Journey to Utopia

25: A Blue Night

I ARRIVED at the palace after a few hours since I got a bit lost in the forest. I don’t even know how I managed to reach my destination. I just walked and walked.

Maybe it’s... luck? Or some unknown forces are secretly helping me? Acceptable. I’m a Wi-Nix and I should bear that in mind that both my bloodlines are no joke. My life in the palace was nice until that crime I didn’t even commit. Whoever set that up surely hates me and is most likely part of the Evil. Damn them! I will have my revenge when I get better.

Oh, right. I’m about to be punished. I bitterly laughed inside, realizing I can’t train myself for now because I will go through hell first.

After all of these, I promise to finally treasure myself, my abilities, my powers, and explore my past life. That way, victory will slowly come to my side.

“Lady Wi-Nix, you’re late!”

I let my eyes roll. Those authorities who handled Margarita’s case hate me. I’m actually starting to think if they’re the ones who framed me…?

That’s just another if. And I don’t know how and when I would confirm it.

“Should we make your punishment worse?”

I rolled my eyes again. “Sure...” However hard it will be, I know I’ll survive. Not that I see the future. But I believe the truth will prevail... someday.

Or maybe some truths aren’t meant to be believed?

Negative thoughts really do not go away. When I think of something positive, negativity comes, and then my mind ends up anxious. These happen over and over again. What a terrible cycle.

“Really? You sound like you just agreed for your ego.”

I was guilty so I didn’t talk back.

Fortunately, the magistratus arrived. I don’t really trust him but he is the only one who still treats me nicely despite Margarita’s death. Though I’m not sure if he’s genuine or just pretending for his own gain.

He didn’t say anything to me. He didn’t even smile. He just whispered something to one of those men handling the case, and then the soldiers cuffed my hands.

“Drink this,” one of the soldiers demanded as he holds a cup in front of my face.

They want me to drink that liquid but I don’t want to. I know something will happen if I do.

“You drink it first.” My eyes were fixed to the soldier’s eyes, trying to intimidate him. But I know he was just ordered to do this.

He looked at the magistratus, who was actually watching us.

“Drink it, Corvina...” he gently said. But I didn’t like how he supported this bad plan against me. I know he has reasons but what he did just made me realize more that no one would be on my side if they’d be hurt. No one would be on my side if there are no advantages for them.

That painful fact prevailed in me. I did my best not to release tears as I bitterly obliged to drink the unknown liquid.

THE SURROUNDINGS were dark and quiet as I opened my eyes. My head hurts, giving me a slightly blurry vision when I stood up despite my legs aching.

Trees... Trees... Trees... are all I see. The thing is they are... blue?

My eyes wandered around and I was alarmed when I realized everything is blue. Then there’s a pond... which looks familiar. I think I’ve seen it before. I think I’ve seen these blue surroundings before.

The thought of the color blue and the person Blue sent chills down my spine. This is where I caught his betrayal...

And I suppose this is where blue nights happen.

I sighed and looked around again, confused why I’m alone. There should be someone torturing me. That thought made me look at my body. Another confusion came to me as I saw wounds and blood with a tint of blue. So this is why my body hurts!

A few minutes later, no one’s still here to t*****e me. But I guess I was tortured when I was sleeping? I’m not sure but these wounds say it all.

I looked at the metal handcuffs. Should I run away or stay? Should I do what I did when Naya forgot to uncuff me?

Just when I thought of escaping while I’m alone, a loud noise enveloped the area. A blue-eyed dragon came flying. My eyes were suddenly fixed on its eyes as I’m reminded of Blue. I thought a Phoenix and a blue-eyed dragon are friends but now I realized that was just a lie.

“Good evening, Lady Wi-Nix!” a female voice greeted. I looked at my back and there I saw a woman I don’t know.

“Oh, apologies. It’s a good evening for us but a bad evening for you.” She even had the audacity to chuckle.

“So...?” I raised a brow. “Are you gonna kill me or what?”

She gave me a wow look. “Excited to die?”

I wasn’t able to answer when there was a sudden attack from behind. There’s another woman who bit my neck, and she looks exactly like the first woman! Are they twins?

“That’s the best blood I’ve tasted in my whole life...” Her voice was elegant but the tone was creepy.

I scoffed when I realized she’s a vampire. I touched the part of my neck with a bite and I really saw blood. Her statement urged me to taste my own blood in order to prove if she’s saying the truth.

I tasted my blood a little and what the hell! It tastes damn bad! Not delicious at all! Vampires got strange taste buds.

“Anyway, let’s start before we run out of time,” the first woman said.

“What the...” My eyes grew bigger as I slowly levitated. “...hell.”

Thick metal stuff formed a few meters above the pond, and my handcuffs were attached to it. The metal and I are damn floating! What the hell is this?!

“Cruelty is destined for you... Corvina Flamiva.”

And hell started.

THE CHANCES of escaping is the same as my math grades. They are both low.

Ironic how Corvina is good at Mathematics, especially Geometry, because I literally suck at those.

Now I suck at defending myself as well. That’s why I’m already starting to push myself to the acceptance of the fact that this blue night is the most painful punishment, and I can’t win whatever I do with my powers because of my stupid knowledge.

Alright, I’m discouraging myself.

I guess it’s been hours since I started floating with whatever metal thing is this. They tortured me so much that time... and now they’re torturing me again.

I can’t even describe the pain because it’s too overwhelming. I can't describe everything about how they tortured me. It's so traumatic, so cruel.

However, all my wounds were gone. The pain I feel right now is the worst I had in my whole life, even though there are no traces of physical pain. No wounds. No scars. No blood. Just an excruciating pain.

And for hell’s sake, they are asking me to solve math problems!

“Answer my question in 10 seconds,” a woman with a blue mask demanded. “This pond is a thousand years old. To be exact, 1016 years, 11 months, and 24 days. Since its 194th year in existence, this gets 3 meters deeper every month. Now this is 357,815 meters deep, but half was hidden by an unknown individual believed to be from the Evil. The question is how deep was this pond 3,146,592 hours ago?”

What? The? Hell? Did? She? Say?

I already know what my weakness is. Or what my weaknesses are.

If I call Naya right now, will she still come despite the blue night? Is she even here, though? We are in different worlds...

“Ten...”

But after everything and everyone I encountered, those impossible were possible according to what the Evil wanted... what the Evil wished for... the Evil’s desire.

“Nine...”

I suddenly remembered my unfinished painting. I hope it’s still okay since I worked hard for it. How unfortunate of me to end up in this pond where I witnessed a friend’s betrayal.

“Eight... Seven...”

Why didn’t I tell Dave, though? It’s been a long time! I should have told him already that Blue is a traitor! But for an unknown reason, I don’t know how to admit it. I just feel like there’s something missing and I can’t properly decide without completeness. The puzzle still has some missing pieces soon to be found. Or maybe the puzzle I’m trying to complete is hopeless. I should have chosen a better one... a puzzle that will most likely lead me to success.

“Six... Five...”

The Evil probably completed its puzzle that’s why it gets what it wants.

How powerful is the Evil? How can it make things under control?

“Four...”

My weakness is my inner self. I have always known it. When my inner self is attacked, I can’t function properly. But I realized there’s more.

“Three...”

My weakness is... math.

“I...” I heaved a worried and confused sigh.

“Two...”

Damn.

“One--”

“Do you know the answer?” I asked the woman and I saw she was startled.

“Of course!” She proudly answered.

“Then why ask me? You already know the answer. Unless you really don’t know and you are just using me to solve your ridiculous math problem.”

“Shut your--”

“Why do I have to answer that question? Why me? Why not you?”

I know I’m pissing her off but I need to distract her while I’m doing something... secretly.

“If you would like to skip this question, then let’s move on to the next one!”

“I would like to know first what the answer is...”

“I can’t tell you,” She shook her head. “Unless you answer the next question.”

“What if I don’t?” My left brow raised on its own.

“Spend the night deep down this pond... and never come back.”

I don’t know if I should be scared or excited. I wanna see what’s under the pond...

Maybe blue-eyed dragons?

“Then... I won’t answer.” I’m crazy.

Pain enveloped my body as a dragon attacked me. I hate the fact that I don’t have wounds nor bruises but the pain is excruciating like hundreds of ten-wheeler trucks hit me all at once.

I can feel but can’t see...

The fire doesn’t burn me...

There is no evidence of torture...

My scars are invisible so I don’t know if anyone would believe me if I say I went through hell...

This taught me that you can’t see everything. What you see is just someone’s little piece. Every piece is important in everyone’s puzzle of who they really are and what they really experience. But you can’t complete the puzzle with just one tiny piece.

What we don’t know is greater than what we know.

Just like in the universe, there are more secrets and mysteries than revelations and discoveries.

I smiled bitterly as I closed my eyes, can’t bear the pain anymore.

“HOW WAS your first blue night?” the judge smirked, reminding me of Ivan.

What a bad way to start the day.

I found myself awake in the garden, right beside the fountain. It’s morning and the sun is shining brightly so I know they clearly saw my eyes rolling.

The irritation was replaced by surprise when I realized the judge isn’t the only one here. There are a lot of people around with their eyes on me! They are also whispering to each other and I know it’s about me! All about me!

“Oh,” the judge said when he saw my surprised expression. “I forgot to tell you that you have an audience today.”

They think this is fun, huh...

“You’re the main character for today’s show.”

I was tortured last night, then I wake up the next day to be tortured again with hundreds of people watching.

I had the urge to use my fire powers against them, but conscience haunted me. These people are innocent and were just poisoned. If I fight using my powers, they’ll be more convinced I’m a bad person... and a killer.

I know I’m not like that. I will prove I’m not.

“Then... let the show b-begin.” Saying that was like telling them to kill me, like accepting my death. They’re probably thinking that I am hopeless and helpless. They think I’m a weak, a piece of s**t. They think I can’t defend myself anymore. But that’s just in their perspective.

My point of view is different. There’s still a way to save myself.

***