So, I'm not too concerned with spacing out the posting of these chapters since I wrote this as an unbroken wall of text. So while I'm breaking it up into chapters, I want people to be able to read the whole thing all at once how I had written it, and not wait in suspense. Anyway, next chapter...

Chapter 3

The Riddle of The Void

Fire. It's scorching warmth expelled itself from her clenched fist in a miraculous flutter of flame. It was only the size of a candle, but after the infinite amount of time Kyja had been dead, the small light it radiated was blinding.

She...She had shot fire. She had cast magic! Kyja was so taken aback by the discovery that she didn't move for another eternity of meaningless time. How? After an entire lifetime of magic lessons and disappointment, how was she now able to do magic? And why now, when it no longer matter whether she could or not? Was this some kind of joke? A trick of the eye? Wishful thinking? She tried again, and once more, a tongue of fire lapped at the air for possibly a second before fading away. How? How was this possible? In a world of nothing, why was she finally able to do something?

Everyone has a little bit of magic in them. Even those on earth. The memory of Master Therapass' lecture to Marcus and her in the forest sprang to mind. Was this the magic she always had? Perhaps it's because as a spirit, she was small enough to access the minute amount?

Was this the clue she was supposed to use to solve the puzzle? All she had wanted was to hit something. Hurt something. Destroy something. Destroy the nothing that was so prevalent in this world. And now, when Kyja finally had the ability to destroy something, there was nothing.

Nothing. That word was so vague and yet so meaningful to a point she didn't understand how it was the key to solving of of this.

"There is nothing here," she shouted. Her voice echoed through the nothing, mocking her. "I'm alone. No one is here! Marcus isn't here! Fire Keep isn't here!" Kyja couldn't stop the frustration and anger from building up. Sure, she had magic now for whatever reason, but there wasn't anything she could do with it. The thing she wanted most in life, her dream, now meant...nothing.

Fire Keep isn't here, she thought once more. No. It has to be here. I know it's here. I know it.

Then, like a trumpet sounding, Kyja pieced together the riddle of the void. When you can neither smell, taste, see, hear, nor touch anything, how do you know that it's there?

Faith. Nothingness was the answer, because Kyja just had to trust that she would find it without the aid of anything. What kept the Aerisians trapped inside, the fire elementals use to keep others out. However, how was she supposed to find it with faith? Sure, she believed it was here- It obviously had to be- but was it just supposed to appear when you said you believed in it? Worth a shot.

"Fire elementals! I know you are here. I...I believe it." There was silence. So much for faith. Did she have to continue to use faith to hear the answer, too?

"I, uh, I believe that you are here, and...you will answer me," Kyja called out into the void. When there wasn't an answer, she closed her eyes and concentrated.

I will get an answer. I will get an answer. I know I'll get an answer.

Do you?

Huh? The question just popped into her head. She was positive she hadn't thought it, but sure enough, it was there. She didn't have any reason to doubt, so why did she think that? Maybe she needed to believe in it more, however that works.

I know I'll get an answer. I know there are fire elementals here. I know Fire Keep is somewhere here. I know I will find-

Prove it.

What? Interrupting her own train of thought were those two words. She hadn't thought that either. That definitely wasn't her thought. Was it a challenge? From who? The elementals? Did...did they speak by telepathy? And how was she supposed to "prove it?"

Faith

Kyja's eyes widened. Now the words were just falling into her head. It sounded like her voice was speaking them, but she was absolutely certain she wasn't the one thinking them. Now she knew for a fact that there was something- finally, a something- giving her directions.

Prove it. How did she prove her faith that the elementals were here? She had the evidence. Something was putting thoughts in her head. Was that enough? No, otherwise they would be here.

Well, how do you know they're not?

Confused, Kyja chose to speak back to her mental voice. "How do I prove my faith?"

Do you truly believe that you are close to Fire Keep?

"Yes."

Then open the door.

"How? I don't see any door."

Did you not say you believed you were close to Fire Keep? If you truly had faith, you would believe that if you just reached out your hand, you would be able to find the door. The voice was stern and reproving, and Kyja actually felt embarrassed for the stupidity she felt for not understanding a simple concept as belief.

Obeying the thoughts in her head, she stepped forward and tried to imagine what the door to Fire Keep would feel like. Hot. Scalding. Rough cobblestone. Large. All these ideas came to mind as she reached out and sought for the match to the textures. Doubt quickly filled the space hope had resided as she waved her hands pathetically in front of her. She probably looked foolish, and Kyja looked around just to make sure no one in the dark shadowy non-existence could see her behaving in such a strange manner, talking to herself and pushing her hands against nothing. Expecting to find no one, she suddenly saw everyone she had ever known standing around her! Master Therapass, Marcus, even Bella, the cook from the tower. But not just them; the kids she had grown up with and teased her because of her lack of magic were there, laughing at her silly behavior. The Goodnuff's stood idly by, shaking their heads at the peculiar girl they pitied, ashamed they had had to raise her as a child. Everyone was looking at her, laughing as they saw her trying to contact make believe elementals and a fake Fire Keep. She slouched down, wishing she could disappear.

They're not real. I'm alone here, Kyja pouted.

Do you honestly believe that?

She shut her eyes tight and firmly said "yes." All at once, the laughter disappeared and she once again was alone.

Do you want to try again?

"How do I know this isn't a trick? Tell me where Fire Keep is."

Oh how slow you are to learn. Faith! You must believe that it's right there at your fingertips. You will never get there if you do not first believe! The voice was annoyed. Standing up, relieved that the laughing crowd had gone, she closed her eyes and began to envision her hand coming close to a door of flame, brimstone, and volcanic rock. As soon as she thought she could feel heat coming from a nearby source, she heard the laughing begin again, and the heat faded away in retreat. She shut her eyes tighter, chanting over and over again "go away. You're not real. Go away." But this time the laughing did not cease. It continued in tormenting waves of humiliation.

Kyja felt ready to break down and give up on the entire search. She covered her ears, but the giggles and scoffs weren't so much as muffled. They played on in her head. Summoning up a final act of courage, she stood and ran straight towards the spot she imagined a giant wood door, opening it and slamming it shut behind her, forcing separation from the crowd.

Thud.

The force knocked her off her feet and onto her back. She definitely hit something, though she couldn't imagine what. Opening her eyes, giant flames erupted from the black obsidian drawbridge that stood proudly before an enormous castle that appeared to be built into a volcano. Looking down, she saw a mote of lava bubbling up from where she was sure she had been standing moments ago. The sounds of mockery and scorn vanished, and Kyja was filled with joy. She had found it.

This was Fire Keep.

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