29 - Repeating the Temple

The four were hesitant, and understandably so.

"There's no rush. We can explain the details over dinner. I'm sure you're all hungry."

Many of the newcomers agreed, so Juliana started up a cooking fire, and we made our signature lettuce-wrapped monster meat.

While they ate, I explained that the Soulblades were once people who lived on this world, which they called Valade. The earth they knew was gone. The people they knew and loved could be somewhere on the planet, or they could be lost in space. The Interplane seemed too complex a topic to broach.

I also made sure to explain that the Soulblades in the Temple of Swords had each taken an oath that they would not take control without permission. "None within the temple will usurp your will," I quoted. That seemed to have encouraged the four who were called by blades within the Temple.

After those four had eaten, they asked me to lead them through the Temple. I accepted.

As we entered the initial hallway, torches overhead burst to light, amazing the boy, who's name was Cameron. The other three were Tim, the bare-chested scout I had initially encountered, a blond-haired woman named Sophie, and Jack, a black-haired man with a scar along his jaw.

The Ancient refused his aid in navigating the halls, but I knew the way well enough. The four of them followed me down and up multiple flights of stairs, passing the murals in the walls, until we arrived at the semicircular room with three doors.

I stopped there, and the others stopped with me.

"The next part is the most dangerous part of the Temple." I said, turning to the others, "Here, there are three options. They will all end in the same place, but only one person can attempt each trial at a time."

Cameron seemed excited. The others waited expectantly as I explained the duel, puzzle arcade, and agility course.

Jack entered the test of might before I had finished explaining it, so I assumed he would be fine. Tim decided he'd go behind Jack, and the other two picked the trial of intelligence.

That left the trial of agility open for me to pass through to meet them on the other side. I ran it easily. Not having a wave of arrows behind me had that effect.

I came out to find Jack already waiting. He didn't seem interested in passing the time with conversation, so I waited for Tim to come through. I didn't wait long.

Tim came out of the rightmost door, excited and eager to talk about it. We ended up sharing stories of what we'd been through since arriving on Valade for the next hour, while we waited for the other two. Cameron joined us halfway through, adding his trial puzzles to the conversation.

Sophie finally passed the trial of intellect, so we moved on, through the final stretch of the Temple.

Our footsteps echoed through the hall, until we arrived at the giant doors with the Ancient's cloaked form looming over us.

I pushed the doors open, revealing the circular room with hundreds of beautiful blades sticking up from the sand.

*This next portion requires that I be in control.* the Ancient said, *May I take control?*

I accepted, so his cloak billowed from my shoulders. Dozens of voices overlapped each other. Most of them were excited to be seeing another choosing ceremony. Four, though, had questions.

The Ancient turned us to face Sophie. "Honest mother, do you trust us?"

The clamor of mental voices quieted. One small, young voice spoke up. *She wants to, but is unsure.*

"It seems you are not ready. When you are, please come."

Sophie nodded, as though that was she expected.

We turned towards Cameron. "He who is young but courageous, what do you seek?"

I waited a moment before a pair of voices answered together. *He is accepted.*

"Your answer is accepted. Come, and find they who called you."

Cameron moved only a few paces before stopping at a glass blade. The base color was an opaque blue, with a flattened green vine wrapped around it. The hilt was the same blue, guarded with a tangle of the green vine. He pulled it from the sand, stumbling under its weight, revealing two pointed tips.

"The Twins. May the three of you live in harmony."

I doubted he heard the Ancient, who turned to Tim. "He who seeks truth, what can stop you on your journey?"

*Darn. This guy is pretty insightful.* came the Soulblade's response.

"Come, and find they who called you."

Tim wandered towards the far end of the room. I lost sight of him as he bent down, but he came up with a long dagger, slightly curved.

"The Scout. We will be in your care."

Finally, we turned to Jack. "He whose scars are deeper than seen, seeing this process, do you know who calls you?"

A familiar, gruff voice gave answer shortly after. *I told ya to be quick, but I didn't expect it to be this quick. He'll do well.*

I spoke to Jack, "Come, and find they who called you."

He followed the path I had taken multiple times for advice, arriving at a blunt, club-like stone sword. Jack pulled it from the sand, revealing that the Builder had no point at the end of his blade.

"The Builder. Please aid this people together."

Jack wasn't listening. He already had started conversation with his blade.

The Ancient unpossessed me, and I moved to stand by Sophie. She was watching the new partnerships get to know each other from her place at the entrance.

"I'm sorry," she eventually said, still watching Cameron, "I knew what was coming, but when the time came, I just couldn't."

"The Boss left deep scars. It was enough to see you get this far. Your blade has waited decades, if not centuries. A few more months or years won't be too long for her."

"But if I'm never ready?" she finally looked to me, fear emanating from her expression.

I met her eyes, and smiled comfortingly. "Never is a very long time. I doubt anyone can see far enough ahead to see never, even with Andernite."

She shook her head and went back into the hall we had come from. She sat down against a wall, waiting.

I gave them each a few more minutes before gathering them and leading them through the back passage and out the one-way barriers.

It was evening by the time we got out, and the others had prepared dinner for us. In general, it was a joyous occasion.