I Got A Title: Lord Of The Time!
Chapter 83: Riddles Challenge — 2

Chapter 83: Riddles Challenge — 2

After the words of the mechanism, — above the pitch-black darkness, another transparent blue platform began to appear, extending the previous one and creating more space for the six people.

The group quickly moved to the new part of the blue platform and simultaneously looked back to see how close the spiked wall was and whether danger would threaten them soon.

"Still about 500-800 meters... We need to respond to this mechanism faster, so we can get out of here sooner," Egro warned.

"We have to wait for the next riddle," Royal looked up and waited for the new puzzle.

At that moment, a rough mechanical voice sounded again:

[Third riddle: "We don’t see it. We don’t feel it. But we hear it and obey it. What is inside us?"]

Everyone fell silent and began to think.

This riddle was easier than the previous one, but that didn’t change the fact that it also had some subtleties that could confuse a person and put them at a dead end.

But these people weren’t fools, which is why the solution to the third riddle came faster than the previous ones.

"It’s clearly something inside us... And it’s something abstract..." Egro placed a hand on his chin and thought seriously about the riddle.

"There could be many definitions here... It’s definitely not emotions, since we feel them. Perhaps..." Egro looked at everyone and said:

"Thoughts."

"Thoughts."

Egro was surprised and looked at the person who had said the same thing as him.

It was Silia.

He smiled and said:

"So you came to the same answer?"

Silia nodded and explained:

"Thoughts — that’s what’s inside us. We don’t see or feel them like emotions. But we hear them like voices, and with their help, we regulate our consciousness and ourselves."

"I thought so too," Egro nodded.

Silia looked at the others and asked them:

"Do you have other options? Or should we go with: "thoughts"? After all, this riddle could be answered in different ways."

The others shook their heads, showing that they had no other ideas for the third riddle.

Silia nodded and looked up, shouting her answer:

"Thoughts!"

A long silence followed, during which nothing was heard. But then the rough mechanical voice was heard:

[Answer is true. "We don’t see it. We don’t feel it. But we hear it and obey it. What is inside us?" — correct answer: "thoughts". You have passed the third riddle of five.]

After those words, the blue platform began to extend, giving more space for the six people.

Now, the blue platform was slightly longer than half the entire distance to the next end. It covered about 3/5 of the total length, showing the active progress of the six people in this trial.

"We’re almost there..." Yulan murmured.

Aran laughed and pointed his finger at the approaching spiked wall, which was now several times closer than before.

"If we continue answering the questions of this mechanism at this pace, we really might make it to the other end and get out safely. But that wall... It seems to be moving faster."

Everyone frowned when Aran mentioned the wall’s speed. They all looked in that direction and saw how the spiked wall was moving at the speed of a human walking!

Everyone was shocked!

"Earlier, it moved so slowly that it seemed to stand still. But now..." Royal looked up and continued: "it’s moving quite fast. At this speed, it’ll catch up to us in 5-10 minutes..."

Everyone nodded seriously and waited for the new riddle from the mechanism.

And after a few seconds, it appeared.

The rough mechanical voice said:

[Fourth riddle: "Something bright inside us that we feel. Something loud inside us that we hear. Something heavy inside us that we carry. But it’s so familiar that we keep it." — what is it?]

Everyone looked at each other and froze slightly from the riddle.

It was quite difficult!

"Okay, let’s think quickly about what it could be," Royal calmed everyone.

"It might be some kind of emotion... But which one? There are so many, it’s really hard to determine which could fit this riddle..."

"Any suggestions?"

"It’s something that brings pain... But a person continues to keep it..." Aran thought and suggested:

"It’s clearly some kind of emotion that makes a person happy, but can also bring great pain. And they still keep it... Maybe — it’s nostalgia, love, grief over loved ones, some memories — although those aren’t emotions... But there are also many others."

"That’s not bad," Egro smiled and continued:

"Maybe — it’s some kind of childhood trauma..."

Yulan nodded a few times and smiled.

"Yes-yes. Especially in people who experienced something terrible in childhood, childhood trauma often appears. They will remember it and may even unconsciously dwell on it... Maybe — it’s childhood trauma."

Silia quickly looked back, seeing the spiked wall getting closer to their group, and announced:

"We have several options: childhood trauma, nostalgia, love, memories. Which one do we drop?"

"Nostalgia," Royal answered quickly.

The others did not object and nodded.

Meanwhile, Lin just stood quietly and said nothing.

His face was emotionless, as usual. But inside, a real mental storm was happening:

"Suffering? Or love? Or maybe my memories of Ilan’s battles? Why do I keep all this in my consciousness and within me? Why don’t I just reject all of it?"

"Because — that would be a lie."

"Each of these things is tied to me, like a criminal in chains. You can’t just remove it at will, because then... I’ll lose myself..." he slowly raised his head and looked up.

"Lin, is something wrong?" Egro came up to Lin and asked.

Lin regained clarity and gently replied:

"No. It’s all fine."

At that moment, Royal shouted:

"Childhood trauma!"

Silence fell again, and then the rough mechanical voice replied:

[Answer: "Childhood trauma" — incorrect. You have only two attempts left.]

Royal didn’t despair and said quietly:

"Memories..."

Silence.

And then the mechanical voice replied:

[Answer: "Memories" — incorrect. You have only one attempt left.]

Royal sighed heavily and said in a normal tone:

"Love..."

Silence filled the corridor.

Like an echo, the rough mechanical voice was heard again in the corridor, bringing good news:

[Answer is true. "Something bright inside us that we feel. Something loud inside us that we hear. Something heavy inside us that we carry. But it’s so familiar that we keep it." — correct answer: "love". You have passed the fourth riddle of five.]

Everyone sighed with relief, but then they remembered the spiked wall behind them and their expressions changed.

They needed to get out of here as quickly as possible!