Eventually Ghost wakes up and we once more descend in silence. Odd thoughts keep popping up into my head now that the excitement is over. Thoughts I'm not sure I'm comfortable with sharing. Ever since remembering my family name and perhaps even more now with my soul having opened up to my Astral body, my mind has begun to feel more stable. Which has brought back a question I've unconsciously avoided, why would the system try and erase our names?
One obvious answer is acceptance, if we can't even remember our names then why would we question our new reality. But a why then would we be given a new name supposedly connected to who we were? It named me Fragment because I was visibly broken and everyone always called me something related to that. Ghost is similar, no one could touch her. So people called her a ghost. By that logic my brother is probably named Prince, or maybe Hunk based of what he looked like when I last saw him.
But why give us names in the first place? Why not let us choose our own, after erasing the old ones. Why give us anything? My soul shudders when my Status book slams against its metaphysical walls seamingly trying to manifest on its own. My thoughts grow a bit hazy again.
Fragments pondering is further interrupted as he and Ghost finally reach the second floor. Vine barriers quickly cut off both exits as a skull imbedded in the ceiling speaks.
[Welcome to the second floor aspiring Acolytes, as you have already completed the test of Character, your are now faced with your second test before you can your assent and prove yourselves Acolytes.
The test of Truth .]
Before the duo stretches shelves upon shelves that stretch into dozens of different rooms. Ironically the actual entrance that will let them decend is just a few feet away, with a pedestal sitting halfway between both doorways. The shelves are lined with trinkets, books, bones, cores and presumably everything else that was stuck or developed inside the hospital before it became a dungeon, even a little bit of beetle carapace is displayed.
Walking up to the pedestal they lucky find it engraved with a message. Display your truth under the Saints gaze and be embraced or rejected by the Mother.
"Looks strait forward again… if we display something random do you think it'll open the door we came from, or the actual entrance?" Ghosts asks curiously.
"If I had to guess. Rejection probably means death. After all, something had to kill the monsters those cores came from. They definitely weren't put on those shelves on their own either." Fragment can't help but worry a little at the thought. How is this fair?
"Death seams too extreme for a first failure In what's supposed to be the second test of this dungeon. We probably get a few tries to prove our Truth." Ghost say with complete confidence.
"I guess there's only one way to know for certain…" Fragment reluctantly walks up to the pedestal thinking of everything that could possibly prove his personal truth… is my truth even what this dungeon wants? Is it possible the dungeon wants me to prove how truly faithful I am?
Looking around the at what's visible on the shelves Fragment is filled with a stubborn resolve. He doesn't care what the Dungeon wants. "This dungeon wants proof of something, well I'll tell you what I am." Fragment slams his hands down on the pedestal and begins filling it with his astral mass and as much Force as he can. "I am Fragment Lock, I am broken, stubborn and don't carry an ounce of faith!"
…
The pedestal starts violently rejecting Fragment, pushing the Force and astral mass outside its self. Clearly this is not the intended solution. At least it try's to reject what it's been giving."Bind. The art of permanence." Just as these words leave Fragments lips coiling ropes of barbed astral mass form and dig into the pedestal from within. They shiver and squirm resisting the structure, no the creatures attempts to reject Fragment and begin seeking something within.
" My truth is that I'm stubborn. I don't like giving up… or backing down, or letting others decide things for me. For a while I think i forgot that." Fragment looks up at the ceiling towards the room he used to reside in for so long. Remembering all the similar rooms he's been moved to between a dozen different care facilities. Then his mind settles on the first facility, how he spent a week crawling through there ventilation ducts and messing with the staff, only to emerge in to a twilight lite night all alone. Only to then spend two more weeks crawling though dust, mud, and across 7 islands just to show his Auntie that he wasn't so easily Misplaced. Yet the first thing he did in this new world after resembling himself with his new magic off course…was run away?
The pedestal creeks ominously as Fragment start's infecting its composition with his Astral body, not to break it. But to find what ever passes for the creatures Will and insist! Fragment is TRULY unworthy, he should be kicked out of this dungeon as fast as physically possible. " I'm certain above anything else that I'm not worthy of being an Acolyte of Life."With a final shove he touches upon something with the wooden creature. Fragment Binds these words in place with himself and upon the pedestal. The line between both himself and the creature blurr the lines between his truth, and its purpose fade leaving only purpose and conviction. These words are true, immutable, permanent…Damming. Nothing this unworthy should serve the Mother, or be given an opportunity to do so…CRACK!
[You have failed the second test aspiring Acolytes, as you have demonstrated an intense sense of dissonance for Life. DECEND AND PRAY FOR THE MOTHERS BENEVOLENCE!]
With several additional cracking noises the pedestal like creature crumbles from having been so heavily perverted revealing a small pearl of a core bound in the air by the barbed astral mist that emerges from Fragments hands.
Behind Fragment and Ghost the vines retract, revealing the passage downwards to the first floor.
"What was that! I thought you were gonna prove we were worthy or something?" Ghost says with mild confusion and worry.
"I just trusted in your judgment…that even if we weren't able to verify the truth it wanted it wouldn't kill us. But when I connected with the pedestal, I felt something almost intelligent inside, so I spoke to it directly… I guess I was convincing enough that we're officially getting kicked out of the dungeon." He smiles holding up the little core, not fully understanding what he actually did. But now knowing that if he hadn't formed a spiritual connection similar to what he has with Glutton, then the dungeons naturally mechanisms would have permanently locked both doors due to being confused about there point of entry and the pedestal would have eventually unfolded into some sort of plant monster to tidying up. Core-Plant-Witness of Truth-Tier 3-Grade H.
"Besides…I'm honestly not certain what we could have given to prove our Truth, and after connecting with the pedestal I pretty certain that this entire floor is just kinda unfinished." Fragment looks at the shelves again, while idy storing his prize in his bag. Most are bare, empty. Fragment is now certain the shelves are supposed to represent ether failed entry's, or perhaps at best ingredients to construct something to prove your truly devoted to the Pilar of Life. Perhaps in the future what's displayed on them will be different, more Life related, but ultimately this dungeon is still incomplete. So like a store with out any real inventory, the dungeon repurposed what was laying around. Though what was presented was less meaningful than that the object represented, conviction.
Ghost looks at Fragment with a complicated expression on her face before speaking. "You…really couldn't even pretend to like the dungeon. You know convincingly lie."
…"Honestly. I don't think I have it in me to lie. I always had my brother to do all the speaking and convincing for me. Im not certain i even want to ever be dishonest with others." Fragment smiles happily." Honest, stubborn, and incredibly curious about magic… certainly can't be the worst personality taints to have in this new world right?"
"No, no they aren't Broken Prince."