Deep inside He walks along a dark passage. A shimmer of soft light leaks through a small crack in an old wooden door.
"Where am I? What is this dark place?"
No answer, just the echo of a great hall hidden behind the horizon of his vision. It mocks him with his own words.
"Is someone there?"
Again, just an echo. After that, only silence. He is now standing in front of the door. A peek through the crack reveals an empty room, lit by a tiny torch. A try at the handle confirms its unlocked state. He enters the room and picks up the torch.
Footsteps.
"Hello, someone must be there. Come out, I mean you no harm."
Trusting his good ears to guide him, he rushes out and along the passage.
Footprints.
The dust had been raised only seconds before but the footprints are non human.
"What was that?"
A few more steps bring him to the entrance of the hall which echoes sounded before. Unlit torches lined the walls. As he tried to ignite one of them all the others around him suddenly flared to life.
It was a beautiful hall, just like one would find in a fortified palace of medieval ages, except for the fact that it was gigantic. Now revealed are the alcoves between the torches, each sporting a label on the left hand side. His surprise was great as he read the nearest engraving.
"17.07.1998 - Another Birthday"
He took a step into the alcove, staring at a rotten locking tome, neatly fitted into the stone, surrounded by two small crystal spheres.
"These are modern age dates, how is this possible?"
On touch one of the spheres lightens up to show a picture.
"A picture of my younger self? Now I get it, that was my birthday"
Another picture shows as he touches it again. He then takes out the tome and begins to read. As he steps closer to the torch because he is unable to decipher the script a spark skips through the air. It hits a page an immediately starts growing into a flame. Startled he drops the book to the floor.
"Ahrrg, what is this sudden pain?!"
As he watches page after page blaze away to nothing a bright flash of pain ripples through his head. It feels like something being ripped out of his mind.
"The book, can it be? Have to stop the fire!"
As he tramples out the last flames the pain recedes. This book must be somehow connected to him! He walks along the wall. After what seems like a few hundred meters he realizes, that the hall is actually oval and that he wasn't able to see the far end. After an hour of walking he finally reaches what he sought, the beginning. Just as he expected the sign read:
"17.07.1982 ? Day of Birth"
The sphere holds only a few blurry images and the book only contains unreadable nonsense.
"No wonder, I was just a newborn, surprising that there is any memory at all."
Near the alcove was a slightly bigger archway, the sign said:
"Danger, volatile, self destructible, timeless thoughts"
"The reason why I'm always so sad, maybe I should search this place and cause a little havoc."
Crossing the archway he reaches a narrow stone bridge, crossing a deep chasm. A hooded figure stand on the other side but does not move. He crosses the bridge and stand up to the lone figure, demanding passage.
Figure: "I have seen you coming. Your have no right being here. If you want to enter, you'll have to beat me first!"
Him: "So these where your footprints out there."
Figure: "Yes and no. I am the Guardian of this place, I cannot leave."
Him: "Who else could have made them and why should I want to fight you"
Figure: "You know the answer to both of your questions, you do not realize them however."
Him: "What are you guarding, anyway?"
Figure: "This answer is also known to you, you just read the sign, don't play the fool's part!"
Him: "All right, how am I to fight you? Boxing, shooting, a contest of riddles?"
Figure: "No, you will be facing the truth inside me, if you prevail you are free to explore this part but have to face the others for their domains."
Him: "Ok, let's do it but how? How can I face your truth?"
In answer to that question the figure drops his cowl to reveal his face. It is like a mirror to him. In shocked silence he stumbles e few steps back, misses a tread an tumbles down the chasm.
I stand straight in my bed, sweat running down my forehead and spine.
"What a weird dream. Would I have unveiled my sickening thoughts? Is there a truth I can't face? I don't know but next time I dream, I'll take a mirror with me!"