The Pearl Of Vynes - Chapter 27 Sacrifice

The whispers were becoming a tangible, leading Alice onwards through the dark tunnel. Alice could feel the sewerage flowing lighter around her boots, the smell lifting as well. Looking down at her feet the sewerage had turned to clear water and the air smelt almost fresh. Looking ahead she could see a bright opening and continued to walk towards it. She came into an opening, the light blinding her as she entered. Holding her hands up to her hands she try to block the harsh sun streaming through. Sun? Alice looked up and noticed she was in a small sphereical room. The water running through was crystal clear as it ran past her legs. The source of light was somewhere above in the ceiling she couldn’t pinpoint but it felt like noon inside. A tree stood in the middle surrounded by grass and greenery that lay as a thick carpet. In the centre sitting on a dias made of marble was a dull orb, a large chip was in the centre which it itself glowed brighter than it exterior. Alice’s chest felt incredibly hot and notcied the necklace she was wearing glowed with a similar brightness to the orb in front of her. It seemed to entice her, Alice wanted to reach out and grab a hold of it. Her hand reached out, the piece on her necklace started to loosen itself from underneath her shirt and attracted to the glowing sphere. As her hand was about to grab it a hand grabbed her arm.

“What do you think you’re doing?” said the owner of the arm. Alice looked up and saw it was Miles, his hands had death like grip on her wrist.

“Miles”

“Don’t move another muscle near that thing” he said in a serious tone. Alice froze as the stare Miles gave chilled her very soul. Miles relaxed his grip as Alice had snapped out of her daze. As Alice fully took in the place she realised she was still in sewers.

“Miles, where are we?” Alice asked loking around.

“I don’t know. You ran off and I could barely track you down in time, lucky I did”

“Miles, what is that?” Alice asked. Miles stood silent and hesitated.

“Let’s say we should leave it alone, its dangerous” Miles said pulling her away from the oasis in the cesspool.Alice started to protest as Miles pulled away, the orb was calling to her strongly to her now. The earlier whispers become a roaring screech, Alice needed to touch that orb.

“Hey, Alice what are you doing. Don’t touch it” Miles said as Alice struggled against his hold. A number of distant squeaks and scurring sounded the arrival of the rats, having broken through the wall finally.

“Alice, we’ve got to go. They’re coming for us” Miles said with a stressed tone as the sounds came closer. Suddenly Alice broke out of his grip and rushed towards the orb. The rats came streaming out of the hole and rushed into the peaceful glade. Time slowed as Miles reached for Alice but her grasped around the orb. Suddenly the orb began to illuminate, flaring up as if the sun itself was in her hands. The rats reared at the searing light, and Miles watched in horror as the lights began to crack and form along Alice’s body, her eyes glowing with the blessings of the god themselves. Some of the rats began to blindly charge at Alice, she slowly raised her hand and a sword wreathed in flame sprouted from her palm. Slicing her hand downwards the flaming sword turned the charging rats into ash. Alice gestured with her other palm and the glade’s waters began to rush out and push the swarm back, drowning the pathetic rats in their very home. Soon the squeaks began to fade away. Slowly Alice turned to Miles and simply stood still.

Alice wasn’t sure where she was, she felt like she was floating but she couldn’t see very much except for the brightness of the place she was in. She felt disembodied, nothing really tied her down and she felt could wander without the trappings of the earth. In the distance she could a voice ever so softly call her name.

“Alice!” it whispered. Again it kept calling to her distracting her from the bliss she felt. Ignoring it she tried to entrance herself into the luminous place.
for visiting.

“Alice!” the voice called again, annoying Alice ever so slightly. Who would dare disturb her? Suddenly she could she a man forming into the same plane as her, he looked eerily familiar but she couldn’t put her finger on it. The man looked around searching for something, noticing her he floated over and clasped her hands.

“Alice, we’ve got to go” the man said.

“Miles” Alice said astonished, she could see the resemblance but he looked so very young to her.

“We’ve got to go, you’re holding the orb and its going to tear you apart”

“But this place is so wonderful, I could stay forever”

“You’re meant to be back home, with me. With your family”

“I don’t want to give this up Miles. Look at its wonder” Alice said with a hand gesturing to the clouds in front of them.

“Come back to me Alice” Miles pleaded pulling her downwards. The sudden drop surprised her and she lost concentration of the world. It began to bend and twist as her vision was engulfed in black. Alice opened her eyes and she was back in the glade, but Miles was holding the orb. His bod was shaking and cracks were beginning to form under the skin.

“Miles!” Alice shouted running over to him.

“No stay away Alice. You can’t touch this” he said slowly backing off as parts off his body crumbled. Alice stood there in silent agony as she saw Miles crumbling away, his body was almost entirely glowing now.

“Miles, no!” Alice screamed. Miles looked towards her with his last strength and gave her his usual grin.

“I’ll miss you” he whispered. Miles’ body suddenly exploded, the shockwave sent out threw Alice hard against the wall almost knocking her unconcious. The room that was so bright before suddenly going dim. Alice crawled over, the horror of the scene before her. The orb was lying in the grass, but Miles was nowhere to be seen.

“No. No, no, no, no” Alice said to herself as she crawled to the grass patch. Alice began to start pulling away the grass, looking around frantically. Miles was just playing a trick right? He can’t be gone, he can’t. Tears formed around her eyes as she stared emptily at the ground. Alice let out a howl of despair as the room echoed the sounds she made. The orb rolled in front of her ever so slowly, looking down at it Alice saw no beauty in it. The whispers no longer fed her interest and turned her stomach.

“If you weren’t here, Miles would be still” she said angrily, batting the orb into water. Alice sobbed, alone in the glade of the sewers.