The Dragon King's Heart

Chapter 323 - Into The Pit

"Everything is ready, Your Majesty," a messenger came to inform Laina. 

She followed him through the winding corridors, fidgeting with her hands as she tried to calm herself down. The Soulium locket Dante gave to her hung around her neck. 

She clutched onto it tightly, kissing it gently. Without Margaret physically by her side or the support of her friends, Laina found it difficult to calm the voices swirling in her mind. 

The uncertainty. The leap of faith she had chosen to take could be disastrous. But it had to be done.

"For us," she muttered to herself. 

Laina was led to the ceremonial grounds. At the center, was a pit of bubbling lava. None of them seemed to be bothered by the heat, not even Laina. She walked up to the front as the intense sunlight shone down upon her. 

As per tradition, Laina was dressed in a unique set of garments. It was the traditional ceremonial garments, which provided extra protection to the wearer. The Oracle stood by the lava pit. 

As soon as Laina stood before, she hands her a dagger with the symbol of the sun encrusted on its hilt. Laina took it from her and slit her palm. She did not wince as she formed a gash on her palm. 

Fresh blood trickled down the open wound. Laina held out her hand, allowing the blood to drip directly into the lava pit. On the Oracle's signal, the temple guardians activated a mechanism. 

Old gears cranked into action, allowing the lava from the pit to flow into the grooves on the ground around them. In a matter of minutes, the entire ceremonial ground was lit up by the bubbling lava. 

The temple guardians sat down on the ground and clapsed their hands together as they began to chant an ancient spell. The Oracle turned to Laina. 

"Are you sure this is what you wish to do?" she asked Laina, "There is no guarantee you'll be the same after this."

She did not think twice, "I must do this."

The Oracle held out her hand. With her support, Laina looked down at the pit of lava before her. She took a step into the lava. Much to her surprise, it did not burn her. In fact, the temperature felt no different from the thermal bath she had experienced with Dante. 

The memory of their time at the thermal baths brought a smile to her face, renewing her determination to see this through. Laina set cross-legged in the lava, half of her body was submerged in it.

She steadied her breathing. 

"Close your eyes and count backward from ten. Best of luck, Laina. We will watch over you until the ceremony is complete."

That was the last she heard from the Oracle. Laina did as she was told, counting down the numbers in a soft whisper.

"...three, two, one."

Unknown to Laina, at the end of her countdown, her entire body disappeared into the lava. The Oracle smiled, the first step was complete. A blackened symbol formed on the surface of the lava.

It was in the shape of a phoenix.

When Laina opened her eyes, she was no longer at the Temple of the Sun. She was in her mindscape, which took the form of a vast garden as far as her eyes could see. Mesmerized by the beauty of it, Laina did not notice the figure walking towards her until she stood before her.

The resemblance was uncanny. It was as if she was looking into a mirror. Yet, the person who stood before her was dressed very differently.

"You can call me Solixia."

"It's nice to meet you Solixia," Laina greeted her kindly, "Where are we?"

"We are in here," she placed her hand on Laina's chest, and her own, referring to their heart.

"Are you going to help me recover my memories?" she asked. 

Solixia shook her head, "That is up to you."

"But aren't you, me? This is kind of like I'm helping myself, is it not?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes. But also, no." her words were cryptic, so she kept listening, "Take a walk with me."

Laina did as she asked, strolling alongside her. She did not know a mindscape could look this real, this grand. She began to wonder if all mindscapes looked the same. 

Solixia explained that each crystal flower they saw in the garden was a memory from their present life. As Laina had theorized before, this was not their first life. 

She had so many questions she wished to ask, but she knew she did not have time for all her doubts to be answered. Before she could even open her mouth, Solixia stopped her. 

"I know why you're here. So I will cut to the chase."

With a wave of her hand, Solixia brought them to the border of the garden. Before they stood a huge door. It was three times their height. 

"The memories you seek are beyond this door."

It was where the memories of their past lives were stored. Upon hearing that, Laina was eager to go through it. But Solixia grabbed her hand.

"Before you go, there is something you must know," she explained, "You cannot bring all the memories with you. Not in your present state."

There were physical limitations at work. If Laina were to retrieve all of her memories from her past life, her present physical body would not be able to sustain itself. She would be reduced to dust in an instant.

"The weight of our past is too much burden to bear. You have to choose wisely."

Solixia summoned a small blue flame in her palm. As she handed it to Laina, it transformed into a handheld lamp.

"This flame will guide you through. It will also show you what you need. Take only three. Any more than that would be dangerous," she warned.

Laina nodded,  "I understand."

"You only have one chance to decide if you wish to take it. Choose wisely."

With the word of advice burned into her mind, Laina thanked her. She turned her attention back to the door. With the lamp in hand, she gently pushed against it. A huge flash of light enveloped them. 

When Laina opened her eyes again, she found herself in a long corridor with labeled doors. She stretched her neck to see as far as she could. It seemed to be neverending.

"Well then, I better get on with this then," she muttered to herself. 

Laina looked at the first door on her right. She could hear soft muffled sounds coming through all of the doors. She was curious to know what was behind it, but the flicker on her lamp reminded her of her mission. 

"I cannot afford to be distracted."

She brought the lamp up to her eye level, carefully inspecting the flame. Looking at the corridor she was in, Laina knew it would take forever.. She did not know how time worked in the mindscape, so she had to do this as quickly as she could.