Some May Rise

Our Room

Two days.

Two days since I woke up in an empty, Underearth bedroom. Alone.

There were no clocks. But I guessed the length of two cycles from those special rocks lighting up my prison cell slowly as if daylight were outside, and then about 12 hours later diminishing to a night-time darkness.

Where was Drykon? 

He hadn't been here when I awoke on the bed after decontamination. 

There had been no note. 

And no one to explain anything. 

I just didn't understand. Was this a normal part of the decontamination process? I tried to cycle back through what Drykon had told me about it at The Rising and then after. He had said he would bring me to our room. Was this it?

At least, I had waited in luxury and not on a dusty red floor like before. The room around me was large and oval. A large crystal poster bed at the apex, sparkling in the faux-daylight. It was amazingly comfortable too, with the amount of peach coloured cushions and fabrics piled on it.

Either side of the bed carved from the wall was shelves, and then a dozen cupboards, one side identical to the other. The symmetry ended there, with one side having a small gap, which I presumed was an entry point. 

However there was no apparent door way, or handle. On the opposite side where one would expect a lavish window, there was a large tapestry. It was sparkling with vivid and golden threads, depicting a scene where winged angels and horned demons were in various stages of battling, or.. well.. making a certain type of peace.

My eyes tried not to stay on it too long.

At the bottom curve of the room was a crystal desk. Small, and more intricately carved than Candid's was. Placed next to this was a large horizontal slab, jutting from the curved wall several ft. It was not mounted but carved from the wall, 4ft wide, waist high and a foot deep. From here a banquet would appear every few hours; it was quite a marvel to witness.

Crockery, chalices, bowls and left overs, all would sink as the surface top became a quick-sand engulfing it all; to be replaced several hours later with a new steaming feast, emerging up on this organically forged glide up shelf. 

This was beyond any human mechanics.

Next to this strange table, were several rows of clothes which hung from crystal poles protruding from the wall; the majority of the selection were luxurious gowns, which I learnt not to touch unless I wanted the attachment hook to glow and release the dress into my waiting (or not) hands.

The largest item in the left corner was a huge free standing bath, made of the same shimmering coral rock face as the room, again like a carved out stalagmite. The constantly warm water inside it bubbled several times a day, perfuming the whole room with honeysuckle as it did.

I took this particular opportunity to dart behind a privacy wall which lay between the bath and clothes where the toilet was.. or small hole in the stone ground appearing like a closed sphincter muscle that would open and suck down all it must, using a strange spongy rock instead of toilet paper. 

I thanked my lucky stars I wasn't expecting my period anytime soon.

After finishing my business, I would spend the next hour resisting the temptation to take a dip in the large bubbling hot tub, fearing that the strange door could open at any time, and whoever walking in would find me, exposed.

I sighed at the waste though. For all of this luxury was a waste.

For it didn't matter how downy the blankets were, how the poster bed shimmered like something from a fairytale, or how rich the soup, tangy the cake, or how sumptuous the baths would have been if I were brave enough to take one. I simply didn't care.