THE BLACKTHORN CODEX
Episode 31 — Mirrors of Nothingness
November 16, 2023 — 3:50 PM
And in the silence of the catacombs, the aligned skulls seemed to smile, as if the dead themselves were awaiting the coming ritual.
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The greenish glow of the crack barely illuminated the circular chamber. Each skull seemed to follow their every movement. Léandre and Clarisse advanced cautiously behind the old man, their footsteps echoing on the damp stone.
"The guardian won't come right away," the old man said hoarsely. "Before him, there are the mirrors."
"The mirrors?" Clarisse asked tensely.
"The reflections of nothingness. They will show you what you carry within you. And what you refuse to see."
They entered a long tunnel. The walls began to shimmer, faintly at first, then as if covered in black water. Images formed there, shifting, changing: the deaths of forgotten loved ones, buried secrets, the visceral fear of the entity within Clarisse.
"Leander... I..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
"I know," he replied, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We must look. Only by accepting what is within us can we move forward."
The mirrors also reflected the Codex. But its pages seemed distorted, sometimes monstrous, as if the book had its own fear. Twisted letters detached themselves from its pages, floating before them like specters of words.
Clarisse closed her eyes, silently praying the entity within her to remain under control. She felt a dull warmth, a weight on her heart. The images in the mirror transformed, bringing her face to face with versions of herself wholly possessing the entity: black eyes, hands cracking stone, laughter that was no longer human.
"It's not real," Leander murmured. "It's your fears, Clarisse. Don't let them take over."
Suddenly, the tunnel ended in an even larger room. A circular platform stood in the center, surrounded by skulls suspended by chains. The Codex vibrated violently.
The old man froze.
"You are ready. The Guardian awaits you. He does not reveal himself in his full form until your spirits are tested."
Whispers rose from the floor, as if the dead themselves were whispering. The chains began to move, twisting the skulls in a sinister dance.
"Look at what is within you..." he said. And remember: only your mind can open the way.
4:50 PM
Clarisse took a deep breath. The Codex shimmered in her hands. She felt the entity within her stir, ready to burst forth, but she forced it back. Leander looked at her, his voice firm:
"Together. Not apart. We must pass this test together."
A shadow began to form in the center of the platform, blurred, moving. Shimmering red eyes appeared in the darkness. The Guardian of the Catacombs was finally preparing to reveal himself.
"Here is your first truth..." said the old man. "Nothingness watches. And it forgives nothing."