Unsolved Deceptions Chapter 1 Standing in Oblivion

Darkness, was all that was there. I couldn’t tell if it was dark or if my eyes were closed, but I couldn’t feel my arms, legs, hands, feet anything. It didn’t feel like I was there just a floating spectacle lost in some dream, but the next thing I knew my feet were standing on some sort of polished marble floor, and I could feel myself again, then I heard a voice, a woman’s voice. 

“A new soul has finally arrived, about time.” it sounded amused but also slightly bitter and impatient. My eyes finally lifted from the ground below me and I was met with quite the peculiar sight. Dark grey portals surrounded what looked like a ballroom ripped from earth now floating in a void like predators looming over me.

 In the center stood a golden statute of what looked like a beheaded angel grasping onto a golden orb. Behind it were stairs that reached a looming blood crimson door in the shadows, a black smooth sphere was imbedded in the center, but it’s purpose I didn’t know. Marble pillars surrounding me held up a beautiful golden ceiling. 

Where glowing chandeliers hung coating this room in a dim light. “Holy shit!” I exclaimed in pure shock, I stumbled back my feet nearly tripping over the edge of this floor making me almost fall into the black void but I barely managed to grasp onto a pillar before I could fall. That was when I heard a laugh of cruel amusement.

 I looked up at the source of that voice, there stood a tall and mysterious looking woman, looked to be around my age but slightly younger. Her skin pale and hair white and short flowing around her head like smoke, her eyes like that of piercing sharp emeralds. She wore a black cloak like dress that hung off her arms and pooled onto the floor like dripping black paint.

 With glowing purple crystals she wore in the center of her chest, as a necklace and earrings. “Who the fuck are you?! Where am I!?” I blurted out in pure bewilderment, still holding onto the pillar for dear life. “Now aren’t you a pathetic klutz? Nowhere near a suitable replacement, you’ll last one portal at best.” 

She sneered, but none of her words were making sense, nothing about this was making sense, this had to be a dream, it had to be, but I wouldn’t wake up. I tried to recall the last thing I remembered and it hit me, the books, the legends of the Riddle of Heaven, the outline of the demonic symbol I drew in crimson paint, the words I chanted before pressing the cold metal gun under my chin.

I was dead? Really dead? And this little ritual I had done in recklessness desperation had actually worked? I was so caught up in shock that I barely registered that woman speaking again. “Hm? Though I see you have a flashlight, that’s new, none of the other people to have come here ever had any items with them. It may come in handy for you, eventually…

But I doubt you’ll make it anyway.” I paused and looked down at the black flashlight in my hand I didn’t even realize I was holding, wait, other people have done this before? What happened to them? But then I froze as another thought struck me, “wait a minute…I never told you my name, who are you and how in hell do you know my name?” 

I demanded sharply, I was through with her games, I was through with all this confusion, I needed answers. The woman just laughed as if finding this greatly amusing. “Oh, I know much more than that, I know all your secrets, your memories and desires, I can read you like a book.” She teased. “Just tell me who you are already!” 

I demanded, I wasn’t gonna let her keep me in the dark. “Oh, a feisty one? The last person was more…quiet…” her voice trailed off briefly on those last view words before she quickly composed herself, “if you must know, my name is Bierce.” She stated. “A wish to your darkest desire is what you seek, but it doesn’t come for free, much suffering is necessary to get it…” 

Those words gave me a chill, but I straightened up, my eyes narrowing, “So what are you, some sort of witch?” I asked bitterly, she rolled her eyes. “‘Witch’ haven’t heard that one before. Sure, I’m a witch, now how about you shut up so this ‘witch’ can explain what you need to do?” Her voice turned sharp, I think she was started to get annoyed with me to.

Honestly she already seemed annoyed with me the moment I entered this place. “To grant your wish you must obtain the pieces to a powerful ring, hidden in nightmares behind each of these portals, collect the pieces, and bring them to me from each, understand?” She explained, I squinted on high alert for any traces of deception, she was hard to read. 

This entire situation was puzzling and confusing. “Wait…What do you mean by nightmares?” I cautiously asked, she chuckled, “Remember what I said about how suffering is needed to get your wish? Well…Those nightmares are what I’m talking about.” She explained with a cruel grin. A shiver ran down my spine, though.

I guess I shouldn’t have expected to have my wish handed to me on a silver platter but why did this woman want to torture me like this? “So you put my worst nightmares in these portals while I get this ring for you? What are you, a sadist?” I questioned with a scowl, I didn’t like this woman one bit. She laughed, “I’m not the one responsible for the nightmares, Evans.” 

I had a hard time believing that, but her tone did sound genuine, “then who?” I asked, “you’ll find out soon” was all she said, I gave her a dirty look, no one could keep secrets from me. “I suppose we should get this show on the rode than, unless you’d prefer to just stay here for all eternity with me?” She teased, before the first portal shifted from grey to a sharp glowing crimson. 

In the center looked to be a symbol of a face, it looked like…A monkey? With razor sharp teeth and an unsettling grin. An odd sight, but unsettling. It took me a while to process this situation here, I was in a ballroom in a middle of a literal void from a ritual I didn’t even think would work, with a woman who’s motives I have no clue.

And 10 portals with whatever “nightmare” awaited me inside run by some mysterious person that Bierce won’t tell me. Every rational thought in my head told me this was a bad idea but there was no other option, the only door was the red one that led to nothing, and everywhere else just led to an endless black void.

 So against all my better judgement I slowly stepped toward it, but just before I could step inside the portal I stopped, turning back to Bierce. “What do you get out of this exactly? Or are you just so nice you’re just going to grant my wish for no reason?” I asked sarcastically with a dash of suspicion, her expression didn’t change, “that is for me to know” was all she said. 

I rolled my eyes but what could I do? I had nowhere else to go? And if I was able to get this ring, I only had one wish in mind, to bring back my best friend. So with my flashlight in hand, I stepped into the portal for whatever darkness awaited me.