several directions.
It had not been long since I had seen this color.
The fog was pushed aside with a blast of icy wind coming from the now visible turquoise ice roads formed in the midst of the darkness that did not seem to have a boundary.
Another wave of energy was felt and with it the mist was redirected to the ends of the six formed paths, covering the openings they had between them.
The second one, I thought seeing how my sight seemed to distort leaving me to see only three paths instead of six, perceiving with my sight only those three paths while the others became blurred as if the others were not there…as if the other three were an illusion.
Pick one.
Again I heard the voice in my head.
My increasingly anxious companion moved a little closer to the paths to get a closer look.
It was the second one, I was sure but I still decided to check with her before making a decision first.
But…she didn't hear the voice this time,…I'll be going crazy.
…and what do you think, what should we take?...?
I asked a little alert not to generate more tension than I had already created.
What?
Shit, now what did I do? I didn't want to scare her more than she was already and I didn't want her to start doubting me, so I felt a little worry for the first time after a while, although it wasn't the worrying feeling I normally have and it was to avoid her to be afraid of me, I felt again a bit of uncertainty, however this was still not generating any anxiety.
We are going to choose? I understand that for some reason that I don't know, you are excited to explore this place, but, are we going to choose, of course not, we will wait for them to advance, she said pointing to the fireflies, and then we will move or at least I will, whatever you decide do it under your own criteria.
My companion looked at me with a mixed gesture, similar to that of anger and uncertainty fighting among them to know which is the dominant expression.
Well, with that I checked that she did not hear the voice that sounded in my head, unless I have really started to go crazy I think I know what I will do, I'll take a chance and bet on this weird feeling.
What was your choice?
The voice spoke again, reaffirming a bit my belief that maybe I was losing my mind.
The second path.
I thought firmly, hoping that the voice could hear what I said inside my head, I guess it can, can't it, if I can hear what it says inside my head, I imagine that voice can also hear what I say.
Or so I hope.
The little luminescent creatures passed in front of me making me back up a little to let them pass.
They stopped right at the second path and walked towards it disappearing from sight the moment they touched it.
A feeling of happiness gloated over me, as if I had made a discovery or as if I had gotten something right, I jumped up and down excitedly clenching my fist and gesturing with my arm backwards as I rejoiced in my achievement.
I couldn't help it, I was even more excited to have made the right choice or what I thought I had gotten right, I didn't notice my partner staring at me as I did this kind of celebration.
Stopping crouched down on the floor I saw her looking at me, in her gaze the seed of distrust had already been planted and there was some contempt in her as well.
She looked at me for a few seconds until she turned around and hurried to follow the fireflies.
Touching the turquoise path with her first step she disappeared just as our guide had done.
Feeling somewhat stupid for what I had done and ashamed for the same I walked and also passed the turquoise ice road.
In front of me were the fireflies waiting with my companion.
I immediately noticed how the landscape around me had changed, it seemed that we had returned to the sea of pearly sand but the waves looked lower compared to the others I had seen at the beginning of this trip when I arrived to this place.
No stars scattered across the skies…
Another big difference was that it seemed to be morning because of the large stars that were on top of the great pyramids, illuminating with a light between red and orange like a sunrise or maybe sunset, maybe a mix of both.
These stars were more similar in size and shape to the star I had seen before inside the ring a while ago.
But they had no ring to imprison them and were so free that they reflected it by moving in a circle orbiting around another star.
This star was larger than the rest, almost as if it were a representation of a miniature solar system.
And this group of stars illuminated a large expanse of this area in some way, spreading its light to every corner of that part of the place.
But I was no longer sure if that was what I should pay attention to, the gigantic pyramid in front of me was a large structure and just like the first door I saw in the cave, this pyramid had an ancient but beautiful appearance.
Perhaps calling it a pyramid is not entirely correct, it resembled a tower also with a more robust part and a more stylized one.
Another shiver ran down my back causing me to turn around, the ice road that had apparently brought me this far without having to make any effort was fading away along with the bronze colored arched doorway that was in the center of the road, similar in shape to the one I had entered from that cave.
Along with the mist, I watched with a feeling of nostalgia, as the turquoise ice road slowly faded away until it vanished completely with another wave of energy, leaving no trace of the mist or the door and of course no trace of the icy road.
Turning my gaze back to the fireflies I saw a gigantic shadow cast across the sky.
The shadow passed over the pyramid, obscuring much of it, and continued to advance towards our location.
Not being able to see what the shadow was projecting, I searched the sky forcing my eyes to see anything and finally I realized that in this area there were clouds in the sky.
The shadow was about to reach where we were standing.
It was then that I managed to see a small shape advancing as it went through the clouds. It was like a…
I was interrupted when I fell straight into the lavender-colored water, looking around in surprise at the sudden change in the terrain I was standing on. Now I was no longer in front of that structure, I had changed potion in an instant.