The Butterfly Girl: A Star is Born

#70 The Sonorous Song

[Sophia]

My footsteps echoed throughout the cave, no matter how slowly I walked. I wasn't completely sure if this was the right way, but something was telling me that I made the right choice. Or more... I assumed it was. I'm not sure how to explain it, but something around me seemed to be guiding me forward. I was afraid to speak, I was afraid to look at anything. But I was more afraid of looking at something I didn't even know I was looking at. Something could be staring right through me as I approached it as if it were trying to threaten me. But instead, I blindly trudged onwards. Forwards.
I clutched my bag at my side. I felt cold and my back twitched. Finally I froze in my tracks, realizing what I had been doing. I shouldn't be blindly walking through the darkness, what was I thinking? I couldn't shake the feeling that something about this felt wrong. Was it just me being paranoid and irrational? Or was it just my instincts kicking in and trying to tell me that something was indeed wrong?
When I closed my eyes, somehow the darkness inside of me wasn't as dark as it was around me. Yet, they were exactly the same shade. I tried to take a few deep breaths and calm myself down. It didn't work, but it helped clear my head. However I dared not open my eyes, fearing that if I did, something would be there waiting for me. Instead, I blindly reached my hand into my bag and pulled out my gem. The blue hue glowing softly in my palm. I gripped it tight and the light from within glowed brighter until it formed into my sword  and I opened my eyes as I held it out in front of me. The light from my blade was enough to lead the way and help me see my feet. My flashlight was a little weak and I left it in my bag and save the battery for now. And I was somewhat relieved to find nothing waiting to attack me. I sighed deeply and continued further.

Funnily enough, the longer I wandered, the more calm I began to feel. Soon, I was beginning to accept that this was just another dark cave and that there was nothing to get me. Or, so I hoped. As I walked, I was thinking about how I got down here in the first place. I still couldn't remember more than what I could already remembered. I was dragged away by the Shadovian and then I woke up here. Why did I struggled to remember what happened? Something had to have happened in-between that may have caused this. Although, I was only guessing. Maybe my head hit something, like a rock and caused me to black out. But my head didn't hurt at all when I woke up and I'm sure it would've left a bruise if I indeed got hit or something. I've taken many bumps to the head before and I'm pretty sure I would know if I had some sort of head injury. Nevertheless, it continued to bother me.

Or you know what, maybe when Apollo was chasing after me, the Shadovain used my flailing torso as a weapon and whacked me against Apollo's body and we were both K.O'd. It was a random, funny thought, but that would've hurt like hell and I would most likely feel the pain even afterwards. So I seriously doubt that's what happened at all.
Why am I still thinking about this, I gotta get out of here.

I waved my sword around, the light reaching the walls of the tunnel. I wondered how far down I was. Everything around me looked so unfamiliar and I feared that I'd get lost trying to find my way out.
Suddenly, it began again. The light breeze carrying the note. The long, almost inaudible note that felt like it passed right through my skin. A faint, ghostly humming. I froze and and dared not make a sound. I listened closely and intently. The walls of the caves sounded like they were singing. I focused and tried humming along with it. My blade lowered as the correct tune I hummed vibrated within me and around me. And then I heard something hiss.
I lifted my head and stared behind me. Then I looked in front of me. Nothing seemed to be here, the humming sound quieter now, but I still could feel it.
"Show yourself." I whispered bravely.
Of course, there was no response.
"Show yourself." I repeated.

"T   h   i   s     w   a   y."

I breathed and gripped my sword tightly. Carefully inching my way forward. The humming continued as my nerves began to tense up. That's when I spotted it. Something blinked before my eyes. I couldn't see it well within the darkness and not even the light of my blade was enough to illuminate it. The light in front of me pulsed slowly and faintly. I soon realized it was matching the tempo of the humming. And as I got closer, I found out that it wasn't the air that was singing. Eventually, I got close enough to see its shape. And it took me a while to realize it. My nerves began to ease as the light of my blade got closer, until it was finally upon it.
It was a flower.
A blue, faintly glowing flower.
The shape of the petals made me realize that it was indeed a Moonflower. I picked it up and examined it. This one was a lot bigger than the one the Twins had shown me before. About the size of my own palm. And it looked a little more healthier than the previous one. I couldn't stop staring at it.
But as I looked it over, I was rather confused than I was relieved.
"What's a Moonflower doing all the way here?" I whispered to myself.
"Taken." it hissed back.
I gasped lightly and dropped the flower at my feet. My eyes darted around the area looking for the source of the voice. But I swear, that had to have come from the flower. I heard it in my ears. I looked back down at it and crouched above it. I told myself that flowers couldn't speak. It had to have been something else.
"What was that?" I said to no one in particular.
"The truth." it replied.
I opened my mouth and this time, it had to have been the flower speaking. I nervously reached down to touch it. Its petals were satisfyingly soft against my fingertips. I caressed it in my palm and held it up to my face the same time I let my sword touch the ground.
"You can speak?" I asked quietly.
"Always, and only the truth." it responded.

I was absolutely astounded. How was this even possible? I couldn't begin to understand it. But soon I forced myself to stop staring and focus. I had to find a way out of here. And I took the flower with me.
"How do I get out of here?" I asked myself.
"Go back." the flower said silently. I looked back down at it. A thought suddenly popped into my head.
"Can I get out of here?" I asked the flower.
"You may." it whispered. I blinked in confusion. I turned my head back to where I had come from. Was it telling me to go back? I didn't understand what it was trying to tell me.
"Your companions search for you. Worried. Afraid. You must hurry."
It took me a long time to process what the flower was trying to tell me. But the gentle humming sounded less ambient now. It sounded... warmer. Calmer. I stared into the void of the darkness and gathered my courage. I picked up my sword and held it tight in my left hand.
"Okay, let's go."
With the Moonflower in my right hand, I carefully and quietly walked back the way I came, with my sword in my other hand lighting the way through the darkness. The fear within me was beginning to subside. And I didn't feel so alone anymore.
"Brave spirit, you are hopeful. Hurry on, hurry on."