Journey to Utopia

24: Pain Motivates

MY HEART was racing, especially when the two men looked sad and went quiet after what I said about marriage. I am bothered by their faces echoing charisma despite the evident negativity.

But all three of us hear the sounds of monsters in different pitches. That’s more important than some sort of love fight because I don’t know exactly what happened decades ago. But a realization hit me.

They were in love with Corvina. Not me. Not Amara.

Right. That should be enough reason to stop them from fighting over me.

I ended up standing to head upstairs, but Navi held my arm.

“Ignore it,” he said, referring to the sounds we hear.

“What’s that?” Dave looked confused.

Navi rolled his eyes. “Some sound to scare you.”

Dave flashed an amused and sarcastic smile. “Oh really? Thanks, I’m scared.”

What the hell’s with these guys?

I tried pulling my hand away, but Navi is stronger!

“Ignore or get hurt.”

“But what if they go down here?” I worryingly asked.

“Who’s ‘they’?” Dave intervened.

“Alright. I got them.” Navi answered my question before standing up and leaving the kitchen. Is he going to deal with those creatures only by himself?!

“Wait!” I held his arm, anxious about what might happen. The last time I left was because of one of those creatures, that’s why letting him manage them alone feels wrong. Why do they like sacrificing?

“Don’t get worried too much...” I saw happiness in his eyes. Wait, what? “But I appreciate it.” He then gently removed his arm from my grip and completely went out of the kitchen.

My gaze slowly turned to Dave, and I saw the opposite of what I saw in Navi.

Dave looks... sad.

After a few seconds of our eyes having the moment of intimacy, he looked away, cutting the heart-melting connection.

“What are those?” he cleared his throat.

“Pets of a little girl...”

“Little girl?” His brows furrowed, but quickly changed expression when he realized what I meant. “O-oh, she lives... here... with that man?”

“Uh, sometimes.” That’s based on my understanding of what the little girl and Navi told me.

“I want to see the little girl...”

“It’s fine but I’m not sure when she’s going back.” I went back to my seat.

“No. We will find her... together.”

We got quiet after that. I don’t know how I am supposed to answer. I don’t know if we can find her.

“What... happened to you?” I bit my lower lip after that question. I know he suffered, and I wanna know more.

It took him several seconds to answer. Am I overthinking or does he really look... strange?

“I experienced... a blue night.”

My brows furrowed slowly as the noise upstairs started getting down, meaning the monsters were tamed.

“W-what?”

“You will experience it too, right? A blue night...” There was worry in his eyes. “They gave you until midnight. Let’s leave this house and I’ll help you... I can’t let you go through the blue hell.”

What the...? He knew about that midnight thing?

I just stared at Dave, not sure what to answer, until Navi came back with a pet... a wild one.

What the hell? That’s the monster from the cabinet!

I just watched them as Navi chuckled when the creature flapped its wings but didn’t fly. He sat next to me so I automatically stood up, bothered by what he’s holding. That creature bit my neck! Fortunately, the scar disappeared when I woke up.

“She seems scared at you,” Navi talked to it before looking at me. “Did something happen?”

“Well, um, it attacked me...”

He stifled a smile. Does he find this amusing? “Because you disturbed him...”

Oh, so the creature’s a male.

“Oh... sorry ‘bout that.” I am confused how he gets along with those wild creatures but I kinda feel awkward talking too much with Navi now that Dave is here, so I refrained from asking. I can see loneliness in Dave’s eyes when I do not talk to him. And I can see that on Navi too.

I should be fair to the both of them. I just don’t know how.

I ended up staring at the creature. It really looks amazing, but the fact that it will be eaten soon by the little girl send me chills.

A SIGH of relief got out of my exhausted body when Navi let Dave stay here tonight. I know they don’t get along because of their love for Corvina but there are problems right now worse than the love triangle.

For example, I need to sneak out of the house when they are asleep and go back to the palace.

It’s hard because I think Dave knows about my plan.

I wish he would have memory loss temporarily. I just wanna leave secretly and peacefully.

Just as planned, I waited for a couple of hours to ensure they’re asleep. I spent my time exploring the little girl’s room. I’m thankful I did because I found something... Not sure if this is significant for what’s happening but I found an old picture of three people which I assume is a small family. However, the faces of the parents were cut out. I can only see the face of their son who is I guess is only one or two years old. Actually, he kinda looks familiar, but no one comes into my mind no matter how much I try.

The picture was attached to a small book titled If It Ruins You, which gave my stomach knots as I read the first few pages.

To everyone who was ruined, is about to be ruined, ruined someone, and is about to ruin someone...

THE BEGINNING

If it ruins you, don’t keep it.

If it ruins you, don’t just run away from it.

If it ruins you, face it.

If it ruins you, destroy it.

If it ruins you, bury it deep down the ground until no one sees it.

A friendly advice from The Ruined Eagle.

CHAPTER ONE

The golden ceiling of the thousand-year-old castle was smooth and shiny until the man in a brown tunic splattered pig blood all over it. He cleaned the ceiling just a few hours ago but he tainted it with a stinky viscous liquid. All his sweats of hard work were wasted.

However, he did that intentionally. He risked himself for something he thought would make everyone’s life better.

His colleagues faced him with shock and confusion, but he did not care.

“What have you done?!” another man in a white tunic with a few spots of pig blood asked in frustration.

“This is not new. We always encounter blood... and screams begging for conscience.”

The colleague did not like his response. “You ruined the king’s divine ceiling! You will be punished with death!”

He made a sarcastically terrified face. “R-really? I need to... run!” That caused him a punch on the face from the muscular fist of the colleague bursting in anger. The scene brought chaos to the insides of the witnesses. A few more yells and punches were released until soldiers intervened.

They were both arrested and imprisoned. The man in brown was happy because things go as he planned while the colleague was mad and planned to tell the king about the man’s suspicious words and actions in the past few days. Little did the man know he was intentionally observed by some his colleagues after lying about his daughter’s birthday.

“What really are you doing?” the colleague asked. They were put in the same prison cell, raising the risk of another chaos.

“I am just... sitting and breathing.”

Ever since adolescence, no one liked the man’s sarcasm. It always causes arguments and physical fights.

“Do you think I do not know it?” the colleague flashed a smile of

“Then why are you asking?”

Silence with a hint of tension enveloped the cell. In any minute, the muscular colleague could beat the man so badly that he won’t be able to speak.

“You deserve--”

Their conversation was interrupted when the gate squeaked open. The king does not really care about people who were sent to jail due to a petty fist fight. But this time... he cared. The king moved his feet with confidence towards the two prisoners, in which the one in white bowed down and the other one in brown looking anxious but actually has a hidden anticipation. He almost forgot to honor the king with a bow.

As the nation’s most powerful being, the king shouldn’t be going near ‘dirty’ people, but here he is, secluded with two ‘criminals’, who committed the crime of disrespect to the king’s castle, specifically the golden ceiling crafted by the greatest men of art.

But in fact, the castle is not clean at all. Even if the man did not splatter pig blood, this place is still one of the dirtiest. And constituents are some of the cruelest.

“I do not need a bow. I need... words. Tell me why did you ruin my treasured ceiling.” The king’s voice was harsh but elegant.

“Is it really the ceiling you care about?” the man bluntly asked. Suspicion overwhelms everyone because of strangeness. When you do something unusual, everyone suddenly becomes suspicious of you. And they might be true.

Tension covered the prison cell as the fire on torches disappeared. When light is gone, darkness comes.

But the one who brings darkness is worse than the darkness itself.

I closed my eyes and the book as I let out a heavy sigh. I would probably end up reading this whole book if I won’t stop now. There’s something more important to do!

If I go back to the palace and get punished, will I be able to come back to this house?

That question lingered in my mind as I slowly and carefully went outside the room. I left both the book and picture, giving me the possibility that I won’t see them again. But if those are significant to Utopium and Dystopium, they will be in my hands again. Even if destiny hates me, I will trust in it... for now.

Surprisingly, there’s no awake Dave waiting for me. I expected him to be guarding the front door to stop me from leaving but I was wrong. I’m glad.

I successfully got out of the house and thanked everything and everyone that came into my mind. There were no hindrances in my plan. I somehow achieved success and peace today.

But I was wrong again.

Dave was actually waiting outside, leaning on a tree.

I didn’t mean what I said. I didn’t achieve success and peace today.

“Let’s go,” Dave muttered which made my brows furrow. He saw my confusion and sighed before explaining. “We’ll both go back there. Let’s face cruelty together.”

My brows furrowed even more. How can he say that with a straight face?! My heart can’t take those words lightly!

Together... I noticed how Navi and Dave always mention that word.

“We don’t need to go there together... You sacrificed yourself alone, I’ll face my consequences alone.”

He froze at what I said. I know he didn’t expect that, but it’s better for me to be punished alone.

Navi will surely be hurt if he wakes up and finds out we left him.

After all, I am a powerful hybrid! I’m not yet skilled in using my powers but I will get better in my own journey. I don’t know if I’m really headed to a perfect or wicked place. But this journey has a purpose.

“Please, Dave. Just stay here with Navi. Or else, I won’t come back.”

I didn’t wait for his answer. I turned around and walked away. Thankfully, he didn’t stop me. But I know he’s hurt. All I can say for now is sorry.

The moon gave light to the dark forest as my feet hit the dry leaves on the ground. The more steps I take, the further I move away from those two men who waited for decades but now hurt by me.

I opened my right hand to create fire that helped the moon brighten the surroundings. As I look at the red, orange, and yellow flame, it motivated me to do something.

It’s time to learn more about my superpowers.

***