Balance of the 12

by Ania Bo

  “Maybe we’re supposed to go through the mirrors like the first one,” Shasta suggested as she reached out her hand to touch one of the mirrors. She placed her hand flat on the cold surface and pushed, but nothing happened.

  Han sighed. “Well, that didn’t work.” Shasta gave him a reproachful stare and he quickly looked away.

  “Let’s try going left,” Violen insisted, leading the way.

  As they walked in silence, the road forked into two, and they again had to decide which way to go. While they stood trying to pick left or right, a strange sound like a loud intake of breath reached them.

  “Do you hear that?” Shasta asked.

  They remained still so they could hear better. Something was breathing. The sound was raspy and much louder than their own breaths.

  Shasta looked back down the path they came from, and the mirrors shimmered with a strange color. To the left of the mirrors, a large paw appeared on the path and then another. The four of them looked straight into the eyes of some strange beast. It was similar in appearance to the prehistoric lion, Machairodus. Its head stood a meter from the ground, and it lacked the bushy mane worn by its more modern counterpart. Its legs were short compared to the rest of its body, making it look somewhat comical, but the large saber-like teeth hanging over its lower lip kept their laughter at bay. As the lion rounded the corner, the companions got a full view of the eight wings protruding from its shoulder blades and spine. The brown feathers formed a type of halo around the beast as they stretched out to their full length.

  “What do we do?” Dwade asked Han.

  “I’m not sure. I’ve never seen this creature before,” Han replied. The beast faced them head on, staring at them with its head cocked.

  “Maybe it’s friendly like Zeorgan’s dragon,” Shasta said hopefully.

  Suddenly the lion gave a fearsome roar that forced them to cover their ears.

  “I’ll take that as a no. Run!” Dwade yelled.

  They sprinted through the maze as fast as they could, not caring which path they took. The lion’s heavy growling followed close behind, and their fear gave Dwade renewed energy just as his lungs began to burn with effort. He urged on the others, and they too picked up the pace. Looking through the mirrors in front of him, Dwade saw the lion’s reflection as it chased them. It looked as if it were leaping instead of running. Its wings were unable to support its massive size, and the beast came down with a thud each time it tried to take to the air. In obvious frustration, it frequently threw its head back and attempted to bite at its wings with its teeth to rid itself of its burden.

  What kind of deranged world did Zeorgan bring us to? Dwade thought as his breathing became labored. They had to figure out how to pass this test soon because they wouldn’t be able to run for much longer.

  “Stupid, old man! We shouldn’t have trusted him! This beast will tear us into bloody shreds!” Han shouted.

  Dwade’s legs screamed, but he didn’t slow. He looked back to be sure Shasta was keeping up with them, but she wasn’t.

  “Violen! Shasta!” Dwade warned as he looked back and pointed to Shasta.

  Violen understood his meaning. She reached back and grabbed Shasta’s arm, holding on securely, making sure she didn’t fall behind. The lion was catching up and changed tactics. It leaped from mirror to mirror, left to right, and as its claws struck the glass, the mirrors shattered, spraying dangerous shards on the path behind them. There was nowhere else to go now but forward.

  After running through the maze blindly, they took a turn and Violen shook her head furiously. They ran toward their own reflections. “It’s a dead end,” she announced. They stopped, panting and bent over double to catch their breath. The lion had made the last turn and was coming toward them, closing in fast.

  “It’s coming closer!” Shasta shouted.

  “Then we will fight,” Violen answered. She and Han drew their swords.

  Dwade wasn’t sure they would be able to win such a fight. Wisdom or honesty. Wisdom or honesty, he repeated to himself. It was the only clue the strange Zaend had given them. Violen stretched out her arm, and the blazing light shot from her palm, but the lion dodged it easily as he continued to leap back and forth across the path. Dwade raised his bow, nocked his arrow and aimed straight at the lion’s head. He released the arrow, but it missed its target and grazed the lion’s left side. It snarled, the minor wound only increasing its rage.

  Violen tilted her head, seeing Dwade’s lips moving and his face scrunched so much it looked painful. “If you’re thinking up an ingenious plan, now would be the time to share,” she yelled.

  The lion continued to come closer and closer, its face taking on a joyful expression as it neared its prey, its eight wings turning into a fan of sharp knives. Violen and Han lost their resolve, and they dragged the other two toward the final mirror in the maze. The lion’s imposing head wobbled from side to side as saliva dripped steadily from its jaws. Shasta and Han closed their eyes as they saw their inevitable death while Violen braced herself, her sword held firmly in her hand and her palm held up ready to take another shot.

  Just as Dwade was about to join Han and Shasta in defeat, he noticed a strange collar hanging from the lion’s neck. It was just like a child’s necklace, small, colorful, and lovely. Dwade suddenly remembered his little sister, how honest and smart she was. Once when he was so surprised how cruel her comments were, his mother told him, “Children are honest all the time, as their minds are pure and far from social norms. They are the only ones who will tell you the plain version of existence. If you are looking for someone’s real honesty, you should ask the child in him.”

  Dwade stared at the collar, not sure if this would work, but focused on seeing the child within the beast. It didn’t take long for him to notice the small mirror dangling from the collar, reflecting the four of them and something else behind them. He didn’t hesitate to run to the beast. After passing Han and Violen, he sprinted for the beast, needing a closer look.

  The Readers were shocked. Violen screamed, “Dwade don’t!”

  But Dwade managed to dodge the beast’s chomping jaws and grabbed hold of its mane. He pushed off the ground with enough force, he swung up onto its back. He grabbed the collar as the beast continued its mad dash forward. It shook its head hard, trying to dislodge Dwade aside. But Dwade held on fast and finally had the mirror in his hands. He turned the mirror to the Readers to see the honesty of the beast. To his surprise, it was showing them the way out. Within the reflection, Dwade didn’t see a dead end, but a field of snow.

  “It’s a door,” he shouted. “Through the mirror! It’s the way out!”

  “We’ve already tried that,” Shasta shouted while she readied her Hikar sword.

  Without waiting for his companions to understand, Dwade dropped the collar before the beast caught him with his teeth. Shasta threw her sword, and this time she hit her target in its head. Although nothing would be able to kill an immortal magical beast, the strike distracted the lion and gave Dwade enough time to run. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he ran toward the single mirror behind the others and ordered them, “Follow me, this is the way out!” Dwade held his breath then leaped through the dead-end mirror.

  He tumbled to the ground and rolled into a pile of wet snow. Looking around, he laughed in astonishment. It worked! The reality of what he’d just done hit him and a sliver of fear and excitement rushed down his spine. He’d faced down that beast, leapt on its back without any hesitation. Protector indeed.

  This place behind the mirror was very similar to the one Zeorgan had led them through, and for a moment he thought they had made it out of the maze and to the other side. Upon closer inspection, Dwade saw that about every five feet there stood another octagonal mirror. The others fell through the mirror seconds later, Shasta and Han holding hands as they jumped blindly to safety. Violen came right after them. They looked back at the mirror they came through. The beast was on the other side, pawing at the
doorway and bashing its head against the surface. Violen, Han, and Shasta were ready to fight with the beast. But the mirror didn’t break, and the lion didn’t pass through.

  Han rested his hand on Dwade’s shoulder. “That was good thinking back there,” he said with a slight sign of embarrassment. Dwade gave him a thankful smile. Since their unfortunate misunderstanding in the land of the Hikar, this was the first time Han had truly acknowledged Dwade.

  “Thanks,” Dwade replied, “but it looks like we still have a long way to go.”

  The companions stared into the distance at the many mirrors and the snow that reached to the horizon. Without knowing what else to do, they kept on walking. Each mirror they passed they investigated cautiously. They were afraid they might see some other beast, or something even more terrible, but all they saw were their own reflections in mirror after mirror after mirror.

  “This is getting a bit ridiculous,” Violen complained after they had walked a good way without anything happening. “The only thing this is testing is my patience.”

  Han, who had ventured a little further than the others, stopped in front of the next mirror and was staring into the glass.

  “Han, what is it? Why did you stop?” Shasta called out. Han didn’t reply, and the three of them jogged through the snow as fast as they could.

  When they arrived in front of the mirror, all three jumped back in surprise. Behind the glass, there were three Dvays screaming in fear. At least, it looked as though they were screaming. No sound came through, though the Dvays seemed to be able to see them. They started pounding on the mirror’s surface and mouthed words they couldn’t make out. The travelers could only watch as a dragon appeared in the sky overhead. As it unleashed a fiery hell, the Dvays were burned alive. Dwade backed away, horrified. Shasta shielded her face as Han and Violen were too transfixed to look anywhere else.

  When the Dvays fell to the ground dead, Dwade hung his head, uncertain why they would see something so horrifying. But it only became worse. The Dvays were back on their feet, screaming once again and begging for help as they rushed to the mirror. And once again, Dwade watched them be burnt alive. They stood there as the scene repeated itself four times when he managed to clear his throat loudly and dragged the others away.

  “Let’s keep going and stay away from Dvays,” said Dwade nervously. As they started to walk away, the Dvays became even more panic-stricken and pounded harder, making the surface of the mirror bulge. They all looked away, trying to erase the image of the Dvays being tortured from their minds. Dwade wondered if they would soon have to face a similar fate.

  As they advanced, the images in the mirrors changed. They kept seeing themselves in the distance or up close, large or small but always different and distorted. Dwade was in the lead this time and was trying to make out the correct path, but the road seemed endless, and he didn’t want to rush ahead just in case that beast made a second appearance.

  A tantalizing smell wafted past their noses. It was difficult to describe since each of them smelled something different. Dwade smelt fresh pine needles and smoke from a roaring fire. He closed his eyes to take in the perfume of home. When he opened his eyes, he found himself looking into one of the mirrors, and there before him—as real as Shasta or Violen—was his little sister. She was playing in the woods, twirling around in the little white dress his mother had made for her. She stopped mid-twirl, smiled at him, and then resumed playing. He was captivated by her image, and he started to move toward her.

  “Dwade?” Violen held his arm tenderly and looked into his blank eyes. As Dwade opened his mouth to explain to Violen what he saw in the mirror, Shasta’s voice called out from behind them.

  “There’s a baby here!” They turned to look at the mirror Shasta was gazing at, but they could only make out their own reflections.

  “You’re imagining things from the fatigue,” Violen said. “There’s no baby. Hang in there. We should get out of here soon.” She looked to Dwade for reassurance, but he could give her none. He didn’t understand how they were being tested or when it would end.

  Shasta continued to insist. “No, there’s a baby boy under the shadow of an oak tree. Can’t you see him? We must take him with us. It’s not safe for a baby!”

  “Perhaps it’s a vision,” Han suggested.

  “It is not a vision. There he is! We must save him.” Shasta kept on insisting, and looked as if she were ready to jump in the mirror to save the non-existent child.

  “We’ll come back to get him, Shasta,” Dwade said, trying to persuade her. “Right now, we need to keep going and find the way out.” He gently wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her away from the mirror.

  It was becoming clear the beast hadn’t been the test. They were just getting started. “Avoid looking into the mirrors,” Dwade called to the others, “and keep alert.”

  As they continued to hike through the endless field of snow, Han felt a strong urge to look at an image playing in one of the mirrors. It was like a terrible itch he had to scratch, and as hard as he tried, he could no longer resist. He turned his head, and there he saw an image of himself, but it wasn’t an exact reflection. The Han in the mirror was trying to balance himself on the pinnacle of the Glass Pyramid. And then he fell, all the way down to the city below. It felt so real that he screamed as though he really was falling. He flailed his arms as if the motion might give him flight then fell to the ground. His scream alerted the others, and Shasta immediately came to his aid, hugging him to bring him back to reality.

  As they bent down to help him, Dwade and Violen stared into the same mirror, but they didn’t see Han falling from the top of the pyramid; they both saw a different vision, but from the look on both their faces when they’re eyes finally met, it was the same one. In the mirror, they stood holding each other—their lips locked. As their kiss deepened, there was a large explosion on the horizon. Flames traveled toward them at an alarming speed, but the two lovers didn’t budge. As the blast hit them, they were thrown off their feet and smashed into the mirror, and the vision ended. The future lays in the hands of honesty, the voice of an old woman whispered in their minds.

  As the echo of the voice stopped, Dwade felt Violen’s hand in his until she quickly pulled away. They both blushed, and his gaze slipped to her lips then back to her face, holding her gaze. “What in the name of the races was that about?”

  “What did you see?” Shasta asked. She was still holding Han as he shook with fear.

  “I’m not sure,” Dwade responded. “But now’s not the time to discuss it. These mirrors are tampering with our minds, and we need to get out of here.”

  Shasta looked at Violen for an answer, but she wasn’t very willing to answer either.

  “Agreed,” Violen said stiffly.

  Filled with resolve, Dwade fearlessly placed both hands on the mirror facing him and examined his reflection. His image was haloed with light, though he was unsure where the light source came from. He closed his eyes for a second. He understood what the mirrors were doing or had an idea. They were reflecting their inner souls, grasping at anything that would destroy their courage. The only enemy here was themselves…and their honesty.

  He remembered a time when he was a child hunting in the forest. His father had told him to be strong even if he came face to face with a predator. “Eyes,” his father said. “Eyes are the keys of strength. Even a predator can see your power through your eyes. Stand erect and stare down your enemy. As soon as it understands you are strong and confident, you will no longer be the prey but the hunter.”

  Dwade shut his eyes, took a couple of calming breaths, then opened them, and self-assuredly looked at his reflection in the mirror. There he saw only confidence and valor. You are the person you believe to be, he thought, and a rush of warmth shot through him.

  Looking at the three Readers, he realized they wouldn’t be able to pass this test without their minds becoming trapped within the mirrors, but he had an idea. He took off hi
s cloak and then his shirt and tore it into three pieces. He then put his cloak back on and addressed the others. “I need to blindfold you. We will hold onto each other’s hands, and I will lead you out of here. The mirrors play mind games. If you let me lead, we can find the way out sooner.”

  “What about you? How can you protect yourself?” Violen asked.

  “I can handle the mirrors. Trust me.”

  The Readers glanced at one another then nodded, unable to come up with any alternative. Dwade bound their eyes and put them in a line, Shasta at the front behind him and Violen at the back. He led the Readers through the snow, repeating his father’s advice as the mirrors flashed image after image. Some were sweet and inviting, others terrifying, but he let none of them affect him.

  After they covered some distance, he saw two people lying face down on the ground, unmoving. The hair on one of the bodies was tied up at the back of the head in a ponytail, and it was not clear whether the body was male or female. The other was older and rotund. He approached the bodies without letting the others know dead laid so close by. Their pale skin made it clear they had been deceased for some time. One of them was dressed like a human wearing a pair of trousers and a shirt. The other wore a cloak the color of sand, like the ones the Tholen wear. The tail of the cloak—which they used as a whip—could be made out from underneath the snow.

  Dwade approached cautiously with one of his hands on the hilt of his sword, fearing he might be walking into a trap. He nudged one of the bodies with his foot. When neither moved, he bent down and investigated their faces, turning their heads slightly as he did so. Once the snow no longer obscured their features, it was clear from the shape of their heads that they were not human. They were both males, and they were both Readers. Dwade clenched his eyes closed for a moment. What is happening here? His thoughts turned back to Atlantis and why they were finding dead Readers so far from home.

  “Why did we stop?” Shasta asked.

  Dwade tried to give a calm reply, though his voice was shaky. “I’m trying to figure out which way to go from here.” He decided it was best not to tell the others what he discovered, and he led them in a wide arc around the bodies and continued as though nothing had happened.