Axel strolled through the serene streets of Berlin, his gaze wandering over the inviting glow of shop lights, the soft murmur of passing cars, and the gentle caress of a cool breeze.
It was… stunning. A kind of tranquility he had never envisioned. The more he took it all in, the more his resentment for Soul Ocean twisted within him.
'How could they keep this from us?'
They had painted the outside world as a desolate place filled with weaklings and worthless trash that didn't deserve to share the same air. But he caught himself mid-thought, his jaw clenching.
He wasn't sure if that was true. He didn't know anything about the so-called "weaklings" they had warned him about.
All he was certain of was that the instructors had lied about everything else… so this was likely a lie too. The world around him, sparkling under the night sky, felt more vibrant and alive than anything Soul Ocean had ever allowed him to dream of.
Axel wanted to experience it more, learn more about the world that Soul Ocean shunned him out of. But slow and steady will always win the race so he had to calm down and take things easy before rushing.
Axel strolled down the street, the soft glow of passing headlights casting a warm light across his face. Berlin was a far cry from the rigid, straight paths he was used to back home.
Here, streets branched off in every direction, each one bursting with noise, color, and life. If he kept wandering without a plan, he'd probably just end up going in circles.
He really needed to find his way.
As he spotted a small group of girls laughing together, Axel paused for a moment. They seemed so relaxed and carefree, a stark contrast to anyone he'd met in Soul Ocean. Taking a deep breath, he decided to approach them.
"Um… excuse me," he said softly.
The girls turned, mid-laugh, and for a brief moment, they froze. Their eyes widened a bit, and he could see their cheeks flush pink as they took him in from head to toe.
With his hood pushed back and the city lights highlighting his features, Axel had unwittingly captured their full attention.
He continued, keeping his voice calm yet polite. "I'm new here, and I don't want to get lost. Could you help me with directions?"
He held out the crumpled paper with the address written on it, hoping he didn't look as out of place as he felt.
"Um, well let me see." One of the girls said.
She takes a look at the paper and then nods, looks like she knows the address.
"Of course I know the address, in fact we can take you there if you want." the girl said.
Axel looked at the girl first, it would be a lot of help if they directly took him to Ms. Kristina's address but something does not feel right. The girl that told him is acting strange. Her actions are weird and her heart beat is bumping at a very fast rate rather than the normal heart beat per second of sixty beats per second he could hear from a normal person.
'Strange… Why is she nervous?'
He kept his face relaxed.
"No I will be okay, asking you ladies to take me there while you are already busy with your night would be very disrespectful so at least I should thank you for pointing the direction for me." Axel said with a calm smile on his face.
The girls blush even more after seeing his smile.
"Oh yea it's fine as long as you get to your place it will make the three of us happy." one of the girls said.
Axel nodded slowly.
"Okay then bye I hope we encounter each other in the future." Axel said.
The girls also say goodbye as Axel starts walking to the direction that one of the girls pointed.
Axel made his way in the direction the girls had indicated, weaving through the bustling streets alive with nighttime energy. Every now and then, he would stop to ask someone a couple strolling hand in hand, a man out walking his dog, a cyclist pausing at a red light showing them the address scribbled on the back of the letter.
Most didn't have a clue; some pointed vaguely, while others just shrugged with an apologetic smile.
Then, at last, an older gentleman, balancing grocery bags, paused to adjust his glasses and squinted at the address.
"Ah," he said, a light of recognition in his eyes. "There's an apartment in Mitte. It's called the Geheimer Garten Motel."
Axel whispered it softly to himself. "Geheimer Garten Motel…"
He nodded slightly in appreciation. "Thank you."
"No problem, young man. Just keep going straight, then take a left at the bakery. You can't miss it."
Axel nodded and pressed on, repeating the name in his mind. It felt soothing… serene… like the complete opposite of everything Soul Ocean stood for.
Before long, the buildings around him grew taller, the crowds thinned out, and the lights softened. The air felt calmer. He followed the man's directions to the letter, step by step.
After several minutes of walking, Axel finally caught sight of it a modest apartment complex nestled quietly behind a row of trees, partially concealed by vines and dimly glowing lanterns.
A metal sign hung loosely at the entrance, elegantly scripted in German:
Geheimer Garten Motel.
(Secret Garden Motel.)
Axel paused for a moment, taking it all in, the night breeze whispering past him. He had finally arrived after nearly two to three hours of walking and asking around, at the place where Dr. Kristina Visscher was supposed to be living.
"Finally… I made it."
He stepped toward the entrance, ready to confront whatever awaited him inside.