Spooktober 2025: Chamber

Previous Chapter Spooktober 2025: Amiss   As I slowly made my way out of the sacrificial chamber my thoughts started to clear. While I still had no idea who I was or how I got here, at least I could think clearly. The thick air of the chamber seemed to cling to me, the faintly metallic smell mixed with other scents that spoke of ancient secrets and lingering agony. I occasionally found my fingers tracing runes and reliefs on the walls as I made my way through the oncient temple., though their meanings remained a mystery to me.   As I made my way down a hallway toward a fain glimmer of daylight I realized that the temple was not, in fact, lit in any way, but instead I could see in the relative darkness. I picked my way carefully over loose stones, woody mushrooms, and other things that I chose to believe were pebbles, despite how they sounded like shards of bone clattering across the stone floor.   And how would I even recognize bone clattering across stone   As i reached the antechamber of the temple and my eyes adjusted I realized that what I had mistaken for sunlight was actually the light of a full moon. glinting off the curved surface of a stoppered flask. As I turned the flask over, admiring the engravings of bees flitting around gem-encrusted wildflowers, liquid sloshed around inside. Unscrewing the lid, I sniffed tentatively, then took a long pull of the mead within. A warmth spread through my limbs as I tasted the honeyed notes that reminded me of old halls smelling of wood-smoke, and songs sung in joy with shadow-faced friends.   Next to where I had picked up the first flask was a second, though its shine was muted as the metal was clouded, with shapes half formed and almost seeming to move as I tilted it back and forth. Not feeling any liquid inside, I opened the stopper and immediately a thick fog poured out, filling the antechamber enough to obscure the far wall and the passage that I can arrived through. I quickly re-capped the flask and then slipped both flasks into pockets, one on my vest and one on my pants.   The fog seemed to linger unnaturally until I opened the door, at which point a chill autumn breeze blew into the room, dispersing the fog and revealing two more items that I had previously overlooked. The first was a piece of parchment on the table that had been folded to look like a boat. It could be collapsed flat and popped back into shape seemingly without disturbing the folds. As I tossed it aside with a curious flick why did I do that My eyes grew along with the curious paper boat, until I was looking at a small canoe that would easily hold me. Grabbing it by one end it seemed to fold back in upon itself until it was back to its original size. I pressed it flat and put it into a vest pocket that seemed sized for it.   The last item was a beautifully carved staff, leaning against the table. Wolves and eagles chased each other across the wood, looping in carvings that I couldn't be sure weren't moving when I wasn't focused on them. Almost unbidden my hand reached out, grabbing the staff. It was light, worryingly so. Fearing that it had succumbed to dry-rot I swung it at one of the table legs.   To my surprise it was the stone table leg that shattered, while the staff remained perfectly intact. I gave it an almost familiar twirl, before fumbling and dropping the staff to the ground.   The body remembers what the mind forgets not a whisper, at least not one that I heard with my ears. I shivered, looking around for the source of that thought, as it certainly hadn't come from me. But the chamber remained empty except for the last lingering traces of fog from the flask.   My heart rate having sped up, I picked up the staff, more sure than ever that the wolves and eagles were in slightly different positions than before... or maybe not. The carving did flow smoothly in a continuous design. At least it gave me a walking stick, and something solid to defend myself with, though hopefully with more confidence and skill that my earlier fumble showed.   With that thought, i stepped through the door and out into the moonlight, humming a song I didnt recognize.   Next Chapter Spooktober 2025: Remote