Chapter Seventeen: The Secret Chamber

“I can’t believe we’re passing through this tunnel. Is that a portal─?”

“Please… don’t spoil it with too many questions. Let’s keep going…”

They passed in alley beneath the big ancient weeping willow tree, directing into a narrow stairway tunnel. This quite spooky passageway almost considers a path to a dungeon full of stairs downwards and each stairway edges becoming narrower. This passageway they passing through conquered with darkness, a tasting smell of horrid and echoing stepping sounds from their feet, travelling downwards from the stairs. But it’s rarely possible for you to stay longer in this dark passageway which leading into the so called Secret Chamber.

The unrivalled old woman’s strength extremely showcases from her as she stepping down from each stairs. Her strength and agility astonishingly brilliant, compared as speed of a youthful maiden. Her torch’s light merely illuminating and guiding their steps towards their destination.

At last, both of them arrive safe and sound. Enrico recognises the place they stop by in the latter. As the old lady removes her cloak, snapping her finger and all candles ignite itself. Those candles surrounded the whole chamber and more big candles in ever post. Enrico flabbergasts as she found Rebecca swaying her outstretching arms gracefully and the dead chamber once again brought into life. First, the harp playing, the plates floating in the air and arranging themselves in the artless wooden table. Second, the unwashed dishes moving freely and washing their selves in the running water from the water-pipe. Third, the kettle steams gradually under the heat of five candles surrounding it. Fourth, the topsy-turvy restores into the usual arrangement, the moving knife slicing the veggies, and later spilling itself in the boiling cauldron under a flame from the stones beneath in it. Rebecca raises her staff and the wheat, water, sugar flying altogether starting to bake a lovely French bread with aroma of cinnamon powder.

“Bloody wicked, how did you that!” Enrico exclaims with extreme astonishment.

“Remember, you’ve been here before? It’s all just the same lad, don’t you forget?” she grins.

Enrico’s curiosity ignites once more as he roaming around, observing, scanning and examining so distinctly every single strange activity occurring in the chamber. It comes to his vision a bunch of flowers blooming swiftly. Vine plants crawling uncontrollably over the walls, some flickering wasps, butterflies and dragonflies hovering around the flowers along with the vining plants as well. In the corner of the room, a long wooden table with a wide silver basin on top of it displays. It has ancient carved texts and medieval designs, glimmering azure light alluring your attention to come and visit.

A par from that, the ancient runes scrolls in an old parchment called as papyrus. It has also symbols, ancient texts, some procedures of ancient alchemy and enchantments as well. Many legendary artifacts exhibiting in the wall─ like the axe of Malveir, harp of Apollo, bones of Delphi prophesy, the lost sword of Damascus steel, potions, daggers and shield, powders and many more. Enrico’s astonishment cut off as Rebecca clasps his right shoulder and bomb shells him.

“Son, are you hungry? The food is ready…” she grins.

“Oh, quite peckish ─ma’am but I’m fine thanks.” He smiles demurely.

“Don’t lie to me son, I know you must be starving, let’s eat if you may, the foods are very delicious… have some bite.”

“Wait…it seems I haven’t seen this part of the building before…” he travels his sight in s crisscrossing manner.

“Yes, you haven’t. When I’ve vanished from this house, I merely exposed a certain part of this, but not the entirety of this one ─ this one you perceive by your naked eyes is the whole.” Rebecca chases his sight.

The inviting aroma of the freshly prepared foods on the table, makes Enrico’s tummy grumbling. The smell of the grilled chicken, the fresh fruit salad, cheese and bacon flavoured in a loaf of bread with few leafy veggies in it inviting you to have some bite. The most interesting one, the roasted garlic bread with cinnamon powder on top and fairy bread with few toppings deliciously drops your tongue and making your saliva to overflow. These hot foods on the table steams distantly, making your fasting days to join this private banquet. After the prayer, Enrico feasts by grabbing the chicken’s drumstick and taking a large bite in it. He also fills his plate with each food displaying on the table and sipping a bit of his tomato juice.

Rebecca displays her wide open zipping mouth from ear to ear, grinning genuinely as seeing Enrico eating like a starving orphan taking large bite in each food display. She feels graciously bless, sharing her lavish living to others especially to Enrico who she long waited to fulfil the prophecy and save the humanity from harm. In a half hour later, the feast concludes, the excess foods pack into hand-carry food containers and Rebecca informs him to deliver these to the beggars and the homeless people outside the streets. He agrees. He brings those outside, taking him for quarter minutes to get back. Yet, as he returns, everything sets already. He ambushes her abruptly with a candid question.

“Ma’am, they’re so happy receiving your kindness but─ please tell me.” He grabs a wooden chair.

“Yes, son what bothers you?”

“What─ are you? I mean like who are you? What kind of things you do? What sort of magic is this? Please tell me…please.” He begs.

“Son, perhaps this is the perfect time for you to know everything.” She taps his left shoulder.

Enrico rouses up from his seat and both of them heading towards the silver basin. As they halting, they clasp their hands altogether on top of the basin, facing oppositely to each other. Rebecca pulls up a potion vial in her pocket and pouring it out into the glimmering water. Enrico stuns for everything he witnesses in a few moments like a flash of clairvoyance that flashing a series of events from both past and future. The silence once more conquers the chamber. Enrico still defeats with speechless, recognising each single event flashing out in the glimmering water.

“This is you… you’re a witch? Or fairy or how─ I don’t understand.” his face disfigures.

“If I tell you everything, I’m afraid you might run in terror. I can see past and future and I saw you. Even in the beginning of your conception you are destined to be a noble, a hero, a good citizen and a virtuous man.” she narrows her yes to him.

“But, why─ me…? I’m not a hero, I’m not a saviour, forget what you know. I’ve heard the same tales with Mrs. Clearwater, are you─?” he sighs.

“No! Certainly, not─ I have no idea what are you talking about?”

“But, I heard same prophesy Mrs. Clearwater told me.”

“You’re wrong! I’m not mistaken of choosing you. You’re courage and dedication impresses me. Now heed my call. Come forth and placed your loyalty to serve the one who needs you. We need you Enrico…we need you.” She clasps his hand.

Enrico turns back to her, escaping from her clasps and purring into uncontrollable silence. He slowly marches into the corner of the table, halting and reclining his hands in it, hunching his position and raising his head eventually staring in a mirror.

“I know what you feel Enrico, you’re in hesitant, but I know how far you can go in facing your destiny. This is all inevitable. If I wish to do it on my own, I did, but surely I have no chance crafting the possibilities in chances of saving─ you and even my beloved. We all doom and at least we could try to stop the dark lord’s rebirth which leads into great chaos.” She leans her face to his right hand.

Upon hearing her whimpering moans with shaking hands in her face, he dawns back from his dexterity in mind to make apology to her , letting her feel his sincerity of showcasing his apology. He accepts the challenge but Rebecca insisting, in this challenge no turning back and no retreat at all. Enrico contemplates in a few moments with extra careful of his decision, but as he recalling Elizabeth in his mind, he casts back his memory with her. He rushes himself towards the silver basin once again. He recalls the sudden changed of Elizabeth’s demeanour and he looks so distinctly finding some answers in the glimmering water.

“Hang on, could you please tell me about what happened to my…uhm─ to Elizabeth? Lately, she strangely changed like─ her manners, her attitude, her demeanour. I want to know about it, please.” He begs her as he staring in the glimmering water, reclining his both hands on top of the basin.

“What did you say? Changed? My good─ Hang on─ enlighten me, who’s that Elizabeth you talk about─? ” she stuns.

Enrico summarises the events after the birthday celebration and his absence in mansion. He also narrates about their escape as they went to Mr. Wager’s funeral. So, as Rebecca understands Enrico’s story to her. She pulls out the potion, rushing towards the basin and pouring it once more. They startles about the flashing events in the glimmering water like a scene in a movie.

“I confessed, I care for that girl and Mrs. Clearwater begs me to protect her. I want to do it now, she’s in grave danger!” he raises his voice.

“Now, answer me, do you fancy her or─?” Rebecca cut off.

“Sorry ma’am to cut you off, but I like to protect her certainly, I know she hates me but still I promise to Mrs. Clearwater, I’m a man with a word. Clearwater’s family is good to me, I would like to help even if I’ve got nothing in return, this is my philosophy” he replies valiantly.

“So, you’re ready for your journey?” she knits her eyebrows.

“Certainly, if this would be my destiny, let me do it then.”

“Hang on lad. What are you mumbling about? Don’t rush me. Again for you to rescue her, think before you attack. Don’t be foolish of attacking without planning because clumsy attack will not work at all, but if you have perfect timing to attack it could really help you.” She smiles.

“Okay, how could I start? I must press on!” he clenches his both hands as he knits his eyebrows.

“Speaking of thing to prepare, I have a bunch of collected artifacts and weapons. Now all you have to do is to choose the most needed one. Now hurry! Take a look for anything you needed in your journey.”

The entire chamber reveals everything. The artifacts are no longer limited but it displays everything by more than twice. He chooses his weapons by the help of Rebecca’s amulet called Scelta. Every single weapon needed will light once it inches to this amulet. However, Enrico later realises, he has more than chosen things he could carry by his normal body. So, Rebecca bestows him a magical pouch called Busta.

“Ma’am, how could I possibly carry all of these strange things I’ve chosen with that small pouch? Are you sure of this?” he scratches his head.

“Come on lad. Don’t be so fool, remember, don’t underestimate everything by its physical appearance. Now, take a look and you’ll see how it works.”

Rebecca demonstrates everything to him and Enrico consumed of such astonishment, witnessing those strange things. Rebecca once again warns him for his dangerous mission that might put his life in peril. He familiarises everything and Rebecca unlocks another portal from the chamber, wishing him best of luck.