Excavations and Enchantments
The sandy grounds rumble, stirring a thick cloud of centuries old dust into the air. The torches lining the walls flicker violently, carelessly tossing the lights and shadows here and there across the floor. Despite his best efforts, Daniel loses his balance, brought to his knees by the overwhelming surge of power being released. A blinding flash of white light pierces the space as the lid of the coffin in front of him shifts.
He’s frozen, a million thoughts ricochet in his head yet no words can possibly explain the phenomenon before him.
Long, slender, deep copper toned fingers peek out from the crack in the coffin, stretching, then gripping the cover and pushing it the rest of the way.
He waits in fascinated terror as the earlier unsettling noise is replaced by an equally unsettling silence. He nearly moves to grip his chest, afraid his beating heart would disturb some unknown force.
And then she rises. Her skin is a rich antique copper. Her hair is in long, thin braids draped over her shoulder with glistening golden clips scattered throughout. Her chatoyant eyes are sharp, angled, and accentuated with smoldering black lines. Her neck is adorned from chin to collarbone with thick golden necklaces, occasionally accented with flaming rubies.
She reaches her hands to the ceiling and stretches. She yawns, but even that seemingly involuntary reflex is calculated and executed with elegance. Every movement is languid, meticulous, like a snake.
Her head tilts in his direction, a deadly smile on her plump lips. Dangerous mischief glints in her eyes as she examines her benefactor. She drapes herself over the edge of her former prison, letting her arm sway back and forth like a pendulum. He follows the hypnotic movement.
“Tell me, what year is it?” she asks.
He swallows, still disbelieving this whole event. “2017… A.D.,” he quickly adds for specification.
She raises a thin eyebrow. “A.D.? Now what could that possibly mean?”
