White Orchids {BOOK 1 COMPLETED}

Chapter 30 - (Part 1)

The sky is no longer blue like it was when we arrived in Arkaros. Now it's covered in a mix of pink and orange clouds. Nine had told me it would take a few minutes to go from the Citadel to the Hall of Memories, but that we would be in time before the theater started and the hall closed for the night. 

I haven't let go of the thought of what happened in the crystal hall, the image of the old hand is still fresh in my mind.

"I touched the crystals when you pulled me out."

Nine has gone back to his silent self and hasn't said much unless I asked direct questions, and then I was usually met with short sentences as answers, sometimes a single word or two.

"What happened?"

It was the first time he asked a question since we left the Citadel.

"I felt the pain of my death."

I felt how the glass cut into my throat. The words force itself into my mind.

"I saw a hand too," I say when I cannot get rid of the image of the bloody gash in my mind. "Not physical... in my mind. It was old and wore a ring with a symbol. You said that you had heard stories of the hall, did any of them mention this?"

He continues down the street without looking at me. "No."

"What were the rumors and stories you did hear then?"

"The most common was that the hall was a prison for the Guardians old enemies. When they couldn't be faded, they locked them into one of the Citadel's halls. A single touch is supposed to make us disappear. If what you're telling me is true, then you're still standing here after it touched you. It's likely more myth than truth."

I doubt it. There had to be some truth to the legend. I had heard the hatred in the voices, it had forced its emotions upon me. If the guardians had imprisoned an enemy inside of crystals it was obvious that they would carry an unbelievable hatred. It had spoken of peace and for a few seconds I feel sorry for it. But it is imprisoned there for a reason, and who knows what would have happened if it did grab me.

"What did it say to you?" I ask.

"It told me to touch it."

"Just that?"

He shakes his head. "It... It spoke in my head. Once it had entered it was like it never shut up."

I want to ask what it said in his mind, but I shouldn't dig any deeper. Not after how unpleasant and disturbing his corridor had been.

We turn to a broader street; it leads to a big building. I don't have to ask Nine, I know what lays in front of us is the Hall of Memories. It's gigantic, almost the size of the Citadel fortress. It has the same white walls as the rest of the buildings in the skyborn city. Two large towers reach high above the wall.

The Hall of Memories has two stairs – in the shape of a half circle – that each leads to a pale blue door. One for creatures and another for soul wanderers.

Nine leads me up to one and doesn't pay attention to the creatures on the other stairs. Most of them are of a pale, white color like the rest of the city. Some of the creatures stand out from the line. I imagine they're from other worlds visiting the capital of the Realm of the Dead.

Our pale blue door opens by an elderly creature that looks nearly human. She's short, would be slightly taller if it wasn't for her humped back. She has a large eye in the middle of her face, with a small round nose, and thin, chapped lips.

She waves us inside with a weathered hand, it makes me think of the image of that thing.

She points with one of her abnormally long fingers at the black stairs behind her, it seems to lead up into one of the towers."Up the stairs, boy."