Hidden Mysteries

Intra Calorem Anuli

The floor beneath my feet was cold and smooth, yet as I stand there, I feel strange, almost as if I'm violating something just by standing here. My surroundings are dim, and I can hear the echo of something rushing in my ears, sending an odd shiver up my spine.

"...case? Suitcase?"

I open my eyes, blinking rapidly. I touch at my cheeks, looking down at the teardrops that sat on my fingers, the movie that was playing on the Sinkers' TV becoming nothing but background noise in my mind.

"Are you alright, Suitcase?" Lifering asks me as I wipe my tearstained face with my sleeve. "You fell asleep during the movie, and we were gonna let you sleep, but then you just started crying out of nowhere."

"I'm fine," I say, blinking the remaining tears out of my eyes. "I'm not sure why I was crying, though. I wasn't having a nightmare or anything, I just...saw something. Or was it somewhere?" My lips purse slightly as I drift into my own thoughts, trying to piece my dream together. It wasn't like the dreams that I had had before that usually involved my mom or my water-floored house. I had only gotten a quick glance at the area in my dream, but for some reason, I felt a strange...comfort, when I saw it. Not necessarily nostalgia, but...something else.

"Suitcase?" I feel Tea Kettle's hand on my shoulder. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just..." I start, only to trail off, not quite grasping what I wanted to say. "It's only...ugh, sorry. Just...weird, Fellowship-and-prophecy things."

"Oh, I see." Tea Kettle hums, moving her hand down to rub my back. "Like Lifering and I have said before, if you need to talk about anything, we're here to listen."

"I-I know, and I'm grateful for that, but..." I sigh, looking down at the floor. "What about all the...weird stuff? You know, the things that involve Merripen?"

I can hear Lifering hum quietly to himself for a moment, before he scoots closer to me. "I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, TK and I are still getting used to this whole... 'our youngest son and his friend are involved with a secret society and a powerful demigod' thing. I mean, the two of us are still trying to process what happened that day when we got kidnapped by Merripen."

"We don't know as much about Merripen as Candle and Silver, or you, Balloon, and your two other friends, and my husband and I aren't ashamed to admit that," Tea Kettle adds. "But that doesn't mean we can't learn about them. Lifering and I will always be your allies here, Suitcase, and while we might not understand what's exactly going on, we'll do whatever it takes to help, whether it's talking, providing whatever you may need, or even if you need backup in a fight; we're going to get through this as mishpocheh."

I smile softly, looking up at Tea Kettle and Lifering. "...thanks, you guys."

"No problem, Suitcase," Lifering says, patting my back. "Why don't you head off to bed, too?"

~~~

Once again, dim surroundings welcome me as I open my eyes. I'm back here again? But why? I glance around, trying to get a proper glance at my surroundings this time. It sort of looks like the crypt where I had found one of Mom's journals for the first time, but the only light source is coming from some sort of hole in the ceiling. There's a waterfall behind me, the sound of rushing water echoing in my ears.

"What is this place?" I find myself saying aloud, my eyes darting across the room. There's a large, purple circle painted on the floor, with strange symbols surrounding it. My eyes finally land on a large statue in the front of the room, that looms tall and intimidatingly in front of me, its stone eyes seeming to stare into my soul. Suddenly a giant flame materializes in its frozen, outstretched hands, sending a sharp feeling throughout my body.