The Phoenix's Maiden

Garden of Eden (Part One)

Amber's Point of View

I hid inside a cage like giant roots, to hide myself from the chasing monsters from earlier, also I wanted to take a breather from all of that. I’ve been running a non-stop and thinking at the same time.

I think I lost that Gerarda from earlier and I really hope that I lost it because I don’t want to be chased by that monster anymore. Also I need more sixteen more moves to complete this mission and find the way out, if I forgot only one of them then I fail the mission otherwise. I need some scenarios where I can create my new moves and find the way out at the same time.

I heard a drop of water echoed inside these roots and I was curious by it so I created my pop flash and closed my eyes before throwing it in the air, and when I opened my eyes again, I just saw a glimpse of the whole place and it became very dark again which is so inconvenient for me. Oh- Fifteen more, all my abilities so far are used for battles and I don’t have any utility moves in my current skill set.

I am starting to believe what the goddess Amaterasu said to me before she threw me in this jungle, that real situations will help me boost my battle style and she is not wrong. The things that did not come into my mind during my training inside the cave is starting to appear and give me an idea. Also my creativity at this point is much better than being surrounded by walls and greeted by rock targets that I used to destroy.

This is much better.

A torch is what I need so I generated a fireball at my hand and used my pyrokinesis to gradually make it brighter like what my pop flash did and the dark surroundings started to light up which is much better because I can see things clearly now and I saw that these roots lead to an underground cave. Which fascinates me, but I don’t know whether I venture inside it or not.

Because you see, scary monsters normally inhabit this kind of places, and I don’t want stumbling upon one of them and chasing me non-stop again. I had enough. I don’t want to kill or whatsoever and my pop flash won’t do a thing on them in this environment.

Inside me my inner thoughts are convincing me to wonder inside and I might find something beautiful but my consciousness rejects it. I am having a warfare inside me right now, curiosity vs my awareness and this time I don’t know what to follow.

As much as I want to go inside, it’s sad for me that I knew the saying that curiosity kills the cat and I started to walk away from that abyss and I don’t intend stumbling upon danger itself again.

“hEelLp,” my feet froze on its tracks as I heard a faint cry from inside the cave. I looked back keeping my torch fireball on my hand. Is there someone inside this cave? It feels like that the voice is calling for my help and the one thing that I can’t ignore is that its a woman. It’s faint but I’m sure that the owner of that voice is a woman. Well technically I would still save that person if it is still a man.

But there is something inside me that I should help that woman as soon as possible, I am not feminist and I believe in equity but as a fellow woman there something inside me to act much quicker. I don’t know why but my feet started to walk inside the cave using my torch ball to light the way up ahead.

“Is there somebody here?!” I shouted and my voice echoed inside the cave and I continue going deep to find the woman. Moments later...

“HeElLpP MeeEe,” another call for help was heard and I don’t know where is the voice exactly as it is.

“Hey come out where are you hiding right now so I can help you!” I responded to the voice of the woman and another same statement was heard. There is a five seconds delay in each call for help which made me think that there is something fishy in that call for help, but it’s actually late for since I went this deep already and what if there is some Mystic or somebody is really here calling for my help and I just ignored it, besides my conscience will not stop bothering me for months, it will not stop trust me.

So, it’s best for me if I find out the source for myself and deal with it once I find the source of the voice. Every step I take, my heart is beating faster and faster as the dark surroundings in this cave. I mean my torch ball is bright enough for me to see clearly but it still cannot lighten up the whole cave and there something that might ambush me from unseen corners. My heart can’t take it.

I reached a corner in the cave and the voice called for help again and the voice echoed from there. I looked on its direction and I squinted my eyes but I can’t see deep inside and I still need to go deep inside to find out and I am happy that I pinpointed the location of the voice.

“Hello!” I called for her and respond to my voice even more so I can locate her more easily. “I am here now,” I added and I heard a faint sob and it seems like the owner of the voice is lost inside the cave it might be due to what happened like me earlier, chased by monster and stumbled in this place.

Talking about this situation it reminded me when I ran away from the house of my abusive parents for the first time.

-Flashback-

It’s the middle of the night and everyone inside this house is already sleeping except for me who is wide awake and I am currently planning on escaping right now. I had enough of the pain inside this house. I don’t want to be here anymore.

My bag is packed with my clothes and some pocket money that I stole from my step father that will provide me food for a couple of days and some mementos from my family that I have never seen. I don’t know but at this moment I had the courage to do this and escape from this prison.

I am afraid but I will not fear them, no more. It’s time for me to do what’s best for me. With them or not I think I felt like that I am living in the streets and the only difference is that there are four walls surrounding me.

I took a deep breath to gather my courage and I wore the handle of the bag inside my shoulders and I stood up. I tiptoed since this wooden floor would cause a creak loud enough to wake them up especially the dragon of this place, my step mother and I don’t want to feel her wrath ever again.

I peeked on my door and I saw them sleeping peacefully and if I am just seeing them for the first time, I would be fooled that they are a kind family but I am well aware that there is a devil inside them. I carefully tiptoed towards the main door and this house is not that big.

I successfully reached the front door and I opened it slowly and not cause any noise. When I opened it completely a cold breeze of air that I did not experienced for so long touched my skin. It made shiver for a little bit but I am concentrated at escaping this house. I jumped outside and completely close the door, I don’t care if I wake them up and I ran as fast as I could.

When I am far away from that house, I stopped and took a breather. I observed my surrounding. Unfamiliar dark place. I don’t know where to go right now.

-End of Flashback-

Yes, that’s the same feeling that felt before.

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-