Chapter 215: The Doors
Nana, drawing in a deep breath, exhaled a sigh of relief and said, "Man, that was way too close. Ugh, sorry about that, Pegasus. I'll be more careful next time." Her voice carried a mixture of exhaustion and apology.
Pegasus, in response, began rotating his shoulder in a circular motion, his other hand gently massaging it. He replied, "No worries. You had my back when I dropped my guard. Consider us even." His words were accompanied by a warm, reassuring smile that seemed to lighten the moment.
Rubbing her head slightly, as if to soothe the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, Nana simply responded, "I guess so. But let's try not to have a repeat of that, alright?" Her tone was light, yet underscored with a firm resolve to avoid similar dangers in the future.
Todd, his eyebrows raised in mild astonishment, remarked, "I'm surprised the shock wave of my attack that traveled down every corridor didn't set off these traps, unlike in the other corridors."
"It seems that trap was triggered by a pressure plate, which could explain why. But, let's not linger on that; we should keep moving," came a thoughtful response. Todd and Pegasus, with nods of agreement, resumed their journey. The seemingly endless straight path ahead gradually began to meander, each twist and turn cloaking their progress in mystery and anticipation.
As they ventured further, the pathway unexpectedly branched off, culminating in a peculiar sight: two distinct doors. The first door, enveloped in a calming shade of blue, bore the inscription "Memories" in flowing script. Opposite it, a door drenched in a deep, passionate red proclaimed "Heart." The two doors, standing as silent sentinels, presented a cryptic yet crucial choice.
Hovering above, a simple yet profound directive commanded their attention: "Choose your challenge."
Pegasus, his brow furrowed in confusion, remarked, "What could these even mean — 'Heart' and 'Memories'? Shouldn't it be 'heart' or 'mind'? Honestly, I think we should consider heading back to see if the first path has something similar to this."
Nana, exhaling a sigh that seemed to carry both resignation and caution, added, "That probably would be the best approach here, but I'm not sure if we should waste any more time. Then again, dying would waste a lot of time," she said, her words tinged with a nervous laugh. Todd, nodding in agreement, suggested pragmatically, "It won't hurt to at least check the first corridor, but let's stay alert."
As they all nodded in agreement and turned to retrace their steps, Pegasus, moving a bit too hastily, found himself abruptly halted as he slammed face-first into a stone wall that had mysteriously appeared behind them.
Pegasus, reeling from the unexpected impact, crumpled to the ground. Clutching his face with his left hand, yet still maintaining a firm grip on his katana, he cursed, "Damnit, that hurt! Who the hell put up a wall in our way?!"
Todd approached the newly materialized wall, curiosity etched on his face. Placing his free hand against the cold stone, he channeled a shockwave into it, hoping to demolish the barrier. The wall, however, only cracked slightly, with fragments falling away to dust. "Well, this isn't the best situation," Todd muttered, eyeing the stubborn wall, "Looks like somehow the exits closed up on us?"
Nana, her expression one of deep concentration, raised her wand. Closing her eyes, she focused on a single drop of water, which began to expand and morph into a bullet shape under her guidance. With a swift movement, she directed the water bullet past Todd, launching it into the wall.
The bullet penetrated the wall, burrowing over four inches deep before exploding, causing the wall to crumble further.
A few seconds after the wall was partially destroyed, it began to mystifyingly regenerate, sealing the hole created by Nana's water bullet, leaving only the minor damage inflicted by Todd's shockwave.
Todd and Pegasus exchanged shocked glances. "Okay, this is more confusing than when we started," they both said in unison. Nana, deep in thought, placed a finger under her chin and mused, "What was the Red armored guy's ability again?"
Helping Pegasus to his feet, Todd offered a steadying arm. Pegasus, brushing off dust, replied, "Well, I never knew his name before, but Gisorn was mentioned in the history books. Though how he is alive or fights is a mystery. His era predates the first great calamity's sealing. It's believed he had a hand in sealing it away."
Pegasus, still pondering over the situation, added, "Observing what happened, I do assume it had something to do with that pen he was clicking and writing with. Perhaps he has the ability to write things into reality, or it might just be some fancy weapon. There's no real way to tell."
Nana, rubbing the top of her head in a gesture of frustration, sighed,
"Why can't fights just be more straightforward?" She turned back to face the Red and Blue doors, her gaze lingering on the enigmatic labels: 'Memories' or 'Heart'. After a brief moment of contemplation, she decisively walked towards the red door, declaring, "I would very much like to avoid revisiting past memories, so let's try the 'Heart' door.
It sounds more like a straightforward fight, which is preferable to these mind games." As she reached out to shake the handle, it remained immovable, glowing ominously. Below the handle, a cryptic indicator appeared, stating '1/3'.
Nana, observing the glowing handle and the cryptic '1/3' indicator, turned to her companions and suggested, "Looks like we all need to grab the handle together. What do you guys think? Heart over memories?" Her voice was tinged with uncertainty, reflecting the dilemma posed by the mysterious doors.
Todd, rubbing his head thoughtfully, weighed in, "Well, the 'Memories' path might involve less fighting, and confronting past memories could be beneficial. But I'm prepared to face a fight if it's for the best interest of the group." His tone suggested a readiness to embrace whatever challenge lay ahead, prioritizing the group's welfare over personal preference.
Pegasus, with a look of determination, responded, "I was brought here because King Griswald believed in my potential to grow stronger and achieve great things. I won't shy away from a challenge." With these words, he stepped forward confidently, placing his hand on the door alongside Nana.