Ultraviolet

Chapter 21: Dearest Elizabeth

(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.)

From a few feet above, I fell onto a familiar pitch black surface.

"Ouch!"

I was back in the Locked Realm! Was this just another flashback, or was it real this time? Yes! Elizabeth was standing over the puddle like usual, contemplating who knows what? Would I be able to speak to her?

"Elizabeth! Can you hear me?"

"Dianne! You're actually here, I can't believe it!"

"Yes, finally! You don't know how badly I've wanted to see you! Why did you break apart last time I saw you, why couldn't you stay?"

"I just couldn't. I don't know exactly why it happens, but neutral beings and the deceased, in the case that they are able to communicate, are split apart after ten minutes of conversation. I think it's to prevent us from figuring out the secrets of the universe together. After all, life wouldn't be very interesting if we knew everything, would it?"

"Yeah, I guess that's true, but Elizabeth, that means that I have less than ten minutes to talk to you now!"

"Then you better spend your time wisely."

"What do you mean? I'll be able to talk to you again after this, right?"

"Well, I tell you about that in a little while, but for now, let's just make the most of our time together. We don't have very long. Sometimes the ten minutes is even cut short, so we never know when we will be split."

"Okay, but you better remember to tell me soon!"

"I will, now, how was your adventure? I know that you killed the Wuntoile already, news spreads fast, but tell me more about that. I'd like to know everything you did on your journey."

"It all started when I left the Locked Realm after you shattered. I ended up in the First Reality, and I met an inyanga named Nopira. We traveled through the Misty Forest together. He then introduced me to his friend Rukni, who is a Tragic Bird. The three of us entered and escaped the Great Labyrinth and at the end, a scahg attacked us, but Nopira killed it with his Dark Scythe. We came to the Miraculous Gateway and entered the Third Reality, but we fell off of the Third Staircase. I had a flashback to what happened in the Locked Realm, and I woke up in a charming little cottage."

"That's strange. It must have been sad to see me get swept up by the wind like that again."

"It was. Anyway, we met an ilanga named Turo, and she rid Nopira and I from our injuries from the fall using her Healing Wave. She introduced us to her friend Juxame, who was a Miraculous Bird. The five of us solved the Bocerd Puzzle and entered Phersine's Lair. A wall of rocks fell down and we got trapped in the cavern. I ran around and circles trying to escape her fangs, but she caught up to me and bit me. When she bit me, Phersine actually died, and Turo used her Geyser of Light to get us out of the cave. I would've died from my injuries hadn't it been for Juxame sacrificing herself to save me."

"What a noble action. Thank you, Juxame, for Dianne to live."

"Yes. Next, our team minus Juxame walked to Pimana's Palace where we were sent to kill the Guvon Rogues before entering the Ultraportal. We were about to fall off of the edge of a waterfall when Nopira used his Tidal Shadow to save us and hurl the rogues off of the edge instead. When we returned, Pimana gave me the Prophecy Ring led us to the Ultraportal. I talked with the Council for a while and then entered the Universal Chamber with the Mighty Blade. The Wuntoile disguised itself as Dr. Kemp from the mental institution, but I didn't fall for that disguise. It then disguised itself as you, Elizabeth, and it was hard to hurt you, and you seriously injured me, but I still came out on top. Sorry, nothing personal."