Chapter 2
The young woman drinks from water that drips off the cavern walls, her hair now dark crimson—her eyes glowing red in the dark backdrop of the cave.
Using the bat, she had learned to hunt and she has fed on a dozen since her first memory.
She learns that the more she eats, the stronger she becomes.
Her body changes, both in appearance and in function.
Her glowing red pupils now see in the dark as well as the torches' illumination, her eyes no longer sear from the smallest of light.
It was as if her body mutated to hunt in these caves.
She finishes drinking, picking up the bat once more—her direction marches toward the vines which seem to lead her.
Those things helped her find prey, the floral scent of flowers stopping her from vomiting.
Her crimson hair tangles on her body, dry and rough—contrasting their initial silky verdant green.
Still, her mind is blank. Instincts influence her being while humanity is locked behind a battered mental wall.
The cave in front of her forks—and the vines sail to the left.
Her feet follow in pursuit.
Then she arrives, a pocketed room with three paths ready to be walked on.
But she stays put, not knowing what to do without those vines—she waits.
Then, a tug pulls away on her finger.
It nudges her towards the left—her obedience moves her body, following the vines.
And at the end of the path, a singular oak tree stands tall.
Grass and flowers blanket the ground and beautiful, colourful winged insects flapping their wings along the rays of mellow green decorating the atmosphere.
Then, something rings in her mind.
Sounds,
Multiple. Sounds.
Sounds she had never heard before,
it was orderly.
'step'
Her heartbeat rises, eyes and head darting to find the source.
'step into the light.'
She staggers, her body moving in confusion—the situation impossible to understand.
She steps once, trying to look for something.. anything to make sense of herself.
Then one more.
Shivers run through her spine, goosebumps rising as she feels a sound resonating in her bones.
Something in her head popping and the sound gradually shows itself in her mind.
'remember'
The sound echoes in her being, the sound beating and beating and beating again.
As if smashing open a wall.
Then, something else appears.
As if smitten by knowledge, her movements stop and her eyes start to roll back—mouth wide open.
'Language.'
Her soul seems to come back, her body moving again and her red pupils roll in the middle once more.
"La—languej" her voice comes out, her first words spoken.
Her world unraveling and stitching itself back into layers, her memories now elevated with context.
But still, her mind is nothing but a wall smearing with paint.
'remember'
It rings once again, now as her thoughts.
"Rememba?"
"Wha do you need me to remember?" Her speech gradually getting better.
"Tell me!" She demands.
Then, with a breeze that seemingly came from nothing, her eyes blinked and it opens again.
Her tongue, stuck to a wall—sucking water that drips off the cavern walls.
She was in the beginning again, where today began.
'remember' ringing in her mind.
"UUUAAARG" she groans.
Her hand clutching her head — that crimson threads of hers puffing on below her grasp.
"La!!!"
"EURGH!"
'REMEMBER'
"LANGUAGE!" she screams, tears in her eyes.
"Haha.. hahahaha.. HAHAHA" she chuckles, "I remember."
"Language." Her smile going from ear to ear.
For the first time since her first memory, she felt the world open up.
No longer the dead coldness of caves.
"Fucking monsters." She chuckles faintly.
"I'm hungry" "where am I" "I want out".
Questions racing in her mind.
"I wonder if there is out."
Yet, with her newfound layer—she still follows them.
"Flowers."
"The flowers will take me."
Bat in hand, she follows the vines in front.
But things felt wrong..
The cave felt familiar.
"The rocks, the water and the sound of water dripping.."
"They're all the same!"
It was the same as her vision.
"The forked path!"
Her heartbeat rose, her breathing turns to pants — she's now running.
Dropping her bat, not a care in the world.. she's in joy.
And finally she arrives.. again.
Huff
Huff
Panting, but she didn't stop to rest—instead, she started to walk confidently, not realizing the vines left behind as if blocked by something.
She peers into the left and what's there wasn't the peaceful room before.
Instead, it was dark and ominous—a figure robed in shadows and a horn-like crown standing in the middle.
Its eyes sickly green and its height as tall as the room.
Beautiful yet fragile winged insects, the same as before circling it like they were circling the tree.
'step'
Her footsteps reveal her presence and the robed figure notices.
In an instant, those once beautiful insects wilted in shades of gray—finally falling beneath its covered feet as nothing but white dust.
"It's dangerous!" Her mind exclaimed.
The figure turns towards her, its gaze glimmers in entertainment.
"You"
"You're not supposed to be here dear child" he chuckles, the words and laughter echoing throughout the cave.
His face grows closer, as if inspecting her.
She staggers backwards, "I need to get out!" — her mind urging her.
"You're one of my sister's."
"How intriguing."
"What an adorable little thing she gave herself to" he chuckles again.
"That is why she's WEAK." He says in a condescending tone, angry and raspy down in the end.
The very ground and ceiling shake from his words, the pressure of his being weighing down on her.
"Wh—what are you?!" She stammers.
He tilts his head, grinning in a mischievous manner.
"Who do you think you are?"
Cold runs down her skin, shivers echo in her spine.
"Please.." she says, softly.
"Let me go" the rest didn't come out, stuck within her mind.
"Heh.. HAHAHAHA" he cackles.
Dust whipping up from the cave seemingly moving from his very laughter.
"Since you asked so nicely" he says, in a mocking manner.
"Fine. I will tell you." Now, stern.
Her leg trembles, her knees giving out.
Her chest rising and falling, fast, slow, deep, shallow—her breathing interrupted.
"I'm many things."
His unsettling grin lights up on his face.
"In this era, people call me conflict,"
"How stupid." He adds.
"Conflict?" Her mind noting it down.
Gears, rolling in her soul—his words seem to have a deeper meaning that shakes her bones.
"But I can't remember.."
"I DONT REMEMBER ANYTHING!" her annoyed thoughts flashing in.
"Why am I here?!" She speaks up.
"WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"
The question lingers, and the robed figure starts to walk—lifting its head upwards, away from her body.
Each step shaking the very ground, her feet struggling to stay planted.
He stops and turns towards her sharply.
"YOU DONT DEMAND ANYTHING!"
Rumbles.
The cave rumbled—and a chunk of the wall falls, thudding.
"What the fuck."
Emotions swirl in her, disgust, fear, unease, frustration, annoyance, and anger all at once.
"I know who he is.."
"But I don't!"
her mind scrambling to find something.
"He's an enemy, he's disgusting — but.."
"he.. he knows what I am!"
Her knees fall to the floor, "Please, why am I here?" She sobs.
His grin returns
"I don't know why you're here" the smile clearly showing on his face.
"But I know you're not supposed to be down here.. not yet." His teeth showing, that ear to ear grin striking her retinas.
Her face reflected on his green eyes, his gaze as if seeing through her, "You're corrupted, poisoned..your blood doesn't do that often," grin intact—slowly chuckling.
The sounds coming from his mouth echoes in her brain, the figure's words pressure her soul.
"Run" her mind screams
"Do something" but her body refused.
"RUN!" her vision turns cloudy, her consciousness failing.
He moves closer again, "my sister bloomed you for a reason, do you know?"
"Bloom?" She snaps herself back to reality, "what do you mean bloom?" Her thoughts racing.
"I..."
"I don't remember anything." She answers, stammering on her words.
"..."
"I see." He replied, in a cold tone.
"What?"
"I see?! What does that even mean?" She thinks.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" she snaps back.
The figure then, as if losing interest, moves his eyes away from her.
"You see?"
"What do you s—"
'SNAP'
With a snap of his unseen fingers, a slide of flesh, blood, and bones open up below her.
"EEUUAARGH!" She yelps, hand barely grabbing onto a piece of bone jutting near the entrance.
"HEY, WAIT!" she shouts in anger, but the figure was already walking away.
Each step shaking the ground atop her.
"No.."
"WAIT."
'Thud' shakes
"WAIT!!"
"STOP! PLEASE."
He steps again, her grip losing from the vibrations.
"I.. can't... —hold."
Her grip loosening, the slimy bone rejecting her palm.
"COME BACK!" her last plea, before the last step breaking her grip—sending her down the slide.
Her scream ripples out, leaking into the caves above.