Angelblood - Retribution

Chapter 26 - A Hall Of Loneliness (Draft)

"Wake up Virgo."

The voice is soft and warm. The alluring sound intrigues the young child to open his eyes but for now the darkness his mind flows inside feels so welcome and comfortable. Slowly more noises get his attention.

"Open your eyes Virgo."

There it is again. This gentle female voice. He can almost feel the warmth of the breath caressing his cheek. But is this an illusion? A dream? Inch by inch his lids open and warm light reaches his eyes. A smiling face forms above him. First it is blurred and hard to see but then it begins to take shape more and more. Right away those intense black eyes which look like empty holes at first he becomes aware of but taking time to observe them more closely they seem to contain stars, galaxies even. Whole universes.

"Who are you?" He asks after he becomes used to the view and his eyes attuned to the light.

"My name is Lilith." The woman replies with this alluring voice once again.

"Where am I?" He continues his questions after looking around for a moment and realizing that he is at a place he never has been before. It looks like an old ballroom full of people in expensive dresses dancing around him and not noticing him. Their rich and colorful baroque clothes swirl with their movements. There are candelabras everywhere around the white marble pillars supporting the painted dome of the hall. The image at the ceiling shows a battle between The Fallen and an angel with black wings. Though the face of the angel is covered by a grotesque mask of a young child with a screaming expression and the signs of deep agony. The long white hair falls over the celestial shoulders and a katana is held firmly in her hands. He can feel that he knows this angel but his mind is too blurry to make the connection.

"Where am I?" He asks once more, and looks into the woman's dark orbs.

"You are dreaming Virgo. This is your safe haven. The place where you retreat when in pain. Don't you remember? You helped her." She points up to the image at the ceiling. "You helped her to survive."

He nods and smiles warmly. Slowly the memories return.

"Yes. I helped her like you told me to do." More and more of his memories return but he is not sure what brought him to this place.

"And you did well. But now you have to wake up. You have to return."

Virgo gets to his feet. The people around him keep dancing and seem to ignore him totally. All of them beside Lilith wear masks and rich clothes while this woman only wears a black robe. She does not even wear shoes. He can see her bare toes peek from under the hem of the dark fabric.

Slowly he begins to explore the hall. A couple of times he tries to gain the attention of the dancers but they do not see him or do not want to see him. Whatever makes more sense or - well - less sense. He does not know how to deal with this strangeness at first so he approaches the band. They wear similar clothes and masks as well. Their instruments are those of a classical band. He tries to get their attention as well but once again he fails. One of the dancing couples stand out. Their clothes are even richer in fabric and applications. The woman, with long silver hair, wears a long gown in dark deep blood red satin with black borders while her dance partner  is dressed in a long black mantle with golden borders. The buttons show symbols and there are many stitched ornaments in the same color as the borders. His long black hair is bound into a ponytail and lays over his left shoulder. Blood pours from under the woman's raven-like mask  and finds it's way over her cheek down to her neck, leaving fine red traces on her pale skin.

Walking over to them he takes a closer look at the woman, unable to see the source of the blood. Perhaps they are tears or from hidden wounds, but he is still unable to find the cause. He turns his head to face the man now, and the symbols on the buttons seem somehow familiar but once more his mind does not allow him to search for the connection to past experiences or memories in general.

"They do not see me do they?" He waves his hand in front of the dancing couple's eyes up and down hoping for any reaction. As he moves around to look at Lilith to ask more questions, he can not find her in the crowd of people anymore. She is gone.

Only her voice echoes once more through his mind. "Wake up Virgo."

He sighs and walks along the wall. There is no door nor window. Just plain but beautifully decorated walls. Pictures and paintings are everywhere and even the dark green tapestry has shades of silver ornamental inlays.

"Hey!" He screams as loud as he can. "Can anyone hear me?!"

His voice echoes through the hall and mingles with the music of the band but no one turns around to look at him or even pauses in their dance at the sound. Virgo decides to approach them a bit more aggressively and moves forward to push one of the men dancing. As he reaches out for him his hand slides through the person without any hindrance. Not even a feeling of change in the air.  No coldness or warmth. Just emptiness. All of the sudden his heart begins to feel the same. Empty and  saddening loneliness. Being in a huge hall full of people he still is meant to be alone. To feel alone.

This is his safe haven? He sighs and shakes his head. How can this be the place where he is meant to feel happy and safe? Once more he sighs to himself and begins to walk through the ranks of the dancing people. Like ghosts they move through his body when he tries to block their way and they are unable to react fast enough. How strange is this? He thinks to himself. Giving them enough time they change their movement and avoid bumping into him. As if they see him or at least feel his presence.Still they do not react to any of his attempts to contact them.

"Wake up Virgo."

This voice is soft and gentle but by now it is also getting annoying. Like an itch you can not scratch.

"Wake up Virgo."

There it is again.

"I want to but..." He yells into the hall with all the people around him at first then his words trail off before his lips form them again. This time without any sound. "I want to, but how?"

He sighs and sinks down to the ground. His face buries into his tiny hands. Leaning against one of the pillars tears begin to well in his eyes. A sad small child among adults dancing to the sound of beautiful music. He feels lonely. His back presses firmly against the white marble behind him.

"Virgo. Wake up." The voice once again speaks to him. "You are not alone. All you need is the will to wake up child."