Through the mirror, I walked into an abyss, without a hint of light. I couldn't see anything but it reminded me of the corridor, where the memories were. I tried touching, feeling anything but I was totally blind.
I rummaged through the darkness until a noise erupted behind me.
"Hello?" Yelled the voice, which echoed through the walls.
"Ember. You there?"
"Kai?" I asked.
"Yeah it's me-"
"And me!" Screamed Lexi, like a dog yearning for validation.
"We can't see anything." Added Kai.
"Neither can I." Stated I.
"Well duh." Muttered Lexi.
"Use your powers Ember. You know. Fire."
"I-I cant." I said.
"Why?" Beseeched Lexi.
"Because I can't. Okay!" Snapped I.
"Okay I'll use mine!" Shouted Lexi in a tone that judged me. Within seconds, a source of light shined through the blackness. Fizzing, Lexi's palm were shooting jolts of electricity. It was still pretty dark yet we could now see blurs of each other.
"Wow we were all pretty close to each other. Don't know why we were shouting?" Said Lexi smoothly.
It was extremely discomforting seeing Lexi like that. She had two palms glowing with light, similar of that to The Marker. Lexi didn't know about my memories. I didn't get the time to tell her.
"You look like-"
"The Marker" Interjected Kai. Who looked up at me and then down to his feet again, shuffling them.
As I scanned the room. I realised that we were all pushed against a thin space. Entrapped by avid walls. There was a little gap right next to Kai, who was unaware as he was facing the other direction. Without hesitation I started walking through the gap with the others trailing behind. "It's a maze" I said.
"What's at the end?" Asked Lexi, who was stroking the brittle walls. Everything looked black. Everything except our colourful hair.
"Hopefully the stairs." Hoped Kai.
------------------
We were walking, twisting and turning as we frequently changed direction, trying to find a way back up. There were multiple times, where we had the choice to go between two directions. After numerous debacles, we had to choose one and all of us had to go.
"I'm bored." Muttered Lexi. Who was walking while shaking her hair.
"Tough. We have to find Car-" I said, while immediately stopping.
Kai attempted to cough to distract Lexi, who was looking at us suspiciously. Lexi didn't know about the memory, therefore she didn't know that Carol was Methaya. We had too little time to discuss it.
I continued walking, cringing at the awkwardness. Trying to justify the mistake I made. I coughed. "We have to find Carol and Methaya." I said. I was walking straight, feeling extremely claustrophobic, while the walls were closing in on us. I then stopped hastily on my path.
"Why'd you stop?" Asked Lexi who bumped into my back.
"Did you hear that?" I asked quietly
"Nope. Hear what?" Questioned Kai.
I was about to answer but before I could, a huge, shrill, hissing noice manifested, bouncing from every direction.
We all dropped dead-silent, scared to awake the monster that cradled beneath the walls.
The only sound was the shocking sound, coming from Lexi's electrified palm.
Like static, it magnified through the void.
Promptly, another hiss emerged. This time, coming from the path ahead. I stood there, conflicted as to whether to heed to my fear and stay motionless or to move my aching body.
Lexi's static grew louder.
The Fzzzz sound was battling with the hissing noise that grew louder and louder.
Fzzz
Hiss
FZZZZZ
HISSSS
FZZZZZZZZ
HISSSSSSS
Not even our breathing could be heard, while the sounds overpowered each other. The more louder the hissing became, the more Lexi's fear grew and the more intense her electricity became. It was a vicious cycle, that wouldn't have ended unless I decided to move. So I did.
Since Lexi's electricity was intensified, the room was much brighter. I couldn't fully see but I could now see my direction. I walked forwards, disregarding the brutal sounds.
I looked backwards only to find Lexi, not moving.
"L-Lexi?" I called.
"Lexi. You okay?" Asked Kai, reassuringly, as he groped her shoulder.
Lexi looked terrified. Her eyes wouldn't budge, they just remained staring at the wall, where the snake-like noises were.
I walked back to Lexi and held out my hand.
"It's okay. Come on. I got you."
She grabbed my hand and squeezed it firmly before walking, expressionlessly.
The path was a straight line. Yet as we walked closer and closer, the quieter the sounds became. It was, as if, we were getting further away from the source itself.
Just as I sighed with relief. A tail came slithering in front of me. It slid right, cutting off the path. It was huge. The tail alone blocked the entire entrance.
Gulping, I turned to my siblings, whose faces were full with shock. My finger glued to my mouth implied 'dont make a noise. Whatever you do.'
They somehow got the message and didn't even dare breathe. The monster had disappeared from view. As far as we could see.
"Come on." I whispered, as I ushered Lexi to follow me.
I slowly crept forward through the door-like hole, making as little noise as possible. The area became much more visible to me. I couldn't see anything, but I could feel the thick air wafting.
Yet as soon as Lexi took a step into the room, all became clear. Her electricity glistened as it lit up the labyrinth. It was huge and slimy. The walls were grey, plastered with cobwebs.
Animal bones or human bones, greeted the entrance. I could feel the slime get stuck between my ripped boots.
I tried soaking in the view but something caught my eye. A huge tail came striking above my head.
"WATCH OUT!" Screamed Kai, as water came squirting past my shoulders and into the beast.
"Basilisk!" Yapped Lexi.
"Don't- look in its eyes." She said, while clamming them shut.
"But.How.Are.We.Going.To.Kill.It" Stammered I
"Just shoot shit and hope to get lucky." Added Kai.
"Easy for you to say!" Rebuked I. I opened my eyes for a mere second and could see the beast trickling it's way here. It was stretched long and was extremely wide. The positive was that it was slow as fuck.
Since I couldn't see it's head yet, I kept my eyes opened. A gush of water clashed with a surge of lightning as it struck the basilisk's body.
"We have to hit its head or else it-EEgh." Cried Lexi. As the tail smacked her, causing her to fly backwards.
"LEXI!" I yelled, as I attempted to run towards her. While running, it's tail wrapped my neck and started tugging. It felt like I was a small ant, wrapped in a giant blanket.
"H-H-ghk" Choked I.
I pulled on the skin, trying to rip it off, yet it grew tighter and tighter. As I seized it with both my hands, I could feel it burning within the tips. Causing it to finally let go.
After regaining my breath, I ran to Lexi who was knocked unconscious. From my left direction, Kai stood alone, battling the ferocious carnivore.
His face was relaxed, like he envisioned the whole thing using his ears. He placed two hands in front of him. The head of the snake came mounting over him, dominating.
It was about to bite and rip him to shred. I was expecting water to shoot from his hands yet instead a tsunami ascended behind him, clashing with the beast.
A trident formed in his hand and he pierced its head. All without looking. The beast screeched as it died instantly. The body slammed the ground, like an earthquake. Wow- all that control. And I can't even make a little flame.
"Can I open my eyes?" Yelled Kai.
The head of the snake was buried under its thick body.
"Yeah it's okay." Said I. Kai opened his eyes and quickly noticed Lexi.
"Oh no." Said Kai, as he pushed the front of her hair backwards, from her eyes.
Lexi started moaning in her sleep as her body shook. The electricity had faded and her palms had returned back to normal. She quickly opened her eyes and she grunted, while a smile widened her face.
"You did it." She exclaimed.
"Yup. How did you know it was a basalisk?" Asked Kai.
"Jess. She kept reciting something from mythology when researching Methaya. Figured it would come useful." Said Lexi. With the help of me, she stood back up, her head bleeding.
"Hey. How come you're not bruised or bleeding?" Said I to Kai, as I grabbed his arm evaluating it. Before with the gorgons, I could've swore seeing his arm battered.
"Water. It heals me. Only me." He sang, while smirking. "It started occurring after the battle with Methaya- perhaps, due to me finally gaining control over my powers."
Lexi and I rolled our eyes.
The room was now fully lit. It was as if the basilisk had been eating away the light.
A steel ladder was pinned towards the wall, leading past the roof of the room.
"I guess that's where we go." Said I, already climbing it.
--------------
The ladder led to another room. It was fully empty and brightly lit. I climbed through the hole, glancing at the roof above me. It was bewitched. Appeared to be the night sky, as the moon rocked back and forth. It was completely submerged with a gorgeous azure light, besmeared with diamond stars. I stood, entranced by it, unwilling to move.
"E-Emb-E- oh for god sake! Help me up."
Squeaked Lexi, as her arms flung through the hole, grasping at the flat ground.
I quickly noticed her and I pulled her up with effort. Kai, on the other hand had no trouble.
Now that we were all up. We could appreciate the beauty of the room.
The floor was layered with marble and there was glass pillars attached to it, connecting the to roof.
"Beautiful, isn't it." Asked Lexi, grinning. She was, as transfixed to the roof as I was, refusing to peel her eyes from it.
"How can this be the same building as the bottom floor? Now that I think about it. How can all of this fit in the tower because it was much smaller, when we saw it on the outside." Commented Kai, curiously.
He was right. This room was significantly smaller than the colossal maze downstairs.
"Illusions. It has to be. Methaya has psychic powers doesn't she." Said I.
"Precisely. Which is why we cannot get distracted." Advised Kai. His face was stern as he scanned the room.
Except for some pillars, it was empty.
"How-do we get out? There's nothing here." Said I, as I looked through the glass pillars, attempting to see through it.
Lexi had gone of to the other side of the room. She was trailing the edge, feeling it, as if she would find a camouflaged ladder.
"Nope. Absolutely nothing." Declared Lexi as she threw her arms to her side, scoffing vigorously.
"This is a nuisance. I didn't think we were gonna do riddles." She said whiningly.
"What did you think we were gonna do?" Retorted Kai.
"I thought we were gonna do a cool battle. Pow Pow Pow." defied Lexi, as she balled her hand in a fist and punched the air, like a child, three times.
"Pfttt. You didn't have to come." Remarked I. As I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Oh puhlease. Y'all would've been dead. Dancing with mummy and daddy." Said Lexi, sarcastically as she twiddled her thumb.
I couldn't even be bothered to answer. She was right. Me and Kai wouldn't be here, if it wasn't for her. "How did you even make it? You're terrified of heights." I asked her.
She had a smug look. "Well yeah- but after climbing that slime stairs that Jess made and jumping down the same building, I guess I'm over it."
"Ow." Screeched Lexi as she slapped the air, back-handed.
"Ow. Ember what are you doing?"
Lexi growled, as she frowned with anger.
"What are you on about now?" Yelped Kai.
"YOU stay out of it. He keeps on hitting me." Snapped Lexi, accusingly
"I'm all the way over here!" Responded I, who was five feet away from Lexi.
"Guys stop acting immat- Ow. Fuck. That hurt." Scowled Kai, as touched his chest with his palm.
"I don't think we're alone." Muttered I.
"G-Ghost?" Whispered Lexi. Her eyes widened. Mouth flat. Rapidly, the glass pillar near Lexi, shattered as a wispy ball of light came streaming through.
Lexi shrieked as she covered her head with her arms, crawling to the ground.
The spirit came curling towards Kai, as it circled him like a tornado.
Kai was barricaded. Only Lexi's cries and the wooshing noise of air could be heard.
I tried using my fire yet nothing came out. I did the first thing that came to my head and ran face-first into the dusty tornado. Naturally, it pushed me back as I fell backwards onto the glass pillar, sliding downwards.
I got back up, as well as Lexi and tried sprinting towards it again. Yet this time, another wispy light came bolting towards me.
It tried scratching my face as it flew past my neck and then came under my arm and back to my face. I tried slapping it off yet my hands went through it. It was incorporeal; Having no body meant I couldn't touch it. It was a wispy ball of light.
As the spirit etched my face, I could make out Lexi fending of another one, who was this time coming for her. There was three of them. One circling Kai, the other battling me and the other pouncing through Lexi as she struggled to breathe. I stood helplessly. I couldn't even fight this one, never mind two, other.
My face was burning, as the light had pecked it, repeatedly.
"H-Help" Whimpered someone. I couldn't tell who it was. Only that they were in pain.
Then I heard a scream. A blood curling scream.
The spirit next to me had stopped midair as it swerved uncontrollably to the ground.
I then saw Lexi standing, lightning zapping out of her like a battery. It looked like spider legs made out of electricity. It shocked the other spirits and had disappeared as Lexi plummeted to her knees.
She was breathing intently but she looked fine, nevertheless. I looked for Kai, only to see a body on the floor.
I sprinted to him, facing him towards me. His face was full of blood and scratches.
He couldn't even speak properly.
"E-E-" Croaked Kai.
"Shhh. It's gonna be fine." I whispered to his ears, as my eyes watered.
"Come on Kai. You gotta use your powers. One more time. Please." I begged.
He whimpered as his chest jerked. Water leaked from his fingertips. It then started curling upwards, wrapping him like a cocoon.
While it continued, I checked up on Lexi.
She pulled up a hand, which basically told me
I'm fine.
The water had finally dried, leaving a drenched Kai. His wounds had all been cleared and he broadly smiled.
"Well that was dramatic. Wasn't it?" He said.
We all broke of into, a much needed laugh.
"That was amazing. Both of you. You both used your powers to the extreme." Stated I.
"I didn't mean too. It just sort of happened." Said Lexi.
"Same." Pronounced Kai. Wish that would just happen to me. Sigh.
"Anyway what the hell was that?" I said, diverting the conversation.
"Probably, some sort of spirit counterpart, that only lives in our world." Said Kai, while flopping his hands like a child.
"How many of these do you think we're gonna have to fight?" Said Lexi, as she sighed contemptibly. She was still bruised. Her head was grazed with dried blood.
"More importantly. How do we get up to the next floor?" Questioned I.
Simultaneously, we all looked up at the roof. It was still glowing and reflecting the night sky.
However I noticed something different.
Before, the moon painting on the roof was silver. Yet now it was green, just like how it was outside.
I walked under it so I could get a better look. It looked stunning.
"Hey Kai. Didn't it used to be anoth-"
I looked at where Kai was standing, only to find my self completely alone. In another room.
------------------
"Kai? Alexa?" I bellowed, only to receive nothing.
I was in a small chamber that entrapped me. I barely had enough space to move. I pounded on the metal wall.
"Someone!" I screamed, continuously smacking the wall.
Suddenly a contraption behind me made a noise. I turned to my back, manoeuvring through the small tight space. The wall was sliding up, like a conveyer.
Finally it slid up completely allowing me to walk out. I walked out to an ordinary room. It was boxed up like a cube and was flat. It wasn't elegant or slimy. It was normal. The walls were draped with black and the ground was rubber.
Opposite to me, there was another chamber. It slid up and out came Kai, looking just as bewildered. To the right of the room was another chamber. This time, Lexi came out of it.
"That was weird wasn't it?" Asked Lexi, as she looked around the room.
"Bloody ell. Why can't there just be a normal passage? What did you guys do to get here?" Asked I.
"The same as you. After you vanished In front of us. I ran after you and dissipated too." Answered Kai.
To the left of the room, there was one final chamber. It hadn't opened, despite our anticipation.
"What do you think is going to come out of that?" Asked I, nervously.
"With our luck. Goblins." Replied Lexi, as she slowly walked to the chamber, gently feeling it.
She was about to speak, when a noice bursted unexpectedly.
"Well well well. If it isn't the triage. Figured the other two wouldn't make it. They're too...weak." The voice was loud, it slammed against our ears causing us to cover them.
"Carol! You bitch" Screamed I.
Lexi furrowed her eyebrows and looked at me, eyes widened. 'Carol?' She mouthed.
"It's Methaya silly." Hissed the voice.
"Where are you? You coward!" yelled Lexi, in a muffled voice.
"Now now Alexa. Let's not be haste. I am everywhere. The real question is who.Will.Emerge.Victorious." Snapped Methaya, in a calm soothing way. It was almost mocking, how she taunted us by using, such a relaxing voice.
I looked up trying to see the source of the voice. Yet it came from everywhere. Must have been her psychic powers.
"To get to me
So you can save dear aunty
And battle the enemy
And dying drastically.
You must fight and plea
The guarantee
That one of three
Will succeed."
The voice had vanished, as well as the ringing in our ear. Lexi looked confused, whereas Kai looked distraught.
"We can't fight with each other." Stated Kai.
"We have to do something." Cried I.
"We're so close. The last chamber. It has to be."
"So this is it?" Said Lexi rhetorically.
"We have to fight until what? One of us dies?" She remarked sarcastically.
"Fight and plea..." Recounted Kai.
"Plea?" Asked I "We beg?"
"We fight." Concluded Lexi.
Her hands started fizzing and her hair started beaming, as the strands glowed to the back. It was like a lazer, that was charging.
"Lexi." Pleaded Kai.
"We have to defeat her. We have to save Carol." Screamed Lexi.
"Carol is Methaya!" Yelled I.
"What?" Asked Lexi. Her face in utter disorientation
"Yes. I saw it. In a memory. Carol is Methaya." I cried, as I attempted to hold her.
She shoved my hand backwards. "No. Don't!"
"You didn't think to tell me. To tell us?" She snapped, while looking at Kai.
Kai humiliatingly avoided contact. His face drooping in sadness.
"You knew?" Spat Lexi, as her eyes watered.
"It was after we went to the rift. We didn't have time. We didn't-"
"Don't try to justify it Kai. Didn't have time? What? Did it take seconds for us to trail along a jarring maze? When we spent minutes before battling spirits, you didn't think to say. 'Hey by the way. Dear old Aunty is a whore.'" She hissed, as little sparks starting flying from her.
Her face scowling in fury. She was shaking.
Hastily, a lightning bolt came shooting from her palms, inches away from my face.
"Lexi! What the-" Said Kai, before Lexi directed another bolt towards him.
"She said fight, didn't she? So that's what I'll do bitches." Lexi started running full speed, like flash. She swung her fist at my arm causing me to pounce to the ground.
"Lexi. Stop." I begged, while trying to dodge the lightning soaring from her hands. She was furious and unable to think.
Immediately Kai sprayed water on her, causing her to thrash. Lexi, imitating the basilisk, used her thunder like a whip, slashing at Kai.
Kai roared in pain and flicked his arm at her direction, causing a huge wave to swallow them both.
I stood speechless, unable to do anything. I didn't know what to do. That is, until something knocked me to the ground. Kai was on top of me, punching me violently, while the excess water slapped me.
"St-" I suddenly felt his hand around my neck as he throttled me.
As my body twitched, I caught his eyes. They were lifeless. I couldn't recognise the brother, that I spoke to minutes before. No this was an entire different person I was dealing with.
Randomly, Kai was thrown off of me by a wave of electricity. Lexi was seizing him by her tentacles made from pure electricity. It was just like before with the spirits. They weaved behind her and there was at least 6 of them, 3 from each side. She too looked completely different. It was like anger had possessed her.
I watched as both, my siblings battled brutally, clashing with each other. Tsunami's towered over Lexi and thunder stabbed Kai, shocking him.
Lexi turned towards me and like a menacing spider. Her extra electric legs twined backwards, preparing to strike. Abruptly, they rippled forwards. Without thinking, fire shot from my hands and bashed the army of thunder. The flames swivelled as I twisted my arms behind my head, circling it and throwing them forwards violently. The fire heeded to me as it engulfed Lexi and Kai completely.
After the smoke had cleared. Both Lexi and Kai were on the ground feebly stirring. They didn't look too bruised, but were nevertheless unconscious. The chamber had slid opened.
My heart dropped. I was all alone. Forced to battle my siblings.
They could've died. I could've died. I wanted to make her pay.
So, as I put my doubts and fears away, tucked in my head, I decided to walk through the door that was concealed in the chamber. All alone.
I could've woken Kai up or Lexi. Yet I didn't know whether I would've awake them up or the monster within.
It was time. The final battle.