Chapter 16: Echoes of the Lost

The crimson tinge of the passageway intensified as Vex and Nyx entered the subsequent trial. This place felt somewhat different. The atmosphere was thick and heavy with something beyond the visible apprehension of reached challenges. There it remained, the HUD notification, still looming above without any signs of disappearing:

Next Trial: Initiation of Sacrifice

Vex gripped his weapon firmly as his gaze traveled the rough ends of the corridor. "Sacrifice? That sounds like another sick joke from Echelon."

Nyx's expression was hard as rock, but her hand did tremble on her gun's hilt. "It is idiotic. Just trying to get in our heads. Forget about that."

The corridor was smaller in scope, which meant they advanced in a single file. Vex was leading the way with the sound of their footsteps ringing around the walls. Silhouettes line shadows in a wall such that they seem to flutter about the walls, moving erratically as though the place has a pulse.

The room froze both of them as they stepped into a labeled spacious hall bordered by walls. It was a sky dome shaped room with the floor containing shiny tiles on which tiles, broken images, sounds coming through lessons and different objects swirling and mixing formed.

The room had a huge structure in the middle shaped like a pedestal and on it, there were two artifacts, one looking like a small glass ball and the other like an ancient looking engraved dagger.

Before they could even ask what was going on, they heard an arctic and emotionless voice reverberating around them.

"Only one may enter the chambers. To enter, one must give up something of value. Make your decision fast, or it will be made for you."

With a loud bang, the door that they came through slammed shut, and a dark cloud filled the atmosphere of the room.

"Great," Vex said with a frown as he walked around the pedestal, "It's one of those kill boxes again."

Nyx took a moment before she spoke. Her eyes were still fixated on the light emanated from the globe and her face revealed nothing.

"What are you waiting for?" Vex inquired remembering her lost in thought expression.

After a moment, she cleared her throat. "There is something about the sphere. It is the same as though. It is difficult to explain."

"And what is the basis of that feeling?" He asked further.

Nyx replied without logic. "It's…It just… is."

Vex frowned and stared at her intensely. "You don't intend to reach out for it, do you? We have no idea how powerful it is." She stared into his eyes, and her face hardened all at once. "Do we have a better option?"

He was about to say something when the voice came back, sounding even more bitchy than before.

"What are you waiting for? Make a decision before another one is made for you."

The ground shifted beneath their feet; columns of sparkly tiles collapsed, revealing an endless swirl of darkness beneath Vex's clamored heart. "We've run out of time."

Nyx moved towards the pedestal and reached out for the globe. "I'm willing to take the chance."

"Stop," Vex said, yanking her by the arm. "We don't even know what kind of 'sacrifice' they're talking about. It might be that you die."

She disengaged her arm from him and held his look. "You don't understand, this is something I must do."

There was that note in her voice – a pleading she had never displayed before. Vex stepped back hard, his jaw clenched. "This is about that individual, isn't it? The one you lost."

Nyx stopped, her hand almost touching the sphere. She did not spare him a glance, but her quietness spoke volumes.

"They are your sacrifice," Vex said, lowering his voice even further. "Who are they to you, Nyx?"

At last, she faced him and there was something welling up inside her that she could not release. "My brother," she said, her voice soft and trembling. "He went missing in Echelon ages ago. I have been hunting him down ever since."

Vex's gaze fixated on her as he appears to process the reality of her confession. "Nyx…"

"I was under the impression I could handle this by myself," she went on, this time her voice sharpening. "But if there's even a slim chance, he still exists out there… I simply cannot sit back."

The space shook, the voice becoming angsty. "Make a selection now, or lose the opportunity to move on."

Vex averted his gaze at the pedestal and then returned to Nyx. She was determined and Vex could also feel the how unbearable her need was.

"Okay," he said after a pause taking a step back. "But we are doing this together. No more lying."

Nyx thought for a while but eventually agreed. She extended her palm and pressed it on the sphere. The instant her fingers touched its surface, the room was engulfed in a bright light.

Once the illumination ebbed away, the room they were present was no more. They instead found themselves on a long bridge placed in an infinite abyss. In front of them, a shadow of a person appeared intermittently.

"Is that...?" Nyx asked, rather quietly and shakily.

Vex turned to follow her trail of sight and tensed his jaw. It was human but did not look human. It resembled a distorted image of a human, as though there was some form of interference. As they stepped in that direction the figure again turned around, this time as though its face had not diagonal bone, but had come up straight.

"Nyx gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "It's him," she said tears brimming in her eyes. "It's my brother."

But something was off. His eyeballs were engulfed in red light as well, which was quite something, and his face was devoid of any expression.

Vex stated somberly, "He's… not himself."

The figure lifted his palm and there was a charge in the atmosphere. Vex stepped back, pushing Nyx behind him, the blade already drawn. "Brace yourself," he said.

"Don't!" Nyx yelled as she raised her hands in protest and stepped forward. "It's me Ash! It's Nyx!"

The figure was taken aback briefly, the googly stare of the little eyes dulling for an instant. But the moment was short-lived, as it released energy that knocked them both back.

Nyx got up and stood firm, fire raging in her eyes. "Ash, please! It's me!"

The figure didn't even bat an eye. It lunged toward them, a rush of wind accompanying its movement that wasn't typically human. Vex stepped in its path and the two of them locked weapons with sparks flying everywhere.

"Nyx!" Vex yelled as he battled against the force of the figure. "Whatever you're thinking of doing, do it now!"

Nyx's thoughts were in a turmoil. His sibling existed but he was not the one she knew. There had to be a way to reach him. To cut through whatever mesh of Echelon was guarding him.

And then she recalled the sphere. It was still in her inventory, still glowing, though not as bright.

"Hold him off!" she cried taking the sphere out.

"Much easier said than done!" Vex retorted ducking under the figure's arm, which had turned into a blade, trying to slash him.

Nyx pressed the button that activated the sphere and drew it to her chest, light showing Nakamura's hands. "Ash, listen to me!" she screamed, taking a step closer. "You are stronger than this! Fight it!"

The figure stilled, its gestures awkward and fluid. The luminescence of the sphere increased, encompassing them all.

There was complete stillness for a while. After that, the figure bent down on one knee, the red light in its purview extinguishing. 

"Nyx?" this figure asked in a weak, faltering voice.

Nyx also fell on the ground and all of a sudden was struck by profound sadness as childish tears filled her eyes. "It's me," she managed in a whisper. "I've found you."

Vex was a few paces away, his sword held low, eyes focused on the two with relief overtaking wariness.

However, the feeling of respite was ephemeral. The emptiness surrounding them started to shake, the earth below them splitting apart.

"Get up! We need to get out of here!" Vex shouted, yanking Nyx up by her arms.

She acknowledged and assisted her brother in getting up. They dashed ahead toward a distant light, the emptiness around them folding in on itself.

As they barreled in the direction of the light, Vex shot a glance towards Nyx and her brother – a fierce look on his face. They had conquered this challenge, however, the way forward only seemed to be becoming more obscure and full of darkness – that was the state of affairs without even talking about the course of action that was to be taken.