Lucian T. Einar | Patreon

Naga's yellow ring, engraved with a sinuous serpent, emitted a subtle warmth that brushed against his skin. Drawing it to his lips, he pressed a kiss onto the yellowish agate. Anna's urgent message unfolded in his mind, a vivid vision playing out the entire battle between Alice and her. He witnessed Anna’s valiant struggle, her bitter defeat, the plunge into the abyss, and her subsequent encounter with the mysterious Baku and Aria.

The memory lingered in his mind as Naga hastened towards the designated location, his eyes shrouded in a blindfold. The blindfold over his eyes rendered him practically blind, yet, as a synesthete it helped him heighten his senses, transforming the pitch-black surroundings into a symphony of sensations that guided his every step following the subtle color of the aromas in the air.

Cautiously, he moved forward, his fingertips tracing the cool, smooth texture of the walls. Each step echoed like a rhythmic heartbeat pulsing through his body as a steady drum; the thumping resonated through the hollow expanse. Whispers of distant sounds and shapes guided him—a faint creak signaling obstacles, a distant drip warning of potential pitfalls. Deprived of sight, his acute hearing painted a vivid picture of the surroundings, as if the very walls were whispering secrets in hushed warm tones.

The scent of dampness and age enveloped him, indicating an open space ahead. When a turn approached, he navigated the labyrinthine hallways following the aroma of a sunny warm day if he needed to turn right or the crisp scent of a cold winter night if he needed to turn left.

Colors danced in his mind, translating ambient sounds and tactile sensations into a vibrant palette of emotions. Fear manifested in dark, foreboding hues, while hope shimmered in brighter tones. Naga's unique navigation unfolded as a guiding light, an intricate map woven from emotions, sounds, and touches, showcasing the extraordinary way he perceived a world otherwise obstructed by his physical sight.

His journey through the labyrinth took about fifteen minutes, leading him to a massive domed structure with a gaping, dark hole at its center—an abyss where neither touch nor hearing could fathom its end. Descending along a circular corridor with stairs hugging the walls, he followed the path he had witnessed in Anna's vision.

A suspended narrow rock bridge spanned the pit, guiding him to a small altar bathed in the ethereal glow of a pulsating blue flame, carrying the delicate scent of flowers. Adjacent to the altar atop a nearby table, a small rugged stone box emitted a faint humming noise.

"Is it this?" Naga questioned himself. "Or is it at the bottom of the pit?"

Ghostly voices echoed in unison, declaring, "It's not here... there's no end!" The mysterious allure of the blue flame and the enigmatic voices left Naga staring at the pit while standing at the precipice.

He contemplated the abyss below, the darkness that seemed to stretch infinitely. The voices persisted, "No end," they repeated.

The spectral voices resonated in Naga's ears, a haunting symphony that sent shivers down his spine. The metallic taste of iron, a peculiar sensation only associated with encounters with these ethereal creatures, lingered in his mouth. "Baku?" he asked, the name slipping from his lips like a whisper caught in the ethereal wind. The spirits confirmed with a spectral affirmation, "Yes, Baku."

A chilling sensation gripped him, as if an icy hand had seized his own and guided him toward the table. Though Naga had interacted with Baku on numerous occasions, their eerie presence and nightmarish appearance never failed to disturb him, even as they were benign creatures.

“The box,” the voices whispered.

The stone box on the altar pulsed with rhythmic energy, responding to the turmoil within Naga.

As his fingers grazed the rough surface of the stone box, a surge of emotions coursed through him. He hesitated, caught between the haunting echoes of the voices and the allure of the unknown within the box.

Following the spectral guidance of the Baku, Naga opened the stone box. Within, he discovered a cast iron skeleton key and a piece of parchment. Unfolding it, he found cryptic words, revealing a snippet of the mysterious workings within the court's palace.

"I wonder why the court’s palace has a flying core in the first place," the words unfolded as a puzzle in Naga's mind. "Zak found out it was installed by order of the Highest Judge a long time ago, but I still don’t know the reason why."

“The Highest Judge and Zak?” Naga mumbled.

"On the other hand," the note continued, shedding light on Zak's clandestine plans, "I knew about Zak’s plans with his bomb and whatnot although I pretended I didn’t. However, I can’t understand why he and old man Völundr would use them." The revelation stirred a storm of questions within Naga. The motives and actions of Zak and Völundr remained veiled, leaving him with a sense of unease and a hunger for answers.

"By the way, Zak told me to leave the key here. It will shut down the flying core," the note concluded, leaving Naga with more questions than answers. “Attentively, Snip.”

“What? Snip? Is he still alive?” Naga gasped, his breath catching in his throat. The revelation that Völundr knew about Zak's bombs sent a shiver down his spine, and he instinctively took a step back, his heart pounded as the weight of the information settled heavily on his shoulders.

“Baku!” he called out, urgency lacing his voice. “Who left this in here?”

“A tall man from the Far East,” the Baku replied, its mystical voice cutting through the tension in the air.

“Snip,” he muttered.

Naga's fingers tightened around the small key as he contemplated its purpose. “Where should I use this?” he whispered, seeking guidance from the enigmatic creatures.

“The flame,” the Baku directed, pulling him towards the altar underneath the hovering flame. A keyhole waited, hidden in the flickering shadows. Naga inserted the key and turned it, setting off a chain reaction. The sound of shifting gears resonated through the chamber, and the vibrations from the ceiling hinted at a significant change.

As the ceiling unfolded like the petals of a blooming flower, a massive crystal ball descended, stopping at eye level and hovering over the flame. A new spectacle of lights and colors illuminated the room, showcasing the raw power contained within the mystical artifact.

“It’s still active,” he murmured, its voice layered with anxiety.

“The flame,” the hushed echo of a chorus of many Baku voices hurried him up.

Naga understood the weight of the situation. With a determined breath, he extinguished the blue flame. The crystal core descended with a muted thump, resting on the altar. A surge of pressure enveloped him, and the entire Palace of Jäävarasto began to freefall pulled down by the crushing gravity.

Despair clawed at Naga. The sensory overload — flashes of light, waves of sound, and the tremors beneath his feet — rendered him disoriented. He struggled to maintain his footing, unable to perceive his surroundings even through touch.

Amid his misery, a Baku invaded his mind. A chimerical creature, part snake with greenish feathers instead of scales and a boar's head covered in brown fur, emerged in his unconscious thoughts. A feminine voice, disembodied yet comforting, echoed in his mind.

“How do you feel?” the Baku inquired. “I'm your Baku; I can help you get out of here. Just follow my voice,”

Naga, unable to resist the creature's ethereal guidance, nodded in silent agreement as the desperate escape plan unfolded within the chaos of the collapsing palace.