Mystery Noir

Gates and Trials Part 2

I glanced back to Enzo, who was still standing there, though he almost looked like a statue, or a soldier on guard. At some point the Urisks, including Breeeee, had all disappeared. I opened my mouth to ask him what he thought, only to remember what the book, or the being writing in the book, had said.

I had to do this on my own.

Which should not have been a big deal. I had done most things on my own for a long time, I just didn't understand why Enzo had just gone so stoic. Maybe he wanted to help, but was worried he'd ruin our chances at getting Penny? What constituted as help, anyway? And if the being wanted to be difficult, perhaps anything Enzo did would be considered "help". With no way of knowing, it was probably best if he stayed out of the way and let me figure things out.

I nodded and let out a breath, turning back to look at the symbol, but letting my mind drift a little. I couldn't force my brain to figure things out, I had to let it relax and absorb everything I was seeing and had already learned.

I looked down to my feet, frowning when I noticed that the etching of the gate ran in a circle, but there were four points, one on each side, protruding outwards. The point on the right was the biggest, and my mind sluggishly realized what it was.

"It's a compass." I muttered, meaning I was standing on the point that meant the East. And at the top of the gate, across the circle from me, was West.

But how did that tell me how to read the symbols out? I debated pulling out the book to compare the etchings of the gates, or to try to see if there were any directional clues hidden in the pictures. I had noticed none, but I had not been looking for them either. I glanced up at the ceiling, frowning as I felt the colours swirling above me calming my mind.

"This belongs to the West." I murmured, before looking toward the symbol etched into the ground across the symbol from me.

Sunsets.

The change from day into night.

A memory from when I was travelling with my mother came to mind, sitting with her as the sun set over the Sedona desert, lighting up the red stone and making the air fill with what I had thought was magic at the time. She had been crying, though I had not understood it then, and for days afterwards she had sunk into herself in a deep depression when we remained at a motel for several weeks and she had worked cleaning rooms for the place. I had schooled myself, with my mother quizzing me when she was back from work for the day, though our interactions had been mechanical. I was fed, clothed, taught, but my mother had been a million miles away.

She had eventually bounced back; I remembered her as being affectionate and loving as we left that motel and little town. I had been loved and well cared for.

With a shake of my head, I began reciting the symbols again, hearing her voice ringing in my ears as I watched the symbols begin to glow. I proceeded clockwise, because it was my best guess. The symbols glowed brightly when I had finished, and I clenched my hands against the nearly electric feeling racing across my skin.

I nearly swore when they faded once more, about to lose my temper when the centre of the gate changed from solid stone to a rippling pool of water, the top of which was covered by a thick fog that began to leak into the room.

It smelled strongly of the scent that had been hanging in the air in the castle. The spicy, almost holiday baking sort of scent that grew stronger as the fog grew thicker. Within half a minute, I couldn't see my hand held out at arm's length, and the air was too thick to breathe in deeply enough to call out to Enzo.

With a curse, I lowered my hand to the knife on my belt and took a couple steps forward. I expected to fall downward into the pool or through the gate. Instead, I remained standing on solid ground, and was about to take another step when the fog faded.

I wasn't in Kansas... or Colorado, anymore.