The Heart of Gaia

Another gloomy day in this isolated cage of mine.

I just wasted the whole day away with nothing to do, except for the regularly scheduled meals and relieving myself.

I stared at the gathered pests by the end corner of my cell. They gnawed at the bones from the meal last night.

Curious, the lives of these pests were so meager that made me think--What was it that drove them to live? did they have thoughts of their own?

They even fought against each other, over something that had lost its value already. Why couldn't they just share it?

I sat in the middle of the dirt ridden floor, staring at the mangy rodents.

Soon the largest rat had killed another, displaying complete dominance towards its peers. The audience had settled down at the sight of their fallen comrade while showing utter obedience.

Even in their world, the strong reigned against the weak...

I furrowed my eyebrows in shock as the dominated group had started to cannibalize the rat tyrant.

I turned away from the vicious sight as guts spew all over the corner while the remaining rats ate it alive as it squealed from the pain.

*Squeak!* *Squeak!*

"Ugh..."

Having emptied my pocket, it's contents fell with a short metallic clink that echoed inside.

I picked it up from the floor as I stood to point it towards the left wall. It felt cold at the touch of my palm.

"How many days has it been?"

With no source of entertainment, I occasionally did physical training every day ever since the last time Commander Rhys visited me.

It had been a week already, with a new motivation in check and set. I felt invigorated than ever before.

it didn't matter who or what he did, he was still my father and I still had to acknowledge that. I still carried the regrets and each time I reminded myself, it would waver my new-found resolve.

But I still wanted to live anyway, no matter what, as it was the final wish my father gave me. I didn't want to imagine disgracing him even more and fulfilling it was the only way.

As a result, I've let go of my depressive state, If I died I knew that it would hurt him even more. So I started grooming myself properly...

"Thirty-seven days already..."

Which was now thirty-eight as I carved another line on the wall with the rusty spoon.

"YOU'RE HERE!" Said a random prisoner.

Every day I heard that same man over the past month. He became a signal for me to figure out that the Prophet had arrived. He came here daily but I never took to his presence.

"Hello, so how are we doing today?" Replied the Prophet.

There goes his signature opening line. After a lengthy sermon and preach I figured that he'd saunter again towards the other criminals within. Spreading the greatness of Gaia.

In hopes of maybe, they'd change for the better...

"Darkness and light, Endless void, and the stars, The first beings of the Heavenly body came to life." Said the Prophet.

His engaging tone had enticed my curiosity, although I was skeptical of supernatural beings, a part of myself wanted to know.

After my daily carving, I made my way to the farthest corner of my cell, near the direction of this preacher.

I turned my back against the cold steel bars as I slowly slid down to a sitting position, listening to his words of wonder.

"The being of eternal Void, Laxxo, a Celestial of pure Chaos and Atrocity. Master of the Unknown and Consciousness." He continued.

"Oh dear Laxxo! His name is enough to make any man tremble in fear!"

What followed was the exaggerated voice of his listener that made me realize his sarcasm.

"At least be decent enough to actually be respectful to the Prophet." I scoffed.

"Heh! Laxxo or what's his name!"

"Yeah! Yeah! If he can get me out of here I'd gladly follow his cult or something!"

"God or what! I don' believe in that sh*t!"

"Gaia can go suck my d*ck for all I care!"

The constant sneer, mockery, and disdain echoed the entire chamber. It was painful to be in his position.

"Then there came the blinding luminosity, it seeped throughout the endless Void, covering its entirety with it came into being! Gaia!"

The groaning of disheartened men that only had contempt and disbelief against the higher beings could be heard.

This was the first I've heard of him telling the tale of creation, at times he mostly did lessons.

"No more of this crap!"

"We've had enough!"

"No! There is no God!"

I guess their patience had grown thin. With a thunderous voice, the Prophet continued.

"FOR COUNTLESS MILLENIA THE TWO BEINGS CLASHED! AND WITH IT THE CELESTIAL BODIES WERE BORN! THUS THE CREATION OF OUR REALM!"

"BOO! NO MORE OF THIS BULLSH*T!"

"OY! SOMEONE KILL THE CULTIST!"

"SEEING THAT GAIA MADE OUR EARTHLY REALM! SHE SHIELDED IT! WHILE LAXXO THOUGHT THE OPPOSITE! SOUGHT TO DESTROY EVERYTHING!"

"HER POWER IS OUR SOLE DEFENSE AGAINST LAXXO AND HIS DESTRUCTIVE WAYS!"

*Clang!*

I heard a gate threw open as it crashed loudly.

"What's the fockin' ruckus about!"

As an abrupt rugged voice came bursting through the prison.

"Ah, warden. So nice of you to visit." Said the Prophet Nonchalantly.

"Aye told yer' to keep yer' fockin' Preachin' ass out of me Prison!"

"I'd gladly oblige, but these men need salvation. If I can't save these men then no one will!"

"Argh! if only yer' religious cunt wasn't allowed by the Commander himself!"

"Glad you're seeing this in my perspective." He said smugly.

"OY! YOU NOISY LOT! YA'LL BETT'R LISTEN OR NONE OF YOU'S BE FILLIN' YER STOMACH LATER!"

After his brief announcement the rallying voices of men died down, guess the Warden himself was a man of his word. I only saw him once, but judging from his appearance and tone, he was a strict person.

None dared to go against him as nourishment was a necessity, I remember an inmate who went against him. The whole prison was much more hellish with his constant yelling and screaming at the time. Guess they deprived him, I wonder what happened to him.

Soon the Prophet continued his insistent teaching about legends of yore.

"With Laxxo under her power, She created the next Celestial beings that came into existence."

His voice lowered, calmed as if directed to one person.

"Gaia the Supreme being created the first Celestial: Elga the Goddess of Life, whose grasp reign over every living."

"Her holiness descended to our realm, the very feathers of her wings sprouted more life onto the earth which was the Elgans the winged race. The beauty she had was unimaginable, truly fitting her image."

"They turned the ravaged lands a home, for their kind."

"Along with her arrival, an entity formed from the shadow of Gaia, a smokey being that guided lost souls of once was breathing."

"Deimos the God of Death, held to his goals, stuck to the side of his equal. Mighty horns, a Dark complexion, paired with a long tail, and finally two pairs of wings. His terrifying aura would make even the celestial bodies tremble."

"With his power, he spawned the proud race of Deimosians in his image."

"Together they brought forth perfect balance to our world! Reigning over the life they've made."

His engaging tone, prideful but modest at the same time, as if he himself believed in this tale of creation was enthralling to those that heard him.

None of the prisoners voiced out in disagreement...

No one could, like a bard that sung tales of charming Legends. All ended up in his entrancing sermon and from their silence; it was evident.

"The first two celestials realized that the worlds they reigned over weren't suitable for the lives they've nourished."

"They came to Gaia, seeking her wisdom and insight."

"Having foresight that the earthly bodies weren't fashioned to hold the trivial lives, she created another. It was Faustrian the God of all elements."

"The newly born Celestial had taken on a beastly form, whose destructive powers directly affected its appearance."

"Despite his chaotic power, he brought forth the necessities of every living being."

"He gathered the scattered heavenly bodies and threw it into our world, thus the very mountains were formed."

"Tired, his sweat dropped that made the vast oceans. With a huff of his breath, the air had breezed through the world."

"The heat of his body melted the very mountains that erupted the volatile volcanoes! and finally with a drop of his blood the Bestial race: Faustians came into being."

"There the world came into view When Gaia saw the greatness that had been made. She finally prompted the last race into it."

"Humans, our minuscule life compared to the vastness of the great beings are lacking."

"We need to repay their graciousness by pledging our lives towards Gaia! and her teachings!"

"And you! the likes of you in here have a second chance at a better life!"

"Like how a single man! redeemed the cruelties of humanity! a human being loved by the Almighty Gaia herself!"

This was suddenly too boorish for my taste, As a result, I dusted my already dirty trousers and slowly moved towards my favorite spot in the cell.

Until something caught my ears.

"Bright! Brightest is he who salvaged the remaining followers of Gaia!"

"Bright huh?" I thought to myself. It was something that reminded me of the horrible past I had. The surging memories were still as clear as the day.

I tried brushing it off but out of curiosity, I went back to my seat.

"The sole man who was chosen by Gaia, whose purpose was to defeat cruelest entities that roamed the realm!"

"With power coming from the Almighty Gaia herself, he proved himself to be worthy of her choice despite his shortcomings."

"He was a sinner turned to redeemer and Hero of all the living!"

"At the height of his power, it is said that he illuminated even the darkest parts of the heavens itself!"

"Power with no equal, Light that uncovers even the deepest parts of the world. That is the Legend of the Brightest star!"

"I-Is there more to the story!" I quickly exclaimed.

From my peripheral vision I could tell, he was looking at me.

He sauntered towards my direction, with a satisfied look on his face. Why was that? Although I'm pretty sure that his listeners had brushed this all off his teachings like it was nothing.

Why did it look like he had done something completely fulfilling even though it was quite futile?

I had my face pressed upon the cold bars of my self, looking at him with an unsettling expression.

That Legend had something more into it, I wanted to know more. A man that grew bright, a former sinner, redemption...

All too familiar for me, maybe I just wanted to find more reasons for my being.

"Ho? I see..." Said the Prophet

"W-what?" I replied.

"You remind me of someone from the Monastery. Such unique features indeed." He muttered.

"Uh?"

I was stupefied at his remark. I slowly pulled my face away.

"No matter, Why the sudden interest?" He asked.

"I-I just wanted to know... So please?" I pleaded.

He scanned me carefully as if judging if I had the right to know.

"A while back you had eyes of a Dead fish, now you seem much more..."

He paused.

I couldn't tell what was it he meant, although my state was definitely better than before.

"Alive?" I said.

"No, more like Humane and cleaner too."

Well, that was a little insulting, did I seem much more of a beast before? I pondered.

"You don't belong here, do you?" He continued.

"W-why is that?" I replied.

I knew that I belonged here, My sins weren't something I could wash away and I wholeheartedly accept my imprisonment here. I wasn't expecting Commander Rhys to come back and free me from my confinement.

"No matter... So you wish to learn the ways of Gaia?" He proudly said.

His eyes brightened passionately that it was hard to deny the man. His stature was the complete opposite of the overwhelming confidence he carried and shown through the lessons he'd brought upon his students.

*Sigh*