As Mikel stepped through the hidden door, a wave of energy washed over him, almost forcing him to his knees. The room beyond was vast and circular, with walls made of polished obsidian that reflected faint, flickering lights. In the center of the chamber stood a pedestal, atop which rested a golden key.
Naira followed cautiously, her eyes darting around the room. "This place… it feels alive."
Mikel nodded. The air was thick with a strange energy, like the chamber was holding its breath, waiting for him to act. He approached the pedestal, his steps echoing in the silence. The golden key seemed to glow faintly, pulsating in time with his heartbeat.
"This must be the key to the golden door," he said, reaching out to take it.
As his fingers brushed the key, the room shifted. The obsidian walls began to shimmer, and images appeared within them—fragments of memories, dreams, and visions.
One wall showed the burning village, the flames roaring as shadows darted through the smoke. Another displayed the boy in the forest, clutching a wooden toy and crying.
But the third wall was different. It showed a woman with piercing green eyes and a kind smile. She was holding a child—Mikel—as she whispered something he couldn't hear.
"That's her," Mikel whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "My mother."
The vision shifted, showing the woman running through the forest, her face twisted with fear. She clutched Mikel tightly as shadowy figures pursued her. She reached a clearing and placed him down, pressing the pendant into his small hands.
"You'll be safe here," she said, her voice breaking. "The inn will protect you."
The shadows descended, and the vision faded.
Mikel staggered back, his heart racing. "She brought me here. She knew the inn would keep me safe."
"But why?" Naira asked, her voice trembling. "What were the shadows? Why were they after you?"
Before Mikel could answer, the chamber began to rumble. The images on the walls disappeared, replaced by a swirling darkness that seemed to seep into the room.
A deep, resonant voice echoed through the chamber. "You've come far, but the truth lies beyond this room. Are you prepared to face it?"
Mikel gripped the key tightly. "I am."
The darkness coalesced into a doorway on the far side of the chamber. It wasn't the golden door he had seen in his visions, but something older, more primal.
"Beyond this door lies the heart of the inn," the voice continued. "Your answers await, but so do your greatest fears. Step through, and there is no turning back."
Mikel glanced at Naira. "You don't have to come with me."
She shook her head. "We're in this together."
With a deep breath, Mikel stepped through the dark doorway, Naira close behind.
The doorway led to a vast expanse that defied logic. The floor was made of shifting light, and the walls stretched endlessly into the void. In the center of the space stood the golden door, its surface glowing with an ethereal light.
Mikel felt a pull toward it, as if the door was calling his name. "This is it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
As they approached, the shadows began to appear again, but this time they didn't attack. They formed a circle around the door, their red eyes fixed on Mikel.
"They're waiting," Naira said, her voice tinged with unease.
Mikel stepped forward, holding the golden key. The shadows parted, allowing him to reach the door. He placed the key into the lock, and the door began to glow brighter.
Suddenly, the shadows surged forward, their forms twisting and merging into a single, massive entity. It towered over Mikel and Naira, its presence overwhelming.
"You cannot open the door," the entity boomed. "The truths beyond it are not meant for mortal eyes."
Mikel stood his ground, gripping the key. "The inn brought me here for a reason. Whatever is behind this door, I need to see it."
The entity's form shifted, revealing countless faces within its swirling mass. Each face was twisted in agony, their mouths silently screaming.
"You are not ready," the entity said, its tone almost pleading. "Turn back now, and you will be spared the burden of knowledge."
Mikel hesitated, doubt creeping into his mind. But then he remembered the visions, the boy in the forest, and his mother's desperate plea.
"I've spent my whole life searching for answers," he said, his voice steady. "I'm not turning back."
He turned the key, and the golden door swung open, flooding the space with a blinding light.
The entity let out a deafening roar, its form unraveling as the light consumed it. Mikel shielded his eyes, stepping through the doorway.
On the other side, he found himself in a tranquil garden. The air was warm, and the sound of birdsong filled the space. In the center of the garden stood a tree with golden leaves, its branches reaching toward the sky.
Beneath the tree sat the boy from his visions. He looked up as Mikel approached, a faint smile on his face.
"Welcome home," the boy said.
Mikel stared at him, the realization dawning. "You're me. Aren't you?"
The boy nodded. "I'm the part of you that was lost. The part you've been searching for."
Mikel knelt before the boy, his heart heavy with emotion. "Why was I brought here? What is the inn's purpose?"
The boy placed a hand on Mikel's chest. "The inn is a sanctuary, a place for lost souls to find themselves. But it's also a gateway, a bridge between worlds. Your journey isn't just about finding answers—it's about becoming whole."
As the boy's words sank in, the golden leaves began to fall, surrounding Mikel in a warm glow. He felt a sense of peace he hadn't known in years, as though a missing piece of his soul had finally been restored.
When the light faded, the boy was gone, and Mikel was standing alone beneath the tree. But he no longer felt alone.
The inn had given him more than answers—it had given him himself.