The Eyes of Fate [Beta Chapters]

Balancing Glass

 As the girls pass through the door, they're greeting with black, the temperature a slight cold. Flare looks around fearfully, squinting as her eyes adjust to the dark. "Alice?" Flare whimpers fearfully. "I'm here, it's ok," she responds comfortingly, holding her hand tighter. "H-hello?" Alice calls, searching the darkness for something, anything. The darkness is quiet, not a sound or shape in sight. "Is anyone there?" Alice calls. "I am here," says a voice from the darkness, his voice hinting a British accent. Alice squints in the direction of the voice, trying to make out who it is, "Who are you?" she asks once more. A sudden pillar of light comes down from the ceiling, falling on a chair in front of them.

In the chair sits what looks to be a man, he wears a strange top hat with a tuxedo, giving him a look of class. While sitting he holds onto a cane in front of him looking to be made of glass with a small carving on the handle. The brim of his hat casts a shadow over his face, concealing his appearance for now. He faces the girls, unable to be read or seen under the shadows. The man gives a small chuckle, "Oh well that's rather a broad question to answer," he says. "I've gone by many names over the years..." even though Alice can't see his face, she feels as if he's looking at her rather closely. "But you can call me The Doctor" he finally says, his finger sliding off the handle of the cane slightly for Alice to see. The carving on the handle is spherical, looking exactly like the Ying Yang "I'm sure you two have both heard of me from your escorts, Alice Clawler, and Flare".

Alice looks to The Doctor suspiciously, "How do you know us?" she asks, The Doctor laughs "Well I don't exactly know you, You two don't even know each other very well, but I've known of you for quite some time." Alice steps forward, becoming less afraid of this man "Why did you bring us here?" she asks. The Doctor laughs again, "My my, another big question," he stands up, standing tall over the two girls. "You two most definitely do deserve an answer after how much you've been through to get here," he puts his hand to his heart, tilting forward apologetically, "I do apologize for the troubles you have been through, we did not anticipate those attacks to be so immediate." Alice steps forward once more, gaining more confidence; "Apology accepted." She dares another question "But if you really mean to help us, why are you hiding in shadows?" She says with Attitude. The Doctor laughs, "It seems you have some fire in you, not a bad trait, you might want to hold it sometimes though" he says light-heartedly.

"But you do indeed have a point, one that I will generously oblige to." He raises a hand, gently snapping his fingers as light erupts back into the room. Alice takes a step back in shock as she finally gets to see her new surroundings Flare coming up behind her. They stand in a large living area, open with separate split-offs to different areas. To their right is a large circular table, it's surface of marble and top an almost sapphire color, papers and plans splain across it, carving etched into its sides. Ahead of them is a set of stairs, leading up to a high plateau, a table in the center with strange looking planning boards, their surfaces covered with papers, plans, and details. To their left is deeper into the temple, the walls turning darker further in. And finally to their far left is a cluster of chairs, all disarray, some stacked, some fallen, and one currently occupied by The Doctor.

Once Alice gets a sense of her surroundings, she quickly realizes that The Doctor has seemed to quickly go from one place to another almost instantaneously, the chair that was once in the center also gone, and none of the others seem to resemble it. The Doctor quickly rises from his seat, approaching the girls. With him out of the shadow, Alice is able to get a look at his face. The Doctor's form resembles that of a human, but with obvious bizarre changes, one of which is his face. His face is split into two halves, one black, and one white, his eyes blank and reversed colors, also one black one white. He wears white gloves, showing only four natural fingers. "By the Guardians!" he exclaims almost happily, approaching the girls. "I'm glad you two made it here alright, I trust the boys treated you well?" he asks, shaking their hands in greetings.