Shadows of Destiny

CHAPTER 3 - The Awakening

The darkness of the stairway is deafening. I sway uncertainly, every step another risk. I'm unaware if the bottom of the chamber is awaiting me, or just another step. Not that I want to, but the only thing that keeps me from walking back up is the fact that I can hear Caels footsteps behind me. He seems determined now to follow me, but I can still hear how shaky his breathing is. I smile, his unease bringing me some speck of relief. 

Still, we'd been walking for what felt like forever, and I start to wonder if Cael may have had a point back in the study. My legs are starting to hurt when I step down to find my foot hitting solid ground. I pause in the doorway, trying to see anything at all. Regardless of how much I squint my eyes, I still can’t see anything. The darkness is overwhelming.

I continue frozen in the entrance, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the dark, forgetting I had a useless lump behind me who apparently couldn’t use his legs properly. Cael bumps into me, sending both of us falling to the ground. I hit the ground first with Cael collapsing on top of me.

“Dammit Cael, can’t you see?” 

“Oh, I’m sorry, Lia.” He spits, picking himself up to my left (with a helpful shove from yours truly), “It appears I CAN’T!”

A whoosh sound comes from the right of us, and the room fills with light. 

I turn to Cael, who is kneeling with his arms extended towards the room around us, clearly an exaggerated gesture to enunciate his point about the light. His jaw drops, then he catches my eye and closes his mouth abruptly. He scowls, standing up to his full height. “Whatever,” He mumbles. I stifle a laugh, picking myself up as well. 

Looking around I can see that a fire had been lit in a dark metal bowl. The floor is the same red wood with brown finish as the study door, and the walls are a beautiful cream color. Again, I wonder how much this house could be worth. The room is covered with bookshelves, most of them stacked full. The space in front of us is large and mostly open, but for two doors to our left, and an opening to another room further along the same wall. The walls on the left were covered in old paintings, and even more book shelves. It was like a whole other house down here I decide, while questioning how the fire in the far corner of the room got lit. 

Not to mention the cleanliness of the space. I see Cael dramatically brush nothing from his worn jeans, noting the lack of dust. 

In front of us, there is a shut door, and I decide immediately that I must open it. It was the same pull I’d felt in the study, the mindless desire to see more behind the door. I could only hope it wasn’t locked.

“God, Lia,” I hear Cael, “This house is gonna kill us. Can we go now?”

I slowly walk over to the door and grab the knob, twisting it open. I pause only to give my hand a scratch, trying to rid the terrible sensation that poison oak had left lingering.

Cael groans, “Actually-maybe you’re trying to kill me.” I ignore him easily. The sound of his voice is practically white noise. 

The air inside feels stale. Once again a whoosh comes from beside me, and the room fills with light. A quick glance reveals another bowl of fire. I return my attention back to the room, feeling the pull to explore. It’s full of waist-high tables that are covered in little trinkets and newspaper clippings. Normally, I would pause to read them, but my obsession with old artifacts and history was overtaken by my need to see more of this basement. My legs start to move, and before I know it I'm at the back of the room staring at a skeleton. 

“Lia?” Cael’s shaky voice greets me. He still hasn’t moved from the stairwell.

“Come in here!” I shout, “I found something really cool!”