Page 133 of The Ascended
Then, with horrifying suddenness, those spines plunged inward.
The water clouded with blood.
The contestant's struggles weakened, then stopped altogether. The serpent began to lose definition. Its form wavered, edges blurring, until it simply dissolved back into the water. Like it had never been real at all.
Gods, I breathed.It was his fear. His panic made it stronger until...
Until it killed him, Thatcher finished grimly.
The realization crashed over me.Thatcher, your creature—it only formed after you touched the key. After you saw whatever memory it showed you.
Understanding dawned in his eyes."The waters of Memorica do not merely reflect what you are. They release it."He quoted Thalor's warning.They're manifestations of our emotions. And they're feeding on them.
So if we control our emotions...
We control the manifestations.
We both closed our eyes, hand in hand. I pictured the calm waters of Saltcrest at dawn, the rhythmic sound of waves against theshore, the familiar weight of an oar in my hands. Gradually, deliberately, I slowed my breathing, my heartbeat, pushing away the panic that threatened to consume me.
When I opened my eyes again, the creatures were fading—becoming transparent, then translucent, then nothing more than ripples in the water.
It worked, Thatcher sent, relief evident in his mental voice.
For now, I cautioned.But we need to be careful. Any strong emotion could bring them back.
I have a feeling it won't be the last time we see those, he said, reaching for the memory key again—this time prepared for its effects.
With swift, efficient movements, he placed it in his container and sealed it tight.
What did you see?I asked, noting the lingering horror in his eyes.
Thatcher's face was ashen, his hands trembling slightly.I was... I was a mother. I felt everything she felt.She was putting her children to bed, singing them a lullaby. Then the walls began to crack. Water exploded through the windows.
He had to stop, closing his eyes against the memory.
She tried to reach them, but the current was too strong. I felt her lungs fill with water as she watched her children swept away. Her last thought was asking Thalor why he'd forsaken them.His voice cracked.I felt her die, Thais. Felt her heart break before it stopped beating.
Gods,I breathed.I saw a priest conducting some shady deal. And then my hands were burning scrolls as water came crashing in. I felt him die too.
Whatever happened here,Thatcher said, his voice hollow,everyone paid the price.
Two memory keys secured, but the true horror of Memorica was only beginning to reveal itself.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the direction of the amphitheater. We could see figures swimming frantically.
That's Marx!I recognized her distinctive silhouette, even at thisdistance. She was fighting, surrounded by swirling shapes. One massive, rage-red creature seemed to be attacking her.
Wait, Thatcher grabbed my arm.We need a plan. Those manifestations?—
No time, I cut him off, pulling free.
I propelled myself forward, pushing through the water with newfound urgency.
I swam hard, my focus entirely on reaching Marx. I didn't notice the subtle change in the water current—a powerful undertow suddenly caught me, pulling me sideways.
Thais, watch out!Thatcher's warning came too late.
I spun to see a swirling vortex of water and air—a cyclone that had formed without warning. It towered from the seabed to the distant surface, a spinning column of destruction that was already drawing me into its orbit.
