Shadow Chatter

The Bell: First Toll

A hand came forward and ignited a pale blue flame at the base of my throat. It flickered and danced and I felt as if an icy phantom were kissing my neck.

I stood in a narrow hallway whose ceiling was so high it could not be seen

There were alcoves carved into the grey stone on either side. Both walls seem to stretch on into the infinite in both directions and so with them went the galleries of alcoves.

And the alcoves appeared empty until I came close with the halo of light from the flame

Each Alcove was revealed to be occupied by faces suspended in the air. Faces of men, women and children, each appearing in the likeness of the Phantom flame before me. The eyes were empty but I could feel the weight of their gaze upon me and they turned to watch me as I passed

When I beheld each face, they appeared to speak, but there was no voice to be heard

And yet the movement of their lips was the same for each one of them until I felt I could make out the words:

Forward to your place,

O Pilgrim, O Vessel,

Forward to your place.

There was the low tolling of a great bell, and the faces mouthed nothing from then on.