Free Awakening Rielle by Crystal Cierlak Page A
Authors: Crystal Cierlak
like something out of time, as though it had been erected there long ago and the city had merely grown around it like a tree. There was no way to know for sure what bygone era the massive building had been constructed in, but the crumbling edifice spoke of an age that stretched back centuries. Dark stone was the building material of choice, iron and steel second, and upon closer inspection the further she climbed up the stone steps Rielle could see something of a penchant for windows; though they appeared to be looking out more than revealing what was within.
She should have been afraid. She'd never actually spoken to anyone who dared climb up to The Immortal's dwelling and return with a story worth telling, which begged the question, Where did the stories come from to begin with ?
At the top of the steps a great lawn stretched out like a moat around the estate, broken stones in myriads of grays cobbled together to create something of a guiding surface on which to walk. Rielle followed it dutifully around the imposing structure until she reached what she assumed was the entrance. Enormous double doors made of thick and ageless wood dominated, rising far above her head. She turned quickly and looked beyond the expanse to the city down below, imagining one of the specks of light was her camp.
Resolute with the idea that that very moment was the final turning point, Rielle raised her fist and pounded on the door. It barely made a noise. In fact she doubted anyone could knock with enough force to make any sound to be heard from the inside of the mammoth home. She glanced around at her feet in search of something solid, a rock or perhaps a tree branch, anything to give weight to her knock. Just when she spotted a jagged rock as big as her forearm some several feet away one of the doors creaked open, and an old man in a dusty old suit greeted her with a stern look.
"May I help you?" His voice was crusty with age. Rielle couldn't imagine for a moment that a man of advanced years with a frail countenance could so much as open the door a crack, let alone enough for a full person to walk through.
"Hello," she greeted him with a polite but determined smile. "I've-" She stumbled on what exactly to say. Could she plainly state why she was there? Would he understand her purpose or think she was just some random crazy?
"I've come to see The Immortal," she said finally, hoping he wouldn't laugh at her for actually referring to the man of the house as 'The Immortal'. She didn't know if that was just what everyone else called him, or if it was what he preferred. Did he even have a name?
The old man gave her a quick once over before prying the door open further, much to Rielle's continued amazement. The door must have been at least a foot thick; how was he managing? She stepped inside the foyer and was immediately dumbstruck by the sheer size of the place, its ceilings vaulting so high above her head they likely had their own weather. There were surprising touches of modernity mixed among the otherwise ancient looking place. A massive chandelier lit with a million flickering candles was the sole source of illumination in the space, casting an impossibly wide net of light. Whose job was it to light those?
"Follow me, please." Without waiting for a response the old man started a walk through the foyer and veered right at a massive stone staircase that climbed high up into the upper levels. Rielle surreptitiously glanced about her surroundings, noticing the large oil paintings that peppered the walls, potted ferns that were as big as she was, and even a suit of armor complete with what appeared to be a battle-axe. What was this place?
She followed the old man into an expansive library. Shelves of books rose three stories high, filled to the brim with books bound in cloth and leather. Her jaw dropped at the sheer mass of it all. She'd never held a book in her hands long enough to read the text before ripping out a page and using it as
She should have been afraid. She'd never actually spoken to anyone who dared climb up to The Immortal's dwelling and return with a story worth telling, which begged the question, Where did the stories come from to begin with ?
At the top of the steps a great lawn stretched out like a moat around the estate, broken stones in myriads of grays cobbled together to create something of a guiding surface on which to walk. Rielle followed it dutifully around the imposing structure until she reached what she assumed was the entrance. Enormous double doors made of thick and ageless wood dominated, rising far above her head. She turned quickly and looked beyond the expanse to the city down below, imagining one of the specks of light was her camp.
Resolute with the idea that that very moment was the final turning point, Rielle raised her fist and pounded on the door. It barely made a noise. In fact she doubted anyone could knock with enough force to make any sound to be heard from the inside of the mammoth home. She glanced around at her feet in search of something solid, a rock or perhaps a tree branch, anything to give weight to her knock. Just when she spotted a jagged rock as big as her forearm some several feet away one of the doors creaked open, and an old man in a dusty old suit greeted her with a stern look.
"May I help you?" His voice was crusty with age. Rielle couldn't imagine for a moment that a man of advanced years with a frail countenance could so much as open the door a crack, let alone enough for a full person to walk through.
"Hello," she greeted him with a polite but determined smile. "I've-" She stumbled on what exactly to say. Could she plainly state why she was there? Would he understand her purpose or think she was just some random crazy?
"I've come to see The Immortal," she said finally, hoping he wouldn't laugh at her for actually referring to the man of the house as 'The Immortal'. She didn't know if that was just what everyone else called him, or if it was what he preferred. Did he even have a name?
The old man gave her a quick once over before prying the door open further, much to Rielle's continued amazement. The door must have been at least a foot thick; how was he managing? She stepped inside the foyer and was immediately dumbstruck by the sheer size of the place, its ceilings vaulting so high above her head they likely had their own weather. There were surprising touches of modernity mixed among the otherwise ancient looking place. A massive chandelier lit with a million flickering candles was the sole source of illumination in the space, casting an impossibly wide net of light. Whose job was it to light those?
"Follow me, please." Without waiting for a response the old man started a walk through the foyer and veered right at a massive stone staircase that climbed high up into the upper levels. Rielle surreptitiously glanced about her surroundings, noticing the large oil paintings that peppered the walls, potted ferns that were as big as she was, and even a suit of armor complete with what appeared to be a battle-axe. What was this place?
She followed the old man into an expansive library. Shelves of books rose three stories high, filled to the brim with books bound in cloth and leather. Her jaw dropped at the sheer mass of it all. She'd never held a book in her hands long enough to read the text before ripping out a page and using it as