Confessions are collectible poems and letters present in Child of Light. There are sixteen confessions for the player to collect
They can usually be found near high spots and are spread across the four major map areas of Lemuria:
Confession #1[]
Location: Mahthildis Forest. Above the Old Monastery, at the upper right
Contents:
The centuries have been unkind to us,
Gods forgotten within white temples fade,
Under lidded eyes the palace sits, frayed,
Doors closed, behind bleached rooms gathering dust,
The gilded throne's gleam muted by dull rust.
Rings worn into still walls chart neglect laid,
Strata of history cleaned by no maid,
No breeze, mirrors shut, glass mottled with must.
The Explorers stand still, statues bleached white,
Eyes lidded, heads empty as the room.
Plans fade for a future repainted bright.
Pristine comes unclean without a fresh fight,
The past reigns, skeletal, holding a blank state,
The gleaming potential of a tomb.
Confession #2[]
Location: Plains of Rambert. In the treasure room of the secret area after and below the second windmill.
Contents:
Our bodies cut like dragonflies the air
Dividing, parceling the winds for later,
To unwrap carefully under the stair.
Like bark our skin stores fire's blinding blue flare,
Earthquakes our bones shake at their equator,
Arced light from the sky dances in our hair.
Gifts all hidden beneath surface willpower,
Raging rivers subterranean, pure,
Water tapped before the Explorers' Tower,
By wild ones, keepers of magic power.
They alone divined the deep source obscure,
Their grasp taught Lemuria to flower.
Yet instead of giving, we build cages,
And bury truth, hide our world from the ages.
Confession #3[]
Location: Mahthildis Forest. In the Deep Dark Well of Capilli Village, after entering the barred door, at the top of the giant cave in which Avo can first be met.
Contents:
Some say an idea can be dangerous,
Like creepers in the garden so serene,
Beneath sprawling plants twisting unseen,
Exposing buried heads insidious,
Uprooting order created for us,
Frenetic vines dividing stone and stream,
Intent on sacrificing virgin green,
And turning tended rows to wilderness.
But what of those who nurse the garden fair?
The curious bees darting bloom to bloom.
From outside the garden's limit they be,
And bring abundant life to nature's womb.
Their fearsome sting may cause the meek to flee,
But tangled creepers they coax to bear fruit.
Confession #4[]
Location: Cliffs of Erin. At the very top of the Forgotten Tower, by the dead tree.
Contents:
Pen scratches paper, the first to attack.
Some lines end, ink out, well impotent, dry,
Others drip, ruining many an I.
Some run off the page and never come back,
Others bleed, cloaked in gowns of black.
Father above son, rarely crossing wives,
Boxes in pairs line up to die.
All burn as they sign the Hollow Pact.
Treaties, trees and battle plans end the same,
Under one roof executed, spell cried,
Our kin ambushed in Cynbel's name.
Family strikes out family, for crowns red dyed.
Ink on paper drips down brows like rain,
Poison pen plants a forest of pain.
Confession #5[]
Location: Mahthildis Forest. Above the entrance to the Tree of Thorns.
Contents:
They say the Four from out of darkness came,
Mahthildis shaped cruel nature with her art,
The surging ocean Cynbel's math did part,
Rambert spread his wealth upon the barren plain,
Erin's spear lit the highest peaks aflame.
They say at the explorer's heart
Lies the Secret of Ages to impart.
Through its fire the wilderness they did tame.
But if all was dark, from whence came their spark?
Light dances along a chain, flaming bright,
Spreading out to bridge the cold empty night.
Star to star trailing blooms of red hot fire.
Such a path must span our sky's blackened arc,
Leading to another dawn, a lost light.
Confession #6[]
Location: Mahthildis Forest. Before the entrance to the Plains of Rambert, up the last wind current at the left side of the mountain.
Contents:
My eyes wide, mirrored back, I touch the glass.
Here, by my hand, Cynbel's daughter exiled,
Enemy of Lemuria reviled.
Painted smile, loyal Óengus made her pass.
Path closed to all but the criminal class,
Decreed since the ancient Rift was styled,
A forbidden reflection, untamed, wild,
Fit for those beneath, the chaotic mass.
On this side nothing moves, calcified.
The explorers went in search of vision,
Yet with tradition we ourselves imprison new,
Frozen, a reflection of the past.
The Secret lies beyond my gaze, a journey vast,
The glass I touch, touch I do, then fall through.
Confession #7[]
Location: Plains of Rambert. After the first windmill, where you meet Norah for the first time, in the space between the two mountains.
Contents:
Smoke boils black, fire slides on twin slicks of ice
Through cities hot, ideas dance in the bars at night.
Oculi unheard of, forgotten light,
Invention shapes an engine, dream device.
London's exhibition halls visited thrice,
The salons of Paris lit with paintings bright,
Munich makes music of transcendent might.
These wonders of Europe more than entice.
But between glimmering bulbs most wander, lost.
The men here come and go, cloaks tight in distrust,
The women tie their throats shut. All know only cost.
One wears red, one blue, in flock split they rust.
Only the few whose gaze burn clear of frost
I will with Lemuria's secrets trust.
Confession #8[]
Location: Mahthildis Forest. At the Tree of Thorns, above the last tree before the entrance to Capilli Village, floating in the wind current.
Contents:
Love dissolves in the daylight, lost night's scent,
A hand open in the candlelight begs
Mine. I turn away, wick burned down to dregs.
Tzars, kaisers, princes, their charms on me spent,
At dawn my heart returned what was leant.
Time's harsh touch owns me, whipping at my legs,
The Secret steps ahead, guilt to me time pegs
To abate Lemuria's fast descent.
But day has its shadows, nooks under rocks,
Someone no secrets knew who explored not.
Time has its watchmaker, can stop all clocks,
A meek duke trembling, gentle hands drawn,
One dance banished all light and night caught.
You stood in the way and eclipsed the dawn.
Confession #9[]
Location: Plains of Rambert. Inside Magna, after flying down to the part below his heart directly to the left.
Contents:
The mirrors thrown open, the search begun.
All these years and the answer is laid plain,
It was not hidden in the archives of Spain.
The Secret of Rome is far more than one.
All they left behind at the Fall on the run
For Lemuria we now must reclaim.
The Explorers within their kingdom vain,
A prize dropped in ruins lost from the sun.
The future bright, first follow the starry night,
Professor Balthazar's manuscript
Holds a clue, if read under Erin's rite.
But will it close the Rift, one world unite?
Time fades to evening, still closer shadows drift.
Who makes this right? Not me, you, my Child of Light.
---?--- #10[]
Location: Cliffs of Erin. Inside the Temple of the Moon above the mirror leading to the Forgotten Tower.
Contents:
For Mr. Elme's Eyes Only,
I'm not sure anyone here can even read English, so I figure this letter is safe. I found the Balthazar book after you disappeared. The police gave up looking for you, but I knew better. I followed your trail. But I didn't expect this. At all.
I just heard a noise, I'm worried someone's coming. I'll write more later.
― Sophie Ashton Ellis
---?--- #11[]
Location: Cynbel Sea. Between the Piscean Village and the entrance to the Flooded Lands, floating in the wind current at the top of the screen.
Contents:
For Mr. Elme's Eyes Only,
I took a bath in a stream for the first time in my life today. I went under to wash my hair, and when I came back up a small creature about the size of a rabbit was looking down at me. It was perched on the surface of the river itself!! I thought Manhattan had hard water... This place is over the moon. I guess I better get used to it. I am starting to think I will never find my way back.
I hope you're out there somewhere.
― Sophie Ashton Ellis
---?--- #12[]
Location: Cynbel Sea. In the Temple of the Sun in the middle of the stage room where you meet Nox.
Contents:
For Mr. Elme's Eyes Only,
There is a raging storm outside, unlike any I have ever seen. Water spirits wander through the torrents of rain, wailing. Deafening crashes light up the violent sky above the plains, I am not sure if they are caused by thunder or dragons. I've hidden in a small cave for safety. Clothes are drenched, but I managed to start a fire. Nothing to do but wait, so I'm taking the time to comb through Balthazar's book. Here's what I've learned about Lemuria so far:
- Lost continent (I found that one online before I came).
- You get to it through mirrors. (Not certain whether travelling through time as well as space.)
- Magic is real. Oh man, is this one like the bullet point to end all bullet points!
That's it for now, the fire's dying. What an adventure this is turning out to be! I hope my parents are okay.
― Sophie Ashton Ellis
---?--- #13[]
Location: Cynbel Sea. After entering the dark part of the Flooded Lands past the first green crystal, to the left of the anglerfish statue.
Contents:
For Mr. Elme's Eyes Only,
This evening, while I was hunting for apples (don't worry, I used the drawings of the poison-free ones in the book), I saw a floating castle in the distance. I suppose the Queen of Light lives there? Wonder what it would be like to rule over the wilds of Lemuria. From the map I can see it's a pretty large place. It's taken me days of wandering and I've only seen a fraction of Old Lemuria. What is outside the Old part? What is the rest like? Maybe I'll get to explore it all.
Hopefully, once I find you.
After roasting a couple apples on the fire, I'm using the dying flames to explore Balthazar's book. I'll just write these as I go:
― Fairytales aren't so taleish, (Even saw a gryphon yesterday!).
― Mysterious explorers built cities here a long time ago.
― Some are still populated!
― Sophie Ashton Ellis
---?--- #14[]
Location: Cliffs of Erin. In front of the Forgotten Tower, above the mirror leading to the Temple of the Moon.
Contents:
For Mr. Elme's Eyes Only,
I heard strange sounds in the forest again last night. I am worried that someone from The Club followed me. I found the hut exactly where it was marked in the book. But you aren't here. Where are you?
― Sophie Ashton Ellis
---?--- #15[]
Location: Cliffs of Erin. Between the waterfalls to the leftmost entrance into the Temple of the Moon.
Contents:
For Mr. Elme's Eyes Only,
I've spied a group of men with funny beards picking plants in the forest. They look a little like the gnomes my aunt perches on the branches of her Christmas tree. From the book, I suppose these are Capilli? I noticed something I missed in the pages this time. A race that lives in the mountains and bathes in hot springs called Amara. You've circled it. That's where I'm going next.
More notes from THE Balthazar:
― A powerful secret was hidden somewhere, although there seem to be a lot of secrets, at least to me anyway.
― The Hollow Pact. A betrayal that led to some kind of war between family lines. Caused by, or about, the Rift.
― Afterward, someone from Cynbel's line was expelled into our world by a Queen of Light and cursed to live in darkness if she returned??
― The Rift?? Something in the 1300s. Must be important.
― Sophie Ashton Ellis
---?--- #16[]
Location: Cynbel Sea. Above the boss in the Flooded Lands, in the big room next to the one containing the basin.
Contents:
Mr. Elme,
It's worse than I thought! Two men followed me through the mirror. They're after you. Please find this! Or better yet, I hope you're far away. One of them has a gun. I am leaving the hut and heading up into the mountains, into the snow.
If you're there, keep warm, I'm coming.
― Sophie