The Hollow Labyrinth

A whooshing sound, the sudden smell of lemony breeze. Neon orange walls that strain your eyes. A lumpy orange couch invades half of the room, and a heap of juicy mandarins on a small orange table. Orange posters advertising never-ending contracts peel off the walls. The only thing missing is an orange door - there's no way out. But it isn't. you don't remember anything else...so why must this be odd? Your attention is drawn to an cherry-red book on the desk, setting it apart from everything else. It reads: "Solve this, and you may advance." "Multiply the square of five with half of a dozen." You write: [[75?|r8]] [[150?|r4]] [[120?|r11]]

A whooshing sound, the scent of garden earth.There is dust, creaking wood that sounds like it's crying. A chamber. You run your hand against the floor- the wood is strangely well-varnished. But you don't remember anything else...so why must it be strange? Suddenly, a rusting metal suit in the corner speaks to you. "I serve Mary Tudor, rightful ruler of the throne." "What?" "I serve Mary Tudor, the lone child of Henry VIII." It's then that you notice a plaque on the wall that reads: "From Universe 43.01 - One Tudor Daughter Earth Variant (Doomed) -E" "I don't understand. I want to escape." "Answer me: Who was the father of my everlasting queen, Mary I?" [[Henry VIII?|r2]] [[Edward VI?|r5]]

The Suit of Armor seems to groan. "Wrong." Another whoosh, and you are perched on a tiny platform surrounded with thick clouds black as ravens. Your eyes hurt by looking down; everything seems to be falling down as you rise up, alone, like some elevator. Beside you, a quiet voice speaks in a robotic tone: "Isn't it... beautiful?" You turn and see a female robot face. Wires escape from cracks in its left side, and it stares back at you with one flickering eye. "What are you?" "My name.. JennyAI. Year: 42000. Days since last being discovered: 9423. Apocalypse status: 99.8% complete. The final data wipe has been completed." "I don't understand." "The last world nears its end. It awaits. Do you wish to go on?" [[I want to go back!|r8]] [[Yes.|end2]]

You find the world around you melting away and reforming into a chalky blue sky and long grass. Around you is a clearing with the scent of lavender and in front of you is a crooked signpost that reminds you of a dead giant. It reads: "From world 42.89: Animal sentience earth variant -E" What does that mean? This place is filled with riddles. As if responding to your mind, an orange tabby cat emerges from the grass brushing its fluffy tail against your leg. Thunder crackles in the distance. "Hello, Kitty." "Meo- oh, a human. Hello there." "You can talk? Strange..." "Mhm. You don't seem very surprised. Just like that other old woman..." "Who? Another person?" "Never mind...anyways, It seems you want to advance? You're almost there. Here's the riddle to solve: What must be broken before you can use it?"Do you know the answer?" [[No idea.|end6]] [[Yes.|librarymain]]

"No? You don't have any idea?" "I really don't." "You were so close! But.. I guess I can't let you go on, given you've already admitted to me you have no idea." "So..now what? Have I failed?" The tabby grooms itself impatiently, then paces for a while. How long has it been stuck here? The cat focuses its eyes intently on you. "There's another way." "To do what?" The cat's irises dialate. It seems to be expecting someone. "Look, what I say might seem crazy, but I know of a way to escape this place. An 'emergency exit' of the sorts. But I've always been too scared to use it, because it sends you to a random world in a random timestream. But... we could escape together. Live a new life. Forget that all of this happened. Are you in?" "It seems like a good idea." "Then let me show you the way." The cat leads you through the grass in seemingly random directions, until you stumble upon a puddle of water, even though it seems like it hasn't rained in this place for a thousand years. "We jump in here together. Don't worry, it's deeper than you think. Do want to go through with this?" "I've got nothing to lose." You and the cat jump in. It's the strangest experience you've had so far in your very short life, so strange you can't describe it. But when it ends, you and the cat are in a whole new world. It's...beautiful.You ask... "What's your name?" "Melvin. What about you?" "..." *ENDING FOUND*

A whooshing sound, a bright light. In a second, you're laying on smooth cream sand. The sky is azure, the scent of sea salt fills your nose, the ocean crashes furiously, but there's no ocean - just a blue mass of plastic where the waves should be. But why must there be waves? You don't remember anything about your past...so why must this seem weird? It's now when you realize you're not alone. "This place, it's all I have left. I'm just a shell, an image! Why was I taken from home, why was I stolen away?" "Who are you?" "No one and nothing. All that matters is nothing left." "Is there any way to escape here?" "No way...but if you seek to find, answer me: What word can you make from the letters ANPS? [[Span?|r10]] [[Snap?|r2]]

Without warning, your eyes open again to another room. Your face seems to fill the room - everywhere you turn, you see yourself, endless versions of you, reflecting forever and ever. The sound of wind chimes rings in your ears. You try to figure out your next move, but every time you see a path, it turns into yourself, chanting your name. A hall of mirrors? Around and around you look, but then you realize. No escape. [[Break a mirror!|r9]] [[Sit down and think...|library side]]

Darkness engulfs you, engulfs your body, engulfs your mind. You fall, through the darkness, as slow and silent as in water and the darkness becomes you. In your peripheral vision, you see a staircase snaking around you, which you have fallen right through. The part of you still sane realizes you truly do not exist now, no matter what you were in the first place. A figure appears from the nothingness, hooded in a billowing cloak. "Welcome, traveler. Welcome to the End of all time." "..." "You are confused. I understand. The End is simply the End, like the last blackened branch in the tree of the multiverse." "..." "As for why it is here, in the Hollow Labyrinth, that is because its power has been collected by the Elder to power her creation, this winding place." "..who..?" "The Elder, a 'hollow' capable of manipulating time and all possibilities. I do not understand her intentions, nor wish to understand them. But no need. You will become part of the darkness, as have I." You can feel your conciousness dimming, slipping away. There's no way to resist. You hope to ask just one more question, when...you see a flash of brightness... Stars. Shining stars. You've fallen into the cosmos, vast and endless, full of flickering lights, growing and dimming. They sing with passion, for fleeting instants, before dying just as quickly. You wish you could see this...forever. The figure smiles. "Do you wish to know what this means?" Your answer never comes. *ENDING FOUND*

You brace yourself for the impact and run towards one of the mirrors. It shatters, glass tinkling like a melody, and you fall forward...onto a wooden boat.You are now in a dark tunnel, and with the foul stench you smell...this must be a sewer. That word seems to float into your mind, even though you've never heard it. The tiny boat seems to stay in place, and you notice there's an oar on its mossy bottom. "Am I supposed to row myself?" You say out loud. Your voice echoes countless times thorugh the tunnel. You take that as a yes. The tunnel goes in two directions. One way seems to lead to a warm glow, while the other gives off an icy breeze. "What do I do?" You wonder. [[Go towards the lighter side|library side]] [[Go towards the 'dark' side|end2]]

You ponder for some time, the labyrinth has made its choice for you. The ground disappears under your feet in a raging whirlwind, and you land in an enormous library, with a young woman dressed in a long teal dress with a black turtleneck watching you curiously. She's holding at least ten books almost effortlessly. looking at you with amusement "Hmm...I didn't expect you'd come in through the side door, but an eternal life has eternal surprises...anyways, congratulations, Hollow, on arriving at the Library!" As you look around, the room gives you an ominous sense that the seemingly infinite amount of books the room could collapse at any moment, burying you in an unescapable mountain of leather, parchment, and vellum. As if reading your mind, the woman says: "Yes, the number of volumes here is infinite and ever-growing. The book encroach on us, like an invasive species, despite the library being of infinite size as well. Strange...isn't it?" "Wh- Who are you?" "You can call me The Reader. I'm a Hollow, like you, child, though much, much older. The Elder was the one who took me from my home world, to this labyrinth, and I've been by her side ever since...I was the first and only true Hollow, until you came." "Hollow? What does that means?" "It means...someone who has very special abilities related to time. Someone who can join us in our mission." [["I want to know more."|learnmoreside]] [["Please, I want to escape."|end3]]

An elderly woman in a cane appears beside you, like she melted out of the bookshelves. She speaks in a raspy voice: "Hello, dear Reader. I see you have found the Hollow? Truly, I did not think you would make your way here via the side entrance. But I heard you wanted to hear information about this? You must be confused." The woman smiles, a calculated smile that leaves you with a sense of fear. You nod hesitantly. "You wish to know more? I was going to inform you anyways, so I will indulge. This place, the labyrinth, is like a smaller version of the multiverse, as is the library. But alas, some infinities are smaller than others. The Labyrinth is a time traveler that survives by my will, and is powered by the 'timeforce' of some...other sources, its sole purpose being to find other Hollows. Those are the names of all the possible Hollows that have graced this place." "But what are-" "Hollows, simply put, are those with the ability to manipulate time. People who were different, like me. It is difficult to be a child and have no control over these powers, to trap yourself in a single day. It nearly broke me...I thought I was cursed. Another million 'normal' years it took for me to craft this place, so I could find others like me." The Elder's eyes soften wistfully for a moment. But return to their normal intensity. "Ever since, I have only found one true Hollow before you. But no matter....I have all the time in the world. and my work has paid off so far. One day...all Hollows from every branch in the tree of time will unite." "Time is a tree?" "That is a metaphor. Time is a complex and intricate thing, not unlike the Labyrinth I built. Did you know it is truly impossible to navigate, even by me? I stay constantly in this library to preserve my soul. Now, the rest of the information can wait. I want to know... how do you feel being here?" [[I want to leave.|end4]]

The Reader looks at you with a hint of sadness. "I'm sorry, but I cannot do that for you. I'm under strict orders by The Elder to keep you here for our purposes. Really, there's no point. If you left, you would face a difficult life without control of your powers. It's better for you if you stay here." But in the Reader's eyes, you can sense a tinge of regret and pain. You wonder how long she's been in this dark place, all alone except for the company of the mysterious 'Elder'. You wonder what her life was like before, if she remembers, or if she forgot everything, just like you. "Please...I don't know who I am...can you just defy your orders once?" "It is the Elder's and my mission to collect the Hollows. I cannot, cannot defy the Elder. I would help you if I could...but it's not in my position to.The Elder will be along shortly." "Then...let me ask..how long have you been here?" The Reader ponders this for a moment. In a quiet, voice, she replies: "Fourty-two thousand years." "Do you remember anything about your home?" "Yes. Universe number: 42.45, gamma variant. One of countless of universes that had a world called "Earth". As a child, I lived in a city.....'New York' was its name, with my biological family. I loved to read...loved to spend time at the library...wished I could spend forever there." She looks around at the library that has been her home for all these years, and laughs dryly. "Well...I got my wish, didn't I?" "You experienced the joys of a true world, of past memory. Just show me mercy and let me experience those joys as well, even if they turn into horrible sorrows, even if I am brought back to this place again after that. Please." "...I will let you experience this." The Reader hands you an extremely worn, dusty book, and instructs you not to open it. Then, she concentrates silently, moving her hands like they were turning an invisible dial. Slowly, a plain blue door rises out of the ground. "When you enter the door, it will talke you back to your home world. Open the book, and all the memories of your past life will return to you. Do both at once, or else this will not work." "I understand." "Then I wish you the best of luck. Goodbye, fellow Hollow. May we meet again in another timeline." "Goodbye." You open the door and don't look back. *ENDING FOUND*

The Elder's eyes seems to penetrate into your soul, into memories in your mind you didn't even know existed. "Though we may control time, we do not control fate. Fate brought you here, so you will stay." "But there must be countless others like me! Why should I be the one to stay here? I don't want to be shackled to this place until the end of time!" "As long as we keep moving through timestreams, the 'end of time' will never reach us. But do not lament at injustice. Eventually, all Hollows from every branch in time will be brought here. You are simply one of the earliest, a great honor for you." "I don't want the honor. I want to experience a life of my own, away from this place. There are other worlds, aren't there?" "Yes. You must have seem fragments of those in the Labyrinth, yes? Those 'rooms' are like souvenirs from every place we've visited. Incredible, isn't it? But even if you experienced a world 'out there' in other worlds, you would still be brought back here in the end, your time in a true 'universe' simply a fragment in your inevitably endless life. Hollows cannot truly die, but they can only forget." "Then please, let me experience the outside world, even if I forget everything afterwards, even if it brings me great pain." "Even if, in your time there, you are alienated, shunned, and hated?" "Yes." "Even if you are brought here afterwards, to serve forever in the labyrinth?" "Yes." The Elder ponders for a moment, then looks at the Reader with concern. The Readers nods, and they turn their gazes back to you." "We have decided to grant your wish of leaving here, though you will be brought back afterwards. After all, we have all the time in the world to wait for you. Your memories will be wiped when you leave this place, but not upon your return. That is only fair. Do you agree?" "Thank you." "There is no need to thank. Now, are you ready? Close your eyes." You oblige, and begin to feel drowsy. Slowly, your memories fade away, as gently as the ocean tide. There is no need to resist, no need to remember what happened here. And then, just as gently, new memories fill your mind. Your name. Your age. Where you live, what you do. It's amazing. When you wake, you face a whole new world. *ENDING FOUND*

The tabby looks both pleased and a little sad. "Well, you've found what you came for. Nice meeting you. Meow..." A grand double door erupts out of the ground, with silver letters carved into the door. "The Library of the Hollow Labyrinth - Congratulations, Hollow" The Hollow Labyrinth? What does that even mean? The door swings open, and a young woman appears, dressed in a long teal dress with a black turtleneck. She's holding at least ten books almost effortlessly. "Why hello there! Another Hollow, I see...come in, come in...." You enter a giant library packed to the brim with books. The shelves are tall enough that you can't see the top of them, giving you the forboding feeling that they will collapse at any moment. There is a slightly dark and musty vibe to the cavernous space. You reach for a book, but the woman quickly slaps away your hand. "Hey! Don't touch the ancient souls! You don't want the memories of some early babylonian to enter your mind, do you?" "Wh- Who are you?" "I go by 'The Reader'. A Hollow, like you. She was the one who took me from my home world, to this labyrinth, and I've been by her side ever since...I was the first and only true Hollow, until you came." "Only?" "Yes, it's quite hard to find others like the Elder and I, you know. So many people have the affinity, but not the true power. Only those with the true ability may survive and reach this place...and even then, some of them can get lost anyways." "I'm very confused." "Don't worry, so was I when I came, but she explained it all to me. Speaking of which, here she is now!" The first thing you notice is her wrinkles, deep and folded and lined, like a maze with no escape. With her every step, the ground resounds. She has lived for far too long. "Call me the Elder." [["I wish to learn more about this place."|learnmoremain]] [["I want to leave here!"|end4]] [["I am a true Hollow. I swear!"|end5]]

The woman smiles, a calculated smile that leaves you witha sense of fear. "You wish to know more? I was going to inform you anyways, so I will indulge. This place, the labyrinth, is like a smaller version of the multiverse, as is the library. But alas, some infinities are smaller than others. The Labyrinth is a time traveler that survives by my will, and is powered by the 'timeforce' of some...other sources, its sole purpose being to find other Hollows. Have you seen those names in the Time Square? Those are the names of all the possible Hollows that have graced this place." "But what are-" "Hollows, simply put, are those with the ability to manipulate time. People who were different, like me. It is difficult, as you may imagine, to be a child and have no control over these powers. At a young age, I trapped myself on the day of my mother's death for over four thousand years. It nearly broke me...I thought I was cursed. Another million 'normal' years it took for me to craft this place, so I could find others like me." The Elder's eyes soften wistfully for a moment. But return to their normal intensity. "Ever since, I have only found one true Hollow before you. But no matter....I have all the time in the world. and my work has paid off so far. One day...all Hollows from every branch in the tree of time will unite." "Time is a tree?" "That is a metaphor. Time is a complex and intricate thing, not unlike the Labyrinth I built. Did you know it is truly impossible to navigate, even by me? I stay constantly in this library to preserve my soul. Now, the rest of the information can wait. I want to know... how do you feel being here?" [[I want to leave!|end4]] [[I'm excited to be a Hollow...|end5]]

The Elder nods begrudgingly. The Reader gives you a cheery smile. "I glad you think that...now, it is time for you to witness the truth of this creation. Take my hand." You oblige, and you, The Elder, and The Reader seem to fly up and out of the labyrinth, into empty air. But the air is not empty. All around you, thin, moving golden threads weave around you, growing, separating, connecting, dying. Some threads are as thick as branches, while others are barely wisps in the air. "This is a small portion of the infinite multiverse, with every 'branch' you see here another world moving forward in time. New universes are always being made, while others fade away. The only constant is change." The Reader chimes in: "And that is our labyrinth, traveling in time and space, looking for Hollows!" At this distance, The labyrinth looks like a small ball, but as you move closer, you can make out the walls and rooms of the maze, constantly changing just like its surroundings. The ball rolls and weaves past universes, a tiny yet infinite structure. "This place...how?" The secrets of time are incredible, and you may never understand them all. *ENDING FOUND*

The person nods their head, and spreads their arms wide. Like theatre props, the beach is lifted up and away on invisible strings. You are sitting on a brown wooden deck, cool water gently grazing your toes. The water seems to sting your eyes on how bright it is. Unnaturally bright, and it doesn't feel right. It's then when you notice the deck is floating in the middle of a perfectly flat body of water, with nothing to be seen in any other direction. Your heart tenses and the rise a little higher, sloshing onto the wood. [[Try to stay on the deck|r6]] [[Dive into the water|r11]]

As soon as you make that choice in your head, you are overwhelmed by contentedness. You're getting closer. You can feel it. As if you were pushed, you stumble into an empty grocery store. Turquoise linoleum tiles and cheery glass bottles of milk give off a feeling of nostalgia. You taste an apple in a nearby basket, its cruch and sweetness overwhelming you. A slogan painted on the blue walls says: "The Original Store: Where everything begins, if you're ready for it!" You know what you need to do. You take one last look at the homey store, wondering what will happen next. You must go on. [["I'm ready."|end1]]

There is a perfect silence, and then a portal appears out of the linoleum tiles, like a soft white glow that tingles your skin. You fall in, but it seems like the portal enters you, filling you with a hazy glow. "Here, you will forget your sorrows." A figure in white, brighter than a million suns. "You havve found the Source, the beginning of all time and crossroads of all multiverses. I congratulate you on this, in the brief moments before your forgetting." "...why?.." You mind fills with unthinkable happiness, and you are revealed a lifetime of memories you didn't even know you had. You were part of a family...other people....a whole world your mind refused to remember. "Why I am here? Well, I am the Source, and time must begin, must it? But as for why I dwell in here....it is because the Source is harnessed by a certain 'Elder' to power this...maze. Otherwise known as the Hollow Labyrinth, for reasons I cannot explain, and even if I could, it means nothing to you anymore, does it?" "..." The figure's voice becomes hazy, but you no longer care. Everything in the past feels like a bygone dream. You no longer feel lost. You no longer can feel. "The Hollows...you are one of them." You are nothing more than a point in memory, an anomaly in time. *ENDING FOUND*

A wave of blackness rushes into your head like a tidal wave. You aren't used to how this place works. Will you ever be? Your body feels different, more nimble. Around you everything is wildly colourful, like a piece of abstract art. An airy female voice alights in your head. "Level 1. Begin." "Hey!" But unlike the other voices you've heard in this place, this one does not respond. Instead, arrows appear in your mind, directing you to a fork in the road. The voice speaks again. "Choose." In this deep forest grove, both paths look identical. [[My gut's going with the right path.|r4]] [[I feel like it's the left path.|r6]]

Awake. Your eyes produce an image of a bare stone room, making your hair stand on end. What is this place? Something doesn't feel right -you look up. Spiraling up and up in an endless cycle to the nonexistent ceiling above, in a font so small you can barely read it - carvings on the walls, thousands, millions, billions of obscure names. Why do you even think these things? You don't know, or remember. You need to escape this place. You choose: [[The Middle Path.|r2]] [[The Left Path.|r3]] [[The Right Path.|r7]]