Journey to Utopia

15: Cruelty Over Fantasy

PEOPLE SHOUTING of panic, fear, and shock enveloped my ears as soon as we got out of the isolated stage. Once a lovely party, now full of terror.

The sky isn’t enough to describe how dark and chaotic this night is. I looked down, not sure where to start. I stared at my hands and realized they have dried blood... Naomi’s blood. How is she still alive, though?

Wait... I shook hands with the officials earlier...

“Heeelp!”

I immediately looked up when I heard a very loud yell from someone. I found her but it was too late. She was burned by the dragon already…

That was damn fast!

Still, I quickly ran to that direction as fire formed in my hands. I placed my blazing palms in front of the dragon’s face and then… attack.

But nothing happened.

I released fire again but the dragon just got more aggressive! We both got angrier. With my eyes full of frustration, I stared at the dragon, trying to think what to do if my next attack won’t work. However, it just blew fire to the sky and flew away after a few seconds. It looked mad but why the hell didn’t it hurt me?!

The confusion quickly faded when I suddenly felt something hot on my back. I already knew what it is. I looked around and saw a lot of people fighting against the dragons and they’re in pain and hardship too. It’s not only me. I should not feel weak or anything.

My eyes were darker than the sky as I glared at the dragon behind my back. I saw how its red eyes reflected the moonlight.

“You remind me of someone,” I told the dragon as if it would understand me.

Through my peripheral vision, I saw Dave confusedly gazing at me.

It’s weird how the dragon didn’t attack me despite burning my back a moment ago. It’s just staring at me like it scrutinizes my soul. And I really do remember someone… with a mask now removed.

Every second that passes without anyone hurting me, I feel weirder and weirder. This doesn’t seem right. They should have attacked or killed me already.

“Amara,” I came back to my senses when Dave called me. None of the dragons are attacking him too…

Something is wrong.

“You’re not…” he hesitated for a bit. “…fighting.”

I heaved a sigh as I turn my gaze back to the dragon’s eyes. I slowly opened my hands and tried to make fire.

Without a single word, I attacked every dragon I saw. I just wanna get their attention so they would leave these people alone.

I don’t know why the hell the officials don’t use any superpower or magic to fight against the enemies… they’re freaking insane.

Is this a part of the show? Are they fooling me again?

The dragons ignored my attacks…! This is making me frustrated! We both produce fire. They can make me feel the pain but I can’t hurt them!

I looked back at the dragon who still doesn’t leave me.

A lot of things have been bothering me, making it difficult for me to understand and explain what’s really going on right now! My mind is loaded! This night is so chaotic, noisy, and everything!

And this dragon keeps staring at me with those damn red eyes… another problem!

In return, I stared back at it for around a minute. I hear a lot of noises but I tried to focus on myself and the dragon as I slowly tried to make fire again but… I can’t!

Lack of energy, maybe? But I don’t feel weak nor tired!

My heart started beating faster as I try making fire over and over again. There’s heat, which I definitely feel but there are no flames!

I suddenly felt a hand on my arm and thought it was Dave so I resisted without even looking. I need to focus! My power… is gone!

“Amara!” I heard his voice and it was kinda muffled. But I just ignored it and closed my eyes, doing my best to form flames.

Again, I felt a hand on my arm. It irritated me but I controlled myself. I am literally focusing on my power right now! I don’t have time for whatever’s he wanna say.

Everything is black right now because of my closed eyes but a familiar chilly feeling found its way to my heart, adding up to my anxiety.

I disregarded that feeling because I thought it was just my worry over the current situation, the chaos and my power loss.

But unknown forces have their own way to make me regret and this is one of the worst things in our cruel world.

Again and again, I felt a hand on my arm. This time, irritation got the best of me.

“Dave, stop—”

The ghost of shock has possessed me!

I immediately tried producing flames again but I still cannot.

His signature smirk is here. “Power unavailable? Where’s your fire, Lady Wi-Nix?”

“…On your face.” I pointed at his burned cheek.

His jaw clenched but pride overwhelmed him. “Do you think you’re a savage?”

I faced him bravely. “Yeah. And I don’t like this petty surprise attack of dragons.”

“Well, I like it when enemies don’t like it.”

He smiled at his own statement.

“And by the way, this f*****g burn you gave me will heal later… and you’ll see the cruelness of fire better than your shitty power.”

I rolled my eyes and I pull my hand away. I was about to answer when my eyes caught a man on the ground.

What the… Is that Dave?!

I rushed to him and confirmed that he really is Dave! He has some blood on his forehead!

I muttered a curse as I looked back at Ivan. “What the hell did you do to him?!”

He shrugged. “I… don’t know.”

“What the—” I was cut off.

“But I know another thing,” he was like a kid anticipating to share what he/she did while playing with his/her friends.

He half kneeled and touched the ground with his index finger. The way the moonlight struck his soft-looking hair sent me chills to the bones.

I don’t exactly know this place but this is definitely not the garden… even though they look alike. Ivan touched the short grasses and I saw something in my mind for a second.

“I know what will happen to the two of you,” he continued. “But for now, it’s a secret.”

He gently plucked a grass and all grasses were gone!

The masked man…

No, he’s not. This is just… a coincidence.

My mind abandoned those thoughts when the green ground suddenly opened and in a snap, Dave and I were eaten by a dark hole like a mouth of an underground monster. The moon and stars witnessed that, as well as those people fighting for survival in this so-called ‘way to perfection’.

Utopium will enthrall you at first, but the reigning darkness will soon cover the facade of fantasies and hope.

The way to perfection is not even close to being perfect.

The way to perfection is dark and cruel.

The way to perfection is not real.

“FEEL THE cruelty of a perfect world.” Sarcasm was so evident in the last two words.

I want to cover my ears so that I would not heat their annoying voices. They sound like bitter witches rejected by a handsome prince.

Well, yeah, they really are witches… me too, actually.

I sighed as I don’t see Dave. Maybe he’s brought to another room. I’m worried about what is happening to him.

“Let’s start the t*****e!” one of the witches exclaimed.

Why the hell would they t*****e me?!

I breathed heavily as the handcuffs got tighter. They showed me a shiny sword and slowly it came closer to my face. Damn, I know what they’re going to do.

Anger and worry reign over me at the same time. I want to shout and constantly curse them while forming flames… but I can’t.

They made a cut on my cheek, causing a little pain.

“I drew a heart,” one chuckled.

That ‘little’ turned into painful as hell when there was suddenly an attack from the back.

Extreme heat enveloped my body as I do my best not to shout. I closed my eyes when I saw fire on the floor.

I’m a half Phoenix. How could fire kill me?

I felt another cut on my left wrist.

“Your blood is precious, lady. Let me get some…”

“Great for potions!”

“Right! And for curses!”

“Get lots of blood!”

I didn’t mind their conversation anymore. Pain is overwhelming me.

“Ah!” I wasn’t able to control myself when electrifying forces made their way to my body. Imagine being attacked with heat and electricity at the same time! It hurts so damn much!

My eyes are closed as tears fell down. I can’t witness myself get tortured like this.

“This is boring,” one commented.

Really? I’m in severe pain right now and she thinks it’s boring?!

“D-damn you, crazy… witches.” I was struggling to speak. “When I—”

“Ah!”

I froze when I heard a familiar voice.

Dave is being tortured right now as well… We’re the same. I wonder why are they doing this…

“Oh, that’s your fiancé,” one cited.

Bitch, I know.

“He’s handsome…” her chuckle irritated me. “And he has a good body…”

The hell? Does she like him?!

I opened my eyes amidst the pain and the witch in front of me continued with her statement. She even caressed my hair. Crazy!

She went on, “I wanted to spare handsome men… but he didn’t like me.”

Frustration and amusement filled my eyes.

She was damn rejected by Dave. I feel like we’re in a fairytale and she’s about to curse me because of the rejection.

“He said… he loves another woman,” her eyes screamed anger and amusement. “It’s you… I wanna kill you.”

I was supposed to be scared and worried due to her last sentence. But another thing has prevailed in my mind.

Seriously, love?! I know we became really close since we helped each other a lot. But what the witch said is unbelievable.

My mind was doubting that ‘love’ but my heart does the opposite.

Now I remember the time he thanked me… the first time I heard his ‘thank you’.

I remember those times when I can sense and feel is something bad is happening to him.

But I disregarded a particular kind of feeling. It isn’t good. Naomi warned me. And in times of trouble, romance does nothing. It’s just a damn nuisance that confuses me.

One more time, electricity struck me. I didn’t control myself anymore. It’s better if Dave hears my shouts so that he would know I’m here. He’s not alone.

“This is really boring,” that one witch repeated. Annoying!

“Let a dragon make her suffer. It would be more traumatic.”

I sighed and didn’t intervene in their conversation. Who knows? Maybe the dragon won’t attack me? After all, we both have wings.

How can I transform into a Phoenix?

It wasn’t too long until an aggressive dragon came. My worry slowly faded when I saw its blue eyes.

We’re friends…

“You thought this place leads to perfection?” a witch smirked as she caressed the dragon. “No, it leads to more cruelty.”

“Will you let yourself be fooled with those promising lies? You should know when something’s fake…”

“I hope this dragon teaches you a lesson. Stop desiring for a perfect place.”

“Utopia is just a scam to deceive foolish people like you…”

“You already know how cruelty feels like. But if you get deceived, there’s more cruelty waiting for you.”

“Why do you believe those unreal?”

“What if in the end, Utopia has the most cruel taste?”

That simple question impacted me so much that my doubts are coming back.

Why would I eat the poisonous hope of fantasy if I know the taste of cruelty?

***