Lake

An air of sweetness penetrated his sense of smell, bringing new life into the nose he never knew he had.

[Wait, if I can smell these... were the previous rooms odorless?] He deliberated over this, as he could smell absolutely nothing from the previous locations.

[That's not important though] He exclaimed. [There's ought to be a way to escape this place.]

He took a stroll around the room, examining every single plant that he could find. All the plants, he found, were flowering ones. None of them bore any fruit. A fact that seemed related to the next puzzle.

Next, he studied the walls themselves to see if there were any hidden openings or doors that could have secluded themselves. Alas, there were none.

[No dice huh, what to do next?] He asked himself, unsure of how to proceed.

While he was still contemplating on what to do next, he saw a strange flower of verdant green sitting in the middle of the lake. It looked rather forlorn, separated from the rest of its ilk.

On the lake's far end, he saw the statue of a young boy, its hands clasped together as if in prayer. The statue's hands had a tiny orifice, a receptacle of sorts. The statue had a navy cap lain on its head, with the hem bearing similar symbols to the ones used on the golden door he had seen before. It also wore a general's coat, collared onto his neck and draping over his shoulders, worn as you would a shawl. Beneath the coat, he also wore a matching pair of navy shirt and pants, giving him the appearance of a young sailor.

[Storyteller...] He read the symbols on the cap. [Sounds awfully familiar, I can't quite put my finger on it.]

[Then again, nearly everything seems familiar since I know nothing that happened before I woke up. ]

As he approached the lake, another pop-up appeared right in front of him.

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The sanctuary that gods forbade,

it's where the flowers dwell.

Capturing the fallen knight,

from where the flower fell

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[So....] He snarkily said. [There's a bloody flower floating in the middle of the lake. And then there's a weird sailor boy statue that has a hole in its hands. It seems pretty obvious now, what I'm supposed to do.]

He could only surmise that he needed to retrieve the flower from the lake and then insert it into the statue's hands.

[What a roundabout way of doing things...] He mumbled under his breath. [Take the flower and put it on the statue. Eh, there has to be a catch.]

He approached further, the body of water coming close. Finally, he had reached the edge. The boundary between land and water was visible.

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Don't fall in

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Another hologram appeared, this time bearing a warning of sorts. Whether he should heed it, he couldn't decide.

[What happens when I fall in, hmm?] He asked, his curiosity piqued.

He tried to see whether there were any repercussions in declining the warning itself. He took a few objects from the room, flowers and rocks, and then threw them over the lake. The rocks sunk to the bottom, leaving the flowers behind.

Something else happened to the blossoming buds. A few seconds after the rocks had sunk, the petals dispersed from their stalks, scattering across the lake. Other than the petals, the remaining parts would sink.

He watched the lake with delight, waiting for the changes to finish. What remained of the flowers made for a beautiful sight to behold. The lake showed unparalleled bliss, left untouched by human hands. The water, still and calm, mirrored the blue sky, whilst the petals floated about.

[If it weren't for my previous experiences, I would rather stay here.] Indeed, this place was heavenly. It calmed him to a certain degree. He still needed to leave this place, however.

He scanned the entire room, looking for any more clues that could help him. The walls were still mossy; the flowers were still there. Nothing else turned up.

[Now...] The big question arose. [How do I cross this lake? It's not like I'm extremely athletic to such a degree where I can skim through the water.]

He wasn't capable of any other superhuman feats; other than the exceptional mental calculations that he had done and the athleticism that his body exhibited earlier. Said athleticism wasn't capable of carrying him over to the center of the lake and then going back to land.

[Hmm... this is tricky indeed] The only information he had came from the statue, and the flower he needed to retrieve. [Maybe the petals on the lake show what I need to do next.]

He observed the lake, studying everything from the petals, the water's movement, and the viridian flower he had yet to pluck from the center.

[The petals... they seem strange] He had a hunch of sorts. [What if I throw something at them?]

He picked up a rock, a normal run-of-the-mill type of one, and threw it at the nearest petal he could see. It flew and struck straight at the one he targeted.

[Huh?] A voice of surprise came out.

A most unnatural reaction came from the petal. Instead of sinking because of the impact, the petal remained on the surface, with the rock bouncing from it. The rock soon fell into the water as the petal continued to float, as if nothing had happened at all.

[The petals just brush off the impact, huh? Well, that's interesting]

If the petal remained resolute despite the rock's impact, could he step on them? He noted this possibility, concocting a plan based on that assumption..

[Before I even consider jumping on them, I need to increase the amount of petals on the lake. It's not enough at the moment]

He gathered more and more flowers, throwing them at the lake. The petals scattered, covering the lake's surface. After a few minutes of doing so, he completed the task.

[Wow...] He leaned towards the edge of the lake, as the sight had astounded him. [It looks more magnificent now]

The sunlight had done a good job of elevating the lake's appearance, giving it a heavenly appeal. Coupled with the serene sight of flower petals, it only made him stare more.

The lake, whose grandeur captivated him, now had his full attention. If before, its beauty rivaled that of the fairy tales, the current appearance gave it a sense of ethereal bliss, as if it was otherworldly. He had a vague sense of what beauty was, and yet he was sure that the sight before him was something that came from another world.

[If I'm not careful, I might end up staying here forever.] He joked around. [Wish I could take a picture. Wait, never mind. I can't forget things anyway.]

[It's time] He was going to tackle the current problem. [Time for me to try this silly game of mine]

The boy walked backwards for a few meters, whilst facing the lake. He saw the sailor boy's statue from the other side of the watery pond staring at him. He planned to jump on the leaves, pluck the flower, and put it in the statue's clasped hands.

[I can do this...] He said, trying to convince himself [I just need to step on the leaves. It couldn't be that hard, could it?] His attempts at doing so lead to him being more nervous.

The boy took a few deep breaths, steadying himself. He adjusted his posture as he straightened the way he carried his body. A few more breaths. And then he sprinted.

Big, wide steps, almost like hops. He continued to run, nearing the lake's edge. His steps seemed light, almost like a feather, as he maintained his pace. Until he had reached the boundary between lake and land.

Carrying the momentum of his dash, he vaulted over the bordering line, heading into the first petal that he could reach. A shadowy figure loomed over the air, its cloak fluttering through. Landing on the lake's surface, its right foot touched a flower petal, red. The water did not stir at his actions.

As soon as he contacted it, he bounded for the air once more. Forcing his right leg to move onward, he reached for the horizons.

He found himself in the sky again, as he flittered past the water.

He touched down another petal, whose color was orange this time.

[This is... fun!] He exclaimed. [It's like hopscotch!]

He had no memories at the moment. And yet he possessed knowledge on certain topics. Such as how schools function, what braille is and how hopscotch works. Though, of course, hopscotch isn't just about hopping.

From all the tribulations he had experienced, this was the first time he ever felt the concept of 'fun'. His previous harrowing experiences allowed him to enjoy the excitement he currently felt at full length.

The boy hopped again, his left foot trying now. Aiming for the skies, he looked for the next petal to use as a platform. A few meters away from him, a yellow one was motionlessly still. He chose that as his destination as he landed on it.

Halting his buoyant travels, he realized that the flower he needed to claim was already. As he was quite close to it, he could finally make out the details he couldn't identify before.

The flower stood out from the rest of the background, seeing that it was situated right in the middle of the lake. Its stalk seemed to be below the water, holding the flower in place. A flower, arranged like that, while surrounded by petals, made for quite the scenery.

It had 9 petals, each one a different shade from green. Said petals shimmered from the sunlight, making them sparkle in their basking glory. The blossom's core had the must curious decoration, a single emerald gem.

The boy leaned closer, studying the flower in depth. With his foot in a tiptoe, he appeared to be a bowing man, except with his face facing the flower.

[That's certainly the weirdest flower I've ever seen] He mused. [It doesn't even look natural]

[But that's not the point. I need to take it from its emplacement and bring it to the statue, and finish this trial, challenge, puzzle, or whatever the hell it's called.]

He fixed his posture, straightening himself. Despite that, he was still standing on one foot, with the other one dangling close to the water. Noting everything, he reached for the forlorn bud.

[Pluck the flower and get to land, pluck the flower and get to land] He reminded himself

As he focused on the task at hand, his eyes laid its gaze on the solitary plant. Slowly, his body lowered itself until he appeared to be crouching. A few more seconds of silence and then... he leapt.

He sprung into action. His legs carried him a few meters above the surface, pushing him nearer to his goal. He seemed like a raven in flight, reaching for its prey. An ink-black raven, ready to pluck a flower from its resting place.

The distance between him and the blossom grew closer until he was within an arm's length. The flower was within his reach now. He was still at the zenith of his flight when he lifted the bloom from its watery foundation. The flower, whose color was in different shades of green, was in his grasp.

'Next, I just need to get off this lake and into land, then I can deposit this thing into the statue's hands.' With one goal finished, he neared the puzzle's completion.

With the flower in hand, he glided through the air, continuing his journey to reach the ground gliding through. He witnessed a strange response from the petals on the lake's surface. Some of them were sinking.

[I'm f—ked] He blurted, while landing on a blue petal. [I'm thoroughly f—ked now, aren't I?]

The situation was unfavorable for him, as the petals he stood on were descending beneath the waters. The platforms he could use run thin.

[No time to talk! Just jump!] He continued to talk to himself, aware that doing so would have no benefit.

With his foot still rooted, he surveyed the area for any more petals, noticing that only two remained. One was hued indigo, and beyond it, violet. These petals were faltering in their place, however.

'Oh no, they're sinking already!' The thought gave him an adrenaline rush, something he genuinely needed at the moment.

In a spur of action, the boy set his sights on the indigo petal, reaching it after a quick hop. He discovered that the petal bearing his weight wobbled. Aware of that, he jumped onto the final petal, the violet one.

With the momentum from his jump still intact, he bounced onto the final petal as he neared land. He arrived at the last petal he needed to reach, aware of how close he was to reach the statue. He was only one jump away now.

The boy crouched again, gathering the force needed to conclude his airborne journey. Whilst the petal wobbled, he remained still, his body lowering itself. This continued for a few brief moments until the petal wavered in its position. Sensing the urgency, he made the last jump, hurtling across the air.

From an observer's perspective, the picturesque view of a shadow clinging to a blossom would most likely be a sight worthy of being framed. If not because the creature's head still had the CRT TV as a helmet, it would be a perfect moment to capture. The creature resumed its buoyant journey in the air, with the ground being a few mere meters now.

Sensing the completion of his action, the boy readied himself. His feet started to touchdown, with the presence of ground beneath it. Completing his movement, he finished his descent. What he didn't consider, however, was how to land.

He stumbled, his sense of balance perturbed by the rocky landing he had performed. His legs gave up, with his body crashing headfirst into the ground. Because of that, he rolled over and over, like a broken wheel clinging to what little purpose it has. He continued his careening motion until he hit the statue with his head.

[Ow... ow... ow... ow...] He tried to grip his head, only to realize that the accursed visor still existed. [That hurt a lot... Wait, where's the flower?]

[The flower... the flower! Where the hell did it go!?] He yelled, hung up at the mistake he made.

He panicked, not knowing where the flower had gone. Did he drop it over the lake by chance? Perhaps it left him when he impacted the ground? Maybe it got destroyed when he landed? Many possibilities rose in his head, none of which is correct.

The boy looked for the flower, craning his head everywhere to see where it had gone to. He spent a few minutes hunting for it, ignorant of the situation's reality. And he was to blame for it.

While looking for the flower, he glance downwards, seeing the blossom in his hands. He stared at the bloom for a few seconds, realizing that he had it all this time. Not once had it left his grasp. It only took a mere glance at the clenched grip to make him realize he played himself for a fool. It was already in his hands.

[Screw not forgetting things. I didn't even know that the bloody flower was IN MY HANDS! YOU F—KING TWAT!] Even though he knew he was the one at fault, he could only scream in anger.

He tried to throw the flower to the ground, his anger still fuming. Before he could do so, however, the single strand of sanity left from him stopped him from continuing with it. But alas, his emotions are hard to control, as he attempted again and again, with his conscience preventing him from doing the deed. In the end, he just walked straight to the statue, with the flower in tow.

He faced the statue, which remained immovable in its position. It wore the same old clothes he had seen before. While he attempted to insert the flower, he stopped, noticing something. Halting his attempt, he probed into the statue's head.

[Come to think of it, this statue has a face... doesn't it?] Confusion set in, as his incapability to perceive the statue's face disoriented his thoughts. [Then why... why can't I recognize it?]

He touched statue's face, looking for the features which would comprise a human one. He identified the nose, the mouth, the eyes, and even the ears. All the features remained intact. If so, then why? Why can't he recognize it? Something blocked his mind from identifying facial traits.

[I'm certain that this is the face, but I can't perceive it properly...] An unfamiliar word appeared in his mind. [... Prosopagnosia? What's that?]

[The world keeps getting stranger...] it vexed him over the situation. [It sucks a lot]

He dismissed his thoughts, focusing on the statue's hands. Its hands remained clasped. The hole was still in place, waiting to be filled.

[I wonder if something big's going to happen] He expected another change to occur. [Wouldn't be the first one]

He inserted the flower, holding it by the stalk. He let go of it, a snug fit into the statue's hands. The figure of a statue clasping onto a flower was left. It looked rather sad, or forlorn even.

The ground quaked, a rumbling noise echoing throughout the entire room. The walls shuddered, dust falling off from them. And then the sound became unbearable. It hurt his ears.

[Argh....] He groaned as the pain increased. [What the hell is happening!]

The boy turned around, looking for a way to escape from his plight. What he saw, however, was a waking nightmare. The walls had crumbled down, showing only a black fog that seemed to absorb light. The flowers were wilting, covering the ground with fallen petals that had lost their luster.

He turned his gaze to the lake, only to discover that a large sinkhole replaced it. Something fitting to be called an abyss. The bottom seemed to be unreachable. The sky... was no longer blue. In its place was a black space. Devoid of any stars, with the moon as its only backdrop. The lunar presence made him feel unease. It was as if someone was observing him.

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With blackened skies and wilted blooms,

I offer you my hand.

And when the king has fallen down,

I give my reprimand

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A hologram appeared in the room, surprising him greatly. It seemed to be related to the situation, but it offered no usable information.

He looked at the statue again, unsure of what to do next. He only turned around for a few seconds and yet... the figure's appearance had changed a lot. In its hands, the flower had wilted, with the emerald gemstone already gone. What's worse about the changes is that the statue… it smiled.

The statue, whose facial features he couldn't recognize before, was clearly smiling before him. A diabolical grin on its face.

[... What?] It was as if the world was playing a trick on him. Why?, well, he had no clue.

The ground beneath him cracked, crumbling under his weight. He stumbled backward, with the insanity of the scenario rendering him shocked. He remained on the ground, still staring at the statue when... it broke down. The ground he stood on fractured, joining in the sinkhole's lunacy. With the land he stood on already gone, he fell down.

As he plummeted downwards into the dark fissure, he saw the statue staring down at him. It seemed to move as it craned its head further with a smile plastered on its visage. He tried to reach out to it, only touching the air.

His consciousness flickered in and out of reality, incapable of processing the lunacy that he experienced. His thoughts grew fainter with each breath he took. Before he fell unconscious, a single sentence appeared before him.

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YOU ARE A LAPDOG OF REALITY

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These were the last words he read before his dark descent. He had fallen into the abyss.