Chapter 11: In the Wine Cellar

Haru returned to the bedroom and the golden table, but Ali wasn't there.

Soon, he met up with Camille, idly dazed at a balcony.

"What are you doing?" She asked. "You look a bit pale."

"Well, Ali was with me a little while ago," He explained. "But then, I lost sight of him. Can you help me look for him?"

"Where was the last time you were with him?"

"In the treasure box room."

Camille sighed and followed him. "Fine, jeez, how could you lose him?"

"Well, that's…"

Haru thought he ought to tell her what they are up to.

They're not particularly hiding it and the others might help them too.

"A pentagon stone?! That sounds cool. I'll help."

"Sure, but let's search for Ali first. He's sensitive and fragile, so I'm really worried about him."

While Camille went further up, Haru went down to the basements of the castle where they haven't explored much.

Opening the doors one by one and walking through the foyers, he chanced upon another double arch-shaped door.

The moment he opened it, he saw an elegant wine cellar.

There was a golden scaffold wall at the center with white lights gleaming at a black cabinet.

Beside it are grey shelves loaded with jade black wine bottles.

The sidewalls had wooden criss-cross patterned shelves with a variety of high-class looking wines as well.

Haru neared the center, knelt with one knee, and opened up the cabinet below the small platform area.

As soon as he saw the wine glasses filled with different shades of liquid, most likely the wines, he couldn't help but feel repulsed.

He fell down as his stomach turned and his chest throbbed painfully.

Haru suppressed the repulsive memories trying to kick in triggered by the wines, knowing fully well that his memory might be connected to the other four and seeing what ugly circumstance he had gone through.

He shook his head and shut his eyes, refusing the bad memories to sneak in.

"Don't think about it, don't think about it," He repeated, whispering to himself.

It only got worse when someone else's memory had also seeped in.

It was from Camille.

He got alarmed that something might've happened to her as well.

He gasped for air when he felt someone tugging his shirt.

Teary-eyed, he looked back and saw Ali.

Glared at his expression of worry, Haru let out an exhale of relief.

"Ali, I was worried," Haru sighed. "Where did you run off to? We were looking for you."

Instead of clearly answering, Ali pointed inside the cabinet again, looking intently at something.

Haru reluctantly looked back, unable to avoid seeing the wine glasses again.

He was able to endure it, though, as he was distracted at the teardrop-shaped ruby at the very bottom.

Haru quickly grabbed it and pulled the little boy away from the room.

When they got a bit far from the room, they stopped for a moment.