The Pure One -✔- Book Two of the Phoenix Trilogy

Chapter 21 The Void

A slender figure with a long, bright red hair has started to stir and come about from what it seemed like a very deep slumber.

"I'm glad you're finally awake. Now, get moving. The season will start soon." Her senses was filled with a very warm and yet authoritative voice that she knew so well since birth.

Daphne blinked her eyes fast and hard to try to focus on the person standing in front of her bed. Shock was an understatement the moment her vision cleared, "m--mother?"

"Who else? Ghost? You're acting weird again D." Her mom gave her a concerned look before shrugging her shoulders and started to head for the door while instructing, "get your act together and get out of the bed and get ready. I'll see you in half an hour."

Daphne only managed to stare in utter disbelief to her mother's retreating figure. She was in a very confused state as she looked around her surrounding. She soon found out that she was in her room, back in their old palace. Her eyes glisten with tears as she checked one by one her childhood things. Everything were exactly as it was before. Her gaze darted from the carpet, to the cupboard, then bed and finally dresser which were all painted pink. Too many memories assaulted her.

Then it hit her.

"Oh my goddess! I'm inside the void! These are all not real!" Daphne jumped out of the bed and ran after her mother. She found her busily giving instructions at the kitchen. For a moment, her eyes softened as she looked at her mother from her back. The queen of Sirens was a sight to behold, from her long fiery red hair which was clipped simply showing her curvy figure to her white, long dress.

"What on Sirenia. . ." Her mother's sky blue eyes lit up in surprise as she turned around finding Daphne standing in the doorway staring at her blankly. ". . . darling, shouldn't you be in the shower now?"

Daphne's face turned bright red from an emotionless expression and lashed at her mother, "how could you do that? How could you kill him? This is not real! You are not real!"

"D? Are you alright? What are you talking about?" Her mother asked her confused and worried as she tried to approach her.

"No! Don't you dare come near me!" Daphne shouted back, extending her shaking hands in front her. She closed her eyes shut tightly, so tight that it literally hurt. She took long deep breaths to calm herself down before opening her eyes again but her calmness evaporated as soon as her gaze landed on the sight in front of her.

Daphne was no longer in her home instead she found herself standing on the opening of the cave that used to be their rendezvous. Tears welled up her eyes like they were on a marathon race.

Hmmmmp. . . Hmmmmp. . . Hmmmmp. . .

The sound echoed throughout the cave from someone who was trying so hard to shout but couldn't. Daphne knew it too well who that someone was and what was about to happen the moment she run towards that person. She didn't want to go inside but her feet seemed like it had a mind of its own and moved inwards. She was not in control of her body. It moved exactly the same as it was before.

"N-no, no. Please stop. I don't wanna see it again." She sobbed softly begging for someone, anyone. . . She couldn't bear to witness it again.

"This is not real? Think again, my dear. This is as real as it gets." Her mother said when she reached her destination. Daphne was standing very still like a statue facing her mother smiling menacingly beside her first love who was shackled to the wall with a cloth forced inside his mouth.

"Ammmph. . . Amppph. . . Ammmph. . ."

She watched as he struggled to say something. His eyes met hers and he tried desperately to gesture for her to go and save herself. Even at his situation, her beloved still thought selflessly about her safety. Daphne couldn't talk, she couldn't move, heck she couldn't even blink her eyes. She just stood there motionless while her tears flowed endlessly. Her eyes were full of terror.

"What is it that you wanted to say, human? You dare dream to be my daughter's mate? And even dared to impregnate her!" Her mother shouted full of rage and contempt. Soon Daphne was face to face with her as she told her through clenched teeth, "yes princess. I knew about that curse inside your belly. I will not let it happen."

Daphne's eyes grew big from surprise. Pregnant? Who, me? Why can't I remember this important detail? What happened to my baby? So many questions inside her mind. Questions that she didn't have any answers to.

Her mother walked slowly back towards her daughter's lover, nails growing longer and sharper like knives. She didn't even look back as she spoke again towards the the shaking body in front of her. Four tear stricken, pleading eyes were fixed on the queen as she spoke, "you will be judged according to the Sirenian law. Your sinful heart needs to be eaten and cursed. . ." Her mother paused and turned sideways towards Daphne's direction and said, "I am sorry my daughter but I am a queen first before I became a mother."

With that parting words, the queen pierced the man's chest with her hands, pulled out his heart and ate it.

Daphne just watched helplessly. . .

With bloody hands and mouth, Daphne watched as her mother turned to her and approached her like a predator towards her prey. She watched as her mother stopped inches away from her as she spoke, "Princess Daphne you will be judged accordingly but as the princess you will be entitled to choose. Speak now or forever be doomed."

"I choose to be doomed than live as a princess for monsters like you!" Her mouth answered automatically. Daphne heard her vengeful voice but it seemed like it was a stranger's voice to her. She seemed to be watching everything in a theater and feeling the whole ordeal as a spectator and yet playing as the main lead role at the same time.

"I hope you chose the right thing my daughter." Her mom's voice sounded regretful and a look of sadness crossed her face in a split of a second as she uttered her last words.

"N--no, no, noooo! My baby! It can't be! Mom, nooo!"

Daphne pleaded inside her head as she watched her mom raised her hands to strike her. She braced herself when she saw it descend towards her belly. Towards her baby. A moment after, she felt it. The searing pain was so real as her mother's sharp nails pierced through her stomach. It was the memory she had forgotten through the years yet it came back flashing like flood as the agony and sorrow washed through her heart. She trembled, her knees buckled as she collapsed hard towards the merciless cold stone cave floor breaking some bones upon impact. The ripping of her flesh echoed through her ears when her unborn baby was pulled out.

All of that physical suffering didn't matter to Daphne at all. The pain of loss and betrayal were the ones that tore her heart and mind apart. As her consciousness started to fade away, she realized that she made the wrong decision in entering the void. She would never able to surpass her nightmare. Just as the realization hits her, she soon willingly embraced the darkness. . .

"Daphne! Daphne! Wake up!"

Daphne came about with someone trying to wake her up while shaking her shoulders vigorously. She opened her eyes and was confused of who she saw. . .

"You're having a nightmare. I was really worried for a moment there." The person said to her giving her a warm smile.

"M--mother?" Daphne was perplexed and flustered.

Her mom laughed, "who else? Ghost? Come on, Princess. Hurry up and get ready. The season will start soon." She instructed her while walking towards the bedroom door.

"N--no. Not again. . ." Daphne whispered to herself, her face was as white as a paper with only one thought on her mind. Her baby! How on Sirenia did she forget that very important detail or was she made to forget? By who? She intend to find out as she rushed towards the kitchen angrily.

"Mother! How could you do that! I will never forgive you!"

Daphne knew she failed Venus and everyone else but it's not as simple as that anymore. She will find her answers and it didn't matter if she's trapped forever inside the void. . .