So first of all -falls to the floor- I'm soooooo sorry for the delay. I've recently gotten a job, and when I get home i'm too lazy to work on writing. This chapter should have been uploaded last week and I only started it two days ago. There may be a few more errors than usual, hopefully got them all but you never know. I decided since today (6/12) was my Birthday I would do a Birthday Special and upload a bunch of stuff to my profile so go check out my other stories and the new story I've posted. On the plus side, while it was late, its a lot longer than most of my chapters.
This chapter was really hard to write, I rewrote the middle 3 times before I was satisfied enough, which also means that I originally had the riddle rhyme but by the time I got the story to an acceptable level, I had no energy to fiddle with the rhyming.
I still don't own Magi.
Chapter 12: Nightingale's First Trial
It was beautiful. That was the only way Kaho could describe the sight before her.
Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed down on the round globe before her, speckled with rays of light. She felt weightless, floating above the world as she glanced over the mountains and the seas, the islands and forests. All packed into a large ball floating in darkness and surrounded by stars.
The light became too much and Kaho closed her eyes. When she opened them she found herself lying on a smooth, cold surface.
She pushed herself up slowly, rubbing at her eyes in hopes of removing the spots circling her vision.
She blinked once. Twice. She screamed, pulling away from the edge of a pit that was just beside her. Below where the hole-riddled corpses of those that had tried and failed at passing this dungeon.
Kaho gulped, eyeing the dead men with a sinking feeling. On the other side of the pit was a doorway, the magical circle on it catching her eye. "There's no way it can be that easy," she whispered to herself. Either that's a decoy and these men were all just eager idiots, or that's the right door but there's another way to it. There's no way I'm passing through a pit of corpses.
Slowly, carefully, she stood up and turned away from the pit, taking the long dark corridor before her. She held her dagger at the ready as she padded across the cold floor.
"Curse that Oracle. Next time I don't care how long he has to wait, I'm at least getting a pair of shoes." Even though her words had been whispered, they echoed down the hallway.
"When does this end?" Kaho mumbled, her steps unsteady as she stumbled from lack of sleep. The corridor seemed to go on forever. She was almost tempted to turn around and try that pit. She hadn't seen anything wrong besides the corpses. Maybe it was a fake out.
But her instincts told her it wasn't. She had to keep going forward. "Don't look back. Nothing good ever comes of it."
As her journey continued, Kaho felt something strange. Not dangerous strange… just strange. It was as if someone else was there in her head. Quiet, but there nonetheless.
Am I going insane?
Be careful. There's something up ahead.
Kaho flinched as a soft, feminine voice, different from her own, spoke. It felt like someone had whispered in her ear, but she knew no one as there. Ignoring the feeling of her privacy being invaded, she heeded the voice and looked ahead. There was a soft glow, similar to the flow of the symbols that had been etched into the tower's outer walls.
As she drew closer, her guard up and her steps slow, she noticed a tablet covered in engravings.
Is that-?
The Torran Language. I hope you know how to read it.
Kaho blinked. "Hello? Are you in my head?" No response. "Very well. Ignore me." She returned her attention to the tablet, her fingers drifting over each symbol as she read it slowly, glad for those lessons with Kouen.
"He who comes here will be known,
The first trial, you have overthrown.
But more await beyond this hall.
To escape, you must lose your pride."
Kaho blinked. She frowned. She reread the passage. She blinked again. "What?" Pride, something that she held closely, what all nobles held in high regards. She repressed a chuckle at the thought of Kouen having to go through this dungeon.
He would rather destroy the whole place than give up his pride, the voice in her head agreed.
I mustn't get sidetracked. What am I most proud of? She had never had to ask herself the question before so she found it hard to answer.
I am proud of myself… I would not change myself for anyone. I will not bow. She frowned. But if I do not, I am trapped.
She paused in thought. Is that the answer? But how could I physically prove losing my pride? It's not a tangible thing...
Pride is such a fickle thing.
Kaho nodded to herself. She would not-could not-lose to this puzzle. The first of many, she reminded herself.
So then how do I show that I am giving up my pride? I still do not really understand what pride would be, she asked herself, slightly hoping the other voice would give a suggestion.
Perhaps it's something simple.
"Nothing is ever simple," Kaho mumbled, kicking the tablet in annoyance. "Bothersome riddle."
While you're just idling about, I was wondering. Kouen won't answer me. Are you the submissive type or-
What are you talking about? Kaho asked in horror, her cheeks turning red.
My bad, just curious. I suppose you both being so prideful, you would clash on anything and everything. Am I right?
Kaho frowned. You're distracting me.
Are you sure? Kaho could just hear the smirk in the voice. Her eyes narrowed. What did the voice mean? Submissive… pride…
"Stupid dogs," Kouen had growled as he walked into the library.
Kaho looked up from her book and quirked a brow. "Dogs?"
Kouen tsked as he turned his glare on her. "The damned advisors. They have no shame."
"What did they do?" she asked curiously.
"Nothing you want to know of," he spat in anger, picking a chair that had the misfortune of being in his way as he headed toward the other door in the library that led to his private study. "They're just pathetic dogs. They'll bark and bark but when danger arrives, they submit, their tails between their legs and there backs turned as they run. Prideless filth."
Kaho flinched as Kouen slammed the door shut behind him.
Dogs… Dogs? Why am I thinking about dogs? she shrugged. "I don't have all day for this… Either I got it or I don't."
This is such a stupid idea. I hope it works. But she had no better options.
With a sigh, Kaho got on all fours. "Woof woof?" And so she continued down the passage while crawling. She could almost hear the snickering of the voice inside her head. Shut up you disembodied voice.
The laughter became full blown, making Kaho grumble as she continued down the hall. "Its not working," she huffed in annoyance.
Maybe it's not enough, the voice said between giggles. Maybe you should imagine Kouen's there? Here, I'll even play his part. There was a cough and the voice tried to imitate Kouen.
Who's a good dog? The sound was deep but still too feminine. A scoff followed. Better than those old fools, anyways. But let's not talk about them, it kills the mood.
Oh god, stop right now. I don't know who you are but you're creeping me out. Kaho shivered at the thought of Kouen saying those words, no matter how silly the voice sounded. She could even imagine the smirk on his lips as the next words were said.
If you beg, I'll give you a treat.
Kaho immediately stood in mortification. Nope! Not doing it. Stop this instant!
Isn't that adorable? The voice spoke normally this time thank god, but her next comment caused the blood to drain from her face, turning her ghostly white in horror. I absolutely must tell the Prince! I wonder what he will say when he learns you enjoyed our little roleplaying~. There was a giggle in the background.
Kaho's eyes grew wide. "Oh god no! That would kill my pr-AH!" Her words were cut off as she suddenly found herself in the air over a brightly lit room.
She gasped, unable to do anything else as she fell. In a swift motion, she stabbed her dagger into the black wall beside her. She felt her shoulder pop as her momentum came to a sudden halt, putting all her weight into the shoulder. Biting her lip, she held onto the dagger with a vise grip as she looked down.
Gold and silver and colorful gems. They shimmered in the light not too far below her. A drop from where she was wouldn't kill her. Maybe she could land on her feet? Pulling herself up with all the strength in her arm, she took hold of the dagger with her other hand and and planted her feet on the wall before giving the dagger a gentle tug. There was a cracking sound and the wall gave out before she was ready for it.
Kaho gasped as her back made contact with the ground. A dull pain coursed through her body. For a moment, she was afraid; she tried to intake air but it was as if her body rejected the oxygen. The horror of being unable to breathe hit her. But as the seconds passed, her breath returned in ragged puffs as she began to feel a burning pain in her previously uninjured shoulder. She felt something wet begin to cover the shoulder, soaking into her night robe. She looked to her left in horror. She had somehow impaled herself on a pointed gold helmet; the tip stuck out though her shoulder, covered in blood, as more oozed to the ground or was soaked up into her white robe.
She tried to stand up, to remove her shoulder from the spike, but the helmet would not move, as if it was made out of lead. And each movement only made the pain worse. Allowing herself to relax, she wasn't sure how long she lay there, her blood pooling beneath her. Is this how I die?
There was no response from the voice.
I was a fool. And I'm alone…
There was a sort of buzzing in her head alone with faint voices. … What... doing?... can't… not allowed… damaging!... Rukh… There was silence for a moment and Kaho's eyes began to close. She was so tired... Order! Kaho… there!... listen... KAHO!
Kaho jolted from the sleepy lull she had fallen into. She recognized that voice. "Kouen?"
Damn it all. If you give up, I'll kill you myself. Throw me off the top you said? Don't make me laugh! Kouen's voice snarled. Get back… order!
As Kouen's voice faded, Kaho began to panic. "Wait! Don't go! Kouen!" Silence. She sighed, dropping her right arm over her eyes to block out the light. "So tired…"
"But…" she hissed between her teeth as she began to push herself up, the metal of the spike slippery from her blood and slowly budging. "I can't rest yet."
She screamed as she felt the metal slip through her wound with one last tug. Her hand fell on her shoulder as she bit her lip in agony. Blood began to pour rapidly from the large wound. Slowly, her legs wobbling below her, she stood and began to walk toward the only door in the room. "I won't… give… up."
Her resolve faltered as she saw another tablet covered in Torran symbols. Even as her sight began to darken, she read.
"If it is treasure which you seek
Your soul is lost, mine to keep.
To pass farther you must find
a single gem, one of a kind."
Kaho looked around the room in dismay. "It could take years to sort through the whole room to find one of a kind…" She leaned against the door as her legs began to give out. A few minutes of rest won't hurt… Everything grew dark before Kaho could think anything else.
Comment Corner:
9: Truthfully, I'm still trying to decide as well if Alya will be half-fallen, so far I think she will not.
OrangeBears: Invested? And thank you~ I'll do my best.
