Searching For Andromeda - Chapter 111 Fire And Water

What is it that is making fire so comforting?

Ephraim thought about it several times already in his life as he studied mythology.

Prometheus.

The titan who stole fire from Hestia’s hearth, or in some versions, from Zeus, and gave it to the mortals. He was the titan who had created the humans from clay and had taken pity to his creation thereby giving them the fire. For his crimes, Prometheus was castigated by Zeus who bound him with shackles while sending an eagle to eat Prometheus’ immortal liver every daywhich actually grew back every night. Several years later, Heracles, a Greek hero, with the odd permission of Zeus (the god who basically did all the wreckage), killed the eagle and freed Prometheus from the torment he received.

This is why Ephraim often questioned myth. What was the lesson to get from that? Should the Greeks worship Prometheus, as he is their creator? Or do they have to be careful in order to appease Zeus’ wrath? Why the hell would Heracles ask permission from the one who unleashed the eagle in the first place? Why did Prometheus get such a harsh punishment, anyway?

All those questions started with a substance called fire.

Fire.

What was making fire so comforting yet so deadly at the same time? Get closer to it and you’ll feel warm and mellow. Touch it and you’ll likely burn and die. It was like a double-edged sword, or a drugsomething that should be utilized only with a prescription. Prometheus stole that fire for something good yet he was punishedhe stole that fire for virtue yet the fire burned him in return.

What was it again? Why was he thinking about Prometheus? About fire?

Ephraim felt the same, mellow heat and deadly fire at the same time as his entire body combusted into flames. His sweats turned to steam and his body’s temperature had risen. Everything around him seemed to be enveloped into an orange-colored hue. Everything his skin touches and the area his fire was reaching turned as black as nightcharred and burned into crisp. The woods of the sailing galleon began to corrode as the ship rocked.

He was doing something that was physically impossible.

Ephraim was burningyet he wasn’t burning from within. His organs, he presumeswere fine. He wasn’t emanating fire like what Jaxon Sparrows was thinking. He was enveloped with fire. There was fire within him yet NOT exactly like it was being produced by him. Ephraim couldn’t explain what was happeningit looked straight out of a fantasy novel. A comic book. But it didn’t make him feel heroic.

It made him feel destructive.

The fire, which was surrounding the entirety of his body had doubled in radius as it reaches the overhead of the passageways. Ephraim walked subconsciously as his dimming gaze crept to close. The world was fading into nothing but fire and his line of vision could see nothing else but a hue of orange, red, yellow, and dancing flames.

Finally, he had seen darkness as he closed his eyes.

“Human,”

It was that voice again. That roaring grumbles that shook the earth with vibrations and echoed across the vast with sheer intimidation. Ephraim listed, savored the moment of peaceof darkness that he had seen as he slept.

“Human.”

That voice again. It was calling himit was reaching for him like a bugging echo. What was it with that dragon and the ‘human’ thing anyway? Ephraim wanted to laugh. He sounded like Samuel. Surely these things do not bother him.

“HUMAN!”

The dragon’s roar made Ephraim snap back to what seemed like ‘reality.’ The dragon was in front of himlarge, majestic, and still ever-shiny. Ephraim, who was aflame with a blank gaze, stared at the dragon’s flaring, red eyes.

The dragon slithered its way towards Ephraim.

“Human. You ought to command Nar.” The dragon exclaimed, bellowing Ephraim with his sharp, constricted pupils.

“Command Nar?” Ephraim repeated. “But you said I should let him envelop my whole body.”

It was true. When the dragon said that Ephraim should let Nar take over, he did. Ephraim wasn’t sure exactly HOW, yet he gave his permission. It was like unlocking one’s doors and letting somebody else enter without you minding them. It was that kind of permission Ephraim gave.

“I told you, Human, to embrace Nar; NOT to succumb to HIM.” The dragon clarified. “Nar is a deity that had existed ever since the dawn of time. He is a spirit that was created from Wahid’s body; Nar is a deity that’s entire purpose is to find a worthy master a worthy conqueror to serve.”

“If you let Nar take over, he will only unleash powernothing more, nothing less. Just sheer POWER, human. That would result in your own demise.” The dragon grumbled.

Ephraim stared at the dragon with blue eyes slowly clearing up.

“Then what should I do?”

The dragon gave Ephraim a look and then lowered his lustrous head.

“You must CONTROL your own deity, Human.” The dragon exclaimed. “If you cannot control Nar, who dwells within the fire of your heart, then you are unfit to be called a conqueror.”

Ephraim felt as if a section in his mind cleared. Something connectedsomething made sense. The dragon’s red eyes had softened as the guardian’s expression eased upon seeing Ephraim’s face clearing. The dungeon conqueror was now enlightened.

The flames Ephraim was emanating were going rampant because of one thinghe wasn’t the one controlling them. Ephraim stared at the darkness slowly clearing as the dragon turned away from him to slither away. The darkness that was easing was gradually being replaced by an orange hue, which indicates his subconscious was now being fully aware of his surroundings.

Ephraim, who had another question in mind, did not hesitate to speak.

“Why why are you helping me?” Ephraim asked. “And are you real? Or are you just a fragment of my imagination?

The dragon turned to Ephraim.

“I am not a fragment of your imagination, Human, even if you would wish me to be. I am as real as Nar, and as present as the deity in your body.” The dragon rumbles, “I am the Guardian of Nar’s dungeonand you are Nar’s conqueror. I will serve you until you no longer need me. I will succor you, the young man who inhabits Nar’s fire.”

**

Samuel stared at the spectacle.

“Miko!” Jaxon gleefully exclaimed. Now there isn’t a problem anymore!

“J-jax, what’s going on? The alarm system”

“The ship’s gonna go down in a few minutes.” Jaxon said, sitting on the other side of the control room as he leaves a seat for Miko. “This compartment will be protected with my water barrier as it detaches from the ship. Come now, we don’t have much time.”

“J-jax the ship’s going to go down?”

“It’s going to SINK and SELF-DESTRUCT, Miko!” Jaxon exclaimed impatiently. “Now sit here. I don’t have much time to explain, because you will have to escape with me!”

“MIKO! WE HAVE TO ESCAPE! Can’t you hear me?!” Jaxon’s hand reached towards Miko, in an attempt to seize her by the wrist once again.

Samuel’s eyes widened upon hearing these words. The ship’s going to go down? What the hell? SELF-DESTRUCT? What in the world was happening? Samuel parted his lips to unleash a banter of protest, but he stopped short as Miko, who doesn’t seem to even get angry, replied to Jaxon with a sharp tone.

“You’re urging me no, you’re dragging me away again for your selfish gains.” Miko whispered. “This was the same as before the same as THAT night”

“What are you blabbering about, Miko?! Get in this compartment right now!”

“Why are you saving me, Jax?” Miko asked. “No I shouldn’t ask what I know the answer for. I should tell you what you cannot accept.”

“No shut up no!” Jaxon clenched his fist. “Get in the compartment NOW!”

“I am you scapegoat, Jax. Ever since then. When we left everyone in Fernando’s den when we left everyone in there, you took me because you wanted to compensate for something.” Miko’s tears streamed down. “It was for the sake of your conscience, wasn’t it?”

Jaxon stopped breathing as he stared at Miko. His expression wasn’t the same as before anymore.

His creased brows had softened as his eyes were laden with sheer sadness and hurt. His lips were parted in slight shock, and his occasional, light blinks showed he was on the verge of tears? Whichever it is Samuel couldn’t tell.

“I am tired of running away, Jax.” Miko took several steps backward. “I’m staying with these children something I should have done from the start.”

Miko then backed away from the compartment as Jaxon’s pained expression caught Samuel’s eye. Miko, who had backed away a few steps, was then thrown athwart the room as water from the outside burst the wooden sail open.

Jaxon, who was inside the compartment was safe from anything as he was enclosed in a water barrier that had shielded him from anything. His eyes were still pinned on Miko, who was wet from the seawater rushing in. The children wailed as everyone was in a state of sheer panic.

“Miko” Jaxon closed his eyes, letting the water barrier take him upwards, like an elevator going aboveground.

“Water’s breaking through!” Samuel held onto the bars. “Miko!”

Samuel’s eyes widened as he sees Miko unconscious to the floorboards as water surged through the broken planks. Not long after water from all sides of the planks entered the ship as the wood shattered. Seawater began to rise up to Samuel’s knee as he started to lift the smaller children.

Samuel’s electric-blue eyes were filled with panic as he eyed the unconscious, frail girl who had sunk underwater.

“Miko!!!”

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