Chapter 7

The biting smell of bonfire and charcoal snapped Pearl awake. She opened her eyes with a start, only to find herself trapped inside a dark wooden cage. Through the narrow cracks, she could just make out a faint sliver of light from outside.

Her hands were tied behind her back, and in her palm, Pearl still gripped the single pearl she hadn't managed to let go of. A flag was wrapped tightly around half her face, muffling any sound she tried to make. She tried to cry out, but not a sound escaped her. Left with no other choice, she hurled herself against the wooden box

She slammed herself into the box again and again, until half her body went numb from the pain. Only then did despair finally wash over her completely.

"What is this?" It was Gabriel's voice.

His tone was calm and steady, like a lifeline thrown to a drowning person. Right now, it was her last hope. Pearl sprang up and rammed the cage with everything she had.

Finally, two of the wooden bars started to bend. She pressed herself to the edge, straining to see outside.

Torchlight flickered all around her—Gabriel, Alice, and dozens of sanctuary followers stood in a circle, flames dancing in their hands.

Gabriel wore the ancient Guardian's ceremonial robes, passed down through generations, rich and divine as a god's attire. But his eyes were hollow, empty of all warmth.

"Guardian, this is the sacrifice before your union with Alice."

"I asked what's inside!" Gabriel frowned, irritation edging his voice.

Hope flared in Pearl's chest. She thrashed against her bonds, wild and desperate—as if this question was her last lifeline.

But the followers anticipated her struggle, stepping forward to steady the wooden cage that confined her.

"It defiled Sanctuary Lake, angered the deity... a curse that must be destroyed, a source of fear we cannot tolerate. Fear not, Guardian—we've already offered cattle and sheep as offerings. This... is merely its final resistance."

Before Gabriel could speak, Alice slipped her arm through his. She looked breathtakingly beautiful, her elegance heightened by an ornate pearl headdress, traditional yet regal.

"Gabriel, it's all right... I know you don't approve, but this is Frostvale's legacy. We've simplified it as much as possible," she said.

Gabriel's face remained rigid, stone-like. After a long, hesitant pause, he nodded slightly.

The last spark of hope died in Pearl. She crumpled to the floor of the cage, her mind blank, unable to fathom any way to survive.

But the next moment, the cage began to move—Gabriel and the procession slowly climbing the towering mountain peak.

A solemn voice echoed through the empty air, guiding them to swear their vows. "Gabriel Wolfson, do you vow to accept this union, to be bound together like vines around a tree, to be each other's support and protector, and to watch over this sacred land until your last breath?"

Gabriel's lips moved. The word "I do" fell like a sigh, soft yet clear enough for everyone to hear. It struck Pearl's heart like an icicle, piercing through her chest as sharply as it pierced his own.

Tears blurred her vision, but her throat felt constricted—no sound would escape.

She couldn't tell if the pain came from the imminent loss of life or the loss of the man she loved.

Gabriel was no longer hers. Never would be.

A long, deep chant rang out, announcing the completion of the vow.

She didn't need to see to feel it—her beloved was offering her up to the altar with his own hands.

Flames roared up, heat and smoke pouring into the cage. Pearl threw herself against the wooden boards again and again, desperate, but nothing worked.

It didn't take long before she was on the verge of passing out, gasping for breath as the smoke filled her lungs. Through the cracks, she caught a glimpse of Alice sitting beside Gabriel, her smile as perfect as ever as they traded vows and exchanged keepsakes.

Gabriel's senses picked up on the frantic movement inside the cage, unease flickering in his eyes, but the crowd around him kept him from getting any closer.

Pearl felt herself slipping away, her world growing darker with every breath.

*****

"Pearl! Wake up! Please wake up!" A child's voice pulled her back.

Pearl jolted awake, wincing as pain flared across her badly burned arm.

It was the young girl who'd cared for her earlier.

As soon as the girl saw Pearl awake, she quickly stuffed a bundle into Pearl's arms.

"Go, hurry! The Volunteer Affairs Office is just up ahead! There's a minibus leaving for the train station any minute!"

Pearl was shoved to her feet, stumbling forward, still dazed. For a moment, she had no idea how to thank the girl.

"But what about you—" Pearl blurted out, worried for her.

"Go! I'll be fine! My family went through a lot to get you out of there! Go now!" the girl urged, her voice full of urgency.

Pearl gritted her teeth, then bolted toward the light ahead.

"Ms. Whitman, are you carrying any prohibited items?"

The officer at the Volunteer Affairs Office didn't look up, asking the routine question before directing her to a nearby minibus.

But Pearl froze—her right palm still clutched the smooth, round pearl she'd held onto all this time.

She handed the pearl to the officer, forcing a smile. "It's for you," she said softly.

Wiping the tears from her face, she could hear the distant wail of a train whistle.

Goodbye, Frostvale. Goodbye, Gabriel.

*****

"Congratulations to the newly united couple! The evil Pearl has been burned and purified."

As soon as the words were spoken, a thick plume of black smoke rose from the scorched ashes, and the heavy smell of something burnt filled the air.

The moment Gabriel heard this, he stared in shock at the elder before him.

"What did you just say?" Gabriel demanded, his voice ringing out, raw with shock.