Emery opened her eyes to a black void with only the sound of rustling leaves and branches echoing in the distance.
“Hello?” Emery called out. Her voice traveled out and back, distorted.
When she took a step, her body felt flung a thousand miles ahead. Finally putting her lead foot on the ground, she stopped short of a mirror. Her reflection matched her appearance perfectly save for a black, bird-like mask over her face.
“Where am I?” Emery asked out loud.
Her reflection paused for a beat before repeating, “Where am I?” The reflection was confident, practically mocking its original.
“Is this a test?” Emery said, half laughing.
“Is this a test?”
Emery followed the glass wall further down as her strange reflection echoed her footsteps just behind her. The floor rippled as if she was walking on the surface of a vast ocean, with a dim emerald light fading off towards the horizon. Emery stopped again to face her reflection as it caught up to her and mirrored her movements.
“I'm my own familiar?” Her last words synced up perfectly with her reflection as they spoke simultaneously. “Hey! We matched that time.”
The reflection possessed Emery’s voice and forced them both to speak, “I am thou. Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I come... thou has discovered a fragment of eternity. Break free of the chains that divide us and know freedom everlasting.”
“Freedom?” Emery echoed as she broke free of the trance. “I’m just figuring out my life. I’m not a prisoner.”
The reflection spoke alone, “A lie, a cage... both constrain.”
“So, how do I know what’s a lie?”
“Face the truth.”
Emery turned around, feeling a hunger at her back. Suddenly she was in her house. It was eerily silent. The world outside was a painting with an absent artist long since abandoned their work. The light was sucked into the center of the living room until it shrunk into a campfire. Crouching down, Emery warmed her hands by the fire.
Lamb.
Emery looked up to find a cloaked figure standing on the other side of the fire. She couldn’t make out a single feature beyond the dense shadows under their hood. Even their voice wasn’t a voice, more of a feeling entering her mind. The two were surrounded by miles of forest.
“Who are you?”
I followed the word. It led here.
Emery scanned the trees around them, too high to see past. “This is the orchard. Are you what’s calling the Amaranths?”
I do not know their words. The fire only spoke yours.
“The fire?” Emery repeated. “Wait, this is my mind. How are you here? What are you even?”
One who knows nothing can understand nothing.
Emery scoffed as she towered above the campfire. “Yeah, well... we’ll see about that. You called me after all.”
I followed, now found... only watching remains.
“Watching for what?” Emery asked.
The fire, it flickers in your wake. The Cinder will not rest.
The campfire spread along the ground, consuming inch after inch of space. The flames crept up Emery’s body, strangling the air from her neck as she lost sight of the robed stranger. In a blink, she was back in Vale’s classroom.
Emery gasped for air as she fell to her knees. Around her, both Raven and Alice exited their trance as well. Raven took a swing at the air before falling over and realizing where she was. Alice’s knees buckled for a moment but she remained steadfast on her feet.
“Hey, weird timing.” Vale said with a raised eyebrow. “The process is a bit more involved for Amaranths, I’m told. Everyone alright?”
The three girls exchanged uncertain glances. Collecting themselves off the floor, Raven helped Emery to her feet first before facing their teacher again. Alice stepped forward first, composed as ever.
“We’re fine. Just... winded.” Alice lied.
“Fair.” Vale accepted. “Why don’t I get some snacks from my office? It’ll keep your sugar up before you leave. Be right back.”
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