Chương 36: Chapter 35: Her Beauty

After dinner, Alice walked back to the dormitory wing with her friends. Jack and Marley were in front of her, while Evelyn was a step or two behind her. A full week had come and gone, and she had already grown used to life in the Cathedral. This place really is better than I thought. I got to do so many new things, get new friends, learn about everyone else. Though the food is a little disappointing. At least Jack has that jam. It would probably last us our entire stay here.

I miss my parents, but I'll be back soon. There's no point in worrying; I should enjoy my time here the best I can. Alice felt someone grab her hand. She looked back and saw Evelyn wearing a mischievous grin. Before Alice could say anything, Evelyn pulled her into another hallway with surprising strength.

"What—What are you doing?" Alice let out a soft yelp.

"I want to show you something." Evelyn yanked Alice down the hallway.

"Shouldn't I get Jack and Marley, then?" Alice looked behind her, seeing the rest of the students continue on to the dormitory.

"I want to show it to you. Not them." Me? Just me? What's going on? Alice gulped.

"Where… where are you taking me, then?"

"It's a secret. But it's really, really amazing. You trust me, right?"

"Yeah. I trust you." Alice bit her lower lip.

"Then just follow me." I wonder what this is about. Goddess, her hand feels so soft… you'd think it'd be rougher. Her hair smells sweet too. Sometimes it's hard to believe she acts the way she acts. But I suppose it has its own charm. Alice slowed her pace a little, so that she'd remain behind Evelyn, so that Evelyn would keep pulling her on. She passed by the arches leading to the courtyard gardens. They went deeper into the Cathedral, deeper than she'd ever ventured before.

Suddenly, a door at the end of the hallway swung open and a ghoul shambled out.

"Oh hells." Evelyn swooped behind a large marble pillar, yanking Alice behind her.

"Goddess, you don't need to be so rough."

"Stay quiet." Evelyn hushed. Alice frowned and whispered back, "Why? That's a ghoul."

"Uh… don't get angry. But I'm not sure if we're allowed to be here." Evelyn rubbed the back of her head with her free hand.

"What?" Alice's eyes widened.

"Don't worry. Don't worry. I got there last night. I can get us there without getting caught."

"Where are we even going?"

"It's a surprise. You'll see, you'll see everything. It's worth the trouble. At least I hope it is." Evelyn peeked out from the pillar, scanning the hallway.

"I think the ghoul left. Let's hurry." She released Alice's arm and scurried off.

"Wait for me." Alice chased after Evelyn, feeling a slight pang of disappointment. Ugh, where is she taking me? And why am I going along with her? We could get into so much trouble. Alice thought, yet followed after Evelyn all the same. Stupid. You've become an idiot. Evelyn took a few twists and turns, leading into countless halls and corridors that all seemed to look the same.

"Huh… that's strange." Evelyn slowed to a complete stop.

"What's strange?" Alice furrowed her brows and looked down the hall. The hallway delved deeper, eventually taking a right turn. Numerous doorways lined the brick walls, way too many to make the slightest sense. It almost felt like a scene from a dream, but it wasn't the first time Alice felt like this, not in the least. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"This place looks different. We should have been there by now."

"You're saying we're lost?"

"No… well, a little. Wait, I'll try something." Evelyn closed her eyes for a few seconds. What in heaven's name is she doing now?

"Please… please, please." Evelyn murmured and opened her eyes. Please? Who is she talking to? Evelyn pushed open the door to her right, revealing a dimly lit stairwell spiraling upward.

"There it is!" Evelyn shot a wide grin back at Alice.

"Come on. Nearly there." What was that? Am I seeing things?

"Ri… right…" Alice followed Evelyn and closed the door behind her, then went up the spiral stairwell. Rune-powered bulbs shimmered faintly by the circular brick walls. The stairwell itself was cramped; Alice could hardly walk up beside Evelyn. Alice looked up, spotting what seemed like the top more than a few steps away—more than she'd like. She counted the seconds and the steps, and she figured they should have long passed the second floor by now.

"Hey, can you tell me now where we're going?"

"The bell tower."

"Bell tower? Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I am. Where else could this stairwell lead to?"

"Goddess, so that's why you were worried about getting caught." Evelyn giggled back.

"Promise it's gonna be all worth it." The stairwell opened up to a small compartment, with a thick brown rope dangling from a hole in the ceiling. The stairs continued, wrapping around the walls and ending at a wooden hatch. Evelyn climbed the last steps and pushed open the hatch. A strong gust of wind howled past her, sending her red hair flying back.

"Okay, I didn't think it'd be this windy." Evelyn reached her arm out to Alice, offering an open palm.

"Hold my hand, be careful." Alice stared for a few seconds, then she held Evelyn's hand, lacing their fingers together as tight as she could.

"Is that good?" Evelyn audibly gulped.

"Yeah… that's good. Come on." She climbed out of the hatch, leading Alice to the very top. Alice's hair fluttered in the wind, her eyes squinting at the pressure. An enormous brass bell greeted her, dangling from the tower's canopy. It was so shiny her own reflection stared back at her with a slack jaw. Wow. That's huge. That's even bigger than a carriage.

"Look. Look out there." Evelyn tapped Alice's shoulder and pointed out. Alice gazed forward, and it was as if time had stopped. Vakundir sprawled before her eyes, tens upon thousands of buildings glittering in the evening like a city of sparkling jewels. The city wall stretched across the horizon, the first tip of the crescent moon peeking out of the peak. The heavens above were a canvas of endless night adorned with a hundred shimmering stars draped over the entire city.

To say it was beautiful would be an understatement. It was more than what any book, any painting or scripture could convey. Even as the wind blew into her eyes, she couldn't avert her gaze. She turned her head, taking in every direction. To the north lay the White Tower, kissing the very heavens with its spire. In the east, past the city ports, faint lights bobbed up and down in the midnight sea. In the west, countless factories churned across the land, spewing putrid smoke into the sky.

And lastly to the south lay the sprawling urbans, houses and buildings packed together like sardines in a can. The streets and roads that coursed in between them seemed like tiny arteries and blood vessels. Everything felt so large, yet so small at the same time. With just a turn of her head, she beheld the entirety of Vakundir.

"Goddess, it's so beautiful… I don't know what to say." Alice muttered, clenching Evelyn's hand.

"I told you." Evelyn inched a little closer to Alice's side.

"Apart from the clergymen, we're probably the only ones that have been here in a long time. I could see everything here, but no one can see us."

"Imagine how many people down there are. A million? Ten million? I can't even begin to imagine."

"From up here it just looks so wonderful. Even the southern district looks nothing like what I know. Down there, everything was so dirty, so filthy, it was disgusting. It almost looks like a decent place from where we are."

"It's that bad?"

"Yeah…" Evelyn nodded.

"The Cathedral is so much better. You can't even compare it." She sighed and then pointed at the city walls.

"You… you ever wonder what's behind those walls?"

"I've read about them. We're the northernmost city. Past us, there are vast forests, tribal villages, plains and mountains, caverns and taigas and so much more."

"But you haven't seen them for yourself?" Alice shook her head.

"No."

"I could never be satisfied by just reading about them. Just think about it. If the city is already so beautiful, then what about the rest of the world out there? I want to see it. I want to feel it. Smell the air, taste the ground. Most people live and die in this city; I don't want to be like that. I want to know more. A lot more. I don't want to live a boring life." I've read all about them… Rayek climbed the highest mountain, Gallahad explored the great forests and even reached the very edge of the world…

But Evelyn is right. I haven't seen them. I knew all about the city, but seeing it like this… words can't even begin to compare.

"I want to see them too."

"Really?" Evelyn's mouth opened wide.

"Yeah. I want to see them. See everything." Evelyn's lips curled into a wide grin.

"Then when we grow up, let's see it both together. Okay?"

"I'd like that." Alice replied back with a gentle smile.

"That's a promise. No take backs." Alice giggled.

"Promise. I won't forget about it."

"Good. Good." Evelyn let out a sigh of relief.

"And… don't tell Marley and Jack about this place, okay?" She looked back with an almost pleading expression, the first lights of the moon shining off her face.

"Why not?" Alice furrowed her brows, but seeing Evelyn's face like that answered her question.

"Okay… I won't. This place is just for the two of us."

"I'm glad you get it. Besides, those two are a little too big to sneak into here. I doubt Marley could climb these stairs anyway." Alice giggled.

"I could just see it. We'd probably have to leave him at the bottom." Evelyn chuckled back.

"That's mean, even for me. You wanna… wanna go down?" Alice shook her head.

"Let's stay here for a little longer. It's just so beautiful." She looked out as the moonlight bathed the sparkling city in its colors. Evelyn stared directly at Alice.

"It is beautiful."