The mist was completely surrounding Charlie now, he had walked for what seemed to be a mile and the mist didn't fade. He started to feel confused. Once again the desperation started to take over him. He looked back but he could only see mist, he felt disoriented.
"No, this isn't right. There has to be an exit" He felt a warm resolution on his chest and took a step forward, as soon as he did his whole vision cleared up.
He was now standing in a small room, in the middle of it he could see a large tree. Its branches covered the room from one end to the other.
"Young Charlie, I have been waiting for you for a long time" A deep male voice sounded behind him.
In front of Charlie stood an old man. His long white beard and hair greatly contrasted his dark skin. His factions where very defined and delicate. Long dreads of hair matched his long beard. The hair locks where tied in a tall spiral that started white as snow and got increasingly dark towards the tips. A delicate head piece that wasn't quite a crown was placed over his forehead. It the center of it a large triangular purple stone was placed in and inverted position, the tip of the stone reached a few inches over the middle of the mans eyebrows.
The man stood very straight, his long purple mantle covered a very intricately decorated robe. Symbols of suns, moons, stars, lions, and dragons could be seen in the mantle.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, I see that you have already attuned with the ruby chamber" Said the man looking a Charlie up and down. He started to slowly walk around him while examining him. "Hmmm interesting... I see... I see..." the man started mumbling to himself while examining him.
"Excuse me sir, I don't believe we have been introduced. My name is Charlie Mutton." Said Charlie while extending his hand.
"Yes, yes, I know that." Said the man giving a few taps to Charlies hand.
"And you are?" said Charlie with a little anticipation on his voice, he was getting anxious with the man's attitude.
"Hmmm... young Charlie. I have been called many names. Call me Hermes, Hermes Trimegistrus. At your service." Said the man with a slight bow.
"Suri. It is great to see you too. How long has it been, 3000 years already?" Hermes was looking right over Charlie's right shoulder.
Charlie had almost forgot about Suri, he suddenly reached with his hand and grabbed her from his shoulder. She let him do it and gently rested in his palm, she seemed very shy. "It have been 5325 years and 134 days" said Suri, while looking down to her feet.
"Thank you for waiting Suri, it must have been lone.." Hermes was giving her a kind and warm smile when Suri suddenly interrupted him.
"WHYYYYY?!!!!" Suri screamed with a high pitched voice, tears where forming in her eyes. Her color started to change her eyes where turning red and her normal light started turning red, it almost seemed like shadows where seeping out of her body "Why would you leave me there? ALOOONE?!" her whole shape was covered in shadows now, her high pitched voice was getting worse and her screamed where mixed with growls. Charlie suddenly got scared and retrieved his hand, Suri was left there in the middle of the air hovering.
In an instant Hermes was holding her close to his chest, he moved so fast that it seemed like he teleported. Suri was struggling on his chest. "LET ME GO!" her screams where more a growl, high pitched, but a growl nonetheless.
"Sweet Suri" a soft smile was visible on Hermes face, his smooth complexion showed a few wrinkles by the corner of his eyes. "I apologize. I had to leave you behind, I did not know if I would make it. I needed someone to stay back, you are the only one I could task with receiving the new vessel. Please forgive me" he was carefully holding Suri close to his chest, it seemed like he was holding a small black hole at this point.
"I was alone! 5325 YEARS in between 4 walls by MYSELF. It does not matter how comfortable you made the ruby chamber. Do you have any idea how I felt after they did not come the first time around?" Suri's color started to change now she was slowly beginning to emit light again, the light had a blue hue to it. Suri was now slowly weeping "I was only supposed to be there for a little over 1 millennium, I stayed 5 times longer you know?! 5 times...longer...and, I didn't, I did not... I did not KNOW IF YOU WHERE OK!" Suri was now loudly weeping, her light was back, a low blue hue surrounded her. Small clouds surrounded her. "I was scared... I thought I was going to be trapped there forever." Her voice was almost a whisper at this point.
"Little Suri, if I would have known. I did not know they would be a step ahead of us. We are very lucky" He know lifted her and placed he in front of his face so they could look eye to eye "He is finally here, it worked." He was smiling, a light was slowly also shining from him "We should be celebrating. You did amazing Suri! You got him here!"
Hermes light was interacting with Suri's light and now she was also shining with a golden light. "I am so happy to see you again master." she flew over to his face and hugged him by the right cheek.
"I missed you too my beautiful old friend." He slowly hugged patted her on the back with one finger.
"Who are you calling old, look at you!" Suri seemed outraged.
"Oh come on, you haven't aged a day! Your wings look as fresh as they did the last time I saw you." They where now just joking around, Charlie was suddenly feeling like a third wheel.
"Ahem..." Charlie was a little ashamed and uncomfortable.
"Owww look at him. He is a sweet child. Are you sure we have to do it? It would be a shame if he looses that innocence." She was now looking at Charlie like an old aunt.
Hermes separated Suri from his face and looked at Charlie "It will be fine Suri, he has you to keep him close to the light. Besides he needs to be prepared, any other option is out of the question." His eyes rested on Charlie. A deep chill crawled thru Charlies spine. "The questions is if he is ready to start." He made a small pause
"Are you ready Charlie?"