Chapter 6
I stayed perfectly still as I stared toward the door and wondered if the tiny bell sound was just my mind finally admitting that I was losing it; but after another five minutes the chime sounded again. "No...." I gasped as I shook my head. "No." It wasn't possible, there was no way. There was no way, that someone could be unlocking the door. That was the thing, nobody knew the passcode, nobody, except Death.
When I heard the third chime, signaling it had been 15 minutes since the passcode had been given, I started shaking. Why would Death want me out? I was positive it had not been much more than 300 years, what was the reason for opening that door? I heard the fourth chime and sighed. I wasn't going to get an answer for another ten minutes; the isolation cell doors were very unique. Once the passcode was given, the door was made to open the 13 locks over a period of 30 minutes; normally, it should have taken no more than five. So the 30 minutes was kind of like a sick joke made to torment the prisoner, telling them that the door was going to open, but not for awhile. I have to say, it was very effective, the sound of the fifth bell made me bang my head against the wall. To control my inpatients, I started making the pebbles I had collected dance in circles. Somehow I managed to keep myself entertained the whole five minutes and when the final chime sounded I pushed them all back into the corner. The large door slowly swung open and even through my mask, the sudden light that came spilling into my cell was blinding. A shadow formed in the door and I recognized the excited voice of a goblin calling out my name, that is, until he actually saw me.
The goblin in the door was sucked in a deep breath and cursed repeatedly until the other two came to see what the problem was. By the way they sounded, I could tell I must have been a sight. My blood covered the walls of the cell in streaks and you couldn't even see the natural color of the floor anymore. But that kind of thing they were use to, so the only thing I could think of that made them freak so bad was that my body looked much worse then I thought, and as I looked down at my outline, I could tell that I looked like I'd been through a blender, I'm not going to worry you with all the details, but let's just say, I looked like the only things holding me together were a few patches of flesh and tissue. When the one in front finally got his wits about him, he took a step forward but then was suddenly halted by a iron gate that reached from the ceiling to the floor and divided me from them. I smiled, how I loved my black magic. I lifted my head and stared at the goblin as he stupidly stared back at me while his slow brain tried to process what had just happened. When he finally figured out that I wasn't letting him in, he began banging his scrawny hands against the bars while screaming at me. I lowered my head, "nobody gets in. Nobody but himself; that's what Lord Death told me. He said to keep everyone out." I said with no more volume than a whisper, but I knew the goblins heard me, their kind heard to well for their own good.
"Indeed I did." At the sound of that voice my body went numb. I forced my mouth to form words, "Get out, Death. Stop toying with me and get the hell out." I growled as his formed appeared in the doorway. My gate shattered with the snap of his fingers and I pressed myself against the wall as he advanced toward me. He crouched in the same manner he did when he first locked me in. Death snapped his fingers twice and both chains fell away from my wrists. I was pressed so hard that when the chains let me go, I dropped forward, into Death's arms. My eyes went wide and I instantly tried to push myself away from him only to have him grab my wrists and hold me there. "I thought I told you not to go insane." he mumbled over me. "I didn't." I said defensively. He sighed, "then why are you pulling away from me?" I rolled my eyes, he was trying to play a game that I didn't want to deal with right now.
"Why are you here?" I asked through clenched teeth so I could hide the shaking in my voice. His grip loosened around my wrists, "I'm releasing you. I'm tired of thinking about you sitting alone in the darkness. Besides, Mari and Onyx won't leave me alone about it to save their lives." he said with a soft chuckle. I gasped, "No, you can't! What about the other Likivin? They-"
"are taken care of and couldn't do anything about it anyway. Remember who you're talking to Abyss." he said darkly but with a touch of sarcasm.
I sighed and gave up, I hadn't talked to anyone in awhile and doing so now just wore me out; if Death had flesh over his bones, he would have smiled. He leaned me away from himself and stood up, his hands covered in my blood. "Abyss, I hereby release you from this cell and any previous orders given to you. Oh, but before you do anything, I want you to let the goblins take you to the Spraka." Death turned away from me and head out the door as the three goblins rushed over to me. Two of them swung my arms over each of their shoulders and started leading me out while the third walked behind, just in case. I tried getting my feet to cooperate and walk with them, but after several failed attempts I gave up and let my feet hang behind me, letting them take all my weight. The goblin behind me was kind enough to pull off my mask and take out the string that was holding my hair up in a ponytail. My hair spilled over my shoulders and down my back, it was probably the only thing, besides my face, that was not covered in dried blood. I wanted to lift my head to see what had changed but at the moment, the only thing I was focused on was tightening my muscles so my body didn't fall apart, so I just let it be and decided to worry about it later.
When the goblins finally stopped, large, golden, double doors stood in front of us.
The goblin walking behind me stepped forward and waved his hand over the lower key latch; instantly, the 46 locks on the 12 foot doors unlatched and the old doors swung open with a protesting creak. Behind the doors would have stunned anybody whom hadn't seen it before into a coma. It was a grand, palace sized, crystal garden that was made complete with a beautiful waterfall and lake that came from the back wall into the center. Even I, who has been here at least 10 times, had to take a moment to just stare. Most people who lived in the Underworld liked to call the place, "Hell's Heaven" because they believed that the garden was what Heaven looked like. To add to it's already mystical and mysterious appearance, most people hadn't even ever seen it, only a few creatures have ever been unfortunate to come here. The real name of the garden was Spraka, which, in an old ancient language, meant "Healing Pool". As you can guess, the thorns, glass petals, and the lake were meant to heal drastic injuries, so you can see why I say unfortunate. The only reason you would ever be taken here is if you were considered unfix able. If your body was so deeply damaged that most, if not all, was unrecognizable. Let me remind you, I have been taken here at least 10 times.
The goblins dragged me into the garden and walked along the sand path to the edge of the lake. The goblin behind came around and helped set me into the lake, feet first, with my clothes still on. I breathed out calmly as the water started to work it's magic. The goblins lingered for a moment to make sure I was comfortable, then left, shutting the golden doors behind them. All the gashes, bruises and broken bones started to sting as they mended themselves and closed up, leaving behind, wouldn't you know it, no scares. I dipped my head underwater then came up again and looked out on the water. It was starting to turn a gentle pink around me because of all the blood.
((Ok, this is suppose to lead into a flash back right here but, just like my original, I don't feel like writing it at the moment. Rest assured, I will get around to it soon. I'm just too inpatient right now. I should get to it before the 7th chapter though so, yea... you won't have to wait too long. XP ))
After a few relaxing minutes all my wounds had closed up and I felt no pain. I stood up carefully and got out of the lake with slow steps. I had been off my feet for 300 years, getting them to work correctly was a little difficult. I walked and spun and jumped to remember how to move then squeezed the water out of my dripping clothes. I set my shoulders and pulled open the large doors, "Now to face Kest."
