Through the Glass
June 6, 2020 - Afternoon
Ryder burst into the house, a blur of motion as he floated at top speed past Reuben and Evan, who were relaxing in the living room. Ryder’s urgency caught Reuben’s attention, and he started to get up, but Evan placed a calming hand on his arm, pulling him back.
“Let him go,” Evan said, his tone amused.
Ryder didn’t stop until he reached his desk. He shuffled through his papers until he unearthed the original note that he had found in the gazebo and his neatly written notes alongside it. His hands, steady yet eager, flattened the pages as he poured over the riddle yet again:
“Let him go,” Evan said, his tone amused.
Ryder didn’t stop until he reached his desk. He shuffled through his papers until he unearthed the original note that he had found in the gazebo and his neatly written notes alongside it. His hands, steady yet eager, flattened the pages as he poured over the riddle yet again:
“Follow these instructions and you won’t regret,
The prize at the end is not one to forget.
A treasure of power, veiled in disguise,
Hidden in shadows, the truth therein lies.
Hidden in plain sight, my secrets stay,
Where ref—————-sper the truths of the day.
Seek where I lingered, my f—e unknown,
Where the walls hold echoes of what I’ve sown.
Each clue is a thread in this mystical weave,
Follow the whispers, let yourself believe.
The path won’t be easy, the veil won’t relent,
But the arcana revealed is worth the descent.”
A triumphant grin stretched across Ryder’s face as the pieces clicked into place. “Reflections has to be correct, that means these are two separate words. What is the second…-sper?” He paused, looking over the rest of the riddle. “Whisper!? Reflections whisper! This is the answer. And with it being reflections, this word must be ‘face’ not ‘fate’. It must be speaking of a mirror.”
His mind raced with possibilities. What mirror could this be? Was it a small, forgotten hand mirror? Something possibly left behind by the Rothmore Estate’s previous owner? He hadn’t been here when Reuben bought the house, so he had no idea what relics might have remained. With determination burning in his chest, Ryder knew he needed Reuben’s insight.
He floated swiftly back into the living room, where Reuben and Evan were sharing a laugh over the television. “Reuben,” Ryder called, interrupting their conversation. “The riddle, I believe, is about a mirror. Are there any mirrors the previous owner might have left behind?”
Evan’s face lit up. “No shit, you figured it out!? That’s awesome, Ryder!”
Reuben furrowed his brow in thought, tapping his chin. “A mirror, huh? Well, there’s the one in the shop bathroom. The old owner left it when she moved out. It’s beautiful, and I thought it added to the shop’s charm, so I kept it. That might be what you’re looking for.”
Ryder had already begun floating towards the door the moment he heard the word ‘shop’. He grabbed the keys that sat upon the entranceway table. “That must be it!” Ryder declared, his excitement bubbling over. “Thank you, Reuben! I shall return soon!” Without another word, he zipped out the door and across the yard, heading straight for the Mystic Herb, Reuben’s metaphysical and herbalist shoppe that was conveniently located on the other side of the estate.
Reuben and Evan exchanged a chuckle. “He’s like a kid on Christmas morning,” Evan said, shaking his head fondly.
Reuben smiled with a relieved sigh. “I hope he finds what he’s looking for. It’s about time we uncovered some of the mysteries around here.”
Ryder reached the Mystic Herb in no time, heading straight for the bathroom. The ornate mirror on the wall was a work of art in and of itself, its intricate frame carved with swirling patterns reminiscent of vines and flowers. Ryder hovered in front of it, his reflection staring back at him as he examined every detail.
His mind raced with possibilities. What mirror could this be? Was it a small, forgotten hand mirror? Something possibly left behind by the Rothmore Estate’s previous owner? He hadn’t been here when Reuben bought the house, so he had no idea what relics might have remained. With determination burning in his chest, Ryder knew he needed Reuben’s insight.
He floated swiftly back into the living room, where Reuben and Evan were sharing a laugh over the television. “Reuben,” Ryder called, interrupting their conversation. “The riddle, I believe, is about a mirror. Are there any mirrors the previous owner might have left behind?”
Evan’s face lit up. “No shit, you figured it out!? That’s awesome, Ryder!”
Reuben furrowed his brow in thought, tapping his chin. “A mirror, huh? Well, there’s the one in the shop bathroom. The old owner left it when she moved out. It’s beautiful, and I thought it added to the shop’s charm, so I kept it. That might be what you’re looking for.”
Ryder had already begun floating towards the door the moment he heard the word ‘shop’. He grabbed the keys that sat upon the entranceway table. “That must be it!” Ryder declared, his excitement bubbling over. “Thank you, Reuben! I shall return soon!” Without another word, he zipped out the door and across the yard, heading straight for the Mystic Herb, Reuben’s metaphysical and herbalist shoppe that was conveniently located on the other side of the estate.
Reuben and Evan exchanged a chuckle. “He’s like a kid on Christmas morning,” Evan said, shaking his head fondly.
Reuben smiled with a relieved sigh. “I hope he finds what he’s looking for. It’s about time we uncovered some of the mysteries around here.”
Ryder reached the Mystic Herb in no time, heading straight for the bathroom. The ornate mirror on the wall was a work of art in and of itself, its intricate frame carved with swirling patterns reminiscent of vines and flowers. Ryder hovered in front of it, his reflection staring back at him as he examined every detail.
“Hidden in plain sight,” Ryder murmured, repeating the riddle again while studying the edges of the mirror. “It must be on or behind it.” He ran his fingers along the frame, searching for any hidden compartments or latches, his frustration growing as nothing revealed itself.
“If I could just get this off the wall,” Ryder muttered. He grasped the bottom edge of the mirror and gently pulled upward. For a moment, it seemed to give way, but then a sharp snap echoed through the bathroom as the mirror came loose. Before Ryder could react, the heavy frame tilted forward, falling directly toward him.
“If I could just get this off the wall,” Ryder muttered. He grasped the bottom edge of the mirror and gently pulled upward. For a moment, it seemed to give way, but then a sharp snap echoed through the bathroom as the mirror came loose. Before Ryder could react, the heavy frame tilted forward, falling directly toward him.
Instinctively, Ryder flinched, bracing for the crash. But instead of shattering, the glass rippled like water, its surface undulating with a strange, fluid grace. As the mirror descended, it enveloped him completely, pulling him into its shimmering depths. It felt like diving into a pool of water, the surface rippling around him as he passed through. But the moment he emerged on the other side, Ryder found himself standing in an entirely new world. A world he was all too familiar with.
Click the image above to be taken to the story of Aetherealm, the next chapter of Ryder’s life.
