Immortal Ties

Chapter Nine

Some reference in this chapter is from the show Doctor Who and is not in any manner my own work :) Also, check out the graphic and video on the side! ♥

Chapter Nine

• Gabriel •

The vast, weathered state appeared before me – like a mirage in a desert when all I wanted was a place of refuge. The never ending field of grass was dingy; a murky brown where life had ceased to exist. Fallen leaves crunched beneath my feet as I made my way through the dead countryside, towards a distant manor that sat upon a hill. It was the only structure I saw that stood erect for miles on end.

Dark clouds loomed overhead with the reverberating roar of thunder, instilling dread at the already eerie palace. Yes, a palace. A forgotten palace. That’s what it was. The state was too small for a manor. I imagined that it had once been a glorious place where members of the aristocracy would invite noblemen and their families to dine or hold extravagant balls that would be the talk of the town.

The presence of royalty was marked on the rusted gate that led to a beaten and worn path. Weeds sprouted like wildflowers between the cracked concrete. Dust coated my fingertips as I traced the intricate W that indicated the name of the family who owned this estate.

The gate screeched a cry of protest as I pushed it forward. There was a sudden shift of energy as I stepped through, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Be careful.

I nodded, recognizing the soft, sweet voice that belonged to Haven. There had been far too many other instances where I had not listened to her warnings. Today would not be another.

I took vigilant steps, wondering why life had ceased to live or even grow here. Everything was dead and hallow, leaving a haunting and chilling atmosphere. My guess was that something or someone had sent them away, running towards the hills as they rid themselves of an evil entity that sucked the life out of all living things.

I paused, my eyes roaming the expansive courtyard where stone and bronze statues littered the quad with growing weeds that tightly would around the base of the sculptures – like a snake constricting its prey until it died.  Most of the statures were cracked and worm from years of being unkempt. They were nothing like the statues displayed in museums; preserved to last for future generations.

Since the war began, most museums went underground – taking precious pieces of art, literature, music, and an overwhelming amount of artifacts collected throughout history. Now, all that stood were cities that once thrived on culture stripped down to nothing, but barren landscapes and fear.

The courtyard seemed endless – like a distorted image with no apparent end. My steps echoed along with the heavy, splattering raindrops on the pavement that sounded like a meticulous and condemning drum beat. I looked over my shoulder, looking for any sign of the sound.

I waved the thought away. It was a ridiculous notion. There was nothing here.

The steps leading up to the palace were a short distance away – ending the distorted image my mind had conjured – when a cold, penetrating shiver ran down my spine.

I spun around, unsheathing my sword from its scabbard as I circled the perimeter. There was no sign of anything lurking around the vicinity. My heart was in my throat as I felt the air around me shift drastically, making the temperature drop to a low thirty degrees.

I turned on my heel to commence my journey through the palace and almost collided into a stone angel statue.

What in heaven’s name…