All of a sudden the rain started. one minute the streets were dried, the next minute the streets were shiny with the rain droplets. Ella tightened her coat as she came out of the taxi.
This wasn't the same luxurious tower she used to be in, the entrance was narrow, and the doors were plain chocked between coffe shop, the place had no cameras, no door man realising the people inside had no need for them.
She knocked twice, paused then knocked once, a pattern she hadn't used for over twelve years.
There was a sound on the lock knob. A hefty man looking built like an army soldier, opened the door. starring at her for a moment before he moved out of the way.
"You are late" the man said.
" I was not sure still place still exists" she said brushing past him.
The room was dark when she got in, but there were old looking lamps that were lit which made the room warm. Some people were sitting on big chairs, having conversations in low tone. They didn't even pay any attention when she passed them.
The man who let her in led her to a room at the back. There was a table there and by the side of it was a woman Ella once thought was an ally.
" Mira" Ella said sitting opposite her.
The woman smiled, looking looking sharp as she used to, and giving the expression that she already knew what's up.
" I knew you would come back, I told them, but they didn't believe me". Mira said.
Ella dropped the black folder on the table. " I don't understand why the cosmic circle is tied to my company's founding documents". Ella said.
Mira looking at her " Because it was their, Ella , everything you have achieved now was built on the circle's resources, agreements and their blood".
Ella lowering her tone." and they want it back now"?
Mira pushing close to her. " They are not interested in your company, they are interested in you, you are the last connection to whatever deal that was made, they need you to get back what they lost".
There was silence for a moment
" so what happens if refuse"? Ella asked.
" There wasn't an option they offered like refusal". Mira said smiling.
Before Ella could say anything, the lights went off and darkened the room. the atmosphere of the room changed, Ella felt a presence of something wasn't right.
" Ella you need to run" Mira said.
immediately Ella got up from the chair and reached for her bag. There came the sound footsteps approaching her even in the dark, it was as if she was seen even in the dark.
She moved towards where she recalled the entrance of the door was, leaning on the walls, then a glow came up not from the bulb but from the symbol she had seen before, it's edges were all glowing in the dark. The cosmic circle.
suddenly a smooth voice came. "Ella you shouldn't be here".
She became alarmed and instinctively found the door, opened it and went out without saying anything.
The corridor was dim, taking four steps forward, immediately the atmosphere behind her changed, colder that her own breath was getting visible.
she didn't turn back.
The man she saw initially when she got in was gone. The entrance wasn't guarded anymore, but then it was like the streets changed. the lights became blurry.
suddenly a man stood across the road watching. thesame figure from her office.
Ella stepped on the streets, her heel stepping on the wet ground. the man didn't move until she was almost across then he walked into the mouth of an
Elara stepped into the street, her heels striking the wet asphalt. The figure didn't move until she was halfway across — then it turned and walked into the a narrow passage.
Ella didn't hesitate to follow the man. the passage was narrow and wet, with tall bricks around it. before she could reach the figure was gone.
Ella's heartbeat was pounding, the atmosphere felt heavy. she reached out her hand and felt something solid in front of her which moved at her touch causing a vibration on her arm then broke.
The passage around her disappeared, replaced by voices echoing from afar off and the glowing of the same symbol coming from under her feet.
" Ella Vanely" a voice said from the dark, " you have stepped back into the circle".
The sudden glow, blinding her eyes by the time she could leave the vision she was seeing, she wasn't in the city any longer.
she stood in the room seeing stone walls with ancient symbols carved into them somehow she knew it was a warning of danger. A table stood in front of her with a man in a dark suit, observing her.
" we have been waiting" he spoke.
Then Ella realised that she didn't just stumble into this place but she had been deliberately called to this mysterious world.