My body didn’t move, but I could feel myself grinning from ear to ear. I’ve reached my goal. “My name is ___, and I wish to know everything and discover all I want to know and never to forget it, so my curiosity might be forever sated.”

Thunder rumbled through the halls and the pillars seemed dissatisfied.

“Is that all? You won’t live long enough to enjoy this ability,” said Heimkehr and Inkehr joined in. “Go ahead, tell us more wishes. You have only told one to Heimkehr. Tell two more to me and Freikehr. Become powerful.” My grin didn’t stop. I looked at Freikehr and wished for a body from her that was healthy and would never die. That seemed to satisfy them, because the pressure of their gaze began to decrease. The pillar Inkehr jumped from her throne and her omnipresence squeezed in front of me so I could see her before me even without eyesight. She was pretty, like an Amazon, if I am allowed to judge. “What do you wish for from me, o lowly human?” I was unsure because no wish came to mind. But with every second that seemed to pass, the pressure she put on me increased and I grew unbearably hot. “What do you wish for from me, o lowly human?” she repeated with a sharp tongue. Her sister laughed. “I...” I stammered and the following words, which didn’t mean anything to me but could save me from this situation, stumbled out of my mouth: “... Wish for a weapon with which I can bind the knowledge and for ever keep it safe.”

What nonsense I rambled, but the pressure faded. “Very well,” said Inkehr and jumped back onto her throne. “You will receive a weapon with which you can take the memories of creatures and rewrite them as you wish. Thus, you will be able to create quite a bit of chaos.” The pillars quivered and giggled, did they maybe lie to me?

When that thought had been formed, it was already too late. Infinite pain went through my body. I couldn’t move, couldn’t feel time anymore, and yet it was an eternity. I heard laughter. Over and over, the pillars’ laughter. The pain wasn’t being turned against me, it was for me. Then, I began to laugh, too. My arm grew back, my hand, too. And my back felt heavier than ever before. I was powerful and my brain expanded. It grew ever bigger and my thoughts became clearer. Memories came to me from all over the world and the questions I asked, were all answered. And another answer came to me on two separate ways.

I turned around and saw her, over the arch. She was watching me. From a height that seemed even more distant than the one of the three pillars I talked with.

The legends were true, it wasn’t a lie. The church lied. Because I saw it, the fourth pillar! The pillar of Gleichkehr.