Down in the Dark (Zizzy)

[Hatoful GM]

Before, the archive had fallen into some disrepair. Now, it was something worse.

The tile was darker, made of some material that seemed designed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Symbols were scrawled on the surfaces of the pillars, uneven spirals, unsettling to look at. The scent of rot and decay was stronger. The faint drip, drip, of some liquid could be heard, and Zizzy had the unpleasant feeling that it wasn't water.

The book had changed, too. It was now bound in leather. "Forbidden Knowledge", the cover read.

[Zizzy Roosh]

Ugh, now that was unpleasant. Unsettling even. A tingle crawled up her spine.

She looked down at the book. Forbidden Knowledge. But Knowledge itself wasn't bad, was it? It was how you used it. Or was that just a rationalisation for getting involved in things better left unknown?

Feeling rather more unsettled she opened the book to the first page.

[Hatoful GM]

Forbidden Knowledge. A treatise on using the deep dark secrets of the universe to bend it to your will.

And then, below, in smaller text.

For those willing to do anything for knowledge, and the power that comes with it.

The gentle tug had become almost a pang, like a hunger. It wasn't pleasant, but it could be resisted.

[Zizzy Roosh]

It was a close thing. She almost turned the page.

Instead, with a great effort of will, she closed the book. The book called to her. She could feel the power, the temptation to do whatever it took. "Some things come at too high a price."

Slowly she stepped away from the lecturn.

[Hatoful GM]

She could almost feel a sense of disappointment from the book. The wind rose, seeming to hiss angrily. The strange red light of the room flickered.

The only way out seemed to be behind her, where she had come in.

[Zizzy Roosh]

With a great deal more outward calm than she felt inside, Zizzy walked away from the book towards the doorway. Her eyes scanned the room for movement, her other senses watching for less perceptable changes.

With leaden legs she finally reached the doorway and forced herself not to look back. She half expected a door to slide shut and lock her in.

[Hatoful GM]

It didn't. Not exactly.

But as she stepped through the door, after a moment of vertigo, she found herself back in the same room again. It seemed that there was no leaving. Her path would lead again and again to this place. Until...

THE VISION FADED

Who knew how much time had passed? Zizzy found herself back in a cave, the entrance just behind her.

[Zizzy Roosh]

Disoriented, Zizzy reached out for the cave wall, looking for the reassurance on solidity. Once she was sure of what was real she walked back out of the cave towards where Master Orgus was hopefully waiting. She thought about the vision, what else?, and what it all meant for her.

[Orgus Din]

Outside, Master Orgus was kneeling where she'd last seen him. He rose to his feet.

"Zizzy." He said, nodding. "Glad to see you back again." He waited, letting her speak before barraging her with questions. Leading by example, perhaps.

[Zizzy Roosh]

Her eyes shot up to meet his, a note of relief when it really seemed to be him. "Master Orgus. It's good to be back." Feeling more empowered now she stepped out of the tunnel and approached him. "How long was I gone?"

[Orgus Din]

Orgus smiled warmly, clearly pleased to see her in relatively good spirits. "Close to two hours. Your vision was one of the longer ones in real time. Not that that usually means anything for the person having them."

"How was it?" He shrugged. "You don't have to talk about it. But we encourage you to."

[Zizzy Roosh]

She nodded. "Two hours? It felt like a day." She pondered how to answer his question. In the past she might have given him the stream-of-consciousness version.

"I was offered all of the knowledge in the universe." It would be easier to break it down into bite size chunks.

[Orgus Din]

Orgus nodded. "It tends to. Time doesn't mean the same thing, in visions."

His eyebrows went up. "All the knowledge? That'd be a lot of questions." He smiled at her, briefly. "How'd it happen?"

[Zizzy Roosh]

"It was more like a lot of answers. More than I'd thought possible." She took a moment to review the events. "I arrived in an archive. It felt like a Jedi temple, calm and well tended. There was a book on a lecturn and no other signs of anything. The book shelves in the archive were all empty."

Her tendrils drifted lazily as she saw herself in the vision. "Eventually I investigated the book. It was called The Wonders of the Galaxy. I wasn't sure, but it felt right and so I started reading. It was beautiful."

[Orgus Din]

"That doesn't sound so bad." Orgus said. "So I'm guessing there's more to it."

[Zizzy Roosh]

"Yes. After I'd been reading for what seemed like hours I could sense the room had changed. It had become less well tended, more run down. There was a slight sense of decay but nothing out of the ordinary." She remembered the book and all its secrets quite clearly.

"The book had changed when I looked back at it. It was called Deep Secrets, for 'the most dedicated seekers of knowledge'. I read that one too, and it was also incredible, but this time I could feel...almost a compulsion to read it."

[Orgus Din]

"I see." Orgus said. "I think I see where this is going. But please, go on."

[Zizzy Roosh]

She nodded. "Yes, it makes more sense now Master. The next book was called Forbidden Knowledge. The room became dark and decayed, and there was a sense of something very wrong. I felt compelled to read the book, but I stopped myself. It just felt wrong. I managed to close it and get away from the archive, eventually."

[Orgus Din]

Orgus nodded. "So... how do you feel about all this? Think, too, but I figured I'd ask about feel first." He smiled. "You're not the only one that can come up with a bunch of questions."

[Zizzy Roosh]

Zizzy let out a long breath. "I feel like I've been waiting my whole life to go into that place. Now that I've come out again, should have stopped at the first book? I'm glad I could resist the pull of the last one. It felt wrong, like some knowledge comes at too high a price."