14
My feet take me into the small dark room. I’m instantly hit with the strong smell of moisture meeting stone.
Ahead of me, there’s a light blue hue coming from the middle and expanding outwards to light up the room.
It casts a soft blue shadow over the jagged rocks sticking up from the stone ground and down from the ceiling.
But that's all there is, there’s nothing in here.
The room is empty. I start to think this must have been a trick and turn for the door in a huff.
“Hello Maeve.” A high pitched voice says from all around me. It almost sounds like a child, like a small girl but there’s an edge in its voice, I can tell it’s not real.
A shiver runs down my spine and I turn my head back over my shoulder, ever so slightly.
“Who are you?”
“I am everything that was and everything that will be.”
That pricks my attention and I turn around fully now. Facing the blue orb, my back towards the door.
“What does that mean, where are you? Why can’t I see you?”
“I can’t see you either Maeve.”
“Then how did you know I was here? How do you know my name?”
“Because I am all knowing, I know what you will do before you do it and I know all that you are and all that you will be.”
I start looking around frantically now. But there’s truly nothing else here, just me and the orb in the middle. The voice is everywhere, in my ears, my head, all around the room. It’s not stemming directly from the orb but if I had to guess, that would still be its origin.
Realisation hits me like a knife to the chest as I stare at it and let out a breath.
“You’re the prophecy.”
“I’m not the prophecy!” It exclaims, almost sounding angry, like a child about to throw a tantrum.
“I foretell prophecies because I know what is to become true but I am not the prophecy.”
“Can you tell me of the prophecy, the one that you would know brought me here?”
“I can tell you anything and everything you seek but it could cost you your soul.” The voice goes dark towards the end of its sentence and I start to shiver as I feel the room go cold.
What am I doing here? This isn’t assassins work.
“But telling me one thing, would that cost a soul?” I ask.
“Remove your cloak and I will tell you the information you desire. Then, we shall see what remains of your soul Maeve.”
I suppose I haven’t got much of a soul to lose, what’s the worst that could happen.
“You mean my invisibility?” I question the voice. “I can’t be in here without it.”
“Lies.” It says in that deeper tone again.
I look away from the orb, my gaze hitting the ground so sharp it could cut through it. Did Xander lie to me? Could I have gotten in without my ability and if that’s the case, why would they not be able to come in with me?
It would make sense as to why he’s been acting so weird with my questions. Yet the warning he gave me before I came in was that it lies, to not believe anything that I know to be untrue.
“I grow impatient Maeve.”
“Okay fine, fine.”
I become visible and throw my hands up.
“See me now, happy?”
“I do not feel emotions.”
Sarcasm drips from my voice. “Sounds like it.”
“Maeve, Maeve, Maeve.” It taunts. “You have no idea the fate that truly brought you here.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your precious King lies, he lies, lies, lies.”
I don’t know whether to believe it. Do I trust Xander, who I’ve started to get to know recently or this apparent all knowing being that’s telling me the opposite? And just outside the mountain, I had thought he wasn’t being truthful, was I right?
“About what?” I ask the orb, needing answers.
“His intentions.”
I feel the inside of my head strain and I put my hands either side to hold it together. The King said this would happen, said his ancestors told him stories of those who had gone mad in this chamber. I had told him I was mad anyway.
I push the strain out of my head and refocus, standing up straight.
“That is not what I’m here for.” I say sternly. I won’t let it trick me.
“Only it is. However, I shall give you the prophecy you seek.”
“About time.” I say with a sigh, as I fight the urge to roll my eyes.
“In exchange for one thing from you.”
“By the gods.” I shake my head and gesture a hand, “of course.”
“You agree so quickly Maeve.”
I shake my head. “It’s not like I have another choice.”
“There’s always a choice.” It chimes, voice brighter.
“Gods you sound just like the King.”
I need to stop, why am I fighting with this being? It’s clearly taunting me. Is it the power it has, causing me to let it? Or is it my guard dropping?
“In this, the King is truthful.”
I groan, shaking my head. “Just tell me what I need to do to get the prophecy.”
The thing laughs a soft childlike laugh, the noise echoing through my skull.
“If it’s the prophecy you seek, you must find what mustn’t be found, uncover what has so long been buried.”
The voice has changed, it sounds omniscient and has lost a small fraction of that child-like voice. I suppress the goosebumps that threaten to form.
“What? In this room?” I ask.
“I shall answer no more questions.” It replies, voice turning wholly back to the little girls.
I sigh in frustration and turn around. Placing my hands on the wall and looking around the room.
I do one lap slowly, finding absolutely nothing before I repeat another lap, this time more frantically.
I need to get out of here before the guys start to worry or the more likely option, they just leave me here.
I feel my way around the room, touch each surface and do two more full laps before I realise something and let out an involuntary gasp. I stagger back from the stone walls.
“The door, where’s the door!” I shout, spinning around to face the orb in the centre, desperation rising in my tone.
“It will open once you finish my request.”
My breath is ripped from me and sweat coats my skin, despite the cold chill the stone brings as it meets my back.
I slide down the wall, putting my hands either side of my head.
It does nothing to help me draw in more breaths but the pressure has returned inside my skull and I can’t bear it.
I squeeze harder, like that will do anything to get the pressure to give in.
I look up through clouded eyes.
The walls are closing in, I can see it, I can feel it and I can hear them. Like the rocks are crumbling and creaking.
The walls are going to crush me and I have no way out, no way through this, no choice, no options.
I squeeze myself into the smallest shape I can make and wait. Wait for the walls to close in on me, to finish the job.
They’re so close now, they’re almost touching me.
I pant, trying to draw in more oxygen but the size of this room won’t allow it.
I can’t die like this.
I won’t.
I reach my hands out either side of me to stop the walls moving further.
But I don't feel anything.
My hands never meet the stone that was surely right there.
I look either side of my body, at my hands that should have made contact and I see nothing.
Just the dark blue room. The walls are as they should be, the jagged stone in its place.
It was a trick.
“Why are you doing this?” I exclaim, my voice breathless.
“This was not my doing, this is but the making of your own mind.”
This thing is cruel.
Its games not fair.
But I won’t let it win.
I slowly bring myself to stand up and refocus, I will not let this room, or this challenge get the best of me.
Feeling my way around the room again, I touch all of the rock surfaces, bend down and feel every inch of the ground.
It said it was something long since buried but the floor is stone, there’s no where I could dig.