The House of Life

Chapter 19

Ardeth

It felt like an endless dream that I couldn't wake from. A limbo to which I cannot escape. But this world that we live in, it can be cruel and unforgiving, but it can also be beautiful and memorable. Annabelle is that beauty. She radiates light and compassion that this world has long forgotten. And for someone to try and tarnish that light, well, let's just say I don't take kindly to those who take what is mine.

I started drawing near the end of the railway, which resided just a mile from the dust storm. I opened the map to plan my point of attack. I need to take the shortest path possible to the House of Life. On the map there was a line following straight into the dust storm and a circle with the the initials H.O.L.. No doubt Darius made sure his men could find the easiest way in and out of the dust storm to try and preserve as much artifacts as they can without damaging them. I followed the path on Darius' map and before entering the dust storm, I placed a pair of goggles that must have belonged to Darius, as the straps to them were worn and discolored by the desert sand. I entered the dome and as I walked further into the storm, I could see markers along the way, showing me the path to the House of Life. I treaded faster through the storm again and I was not going to stop until I had reached my destination.

About an hour had passed and I had arrived at a small encampment, most likely the same one that Darius and the other sand men used to recon or rest. I walked through the camp, to see that the fire was just put out and the tents that they had made were torn to shreds. I dared to see into the tents, to see corpses. Men who were killed in their sleep, as pools of blood were spilt around their bodies. Meela and Lock-Nah must have some through here, I'm getting close.

Not far from the camp, the structure to the House of Life was just in reach. I treaded lightly as I am now in enemy territory. I reached the edge of the temple and opened my bag to grab more weapons to carry. I procured the bottle that was found after Meela's attack, a rope with the knife and rock on each end, a hunting knife and some dynamite to use for later. While preparing myself, I heard the voice of two men approaching to the right of me. I armed myself with the hunting knife and inched my way towards the two men. They were both wearing their signature red robes and making their way to the entrance to the temple.

"Pick up the pace. We have orders to meet up in the ritual room."

"What's in the ritual room?"

"Lady Meela is going to try and invoke the God Thoth and I heard that the girl we pick up is going to be the key to all of this."

"That girl scares me. She's not human."

"No. Which is why Meela wants everyone to witness what is about to happen."

Annabelle. I can't go through the front entrance, they will alert Meela the moment they see me. I need to find another way inside. Then I remembered, there was a sky light above the table in that ritual room. I stepped back from the wall and looked over to see if I could make my way to that skylight. I skimmed the building and saw a worn down brick to the corner of the tomb. I took hold of the rope swinging the end of the rope where the rock was tied to and once I got momentum, the rock flew. I pulled back on the rope in hopes it got caught on something. Once it stopped I pulled again and the rock was secured. I climbed the rope, using my feet to help me climb up the wall.

When I reached the ridge, there was a slope that I was able to use to climb further up to the skylight. Once there I was able to look over to see that Meela's men were in the ritual room surrounding the stone table in the center of the room. Next to that stone table, kneeling beside it was Qasim and Darius, tied up by their hands.

I looked around the room once more to see that Lock-Nah was at the entrance of the room and soon after Meela entered. She walked towards the stone table and said, "Bring the girl."