After promising to update more... life got in the way. I hope everyone is staying safe.
Chapter Fifty-Six: Faded Dreams
He woke with a pounding headache, his darkened vision clearing up. He stared up at the ceiling, noting the nice blue coloring it had. Then he ran his fingers along the cot he laid on, finding the sheets to be a nice purple hue. The walls just ahead were white, making the ceiling and sheets pop out just a bit more. This place felt like a hospital room, and from what he remembered, they were usually marked by a sterile white color. It was nice to stay in a room like this rather than that.
Had...had he been in any other hospital rooms? There was this vague feeling in his gut that he had been. But he...couldn't recall it.
He glanced over to his right side, spotting a figure sitting in the chair next to him. This figure appeared humanoid, with a blue robe covering his body. A horned helmet sat on his head, and a white beard settled on his chin. The figure held kind eyes, and he smiled as he saw him moving about slightly. The figure's presence was comforting, and there was something familiar about those kind eyes.
But...he wasn't sure why.
"You're finally awake," the figure said with a relieved sigh. "We found you entwined in some powerful magic. I was worried we'd found you too late. How are you feeling?"
He brought a hand to his face, studying its features closely. Blue skin wrapped in brown bindings, sitting just above a scarlet sleeve, these were indeed his features. For some reason, however, he couldn't quite recognize them as part of himself.
"...I'm not feeling well," he admitted. "I'm afraid...I'm having trouble with my memory."
The figure stood up, his face contorting in alarm. "I'll need to pick up my staff again," he announced. "Try not to move, alright?"
"You don't have to worry about that."
The figure walked into a corner, muttering something to himself. He tried to watch what the figure was doing, but he moved too far away for him to see without lifting his head up- and his headache seemed to grow worse when he did that. So he was left alone with his thoughts for the moment.
There was nothing better to do than to recall past events, was there? He tried thinking back as far as he could, but he couldn't clearly remember anything. He couldn't remember the figure's name, nor the relationship the two of them had. He couldn't remember if this place was one he knew, or if this was where he was from. But there was...a recent event he could still think back on. He had gone to do something in a city, and it was late at night, and…
Had he lost something there? And what was that city even called?
The figure brought the staff back, summoning a beam of light to focus on his forehead. The figure said, "Try and tell me everything you can recall. I need to get a good read on the magic that affected you."
"How long was I out for?" he asked.
"I feel like that's a lesser concern at the moment."
"Perhaps. But I think I was looking for something, and I might not be able to find it if I don't hurry."
The figure frowned at him. "You've lost something, alright. We'll get back to that in a moment. I need you to answer a few questions for me."
"Very well."
The figure brought the beam closer to his face- despite the light being directly over him, it didn't seem to hurt his eyes. "Can you recall your name?" the figure asked.
His name? Oh dear, what was it? He thought hard on that, using his small faded memory to try and gather it. He seemed to only find a small bit, and replied, "...I believe it starts with an E."
"So you don't remember your full name?"
"No."
The figure hummed, and brought the beam over to his chest. "Can you recall anything from the past? Your childhood? Recent events?"
"There was something I was doing one night. I was looking for something in a city. That's...that's it."
The figure picked up one of his arms, placing the beam over it. "One last thing. Did you… have any dreams?"
"Why does that matter?"
"It has to do with the readings I've gathered."
"I...didn't dream. I travelled through a city, then darkness came, then I woke up here."
The figure nodded, setting the staff down. "Then I believe it's time to clear a few things up," he decided. "My name is Eon. Your full name is Enigma. And normally we work together with several others to protect all of Skylands."
Enigma. That...sounded right. That feeling in his gut told him it was right.
"...There was something familiar about you, if that eases any of your worries," Enigma insisted.
The figure, Eon, stroked his white beard in thought. "I'm not sure if it does, at the moment," he admitted. "What seems to be afflicting you is some sort of dream-blocker curse. It's wedged itself into your mind, making it difficult for you to recall past events. And to make things even more difficult for us, the spellcaster that put it on you made sure to make themselves hard to track."
Enigma tried to sit up, only for his headache to set him right back down.
"Is your head bothering you?" Eon asked. "That might be a sign of that curse."
"How long was I out for?" Enigma repeated.
Eon fetched something from the desk on his left. It appeared to be some kind of recording device, but like almost everything else, Enigma couldn't recognize it.
"You were out for almost a full day when we found you," Eon explained. "We found you down an alleyway in Stargleam City, and we're not sure how long you were out before then. And this was the only way we knew of your location."
Eon hit a button on the device, and the speaker shouted out, "This is Enigma of the Trap Team, calling from Stargleam City for assistance. I've stumbled on a Spell Punk den, and I seem to be in over my head. I need- hey, get away from me! No, don't-!"
An explosion sound followed the voice, and then everything turned to static. Enigma ruminated on this, dread growing in his stomach.
The recording was indeed his voice.
"It sounds like I was ambushed by Spell Punks," he wondered.
"Your Trap Team allies have been investigating the area ever since," Eon concluded, setting the device aside. "And I know you're eager to get back there to figure out what's going on, but I don't believe that's the best choice for you right now. You need to recover from that attack."
There was no way Enigma could simply sit by in this condition. He couldn't remember what his lost thing was, but he knew it had to be dear to his heart. He had to go back out and find it. He had to find the felon that did this to him.
"If I sit around and wait any longer, we might lose the culprit entirely, " Enigma argued. He held the full reason inside, not wishing for it to get in the way of Eon's judgement.
"The others are already on the case," Eon promised him. "There's no need to rush yourself. Why don't you wait until you gain your strength back? Get food and rest, and I'll try and figure out if I can counteract that dream-blocker curse. I know you're scared right now, but I want you to trust me."
He guessed there was nothing else for it. And Enigma did feel a bit tired and hungry. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to wait on his mission. Eon seemed to have good judgement, and he didn't have much else to lean on at the moment.
"Very well," Enigma decided. "I'll wait until tomorrow."
Enigma spent most of the day in the hospital room, sitting by as the staff waited on him. He enjoyed the food and drink they gave him, but returning to sleep proved to be an arduous task. His head hurt too much for him to do it, and when he shut his eyes, thoughts and worries ran through his mind. He couldn't properly settle down, even after people gave him his space to do so.
In the middle of the night, no one came to check in on him, insisting that he should have his space. This made things worse for Enigma. Not only did he have his rampant thoughts to occupy him, but now he was completely alone with them. He was restless, eager to get out and head back on whatever mission he'd been on.
He sat up slowly, finding that his headache had dulled somewhat. It still lingered, of course, but it didn't grow worse with mobility. Perhaps he could get on with the mission. Enigma decided he was feeling better. He thought he should be able to leave now.
It wasn't exactly the next day like he promised Eon. But Enigma couldn't stand being in this room any longer.
He got out of the cot and made his way out of the room. As a member of the Trap Team, he was a Skylander, right? Enigma should be able to use Portals to get around. He quietly made his way down the halls, searching for where a Portal might be. His legs seemed to unconsciously move him downstairs, but that feeling in his gut convinced him he was going the right way. Eventually he found a room filled to the brim with Portals.
He just needed to think of the location he wanted to go to, right? Just step on and think of it? Maybe it would be best to simply wait and have some help.
Enigma grabbed his red cloak, rubbing his thumb along the seam. He couldn't just wait for Eon now, could he? Especially after he snuck out like this.
"I'm sorry," Enigma muttered to himself. "But I have to go."
Enigma stepped on a Portal, his mind going to Stargleam City. With a flash of light, he was immediately sent there.
The city glowed with a soft purple light, buildings floating on each street. Everywhere one looked, they could find spellcasters practicing their magic. Fireflies hovered by lampposts, enjoying the warmth of the lights. Stargleam City was a place for Magic Elementals to gather, and Enigma remembered trying to find something here.
Maybe if he looked around enough, he could find the alley where the Trap Team found him.
Enigma walked down the street, keeping away from other passersby. His hands suddenly trembled in worry, a feeling of dread growing the farther he went. Maybe he really should've waited for someone to accompany him. If he was ambushed last time, it could be worse this time.
No. He was already out here. He had to keep going.
A voice shouted a few feet back. Enigma turned to find it, spotting a golden lion almost right behind him. There was something familiar about him, but Enigma still felt too nervous to go up to anyone. The golden lion persisted, however, and walked right up to him. Enigma backed up, dipping his hood down to try and obscure himself.
"Enigma, what are you doing out here?" the golden lion asked. "Eon said you were still recovering.
"...So you know Eon, then?" Enigma wondered.
"You...you really don't remember me?"
Enigma looked up. The golden lion frowned, wearing an aura of sadness. Yes, there was something familiar about him, even if he couldn't quite place it.
"I'm out here to find what I've lost," Enigma explained. "That includes what memories I have of the Skylanders."
The golden lion nodded. "I'm...I'm Wildfire," he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. "And-And you shouldn't be out here alone. We're on the same team, so we have to back each other up."
"Are you here investigating the attack on me? I was hoping to return to that alleyway, actually."
"I'll take you there. Tuff Luck and Blastermind are still there, looking for clues as to where your attackers went. Let's go together, okay?"
Enigma figured that he should. He'd asked for some company, hadn't he?
"Let's go," Enigma nodded, wrapping his cloak around his body.
Wildfire led the way, taking them down the next street. The path dipped down somewhat, and the buildings drew closer to the ground until they touched it. Enigma gradually recognized the path they went down, finding this to lead to the alleyway he was attacked in.
Enigma suddenly paused, his breath quickening. He found himself nervous about going down further. What if he was attacked again? What if the attack made his amnesia worse? What if he couldn't fight back?
"Are you alright?" Wildfire asked, having also paused.
Enigma looked down the path, wrapping his cloak tighter. "Yes. Let's keep going," he insisted.
"If you need a moment, I can give you one."
"I'm fine. We need to keep going."
Wildfire nodded. He stepped up to Enigma's side, and the two of them continued onward.
They reached the alleyway, which held several small shops in it. It was quite the unassuming little corner of the city. Enigma wasn't sure what dark secrets these shops held if he had been attacked here. None of the shops had a lot of activity going on within, but two individuals poked around outside. One of them was a brown cat creature, and the other was a short fellow with a spiked helmet. These two seemed familiar as well. Wildfire said that...Tuff Luck and Blastermind were down here. That was them, right?
"I'm back!" Wildfire shouted. "And look who I ran into!"
The two Skylanders looked up to spot them. While the cat gave them a wide smile, the short fellow frowned. He floated right up to Enigma, teeth bared and hands on his hips.
"I can't believe you had the gall to come back here after what happened," he spat. "Do you know how embarrassing this is? We're Trap Masters- we can't get jumped like this!"
"Leave him alone, Blastermind," the cat argued. "I don't think he's even in the right condition for your scolding."
"I don't care about his amnesia! It should be common sense that you don't go out alone in dangerous cities like this!"
Enigma couldn't wrap his cloak any tighter, though he certainly wanted to now. Blastermind's words cut deep, even if he couldn't remember the relationship the two of them had. He just felt...awful about it. Maybe he really had done something horrible to embarrass them.
Another vague memory came back to him. He remembered wanting an escape. He remembered wanting to belong somewhere. But why did he want that before? How...how bad were the Skylanders that he would want that?
"If Enigma's out here, then he's out here," Wildfire decided. "I thought he'd be safer if he joined us."
"Send him back, if his condition is that awful," Blastermind argued. "We can't have anything weighing us down in such a serious case like this."
Enigma frowned. "I'm not going back," he growled. "I came to find what I lost, and that's what I'm going to do."
Tuff Luck nodded. "Well, then let's catch you up on the investigation," she announced. "The shopkeepers have had their doors closed since the attack. None of them will open up to us. But one shop seems vacant. We were just about to head in there before we sent Wildfire out to look for more items like the ones we found in front of it."
"And what did you find?"
Blastermind tossed a small bag over to him. Enigma picked it up, finding small purple crystals inside.
"Traptanium pieces," Blastermind continued, refusing to look at him. "When we found you, your Traptanium weapon was nowhere to be seen. It looks like you broke it during the attack. Keeping up with the trend on how clueless you are."
"Something else could have broken it," Wildfire argued, staring at his shield.
"Only Traptanium can break Traptanium. Or a Trap Master could use their magic to do it. Enigma had to have broken it."
Enigma's shame grew. He pulled himself away from the crowd to look at the crystals, while looking back occasionally to view the conversation.
Wildfire pulled out another crystal. "Well, I have some bad news," he added. "This was all I could find in the rest of the city."
Tuff Luck's eyes widened. "That's it?" she gasped. "Do you know where they might have gone?"
"A shopkeeper gave this one to me. They said they found a swarm of Spell Punks fleeing the area with several crystals in hand, and they dropped one of them. They suggested we could use this one to track where they went."
"Give it over," Blastermind insisted.
Enigma turned away from them, deciding to bring his full attention to the crystals. He pulled out six pieces in total, each one a varying size and shape. The closer he looked at them, the stranger the cracks appeared. Enigma held one to the faint light of a lamppost, finding a strange image inside the crystal. It depicted him playing a game with a young-looking Mabu, the two of them sitting in a garden. Enigma could almost recall that place when he looked at it.
He studied the next two crystals, finding familiar events depicted in those as well. It was quite strange. Enigma wasn't sure what kind of magic could bring this about. But he thought the others might want to know about it. He put the crystals back in the bag and turned back to the Skylanders, explaining what he found.
"Can we see them?" Wildfire asked.
Enigma nodded, passing them along. Blastermind looked at the crystals curiously, while Wildfire and Tuff Luck frowned in confusion.
"I can't see anything in them," Tuff Luck insisted.
"They're coming in rather faintly for me," Blastermind argued. "It seems like a powerful Magic Element spell put those shapes in. You two only know magic from your respective Elements, so you couldn't see them clearly."
"Can I see the one Wildfire gave you?" Enigma asked, holding his hand out.
Blastermind glared at him, but then gave it up.
Enigma took the crystal, looking at it closely. He studied the shadowy shape inside until it became clear. But the moment it did, a blinding light flooded his eyes. Pain flooded his head, pounding on his skull. Enigma crumpled to the ground, placing his forehead on the pavement until the pain ebbed away. When he looked up, the Skylanders surrounded him, checking to see how he was doing.
Enigma slid the crystal back to Blastermind. "...I think you should keep it," he groaned.
Blastermind took the crystal back, studying it with confusion and worry. "You see, I couldn't find any sort of shapes in this one," he explained. "I was surprised that those other ones did."
"So if we find the rest of his Traptanium crystals, do you think Enigma will get his memory back?" Wildfire asked excitedly.
"It's possible. Though whatever memory this one presents, it seems like the curse on Enigma is blocking this one in specific."
"We should figure out how to track those Spell Punks," Tuff Luck insisted, arms put up determinedly. "We can retrieve the rest of those crystals through them."
Blastermind nodded, looking toward the abandoned shop. "And I think I know where we should start," he declared.
The abandoned shop was in complete disarray. The rugs were ripped apart. The tables and chairs were turned up and crushed. The books scattered across the floor, most of them in tatters. And the purple Traptanium crystals lined the walls.
Enigma and the others collected the crystals, placing them in the bag. Each picture they held stirred something in Enigma, and he thought that his memory might be coming back. Those memories were certainly easier to invoke after looking at the crystals. Could finding all the pieces really put things in order.
Before the last corner had been cleared, Blastermind insisted that they take a break. He started using his psychic powers to levitate the papers, seemingly scanning them. He brought one over to Enigma, asking him to take it.
"If you focus some magic on a crystal, that should play the images out," Blastermind explained.
Enigma did so, finding the one with him and the Mabu in it. The crystal projected an image into the room, playing out the event.
"Skystones is a rather curious game," the memory Enigma said. "It's something I'm not familiar with."
"Yet you're familiar with chess," the memory Mabu chuckled. "I've heard it doesn't come from Skylands."
"Which is why it's curious. I can't seem to recognize anything that came from Skylands. Our doors access everything else, it seems."
The images played out like that a few more times until Enigma stopped focusing magic on the crystal.
"That's great!" Tuff Luck cheered. "Playing it out like that might bring your memories back."
Enigma studied the paper, squinting at the title. "But this is a spell for 'Dream Projection'. That seems strange," he wondered. "These are supposed to be my memories."
Blastermind sifted through more papers, explaining, "Every mind in Skylands is connected to the Dream Realm. We use dreams to help sort through our memories and keep them in place. It becomes difficult to bring up memories the further away they get, but through a dream, you can bring them up in perfect recollection."
"That sounds neat," Tuff Luck wondered, placing a hand on her chin. "But I can't recognize anything from my dreams."
"Can you recognize some things? Like people or locations?"
"Sort of. Sometimes you guys show up in my dreams. But the things that happen in them are too strange."
"It's like that for many creatures. There are a handful that perfectly go through memories within dreams. That school of magic is quite diverse."
Wildfire picked up another crystal. "Could I try that spell?" he asked. "I want to figure out what I can do to help out Enigma."
Blastermind placed his hands on his hips, thinking. "It's a pretty difficult spell for non-Magic Elementals to perform," he insisted. "You'd need a magic item to focus on the crystal instead of just summoning it from yourself. Let's see…"
Several strange objects lifted off the ground. Blastermind found a beat-up old hat among them, passing it along to Wildfire.
"That's something that elves use when they learn magic," Blastermind insisted. "Try it on and see."
Wildfire put the hat on, suddenly flinging beams of magic from his hands. Enigma ducked as one of these sailed straight for him, at which point the golden lion stopped fooling around. Wildfire focused magic on the crystal, creating another stream of images. This time it depicted Enigma and Blastermind travelling down a canyon, apparently on the beat.
"...And then there's the Great Sheepball Tournament this Saturday," the memory Blastermind chirped. "And next month it's Skygoals season. It's too late to get tickets for those games- you have to order them practically in January- but doesn't that sound cool to attend?"
"...I feel like we should focus on finding those bandits," the memory Enigma muttered.
"We've got another minute or two. Tell me which you want to attend more."
The memory Enigma folded his hands together, saying, "Neither sound too fun in person. Watching games on TV is one thing. But it just looks so...loud."
"But that's the fun part! You get to cheer with everyone, eat bad food- one year I caught a sheep someone tossed into the bleachers. Doesn't that sound fun?"
"It doesn't sound like my kind of fun."
The projection repeated a couple times, and Wildfire couldn't seem to figure out how to stop it. He took the hat off, and the projection stopped playing.
Something broiled in Enigma's gut. It was a reaction he didn't recognize. It was one thing for him to play back a projection that held his memories, but for someone else to do it…? He didn't want the Skylanders to look at any more of them.
"I think...I think we should track the Spell Punks now," Enigma muttered, wrapping his cloak tightly.
Blastermind nodded, focusing magic on the crystal he held. The crystals on his helmet glowed intensely, filling the room with light. The light then faded, and Blastermind looked at Enigma in confusion. He floated up to him, studying him.
"I followed the strongest trace of magic on the crystal, and...it led me to you," he said.
Enigma stepped back in shock. "That's...that's impossible," he insisted. "I was attacked by someone. We all know that."
"We do. But I searched for the trace of magic responsible for shattering your Traptanium weapon, and it led me to you."
"So somehow I shattered my own weapon despite being attacked?"
"I did say you broke it, didn't I?"
Wildfire scratched his head. "But that means we're still missing the rest of the crystals, then," he argued. "Try and get a read on the Spell Punk that touched it."
Blastermind shrugged. "It's not strong enough. The Spell Punk touched it, but didn't tamper with it."
"So if you can't track them, then where does that leave us?" Tuff Luck asked.
Blastermind studied the crystal he held. "...I guess we just have to look at all these crystals," he decided. "One of them has to lead us to the identity of the attacker."
That feeling in Enigma's gut grew stronger. He stood tall, his fists clenched. "No," he demanded.
Blastermind glared at him. "No?" he grumbled.
"They're my memories. I have a right to my privacy. I don't want anyone else looking at them."
"So what are you going to do? Just seal yourself away and look at them all by yourself?"
"If I have to."
Wildfire took to Enigma's side once again, apparently reading the tension between them. "We'll do it in the next few hours, so he can get some rest in the meantime," he insisted. "It's not a bad idea, Blastermind. He's the best person to look at them."
Blastermind crossed his arms. "Of course he'd say that," he spat. "I thought memories were tied to one's personality, but Enigma's still acting the same as he always does. Always slinking off, always minding his own business, always hiding things from us. I bet he remembers more than he's leading on."
"That's not true, and you know it. Just back off and-"
"Why should he hide anything from us? Aren't we supposed to be on the same team? This isn't how a team should operate."
Blastermind used his psychic powers to yank the bag away from Enigma. Enigma grabbed for it, but Blastermind pushed him off. Tuff Luck and Wildfire ran after him, also trying to get the bag back.
"Is your petty friend drama getting in the way?" Tuff Luck shouted. "That's more reason for us to wait. Don't let that make your judgement."
Blastermind held them back with his psychic powers. "We need to find out who did this and make them pay," he shouted. "And if Enigma won't cooperate with us, then we have to force him to cough up what he knows."
Blastermind pulled out a large crystal from the bag, focusing his magic on it. Enigma fought the psychic hold, though his arms could move very little. He couldn't stop Blastermind before the projection began playing.
The projection set itself next to a staircase by a mess hall. It appeared that a party was going on in the mess hall, with screaming and laughing carrying up the stairs. A projection of Enigma sat with Wildfire on those stairs.
Enigma remembered this event. Not just as a vague feeling, but as the truth of the matter. He remembered it just as one would remember where the sun sets. And he wanted very much to keep everyone from seeing that projection.
"I know the party's rather loud, but you don't have to retire to your room because of it," the memory Wildfire insisted. "The two of us could go somewhere fun."
"I don't want to drag you away if you're having fun," the memory Enigma muttered.
"Nah, I'm kind of tapped out of birthday party fun, too. Even I have my limits."
"You're sure?"
"Sure I'm sure. So you get to pick where we hang out."
The memory Enigma shook his head. "I really am tired. These get-togethers just...they take a lot out of me. I don't want to seem ungrateful. I really do care for you all. But in these large crowds...I don't know, but they seem to sap my energy."
"I get it. Lots of people are like that. I just wanted to make sure you didn't feel too lonely while everyone else was still having fun."
Blastermind's expression softened. He hadn't been there for the prior conversation. Could he not tell how those interactions made Enigma feel?
This lapse in concentration allowed Enigma to move a bit more. He raised his hand higher. Just a bit higher, and maybe he could summon a blast of magic.
But apparently not fast enough.
The memory Enigma fiddled with his cloak, stammering, "Actually, I-"
And then the memory Blastermind barged in, tooting on a party horn and causing his friends to shrink back in alarm.
"There you are, Enigma!" the memory Blastermind cheered. "The birthday boy Wallop is about to go after the pinata, and you know he's going to bust it in one hit. Want to get a few swings at it?"
The memory Enigma shook his head, standing up and grabbing the railing. "I was actually thinking of heading to my room soon," he said.
The memory Blastermind crossed his arms in a huff. "It's way too early for bed. And I thought you said you hadn't hit a pinata before."
"I did say that, but...there'll be next time. And-And you know I've been having trouble sleeping-"
"You said there would be a next time the last three times you skipped out on it. If you're really worried about sleeping, I can figure out a spell for that. But I don't think one pinata whack will take that long."
The memory Wildfire stood between them. "It's Enigma's choice if he doesn't want to hit the pinata," he insisted. "We'll save it for his actual birthday. It'll be the first one he's had since joining the Skylanders, so doesn't that sound much more exciting?"
"No, you don't get it," the memory Blastermind argued, fists clenched. "He always does this! He always puts out the idea that he wants to do something, and then backs out when that chance comes up! He's said that about the things I like and want him to experience! I bet he'll back out of having a birthday party, too!"
The memory Enigma rubbed the back of his neck. "I do want a party. I just...I don't know if I want everyone there."
The memory Wildfire tried to block the memory Blastermind's path, but the memory Blastermind wouldn't relent. "Is it that we're too loud? You don't like loud things, is that it? I guess that means you don't like us!"
"I-I do!" the memory Enigma repeated. "That conjecture doesn't even make sense. I-"
"No, that has to be it! Even if you didn't like an activity, you'd try it out for our sake! But you never do! You don't like us, plain and simple! And I guess that means I-"
Enigma shot a bolt of energy at Blastermind's hand, aiming for the crystal. It knocked the crystal out of his grasp, tossing it on the ground. Blastermind released everyone from his psychic hold, shaking with worry. An aura of guilt cast itself onto him, and he hardly reacted to the force Enigma sent toward him.
"Th-that party," Tuff Luck muttered. "I know you were mad at him for the past few weeks, but…"
Enigma took the bag back from Blastermind, turning toward the door without another word. That feeling in his gut before was the memory of that party. It still resided in there, even if he couldn't bring it out. That was why he didn't want anyone else looking at the crystal projections.
If he was willing to hide that from the Skylanders, then what else was he hiding? Had he really tried to ruin their reputation by embarrassing them? These were good people. They didn't deserve to be hurt by him.
Wildfire reached his hand out toward Enigma. "H-Hey, are you alright?" he stammered.
Enigma shoved his hand away. "I can take it from here," he growled. "I don't need anyone's help to track down my attacker."
With that, Enigma ran out of the shop. No one tried to go after him. Maybe he really had tried to ruin them, and they decided that they didn't like him? It was just as well. He didn't want to hurt them anymore.
Enigma made his way to the edge of the island, just as dawn started breaking. He felt tiredness set in, but decided he still wouldn't be able to sleep. His headache still lingered on, and he was just simply too frustrated to settle down anywhere. He'd started this quest, and so he ought to do everything he could to finish it.
He pulled out the small bag, sifting through the crystals inside. Memories could be quite difficult, couldn't they? That party rested within the annals of his heart rather than his mind, holding tight even if he couldn't recite it to anyone. It created his deep reaction to having his privacy ignored, because he felt like a monster deep down. Enigma wondered briefly if he should just give up that quest, and continue on without his memories. Perhaps as a blank slate, he might be able to fit in somewhere in the vast Skylands.
But nothing could be accomplished if he ignored this. He wouldn't find peace that way. Enigma had to press on, and figure something out once he collected all the pieces of himself.
Enigma continued on until he found an obscured ditch, hiding himself there. He used the spell to project the images from the crystals, stirring some memories within. After he'd sorted through most of them, he realized that there weren't nearly enough to restore his memory. The rest of the crystals were at the shop where the Skylanders were. But he couldn't go back there and cause them more trouble. He must have been a monster. The projections he'd witnessed convinced him as much.
Enigma grabbed the last crystal from the bag, performing the same spell on it. It projected an office setting, where a memory Eon sat at a desk while a memory Enigma laid on a couch.
"I'm guessing things aren't going so well at Cloudcracker Tower," the memory Eon wondered. "You've been returning here quite often."
"I-I mean, no one's treated me poorly," the memory Enigma insisted. "They've done their best to accomodate me, and I really appreciate that. It's just that…"
"Are you feeling out of place, perhaps?"
The memory Enigma nodded. He turned on his side, wrapping the cloak around himself, and continued, "I'm not like them. They're all so loud and energetic. I get exhausted just watching them. I...I'd rather enjoy tea and chess with you, Master. I feel we're much more alike."
The memory Eon nodded back, appearing a bit worried. "I understand that. And I appreciate our time together," he explained. "But I don't want to be your only friend in this world."
"I know. And...I feel really bad for getting exhausted around them. I want to change that, but I'm not sure where to start."
"You don't have to make such drastic changes. I know the others wouldn't want to force anything onto you. But if you'd like help relating to others better, then I can do that. Perhaps we could take a trip to the Radiant Isles later, and get advice from the Mystics there."
"That… that wouldn't be so bad. I could see Wendel again. It's been a while since I last visited him."
"That sounds like a great idea."
The projection stopped playing. Enigma stared at his hands in thought, unsure of what to make of that. Eon treated him so kindly, even after discovering he'd lost his memory. He treated him well, even after hearing how poorly he interacted with the Skylanders. What kind of worth did Enigma have at this point?
But that name sounded familiar. Wendel? That was a friend of his, wasn't it?
Enigma found the crystal that depicted him with a Mabu. He couldn't help but connect that name to that face. Could that be him? Maybe he could offer Enigma some assistance.
What was he thinking? Enigma couldn't involve anyone else in his problems. Not after all the prior trouble he'd caused them.
But he didn't know what else to do.
Enigma got up and searched around for a Portal, keeping away from prying eyes. He found one just outside the city, though he hesitated to step on it for a moment. He didn't want the Skylanders to go looking for him, and he couldn't stand it if Eon was upset by his escape last night. But he ultimately decided that there wasn't a more convenient means of travel for him, so he stepped on the Portal so he could be transported to the Radiant Isles.
Once he arrived at the Radiant Isles, he spotted a commotion occuring at the Sanctuary. He hurried over there, worried about the danger there. Enigma found the Mabu Mystics surrounded by Spell Punks, cornered against a large stone wall. Leading the Spell Punks was a nasty old wizard. He held a gnarled staff in one hand, and an old sack in the other. If one looked close enough, the inside of the bag glowed a faint purple.
There was something familiar about that wizard. Something that stirred anger in Enigma's gut. Something that made his headache grow even worse. If he thought hard enough, he could recall the wizard's somewhere in the bright flash from Blastermind's crystal.
That wizard must have been his attacker.
"I'll give you one last chance," the wizard shouted. "Hand over your Radiance Crystals, along with your findings on their potential. If you refuse again, I shall hold you within the confines of my Traptanium crystals!"
One of the Mabu, seemingly the wisest of them, stood tall and frowned at them. "We Mystics will not give in to your threats," he insisted. "We will not give up our Radiance Crystals."
"Alright. I've held off for long enough. Your doom is at hand!"
Enigma stepped forward, fists at his side. "Let them go!" he called. "Your true dealings are with me!"
The wizard stiffened. All heads looked at him. One young Mabu poked his head out from the crowd of hostages- he looked like the Mabu from the crystal projections. Perhaps the wizard had come here looking for the Radiance Isles- and Enigma had led him straight to them.
"Oho. I'm surprised at how quickly you sprang back up," the wizard scoffed, pointing his staff at him. "I've never seen such a disastrous magic explosion. Well, I'm as ready as ever to continue our fight, if that's what you're here for."
"Yeah! You can take him, Enigma!" the young Mabu cheered.
It suddenly occurred to Enigma that he didn't quite remember how to fight. Maybe it would've benefited him to pick up some defensive spells at that magic shop. But he was here now, so he would have to wing it.
"I won't let you harm the innocent any longer," Enigma persisted.
The wizard nodded, setting his bag down. "Very well," he growled. "Let's begin."
Enigma dropped his bag as the wizard shot magic from his staff. He ducked down, and fired a magic shot back. A Spell Punk flew in and took the hit, vanishing immediately. Two Spell Punks flew after him, firing magic of their own. Enigma dodged their attacks, and tried to clear out the growing crowd. Something shot at his back, and he crumpled to the ground. He slowly picked himself up, finding the crowd becoming more numerous, and the wizard becoming more feisty. He couldn't possibly fight them all.
Then he spotted a red object flying at the Spell Punks. Enigma ducked down to avoid it, recognizing it as a Traptanium shield. Some Spell Punks stiffened, a kind of magic restraining them. Then a cat creature leapt out and slammed Traptanium warblades into some more Spell Punks. It appeared that the Skylanders had come to his aid, as much as he hadn't wanted it.
Enigma took this opportunity to go after the wizard. He ran after him, firing magic at every turn. The wizard stepped back, alarmed at the turn of battle. He kept firing magic from his staff, backing into a wall. Enigma shot at his hand, knocking the staff out. He stepped toward the wizard, holding a magic shot in his palm and prepared to fire it off once again.
"It's just you and me," Enigma growled. "Tell me what kind of curse you put on me. Tell me, and I may go easy on you."
The wizard chuckled. "So you don't remember our prior confrontation, then?" he asked menacingly. "I'm a fraud- I told you so myself. But you seem like a worse magic user than me. You blew yourself up. I'm sure that's where your 'curse' came from."
Magic suddenly restrained the wizard, picking him up in the air. Enigma turned around to see Blastermind behind him. He appeared...relieved to see him. Was that correct? From what Enigma could remember, no one should be relieved to see him.
"Th...thank you for coming," Enigma muttered.
"We're always going to be here for you," Blastermind promised him. "I hope you'll see that eventually."
They'd be here for him? A strange feeling settled into Enigma's heart, and he couldn't tell what it was. Did it...hurt? Why would the Skylanders offer that oath to him?
"Blastermind, hand that wizard over!" Tuff Luck shouted. "I've got his cuffs ready!"
Blastermind did as she asked. Enigma looked around the Sanctuary, finding the air calming once more. The Mabu Mystics relaxed and moved away, calmly thanking the Skylanders for their assistance. The young Mabu ran up to Enigma, giving some applause, though he looked kind of forlorn.
"I knew you'd get rid of that wizard," the young Mabu told him. "I thought you'd have more skill in doing it, and I thought you'd have your Sigil ready, but you did it."
Enigma turned his head away. "It wasn't really me...W-Wendel," he stammered. "The other Skylanders had it covered."
"...Why'd you say my name in such a funny way?"
So his name really was Wendel. Enigma wondered how lucky he was to connect those dots.
"If...If I'm honest, I haven't been feeling like myself lately," Enigma admitted. "I had hoped to come here looking for answers, but I found that wizard instead."
Wildfire and Blastermind came up to him. Wildfire tried to bring a hand to Enigma's shoulder, but Enigma quietly stepped away. The golden lion scratched at his mane while Blastermind forlornly folded his arms.
"How are you feeling?" Wildfire asked. "That wizard didn't rough you up too much, did he?"
"I'm a little sore, but I'm alright," Enigma insisted.
"And...about that confrontation earlier?"
That guilt weaseled its way back to the forefront of Enigma's mind. "I...I kind of wish you hadn't gone looking for me," he sighed. "Let's pretend you caught wind of that wizard's presence, and you came here because of that. Not because you thought you were worried about me."
"Enigma, please don't...don't think back to that party," Blastermind begged him. "I was in the wrong that night. I wasn't listening to you. That's what it was."
Enigma shook his head. "No, I'm sure it was me."
Wendel touched a finger to his chin, and then said, "I-I'll get my father over here. I'm sure he can help better than I can."
With that, Wendel ran off. Enigma looked to see where he was going, noticing the wise Mabu sorting through the bag the wizard had dropped. Wendel and the wise Mabu chatted for a moment, before the two of them walked toward the Skylanders.
"I assume your team was looking for these Traptanium crystals," the wise Mabu smirked.
"We were, Fargus," Blastermind nodded excitedly. "With the ones we collected, the ones Enigma took, and those ones, we should have all the pieces to Enigma's weapon."
"But surely you've found something odd about these crystals. For me, at least, I knew that silly old wizard was bluffing about holding us in Traptanium. He couldn't do that as long as they're holding something inside."
Wildfire cocked his head in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Fargus shook his head. "I shouldn't have to explain it to you Trap Masters, of all people," he argued. "You know Traptanium crystals can only hold one thing inside at a time, right?"
"Of course. Our weapons can hold one villain and only...you're not saying what I think you're saying, are you?"
"Indeed I am."
Enigma straightened out. "Well say it, then," he urged him.
Fargus picked up a crystal, pointing at the image within. "These Traptanium crystals have dream magic inside," he elaborated. "In specific, the dream magic is tied to memory fragments. Most creatures in Skylands have difficulty recalling memories without it."
"You're kidding!" Blastermind gasped in awe. "But it would take the world's greatest wizard to get a hold of dream magic in the physical world. The wizard back there must have been something."
Enigma studied his hands, something familiar rising within him. The magic on those crystals tracked back to him. The wizard insisted he'd blown himself up. What if…?
"...I must have done it," Enigma wondered. "I shattered my Traptanium Sigil and placed my own dream magic inside of it."
Blastermind shook his head in disbelief. "I don't believe it. I don't remember you being able to manipulate dream magic," he insisted.
"Well, there's one clear way to solve your current problems," Fargus announced. "You'll have to piece the Traptanium Sigil back together and reclaim that dream magic. Us Mystics are more than willing to help you. I'm sure Wendel here would want that more than anything."
"We gladly appreciate it," Wildfire nodded. "Let's gather the crystals and go, then."
They moved to the library, the only place in the Sanctuary big enough for such a project. Most of the repair work took place at the entrance, where bookshelves were sparsely placed. The Mystics insisted that Enigma should stay in the reading corner to rest, arguing that he'd done more than enough work for a while. Enigma wanted to fix the Traptanium weapon with the others, but he went along with their plans, deciding that he didn't want to argue with them.
Enigma laid on the floor in the reading nook, and Tuff Luck and Fargus took their places on the cushions nearby. Apparently they wanted to look after him. Enigma didn't quite understand the fuss. All they needed was to recover the Traptanium weapon. His well-being wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things.
To think that these people could care about someone like him…
He...He really wanted that.
"I'm sure you'd feel better if you got some sleep," Tuff Luck insisted. "It's been, what, almost twenty hours since you've been up?"
"I really can't sleep," Enigma sighed. "I've tried. But I can't settle down like that."
"I can imagine it would be hard to sleep without having enough dream magic," Fargus explained. "I've heard that creatures not native to Skylands have difficulty settling down as they start developing it."
Tuff Luck nodded. "It makes sense why we spent so much time together the first week he joined the team," she mused. "I let him come to me each evening when he started saying he couldn't sleep. Too much on his mind, apparently. We'd talk for a while, and that would always make him feel better."
She said it with such fondness. How could it be possible for her to speak like that?
"Tuff Luck...what do you like about me, anyway?" Enigma asked.
Tuff Luck crossed her arms. "Lots of things," she insisted. "You're clever, you're kind, you're thoughtful. Like, you usually try to analyze a situation before jumping in. When the others get into the thick of it, they just rush in quickly. I think the team needs more members like you."
It hurt. It hurt to hear her say that, and he didn't know why.
Soon Wildfire, Blastermind and Wendel walked back over to them with the Sigil. The Sigil had cracks in every section, and a subtle white magic seemed to be the only thing holding the crystals together.
Fargus smirked at Wendel. "Don't tell me that's your magic holding it together," he insisted cheerfully. "The craftsmanship is incredible."
Wendel nodded with a smile. "I learned from the best," he replied.
"Enigma, the Trap Masters' weapons are connected to their magic," Blastermind explained. "Once you touch your Sigil, the cracks should seal up and repair it. Presumably, that will give you access to that dream magic."
Enigma nodded. He sat up, reaching for the Sigil. Wendel handed it to him, and almost in an instant, the cracks sealed up. Magic swirled within the orb at the top of the Sigil, images flickering through it occasionally. Enigma willed that magic to enter his mind, and it rushed in with a great flood. Memories ran through him, one after the other in succession. When it was finished, Enigma sat in disbelief.
His memories were back.
He was whole again.
Enigma started crying. His headache was gone now, so he thought for a moment it was because of his relief from that. But then the tears kept coming, and he concealed his face to hide them. Enigma felt the Skylanders come closer toward him, probably trying to comfort him. They were still being kind to him. Even with his memories back, he wasn't quite sure why.
"...I...I was dabbling with dream magic in my spare time," he finally choked out. "At first, I wanted to make a secluded pocket for meditation, and I thought a dream realm would be good for that. But then I spent more time among you, and as I found it harder to relate to everyone, the more homesick I got. I'm locked away from my home realm, but I thought I should keep the memories of it. I started modeling my dream realm after my old home. Whenever I got too stressed or sad, I'd go there to feel better. But I started feeling worse, because I still wasn't fitting into the Trap Team."
"Enigma…," Wildfire stammered.
"I was going to confess it to you at the party. You brought up the idea, and I thought I could get it all out and finally figure out how to stop feeling that way. But then Blastermind came in. We'd been engaging in loud activities for a while, and maybe he was catching on that I wasn't enjoying them like he was. And that argument came up at the party, and he said he thought I didn't appreciate what you were all doing for me. At least...at least that's how it sounded."
"Oh...Oh Enigma," Blastermind moaned.
Enigma tucked his knees in. "I really wanted to go home, then. If it turned out that I didn't belong with you, then I really didn't know where else to go. Being here at the Radiant Isles crossed my mind, but I thought I'd run into the same problems. So I started messing with my dream realm even more. I thought...maybe I could stay there. I didn't want to cause anymore trouble for anyone, and I figured I could probably be happy in a place that resembled home. But something still felt off about it. It lacked something that made it feel alive, and my studies couldn't show me what that quality was."
"So you went to Stargleam City," Tuff Luck muttered.
"On patrol one day, I heard a rumor about a wizard that was a master of dream magic. I-I know I should've looked more into it, and gotten backup once I went to investigate. But that desire to build my own place completely overtook me. I went on my own to see if the rumors were true, and I ran into that smelly old wizard instead. His only good skill was summoning monsters, and he used that to surround me with a Spell Punk army. He wanted to rob me of my Traptanium Sigil and use it to inflict harm on others. I couldn't let that happen, and I couldn't figure out how to fight off all those Spell Punks. So...So I transferred my own dream magic into the Sigil and shattered it. Even if they bested me, they wouldn't be able to use the Traptanium crystals for anything- only a master wizard can manipulate dream magic how they want, after all. And I'm not exactly a master."
"But-But I thought you said you had a curse on you," Wendel asked. "Where did that come from?"
Enigma finally picked his head up, his vision blurry from the tears. "I put it on myself," he concluded. "The details are fuzzy- there was so much I was doing in such a short amount of time, and I was dealing with magic connected to memories. But in a way...I wanted to forget everything. I wanted to forget my loneliness and my pain. But one memory clung to my heart, ultimately deciding that I wouldn't forget that loneliness- and it was the memory of that stupid argument."
Wildfire took him into a hug, and Enigma continued crying.
"I could kind of tell that's how you felt," Wildfire sighed. "And I wished you would have told me that night, if that's when you wanted to do it. If I could do anything to ease your soul, I would have tried it."
Blastermind looked down morosely. "I couldn't tell," he admitted in shame. "You being quiet and reserved just looked like your regular personality, and I couldn't tell the difference between that and you feeling lonely. Maybe I could discern that something was going on, but not exactly. I got frustrated when you weren't telling me anything, and I...I wanted to see some kind of reaction from you. It didn't matter what, I just wanted to figure out how you thought so I might be able to understand you better. But it was wrong for me to do that, especially since it hurt you. And then every time I tried to find you so I could apologize, you kept avoiding me. I suppose that's fair, after what I did, but it still frustrated me."
Enigma stayed where he was, finding himself enjoying the embrace. "I shouldn't have avoided you like that," he replied. "Even if I was upset with you. It was immature of me."
"But you're still allowed to feel the way you do. There's nothing wrong with you being angry or petty or anything like that. We all get that way sometimes, and it doesn't make anyone a bad person."
That sounded genuine. Maybe there really wasn't anything wrong with him.
"We really do care about you, Enigma," Tuff Luck added. "You can come to us at any time if you need anything. I hope you know that. At least, my door's always open for you."
He held onto those memories. Of him losing his home. Of meeting the Skylanders. All of the good and bad. Memories could be quite a fickle thing. But one variable seemed consistent all the way through. Even when Enigma didn't have his memories, the Skylanders were willing to help him out. They were willing to look after him and have his back. No matter what, they wanted to support him.
They wanted him to belong with them.
And he wanted to belong with them, too.
Enigma found himself growing drowsy from Wildfire's embrace. He pulled himself away, wiping the tears off. "Thank you for your help, everyone," he said. "Please know that I really appreciate it."
"You're starting to look tired," Fargus noted.
Enigma chuckled weakly. "You can notice? It's surprising. I've been up for ages, and only now do I feel it."
Wildfire playfully cuffed him. "We should find you an actual bed," he insisted.
"M-Maybe we could prepare some food," Wendel piped up. "Just before you leave, I mean."
"He might want something light, at the moment," Blastermind replied. "And we don't have to leave right away. Enigma hasn't visited this place in a while, right?"
"Let's find somewhere for you four to stay, then," Fargus announced. "We'll settle things once Enigma's feeling better."
"I better call Eon," Tuff Luck sighed. "I told him before that we found Enigma, but I didn't tell him that he ran off- I'll probably leave that out, still."
They all got up, making their way out of the library. Enigma walked closely with the other Skylanders- his teammates. He didn't feel uncomfortable in a crowd like this, but then again, that crowd wasn't as big as it was back at their base.
That crowd didn't really matter, did it? They could work together, little by little, to understand each other. And with that in mind, Enigma didn't feel lonely anymore.
