Laenie shakily walked through the darkness. She regretted doing this alone; why did they let her do a memory trial alone? If Aira was here, it’d be so much easier. Even if it was Oka, Zeta, any of the others. But she walked through darkness, waiting for whatever was supposed to happen. Her footsteps echoed.

  “Hello, Laenie,” A deep voice said from the darkness.

  After about five minutes of screaming, Laenie ran out of steam realizing she wasn’t about to be murdered.

  “I apologize for surprising you,” the voice said.

  “Wh-who are you?” Laenie asked.

  “Ah, I am a being that specializes in this sort of thing.” The voice said. “I hope I didn’t startle you too much, this isn’t supposed to be unbearably stressful.”

  “I’m…I’m OK,” Laenie said. “Where…are you, if you don’t mind me asking? we get some light?”

  “I’m sorry,” the voice said. “I don’t have a specific ‘pce,’ outside of being ‘here,’ if that makes sense.”

  “It does,” Laenie asked. “Do you show up for everyone’s memory trials?”

  “No, actually,” the voice said. “I’m a somewhat shy being. I prefer not to unicate when there are more than one present.”

  “I’m shy too,” Laenie said. “Do you have a name?”

  “I do,” the voice said. “…I ’t remember it, though. Call me whatever you like.”

  “How about…” Laehought about it for a sed. “There’s a flower that only grows in the darkness, it’s called a twilight umbra. Would that work?”

  The voi the darkness paused.

  “Hm, I like that, thank you,” it said.

  Laenie felt a iion.

  “What was that?”

  “I was just telling the others the same,” Twilight Umbra said. “That way we all know the same name.”

  “You talk to all of us at once?” Laenie asked.

  “I perceive things differently than you, because I am different than you,” Twilight Umbra said. “I am from a pce far away in the void, and am summoo pces like this for i who are o their abilities here. It is my duty to assist.”

  “And how do you assist? A jump fifteen?” Laenie said.

  “It has many names,” Twilight Umbra said. “But yes, that is my main purpose with you. Would you like to get started now?”

  Listening to Twilight Umbra’s voice was strangely calming.

  “I’m not sure I’m ready,” Laenie said. “Am I going to have to see something scary from my past?”

  “I’m not sure, is there something scary from your past you’re thinking of?”

  “Yes.”

  “Sometimes refle on our more difficult times aids us,” Twilight Umbra said. “If I guide you to refled overe whatever it is you are struggling with, it aid you on your journey. Perhaps putting you oh of Atria instead of Endora.”

  “Atria and Endora?” Laenie asked. “I’ve heard of them, but will looking at my memories really ge whose path I take?”

  “It’s possible. Lots of things put you oh of either. No one walks entirely oh of one, uhey are very dedicated to the ideals of one. And that isn’t including the other i ideals, such as Calestia or Havena.”

  “Is there a good option for me in there?” Laenie asked.

  “I’m not sure. What are you hoping to hear me tell you?”

  “That I’m not a bad person.”

  “Then you likely will want to walk the path of Atria, said to be just and true. Unless you are lying; then in that case you’d probably want to walk the path of Endora.”

  “Endora’s scary," Laenie said, thinking of all the things she'd heard about the Order of Terina. "There are those cultists that worship her and burn stuff…and kill people. I don’t want to be on their path.”

  “That’s good,” Twilight Umbra said. “I ’t see you being an Endoran. Your heart rings chords of gentleness. Would you like to begin your memory trial now?”

  “I…think so. we talk about what we see afterwards?” Laenie asked.

  “We talk about it as soon as it starts.” Twilight Umbra said. “I don’t want you to be upset or unfortable. Let’s work together to overe the blockage in your past to truly awaken yift. Alternatively, you could leave right now. You're pletely in charge now.”

  The first thing Laenie could see appeared, a doorway. It looked like the door to the temple.

  “Would it be bad if I took the door out now?” Laenie asked.

  “Maybe, but if you are really afraid, I won’t bme you. It’ll just slow or ht halt your progress.”

  Laenie looked at the door and gave a thought to bolting right there.

  “If you want to leave, I ’t and won’t stop you.”

  While it would be o just run, it didn’t feel right.

  “I’m OK,” Laenie said. “I think I do this. I want to do this.”

  “That’s a brave decision. The memory selected for this is ready whenever you’d like to begin.”

  “I...know what it’s going to be,” Laenie said. "I don't know if it's what I want to see though.

  “Do you? What would you want to see?"

  “I’d rather see a day of me ice cream or something than what it’s going to be.” Laenie said.

  Twilight Umbra ughed. Not a mean ugh, a ugh that suggested he actually found the joke funny. Something genuine.

  “I’m sure many would rather a memory trial like that. But it might be good to revisit this time in your life. Is it something you think about a lot?”

  “Probably too much,” Laenie said. It was a memory she repyed in her head too many times.

  “The’s work to ge that.” Twilight Umbra said. “Are you ready now?”

  “Yes,” Laenie said, and took a deep breath as the past began to py before her.