Melody of the Holoverse

Episode 5: Blue Bark

It would appear I've done a bit of an oopsie.

I strolled upon the dirt road, soaking in the beautiful day as the plentiful forest swayed on either side.

My destination: Phoenixton—capital of the Ember Empire.

Why?

Because apparently, a certain goddess has been making moves there since day one.

* * *

"It goes without saying," Miss Gura said. "The Guardians will push you to limits you didn't think existed. Ame may already be out of the picture, but out of the five of us, she was the most sensible.

"The other three are powerful beyond comprehension. Any one of them could change the shape of Eridios if they so desired. That being said, they're not completely bloodthirsty. At least, two of them aren't. If you want a smooth start, I'd recommend dealing with Kiara first."

I gawked. "K-Kiara? As in Empress Kiara? Of the Ember Empire?"

"That's the one. And judging from your reaction, I take it she doesn't shove it in people's faces that she's a goddess. Surprising, considering how much of a chatterbox she was. But that's beside the point. She's the head of an entire empire, meaning she has to be level-headed to some degree. That means she should be the most reasonable. Plus, she's a public figure, so if you play your cards right, you could get a meeting with her easy."

"What do I tell her exactly?" I asked.

"Tell her a little fish can fix what was broken. Tell her to come to Atlantis."

"And if she doesn't listen?"

The shark didn't hesitate. "Then you kill her."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"That's the last thing I want," Miss Gura said. "Truly. But if it's between my bonds and the world itself, I'm not naïve enough to think I'll get what I really want. One life for millions."

She made a face I wished I hadn't seen—one of someone who knew they'd be losing either way.

* * *

Two days had passed since I left Atlantis, and needless to say, I was no better than a chicken with its head chopped off.

You know, it would've been smart to ask for directions to Phoenixton before I went off all willy nilly. Or better yet, I could've gotten a map. Way to jump the gun, Violet.

Grandpa was never one to travel; he figured he'd get most of his stuff either from the village or from ordering abroad. Ergo, I was never trained on experiencing a journey.

Maybe I'll come across a town or something. They could give me directions.

The butterflies in my stomach fluttered wildly.

Now that I think about it, I really have not been anywhere outside of Old Grove. What if I end up being a weirdo? What if we were the only place in Eridios that drank tea!?

I could already hear the remarks.

"You sip on leaves?"

"What are you, a freak?"

"Public execution! Public execution!"

And that would happen just in some small town. Imagine once I actually got to Phoenixton.