[[[Musica ౨ৎ])]
Amani’s eyes danced with unspoken tales, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. “Pedestrian?” she echoed, the word rolling off her tongue with a touch of amusement. “My my, don’t tell me you were in love with them both-” she couldn’t resist a chuckle, “Please tell me you were simply using them for some game of yours, because if it was truly love and not lust, then you’re more foolish than I thought.” Amani gave a menacing smile. “And I quite prefer my tainted lenses, as you call it, keeps me far away from the life you have.”
She listened to Arya talk her tone light yet pointed as she voiced her words, 'Well, mine haven’t been too bad," Amani retorted when Arya had agreed with Amani’s notion that they all had their fair of mistakes. She listened as Arya went on to talk about Amani’s fake sickness and she had fought a smile when Arya spoke about her knack for dramatic flair. “Do I?” She hummed as if contemplating Arya’s words, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Well, perhaps you have a point there,” Amani conceded, her tone tinged with amusement. “After all, what’s life without a little drama? But of course too much dramatic fair gets exhausting overtime, right?” For example, take the Enigma house, her least favorite by a far, though she couldn’t say she did not find the house entertaining.
“I suppose history does,” Amani responded, looking everywhere but at Arya, “But I prefer to think of us not as fugitives from our past, but as architects of our future. We are not defined by the shadows we cast, but by the light we choose to follow.” Amani certainly hoped that was true, “The present, someone once told me.” Amani turned to face Arya, “Is not a mere consequence of the past; it is an opportunity, a canvas awaiting new strokes and besides, I think I am stealthy and fast enough to outrun my shoulder, though it might seem impossible.” And perhaps, indeed it will prove to be impossible, but sometimes living in fantasies was better than realities, no? Well, Amani thought so as of right now.
“I suppose we are all performers on this stage of life, as after all existing in this society Is simply also a perfomance” Amani had to agree, as she listened to Arya’s witty words, BUT- Amani eyes flickered to the poetry hanging on the walls, "The act of sentiment sometimes gets boring does it not? It almost feels like begging to be pitied, how unfortunately pathetic it can be, " But she supposed that pathetic nonsense is what made poetry so good, though she was not going to say that.
When Arya had broken the silence that passed between them, Amani had scoffed at the remark Arya had uttered, as if it was something unfathomably absurd. “Then i suppose your poetry is not the right kind of poetry.” Amani had muttered with a teasing smile.
Poetry is not just for the hopeless romantics Arya said and well, Amani had to agree- it was not. All that Arya was saying was indeed what some people might say to be correct and Amani could not find a way to disagree with her words, so she had just shrugged, “Maybe,” She replied, her tone lacking it’s usual tone because indeed Amani did not possess all that she truly desired- perhaps she would never have and she will find a way to be satisfied
in that.
Amani have done this so many times- come to this place to admire the illusions that existed here and to relax- it was often quiet inside each of the many doors of the botanic conservatory because no body really knew about them. Room 4- the room with the many mirrors was part of the rooms she tended to visit the most and she had tried every mirror- well, almost every mirror, she had thought because when the mirror had shattered and transported them into an illusion, Amani couldn’t tell at first where she was until she realized she needed to leave here, but first-
I was hoping you were an illusion Amani had told Arya, her tone strange as she said this.
"“Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I’m very much real’ Arya had replied with a wry smile, but Amani had simply given her a funny look.
“It is indeed a disappointment,” Her tone did not hold any malice as she said this, it was more of a ‘matter of the fact’ type of tone, “Our visions are not supposed to be intertwined,” She explained, “It’s-” Amani paused, before declaring that they needed to get out of here, expanding on that by telling Arya that the mirror was not like other mirrors. She was going to say more, she would have perhaps if she had not seen it- a flicker of movement, a shape looming in the shadows. Amani’s breath caught in her throat as she beheld the vision before her, her blood turning to ice in her veins.
The room around them seemed to darken, shadows creeping in from the edges of their vision, a reminder of the otherworldly danger they were now facing.
Just as Arya finished speaking, a sudden movement caught Amani’s eye. She barely had time to react before a monstrous, shadowy figure began to emerge from the darkness, its form grotesque and twisted. Panic surged through her, but she forced herself to stay calm.
“Run!” she hissed, grabbing Arya’s arm and pulling her away from the approaching horror. They sprinted through the dimly lit space, their footsteps echoing off the walls, the sound of their breathing ragged and desperate. Amani’s mind raced, trying to remember the spell that could get them out of this nightmare. Latin and French phrases swirled in her thoughts, a mix of ancient words that held the key to their escape.
They ducked into a hidden alcove, the walls providing a temporary refuge from the pursuing creature. Amani’s hands trembled as she began to recite the spell, her voice a strained whisper. "] “Lux lucis… porte ouvrir… salvare nos…” She closed her eyes as her voice got even lower as she recited the rest, but no door formed, instead a piece of paper, written how to escape appeared. It was a riddle, of course it was a riddle! It just had to be, and the riddle went:
"Through shadow and light, where fears take flight,
Seek the door that hides in plain sight.
In a room of mirrors, not all reflect,
Find the one that your gaze must direct.
When numbers and words play a cryptic dance,
It’s the truth in the lies that gives you a chance.
Seek the phrase that sounds like a song,
It will guide you right where you belong.
Look for the glass that is more than it seems,
It holds the key to your wildest dreams.
With courage and trust, you’ll unlock the way,
And escape the night, to welcome the day."**
Amani read it loud, “Do you see any glass around here?” Amani asked, as as she heard a roar- the monster approaching. Perhaps she could use her pet? Would that work inside this illusion.