

Black Tie

By Kris Shamloo
Black Tie

Kris Shamloo

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 Kris Shamloo

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be sold, modified, or used in any way commercially without explicit consent from the author. If you would like to share this book with another person, please download an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not download it, then please return to Smashwords.com and download your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Chapter 1 – Lost

The light was uncomfortably bright; I just wanted to sleep in for a few more minutes. I kept fidgeting to get into a more comfortable position. Shortly after I had to concede defeat, I was awake and I was going to stay awake. I sat up from my bed to find there was no bed at all. I was lying on terra firma. The hell? I thought. Growing amounts of panic started their drip into my skull. Where am I? After a few minutes, or maybe it was hours, (but who can say really?) I calmed down and began to study my predicament.

Well... I'm definitely isolated. Around me was a flat desolate landscape, part desert and part wasteland. Not too much made sense at the moment. I knew somehow that using the sun and a stick one could find your bearings. The terrain offered up nothing of use to this end, the plain was utterly devoid of anything remarkable in anyway. I removed my shoe and propped up it vertically with some small stones. I marked the tip of the shadow with another stone and waited.

Waiting for a few minutes to pass I reined in some of my panicked emotions and began to analyze my situation. Oh man I feel terrible. I began hacking and coughing. I had ejected an inordinate amount of spittle, no bile, no stomach acid, just vast swaths of spittle. Gross. The suffocating sensation of choking passed and my nerves once again settled. The longer I paced around my sun-compass the more I began to realize the severity of my situation. I have no idea where I am, I have no idea what the hell is going on, and I don't even know who I am.

There it is isn't it? I hadn't yet even considered my own identity; I was too taken aback by the rest of the situation. Think dammit! Nothing. Blank. No name, no social security number, no address, nothing. I could feel the hollowness in my brain where my memories had once lived. Where'd you go?

After this troubling inner monologue I returned to my makeshift sun-compass and felt that tingling, paralyzing feeling of fear. No that's all wrong. It wasn't wrong, it was as obvious and as inexplicable as gravity. The scale of the problem I was facing increased dramatically with this discovery. The shadow hadn't moved a millimeter. What the hell does that mean? I knew it was a sloppy set up but the shadow still should have moved, I was walking barefoot for some time, waiting. I went limp.

After the tidal surge of terror had ebbed in my veins I got a loose grip on myself. OK I'm in a shitty situation but if I can stay calm, I can figure this out. Alrighty, I'm still alive, small steps right? I'm still breathing, double down. My heart is still beating; three for three, life can't be that bad, right? I could see the storm cloud of a painful realization forming in the back of my mind.

The gears were turning, how do I know I'm still really alive? I guess it doesn't really matter does it? Everything I define as being alive is there; even if I was technically dead it wouldn't really change my predicament. This thin string of reason was sufficient to quiet my fears but a twinge of doubt lingered in the fringes, a scavenger stalking a dying victim.

The urge to sprint came suddenly and I ran. Am I really running from my own thoughts? What the hell is wrong with me? After my panic sprint for about two minutes ended I was gaping for breath. While my physiology forced me to rest, I once again surveyed my surroundings. Almost imperceptibly, the terrain was sloping. Waiting until my chest had stopped heaving, I laid flat to the earth and studied this slope, I had an idea that heading downhill would be a smart move. Why does it look like that? That's so odd. The terrain wasn't a straight slope; it was just barely curved, akin to the curve of an enormous bowl or sink. I followed the rays of the curve towards where I thought their origin was; the bottom of the basin.

There it was, just a tiny black hair in the distance, barely below the horizon, something in the distance, maybe dark, maybe tall, you couldn't know for sure this far away. I knew I must reach it. I set off immediately; there was nothing else to do anyway. The tiny object must have been tens of miles away, staring at it, in hopes it would grow in size faster yielded poor results. Eventually I became dizzy and frustrated with exhaustion and sat down for a moment to collect myself

I scanned the landscape once more with the hope that something else of interest would reveal itself, but only the dark object stood out. Resting my chin on my knees I sighed. That's odd. I reached down to two smooth, flat, tan stones. They're identical. Turning them over I could identify no difference between the two. I picked up another stone, similar in shape but smaller, and struck one of them to place an identifying mark between them. There you go, now you two can be yourselves.

There was an unsettling sadness for the two stone brothers, after marking one of them. As if somehow I had broken a bond they shared. Why do I feel emotional about some rocks? Feeling both recovered and a strong urge to separate myself from my two violated rocks I picked myself up and moved towards the object in the distance.

I was making good progress, or at least it felt that way. I took few breaks and every step towards my goal invigorated me. I was certain the growing object in the distance was the key to this place. Maybe it contained the reason I was stranded here in the unknown, or even better, a chance to escape. Escape from here? Where's here? Where would I escape to? The wasteland was my reality and I could think of nothing else. Every assault on my memory yielded less and less information. I kept walking.

Nightfall. Well, it should be nightfall by now. Only it wasn't nighttime at all, it was still midday; in fact I was beginning to piece together an irrational theory about my failed shadow-compass from earlier. The sun hadn't been moving, at all. I studied the sun in my periphery; it seemed to be almost completely overhead, with a slight lean towards the horizon. Wait a second. I felt the return of that terrifying surge of fear, every square inch of skin on my body tingled as my blood retreated to safety away from my extremities. For a moment I was paralyzed. Then I collapsed on hands and knees. I started coughing up spittle again as I came to terms with what was now unmistakable.

Unbelievable, how, why, what is actually going on? Where the hell am I? My eyes welled up as I tried to rationalize my latest discovery. Nothing could explain it, but I knew to my core that I was right. The fact that I knew the sun wasn't moving didn't bother me anymore, I had dealt with that. The truth was that the sun was pinned directly over the object I was heading towards. The inherent curiosity I had for that object was now marred by a twinge of the supernatural, the fear that some forces unknown and greater than you can imagine are at work and guiding your fate. Or the even more terrifying notion that your fate is merely the result of a stray ripple, a chance vibration in the pulse of the universe.

Ten, maybe fifteen miles closer towards the bottom of the basin I could outline my target; a large and mirage rippled tower black as obsidian. It stood there, beckoning me towards it, yet foreboding me against taking one more step in its direction. I felt the same way Pandora must have felt when she first saw her box, the knowledge that you must and simultaneously must not continue. In the monotony of the march towards the tower I reattempted the siege on my memory. Nothing distinct came up, sometimes the name of a city, or the vague description of an animal. One thing was certain; my memory was only getting worse. Whatever world I had stumbled into was rapidly becoming my own reality. The slope of the basin was imperceptible now, but the tower grew steadfast with each step.

As I continued towards the tower the desolate landscape began to evolve some strange peculiarities. The hard dirt I was walking on was littered with flat round stones. Every mile I progressed the stones became more and more similar. By the time I was five miles away from the base of the tower they were indistinguishable and arranged in what appeared to be a large triangular grid, perhaps one yard between each stone. The arrangement pointed directly towards the tower. Every stone I mistakenly loosed filled me with the guilt of a child who knows he's done wrong but doesn't understand the rule he broke. I tread carefully.

The tower was around one hundred yards tall. Its surface was so black it seemed that it was absorbing the light from the sun that was perched directly above it. The triangular stone grid circling the tower ended another hundred yards from the base. The tower was an obelisk with four sides that gently sloped inwards towards a pyramidal cap. I knew the cap was there from walking towards the tower but it could not be discerned from the base of the structure. The material felt smooth, stone like but also metallic. It was covered with a very subtle embossing of something cross between a circuit board and the withered assault of a kudzu vine.

I inspected the tower for some time. First, I simply stared for hours trying to find some fault in the stone, some crack, a lever, anything. There has to be something here. It made no sense; a blinding sense of purpose filled me yet I could not identify my goal. I was driven, inexorably driven towards some final outcome that was as mysterious as the obelisk. The endless drone of the desert had faded from my mind. The tower filled my consciousness. I was struck with inspiration and immediately turned back to the desert. I used my shirt as a basket and carried as many of the identical stone discs back from the grid. I purposefully gathered only the inner most ring of the stones, it lessened the feeling of disturbing something sacred.

The twinge of upsetting the gods was lessened as I began executing my plan. I carefully stacked the stone discs adjacent to one of the corners of the obelisk. I dug my heel in the dirt and drew a single line. Don't surrender your logic, you can figure this out. I moved to the next corner and drew two lines. Each corner was numbered. I then lettered the faces from A to D. The stack of discs was as high as I could have reached.

I placed my palm flat against the surface of the tower. My fingers perfectly aligned with the top of the first disc. Be patient, you have time. I closed my eyes, slowed my breathing, and focused as intently as I could on the sensation of the contact between the obelisk and my hand.

The first length was the hardest. I lost focus countless times while slowly scanning the base of the tower with my fingers. After about thirty minutes the first pass was done and I removed the first five stone discs, the same width my hand had covered. I placed the discs at the second corner, and returned to the original stack. Hour after hour passed away invisibly under the stationary sun. The first two faces were completely scanned, nothing discernable could be felt. I started to worry that this might be a foolish plan. If I couldn't see anything why would I be able to feel it? I began tracing the third wall.

I had walked two full steps before I realized what I had touched. I froze. It was something wasn't it? I dare not open my eyes; I slowly etched my way back to the source. At first I thought I overshot it in my excitement. But then I felt it again. It was ever so slightly out of place from the shallow embossing covering the rest of the structure. I paused and narrowed my feel to my fingers. Yep, there it is. It was a bump, tiny, negligible, not the grandiose mechanism I was expecting to match the magnificence of the tower.

I lost the exact whereabouts of the bump occasionally, inducing slight panic at times. Only when I fully calmed my senses could I find it again, eyes firmly shut. The material the tower consisted of was just too dark to make out the bump visually. I pushed, turned, pressed, begged, pleaded, and insulted the tiny blemish on the tower. Nothing, not a damned thing. I lost confidence in my ambiguous quest, I had found something, only it didn't matter because I couldn't identify it or use it. I imagined this is how physicists feel when they witness incomprehensible phenomena, they know something incredible is happening and are given the ultimate punishment of being forbidden to understand their observations.

I sat directly in front of the bump; it was at about chest level when standing. I stared at the general area of it and began to pick the lock with my mind. What haven't I tried? I had thrown sand and dirt on it, spit on it, wept on it, attacked it with a disc. I got it! Before I could test my new theory I began giggling uncontrollably. Giddiness swept through me at the elegance of the solution. I knew it would work. I stood up, closed my eyes and with the precision of a surgeon placed my fingertips directly on the blemish. I leaned in, exhaled, and kissed.

The emotion of kissing held me there longer than I had expected as the image of a beautiful girl manifested and then vanished before my lips. I slowly backed from the obelisk staring upwards. Your move buddy. My thought was immediately answered with an unimpressive 'thud' that sounded as if it originated hundreds of meters below my feet. I felt the slow steady surge of some ancient power climbing unstoppably towards the tower. It took longer than I had expected but the whole tower became alive. Jagged and strangely shaped panels manifested on its surface, they protruded for a moment, expelled a large quantity of what appeared to be steam and then vanished back into the skin of the obelisk.

The initial surge flowed with a wave towards the pinnacle as hundreds of panels of varying sizes vented and vanished. Once the influx had stopped and the tower was receiving steady power only occasionally and at random intervals did a panel appear and ventilate. Steam means boilers, water, an engine! My brain couldn't piece the next revelation together fast enough. It seemed that my epiphany triggered the cataclysm of my fears. The obelisk does someth-

Darkness flooded the landscape like a crashing wave. The air ripped from my lungs. The sun was blotted out and the horizon was illuminated with erratic and fierce streaks of purple lightning. The haze was toxic, I choked through each breath. My instincts kicked in and I frantically looked for a way to climb the tower in hopes to escape this inky death that surrounded me.

I froze. A surge of paralyzing fear took me, my skin crawled and my breath froze. In the corner of my vision I thought I could see some grotesque silhouette. The moment I turned to examine the shadow it had vanished. Get a grip, there's nothing out there. I was trying in vain to push my back into the immovable wall of the obelisk. The lightning ceased and as the perfect dark sank around me I could feel death approaching.

Steam erupted from the panel I was unknowingly leaning against. The sudden movement and violence of the ventilation threw me down, I looked at the vent perplexed, not fully comprehending what had happened until the steam had dissipated and the panel returned perfectly flush into the tower.

The shadows! As I turned away from the obelisk and back towards the unknown haze a massive lightning bolt struck not far from me. In the same instant it struck the sun over the obelisk reappeared and swiftly lifted the veil of the toxic shadow. The animal fear of being hunted faded. In the distance near where the lightning had struck there was a new figure, a small black pedestal.
Chapter 2 – Descent

With each step towards the black pedestal the fear that had invaded my mind during the blackout lessened. The pedestal stood where the innermost ring of stones had been. The surface was smooth and uncannily dark, made from the same material as the obelisk. The flat square top bore a single white object, a small marble figurine of a man weeping. I held it and examined it with pure curiosity. Why are you here? I felt pity and sadness for my little marble man. I turned him over in my hand, staring, waiting for a response I knew I wouldn't get from him.

I pocketed the figurine and examined the pedestal further. I gripped the square top of the pedestal and tried to remove it from its base. The top held firm but hinted subtly that it did indeed move. I tried pushing and sliding to no avail though it was now obvious that the top could definitely be shifted. I let the grip come back to my tired hands. Oh, I bet that's it. I smirked at my preconceived victory and regrasped the edges of the table top. I strained every muscle in my body to rotate the top of the pedestal. Exasperated I sat down next to the small stone structure. It refused to budge.

I know it moves, how the hell do I move it? After five minutes of recuperating and relaxing my nerves I sat up and looked at the pedestal inquisitively. I started giggling to myself as I stood up and reproached the top of the pedestal. As I grasped the edges again I applied a small fraction of the force I had applied earlier and the top rotated smoothly ninety degrees. Noted, always try both ways. As the top realigned with the base it firmly clicked into its new position. The pedestal silently retracted into the hard packed sand and vanished. A massive cloud of steam bellowed from a ventilating panel on the base of the obelisk.

The panel continued to protrude from the tower further than normal, as it fully crossed the threshold of the tower's surface it crashed unceremoniously into the dirt. I stared at the void in the obelisk. I have to go inside don't I? I approached the opening cautiously. My feet planted firmly outside the tower I peered inside, a green iridescent glow filled the cramped space. The interior was packed full of dull metal piping and pieces of complex machinery foreign to my eyes. A series of small pipes terminated around the edge of the doorway. This must be where the steam ventilates through. As the thought completed hot steam exploded out of one of the upper vents. I couldn't place any distinct sights or sounds but I had the feeling that massive objects were shifting with each roar of exhaust.

I stared down the tight corridor leading into the center of the obelisk. The path dog-legged around a set of enormous piping, obscuring the center of the room from view. This is it, if I cross this threshold there's no turning back. What would I even turn back to? The desert? The choking black haze? I'm damned either way. The paralysis of the decision still held me for a moment. I lifted my leg through the doorway. I lightly set my foot down on the metal grate of the corridor; the neon green glow pulsed inside.

I recoiled. My mind went blank; I slumped against the outside of the obelisk. The sun shone down on my head. I enjoyed the brightness and the steady warmth. A feeling of intense weariness filled me; my mind became a void as I slid ungracefully to the ground. I lay there motionless in the dirt.

The girl. For a moment I saw a slim figure in the mirage of the desert. She vanished. Come back. My only desire was to be comforted, to be told it was going to be ok. I doubted my strength to see this trial through to the end. I doubted my mind to uncloud the mystery. I doubted everything. Most of all I just wanted someone to help. I'll never see her again. I didn't fight the emotions, I let them come freely. The intensity of them filled me like a wave, building, peaking, and vanishing. The minutes ticked away and I was rejuvenated.

I stood up to face the threshold once more. I quickly crossed the doorway into the interior of the tower. The glow seemed to be emanating from the machinery itself. The floor was a thick metal grate with a murky abyss below. The path was walled with countless miles of piping, valves, and incessantly humming machinery. I guided around the dog-leg, the narrow path led towards the center of the room.

There was a small rectangular cage with a pyramidal cap. The only thing to suggest this cage was an elevator was the small lever mounted inside it. The cage appeared to be flush with the floor and gave no sway when I stepped inside it. Full steam ahead Captain. The switch felt satisfying, clicking firmly into the down position.

The lift began its descent undramatically. It dropped smoothly into the darkness of the unlit shaft. The only light was the green glow from the metal of the cage. The acceleration downwards was relentless. The light breeze became a steady wind. The cage continued to accelerate. The steady wind became a violent gale as the cage continued to gain speed. Wow this is fast.

The sensation of moving at unbelievable speed in darkness was unsettling. The gale died down with the same slow drive that birthed it. The lift returned to a reasonable speed as it approached the bottom. The orange glow of fire could be seen below me.

The lift reached the bottom of shaft, I wasn't sure how deep I was underground but by the length and speed of the journey it must have been miles. The cage was barely moving as it crossed the ceiling of the antechamber. The source of the fiery glow could be seen now. The room was vast and empty save for the centerpiece. A massive glass ring floating in the center of the room, filled with fire.

The room was circular with a floor of pale marble. The lift quietly sat in the corner, still softly glowing green. I paced slowly around the glass ring, staring in awe. The heat from the ring could be felt through the glass. A dark metal ring equal in diameter was embedded in the floor below and ceiling above the ring. Magnets maybe? The metallic ping from my tapping confirmed my suspicion. What's this? Floating effortlessly in the center of the glass ring was a small gunmetal disc. I ducked under the ring of fire and stood inside the center of the glass.

Nervous fear bubbled in my neck. I reached for the disc, it was held firmly in the magnetic field. I grabbed both sides of the disc and pulled my full weight on it. The field let go and I crashed to the ground disc in hand. Just because it worked doesn't mean it wasn't stupid. The pain in my back and shoulder subsided to a dull throb and I examined my prize. It seemed completely unremarkable until I turned it over.

That crippling feeling of fear of the unknown swept over me. The feeling lingered as my brain contemplated the single cryptic word etched neatly into the opposite side of the disc, Welcome.

**

After fully examining both sides nothing but the cryptic greeting could be discerned. I stood up from my seat in the middle of the ring of fire and placed the disc back in the field. It required the same force to push it back into the invisible net as it did to remove it. The last touch of my hand on the disc set it slowly spinning.

I ducked back under the glass ring and savored the warmth it gave for a moment. The room was devoid of any features or markings. I briefly considered scanning the walls again with my hand, as I had done on the surface. That probably won't work twice. I was getting better at emptying my mind of distractions; I was beginning to fully accept my position in this mystery world. It was the only world I knew.

I remembered the little statuette I had retrieved from the pedestal and removed him from my pocket. He lay in my hand forever weeping. I carefully placed him on the metal disc anxiously awaiting a response. It's still spinning. The weeping man circled while my brain followed suit. I removed him from the slowly moving disc. Maybe the ring will spin too. The massive glass ring wouldn't budge. Maybe not.

Try everything, I thought. I gripped both sides of the disc and set it spinning quickly. A series of audible mechanical clicks spiraled around me. First you unlock the lock. I ducked back under the glass ring and placed my hands firmly around it again. It moved freely now. I began running with the ring setting it spinning as well. Then you open the door. The reaction was immediate. I heard the dull groan of large objects being moved against their will. The walls began to shift and break into even strips of material. Spurts of steam popped out of the broken seams and the entire room began to change shape.

The circular room had reversed its curve inwards resulting in four corners with narrowing hallways. The lift I had entered on was now adjacent to the moving wall where before it was sitting well away from it. That was interesting. The four new corridors terminated in metal doorways, the same iridescent metal used inside the hulk of the obelisk. Each door was marked with circles. One with one circle, another with two, and so on. Door number one shall we? I walked towards the door.

Upon reaching the door I was suddenly hit with a strong urge to return to the surface. Keep going buddy, this is just the beginning. Fittingly, the door had no apparent handle or opening mechanism. I'm never going to get a break am I? My body and mind were tired from the puzzling nature of this place. I sat down in the corridor and closed my eyes. I didn't think about the door, I didn't think about anything.

I felt a strange sense of relaxation I hadn't felt before. I wasn't asleep and I wasn't awake. I just existed. This is nice. Consciously recognizing I was enjoying myself had snapped me out of my drifting mental state. And now it's gone. The metal disc was obscured behind the majesty of the glass ring of fire. The glass ring was still spinning but now at barely a crawl, I assumed the disc was doing likewise.

I stood back up and examined the door. I said aloud, "Just open dammit I'm tired of games." The door obliged. A barely visible seam in the center of the door split as the two halves swung open. I stood there stunned for a moment, contemplating what just happened. That's the first time frustration has ever solved a problem.

The long solemn hallway was illuminated by a long length of fire filled glass; much thinner in diameter than the glass centerpiece in the anteroom, and much dimmer as well. I could see the end of the hallway opening to another section. The marble floor stopped at the threshold and gave way to a vast expanse of soft sand. The illuminating glass also ceased and pale pink-blue starlight filled the room.

I crossed the threshold. The chamber was magnificent; a massive spherical dome giving the illusion of the night sky. The entire ceiling was studded with tiny points of light like stars. The sloping walls reached the sandy floor almost vertically. The urge to touch it was irresistible.

The feel was strange, it was firm like hard rubber with slightly more give than you would expect. I pressed against one of the points of light; it felt no different than the rest of the material. I moved away from the entrance towards the three stone rings on the opposite side of the chamber. They look like wells. They were, the three low stone rings were filled with water.

I peered in the center well and couldn't see the bottom. I carefully touched the surface of the water. It was ice cold. I sat on the stone lip of the well. Looking up the ceiling gave the perfect illusion of a starry expanse; I lost myself in the thought of being outside for a moment. Only if I were outside, it would be day. It's always the day outside. The twilight was beautiful.

I turned to the wells, the fear of the unknown returned. What if something is down there? I didn't see any other options. I began to remove my clothing to enter the first well. To my relief, only the center well was frigid. Hold on. Maybe there's another way, something other than blindly forward. I thought of everything I had seen so far.

What other way is there? Forward is just a word, I'm not moving in any direction I'm just moving. I hadn't been given any choices. The only choice I have is to move or to sit still. I sat on the lip of the well half undressed. My eyes lost focus and drifted towards some unknown in the distance. Something deep the back of my mind had made its presence known. It had originated these thoughts. I didn't know whether to fear it or embrace it.

The immobilizing thought vanished and I turned back towards the well. Pony up. I lowered myself in. Hanging on the lip of the well I slowed my breathing. I took a large gulp of air and sluggishly descended feet first. I didn't go very far. I surfaced and refilled my lungs. Relax, stay relaxed. I went deeper and deeper, eventually getting the courage to turn in the tight space and swim down headfirst.

Though my descents were getting further down the well there was no end in sight. The well continued downward, seemingly forever into the inky abyss. I'll need a new plan. I checked the remaining two wells in the same manner. Definitely need a new plan.

I walked wet and naked back to the antechamber; I dried under the warmth of the glass ring. The endless storm of fire inside the ring was beautiful; while I mechanically redressed myself I enjoyed the marvel of the ring. Even in my prison there is beauty. I thought of the starry sky in the first room. Despite my failure in the wells I felt encouraged.

The green glow of the lift caught my eye. Let's check back upstairs. I climbed back into the elevator and threw the switch once more. Knowing what to expect the ride was less frightening, the tremendous wind was made more eerie by the utter lack of vibration in the lift. It just smoothly flew up. The lift came to a halt back into the machinery room at the base of the obelisk.

I explored the interior more thoroughly. Nothing seemed out of place or in disrepair, every valve, cog, and moving part sauntered along with casual precision. The whole feel of the place was as if this sort of engineering perfection was an everyday occurrence, there was a palpable sense of nonchalance to the motion of the machinery. It's as if the machinery knows it's working well. I headed towards the entrance.

The brightness overwhelmed me, but my eyes quickly adjusted. I stood on the crashed plate of the entrance and examined the desolate surroundings. I thought of the antechamber and the three wells. I walked towards the perimeter of the stone field. I paced around the inner ring eyeing the obelisk. I had the look and feel of a predator, the obelisk my prey. I'll figure you out, just wait. The brimming confidence building in me was pierced by the memory of the frightening black haze, that sensation of imminent doom. I lowered my head and walked back towards the tower.

I returned to the machinery room. Head still bowed; I was looking at my feet standing on the metal grates. I straddled one of the pieces and placed my fingers in the gaps of the platform. The grate moved slowly, it was held in the by the pressure of rubber bushings. I held the metal rectangle I had acquired. This thing is beefy. The unexpected weight quickly tired my grip. I set the piece down and looked into the darkness of the void it created. There was a forest of sprawling piping. The neatly packed pipes in the main chamber had exploded into the tangled root system of a wild tree. I lowered myself into the piping jungle.

The network of piping provided the only illumination in the room. I cautiously climbed down to bottom. The floor and walls were the same dark black obsidian of the obelisk. The pale green glow was easily swallowed by the light absorbing material. From the edge of the large cylindrical room I could see the massive cluster of pipes entering from the base of the obelisk. Crossing the threshold into the pipe room the roots of the tower sprawled in every direction and terminated into the walls of the room. The machinist's jungle.

I weaved my way through the forest; the center was too densely packed to be investigated. A full lap of the perimeter revealed there was nothing of interest. Well that was pointless. I started my climb up towards the open grate. Staring at the blank hole the unusual weight of the metal struck out in my mind. As I climbed higher towards the hole the plan materialized in my head.

Reaching the machinery room I replaced the grate in its original position on the main walkway. I walked towards the end of the walkway where the floor circled around the lift in the center. I bent down and began removing the grates behind the elevator cage. I skipped every other grate so the gap I created didn't become too large. After I had removed three I loaded them into the elevator.

Progress, I hope. I flipped the lift switch and dropped steadily towards the antechamber. I smirked at the ring of fire as I walked the first heavy piece towards the wells. I leaned it against the first well and returned to the lift for the second. A few minutes later and all three pieces were in the spherical chamber.

I went to the center well grabbing the first glowing metal grate. Here goes nothing. I dropped the piece into the water. It splashed and sank quickly. A tremendous slam followed the clang of the metal reaching the bottom. Oh no. I turned around at the source of the sound. The entrance to the hallway had vanished.
Chapter 3 – Wet

I stared at the space where the hallway had been; as if my gaze would somehow coerce it back into existence. I was stunned by the finality of it. I was always going to have to face these wells alone anyway. Why do I feel cut off? From what? From who? The feeling stuck despite the lack of explanation, for the first time since I had arrived I truly felt alone. As my mind settled I turned back towards the well. I crawled towards the lip of the well and looked down. There it is. At the bottom of the well, maybe fifty feet down, the pale green glow of the grate shimmered. I threw the two other pieces in their respective wells revealing the same thing. That's deep but it's possible.

Once again I stripped my clothing. While preparing for the first dive attempt I had another idea, I should have brought more metal... the weight would have helped me descend faster. The thought reminded me of the sealed hallway and I shuddered. I sat with my feet in the well. I drew in slow, deep breaths. I silently slid into the water and began my swim down. I felt comfortable in the water; I knew I would have no trouble making it down now that I had a visible destination.

I reached the metal grate and looked around at the bottom of the well. The stone walls terminated into the stone floor. I patiently scanned the walls of the well to find whatever I was looking for, nothing. The smooth bricks of the well were bare. I ran out of time and headed towards the surface. I recalled what I had seen at the bottom while I caught my breath. Nothing stood out to me; the only thing unusual down there was the grate that I had added. Maybe it's under the grate? Eager to test my new theory and return to the warm glass ring I hurriedly swam down to the bottom. My chest started to burn for oxygen before I was two thirds of the way down. I wasn't going to make it. My excitement had drummed up my heart rate and I was burning air much faster than normal.

Reluctantly I turned around and began my return ascent. Five feet from the surface my vision began to go dark. Don't black out, fight it, focus, concentrate. I gasped for breath when I broke the smooth surface of the water. I sat on the edge of the well defeated. What's the point? Rage filled me. I screamed aloud "What's the fucking point?" I listened to the silent indifference of the faux night sky. I was a leper with no one to hate me; it was the cold indifference of the place that got to me. I dug in my pants pocket for the statue of the weeping man. "I know how you feel." We wept together.

A short time later I had pieced myself together. The feelings of rage and despair came, were expressed, and passed. I turned back to the well. I placed the weeping man back in my pocket for safe keeping. I filled my lungs with air and returned into the water. I reached the grate and lifted up. Beneath the grate was a small recessed handle. I gripped it and lifted. The handle lifted a lid covering a small hole in the bottom of the well.

In the hole was a small shining orb. I looked at it unimpressed, that's it? I grabbed the sphere and headed to the surface. The orb was a glass ball filled with a bright red liquid. The vividness of the color was out of place in the twilight of the false stars. I gently set it down amongst my clothes.

I approached the center well. A strong sense of foreboding emanated from its icy cold water, the first well was much warmer. I ignored it and moved to the third well. The third well held the same secret as the first, only this time a radiant blue swirled inside the orb. I had retrieved it in only two dives this time. The satisfaction of retrieving the second orb was short lived. The center well loomed in my mind. I had no excuse now, the center well sat there ice cold. The only discernable difference between the first two wells was the temperature. Yet despite this the center well seemed insurmountable. I approached it with the same fear and respect one would approach a sleeping beast.

My pale reflection glimmered in the twilight of the well as I examined the grate resting on the bottom. I guess that's what I look like. My features distracted me from my objective for only a moment. Fifty feet away, distorted by the water, the grate looked just as the others had, a pale luminous speck. How long am I going to put this off? I lowered myself in; the cold had shocked me into erratic breathing. I relaxed myself and in a few short minutes was diving towards the depths of the center well.

The bottom was identical as the other two wells; I reverently lifted the last grate revealing the final stone handle. I curled my fingers around the handle. The reaction was immediate. The handle violently retracted into the bottom of the well, pulling my arm along with it. The whole length of my arm had been swallowed by the floor of the well. I let go to pull my arm out. Shit! I was too slow; a clamp instantly seized my wrist, my arm was trapped. The struggle had burnt the rest of the oxygen in my lungs, I craved air, I craved the surface. It could have been five feet away or five hundred, it wouldn't have mattered.

I looked around for any clue, a switch, a lever, something, anything to release me from the icy pit. The burning in my chest had spread to my limbs; my muscles began to contract uncontrollably. Any mental faculty I had left was being used solely to fight the relentless urge to breathe. This is it. This is how you die. My body stopped contracting; the only remaining oxygen in my blood was shunted to my brain for a few more precious seconds of life.

The clamp around my wrist let go. I desperately tried to pull my hand out fast enough but the clamp regripped. The handle! In my panicked frenzy my fingers had unknowingly clawed their way back around the stone handle. I quickly reached for it again, the clamp let go again. I pulled my arm out, still holding the handle. It slid out easily. But it was already too late; I couldn't ascend fifty feet without more air. I have to try. I planted my feet and with one final effort bolted for the surface. The light of the world evaporated. I went unconscious.

I was lying prone on a magic carpet, my arms were crossed and my chin rested on them. A vast sparkling city sat before me, in the middle of the desert. The city formed a bustling glowing ring around a large teardrop shaped oasis. At the tip of the teardrop a magnificent palace stood proudly. The palace couldn't be imagined without the city, nor could the city be imagined without the palace. The sight was breathtaking.

To the east the tiny silhouette of a man riding a dark horse sped towards the city and the oasis. Who is this rider in the night? Does he bear good or ill will? My carpet slowly descended towards the desert floor. I stood on the carpet near the outskirts of the city. It had landed and sat motionless on the sand. As I stepped off I heard an inhuman shriek, I crouched instinctively. The black haze appeared out of nowhere and devoured me. I was hacking and coughing uncontrollably as it filled my lungs.

I awoke from my dream hacking and coughing water on the floor of the well. The stone surface was still wet though the water had vanished. I was wasted, my limbs were leaden and fatigued, my chest ached and my head pounded. Every breath restored a small iota of my strength; I sat slumped against the wall of the well. Eyes shut, mind shut. Breathing was the only burden I had the strength to bear.

I think an hour had passed before I willed my eyes open, the stones now held only the hint of dampness, save for where my body had prevented the water from evaporating. I stood and looked up at the distant opening to the well. Damn. The air allowed more light to reach the bottom than before but the grate still provided the majority of the illumination, casting a radioactive green shadow on everything. The hole my arm was trapped in remained.

I pieced together the puzzle. Pulling back on the handle had triggered some sort of draining mechanism, even if I had enough oxygen to make the distance I wouldn't have been able to get out of the well if the water had dropped just a few feet. I had blacked out mid ascent, the water draining had pulled me to the floor of the well and by some miracle I hadn't inhaled enough water to kill myself. Damn.

The well was too smooth to scale normally. I went back to the hole and tried my best to examine it. The handle sat innocently at the bottom. I really don't want to do this again. I reluctantly placed my arm back into the hole and grab the handle. I turned it, pulled it, and pushed it. It held fast. I removed my grip, I hesitated a moment, the arm clamp did not activate. Well that's a relief. The weight of the near drowning began to lift and the turnings in my mind became increasingly lucid. I began examining the stone blocks lining the well, a hidden cache maybe?

The patient discipline learned from meticulously examining the base of the obelisk became invaluable as I similarly tapped and pressed each reachable stone. My mind wandered. An innocuous stone gave way. My focus snapped back to the present. What's this? I placed both hands on the stone and steadily moved it back. The stone below had a hollow top. Sitting quietly in the recession was a worn leather bound journal. I'm not sure I'm ready for this. I was scared that the book would reveal some terrible revelation about my presence in this place. I reached for the journal with trepidation and sat leaning against the wall of the well. I opened it.

I shut the book, not because of its contents; I hadn't read a single line yet. What the hell was that? I looked up. I had never felt terror like this before. It was all consuming, if my breath wasn't already stolen away from me I would have gagged on it.

The dark shadowy outlines of men stood ringing the top of the well. Oh God I'm not alone. An inhuman scream emanated from the top of the well, it was the violent grinding of stones overlaid with the terrible screech of metal against chalkboard. The paralysis of fear turned into disbelief at what I saw next.

One of the figures jumped. Its human outline grew as it hurtled towards me. I finally broke my stasis and pinned myself against the wall of the well. The figures body smashed into the surface of the well and a massive shower of sand engulfed me. Sand? I looked down, nothing remained but sand. I didn't have time to analyze the situation, more battle cries emanated from the top of the well.

Two more shadows flew towards me; they crashed similarly into the bottom. Sand flew everywhere. The floodgates came open, the sand demons were endless. Their bodies became my step ladder out of the well. I had risen almost ten feet atop the growing layer of sand. I clutched the journal tightly in one arm. The assault stopped. The sand demons lined the entrance of the well.

They're waiting for something. I waited with them. They stared at me while I stared at them, like two enemies pacing between a glass wall that would inevitably be shattered. They were sizing me up, I was sizing them up. They stood motionless at the well entrance for hours. I realized that I must do something to progress our battle. There must be another stone to press. I found one. It slid back only a few inches and then made a satisfying 'click'. The floor began to rise. The mass of sand below me was being pushed towards the well entrance. The starlight of the ceiling pulsated brighter and brighter.

The sand monsters stood motionless, they were ready. Halfway towards the surface they began jumping again, just one or two at a time now to gauge the height. Sometimes only their legs would be destroyed and I would have to stomp their clawing torsos out of existence. The feeling of their bodies crumble and collapse under my feet was pleasing.

Finally having an enemy other than my own mind and a desolate tower was a strange relief. I knew that in a few feet the full assault would start. I clasped the journal shut and threw it out of the well. The monsters didn't react to it at all. Good, they're only interested in me. They leaped.

Their attacks were wild and flailing, their bodies fragile, a singular blow would dispatch most of my opponents. Their landed strikes stung and scraped my skin. One of the leaping demons landed on my arm removing a large chunk of skin. The well had almost risen fully to the surface, I was taking a beating, their numbers were endless. As the well returned to the surface I saw the scale of my problem. The sand warriors were manifesting out of the sand of the vast chamber, a growing, writhing cornfield of faceless warriors charging towards me.

I won't last in this. I instinctively dove into the first well. The assault ceased after two of the beasts leapt and dissolved into the water of the well. My breath was running out rapidly, I was exhausted from the fight. The refreshing water cooled me and stung at my open wounds. I lingered beneath the surface as I watched the blood smoke off my arm like a burning cigarette.

I broached the surface, the monsters arms reached for me. I had strayed too far from the center of the well. Dodging the eager reach of one, I moved in range of the assailant behind me. His grip on my neck was just secure enough to drag me from the well but the water loosed his attempts at my throat.

I rolled away in the sand and resumed my battle. I was furious with rage. I fought back towards the filled in center well. Time to get desperate. I dove for the two glass orbs and used them to bludgeon my opponents. They fell easily but their numbers made victory impossible.

My energy was drained, a wild swing with the red orb let loose a sickening cracking noise from the glass. A single bead of the vibrant red fluid dripped out. The assault stopped as every beast spawned stared at the drop in the sand. The shriek they let loose was unbearable, the fury of their siege doubled and they moved towards me in a horrible relentless wave. I fought briefly then bent over clutching the two orbs. The wave fully crashed on me, I buckled against the weight of the sand and their clawing, I was about to collapse completely.

Purple. I smashed the two orbs together. A massive cloud of purple dust exploded filling the whole room. The sand warriors had vanished. A purple powdery haze lingered in the air. I coughed purple, I breathed purple, I had purple all over my skin. I walked to the well; my entire body was covered in the stuff. It had mixed with my wounds, I even bled purple. I certainly wasn't expecting that. My thoughts jumped to the leather journal. I found it near the third well covered in purple dust but still intact. Good, I'm sure that thing is important.

I spent the next few minutes relaxing and bathing in the well. Between the dust on myself and my clothes the water took on a swirling violet hue. I finished the rinse in the third well. The dust had clotted my wounds and blood stopped oozing. That's convenient. The weeping statue sat freshly cleaned on the edge of the well. My arms and head rested on the edge next to him. "Try not to be sad forever." He didn't respond. "Just saying." I shrugged; silence. My gaze shifted towards the journal.
Chapter 4 – Sisters

The entrance to the hallway was still sealed. That journal is the key. Sitting on the edge of the well with my feet rhythmically kicked in the water. I waited for the air to dry my hands, it didn't take long. The journal couldn't wait any longer. I managed to wipe most of the purple residue off but a bit still held fast to the papers. The thin strip of leather binding the journal untied easily.

**

Entry #1

I've found them! Years of chasing rumors and threads of threads and I've found them! Pray now I don't lose the trail. The sisters have moved to Rauchenwarth, a small hamlet south of Vienna, their evil game no doubt still afoot. I've taken a room at the inn of a neighboring hamlet, Ebergassing; I dare not reside in the same village as the sisters, that would be too close. My hosts are an old married couple, they speak very little, they go about their business with the quiet efficiency lent from years of experience. Their rates are fair for the area and their coffee is quite good. This morning I got up earlier than usual and felt the urge for some rigorous calisthenics. I bathed and headed towards Rauchenwarth. I had never been so close to the sisters before, I must proceed with extreme caution.

I spent the day in Rauchenwarth trying to surreptitiously discover the precise whereabouts of the sisters. I took care to never reveal my true name or identity to the locals who I questioned. I stopped by the local tavern to ask the barman if anything strange had been going on. He told me the strangest thing to happen recently was a nosy traveler asking if anything strange had been going on. His sour attitude was likely due to my tip, or lack thereof. This quest had already cost me quite a deal of money.

Entry #2

After an exhaustive search today I have located the cottage the sisters are staying in. My belief is that they prey only on travelers heading to or from Vienna, never preying on locals. It is brilliant in its simplicity, it would take some time for suspicion to fall on the small town and by then they would have moved again. Tomorrow I shall observe the sister's cottage from a hide near their residence. God willing, I will learn their habits so as best to exploit them.

Entry #3

My God this is worse than I had feared! The cottage remained silent all morning and through the afternoon (though I did doze off for twenty minutes or so at noon). In the evening, with the setting sun I saw it. The silhouette of a woman exited the cellar, turned examining the countryside, and entered the cottage. Moments later two figures exited the cottage and entered the cellar. I have seen the sisters! My hand is shaking now as I write, the terror still lingers in me. I heard a scream of terror emanating from the cellar then abrupt silence! I was frozen in my hide by fear, I dare not move. I stayed there motionless for an hour before I dared to leave. I don't think I'll sleep this night.

**

The entries ended. That's it? I leafed through the rest of the journal, all the pages were blank. I was disappointed. The journal was supposed to be my key, the answer to the riddle, yet it was worthless. I tied it shut.

My clothes were now dry; I scanned the area where the hallway entrance used to be. I sighed with empathy for every rat trapped in a maze somewhere. I know how you feel. I held the figurine of the weeping man. "We'll get out of here." Out of the corner of my eye I saw something strange. The violet hue of the well I had bathed in changed; it was the same luminous blue of the second orb. I knelt next to it.

I went to the remnants of the smashed glass orbs, only a few drops of each fluid had survived the reaction. With my left hand I cradled the last remnants of the red fluid, uncaged by the glass; its vividness was even more stunning. I dipped my finger into the second well. The red fluid bloomed in the clear water. The rushing of sand turned my attention back to the center well, the well bottom descended gracefully back to the bottom. It began to rain.

For a moment I wondered at the marvel of rain inside an underground chamber. I guess that's the sort of place this is. It was slowly filling the center well. A loud thud indicated that I was free from the first room; I turned to see the door open. I began walking towards the hallway entrance.

In the distance I saw the familiar glow of the glass centerpiece illuminating the room. I had just crossed into the hallway when I saw the light flicker. Something is down there. The light of the antechamber vanished. Oh no.

An inhuman howl bellowed from the ring room. It knows I'm here. The black haze preceded the thunder of its charge towards me. I sprinted back towards the raining room. The black haze engulfed me as it had on the surface. I started hacking uncontrollably.

The roar of the massive beast moving towards me grew louder. I was nearly to the wells; I prayed the torrent had filled the center well enough for a landing. With my heart pounding, holding my breath in the red or blue wells was out of the question. The beast was just behind me now, its wet snarl and asthmatic wheezing rang in my ears. I leapt down the well; the bottom was hidden by the haze. My momentum slammed me against the wall of the shaft as I fell.

I crashed through the five feet of water and bounced off the floor of sand. I made it. The collision with the wall and the choking haze had taken all the air out of me and I immediately surfaced. Between choked coughs I slid towards the wall of the well in case the monster had decided to follow me down. I looked up. The rain and the haze filled the well.

The beast stood invisible at the top of the well. Nothing could be seen through the haze and rain, but it was there, waiting. You could feel its physicality; it had an aura of horrid power. The water rose slowly, bringing me closer to my fate.

Treading water in the suffocating dark was exhausting. The monsoon continued to deliver me inexorably towards my hunter. With a blinding flash of light the haze was lifted. Just before the flash had cleansed the haze and the demon away I saw its grotesque outline against the light. The horrific revelation stunned me; I sank beneath the surface drifting aimlessly. There are two of them.

The first encounter with the haze hadn't scarred me significantly; I had shelved the memory in the back of my mind. I engulfed myself in unraveling the mystery of the obelisk. The second attack brought the harsh reality that I was in serious danger, I wasn't safe underground, and the attacks happened with no warning. The half-empty well worked this time, but it's almost filled now.

A few minutes later I was treading water at the top of the well. The rain stopped. The downpour had flushed most of the color from the other two wells. Now only the faint tint of red and blue remained diluted in each. A ribbon of color spread on the sand where each well had spilt its colorful overflow.

The entrance to the hallway was still open. If the beasts left footprints the rain had washed away any sign of their presence. I headed back to the caged ring of fire to dry off yet again. The journal was soaked, it stayed open under the heat to dry off, the ink from the few pages of entries had run. The words were barely distinguishable; the tight clean cursive ran into itself like ribbons shoved into a glass. Doesn't matter anyway.

The second door awaited me. Why am I here? What am I doing this for? None of it made sense. I'm playing the game. I could think of only two possible choices, participate or do nothing. In doing nothing I could only see the inevitability of gnashing teeth tearing me apart. In participating I saw only the sick enjoyment of who or whatever put me in this frightening place. Until a third solution presented itself I had no choice but to move forward.

I'd rather play along than wait to die. Progressing through this puzzling and dangerous place had given me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I decided that feeling of progress was worth the price I had already paid. Pony up.

I stood up and drifted towards the second door. This one had a handle. I pulled it. The door hesitated; I heard a faint mechanical click inside the door, then gave way. The hallway was a long downward spiral. I began my descent.

The enclosed spiraling hallway distorted my perception, I couldn't tell for sure how far I had travelled down or how many circles I had walked but I guessed I had made at least twenty passes around the central axis. The corkscrew flattened. The hallway widened and ended with a massive iron gate.

Beyond the iron gate were seven brick archways. As I stepped towards the iron gate a strange noise stole my attention. The faint noise grew slowly. What is that? It came from the spiraling hallway. Something is coming down. I backed against the wall of the hallway. It was close now, only one or two circles left before the bottom. I didn't know what to expect.

What the? The small black rectangle slid with tremendous speed down the corkscrew. It shot straight across the floor and crashed unspectacularly into the iron gateway. It was the journal. I stared at it in utter disbelief. How in the hell? After a few tense moments of questioningly looking at the journal I decided it was safe to look away. My eyes swung towards the spiral. Journals don't move on their own. I strained my senses for any sound of movement at the top of the spiral. A dozen heartbeats passed, I got up to retrieve the book. I opened it.

My disbelief grew as I stared at the three entries. The running ink had evaporated. The writing was as clean and crisp as the day it was written. Not a single smudge or blemish existed. The paper had no wrinkle or stiffness. It may as well never have been wet.

I examined the three entries; they looked the same as before. I turned over the third entry and my heart stopped. I dropped the journal from the shock. Written in furious and frightened script the once blank page held a new entry. DON'T LEAVE ME.

Looking immediately back towards the spiral I thought, someone is up there. My legs sprinted as fast as they could. I barely covered a hundred feet before I panicked and sprinted down to retrieve the journal.

Dammit. With journal in hand I redoubled my efforts up the corkscrew. The curve made my ascent awkward, the slope made it exhausting. My legs pounded, blood overfilled my muscles, they felt as if they would burst. I made it to the top. Where are you? I headed back to the antechamber, desperately gasping for breath. The only sound was my own panting. The room was empty. Splash.

I bolted towards the domed room. I've got you now; the wells are the only you can hide. Adrenaline pumped through me, sand kicked up behind me in collapsing arcs as I crossed under the twilight. There was a faint ripple in the center well. I reached it. My body collapsed with exhaustion; the fury of my sprint came to an end as my muscles reached their limit. The three wells sat motionless.

Peering in the center well, the faintly glowing metal grate sat quietly on the bottom. Where the hell are you? Beads of sweat distorted the surface of the well. My lungs worked hard. I'm not chasing anyone. I'm chasing answers. I'm chasing an explanation. What the hell is this place doing to me?

Still breathing heavily, I walked back down the spiral. By the time I reached the iron gate my body had fully calmed down. The journal sat tucked quietly in the small of my back, held by my belt. I grabbed the iron lever at the side of the gate and firmly threw it up. A small hiss of steam puffed from the edges of the gate as it rose into the ceiling.

Seven brick archways lay before me, each leading to some unknown. I looked down each one. Darkness. Nothing but the black void lay at the threshold of each one. This is a labyrinth like no other. I turned to retrieve another piece of green metal to light my way. The gate slammed shut. I was trapped.
Chapter 5 – Blind

The seven archways stood before me, tall and slender. I studied them quietly; they each ran off windingly into some massive unknown. Nothing but blackness could be seen. Nothing but emptiness could be heard. The air was thick and stale down each corridor. It was impossible for a human mind to comprehend the vastness of the maze.

I walked cautiously down the rightmost archway. Twenty paces into the darkness and the brick tunnel sharply changed direction. I could no longer see the light of the entrance. I panicked.

Leaning against the gate staring into the arches I thought, I don't want to go in there. I can't go in there. I spent some time trying to reopen the gate; the lever was well out of reach. I knew my efforts were in vain; I wanted only the distraction of the effort.

Maybe an hour had passed; no courage had mustered within me. I need a plan, wandering in a pitch black maze is suicide with no plan.

I imagined a simple maze in my mind. I saw myself running around aimlessly, covering the same ground repeatedly. The maze began to unfold in my mind, if you unfold it and it's just a long walk to the finish.

I stood with the acceptance of the blankness I was about to enter. I set off into the rightmost archway again. I placed my right hand on the inner wall of the tunnel. This is it; you can't take your hand off this wall. Stepping slowly and methodically, my right hand was my guide and anchor. Stay right and it's just a long walk to the finish. You have to stay right...

Fifteen minutes into the maze and the emptiness started to assault my mind. Only the rough feel of the brick and the quiet tapping of my footsteps filled the space. My brain urged for some concrete sense of spatial awareness, there was nothing; there was only the jackknifing, hair pinning, impulsive, indecisive brick walls. Every moment I felt comforted by the rhythm of my footsteps I would hit a wall or my right hand would touch a void. Turn left, turn right, turn right, turn left, dead end, crossroads, turn left, turn right. It was maddening. Keep it together, follow the right wall.

My left hand was now permanently stationed in front of my face; my scraped nose throbbed from the repeating collisions with the shifty walls. I passed the time trying to figure out if it was darker with my eyes closed or open; I couldn't tell. Were they still open? Were they closed now? I stopped to touch my face. I poked myself in the eye. Tears dried salty as I cried in the emptiness.

The drum of my heartbeat was the loudest noise I had ever heard. I wished it would be quiet. Just shut up for one second. Please be quiet. Thump. Thump.

Just one step at a time. Keep your hand glued to the wall. Ignore your heartbeat, listen for danger. What danger? The only danger down here is my growing insanity. My pulse quickened. Dammit! Another dead end. Relax, stay calm, keep moving, keep your hand against the wall. Keeping my right hand against the wall was the only way through the maze, it was the only way to survive, it was my lifeline. Anxious. Shaking. Filled with fear of the unknown.

My head smacked against the ceiling. What was that? I pressed my left hand up, the ceiling greeted it instantly. The space was tightening. How long have I been in here? It must have been hours, my heartbeat was so obnoxious. I can't think over all this racket.

My left hand now stayed tight with the ceiling. The aching from holding my arm aloft slowed my progress. Periodically drop my left hand dropped to rest. The ceiling height was constantly changing now. Some places I had to waddle through crouched down. This is bullshit. The ceiling sloped aggressively downward, pressing me tight to the floor. This is such bullshit. This isn't fair. Why the hell am I in here? I'll be trapped here forever. Get a grip man! Relax, stay calm, you can beat this.

The corridor narrowed tightly. I'll have to crawl through. Cautiously, I lowered myself to my stomach. Slithering was all I could manage. My right hand stayed adhered to the wall. Crawling with one arm was awkward. My elbows and knees scraped against the rough brick. The narrow shaft seemed endless.

There was a sharp ninety degree bend that required painful contortion to pass through. After twisting my body through the tight turn I lay for a moment to collect myself. How long is this tunnel? The darkness seeped into my pores.

Lying motionless in the tight corridor my minds defenses fell. I can't turn around! Oh Christ I can't turn around! What if this is a dead end? How can I turn around? I'll be trapped here. Why did I come into this hell hole? There was another way, I missed it, I missed it and now I'll die in a brick coffin. My heart pounded, my lungs screamed like bellows. I pounded and kicked at the brick walls. I screamed. I shouted. I pleaded for mercy. I wept uncontrollably.

The panicked feeling never fully passed. It took every ounce of strength to keep moving forward. The terror of the void I had fought for so long in the maze had free reign in my head now. Thoughts of dark creatures silently stalking. Thoughts of invisible traps waiting to spring their steel teeth. Thoughts of burning fire. Thoughts of drowning water. Thoughts of every painful torture and method of destruction loomed in my periphery.

The tunnel widened, I could almost stand again. I walked hunched through the blackness. My right hand led me through the maze. My mind continued to rebel. I fought it back. Stay calm. Breathe. Keep moving. Keep your right hand to the wall. Listen to your senses. Don't invent danger. Keep moving. After hours of walking I needed to rest. I sat leaning against the right wall; my hand still touching it. The urge to sleep became unconquerable.

I awoke violently. You idiot you fell asleep! I was still slumped against the wall, but my right hand lay limp at my side. What if I got turned around? All that progress wasted. I could only hope some silent force hadn't shifted me while I slept. I put my right hand back on the wall. My anchor had been destroyed. I'm sure this wall is the correct one. Am I really sure? I stood up and continued on.

Doubt. Is this switchback the same as the other one? Every change in the wall triggered it, what if I had been turned around? The thought of crawling through that claustrophobic tunnel a second time terrified me. What if there are multiple tunnels like that? How could I know? In the absolute darkness I once again wrestled with my mind, this time against self-doubt. Shut up and keep going. I continued forward. A ghost in the maze.

Don't Minotaurs live in labyrinths? My inner monologue was interrupted by a sensation. Was that a noise? I couldn't be sure. Maybe I felt it. Something, some subtle ripple had reached me. I stood motionless, I strained every sense. My eyes widened in the inky black. My ears twitched in the still air. My skin sat poised to alarm the slightest touch. Ten minutes. I'll wait ten minutes, then I have to keep moving. In ten minutes I grew into the maze, I was just a black vine scratching a living off the walls. Ten minutes of listening to blankness with every bodily instrument I had taught me the unknown art of nothingness. I swam in it. My mind played in it.

I reflected on the anxiety attack I had in the tight corridor. It seemed childish now. My body wouldn't lie to me, I am my body. If there was a danger in this maze it was only myself. Ten minutes turned into many more. For once I let my guard down. The darkness didn't hide my enemies. The darkness was my haven from the enemy.

With a new sense of comfort and nonchalance I marched onward. My right hand drifted loosely against the brick wall. I turned left. I've done it! The hint of a hint of light winked like a stick of incense burning in the distance. My pace quickened.

The light grew with each step. Then with sickening disappointment I emerged back at the iron gate. I had exited from the archway adjacent to the one I had entered. The crushed hope was almost humorous, "figures." I shrugged and unhesitatingly swung around the open archway into the next corridor, "oh well." The second endeavor into the permanent shadow was easy. Occasionally an imagined fear or feeling of helplessness materialized but it was quickly dissolved. I estimated I had been in the labyrinth devoid of my senses for more than two days.

Down the third archway I encountered two more narrow corridors. The only struggle now was physical as I moved endlessly hunching or crawling. I rested briefly, limp against the right wall. Continuing my journey the frequency of sudden turns and dead ends began to lessen. The hallway was widening as well. Am I close? I turned the corner and a faint breeze kissed my forehead. The air smelt fresh and clean. The center of the maze was near.

My pace quickened, this time it was different than when I had looped back towards the iron gate, this time I was going to make it. Excitement. Joy. One last corner and in the distance a pale blue glow beckoned me. I stood in disbelief at the edge of the brick archway. I made it.

Before me was a cramped circular courtyard. The brick walls extended high up. Pale luminous icicles hung in the thousands. Their length was incredible, they climbed to infinity.

Thick snow filled the courtyard. In the center was a small white chest. A wooden bench sat dutifully supporting a thick drift of snow. Two other archways ended in the snowy opening. The achievement refreshed my mind while the cold air refreshed my body. I brushed the snow off the wooden bench and sat staring at the beauty of the ice chandelier. I was smiling.
Chapter 6 - The Box

The box sat on its small granite pedestal, waiting. I was drunk on sensation; the glowing ice chandelier, the soft whisper of the breeze swirling in the courtyard, the stray snowflake bumping into my arm. Accepting the harsh nothingness of the labyrinth had given me a deep appreciation for my senses. I trusted them. I enjoyed the raw feeling of the snowy courtyard. Small puffs of warm breath escaped my nostrils.

My attention returned to the box. _It's the next step._ The lid of the box was firmly locked. I tried peering through the small keyhole to no avail. The box off was much lighter than I had expected. Scratched in neat lettering on the bottom of the box was a clue to the riddle; ' _The key is in the box.'_ "Well that's useless." I shook the box. The hollow knock of brass against wood confirmed the hint.

My attention jumped next to the granite centerpiece. It bore four small holes on its surface. I explored its features thoroughly. The smoothness of the stone was refreshing, the jagged brick of the maze still fresh in my mind.

I tried moving it. _Nope._ It was firmly rooted to the floor. I returned the box atop the pedestal and paced slowly around it. I was a painter eying his subject wondering what brush would best suit the task. I stopped. Something felt wrong. _I've forgotten something._ I searched my mind. _The journal!_

My belt was empty. _Did I lose it in the maze?_ I turned to the bench, relieved at the sight of the black leather patiently waiting. As I tucked the journal back into my belt a strange urge hit me. _Well let's just check, couldn't hurt._

I sat down on the bench and opened the journal. I flipped past the first three entries. The scrawled ' _DON'T LEAVE ME'_ sent a stinging chill down my spine. I turned to the next blank page. Only it wasn't blank, nor was the next page, or the page after. Seven more entries had appeared. _The box can wait._

**

Entry #4

They said I was perfect. They said they were waiting for me to arrive. They said the preparations had already been made. They said my body was now their body. They said my soul was now their soul. They took me in the night. They gave me my journal. They said write. So I'm writing. They're animals.

Entry #5

I've been a prisoner of the sisters for six days now. The blinding fear has subsided. I sit quietly in my cell, huddled naked next to the candle. They told me I must write, if I do not write I will not survive. Occasionally a muffled whisper sneaks into my cell. A cry of agony from another prisoner? The hysterical laughter of my two crazed captors? Who could tell? They said they won't read it till it's done. They said the journal was for me, not them.

Entry #6

The first four weeks of my imprisonment were spent in isolation. I can't tell the sisters apart, they are identical. They aren't separate people; they act as one mind in two bodies. Their precision and efficiency in their experiments is remarkable. With the care of a surgeon they remove a small sample of blood from me every day. "This is your first purpose here." She waved the vial of blood in front of me. Drawing blood takes only a few minutes but I remain bound to the chair in the laboratory for hours. "We don't just need you to stay alive; we need your mind to stay intact." They buzz about the lab with some unknown purpose fueling them.

Entry #7

I still haven't spoken. I'm not sure what I would even say. They have made it clear that they decide if and when I find out information related to my capture. Part of me curses my foolishness for being captured. How simple it would have been to write a letter to my professors or my family telling them where I was or what I was doing. I may have been captured but at least I would have the comfort of knowing I was being looked for. Another part of me, a darker part of me ... a part that hadn't existed in me until now, wants to know their purpose. What are they up to? Why do they need my blood? Why do they need my mind?

Entry #8

My body has grown frail. The rations are of poor quality and insufficient quantity. My motionless existence has turned a strong back and sturdy legs into the soft flesh of a rotting apple. My bones felt brittle, I've been here for half a year now. Wasting away. I'm constantly being sampled, blood, hair, skin, feces, urine, semen, it didn't matter to the sisters, their purpose was unshaken by cumbersome morals or ethics. They were ruthlessly efficient.

Entry #9

How long have I been here? Could it be a whole year? "You've stopped writing haven't you?" they asked me. Well they weren't really asking me, I wasn't there, I was hiding in the corner watching two jackals converse with an empty husk. They stood there oblivious, I tried to muffle my giggles, for a moment, they were duped. One sister grabbed the husk's chin, the other turned to my corner. "You need to start writing again, double rations if you write tonight." I was back in the husk, just a hollow shell of man. I write for food.

Entry #10

"Your mind is about to be broken," they told me. I looked at the sisters with defeated eyes. For the first time I spoke and asked, "What do you want with me?" They responded quickly and calmly, as if I commonly asked questions of them. "Simple, we want the power that drives life, and we'll do whatever it takes to get it. Tonight you'll write your last entry, you won't die tomorrow, but you won't be able to write further. Our tests are complete and we are going to move ahead with the procedure tomorrow." She held up a strange metal object. It looked like the bones of some bizarre iron snake. "This is going on you tomorrow." I stared at it perplexed. I still cannot fathom what it does. My imagination is running wild with painful and demonic surgical procedures involving the strange object. Tonight is the last night I'll be able to write. I wish I wrote more. I'm curled next to my candle reading my past entries. I've accepted my unknown fate already, but acceptance is not peace. I despise the sisters. They are worse than evil, they are indifferent.

**

I could sense it. It sat on the edge of my mind. I had been shown a great clue into my ordeal. My eyes drifted to my distant invisible captor. I closed the journal and sighed. The dots didn't connect yet. I tucked the journal into my belt and looked again at the box.

I shelved the new information in my mind. It needed time to be understood. _Is it a fable? Am I supposed to learn from it? Is it a warning?_ Thoughts about the true nature of the journal drifted quietly into my mind. I stared at the box. The thoughts drifted out.

_The key is in the box. The key is in the box. The key is in the box. If it's in the box how the hell did the box get locked?_ I searched the rest of the circular courtyard. The sheet of snow hid a hard layer of dead grass and frozen earth. It might as well have been solid steel. I looked up at the box.

_I know where the key is._ I walked over to the box, only half sure if I should do what I was about to do. _Why not?_ I picked it up, the wood felt thin. It smashed against the brick wall of the courtyard and fell to pieces in the snow.

_Well the key certainly was in the box._ The small brass key seemed so insignificant, why was it locked in the box? I put it in my pocket next to the weeping man. The inside of the shattered box was a thin layer of black velvet over unfinished wood. I peeled it back carefully, hoping for another clue. _Nothing._ There was something strange about the box. I had loosely reassembled it. It was missing something; I wasn't sure what it was.

The lid, there was something wrong with the lid. _What the hell is it?_ I stared blankly at the lid; it had broken into two pieces. I looked at the side walls of the box; the back corner had taken most of the blow against the wall and was a splintered mess. The locking mechanism still looked intact, cocooned in a shell of wood.

_Wait._ _Where is the latch for the lid? Where are the hinges?_ It was just another wall of the box, shaped like the lid. _Well what's the lock and key for?_ Intrigued, I hastily dug for the key in my pocket. I inserted the key. With a mix of curiosity and trepidation I turned the lock.

Four metal leaves burst forth from the lock mechanism. The wood surrounding the lock flew off, the force threw the lock out of my hand into the snow. Stunned in surprise and disbelief I stared warily at the star shaped object. A second mechanical snap startled me. The leaves had unfolded a second time leaving four slender metal rods protruding downward from the lock. It sat there like a frozen metal insect.

I waited some time to make sure no more springs or switches triggered. I picked up the opened lock. My eyes jumped to the pedestal. The four rods lined up with the four holes of the pedestal perfectly. Before I lowered the lock-turned-key into the holes I gave it a quick once over.

The craftsmanship was admirably precise, each piece neatly folded into the preceding piece. I thought that if you could slow down the spring with some sort of gearing the unknown inventor could make the folding metal appear to bloom. _That was strange thought._ I firmly pressed the lock into the pedestal.
Chapter 7 – Memories

The granite pedestal began to descend. The ring of permafrost surrounding it descended with it. After a short journey downward I was embraced again by the warm yellow glow of fire trapped in glass. The pedestal stopped at a small room dominated by a single dark wooden door. I opened the door. A strange sense of familiarity filled me.

"Hello," said a familiar voice. I was completely disarmed; the sound of another being overwhelmed me. _Such a simple word._ I stammered in reply, "H-hello." "Please have a seat." I walked up to the vacant chair in the room and sank into its soft cushions. I just stared in bewilderment at my host.

"Do you recognize me?" the mysterious man looked at me with a smirk. The features were so familiar, where had I seen them, I had seen them in here. "I've seen you before in here, I can't remember where." "Think, friend." It struck me like a sledgehammer.

"You look just like me; I remember it from my reflection in the wells." "Excellent, we may begin, I know you have questions but I assure you my useful knowledge is limited to exactly what I'm about to tell you." I leaned towards my friendly doppelganger. I sat half in awe and half in joy for the offer of companionship.

"This study is the room of reflection. I look like you because I am you. I am the summation of all your past experiences and memories outside of this place. There is an outside world. There is a way to travel between the two worlds though collectively you and I have only discovered entrances not exits. You found your entrance in the desert; I found mine here in this room. This room represents a way point on your journey, as well as another challenge.

You're not dead. Not in the traditional sense anyway, for the time being it is fair to say you are dead to the outside world, but if you make it... and _if_ we can be reunited permanently you will very much no longer be dead.

Now that we are in the room of reflection together I can see that you've suffered quite a lot to get this far on your quest. Your presence and suffering here is a result of your actions in the outside world.

Before you get upset with yourself, or me; though there isn't really a distinction, you should know that you didn't specifically volunteer for this. You've been selected. Why and what for is a mystery to me. Because I am only a vessel of your memories I lack the deductive tools that you posses to figure any of this out.

Lastly, this room is the link to your past. I cannot and would not stop you from reliving your past, but I must warn you that every memory you cherish and moment you revisit will make leaving this room even harder. You cannot take anything but this conversation with you from this room.

We aren't the first to visit the room, and I cannot tell you why I know these things about this place. All I can tell you is to keep trying. If you are interested now you may relive any of your past memories through the books in this room, each is a different memory. Remember, you cannot take anything you find in here with you, even your name."

**

_Even your name. You cannot take your name. Your most precious possession must stay behind. You have no identity in this place._ Every muscle in my body convulsed as I heaved and sobbed outside the door of the room. I was pinned by the crushing weight of nothingness as every emotion ever felt in a lifetime ripped out of me. I fought and struggled with the demons of my mind for an eternity as I lay shaking against the granite floor. I was sweating and shivering at the same time. I was breathing ash while choking on bile.

_How long had passed?_ The shaking had ended and I lay on the floor a vacant shell. Only the memory of my conversation in the room remained. The empty void that lingered in my mind before seemed more vacant and lonely than ever. I knew what I had done; I had torn through every shred of my previous existence that was offered to me in there. I was a glutton feasting on my own self. The hungering curiosity begged me to go back in, _just my name it won't hurt so bad if I just learn my name._ I reached for the door. _No dammit._

The floor was still damp from my sweat and tears. _How many times have I gone in there? How many times did I fail to resist the monumental urge to know who I was?_ Before I could repeat the mistake of entering the room I leapt for the granite pedestal. I removed the key and it rose painfully slowly.

_There's still time to slip back down, there's still a chance to know who you are._ I edged towards the closing gap. _If I go back in there again I'll never leave._ I shuddered at the thought of how long I had been down there, how many times had I turned back to the room? The conversation I could recite verbatim, the familiar pull of the door, the cozy feel of my cushioned chair. _I can't go back._

The searing emptiness of the labyrinth reflected the emptiness of my mind. The hollowness of the void where my memories had lived was a painful scar in my mind. I swallowed against the lump in my throat. I didn't move to make progress; I stepped back into the inky darkness of the maze to escape the truth of the room, to escape myself. I placed my right hand back on the right wall. It led the way.

The distraction wasn't working. My thoughts kept turning back to the room of reflection. _I can't even know my name._ _Why can't I know my name? What the hell is this place? What did I do to be sent here?_ _Who sent me here?_ I chewed on questions that didn't have answers for hours while I silently followed my right hand.

I rounded another corner in the maze to be greeted by the gentle glow of the spiraling walkway and the iron gate. _The gate is still closed._ I walked down the last hallway of the labyrinth towards the gate. _What is that?_ I strained my eyes and senses towards the end of the tunnel.

There was something there. It was too far away to make out. I heard a whisper, a faint gurgling noise. I was fifty yards from the entrance when I finally could make out the outline of a man. I froze. It stood silently at the iron gate; it stared directly at me, but not with eyes. It stared at me with the plea of mercy, begging me to take pity on it.

I had no choice but to move towards it. As I got closer I could make out no face, it was wearing something dark that covered it from head to toe. The gurgling noise grew into a distinct sound of labored wet breathing. I was terrified. It just stood there, staring, waiting, piercing my being. _What is that? Who is that?_ I moved closer. By the time I had mustered the courage to reach the brick archway I could make out the beast that stood opposite the gateway, waiting for me.

It was the shape of a man, covered in stained, wet burlap. It stood with the slumped pathetic posture of a frightened animal. Nothing but the shape of it was human, it was the same defeated husk I was when I had exited the room, only it lacked the will or strength to reclaim its humanity. It smelled terrible; the soggy strained breathing was the only hint of life. I stared at the burlap walking corpse and it stared back at me.

A few minutes passed and the creature remained motionless. The freezing feeling of fear I had felt when I first saw the creature had turned into a sad pity. _What sort of existence is that? This thing has been stripped of everything of value and has been denied the asylum of death._ I moved to the edge of the iron gate. With a sickening grinding noise the head of the creature turned towards me, following my movement. The switch that had let me into the labyrinth was still well out of reach. The creature just stared at me.

I couldn't even imagine the grotesque form that hid under the burlap, it was inconceivable. _Every ounce of life has been taken from this man._ I stopped, the memory of the journal entries jumped into my mind. I reached for the journal. The sickening bone grind of movement returned as the burlap man's arm reached through the iron bars at the journal in my hand. "This is yours isn't it?" I didn't expect a reply. He stood silently groping for the journal.

I reached it out to him cautiously; I could hardly stand the sight of this man let alone risk it touching me. The edge of the journal reached the loose burlap covering the man's hands. He grabbed it and pulled it tight to his chest. For a moment he stood there, relishing the return of his journal. Then with a symphony of sickening grinding and clicking he hobbled slowly towards the gate lever. The burlap man had set me free. _I hope that journal can set you free._

I was as grateful to be released as I was to be rid of the burlap man. He clicked slowly past me into the dark labyrinth. The gate slammed shut behind him. I imagined the utter terror I would have felt if I had met that beast in the swallowing darkness, groping for his journal. As he turned his back to me for the first time I saw the origin of his pain, embedded in his spine and the base of his skull was a metal framework that resembled an iron snake. A stray drop of blood released its grip on the metal frame. _He's still suffering._ I wanted to help him, but I knew that his only respite would be death.

_You're out now, focus on the present._ It was difficult to turn myself back up towards the spiral. I looked at the black solace of the labyrinth. _If it can hide him, it can hide me._ The tease of the room of reflection put an ache in my chest.

The glass ring of fire in the antechamber greeted me warmly. Its heat and glow were comforting. The labyrinth gave me a greater appreciation for its beauty. The swirling details of the flame seemed to pop out at me. _This place is changing me._
Chapter 8 – Tools

The third door awaited me. What next? I now embraced the challenging nature of my imprisonment. I'm either being tested or punished, hell maybe both. The pain of the room of reflection had dulled enough to be tucked away in the back of my mind. The thought of the burlap man popped into my head. If the burlap man is here, what if the sisters are too? My subconscious was a step ahead of me; images of the two demons materialized. Oh god they've been with me the whole time.

It seemed odd their two attacks had failed. Maybe they hadn't maybe those first two attacks were just the preamble. The journal's entries were clear about the sisters' ruthless methodical nature, why then would they act as wild monsters? Strange, something else might be influencing them. The only thing I didn't doubt was the success of their experiment, their aura of raw power was only matched by the terror they instilled. They'll be back.

The door of the third room opened with drama and pantomime from an excessively elaborate opening mechanism. Sliding rods and rolling gears shifted in the exposed innards of the door. It broke into four layered pieces and vanished into the floor, ceiling, and walls. The air was wet and warm with the steady exhaust of steam. The short hallway ended in a vast room filled with machinery. It's a workshop.

I walked around the workshop aimlessly; I felt the childlike urge to drift my hand over every object in the room. In one corner was something that had the vague familiarity of a chemistry set, in another, strange interpretations of metalworking tools. Many of the tools were foreign to me; scraps of the glowing green metal littered the floor. The back wall was a honeycomb of storage bins. Filled with nuts and bolts and other assorted components, the whole place had a whimsical feel to it. It seemed so out of place. Why is this here? Why is this the third room? Am I supposed to build something?

I scoured the room for a set of instructions, or a design layout, something to steer me in the right direction. Nothing. I don't get it. I walked out of the workshop back to the center room. I made a quick stop into the first chamber, maybe I missed something. My thoughts turned to the labyrinth, how could I go back in there now? If I forgot some crucial information in there it was going to stay there. I decided to return to the surface.

The bright intensity of the sun was blinding, its power was forgotten in the maze. The endless sweep of the desert clashed with the sealed space of the underground. I kicked waves of sand in front of my feet as I circled the obelisk. I looked at it questioningly. Steam vented from one of the panels. I'm going to win. You'll break before I do. Inner pep talk finished, my feet brought me back inside the obelisk.

On my gusty descent back to the antechamber my musings had turned into the loose formations of a plan. I walked towards the fourth door in the antechamber. It was smooth and featureless aside from the four circles. I knocked on it. Maybe someone will answer? The dull echo gave me a clue as to its thickness. I headed towards the workshop.

The tools felt awkward in my hands, I fought my inexperience with patience and focus. I slowly pored over the wall of parts. I had burnt myself a few times discovering what the various steam valves in the room did and affected. Much of the machinery in the room was powered. Steam whistled from lathes, drills, and saws. Thankfully, I found the two critical components of my design, a set of hoses and a steam driven motor.

My first test of the contraption was an abysmal failure. The motor spun the drive too fast and with none of the necessary torque. The rotating components vibrated so badly they broke before I could shut off the steam valve. The shattered pieces were unsalvageable and needed to be retooled completely.

Test number two went better, the gearing off of the motor was closer to what I guessed it would need and the vibrations were reduced to tolerable levels. Time for some field testing. I dragged the piecemeal contraption into the antechamber and in front of the fourth door. The hoses weren't long enough and it took me a few minutes to find the correct fittings to attach more length. That should do it.

I turned open the steam valve in the workshop and headed back towards the door. The drill bit turned slowly. I lined up my makeshift drill perpendicular to the door. Here goes nothing. I braced myself behind the drill and gave even steady pressure to it.

The drill bit chewed at the door with sloppy imprecision. Satisfied that my plan would work I returned to the workshop to improve the design. I added a sliding rail with a lever arm so I could easily apply pressure to the bit without moving it off center. I adjusted the feet of the stand so they could be raised and lowered as I progressed through the door.

I lost myself in my work; it was more fulfilling than solving the other puzzles of the facility. The feel of the tools in my hands against the metal I was working on was deeply satisfying. The process of creating filled me with pride, the time I spent meticulously setting the gearing of the drill would pay dividends in hastening my venture through the fourth door. Reality snapped me from my work for a moment. What's beyond the door I wonder?

For the first time I had a real chance to prepare for the unknown, to prepare for the showdown with the sisters. It seemed inevitable; it was the only thing that could be behind that door. Well... who could know for sure? The upgraded drilling rig was set up at the fourth door. A weapon maybe? Something to protect me? Some armor? While rigging up the steam hoses I had settled on a sword and shield. Pretty minimalist but anything more will just slow me down.

A slender bar of green metal fit the bill nicely. I began shaping and grinding it into a sword. The unusual weight of the metal kept the length necessarily short, no longer than my forearm. The work was slow, but the transformation from raw material to a honed blade was fantastically rewarding.

A simple ring of metal served as cross-guard. Strips of rubber gave my hand good purchase on the hilt. The sword felt solid in my hands. I swung it against imagined enemies.

Now, a shield. There were already discs of unused metal of the correct shape and thickness that needed only a small amount of work. I took my time to perfect the simple design, adjusting the angle of the handles, the thickness of the padding, and how flat or convex the shield was. It was ready.

Time to work. I couldn't put off my fate any longer. Move forward, don't stagnate. I leaned the sword and shield against the wall in the hallway of the final door. Sitting behind my drill I began my first hole through the door. One by one the drill punched small holes in the door. The holes had connected into a complete line at the base of the door. I replaced the well-worn bit and began to draw the line upwards.

After hours of being bathed in the hot steam bleeding from the motor the job was finished. I had drilled the outline of a square in the door; the postage stamp shape cut loose fell inside the fourth room. We're in. Dripping in sweat I pulled the drill aside and grabbed my sword and shield. This is it. I crawled through the small cut square into the final chamber.
Chapter 9 – Interview

The final chamber was an expansive room filled with narrow pillars. The pillars capped with small glass obelisks filled with the same ceaseless flame. It was a field of a thousand glass candles standing proudly atop their towers. The pillars descended in height towards the center where one lone pillar stood chest high topped with a large glass orb. I approached cautiously, sword and shield at the ready.

Swirling in the orb was a pearly black fluid; it emitted a pale blue glow that fought with the warm yellows and oranges of the glass obelisks. I peered warily around the center pillar. I was ready for the black haze to spawn at any moment. Come on. Nothing. The orb sat there pulsing blue and swirling black. It was intoxicating. I sheathed my sword and grabbed the orb.

"I wouldn't let go of that." I turned searching for the origin of the voice. He stepped from the forest of pillars and approached me. I began to release the orb, my mind had already moved to drawing my sword. "I really, really wouldn't recommend you let go of that until we talk first." My left hand had come off the orb slightly; a spider web of cracks had formed where my hand had been. I hastily returned my hand, worried what the shattered orb might release.

With suspicion I asked, "Ok, who are you? What is this place?" The man in the black suit and tie let loose a sly smile, "I'm Death."

"The grim reaper?"

"Yes."

"Why am I here?"

"This is a job interview."

"For what?"

He paced around me sizing me up, his eyes turned to my sword and shield. "I like your drill; it was a clean solution, simpler than the one I imagined." "Thank you, but you are dodging the question." The confidence I spoke with was strange to me, somehow my successes beforehand had validated me.

"I'm interviewing you for my job, well, my assistant and eventually my partner."

"You need help killing people?"

"Sort of, my job is misunderstood."

"Well, what do you do then?"

He stopped circling me and leaned casually against one of the pillars in front of me. A sharp crack in the glass stole my attention for a moment as one of my fingers twitched momentarily off the orb. "Careful." He eyed the glass.

"This will let out the sisters won't it?"

"Yes, and you'll have to kill them."

"And if I can't?"

"You'll die, if that is your fate you can still be proud friend; no one has come this far yet, you're the first to get farther than the room of reflection."

"How many before me?"

"Just two. My prerequisites are very specific."

"Am I about to die in the outside world?"

"Yes, you were about to die in the outside world, I came to you because you were strong willed enough to resist death. Most that need a visit from me fight their fate because they fear death, regret their past, or can't let go of love. Only a few fight death for the right reason; because they simply weren't finished living. Those with a fire for life get a second chance, those with something more, come here."

"Do you like your job?"

His laughter was vibrant and contagious. "What's so funny?" I asked. He looked at me with eyes wet with sincerity and said, "That is the question you asked me outside this place, when I came to help you release your grip on life." I looked at him, reciprocating his sincerity and shrugged "I'm a curious person." He smiled and nodded, looking idly at his fingertips his face went dark and foreboding.

"My friend, the sisters you are about to face are a foe like no other, their power mirrors my own because its source is the same, the essence of life. You've proven your physical strength in the room with three wells. You've shown your mental strength in the abyss of the labyrinth and the torture of the room of reflection. You've shown your creativity in the steam workshop.

But when you release that orb, it will shatter, and it will release the sisters, unbridled. This is your last test; it's a test of the most crucial characteristic you need to have to join me, the will to truly live."

He started walking back into the forest of pillars. I just stared at him, still absorbing the words he said. He turned, just barely visible. "I forgot to tell you, it's the best job in the world." With that he vanished. I was alone again. I stared at the orb. Before when they attacked the leash was on, now the outcome would be decided. The finality of it both frightened me and gave me relief.

This is the end. I let go of the orb, it shattered instantly and the pearly liquid exploded into the choking black haze.

**

The fire filled caps of the pillars were just tiny specks of light now. The haze filled my lungs but I fought the urge to cough. I held my sword and shield with white knuckles. Where are you? The green glow from my sword and shield gave me a small purchase in the haze.

Their demonic battle cry rang through the great hall, one from the far corner, another from the entrance. They charged towards me. Drunk on power and rage they plowed heedlessly through the pillars towards me, cutting no corners, doing nothing to mask their sole desire to annihilate me.

The first sister was nearly to me, they were unbelievably fast for their size. Focus, fight the fear, you can beat them. The pillar adjacent to me exploded as I jumped out of the way. My sword swung blindly in the cloud of rubble. I made contact. Before I could enjoy the howl of pain the first sister made, the second one had reached me and sent my body flying through the room into a far pillar. The adrenaline stood me back up quickly but my body shook, ringing from the blow. They bolted towards me. Move! I ran into the forest of pillars.

They bore down on me relentlessly, they could outpace me in a straight line but I could turn harder and faster. The pillars slowed them down as well. Their jagged teeth snarled at me during the chase and when I could risk it I turned and swung my sword at whichever beast was closer. We fought like this until all but a handful of the pillars had been shattered. Tiny puddles of flame spotted the floor from the shattered glass.

I had cornered myself, one sister slid into the wall while the other smashed through one of the last few pillars. We stood staring at each other, gasping for breath. Their hulking fleshy bodies trembled with each breath. They were beasts unlike any other, each so massive the ground cracked under their weight. I have to separate them. The sisters sat back, coiling for a killing blow.

I anticipated and sprinted towards the one closer to the entrance. I had just enough speed to run against the wall as I cut at the sister's back. Another howl of pain. The two hulking monsters collided in the corner. They turned and charged, I was halfway through the rubble.

The haze was thinning, the wounded sister lagged behind. I reached the entrance, the first sister now at my heels. You've gotta move faster if you want to live! I could feel her bloodlust; the aura of hatred was as palpable as the choking haze that accompanied them. I dove through the square hole cut through the fourth door. I didn't look behind me when I heard the violent crash of metal.

I headed straight for the workshop. The sisters smashed recklessly through the mass of tools. I lead them through the steamworks, the injured demon crashed into a tree of steam pipes and valves. The room went white with the hiss of steam accompanied by the howl of the injured sister burning.

I felt my way through the workshop. The uninjured sister lost my trail for only a moment. Sprinting across the antechamber the hulking monster emerged from the steam room back in the hunt. I moved like a madman towards the elevator. You can make it.

As I sprinted past the large glass ring of fire I swung my sword furiously. Fire spewed violently from the gash, the ring wobbled as the fire escaped its hold. I had reached the lift as the ring collapsed to the floor. Fire exploded everywhere and the room began to tremble. I threw the switch as the demon bolted through the wall of flame. It roared with bitter hatred as I climbed away from the antechamber.

It's not over yet. The elevator reached the machinery room at the base of the obelisk. It was quiet; the haze lay outside obscuring the sun. It was much thinner now; the second sister must be badly injured. I walked outside stepping on sand where there had once been a massive obsidian panel. I looked up to see the panel flying towards me. It crashed with thunder against the wall of the tower.

The sister slammed back on all fours and sprinted forward. I did the same. A massive sweeping claw reached for me as I slid under her exposed belly. My sword made contact as her flesh tore open. An inhuman howl of pain shot out. We turned to face each other, another wild claw reached for me; my shield blocked it at the expense of my footing. I flew fifteen yards in the air before reuniting with the earth, catching stone discs as I slid to a stop.

Badly rattled from the blow I fought the urge to stay down and recover. I climbed up using my sword as a crutch. The sister lay dying on the ground as the haze began to lift. Her shape had no thread of humanity left in it. I limped towards her wheezing hulk to finish the job. I lifted my sword over her misshapen skull and severed it. As my stroke fell a shriek of pure fury echoed from the base of the tower. The second sister stood before me, flesh bright pink from the burning fire and steam. "You're next." I pointed my sword at her. I was bluffing.

The sister limped towards me slowly gathering speed. I barely had the strength to stand. There was nothing left, my body was broken. One enemy lay dead, to slay another would cost too much. The monstrosity barreled down on me. I dropped my shield. I lifted my sword. At least I'll die fighting. With the last of my reserves I mustered up one final effort. My sword flew from my hand; it had just enough room to spin once fully before it buried itself in the neck and shoulder of my final enemy. She collapsed but still carried the momentum of her massive body. She slammed into me. Darkness.
Chapter 10 – Found

The light was uncomfortably bright; I just wanted to sleep in for a few more minutes. I tried fidgeting to get into a more comfortable position but pain jolted through my body. Oh God I wish I was still asleep. I saw the silhouettes of two men standing over me. "Well done my friend, well done. You don't have to suffer anymore." The man kneeled and placed his hand on my head and chest. The pain evaporated. "Wow, do that again please," I asked unashamedly.

A few moments later and my wounds were fully healed, pain nonexistent. My eyes adjusted to the light and I saw Death and myself standing in front of me. "These belong to you." Death pointed to my twin, he smiled and stepped forward. "Wait," I asked, "Should I take my memories back? What if I want to go back to the other world?" "You won't. You should take them back; the past is important, just not for my job interview." Death's tone was cheerful.

My two bodies reunited as my memories and identity flowed back into me. I felt uncannily whole, every piece of me was in the right spot. I was myself again. I turned to Death, "Now what?" He started walking, "We should turn the Obelisk on."

We headed towards the tower. "What's with the grid of identical stones?" I asked. "I like tessellations." "Do I get an initiates set of scythe and black robe now?" Death chuckled, "Only if you want, if you wear enough black the mark typically recognizes you immediately, a part of them always wants to be freed from their grip on life, even if only subconsciously."

"I feel different. I feel really different." Death stopped and looked at me. "We are the next step in evolution; I came into being starting in 215 A.D. I went through the same transformation that you just did, though mine was substantially longer because I wasn't in a place like this designed to facilitate the transformation. In 1882 I had a discussion with a dying mark who was an evolutionary scientist, after a long talk about the human species and my role he classified me as homo sentiens.

I had never thought to classify myself within taxonomy before so I liked the label; it helped me stay connected to my ancestral species. It's important you understand this immediately, you are not human anymore, we once were and our DNA is expectedly similar. We have abilities and powers that no human will ever possess. I don't fully understand the difference yet, though I am studying it."

The black pedestal that opened the interior of the Obelisk emerged from the ground where it slept. Death kneeled and picked up one of the stone discs and handed it to me, "Your first insight to your power as a reaper, rearranging matter." I looked at Death with curiosity. "Go ahead, change it." "Okay," I replied, I had no reason to doubt anything he said.

The disc melted in my hands into a stone flower. I thought it, and it happened. "Well done, we'll discuss more of that later, but now you must dispatch your first mark." With a wave of his hand the bloodied burlap man appeared before me, laying in the fetal position clutching his journal. Pity filled me, "What happened to him?"

"Marius's fate is unusual; I didn't know it could happen actually. The sisters' only goal in life was power; they sought it by studying the essence of life. They wanted to harvest it for themselves. The internal spark that drives our cells is the same force that facilitated your evolution to homo sentiens."

Death continued, "Through that rather ingenious contraption they put on him they were able to extract some of that spark for themselves. Unfortunately they lacked the ability and humility to control such power and it twisted them into the beings you fought so bravely. His refusal to accept death is involuntary; it's a result of the iron rods embedded in his spine and skull. You'll need to remove them."

Marius lie whimpering curled around his journal; I kneeled putting my hand on his shoulder. Blood oozed through the burlap. "I'm sorry they did this to you Marius." As I said goodbye to the shattered man I pulled the iron snake from his back. He went limp. I looked up at Death. "That's the way it goes my friend," he said reassuringly. "I know I just felt bad for him."

Death looked at my pocket and pointed, "That's who you should feel bad for." I pulled out the statue of the weeping man, "Who was he?" "The last person to come here, he made it to the room of reflection and couldn't let go of his past life. He stayed in there for a decade before he tried to leave; the grief killed him when he stepped through the door. He wept for a month before he let go of life; that is my tribute to his effort."

"I understand." Thoughts of my own past filled me, "It's letting go of love that's the hardest." "I know, he spent ten years with the memories of his wife, in that room, he just couldn't let go." The image of my lost love filled me; she would never be mine again. "How long was I in the room of reflection?" Death replied coolly and precisely, "Just over nine months." I looked at him with bewilderment "Wow I had no idea." For the first time Death looked solemn, I could only guess what great loves he had to let go as well.

"You said there were two before me. Who was the other?" I asked. "The first person I brought here had the mind to finish but not the strength. The body and mind are not separate; both must be strong and united to evolve." "The wells?" I guessed. "Yes, he managed to get both of the colored orbs but died panicking in the center well."

He turned to the black pedestal, "You're strong enough to turn it the other way now." "What does it do?" The same smirk he gave me in the room of pillars returned on his lips, "You'll see." The top of the pedestal rotated easily in the opposite direction, it clicked firmly into its new position. The ground rumbled, Death stood with his hands idly in his pockets staring at the top of the Obelisk. I did the same.

The ventilating panels all erupted cascading down; they shed from the tower like leaves from a tree. Two loops of metal emerged from the ground and secured my feet to the earth. The ground began to shake as the gravity faded. Death looked at me, "You might have guessed this by now, but we are not on Earth." "That thought came to me when I first realized the sun wasn't moving in the sky. So where are we?" The pull of gravity stopped. "An asteroid I modified as your test facility." The gravity was slowly growing, pulling us upward. Wait a second.

"Are we being pulled into the sun?"

"We certainly are."

"How is that not a bad thing?"

"There might be a few cells in your body that are still human; we need to get rid of them."

The wind began to howl upward as the gravity began to build. The stone discs began drifting lazily off the ground into the air gathering speed and falling upwards towards the growing sun.

I turned to Death who still stood casually staring at the sun. "You know self-immolation wasn't high on my to-do list of things should get done as a higher being." He laughed saying, "You'll know what to do when we get there, and don't worry about it now, just enjoy the ride." The pull was ferocious; the metal panels littered around the tower began to fly off the ground into the sky. The sun filled my view. The life giving ball of fire didn't blind me, for the first time I saw its true beauty swirling and burning brightly.

"Don't you need this place in case there are more people like me?" I had to yell over the roar from the swing in gravity. "No, it's served its purpose; you'll build the next one when the time comes," Death shouted back.

The heat began to melt everything around us, I felt a vibration all around my body, I had full control. A few patches of my skin burnt off and were replaced instantly. The sun had nearly engulfed everything, fire and light swirled around me and my companion. The sun reduced the asteroid to nothingness, the obelisk disintegrated, Death and I floated next to each other. I could bend matter effortlessly to my will; it was the simple matter of rearranging atoms. Death made a large sphere of glass and encased us in it as we flew through the heart of the star. Death looked at me, "It's beautiful isn't it."

"Like nothing I've ever seen."

"We've got a few marks to visit, are you ready?"

"How long till we get to Earth?"

"Shade over eight minutes."

I pulled some of the sun into the glass orb, the small ball of fire flew around us, I rearranged it into a black suit and tie. I adjusted the cuffs on my sleeves and then my tie. Looking smug with satisfaction, "Let's go." Death looked at me incredulously, "Great the first person I get to share enlightenment with and he's a prima donna." I smiled and shrugged as we headed back to Earth.

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About the Author

How awkward is it writing your own author bio? I haven't written anything publishable until this piece, what am I supposed to tell you? I'm currently twenty-two years old. I'm from Charleston, SC. I studied exercise physiology at the University of Florida. I like doing bro-stuff with my bros, were I a dinosaur I would be a broloceraptor. Yes, that is a real dinosaur, and yes it could easily tear your face off. Thank you so much for reading my work!

Please remember this is a work of fiction. Any likenesses to your own encounters with Death are completely unintentional and coincidental.
