The Plane

three times backwards. Backwards was three times forward.

“For

“Forward!”

There were two worlds. One of them was a cube, the other a plane. If you went forward in the cube, how would that affect the plane? If you went forward on the plane, how would that affect the cube? One had to be right.

“Forward!”

“Mhh... m-mhh...” Forward. “On... w-which world?”

It was difficult to make the right decision. Maybe try both? She went forward in the cube, but nothing changed. She went forward in the plane... it was difficult. It felt like a shadow was falling off her mind with every step. The cube began to dissipate...

“That's enough.”

“Mmmhhhhh...”

Cold blinked. She shook her head. Slowly, a net of unconnected dots in front of her appeared, and just as slowly, it merged into an image. She turned around. Behind her, a black shape was just moving by. She shuddered. This one she wouldn't have noticed in time. If there was another one – and her feeling told her that there was going to be one more – and if it was going to be as much harder as the second had been compared to the first, then she wouldn't survive it, unless she found a way to wake faster this time.

But there was no time to think about a strategy. The cloud that would enclose her mind was already on its way. Drift off, drift off...

upon the winding path of fate

where the golden chimeras fly

in the twilight glow

“Forward.”

sensation rising within

“Forward.”

“F

“Forward.”

“Forward.”

Forward.

“Forward.”

She moved forward. The destination was the way to survive. A futile endeavor. Going to the end of the dream to chase the shadow that was the key to the longing that was the aftermath of the horror that was the cure to the fear that was the consequence of the treason for which the goal was to starve to see

Cold blinked. She looked behind her. There was nothing. She looked around. There was a black shape moving towards a point somewhere behind her.

It hadn't even been close this time.

“I don't understand this,” she said, her heart still beating quickly. “But good job. I think we made it.”

“It was terrifying. The second wave almost killed us, and there was nothing I could do.”

Cold closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths.

“What about the location of the puzzle? Have we lost it?”

“I think so. You went in a straight line for a while before the attacks came, and during the attacks I didn't pay attention to the