CHAPTER 6: OUT OF THE DARKNESS

Phoenix stood alone in her room for many days, crying and trying to understand what had happened, why was she so close to dying in such an odd way. She didn't want to get back into the Matrix and she feared to meet the Phantom again. She thought she deserved what was coming to her, because she was too proud and she believed she could defeat the Phantom.

"Phoenix, the Oracle wants to see you. We have to go" Castor told her one day after coming into her room.

"Does this mean I have to go back in… I'm still afraid, I have a bad feeling about this" Phoenix answered.

Castor gave her an embrace. She leaned her head upon his chest, sobbing.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you, no matter what…" he said grabbing her by the chin and looking into her beautiful eyes. Their lips touched. Castor gave Phoenix the first kiss she had in her life… A kiss which made her understand that he had fallen in love with her before meeting her in the park, she realized that he had been following her for a long time, that them meeting that night was not a coincidence. But she also saw their future, he saw him suffering because of her… She broke free from his arms

"No, Castor! Don't, please! I don't want to hurt you… I…love…you…and I don't want you to suffer" Phoenix explained.

"I won't suffer! Let me love you!"

Phoenix didn't say a word. She headed for the door.

"Let's go to the Oracle…"

The Oracle first wanted to see the twins. She told them that their mission was over and asked them to let Phoenix in.

At seeing the Oracle Phoenix suddenly remembered a piece of her past:

"I remember you…before waking up…I saw you…you told me that…it was time to wake up and fulfill…my destiny… Who are you? What do you know about me?"

"You remembered this because I wanted you to remember. I know everything about you!"

"Please, tell me what you know!" Phoenix answered.

"I can't tell you everything now, but I can show you something…"

After the Oracle said this, Phoenix closed her eyes. She could see a woman dresses in black, giving a baby to the Oracle, then running in the park and being shot by the Phantom.

She opened her eyes.

"Am I the baby? Is she my mother? Why did he shoot her?"

"All I can tell you is that you are the baby. To find out more, you must go to Machine City." The Oracle answered.

"Machine City? That was where they found me… What will I find there?" Phoenix asked, confused because she could not see what waited for her there.

"Don't try to see what I'm not letting you see! You'll find pieces of your past, that will influence the future. Now go and do what you must do! I'll call you again at the right moment".

"Before I go, I must ask you something… Castor, Pollux, everyone in Zion, they think I am The One and I will end the war…but I don't know how…"

"For now you should only know this: to end the war you must destroy what caused it…"

"From what they told me, the war burst back after Phantom killed Morpheus… so I must kill The Phantom? But I am afraid of him…"

"You will know more after you come back from Machine City"

Phoenix left. She told Castor that they should go back to Zion and let her take The Neb to Machine City. He wanted to go with her, but she refused, saying it was something she must do by herself, no matter how dangerous it was. Finally he agreed.

TBC