The Source of All Evil

Chapter Six

Michaela Walker.

“You’re such a great expert, Rafe. You can’t even catch this small, adorable thing?”

“It’s slippery!” he growled, finally cornering the furball in one side of the room. “You have nowhere to run.” He said with a chuckle.

Michaela sat up, laughing harder when the thing slipped between Rafe’s legs, darting towards her. It leaped in the air, catching Michaela by surprise when it landed on her lap.

Michaela was surprised and alarmed by this creature, as she didn’t know what it might do to her. But seeing the furball curl in her lap, trembling as it peeked towards Rafe, she smiled.

“You scared this poor little thing.”

Rafe just stared at her and the little creature, sighing. “Fine, I was going to lend it to you anyway. This creature exudes vibrations that help increase the cortisol hormone in your body. It basically helps reduce stress, releasing a euphoric aura that would make you feel happy.”

Michaela picked up the furball and stared at her big, glowing eyes, studying it. The thing blinked its eyes at her, letting out a sound similar to that of a cat purring. Its cheeks reddened as it buried its face in her hand. Michaela giggled, finding this thing super cute.

“I’ll name it Kirby,” she said to Rafe, and the other chuckled.

“As in Kirby, the Pokémon?” She nodded, driving him to add. “You’ll get sued if the production company knows about this.”

“It’s just a name,” she said with a shrug. “And the name of the production company is Oriental Light & Magic.”

“No one asked you, geek.”

Pfft, i***t.

Kirby’s fur started radiating pink, purring in her lap. The pink aura covered Michaela’s body, and instead of scaring her, it made her feel content, happy, and at peace.

“How do you feel?”

Michaela looked at Rafe with amazement-filled eyes, exclaiming. “Fantastic! Oh my god, imagine if we had these adorable creatures in our world. They can be service pets at any hospital, raising the morale of all patients.”

“I never thought of that.” He solemnly said, weirdly staring at her.

His glare would’ve freaked her out if it wasn’t for her new pet's power. Her tummy growled, reminding her that she needed food to sustain her energy. She reluctantly looked at Rafe.

“I’m hungry,”

“And?” He was back acting like his usual self.

Huffing, she shot him a glare. “Obviously, I can’t get food on my own.”

“Oh!” he said as if he just remembered that food was important for them to survive. He still didn’t make a move to leave and bring food, checking inside his sleeves. Her eyes widened when he pulled out a small bottle that had pills inside them. He took out one pill and handed it over to her.

She read about this trick in that magical book. Spiritual and Divine experts and cultivators have access to a magical bag where they could keep anything inside. The bigger and sturdier the magic bag, the more expensive it was.

Michaela’s lips formed a thin line, glancing at the pill in her hand then back at him.

“What is this?” Her tone of voice came out patronizing as she quirked an eyebrow at him.

“A fasting pill.”

His matter-of-fact tone of voice annoyed her. Was she supposed to have only this pill to sate her hunger?

“A what?!”

He chuckled. “I keep forgetting that you’re not from here. . . This pill can stop your hunger, and you should have it at most once every three days. Most people here use them.”

“Huh?! So people here don’t eat food?” This was the most depressing thing she's ever heard. She read about this in the book, but she must’ve misinterpreted it, as the book focused more on the princess's revenge than everyday things.

“They eat food when they want to, but it’s not a necessity like back in our world. . . People here are focused on cultivation and mastering the spiritual path. They don’t have the luxury of wasting that on trivial stuff.”

“Trivial stuff?” Michaela shoved the pill under the pillow in the pod. “You think food is a trivial thing? Rafe, if you think I’ll just swallow down a pill to stop my hunger as you claim, then you’re wrong. Go get me something to eat!”

“You’re really annoying.” He grumbled, still he walked towards the door, making her grin in satisfaction. She could hear him mumbling loudly outside about how high maintenance she was.

Michaela was loving this.

Food and drinks were different yet similar to her world. People here have different types of sustenance, and they often refer to things by the name of the place they got them from. For instance, when Rafe came back holding a red-eyed rabbit, he told her that it was called the cursed rabbit. No, the rabbit wasn't cursed, but you could only find it in the cursed forest. 

The drinks varied from sweet and sour to something Michaela couldn't find a word to describe it. When Rafe brought it, the smart-ass handed it over to her, watching with keen eyes as she took a large gulp, laughing at her miserable look when she spat on the ground, rinsing her mouth in the small spring by the temple. 

The drink smelled like tea but was clear as water, and had no taste. Once you drink it, it would turn slimy in your mouth, numbing your tongue by its weird taste, jerking your tears from its foul scent. Rafe then explained after Michaela calmed down that it was spiritual water, and its effect only worked on cultivators. If beast or normal humans, like herself, tried it, it'd be unbearable. 

Michaela spent the last four days in the temple, slowly recuperating and gaining control over her legs until she could walk just like before. She explored the surroundings of the forest, not daring to go further unless Rafe was with her. Speaking of Rafe, he kept disappearing for hours, every day. And when he would come back, he’d bring drinks, books, and even candy with him. 

No, these things weren’t for Michaela. Rafe brought these things for himself.

Michaela would always force him to share, and since she was a decent cook, perfecting anything he brought her to make their meals, sometimes he’d offer her a drink, give her a candy or two, and let her touch his precious books.

If you ask Michaela, she would have a lot to say about the man. He was stingy, greedy, obnoxious, very creepy, and stingy again.

So, Michaela, during these four days, learned a lot of things about her new friend and the world they were in. She also started coping with the fact that she was far away from home, not screaming every time she saw a creature. Like today, when Rafe took her fishing by the lake, Michaela saw a centaur. Though she was scared, the curiosity got the best of her, approaching the beast.

The half-man half-horse creature turned out to be really friendly. He answered all her inappropriate questions about his habitat, preferred food, up to matters of hygiene. And when the centaur mentioned that he was going to visit his son, Michaela dropped the question about the mating ritual between centaurs.

You could only imagine how awkward it got. Rafe stepped in and told the beast that she was mentally ill. Michaela, of course, didn’t appreciate that, but she still kept her mouth shut. She, too, realized how super friendly and creepy she sounded by asking the beast that question.

Michaela also found out why people didn’t visit the temple she was in. The King had guards around the forest, not allowing people to go in or out, which brought up the question of how Rafe managed to get inside the forest, and into the temple.

“I’m an expert, you know. Don’t you think I have some tricks up my sleeves to avoid the guards?”

“Okay then, and you brought me here with you?”

Michaela was grilling fish on the fire Rafe started outside the temple. He told her that he had set a barrier around the area for the royal guards not to see them. She chose to believe him, though everything he said was questionable for her.

Rafe had a complicated look, hesitated as he went on. “About that. When I found out that the story of the book has changed, I went through it and followed my instinct to find you.”

She hated how his answers were always vague, adding more drama to her miserable life. “Can you please elaborate?”

“You’re no fun,” he said with a tantalizing tone of voice. “Take a guess.”

She just stared at him, and he let out a laugh. “Come on, humor me and guess.”

Giving up, she decided to play his game. “From what you implied, I transmigrated into this temple.”

He nodded. “Very good! Come on, keep guessing.”

Looking down at the long white dress that she got forced to wear for days, and she couldn’t wait to get out of. “I’m some kind of priest?”

“No,”

“A servant?”

He chuckled, shaking his head.

She exclaimed. “Don’t tell me I’m some prominent divine master?!”

Only after she said it, she realized that it didn’t make much sense, as she couldn’t feel anything different about herself.

He snorted a laugh. “Not really.”

She huffed, “I give up. Give me a clue.”

“Fine, but know that this was your doing, not mine. . . You’re the only human with no spiritual powers in this world.”

Hearing this, her eyes bulged out, dropping the stick she was using to grill the fish in the fire, looking at him in disbelief.

The temple, Crystfire Kingdom, and what the King was hiding; It all now made sense to her. And for an author, it sure took her a long time to realize this. She changed this part of the story. She wanted to make it more intriguing. Michaela didn’t know that she’d fall into a travesty of her own doing.

She was the amulet! She was the key to the Divine cave!

The next day, Rafe decided to take her to the Capital to cheer her up and buy her some clothes. Michaela didn’t refuse his generosity, as it was a one-time thing, eager to explore the outside.

She has read about the means of transportation people used in this world, from Windhorses, Avianwhales, to Phoenix and Celestial Griffins. Michaela was very enthused to see all of these.

She’s been depressed the whole day. She would’ve preferred to be a beggar in this world over the role she now had. She dreaded what would happen next. So when Rafe offered to take her out the next day, Michaela happily agreed.

“Wouldn’t the King find out if I leave this forest?”

She was afraid that the King had some sort of tracker on her, which would be troublesome if they started chasing after her. She didn’t want to get imprisoned. She didn’t want to be an invaluable person people would fight over. Michaela wanted to be normal, held with no restraints.

One thing that assured her was that no one knew that the precious item was a person except for the King. So as long as the King didn’t see her face, she’d be safe.

“He won’t find out, relax.” Rafe pulled her close to his chest, using his powers to hover in the air, flying at a slow speed towards their destination.

“A warning would’ve been great!” She sneered, wrapping her hands tightly around his neck and closing her eyes.

She heard him chuckle, making her realize how close their faces were, and she would’ve flushed like a virgin bride if she wasn’t terrified.

“Come on, open your eyes. It’s not that high, and I’m flying slowly.”

Hearing his words of encouragement, Michaela squinted one eye open, then the other, looking over his shoulder at, not one sun, not two, but three suns rising in the horizon. It was a magical sight, so unearthly and breathtaking. She held onto Rafe’s neck, focusing on the view to calm her thumping heart.

Michaela only dared to look down when Rafe pointed out that they were flying over a Wild Celestial Griffin’s nesting area. The high altitude made her stomach drop, forcing her to close her eyes again, concentrating on not retching what she had for breakfast this morning.

“It’s majestic, isn’t it?”

“Mn,” she mumbled, holding him tightly when the thought of slipping off his grip crossed her mind.

Rafe let out a breathy chuckle. “You’re not even looking. Come on, look at it. This is a rare sight.”

“Nah-uh,” her hands were getting clammy, and her stomach flipped. Michaela breathed in and out, trying not to think of where she was.

She felt Rafe’s hand on her waist as he swiftly turned her body around, bringing her back to his chest. She could feel his hot breath near her right ear as he whispered.

“You won’t fall, I got you. Just open your eyes.”

Michaela had no choice but to open her eyes, afraid that this maniac would do something else to force her to look. She slowly opened her eyes, and she got lost in a spectacular painting of tall redwood-looking trees with red, large leaves. Clear droplets of water glowed under the rays of the suns, making the sight a feast to the eyes. A smile tugged on her lips; the fear was long forgotten, staring at the legendary Griffin she once adored when studying Greek mythology. It had large wings and a head similar to that of an eagle, a body and tail like that of a lion. Its celestial blue color complemented its beauty. 

Michaela’s smile widened as she heard it let out a shriek.

It was an exquisite being that rendered her speechless.

“It’s beautiful, right?” Rafe said softly in her ear.

Michaela nodded. “So gorgeous.”

“There are a lot of things that I want to show you.” Rafe sounded sincere, stopping in the air, allowing her to cherish the sight of the beast.

She absently nodded, her eyes fixated on the creature that was flying in circles over a nest.

“We’ll rest tonight in the Capital, and tomorrow morning we’ll head off to the southern region if you want to see a phoenix.”

“I’d love to!” She turned around to face him, which was a mistake, as the proximity of their bodies didn’t lend room for their faces to be far. Rafe smirked, and she looked away when her face felt hotter than usual, her heart beating against her chest.

“Let’s go,” she whispered, but it was loud enough for Rafe to hear. The latter cleared his throat, picking up speed as he flew towards the city, making her let out a scream as the land beneath them zoomed by at a fast pace.

You jerk! She cursed in her head as she couldn’t even open her mouth from fear. Just when I thought you were being sweet, you do something like this?

They arrived at the Capital, and Michaela walked with Rafe around a huge trade market. Kirby was standing on her shoulder, grabbing the attention of all passersby for how rare of a creature it was. Michaela didn’t notice, though. She was so overwhelmed by everything this world had to offer, taking everything in.

She stared with wide eyes at the Windhorses she read about in the book. They looked like the legendary Pegasus and Alastor, flying or walking majestically around the market. She learned that these Windhorses were the easiest mounts to tame. She couldn’t wait to ride one.