Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Reunion

"It's you," Ariadne says, her voice full of wonder. "But... how?" The little girl laughs, a tinkling sound like bells. "You know how," she says. "You're here because you're ready to remember. You're ready to heal." "I don't understand," Ariadne says. "I don't know what you're talking about." "That's okay," the little girl says. "I'll help you. But first, I want to ask you something. Do you remember that day in the park, when you were nine years old?"Ariadne feels a wave of emotion wash over her, like a dam has burst within her. She remembers the day perfectly, the day that changed everything. "I remember," she says, her voice shaking. "I was playing with my best friend, Chloe. We were having so much fun, running and laughing and playing tag. And then... the accident happened." "That's right," the little girl says. "But there's more to the story, and I want to help you remember. Are you ready?" Ariadne nods, feeling a mixture of fear and excitement."Okay," the little girl says. "I want you to close your eyes again. I want you to breathe slowly, in and out, and relax your body. Imagine yourself back in the park, on that day. You're playing tag with Chloe. Do you feel it?" Ariadne breathes in and out, and as she does, she feels herself transported back to that moment. She can smell the freshly mown grass, and hear the birds singing in the trees. She can feel the sun on her face, and the cool breeze against her skin. She's there again, in that moment."You're feeling good," the little girl says. "You're having fun. And then, all of a sudden, you hear a scream. Do you hear it?" Ariadne nods, even though she knows the little girl can't see her. "You hear the scream, and you see Chloe running towards you. And then, you see a man. You see him running towards Chloe. What do you do?" Ariadne feels a rush of panic. She remembers that day, and the fear she felt. But this time, the little girl's voice is in her head, telling her to stay calm.

Ariadne takes a deep breath, and calms herself. "I run," she says. "I run as fast as I can. I want to get to Chloe before the man does. But... I'm too late." "It's okay," the little girl says. "Don't worry. You can't change the past. But I want you to go to that place, the place where Chloe was. Can you do that?" Ariadne nods, and she feels herself transported to the scene again. She's standing where Chloe was, and she can see the man coming towards her. But this time, she'snot scared. This time, she feels a sense of power, and determination. She's ready to fight for her friend. "Good," the little girl says. "Now, I want you to imagine that you have a weapon. It can be anything you want. What do you choose?" Ariadne thinks for a moment, and then a sword appears in her hand. It's made of light, like a laser, but it's solid and real. She grips it tightly, and she feels her confidence growing. "Good," the little girl says. "Now, I want you to imagine that the man is coming towards you, and he's going to try to hurt you. Are you ready?" Ariadne nods, her sword held at the ready. The man is getting closer, and closer, and Ariadne is feeling a surge of adrenaline. She can feel her heart pounding in her chest. And then, the man raises his arm, as if to strike. But Ariadne is prepared. She holds her sword up, and as the man lunges forward, she brings her sword down on him. Suddenly, the scene changes. Ariadne is no longer in the park. She's back in the library, with the little girl.

Awesome! In the library, Flood and Ariadne are standing in front of the mirror. Ariadne is feeling more confident now, thanks to the little girl's help. She's ready to face whatever challenges come her way. But then, they hear a strange noise coming from the next aisle. It sounds like something is rumbling, or growling.Flood and Ariadne exchange a look, and they cautiously approach the source of the noise. They turn the corner, and they're shocked by what they see. There's a large, snarling beast, with horns and glowing red eyes. It's crouching in the middle of the aisle, growling and snarling. Ariadne and Flood step back, fear creeping into their hearts. The beast stands up to its full height, towering over them.The beast raises a massive clawed hand, and swipes at them. Ariadne and Flood duck out of the way, just in time. They're scrambling to think of a plan, when Ariadne spots something. There's a glowing orb on the beast's chest, right in the center. It looks like it might be the source of the beast's power. Ariadne points at it. "Do you think if we break that orb, it might defeat the beast?" she asks Flood. Flood nods. "It's worth a try!" they say. "How can we reach it?". The beast is snarling and stamping its feet, preparing to strike again. They have to act quickly. Flood has an idea. "Ariadne, use your spell to lift me up. I'll try to break the orb!" Ariadne looks at them, a little nervous. "Are you sure?" she asks. "I don't want to hurt you!" "I'll be fine," Flood says. "It's our best chance Ariadne takes a deep breath, then points her wand at Flood. "Wingardium Leviosa!" she says. Flood begins to rise into the air.

With a surge of confidence, Flood lifts their sword and takes aim at the glowing orb. "Here goes nothing!" they shout. They bring the sword down with all their might, hitting the orb square in the center. There's a blinding flash of light, and the beast howls in pain. Then, it begins to shrink, until it's the size of a mouse. Ariadne catches it in her hands. "It's so tiny!" she says. The mouse-sized beast struggles in her grip, but it's no match for her strength. Flood smiles, relieved. "We did it!" they say.

Ariadne sets the tiny beast down on the ground. It scurries away, disappearing into the shadows. "I can't believe we actually defeated it!" Ariadne says. "We make a great team!" Flood agrees. "We do!" Suddenly, they hear a voice coming from the other end of the aisle. "Impressive work!" it says. They turn to see a figure emerging from the shadows. It's a tall, robed figure, with a hood pulled low over their face. "Who are you?" Ariadne asks. "You can call me the Librarian," the figure says."I've been watching you from afar, and I must say, I'm impressed by your courage and teamwork. I'm curious - what made you want to enter the library?" Ariadne and Flood look at each other, then back at the Librarian. "We were just exploring, and we found ourselves here," Flood says. "You must have very powerful magic to have found your way here," the Librarian says. "But that's not important right now. What is important is that you've passed my test." Ariadne raises an eyebrow. "Your test?" she asks.

"What do you think the test entails"

Get ready for chapter 9 : The librarian's test .