A Lumen Ripple | An Elemental Story

Chapter 23 - Clarity

It was barely a week ago that Ember sat and looked at her dewdrop in the Elementopia terminal quay. She burned a bright red of passion as she looked at him. Seldom did she find such rich happiness in anyone - bar her parents. Yet she found it in him. The experiences they shared, the memories they made, it was such a good time in her life to live.

Alas, now was not that time. Ember sat alone in her room days later, thinking about the good old times of mere days ago.

She recalled his face during those first few moments in Elementopia; his smile, not too long after they disembarked. It was as bright as she, happier than could be.

She recalled the very feeling of his arm around her shoulder. It was so very comforting, so soothing. She snuggled into the feeling of that embrace, so warm and inviting. It brought a tear to both past and present her.

"Oh, Wade. This week has been so... fulfilling. I'm so glad I took the chance..." she appreciated.

Past her opened her eyes, looking at him gratefully. He returned the same smile as before to her. Yet things felt cold, distant. He remained silent, making her feel detached.

Then, his face began to fade...

A black vignette gradually closed in on his face, sending Ember into a fit of worry. She lost her smile, beginning to feel like she was falling. She clawed her mental fingers to stay within the fleeting moment.

She reached out an arm to his departing visage. Alas, he returned her with the same happy smile as before. It only added to her feeling of disconnect. She let out a shrieking yell, yet not a sound escaped her mouth.

"Wade?" she mouthed.

With his visage barely visible, he departed with a gentle wave.

"Wade!" she screamed.

The sensation of falling became very real from then on. She fell into pitch black, clawing both arms at the sky in protest. She couldn't feel, hear, or see anything.

...until she hit the bottom.

She gently got up in shock, looking in all directions frantically. It remained black all around. She was the only thing besides in there.

...and she wasn't alone.

"Been waiting for you." a voice called out.

Ember stumbled about in fright once again, holding fists up in fight-or-flight. She turned around, only to be met with a hooded figure.

"What the-- who are you?" she queried.

The hooded figure stood a foot or two away, revealing themselves. 

Ember couldn't believe her eyes. It was like looking into a mirror, except this one was far more unsettling. The hooded figure turned out to be an exact lookalike of her, only a dark purple, looking as though she'd weathered years of tragedy.

"You're--" Ember began.

"That's right. I'm you." Purple Ember confirmed.

Ember let out a sharp exhale, stepping back a foot. Her purple counterpart's voice echoed through the pitch-black abyss, creating a disheartening width to her words.

"I'm your fear personified, your goal's outcome." Purple Ember warned with an unsettling tone.

"Get away from me!" Ember cried.

The poor, naive her stumbled as she ran away in fright. Anywhere but there would've been better. Her purple self only followed along ghostly, remaining by her side, knowing every move she'd make.