What unfortunate victim dropped the phoenix feather here?
Catty shoved it under her skirt and tried to calm her thoughts, fearing the creature might sense her discovery.
Keep it simple. Sing a song.
She began to sing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in her mind, focusing on the words. The girl imagined each note forming a shield around her thoughts, blocking the creature's gaze.
'Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high...'
The singing stopped—Catty forgot the last line!
The creature's tail twitched, and she continued singing, coming up with the last line, 'Not your dinner, nasty guy!'
The creature watched her for a moment, then lost interest, shifting its gaze back to the eggs. Catty glanced sideways at the creature, which seemed unaware of her find.
Catty's mind stayed firmly on the song, blocking out any stray thoughts. She needed to wait for the right moment to use the feather's power. 'Just a bit more, and I can get out of here,' the girl hid this thought fast.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the room was as clean as she could make it. Catty stood, exhausted and filthy but with a sense of grim satisfaction. She had done what the creature asked.
Its voice was deep and gravelly even in her head, 'Are you done, little bug?'
The creature moved closer, its massive form casting a shadow over her. It sniffed the air, its eye narrowing as it surveyed her work. After a tense moment, the creature nodded.
Catty looked up at the creature. 'Yes, all done.'
The girl stood her ground, her breath catching as the creature's eye met hers. It towered over Catty like a mountain, and its tail coiled from side to side. The creature's head with twisted horns bowed towards her, and its only eye burned with a sanguineous glow.
'You think you've done well?'
Catty's heart pounded, but she hid her fear.
'Will you let me go now?' she demanded, keeping her thoughts steady despite the terror gnawing at her insides.
The creature laughed, a sound more like a snarl than anything else.
'I am the Chimeric Warden, the guardian of this place. No one gets past me. And you, little one, are my next meal.'
It moved closer, its breath hot and foul against her face. Catty could see the glint of its sharp teeth and feel its body's heat radiating towards her.
'Do you think you can scare me?' Catty spat, her eyes blazing with defiance. 'I've faced worse than you.'
The Warden's eyes narrowed, and its tail lashed out, wrapping around her waist and lifting her off the ground. Catty gasped, struggling against the vice-like grip, but it was futile. The creature's maw opened wide, showing jagged teeth.
'Any last words, little bug?' it taunted, bringing her closer to its mouth.
'Yeah,' she thought, 'you're gonna regret this.'
With a fierce cry, Catty pulled the phoenix feather from her panties and stabbed it into the creature's eye. A burst of light erupted from her palm and struck the Chimeric Warden in the head. It staggered back, roaring in pain, and dropped the girl.
She hit the ground hard but scrambled up without wasting a second.
The Chimeric Warden roared in agony, its solitary eye now a blazing ball. Blinded and enraged, it thrashed wildly, crashing into the chamber walls and pillars. Each move sent stone shards and debris flying everywhere.
Catty ducked and rolled, narrowly missing a massive claw sweeping above her. The creature's tail swung wide, smashing into a row of eggs and splattering their contents across the floor. The hall echoed with destruction, and the Warden's furious bellows.
Breathing hard, Catty slipped through the Warden's tossing limbs. She smelled its acrid breath as it snarled and snapped blindly. The ground shook with each move, threatening to throw her off balance.
"Come on, Catty, keep moving," she whispered, eyes looking for a clear path to the exit. She darted left, then right, dodging the Warden's crushing tail blows. The creature's rage grew with each miss.
Catty gathered her strength and sprinted toward the doorway looming ahead. Behind her, the girl could hear the Warden's enraged growls and the whistling of air as its tail swiped dangerously close.
Just as she reached the exit, Catty spun around and yelled, "Hey, Warden!"
Then she repeated in thoughts, 'Hey, Warden! You think you can stop me?'
The creature paused amid the chaos, but its head didn't swivel toward her.
'Think again!'
With that, she turned and dashed through the doorway, leaving the Chimeric Warden to rage in the hall behind her. The echoes of its roars followed her, but the girl didn't look back again.
At first, she ran.
Catty's footsteps echoed through the ancient temple corridors, her eyes darting around the shadowed corners and weathered stone walls. The air smelled of decay, mildew, and a faint metallic tang of dark magic.
Then, she slowed and moved cautiously, her senses heightened, every sound making her heart race.
The temple stretched forever, each hallway leading deeper into the abandoned structure. Time felt stopped. Light filtered through ceiling cracks, illuminating wall carvings. They depicted scenes of terrific creatures and ancient battles, a silent testament to the temple's past.
As Catty went deeper, ghostly whispers came from the walls. They spoke an ancient, unintelligible language filled with malice and vice. The girl shivered, her skin prickling with unease, feeling unseen eyes watching her.
She froze in place at glimpses of apparitions in decrepit attire walking the halls. These ghostly figures appeared briefly, then vanished, making Catty question her sanity. She pressed on resolutely but increasingly unnerved by the eerie sights.
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The wall carvings shifted and changed, showing scenes of violence and torture. Catty's eyes widened in shock as she watched the figures in the carvings twist and writhe in eternal torment. Her heart pounded harder, and the girl forced herself to look away, but the images seared into her mind.
Disembodied footsteps echoed around her, but no one was visible. Each step jolted her with fear, and Catty turned sharply, expecting to see someone—or something—following her. But the corridor stayed empty, except for the darkness closing in.
She ran again.
Thorny vines crept along the walls, their tendrils reaching to grasp her legs. Catty broke through the vines, feeling them tearing off her clothes.
Broken relics—weapons, armor, and ceremonial items—lay scattered with bones across the floor. For a moment, Catty paused to examine a shattered sword, its blade reflected with moonlight. She picked it up from the ground and ran further.
The girl raced past a row of rotting wooden doors. They were swinging open as she was running by. Luckily, Catty kept moving and didn't even try looking inside.
The mummified remains of temple priests stood in alcoves, their hollow eyes following her. A chill ran down Catty's spine as the mummies came to life and reached for her. The girl slipped along, pushing them aside.
The faint, rhythmic heartbeat from deep within the temple made it feel like the structure was alive. Each beat resonated through the walls, matching her racing heart. The sensation was deeply unsettling as if the girl were walking through the veins of a giant creature.
After an eternity, Catty turned a corner and saw a shimmering light. She quickened her pace, the light growing brighter with each step. The corridor opened into a vast, open space—the temple yard—and Catty's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight before her.
Walls and towers enclosed a large, crystal-clear pond. Its surface was perfectly still and reflected the surroundings like a mirror. It seemed the pond held a piece of the stolen sky within its depths. The water was a deep, mesmerizing blue, revealing smooth stones and seaweed beneath.
Catty approached the pond's edge, her reflection staring back at her with wide, stunned eyes. The place was bathed in a soft, otherworldly light, and it was alive and humming with energy.
The girl knelt and reached to touch the surface—the water was cool and inviting. As she watched, her reflection vanished, and Catty realized—this place was a mirror of the mermaid's pond, a gateway between worlds.
She sensed the child's spirit was near, and the pond was the key to finding it.
A large fish was gliding from the depths. Its scales shimmered with bright hues of orange, white, and gold, reflecting the light like a jewel. The fish moved slowly and gracefully, its fins barely moving.
Catty watched in awe as the fish approached her. There was something serene about how it swam, and she saw the fish's eyes sparkle with wonder.
The fish hung in the water before the girl, its gaze locking onto hers. For a moment, Catty felt a silent connection beyond words.
She reached out, dipping her fingers into the water. The fish swam closer, its scales brushing her skin with a gentle, affectionate touch. The girl had a warmth spread through her, a sensation of being welcomed and accepted. The fish circled her hand, and Catty had no doubt it was the child's spirit bound to the pond.
She took a deep breath, recalling the melody Vexara had taught her. The lullaby was ancient, in an old mermaid language.
Catty remembered her training—the icy grip of the melody as Vexara's voice filled her mind... each note had felt like a whirlpool sucking her consciousness... she had fought to stay awake, not to lose herself as the enchantment threatened to pull her under... she had barely survived and surfaced, gasping and trembling—the mermaid's eerie laughter had echoed in her ears.
Now alone at the pond's edge, Catty steeled herself and began to sing softly, the melody floating like smoke on the water.
The moon's reflection danced on the surface, mingling with the light from the depths. Catty watched the fish, the child's spirit vessel, glide beneath the surface, its scales shimmering like stars. This quiet scene hid the turmoil in her heart.
The air vibrated with the melody, each word laced with enchantment. As Catty's voice echoed over the water, the fish paused, and its eyes fixed on her.
The girl kept singing, her voice growing stronger. The words filled the space with ancient energy. A flock of ghosts flew from the temple, circling above the pond, drawn to the lullaby's magic.
She sang, watching the fish closely. The fish's smooth gliding became nervous, and its moves became sharp and jerky.
The fish's anxiety became so visible! It darted back and forth in desperation, and the water churned violently as if boiling.
When the walls around the pond started to tremble, Catty realized something was terribly wrong. Stones cascaded into the water, shattering the pond's surface. The light dimmed, and a rasp filled the air. The sound was unsettling, resonating in her bones and making the girl feel the temple was alive and in fury.
A sudden chill wind swept from the temple, carrying cries of pain and anguish. Its icy tendrils wrapped around Catty, causing her to shiver uncontrollably. Twisted vines crept from the ground, their tendrils trying to ensnare her.
Catty's eyes darted around, searching for escape, but she saw only chaos and the distraught fish. Her panic was growing, and the girl struggled to calm herself.
Her voice faltered, but she continued, hoping the lullaby would bring peace to the spirit. Instead, the fish tried to jump out of the water, clearly suffering and pleading for relief.
And the girl stopped singing. She watched in dismay as the fish struggled, clearly disturbed by her attempt to reach it. Tears filled her eyes as Catty realized her mistake.
Vexara and Rutger taught her this lullaby, hoping it would free the child's spirit. But now, she grasped that a crucial element was missing: the child's name. Without the name, the lullaby couldn't work.
Catty sat back on her heels, staring into the pond's depths. The fish lingered briefly before gliding away and disappearing into the water's shadows.
"I'm trying to reach you, little one," she whispered, "but how do I connect with you when you are like this?"
When the fish swam back into the depths, Catty understood what to do. The girl unclothed herself—shoes first, then skirt and pullover, underwear last—and folded them by the pond.
She took a deep breath and stepped into the cold water. The ripples spread outwards, distorting the temple's reflection. With each step, the girl felt the boundary between worlds thinning. She moved forward, sword in hand, ready for whatever lay ahead.
When Catty waded deeper, she saw angel-like beings around the fish. Their ethereal forms glowed softly, casting a shine across the water. The angels danced in circles, exuding calm and a divine presence.
They slowly turned to Catty, their serene faces smiling gently. The angels extended their luminous hands toward the girl, inviting her to join them. Warmth and tranquility washed over Catty as their fingers touched her skin. She felt a deep peace and joy, her worries and fears melting away.
Without hesitation, Catty let the angels guide her deeper into the pond. Their touch was light and reassuring, and she floated effortlessly. The deeper they went, the brighter the angels glowed, illuminating the water.
Catty felt immersed in bliss, her body and mind completely relaxed. The angels' presence filled her with happiness, and she surrendered to their gentle pull. The girl lost herself in the peaceful embrace of the glowing beings.
In the pond's depths, Catty turned her gaze to the fish. Its mouth opened and closed silently, trying to speak. She saw a plea for help in the fish's desperate eyes.
Suddenly, the water around it shimmered, and the fish's shape began to transform. The scales were fading, and a faint outline of a child was emerging from within.
It was a fragile figure drifting in deep water.
The child was swimming, hair fanning like a halo around their face. His small hands reached forward. The child's mouth opened slightly, bubbles escaping like tiny pearls rising to the surface.
A single lotus petal floated above the palm of his hand, glowing softly. The petal seemed to hover, untouched by the water. The child's fingers touched slightly around it as if afraid to let it go, yet he held it out, offering it to Catty.
The child's eyes stared directly into hers, unblinking. The petal's glow pulsed faintly as if mirroring a heartbeat, its light a beacon in the depths.
Catty felt her heart twist painfully. "I see you… I know you're here."
The child's gaze didn't leave Catty, and she sensed his silent cry for rescue. The child's hand reached out as if trying to touch the girl.
Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the child's form flickered and faded, becoming the glistening fish again. The creature's body shimmered back into being, its scales brightening again. The child disappeared, the lotus petal vanishing along with him.
"Seek the heart of the pond, but beware the shadows that thirst for light," the words of the hanging body floated in her mind, and in that instant, everything around Catty began changing.
The warm, glowing light that had filled her with peace and joy dimmed, and the beings the girl had thought were angels transformed before her eyes. Their ethereal forms shifted, revealing slimy jellyfish. Their tentacles wrapped around her arms and legs, holding the girl captive.
The illusion shattered, and Catty struggled, but the tentacles held tight. Their hug was firm, draining her energy.
Catty gripped the sword, its blade faintly glowing. She knew what to do.
With one swift movement, she chopped the fish in two.