Slowly the door began to disappear, shrouded by energy, pure, and potent.
Searching the area, it seemed to be some sort of trophy room, the walls were covered in extravagant artworks. Pristine besides a thin layer of dust. Against the wall say a wooden recliner, long unused, left to wilt and thin. Though today the room was given new life. Henry began searching and pillaging all corners, grabbing anything useful. Some sort of animal skin was used to fashion a cover for the chair, 'Looks like I just got a new blanket.' A small grin appeared on Henry's face. Due to his spectral eyes, he was now able to see better within the dark. Not as if seeing the dark, but more so that he could perceive the space better, allowing easier judgment/visualization.
Henry exited the cozy room into a massive outer hall, the likes of which rivaled the entire size of Timidus.
"Interesting."
Henry mumbled to himself.
Even within the large area, not a sound could be heard besides the echoing footsteps Henry made wandering the hall.
The layout was simple yet complex. Within the center of the frontmost wall was an exit, a large arching exit. Similar to the rest of the city, It had no door and lead straight out into the familiar twilight, the hue that had stained his eyes long ago. In front of that door was a long space leading to a staircase.
'It's like a castle.'
Henry thought of the different places he had been, however none were like this. On the first floor were hundreds of rooms, each one Henry looted, however none were as lucrative as the first. Though he was able to add a few new things to his collection, including, another animal skin, and new clothes though poorly fitting were better than the rags Henry had been using for the past month. Turns out, crawling through rocky ruins didn't help with protecting the integrity of cotton.
There was one more odd object Henry had found. A small piece of wood, engraved on it was "Good Luck" written in the runic ancient language that he had come to understand well from his time in the ruins, and the academy. It gave a sense of hope, and irony. It was the same thing written on the notebook he had thrown out. One of his last personal belongings.
'Let's not dwell.'
Henry stepped up to the intimidating staircase. He knew that the odds were nothing alive was up there, but it was nerve-racking nonetheless.
Making his way to the upper level, paranoia rose, rapidly looking around with increased panic he was being watched. Though… nothing was there. The spectral eyes, revealing that the only abnormality with the castle was its high concentration of miasmal energy.
'Deep breaths Henry.'
Reciting the mantra in his head, slowly he resumed his ascent. The first thing visible on the upper floor was a large, sculpture of a woman, masterfully made from marble, her pose was… worrisome. She was crying, with no eyes, just two sockets where they had once been. With her hands, she reached out for something, that had been taken from her sculpted form long ago.
He touched the hand softly
"You poor thing, left here to rot with no one able to see your beauty."
He reached in his bag, and in a moment of kindness poured some water out, in respect for the artistry of the sculpture.
"Until we meet again, friend."
Parting from the closest thing to a human he had seen in months was difficult, even being a statue he felt a close connection to it, like he owed it something. He shook his head, and the thoughts dispersed, now he had to find out what the castle was hiding, and if it could aid in his escape from the city.
***
Hours went by, and the siege Henry had set against the castle's luxuries was successful, within its walls he had found better fitting clothes, and better tools. Yet nothing that pertained to his trial, nor the mystery of the empty city. At this point, only one room remained, its notable size intimidating the young man.
Carved above the room's entrance were the words, "Monarch, of Rain." They were clear even in the ancient language. This was the room of a true royal.
Within the room was an ornate bed, and a night stand, 'So empty…' The bed had rotted a long time ago, and the nightstand was nothing but a dust collector. Meaning He had searched this place for nothing, he was about to leave before something caught his eye. Something was carved behind the bed's backboard.
With all his might, the bed was slid across the floor, revealing… four engravings.
'A story.'
The first was straightforward, it showed a fair maiden wearing a crown, she was stood protected by two guards, surrounded them was a crowd of townsfolk, each jumping, some holding their children in the air, others holding baskets, and gifts. It brought a smile to Henry's face, 'So you weren't always this desolate.' The nights next to the assumed queen had the same inscription on their shields, it was some sort of rune, or symbol. Henry couldn't tell for sure, but it seemed so familiar.
The next showed the queen being approached by a hooded figure, dressed in scholarly robes. In his hands were coins. Studying the scholar his eyes, were missing… 'A scholar with missing eyes…' Henry thought of the description from his artifact, was it the same person? The two nights sat weapons drawn facing the man. They seemed to be on edge, though the queen stood tall, and confident facing the unknown man.
'How brave.'
Henry was jealous yet fine being a coward. Cowards live, and brave heroes die. It was cynical but true, and he had no plans of dying anytime soon.
Moving to the third engraving, it was much simpler than the others. Clouds parted, and beneath them were two large spheres glowing, looking down upon the city. 'Wait.' Henry looked up, visualizing the two stars he had seen every time he looked up for the past two months. The stars in the sky, this was when they had arrived. In this image, however, they were much more circular.
Focusing on the final engraving, Henry's eyes widened. Portrayed was the queen reaching out in a familiar pose, her nights slowly dissipating into one stone held by the scholar. Her face flooded with worry, and tears. Her eyes missing… An unnaturally large smile was strewn across the scholar's face. As he seemingly laughed at the queen's desperation.
Getting closer to the engraving, Henry recognized the symbol on the stone. With haste, he reached in his bag, shuffling through before pulling out one of the two runes which's purpose remained a mystery, until now.
Rushing to the sculpture, he focused on her hands, they matched exactly with how the queen had been in the engraving.
Henry slowly placed the stone in the queen's hands, it fit perfectly, as if they had been long lost puzzle pieces, kept apart for far too long.
Immediately the air went still, the rune began emanating immense energy that overtook the sculpture, knocking Henry to the ground. A holy light protruded the statue's cracks, flashing the entire hall with pure white. When Henry's eyes adjusted, he watched as the rune crumbled in her hand, a faint whisper echoing in his ears.
"Forever, to serve. My queen, my monarch. Let your power aid another."
It was a man, faint but just perceivable.
"Hello?"
Nothing responded, and when Henry thought the surprises were over, the beautiful marble sculpture began creaking. As the statue's groans grew louder, Henry shuffled back, his hands planted on the ground, trembling.
'What's happening.'
He looked around for an escape route, but with the disorienting noise, he couldn't think clearly.
Slowly, the statue began to crumble. As the marble shards fell, they revealed, the eyeless queen, her beauty as remarkable as the statue she once was. Her skin, smooth as glass, her skin pale, yet glowing, with hair that could only be described as woven from the most prestigious of silks. Yet, the queen, in all her beauty, wept. She looked down at Henry, her eye sockets empty missing what must have been the most kind eyes many had seen in their lives, tears pouring out from where they had once been. She reached out her, slender and soft hand to Henry. As if telling him that she was sorry for startling him. As he grabbed it, he felt a wave of relief fall over him, something that had only been done when he dreamt of his mother.
***
She breathed slowly as she looked at the boy, silent, contemplating her next steps. The boy in front of her was marked by the same evil that had destroyed her once beautiful home of Rakh'el, yet she knew he did not ask for this evil. She could see his kindness through the words he had spoken before even understanding what she was. Watching through her eyes, she could only see them as ants of energy, her eyes had long been cursed to wander the sky as stars.
The queen looked down at the slender boy covered in dust, and after fifty-one days of watching him fend for himself within the horrible city she had once led as a kingdom, she spoke.
"There is so little time, And I will spend it helping you; however, you must follow, and try not to slow me down."