The Call of the Beachwick

Chapter 13: Truth and Lies

When Aurelia came to, it was dark. Her people, having developed the ability to perceive shapes and images even in the darkest of nights, usually navigated effortlessly in such conditions. However, the discombobulation in her head made it difficult to focus on her surroundings. She gradually shook her head to ward off the oncoming headache, her fingers fumbling in front of her to search for the helmet and its accompanying light. Finally finding its metallic casing, she located its activation switch and clicked the light into place. As the beam pierced through the darkness, memories of the recent events came flooding back to her, each recollection intensifying the weight of the situation.

The mineshaft lay in disarray. Beams previously placed with expert care now laid aside as if they had been brought down with intentional force. Small piles of rubble formed all along the path. She tried to get up under the aches and pains of her back, but had to stop and catch her breath once she finally made it to her feet. When she bent over, her light caught the reflection of something shiny and panic flooded her mind as she all but drove towards it.

"Xara!" she screamed. A small about of dust and rubble fell from the ceiling and her back once more cried out in pain. Frantically, she checked for any signs of life, her trembling hands searching for a pulse that seemed elusive. Panic continued to tightened its hold as she failed to detect any reassuring rhythm beneath her fingertips. With desperation clawing at her, Aurelia resorted to a last-ditch attempt to starve off her worst fears.

With trepidation, her fingers fumbled with the water bottle at her side, the metal warm against her skin. In a shaky motion, she uncapped it and held it under Xara's nose, hoping for the telltale signs of life. As she anxiously observed, waiting for any hint of condensation on the outer surface, time slowed. When a subtle fog materialized on the bottle, relief flooded Aurelia as she released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

Thank Asha," she whispered falling back down on the mine's floor.

Again, Aurelia checked her surroundings. It was a small comfort that Xara was okay, but it was a small comfort amidst a sea of dread. The oppressive walls offered no clues about the passage of time. She didn't know how long she was out. Even if she summoned the strength to navigate the pulsing pain in her back, the idea of carrying Xara's unconscious body through the unforgiving depths seemed like an insurmountable challenge. Hoping that whatever had caused her friend to turn against her was gone in her knocked out state, Aurelia attempt to roll, only to have her face brush against the cold, haunting presence of the mask which magically fixed itself to her face.

"Aurelia," it whispered with an eerie melody that sent shivers down her spine. "Aurelia, how I have waited half a millennium for you, my darling Aurelia."

Aurelia's breath caught in her throat. An unseen force lifted her body, defying the laws of gravity. The eerie sensation of her muscles popping and stretching sent ripples of discomfort through her, making her feel like a puppet manipulated by its master. Suspended in the air, her feet dangled just inches above the ground. She found herself in a surreal stance directly over Xara's prone, cataleptic form. Amidst her transformed state, the eerie melody continued to sing its allure.

"She tainted me, Aurelia," said the voice forcing her gaze upon Xara's unconscious form. "You must punish her. Release the magic within me. Accept your destiny."

Aurelia's bronze hands, raised in reluctant obedience, began to weave an arcane dance. Strange words, whispered from the depths of her consciousness, manifested at the corners of her mouth, contorting itself into an unsettling, upward grin. As she twisted and turned her hands in a rhythmic ballet, an ominous purple light flickered to life, illuminating the walls around her. Just as she prepared to release the magic within, a sudden interruption shattered the solemnity of the moment.