Hall of Shadows [The Celestial Chronicles #2]

Chapter Fourteen: Spirit and Shadow (Part I)

"Was it a vision, or a waking dream?

Fled is that music: -Do I wake or sleep?"

- John Keats, "Ode to a Nightingale"

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Soundtrack of the chapter: Nightmare's End, Dragon Age: Inquisition OST

Media: Myndleas

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Chapter Fourteen: Spirit and Shadow (Part I)

The deep chime of a bell mourned through the entire Hall, shaking the dust from the ceilings and causing an uproar among the Oracles.

Oracles dressed in white barged in and out of the chambers, panic distorting their faces. A loud and heart wrenching wail pierced the air, followed by moans of grief.

The rushing Starlets went through Cady's body like she was a ghost; or more like, they were the ghosts. Cady only knew too well this was another dream scene.

She decided to follow the stream of Oracles. Most had their heads bowed and their hands clasped. The younger ones were fidgety, their eyes darting to and fro like criminals under surveillance. It flowed toward the great entrance of the Hall of Spirits, and they fanned into a circle, watching the person kneeling on the steps, weeping her eyes out.

Cady took a step forward, separating herself from the whispering crowd.

It was a lady. Her sunshine golden hair was wild, and her bright blue eyes were streaked red with tears running down in an endless cascade. Cady's stomach lurched-she knew this lady, she was Capella Tithonus: the woman from Van's photo.

The Capella before her resembled nothing like the beautiful damsel in the photograph. Rage and anguish rolled off her in massive waves. Her nails dug into her skin, leaving behind scarlet crescents.

Cady's eyes fell upon Capella's trembling hands. Hot bile forced its way up her throat and she almost spewed her dinner onto the ground. Capella was stroking something red and raw with a most rubbery texture. Her eyes trailed down the flat object she was caressing and landed on the deflated shape of a hand.

It was...a human skin, flayed whole from the body with precision and skill.

"What is going on?" A deep voice rose from the crowd which immediately parted. It was a younger version of Raphine Sanguinis; a younger and happier version. The laughter around his eyes vanished and was replaced by a frown. He stopped before Capella in astonishment.

A whisper escaped his lips. "What is this?"

Capella didn't answer, but she held the skin close to her breast like how she would carry a child.

Raphine Sanguinis dropped to his knees, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"My son, my dearest son," he murmured, shaking his head to and fro. "Tithonus, why?"

His gaze shifted to the discarded dagger next to the flayed skin. With quivering fingers, he picked it up and turned it over in his palm. The unmistakable symbol of the Walkers flashed under the blood red sun.

With a furious howl, he drew his arm back and hurled the blade with full force at the ceiling. The dagger circled through the air and pierced the eye of Yana's statue transcending the wafted beams. It stood there erect and wobbling like a mocking finger.