Alfina and the Blue Pheonix

Chapter 6

Alfina-- Nero^

That fight scared me. We could have died if Nero was careless. "We are nearly there Alfina." I was happy to know that. I am aching to get out of this thing. Desmond is flying closely behind me with Edmund on his back. "I hope this is going to be an easy mission. I don't want anymore trouble." I tell Desmond. "The only thing that is going to be a problem are the U-TIC soldiers."

"They've been gathering information at the cave. They used explosives but the door to the sigil stone won't budge. It needs phoenix essence." Basically Nero and me. The U-TIC soldiers; just the thought of them gives me the shivers. They took over Miltia years ago. What are they doing here?

"Are they trying to retrieve the stone as well?" I ask. The U-TIC have done so many cruel things. If they retrieve the stone, who knows what they'll do with it. "Not exactly. They don't know of the stone. Like I said; they're gathering information. The cave has secrets besides the stone." There's more to it than the stone then.

When the cave was in sight, I spot many soldiers and scientists surrounding the cave. "Is it going to be possible to get through? The whole entrance is surrounded." I looked around the vast desert to see nothing in sight. I guess we are going to fight our way through then.

"We could just ask them for us to pass. It is a tourist attraction after all." If it is hopefully they'll let us through. We get out of our crafts and move closer to the cave. The U-TIC soldiers turn toward us to see who we are. I overhear one of them say that we look like tourists so they decide to ignore us.

We get in the cave only to realize it was a tunnel go downwards. "Be careful, the cave is over 500 years old; the ceiling could crash down on us if we mess with anything." We were halfway down in the cave until a U-TIC soldier came up to us.

"You cannot go any farther. We sealed off this area for testing and "explosive" uses. Please leave." I look at Desmond if he had any ideas, but his face was blank. "We can open the door." Desmond nudged me, but I ignore it. The soldier looks at me but I can't see his face since his face is guarded. "Follow me." was all he said. We enter a room that was brighter than any other in this cave.

I look at the end of the hall to see a door with a phoenix on it. "Is that it Desmond?" He nods as we got closer. I turn towards the soldier only to tell him "You and your team can loot anything beyond that door except this certain stone we need." He nods. I approach the door to see it was bigger up close. I reach my hand out and it started glowing blue. I touch the door only to realize it vanished into blue flames. It worked! It was dark, I couldn't see a thing. I moved closer to the middle and lit a cauldron on fire to light the room.

There is so much gold here but we need the stone. Soldiers started barging in here to gather more information. I look around to see the stone sitting on a pedestal at the back of the room. "Desmond, get over here!" I hear his footsteps as he gets next to me. "Is that it? I can't believe we are done with this step."

We grab the stone and head towards the exit, but it is blocked by guards. "That's far enough,Alfina. It's time to come home." My eyes widen from the voice. The guards made a gap only to see someone come in front of them. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Dad?"

Desmond--

He is still alive? I saw his ship explode by Alfina's fire. Did he use an emergency system? "How did I survive? Well, it was quite easy. I was looking at the cameras to make sure she would go to her room but as she made her sudden movements of her blue flames, I decided to make precautions and separate the bridge from the body." He explains . I look at Alfina who's holding the stone so close to her.

He was stepping closer to us as he signals the guards to close of the exits. "Alfina, I'm going to lock you in your room and make sure you won't escape again. Even if I have to kill your friends myself." He says.

"Now Edmund!" She yells. Edmund came through the ceiling to confront the guards and her father. "Hello Alfina. All systems are normal." Edmund was restored to full capacity. Amazing.

"Edmund, what are you doing? Are you disobeying your creator?!" He looked so furious. "I no longer go by your orders. I am reprogrammed to serve and protect Alfina from all dangers, even from family members." Professor Gullowing looks shocked at what Edmund said. "I knew you were a failure from the beginning. If you won't obey, then I will destroy you myself!" He pulls out a beam cannon. Edmund jumps too early for him to dodge the bullet. "Die!" He keeps firing at Edmund and keeps missing. "Desmond! The stone; use it on your staff!" She throws the stone towards me. I catch it just in time before it impacted with the floor.

With quick hands, I attach the stone to my staff and I felt vibrations everywhere. The immense power surging through my staff is sure enough to stop anything. I fire a beam at the Professor but only to destroy his cannon. "No! You fool, now your going to die next!" Alfina got in front of me all of a sudden to realize she was going to use a flame blast. "We don't have to do this. Let us through and we will be on our way." Alfina yells. Professor Gullowing laughs at her remark. "I can't do that. I promised your mother that---" "You didn't promise her anything!" Alfina cut him off.

His face got red, his eyes full of rage. "Don't you speak out of line when you speak of her!" I look to Alfina to see her morph into Max again. "Desmond, Edmund, we are getting out of here." That's when Max turns into a spiritual phoenix. Somehow he transported us back to our crafts. "Desmond start it up, we need to get out of here." Max reformed back to his normal self.

"Max, do you need my help for once?" I see Nero on top of the cave. Max staggers back a few steps. "What are you doing here?" He asks. "I'm here to make sure you regain your memory. Do you want my help or not?" Max stares for a moment. "Fine." That's all they say to each other for the rest of the defense. "You can't escape me Alfina. I will find you!" He yells.

"Hey Desmond, use the stone against him." Nero grins. I point my staff toward the Professor and shot.

Oh my God. I killed him.