Pandora's Box

Chapter forty-six

All the lucky ones are thrown away with the hope of a dream coming true
Everyone keeps it near
Too many could bring out the worst in people
Too many of it still isn't enough even though it may seem like a lot of work to carry

This is the words written in beautiful black-ink calligraphy across the first page. It doesn't state which zodiac the object is associated with but that information isn't important. Solving these riddles take priority.

The moment everyone read those words, their minds went blank. A week has already passed and Sol still scratches his head hoping for a clue. During the first few days everyone was confident and now June can't even look at a book without feeling hopeless.

Sol feels as if no matter how many pages he turns, he'll still end up having learned nothing. It feels as if he can see what he wants but he doesn't know how to grasp it, like a dream without a means to achieve it. He experiences the kind of desperation that turns you stomach inside out and leaves you feeling torn up inside.

"Sol, honey, let's go for a walk. You need a break." A kind voice appears behind him. It belongs to his mother, who wears a worried expression. He finally looks up and has to adjust his eyes to his surroundings. He realizes that he's the only one in the palace archive.

His mother wraps her soft hands around his arm as she gently pulls him away from the books. Sol won't admit it but he's grateful for the disturbance. If it isn't for his mother, he would never leave.

The sun is shining brightly which could possibly be because of his mother's success in prying him away from the books. She's happy and this makes Sol happy.

The moment where he saw his mother completely panicked is long forgotten and buried with the grains of stress to solve the riddles. This past week, his mother has been the one to make sure his okay. His dad seems to have taken preference to Sonii who turned out to be a better warrior.
Everyone else seemed to be exhausted beyond repair so it felt like no one would realize if he ended up living in the archives.

But his mom knew. She spent every free moment with him even if he was immersed in a book and not paying attention to her. He has officially forgiven her for the past. She's proven herself to be a loving mother and thus, he understands that she had a reason for everything. She doesn't seem ready to speak about it though.

She still walks beside him silently, waiting to see if he has enough energy to have a conversation with her. Sol stares at the ground because the sky is too bright for his eyes.

As soon as they're surrounded by the enchanting plant life at the calming koi pond, his mother starts talking.
"You know, I was thinking. Our archives aren't exactly the best in the universe. Maybe you should reach out to Aldwin." His mother suggests.

He can't believe he didn't think of it before. Aldwin seems to be the smartest person he can think of so why didn't he realize it sooner. Then, he remembers  his reason and asks, "How? There's no way I'm going through the House of Cards again, mom." He rushes through his words as he tries to lock away the memories of his last experience.

"I don't mean that. You've heard about the mirror on the wall? That's your ticket to communication, my child." Her voice washes over him like a spell for calamity. She starts walking towards the palace to show her son the mirror.

The walk back seems short. Sol is sure she used a shortcut but this garden is so big that he won't even realize if he's been on the same path in the past.

The palace is cold as the interior is covered in darkness made worse by the coldness of the stone. His mother ushers him towards a quiet passageway where there's a room at the end. A room that's quite tiny. She opens the door for him to enter than closes it softly behind him.

The room is narrow. Mirrors on either end. Sol resists the temptation of looking, fearing something unnatural to happen to his reflection.

He stands before the circular mirror at the far end of the room. It has a blue flame burning in the center. Sol stands confused for a moment then mutters Aldwin's name and within a matter of seconds, Aldwin stares back at him in the mirror.

"Woah!" Sol cries out in surprise which only causes Aldwin to laugh.
"It's been a while since I've seen you. What can I help you with?" He puts his hand under his chin the way professors do to show that they are well educated.

"We found a book that's supposed to help us find the items for the spell but we're getting no where!" Sol gushes. He had never said this aloud. No one, especially him, likes admitting defeat especially when it's something that affects many others.

"Don't say anything further. Sol, listen to me. Generations have come to me asking me for help and they all made the same mistake." He stops for a moment to clear his throat and adjust his bulky glasses.

"Look at the place where you found the first clue. As in, look at the place where you found the book. Nine out of ten times, the answer to the riddle isn't from your own knowledge. It's from your surroundings. People are clever, they like to tease others with warped knowledge and riddles. Never solely focus on the clue, look at it's hiding place. That will reveal everything you need to know." He speeds through his words like someone is holding a gun to his head. After he finishes, he ends the call abruptly and Sol can't help but feel like a spy who's just been given a new mission.

Aldwin's words feel like they've been carved into his brain. He thinks back to the moment Milo pulled out the book and assumes that the answer lies within the fairytale that kept the book of riddles hidden for so long.