Once Upon A Miracle

Chapter 24: Oops, caught

"Neither love nor evil conquers all, but evil cheats more."

~ Laurell K. Hamilton (Cerulean Sins) 

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It took them longer than Miracle would have liked to climb up the rough, jagged stone staircase towards the Lighthouse. If the wind was harsh a few minutes ago, right now it was simply violent. Both Miracle and Sherry had to bow their heads against its wailing as they clung on to each other. It seemed like the wind was almost against them. Miracle couldn't be sure if it didn't want them to succeed or if it was giving them a warning of what lay beyond.

At least, the moon continued to hide behind the clouds. Without its silvery light, it was difficult to make out their path clearly. However, in the darkness, no one would be able to see two shadows slink through the night either.

Both of them were out of breath by the time they reached the base of the hill, the ruins extending before them, much larger than what it had seemed from down below. Neither of them spoke but they exchanged a quick look, both their eyes asking the same question: are you ready?

Nodding, they quickly slipped ahead, keeping to the meagre shadows the ruins provided or darting between the grasses and trees that grew among broken concrete. Miracle wouldn't lie; when they were about to walk inside, a part of him did hesitate, understanding that there was a possibility he might never walk out of here. That thought was quickly overruled by the promise he had made to Blue.

It seemed like ages ago now. They were at the doorstep of Warren's house and Blue was quite obviously flustered, even though she had tried not to show it. He had said then, clutching her hand, "Do not worry, Blue, my Blue. You're my friend and I would never let anything happen to you."

He had meant it then. He meant it now.

He didn't doubt that Blue had probably taken it for granted, assuming he had said it just because he wanted to console her. That would be partially true. But she didn't know he rarely ever said anything that he didn't mean. And he definitely didn't make promises he couldn't keep.

Admittedly, this would be a hard promise to keep up to. He would take solace on the fact that he at least tried.

A part of him was horrified at that. No, no, no! he snapped at himself. There is no try. You will succeed!

With that thought in mind, he stepped inside. A cold tingle ran down his spine, his vision blurring for a nanosecond before it cleared and he saw the new, polished but spartan interior of the Lighthouse with a wooden staircase that spiraled upwards into a magnificent height. Sherry groaned beside him, "More climbing?"

Of course, they could have just teleported but Miracle's powers have been weak these past few days. Jumping from one country to another and summoning a zombie king had taken a toll on him. When he had stolen a look in the mirror in Sherry's house, he had almost failed to recognize himself. His face was pale and gaunt and he knew it wasn't just the worrying making him thin.

But there was no time to waste tonight. They couldn't keep climbing like this. He would risk it, he decided, smothering the thought of what might happen if he overused his magic...

"We'll teleport. Let's go," Miracle said, closing his eyes and knitting his hand with Sherry's. The world tilted and spun around like a whirlpool, his stomach knotting together, a rush of adrenaline washing over him. Until, abruptly, it stopped.

When he opened his eyes, he quickly repressed the gasp that tried to bubble out of him. The room was vast but dark and dreary. The ceiling rose upwards into a cone, the point of it made of glass, such that faint moonlight streamed down from it like a beam of spotlight. From what he could see, it was the only source of light all around them.

The walls were corrugated with their paint chipping off but they were still strong. He and Sherry seemed to have found themselves on a balcony of some sorts that ran around the circular room, halfway up the towering walls, overlooking the main chamber. Instantly, Miracle's eyes caught glint of the sarcophagus, a beam of gold in the inky darkness that blanketed the room, the air around it rippling with its energy. 

When he peeked out of the edge of the balcony, the height almost dizzying, he saw that the sarcophagus was resting on one corner of the room, still not having lost its shimmer. A throne stood not far from it, resting above a dais, an orb like object placed beside it. But...where was everybody?

The entire room was deserted. Not a single soul to be seen.

Dread clouded his thoughts, his knuckles tightening on the railing. Were they too late? Where was Blue? What happened to her...?

"Where is everybody?" Sherry asked, her own voice trembling, her eyes searching for her sister but to no avail. Miracle shrugged helplessly.

"Guess we should look around?" Sherry suggested hesitantly. "There, there's a ladder."

She rushed towards it, dragging Miracle by the sleeve of his shirt. But as they started to climb downwards, being careful with the rungs, suddenly, the ladder shook violently.

Sherry screamed as her hold on it came loose. Before she could fall down though, Miracle's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, barely hanging on himself. When he made the mistake of looking down, his eyes almost blurred at the fall.

As if annoyed at the intruders, the ladder shook again, like a dog drying himself. And this time Miracle couldn't hold on. He lost his balance, his shoes and sweaty palms slipping. Screaming, they both fell, cocooning against each other. But before they could crash on the floor and splatter it with a spread of muscles and bones, they stopped falling, a cushion of air appearing below them.

"What the--?" Miracle started to say when a voice tsked.

Miracle and Sherry stilled but they found themselves being turned around on their own anyway. Miracle's heart seemed to stop for a second as his eyes fell on the man standing before them, one of his arms out, his muscles straining against the lean white coat he was wearing. He seemed to be the one who had stopped their fall.

He didn't seem familiar at all. But beside him, Sherry's face had drained of colour.

And, just like that, Miracle knew.

"Evil," he bit out through clenched teeth. A part of him realised that he was Blue's father too. And although the physical resemblance was undeniable, he carried none of the warmth and joy she did.

"Well, hello there, Miracle and...my dear Sherry," Evil greeted, smiling maliciously. "I've been waiting for you."

Miracle swallowed.

They were so screwed. 

So, I just wanted to say something that I probably should've said sooner. If you go and read my blurb, you'll notice something. A spoiler, lol. I love how I put a spoiler in there and no one noticed. See, this is how the sentence goes, "...and go on a crazy adventure that takes her from the sprawling countryside of Finland, to the historical forts and the crowded bazaars of India to old ruins where evil stirs."

To old ruins where evil stirs. 

There. See? BAHAHAHAHAHA. I feel so smug. 

AnYwAyS, if you enjoyed this chapter don't forget to press the star button and leave me a comment on your thoughts! UwU

Also, what do you think is going to happen to Miracle and Sherry? Lemme know! XD