Chapter 125Of Locks and Keys

Slowly and unsteadily I stood up again, feeling quite dizzy for a moment still. Faith looked worried but proud as well. Her eyes darted from me to the stone, now resting on the ground. Nuru didn't support me, holding a gentle distance. She gave me space to stand up for myself and... I appreciated her for it.

Faith put her hand on my shoulder, it felt heavy. "Are you alright?"

I shrugged. "I need a minute, but I'm feeling better now."

She smiled. "So, where do we go?"

Taking a few steps experimentally, I found I could walk as long as I focussed. I did feel very weak, but it would do for now. "Over there."

The place I pointed toward was only a bit away, guarded by a heavy looking door. It was actually kind of curious. There weren't many doors within our view at all. But this one looked special. I headed toward it without hesitation, I knew that there would be something there. The door loomed over me as I stood in front of it. It didn't chase me away, but it looked far from welcome.

I pushed.

The door didn't budge.

My body was still weak from before, I could feel it fight against the weariness I felt now and was in no state to open the door. Faith sneaked next to me and helped me push.

The lock didn't hold and broke with a sharp sound.

Without the lock, my single effort was enough to push the door open. The hinges creaked as they gave way to some rust of the ages. The smell in this room was different. A hint of leather, metal and glass welcomed me as I went in first. Excited I walked into the room, seeing by the light held up high by Faith.

A storeroom, a high room with many stone slabs for things to rest on. Most were empty. One, however, held many objects. Objects that, to my surprise, were in remarkably good state. Slowing my steps, I walked closer and closer. My eyes glued to the objects in fascination.

A crystal ball, a stone pendant carved in a sort of swirl and held by a leather string, a copper knife with a wooden grip and a red clay bowl of sorts. They composed most of the smells in this room. My fingers hovered over them, afraid to touch them but so eager to feel them. I gave in, touching their surfaces with care and patience.

From them, I walked to the other, even more fascinating, object next to them.

A book... But... Not a book exactly. It was a leather cover holding irregular pages that didn't look bound. Unfortunately there was a chain around the book, gleaming silvery in the light. And a lock.

My touch wandered from the copper knife to the lock on the book. I was sure the chains and lock around the book were a silver alloy. They had that soft feeling only silver had, but mixed with something stronger. Of course we could break it, but it felt sacrilege to do so. I picked it up, feeling it's weight with a slight surprise.

There had to be a key nearby. I'd seen it.

"Amy." Faith's voice was different. In awe?

I turned around, the book in my arms, to look at what held Faith's fascination. At the other side of the room, completely neglected by my distracted eyes, was a statue. It was a statue of a very pretty girl, sitting on her knees and holding a box. The detail in the statue was actually quite amazing. Her eyes, though nothing more but barren stone, were surprisingly lifelike.

There was something disconcertingly familiar about her though.

Faith almost whispered the next words, in awe and disbelief. "She's beautiful."

I nodded silently, in awe as much as she was. I walked closer, step by step, wishing to touch it but not daring yet. Afraid that any touch would cause it to shatter. Finally I gained the courage, my fingers touched it.

It felt very smooth. It wasn't marble, but it had the same smooth kind of semi-wet feeling to it. The box in her hands was different. It was stone as well, but looked much coarser and not part of the statue.

I picked it up with my free hand, it wasn't.

Faith was still staring at the statue, Afentis walking up to her and looking carefully at the statue as well. Nuru stood by me and was looking more at the box itself. There was a shadow of a memory connected to it. So unclear.

Nuru nodded. "Please open it, Miss Amy."

I gave her the book to hold and opened the box slowly.

It was a pleasant surprise to find that the box wasn't a box, but two halves of almost solid stone that locked into each other perfectly. Between them was the intricate shape of a small key, cut out into them. The shape looked like it could possibly fit the lock in the book.

A mold!