Alpha Prime: Her Retribution

Chapter Fifty Two

I was falling, my vision non-existent.

“Adelaide”

My eyes fluttered open to see Jacob kneeling beside me, I sat up, wincing slightly.

“What happened?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

“You blacked out.” He explained, helping me get to my feet. I looked around, my eyes widening at the barren landscape around us. The ground beneath us was cracked and scorched as if a fire storm had torn though the earth. In the distance I could see what appeared to be rivers of molten lava, glowing crimson and gold as it carved a path for itself. I looked up at the sky, a gasp escaping my lips, it was a swirling void of dark purples and blacks with flashes of crimson lightning.

“What happened to this place?”

Kamilla stepped forward, a grim expression on her face.

“We should move, we still have to cross the lake that will lead us to where the Resurgem is located.”

We began to move but I couldn’t help but pause, the feeling of being watched lingered over me.

“Addie?”

I turned to Liam

“Y-yeah?”

“You stopped, are you okay?” He asked, I nodded.

“I’m fine.” I replied as we continued moving.

I noticed how lightweight the suits were, they didn’t inhabit our movement in any way. Sighing, I turned my attention back to my surroundings, the trees were all shriveled up and blackened, I could see fossils of animals. As we passed a cluster of trees, my glove-covered fingers brushed against one of the stems and I watched in shock as it turned into dust.

Everything about this place was destroyed, it was as if life had been zapped from the very land itself.

The feeling of being watched grew stronger and I found myself looking over my shoulder several times. Kamilla, who had been leading us, came to a stop next to a large tarp.

“We’re at the lake.”

I took a step forward, my breath hitching in my throat as I stared at the unnatural body of water which stretched far across the eye. It shimmered ominously, its surface a dark metallic colour that reflected the crimson sky.

“How are we going to get across?” I asked.

“My men when exploring brought materials and they have a boat constructed to take us across the lake.” She answered, as her men removed the large tarp to reveal a large boat.

“Come, we must make haste.” She uttered. “Time passes differently here, one hour here is approximately 10 hours back home, imagine what 24 hours will be.”

“240 hours…That’s 10 days” I whispered, shocked.

“Exactly, the sooner we get the Resurgem, the sooner we can get back home without anyone suspecting you and Jacob’s absence.” she said, as her and some of Jacob’s men pushed the boat into the water. Jacob helped me in and before I knew it, we were crossing the lake.

“Our boat isn’t even making any ripples.” I whispered, staring at the water, it remained still even with the movement our boat made. I glanced at Kamilla, her face was sombre, eyes downcast.

I wonder what is up with her?

I took the opportunity to look at her men, they wore the same expression as if they would rather be anywhere than here. Alarm bells rang in the back of my head but I ignored them and focused on the journey ahead.

“Is that… a castle?”

I glanced up at Jacob’s voice, looking in the direction he was pointing at. In the distance, I could see it, a castle or what was left of it.

“The Resurgem is located there.” Kamilla stated, getting to her feet. “We have to pass through the town first before we get to the Castle.”

“And how long is that going to take us?” Jacob asked.

“A few hours at most.” She answered. The boat finally came to a stop and some of the men hopped down, immediately anchoring it to a large boulder. Jacob helped me down and Kamilla continued to lead us.

*************

We came onto a town, or what looked like a town, ruined buildings on either side of the cracked street that was partially hidden by the red sand, the walls of the buildings were scorched, windows broken, some buildings had been razed to the ground with only a few blocks left. Even through the protective suit, I could feel the heaviness and emptiness in the air, it was unsettling. We walked in silence, reaching what must have once been a market square, the ground was littered with the remnants of a time long before me, overturned carts, shattered pottery and wooden stalls half buried in crimson sand.

The trees in the square were the same as the rest, dead and twisted, their branches clawed at the red sky like skeletal fingers. We left the town square, the path becoming more and more desolate. We crossed a bridge, following a path that led towards the castle which loomed in the distance, it’s jagged towers barely visible through the fog.

We continued on, the path winding, each step we took had me glancing back, the feeling of being watched returning. We arrived at the gates, they were wide open, the iron bars twisted and half buried in sand. Beyond, the castle’s courtyard stretched wide, filled with stone and rubble. Statues that once stood proud and majestic now stood broken, however what stood out to me was the faces, they looked as if they had been melted off.

What the hell?

As we looked on, I noticed what was probably the remnants of a garden, it lay in ruin, dead plants barely hanging over dried up fountains.

I found myself instinctively reaching for Jacob’s hands, he looked down at me, his crimson eyes filled with concern.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“I think so, this place… I have so many questions, what happened? Where are the people?” I whispered, He squeezed my hand gently.

“This way.” Kamilla said, leading us into the castle through the open doors that were barely hanging onto their hinges. The main hall was just as desolate as the exterior, its once grand ceiling now collapsed in places, letting in streams of the red light filter through, the walls were lined with tattered banners, their colours faded, the insignias unrecognisable.

My eyes landed on the thrones that sat abandoned, the stones cracked and the surface covered by the red dust, everything about this place felt wrong, as if something horrible had happened here.

Kamilla led us deeper into the castle, our footsteps echoing through the empty corridors. Paintings line the hallways, most peeling and rotten from all the decay. Just as the statues, some paintings had their faces melted off,something about it made the hairs at the back of my neck stand.

After walking for a while, Kamilla came to a stop at the end of a long hallway, where there was a staircase spiralling downward into the darkness. She turned to Jacob and I, her expression unreadable.

“The Resurgem is down there.” she whispered.

“Well then let’s go get it.” Jacob replied.

“Only two people can go down there.” she said, I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms across my suit.

“Why us then, why not you or any of your men?” I questioned, she swallowed hard.

“You’ll have to activate the Resurgem while you are down there.”

Oh…

“Alright then.” Jacob stated.

Liam stepped forward.

“Be careful Addie.”

I smiled at him.

“I’m always careful Lili, we’ll be right back.”

WIth that, I took Jacob’s outstretched hand and we descended, the air growing colder, my breath visible in faint wispy clouds even with the helmet on, the silence was broken only by the sound of our boots against the stone steps.

“Careful,” Jacob said as we got to the bottom of the stairway, we were in a vast chamber, its walls carved with intricate patterns that glowed faintly in the dim light.

“What is this place?”

“Adelaide?”

I glanced at Jacob before following his gaze, my eyes widened at the single, grand sarcophagus that laid at the centre of the room.

We were in a tomb...

We silently approached it, it was carved from dark stone. The lid is adorned with a sculptural depiction of two people but just like the statues in the castle, the faces were melted off. Apart from that, the sarcophagus was unmarred despite the decay all around it. The air in the room was charged with an energy that I couldn’t explain.

“Do you think…” I trailed off.

“It’s probably in there.” He whispered, glancing at me. “There’s only one way to find out.”

I swallowed hard, this was a sarcophagus meaning someone’s remains was in there and I didn’t feel comfortable desecrating a tomb.

We’ve come so far Adelaide, now is not the time for some moral dilemma.

I sighed and nodded.

“Alright then, let’s do this.”

He grabbed one side of the cover and I grabbed the other side.

“On the count of 3.”

“1, 2, 3”

We pushed the cover until it revealed the occupants of the tomb. My breath hitched as I stared at the skeletal remains of two bodies… a couple. I swallowed hard, looking over them as they laid side by side, holding hands. There was something glowing in between their hands.

“Is that it?” I asked.

“I think so.”

Jacob reached in and gently pried their hands apart, taking the Resurgem out of their grip. He held it up.

The artifact was a crystalline orb suspended within an ornate, circular frame made of dark, iridescent metal. The frame was intricately engraved with swirling patterns of some foreign language. The crystal was semi-transparent and ever-changing in hue, shifting between soft pastel tones and deeper, richer shades.

“Woah.” I mumbled.

“I've never seen anything like this before.” He mumbled, staring at it.

“Any idea how to activate it?” I asked, he shrugged, turning it over.

“Here, let me see”

I reached over, my fingers grazing over it when a burst of energy enveloped the room sending Jacob and I flying. I let out a groan as I sat up.

“What the…”

The words died in my lips as I stared at the now floating locket, I glanced at Jacob who was also looking shocked. We got to our feet and approached the locket as it began to glow, the chamber around us fading away.

The locket began to spin, glowing faster until a woman formed in its place. I gasped at her appearance, she didn’t look like anyone I had ever seen before, she had two sets of eyes, long tipped ears and long silky black hair that shimmered. She opened her eyes to reveal purple eyes, her gaze landing on Jacob and I. Her lips curled into a soft smile.

“Adar, Meira, it’s so good to see you, though I wish it was under better circumstances.”

Jacob and I glanced at each other confused.

“I’m sorry?”

“You are here for Alduin, are you not?” she asked.

Adar, Meira, Alduin? What is she talking about?

Jacob took a step forward.

“It appears you are mistaken, I am Jacob, she is Adelaide, we don’t know who you are talking about.”

She frowned, shaking her head.

“I am never wrong, I see it in you, you are Adar and she is your wife, your mate, your Queen, Meira, I can show it to you.”

I parted my lips when I felt an intrusion.

“Just ask for the person you want to bring back and leave.” Eda instructed. I frowned, wondering what she was doing here and how she was even here.

“It’s over Eda, you’ve hidden the truth long enough. They deserve to know” Nanna Ur appeared, glaring at Eda.

Eda glared at her before turning to Jacob and I.

“You will do as I say as your goddess, I command it.”

I shook my head, taking a step back before turning to the creature who was silently watching us.

“All my life, I have been lied to by the people that claimed to love me, how am I sure you will not lie to me too?” I asked, she smiled.

“I do not lie, I cannot lie.” she stated.

“Adelaide.” Eda warned, I ignored her and turned to Jacob, he nodded, taking my hands and squeezing gently. I turned to the creature.

“Show us the truth.”