Chapter One
Underneath a brown and orange sky, troubled by the sinking of the sun, a lone, slim, and darkly complex woman, twenty-three years of age, slowly climbed upward and onward towards the restless volcano up and beyond, the very heart of the Isla de Mara. She was wearing a long vanilla-white short-sleeved dress with an orange ribbon-like belt.
Her honey-coloured eyes gazed at the peak of the mountain as her long dark-brunette hair, evenly tied with a barrette, flew gently in the warm and caressing wind. Her heart raced with fear and uncertainty, while her mind raced through memories of what have brought her up to this point and thoughts of what may come and happen from here on.
Nelli was chosen as the priestess and prophetess to the Fire Demon, the one to tame that beast. Even from a very young age, she knew of it and its potentially destructive power, told stories and fables about it and its many battles, how it even apparently managed to strike fear in the hearts and souls of the "gods". But in spite of such revelation and knowledge, she remained stern and calm, emotions steeled and hidden, especially the rational fear.
Eventually, Nellie soon spotted a long and almost dark mouth-like cave right up ahead at some point close enough to the top of the mountain, seemingly wide enough for her to walk through. She stepped forth inside, the rocks on the ground barely deterring her bare feet. As she walked even deeper and deeper, the light outside behind her seemed smaller and smaller, the near-complete darkness almost struck the girl's sight and heart with fear.
But even when she felt the sharp strike within herself, as well as the hint of trembling in her hands, Nelli kept on going until she found herself just on the edge of a large and wide hole going all the way downward where even more darkness awaited her. A slight pant of breath escaped her lips and echoed out and off from all sides. Taking a deep inhale and exhale, she let her eyes seal closed and let herself down to her knees with hands folded together.
"O Rodan, the One Born of Fire, the one whose light rivals that of the sun, the one who commands the flames and winds of the Earth," Nelly spoke in native tongues. "I've come to you as sent from my people, your people, to be your priest and prophet. To represent mortal man before you, and to represent you before mortal man, your servant forever modest and determined. Our fates tied together into one like the threads of a tapestry. I submit myself to you, your might, and your power. May you accept me as yours, and I may tame your winged fury".
Even as Nelli finished her prayer and speech , it was only the cruel and invisible entity of silence that soon replied back, at first at least. Eventually as she opened her eyes again while her words echoed down into the deep pit, something else would echo back up in response, a low growl that rang into the girl's ears and a cooling breath of wind that coated her face and brushed along her hair. Peering down into the endless pit, she could spot a small ominous glow emitting from the very bottom, slowly rising up and closer. With it came a much warmer burst of wind to kiss her skin and fill her lungs filling with radon gases.
Seeing the glow rising even higher and closer, and feeling the winds grow even warmer and hotter, Nelli quickly stepped back with a slight stumble. The reddish-orange glow spread up and throughout the irregular cave walls, and with them came a few low groaning creaks and crackles, then a vague shadow right above the pit that morphed from shape to shape, shrinking and growing endlessly. The deep groans grew closer and louder as well, nearly reverberating and vibrating the whole area.
Then, from the brightness and heat of the unknown, a triad of large thick talons emerged from the right side of the pit, appearing right before Nelli's widened eyes. Then it came down to grasp onto the edge before another triad of very similar claws rose from the left side and grabbed on the edge as well. Then right in the very middle of the pit, a giant horned head emerged upward, lifted, heaved, and supported by the winged arms. The large serrated beak parted open to let out another low growl and another breath of hot air that enveloped and caressed the awe-struck Nelli. Lastly, the eyes opened to reveal a bright glow of piercing amber-orange, staring down at the lone human girl.
It was him, the flaming demon, the beast that reigned the sky with terror, the one born of fire himself, Rodan.
Nelli stared on and up at the fiery titan with eyes still wide and irises shrunken as sweat glistened upon her dark skin. She froze up in awe, shock, and fear, even with all the burning heat that could've melted away any legit freezing. Rodan looked down at the tiny woman with a narrowed focusing gaze, wondering whatever she had really come for exactly. He had known and heard of these humans and their civilisations, how they would offer up some of their own kind as a sacrifice to fellow titans like him. What remotely good use would this girl even have that they saw in her which he himself wasn't seeing?
Gazing up and focusing carefully at the mighty firebird's face, Nelli eventually noticed a hint of confusion in the beast's expression. He didn't even know why she was here? Or even knew that she would be arriving at all? Clearly, he must've heard her call, but would he even understand what she said? The silence between and all around the two individuals grew overwhelming and almost awkward.
Hoping to prove herself to the kaiju somehow, Nelli took a firm straight stand as well as another deep inhale, the sweetness of gases entering her lungs, then let out another exhale as she let her eyelids fall softly shut. Starting with her shoulders and hips, she gracefully swayed from one side to the other, then back and forth again. She lifted up both arms until they were spread out far, wide, and flat before letting forth her right foot forward and sweeping it around on the rocky floor. Then she let herself spin about, loose and free while still keeping and maintain her own balance. She let her body be filled with an enticing force.
Observing at this tiny dance, Rodan watched with a look of curiosity, almost as if he found some strange intrigue and amusement in this. Even with the deep droning ambience of silence, and no open music being played at all, Nelli still danced in the ambiguous hope and possibility of appeasing this massive creature. She rolled her body like waves and moved her arms like the wings of a bird. The dark locks of her brunette hair flew outward and about, following her each and every single movements, and all throughout, her eyes remained closed and still as if sealed away in sweet utter bliss. Bringing her dance to a proper conclusion, Nelli kneeled downward and bowed face down with both arms stretched out and laid forth, with both hands open.
Rodan continued gazing down at this free-moving human girl who now placed herself down, silently grovelling before him. Opening up, he slowly moved his head forth to look into her more closely. Lifting back her upper body, Nelli noticed Rodan moving closer to her, as if he was wanting her to make physical contact with him. Rubbing the sweat on her palms and fingers, Nelli eventually lifted her left hand and carefully reached out forth towards the very tip of Rodan's beak. The very tips of her fingers slightly twitched as they inched even more close to the beak itself.
Before long, her hand would soon lay flat and still on the beast's beak. However, the very moment she touched, something quickly darted into her eyes and mind like the striking bolt of lightning, vision after vision of otherworldly landscapes and lifeforms. Monstrous faces flashing by erratically behind her eyes and equally monstrous roars ringing relentlessly and deeply inside her ears. Seeing so many sights and hearing so many sounds, all at once, was already starting to overwhelm her immensely.
With enough will and force, Nelli repelled her hand away from touching the face of Rodan, and with that, the noises and visions soon ceased as well albeit still faintly echoing in the deep dwelling depths of her conscience and consciousness. Her breaths was short, hard, and fractured, nearly hurting her chest even, before eventually easing down. Her body shook and trembled for a brief while before it too soon relaxed as well.
Looking at her hand, Nelli immediately noticed an unexpected mark made on it from touching Rodan, resembling the vague shape of a bird-esque creature with wings spread open far and wide. Looking back up at Rodan, she soon figured out what this may possibly mean. She may in fact be the one, the one to maintain peace within this beast, the one to contain his power and fury within herself, the one to represent him to all of mankind and in turn represent all of mankind to hm. The fates of Rodan and Nelli are forever tied as one.
To be continued...