Elemental Empires

{Chapter 13}

The darkness was alive. It spoke. A honeyed voice called out from the heart of the darkness. She sang beautifully.
" All that glitters is not gold, sometimes the answers are just within your hold.
Luminous in a vast, black sea
answers to your questions. Set it free, set it free, set it.."
The voice stopped and the darkness pulsed and wavered before melting into an inky puddle and dissipating into thin air.

Mia's eyes shot open, she sat up bolt upright in her bed, beads of perspiration running down her forehead, she gulped before glancing at the digital digits on her clock which displayed the time: 2:00 AM. Her stomach rumbled loudly.

I wouldn't be surprised to see you gone..

"This is it," Mia whispered to herself and dashed out of bed. As she changed her clothes, she repeated the poem over and over again, tasting each syllable in her mouth, trying to make sense of it.

All that glitters is not gold, sometimes the answers are just within your hold.
Luminous in a vast,black sea.
Answers to your questions. Set it free.

She pulled on her shirt and saw the birthmark glowing a blinding silver.

Set it free..

She took out a small bag and began packing things which she thought could come in handy.

Set it free.

She felt nervous and scared as she put in her cardigan, a small penlight, and some thumb pins as her only available weapon. She picked up her charm bracelet.

Mum and Dad sent me this..My own mom and my own dad!

She looked at the bracelet, stroking each silver charm lovingly, thinking how her parents must have touched this too and as she stroked it, she felt something, a sudden warmth and calm rush over her and she felt at peace as she put on the bracelet and zipped her bag.

"I'm ready even though I don't know where I should go, what I should do," Mia whispered and slumped on her bed as a feeling of hopelessness washed over her.

"No, I have done it till here and I can do more, I have to go on, no turning back now," she said and before she could change her mind, Mia scooped up the half-asleep Ivory, her bag and tiptoed downstairs.

I am officially running away!

Mia thought happily as she made her way through the winding corridors, humming the tune of Mission Impossible.

But I don't have money.

Mia stopped in her tracks and frowned.

"...pinching a note or two from the till..."

She smiled gleefully, recalling her Aunt's warning and rushed to her fortune telling room where the till was kept. The spangles jangled softly as she opened the door and entered the room. The chandelier's soft light lit up the room partially, reflecting off the mirrors in the room, making everything shine blindingly.

"I hate this room," Mia whispered as the skulls leered at her, she quickly reached the metal till and surprisingly her Aunt had deliberately left it unlocked.

Thank you Aunt Ruby!

Mia happily pulled open the lid only to find it empty.

Curse you Aunt Ruby!

She emptied it. Mia slammed the lid down, not caring about the noise when she remembered the last time she had come into this room.

Emergency money!