Ultraviolet

Chapter 17: The Passenger Dimension

(Author's Note: In some places, you will see three dashes in a row. Those are meant to resemble an em dash. I just put them there because there's not an actual character on the keyboard for the em dash, so I would have had to go copy one to paste every time I wanted to write. It was easier for me to replace them with three dashes.)

(Author's Note: You may notice that there is a plot hole in this chapter after reading it. If you haven't finished the chapter yet, come back and read this note at the end. Rulase gets on to Nopira for over-using his powers, but you may remember that Turo actually did the same thing when she spawned the Geyser of Light, so really, Rulase should have warned her as well. If I'm being honest, I wrote this chapter really late at night, so I wasn't really thinking straight. I'll try to fix this eventually, but as of now, January 3, 2019, I lack the motivation to do it. For now, just know that if I could fix it, I would, so please try to ignore my mistake. Sorry. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!)

Everything around me turned white, and I felt a strange tingling sensation. I heard the muffled voices of my friends from somewhere below me. Their voices got quieter and quieter until I couldn't hear them at all anymore. After everything had become silent, I heard the sound of wind coming from every corner of the white room, but I could not feel it. The wind increased in volume until it almost became unbearable, and then, in a flash, all of it disappeared, and Turo, Nopira, and Rukni were behind me. Nothing was white anymore, the wind and tingling sensation were both gone, and I could hear my friends' voices just fine. I was standing on black and white tiles again, just like the flooring of the corridor I was just in, but the floor was not whole. The tiles were split apart into squares of four. Only a broad expanse of stars and vast nothingness filled the space below. Up above, words filled the air. Signatures, quotes, poems, definitions, all written into the middle of the universe. Behind the words, bright red waves of light spread through the air. Random items floated around everywhere. A broken rocking chair, a green watering can, a melted candle, a pearl necklace, all glided around in the dark, all illuminated by the sickening red light. A little less than a mile in the distance, three hooded figures sat behind a table that resembled a judge's bench in a courtroom.

"Whoa, I know Pimana told us the Passenger Dimension was odd, but I wasn't expecting this," Nopira commented.

I cautiously hopped off of the first platform, praying that I wouldn't fall into whatever lay below the tiles. My friends followed. I jumped from one platform to the next with grace, as if a was a little girl playing a game of hopscotch. After risking our lives on the floating tiles for about twenty minutes, we approached the three hooded figures, who I assumed were the members of the Council. They each wore royal blue robes and tilted their heads down so that their faces could not be seen. With my head held high, I took a deep breath in preparation of my judgment.

"Hello, Dianne. We have been expecting you," said the hooded figure in the middle.

"Yes. We have been awaiting your arrival as well, Nopira," said the hooded figure on the right.

"Oh, yeah, I sort of forgot. I'm guessing sorry won't make a difference, huh? I know I wasn't supposed to use my powers again, but I did for a good reason. The universe would have been destroyed if I didn't do something, so I don't regret it at all, Rulase."

"Your boldness is admirable, Nopira. No, we are not going to execute you. That would be very cruel. We are disappointed that you felt that you could use your powers so freely, but we understand why you did it. Your actions have been excused, but please, never use your powers so irresponsibly ever again, or else we will be forced to execute you in accordance with ancient law," Rulase told him.

"Let us return to the matter of the prophecy. Dianne, we have been watching your journey. You and your friends have accomplished some very impressive things. We can consider your good deeds to be your achievements. With your friends, you defeated the most fearsome minion of universal destruction and darkness. Phersine. Together you took down the Guvon Rogues for the Ophezulu Ilanga. These feats are among your most notable accomplishments. We could never judge someone such as you so harshly, my child. You have passed," said the hooded figure in the middle.