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As Tix reached the top step, the song was still playing, underscoring my realization.
My heart raced.
The anticipation, the excitement, the solution right at our fingertips — it was exhilarating.
I couldn’t wait any longer.
Barely giving him time to step into the Prize Pool, I rushed forward, throwing my arms around him.
He looked startled, but that familiar, comforting warmth of his embrace enveloped me.
Burying my face into the crook of his neck, I whispered:
“I know the solution to the third level!”
For a moment, there was silence, the only sound being the dying notes of the Champion’s Song.
Then, I felt him grin against my hair.
His voice, always a soothing balm, rumbled in his chest as he replied, “I knew you would!”
Holding me at arm’s length, his golden eyes searched mine, seeking confirmation.
The raw pride and love mirrored in them made my heart skip a beat.
Here was a warrior, a gladiator who had just achieved a monumental victory, yet his joy in this moment was about our shared discovery.
“Come on,” he said, his voice tinged with excitement. “Let’s get to my cell and you can unravel the mystery.”
Taking my hand, we made our way back.
Every step was a dance of anticipation, the weight of what we were about to do sinking in.
As we retraced our steps, the environment around us seemed to blur.
The jubilant crowd, the glowing lights, the sounds of celebration — they all faded into the background.
All that mattered was the challenge ahead and the knowledge that we were on the brink of deciphering it.
* * *
The dreamworld of Uhah’s nightmares was becoming all too familiar.
The otherworldly sensation of being both present and not, knowing that everything around us was a construct of someone’s mind, was a heady feeling.
As Tix and I ventured forth, we swiftly navigated the first two defenses.
The gate with its gargoyle riddle guardian that taunted with the concept of “Guilty,” and then the grandfather clock, eternally marking time at 8:32.
The familiarity with which Tix moved through these defenses brought both pride and admiration to my heart.
We were a team, each filling the gaps left by the other.
However, it was the third defense that had thwarted us.
Once again, the room materialized with fragments of memories orbiting around, and the scene at the table began to play out, just as we remembered.
Uhah, looking almost youthful, sat in deep conversation with two otherworldly males.
