The Battle of Euangelion: Reborn

Chapter 3: The Pool of Enlightenment

Alexis bent down on her knees and leaned over to examine the glowing pool. The closer she moved her head to the water, the brighter the glow and the clearer the melody became. The allure finally pulled her head underwater, but lacking proper balance she fell in soon after.

Once immersed, she opened her eyes and saw the luminescent water creature that was producing the sound. It was similar to the dolphin-shaped ones that had followed them on their way to the Island, only this one was in the shape of a woman.

Her voice was angelic and her song could clearly be heard now -

"There's a song that I sing

For the love of my King

My King and my Prince on high

Who saved me from death

Plucked it out of my chest

And blessed me in days gone by

There's a song that I have

For His glory at hand

Which drives the darkness away

It triumphed back then

It will triumph again

And this time with Him we'll stay."

The creature moved closer to Alexis who squirmed away in a panic, but she was grabbed by her arm and pulled back. Once Alexis' struggling had ceased, the water woman placed her second hand on her chest. A brilliant white light formed around it. She held it there until a strange sensation stirred within Alexis' torso, at which point everything before her eyes faded into darkness.

***

"Alexis?" Aurelia's voice lured a delirious Alexis to consciousness while softly patting her cheek. Alexis coughed and spat up water. "Wh-what happened?"

"I think you fell asleep in the pool. The Island will resuscitate you but it's still not recommended. Drowning is a nasty business."

"There was a woman. She was singing, and -, and glowing," Alexis looked up at Aurelia's face pulling into a smile. It was one of those smiles that knew more than it was sharing.

"Come. Best get dressed so I can show you your sleeping quarters."

Alexis dried herself off and put the red robe on as Aurelia waited with her back turned to her.

"What about shoes? Do we keep the ones we came in or what?"

"We don't wear shoes." Aurelia lifted her robe just enough to reveal her bare feet and wiggled her toes. "It would just get in the way really."

"So where do these go?" Alexis was referring to her old clothes and pair of Levis which she was still holding onto.

"They go in the furnace."

"And what if I decide to go back home?"

"Then you can buy new ones."

Alexis shook her head at the frivolous girl. The two climbed back up the steps to the East Wing of the castle. There was a furnace in the corner of the mostly empty room housing the steps. Aurelia marched in that direction, opened the little door, and chucked the clothes inside. It looked like she enjoyed doing it too. "Come come," she gestured.

The girls left the room and found themselves in the passageway flowing from the corridor bridge before turning left. As they approached a narrow spiraling staircase, they passed a terrace surrounded by green hedges where a group of cheerful adolescent men and women were sitting, talking, and laughing; each dressed in a red robe similar to the one Alexis was now wearing.