Chapter 8: The River of Shattered Hopes
Rini continued to go forth thru the maze-like forest, still feeling confident after solving that riddle. "I'm coming Helios," she said, her voice filled with hope and certainty, "just wait for me, please." Eventually, though, Rini's high expectations began to drop down a little. She looked around at her surroundings, wondering how close she was to the castle. But so far, all of the surroundings looked the same and she began to get a little frustrated. "This just keeps going," Rini muttered angrily, "I thought for sure I would have gotten there by now. I feel like I've been walking for hours!" In truth, Rini wasn't sure just how much time had passed. If it had been a long time, her parents had to be worried sick. At the thought of her parents, Rini suddenly felt sad and lonely. How she longed to see them again. And how she longed to have Helios back again. "I won't give up," she told herself, "I don't care if it takes me a hundred years! I will get to the castle and save Helios!"
As she said this, Rini suddenly noticed that she was walking toward a lake. She came towards the edge of the lake and looked at the water. "The water..." she began, "it doesn't seem...natural." In truth, it really did not. The water was a lighter shade of blue than you would expect to see in normal lake water. Rini also noticed a large stone by the edge of the water. She saw something was on it, so she walked over to it and saw that it was an inscription. It read like this...
The River of Shattered Hopes
Walk across this mystical lake, if you wish to proceed.
But only those who are brave and true may walk across.
Those who walk across with fear and doubt in their hearts
Will surly sink to their watery grave.
Rini stared at this inscription for a while, a sense of dread filling her as she looked at the last line. "Sink to their watery grave." She shuddered with fear at the thought of this. She looked at the lake, trying to see how long it was. It did look a little long, which worried Rini. Could she do it? "I must do this," she told herself, "I must be brave and true. I must get to Helios." With this new determination, she slowly placed her feet on the water, surprised that it felt solid, as though she were walking on land. Rini tried to think of more pleasant things as she walked on the lake. She seemed to be doing very well and Rini felt herself relaxing a bit as she continued forth across the lake.
(Damious' castle)
Damious watched as Rini walked on the River of Shattered Hopes, looking so brave and confident. She would surly make it across at this rate. "She seems to be pretty sure of herself," Damious stated, "but what if I should change that?" Helios felt worried as he heard Damious say this. What was he going to do? As Damious continued to watch Rini thru his large mirror, his eyes suddenly began to glow red and as they did, he said, "I will fill her heart with fear and doubt like she's never known before!"
(At the lake)
As Rini walked along the lake, she suddenly stopped. She suddenly felt herself weakening. She felt afraid as well. She even began to doubt herself. She didn't think she could make it to the other side of the lake, even though she was almost there. As she thought these things, she also realized that she was slowly sinking into the water. She struggled to get herself out of it, but the water held her fast. Now, she was even more afraid than before. "I'm going to sink," she thought with horror, "I'm not going to make it." She continued to struggle, but it seemed the more she struggled, the faster she would sink. So she eventually stopped struggling and just allowed the water to claim her. She did not understand this. It wasn't like her to give up so easily. But yet she felt so unsure of herself and didn't think she could possibly make it out of this. By now the water was up to her waist and she was now weeping, but not for herself. She was weeping for Helios, at not being able to save him. "I'm sorry Helios," she sobbed, "I'm so sorry."
(Damious' castle)
Helios watched in silent horror as he watched his love slowly sinking into the water. The water was now up to her neck and she was still weeping for him. Helios knew now was the time. "I must save her," he said as he closed his eyes and sent out his soul with Rini.
(At the lake)
As Rini cried silently, with the water now up to her chin, she suddenly noticed a golden light appearing in front of her. As Rini stared at the light, she suddenly felt comforted and reassured. Suddenly, the golden light entered her body and when it did, she could feel some sort of presence within her. But it didn't frighten her. "I feel so calm and warm," she murmured, closing her eyes, truly giving in to this strange force.
"Just believe in yourself," she heard a voice say. She opened her eyes in shock and looked around, for she recognized this voice.
"Helios?" she asked unsurely.
"My maiden, don't be afraid," he said in a soothing voice, "You can do this. Just believe in yourself and your dreams. And remember, I'm here for you."
Rini felt so happy at hearing Helios' voice once again. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the Helios' soul was gone. But now Rini felt confident once again as well as brave and sure. To her surprise, the water had set her free and she was now able to continue on her way to Damious' castle. She finally reached the shore and stepped onto the land. Once she was back on land, she turned around to look at the lake again. She smiled as she remembered Helios' voice, comforting her, calling out to her. "Thank you, Helios," she said gently, "thank you so much."
AN: Review please.
Dream Sovereign
Rini continued to go forth thru the maze-like forest, still feeling confident after solving that riddle. "I'm coming Helios," she said, her voice filled with hope and certainty, "just wait for me, please." Eventually, though, Rini's high expectations began to drop down a little. She looked around at her surroundings, wondering how close she was to the castle. But so far, all of the surroundings looked the same and she began to get a little frustrated. "This just keeps going," Rini muttered angrily, "I thought for sure I would have gotten there by now. I feel like I've been walking for hours!" In truth, Rini wasn't sure just how much time had passed. If it had been a long time, her parents had to be worried sick. At the thought of her parents, Rini suddenly felt sad and lonely. How she longed to see them again. And how she longed to have Helios back again. "I won't give up," she told herself, "I don't care if it takes me a hundred years! I will get to the castle and save Helios!"
As she said this, Rini suddenly noticed that she was walking toward a lake. She came towards the edge of the lake and looked at the water. "The water..." she began, "it doesn't seem...natural." In truth, it really did not. The water was a lighter shade of blue than you would expect to see in normal lake water. Rini also noticed a large stone by the edge of the water. She saw something was on it, so she walked over to it and saw that it was an inscription. It read like this...
The River of Shattered Hopes
Walk across this mystical lake, if you wish to proceed.
But only those who are brave and true may walk across.
Those who walk across with fear and doubt in their hearts
Will surly sink to their watery grave.
Rini stared at this inscription for a while, a sense of dread filling her as she looked at the last line. "Sink to their watery grave." She shuddered with fear at the thought of this. She looked at the lake, trying to see how long it was. It did look a little long, which worried Rini. Could she do it? "I must do this," she told herself, "I must be brave and true. I must get to Helios." With this new determination, she slowly placed her feet on the water, surprised that it felt solid, as though she were walking on land. Rini tried to think of more pleasant things as she walked on the lake. She seemed to be doing very well and Rini felt herself relaxing a bit as she continued forth across the lake.
(Damious' castle)
Damious watched as Rini walked on the River of Shattered Hopes, looking so brave and confident. She would surly make it across at this rate. "She seems to be pretty sure of herself," Damious stated, "but what if I should change that?" Helios felt worried as he heard Damious say this. What was he going to do? As Damious continued to watch Rini thru his large mirror, his eyes suddenly began to glow red and as they did, he said, "I will fill her heart with fear and doubt like she's never known before!"
(At the lake)
As Rini walked along the lake, she suddenly stopped. She suddenly felt herself weakening. She felt afraid as well. She even began to doubt herself. She didn't think she could make it to the other side of the lake, even though she was almost there. As she thought these things, she also realized that she was slowly sinking into the water. She struggled to get herself out of it, but the water held her fast. Now, she was even more afraid than before. "I'm going to sink," she thought with horror, "I'm not going to make it." She continued to struggle, but it seemed the more she struggled, the faster she would sink. So she eventually stopped struggling and just allowed the water to claim her. She did not understand this. It wasn't like her to give up so easily. But yet she felt so unsure of herself and didn't think she could possibly make it out of this. By now the water was up to her waist and she was now weeping, but not for herself. She was weeping for Helios, at not being able to save him. "I'm sorry Helios," she sobbed, "I'm so sorry."
(Damious' castle)
Helios watched in silent horror as he watched his love slowly sinking into the water. The water was now up to her neck and she was still weeping for him. Helios knew now was the time. "I must save her," he said as he closed his eyes and sent out his soul with Rini.
(At the lake)
As Rini cried silently, with the water now up to her chin, she suddenly noticed a golden light appearing in front of her. As Rini stared at the light, she suddenly felt comforted and reassured. Suddenly, the golden light entered her body and when it did, she could feel some sort of presence within her. But it didn't frighten her. "I feel so calm and warm," she murmured, closing her eyes, truly giving in to this strange force.
"Just believe in yourself," she heard a voice say. She opened her eyes in shock and looked around, for she recognized this voice.
"Helios?" she asked unsurely.
"My maiden, don't be afraid," he said in a soothing voice, "You can do this. Just believe in yourself and your dreams. And remember, I'm here for you."
Rini felt so happy at hearing Helios' voice once again. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the Helios' soul was gone. But now Rini felt confident once again as well as brave and sure. To her surprise, the water had set her free and she was now able to continue on her way to Damious' castle. She finally reached the shore and stepped onto the land. Once she was back on land, she turned around to look at the lake again. She smiled as she remembered Helios' voice, comforting her, calling out to her. "Thank you, Helios," she said gently, "thank you so much."
AN: Review please.
Dream Sovereign