The Phoenix's Maiden

Just a Normal Day

Amber’s Point of View

It’s been hours since we started our journey and we just stepped out from these lands and we just entered this forest. I am not sure if this is the same forest where Kamandag was snatched by a kapre, then Arthur came to the rescue while I am there sitting waiting for him to return with Kamandag. I was dead nervous back then.

Good memories, but not for this resting snake, I felt my lips formed a smile. I wished that conflicts that came into our lives is just like that, but things change. I don’t need to stay in one place, I need to move, if I stay the enemy will catch up to us.

“Hey,” I called, Arthur and Pyro, turned around to me. I felt my stomach grumbled and I think that this is the best time to have a lunch break. We have prepared meals in our luggage so finding a meal won’t be a problem anymore, which leaves us to find a more comfortable spot. “Let’s have a break,” I told them, and at the same time we can conserve our energy along this journey.

“Good idea,” I heard Kamandag waking up and she yawns while clearing her mouth.

“Then that’s decided,” I told them because there is already three of us, Poison included. That means that the majority of this group wants to take a rest. The two looked at each other and Arthur just shrugged his shoulders and proceeds to walk forward.

“This... way,” he said upon finding a shaded spot with clean area. We put our bags under the three in an orderly manner so it is pleasing to the eye. I pulled out a carpet from my bag and I put it on the grasses. The air is cool here and it is like we are on a picnic. It is nice to think it this way. Having a nice little picnic.

“The food please,” I requested and Pyro took the responsibility of getting them then reheating the foods. Food is always better when served hot except for those that are required to be chilled. “Thank you,” I said when he served it on the carpet.

Kamandag crawled out of my neck transforming once again onto her black fairy form and sat beside me. I rested my head on her shoulders calming my mind waiting for Arthur to finish the preparations.

“Then we are ready to eat!” he announced after cleaning the utensils. I slowly opened my eyes then I sat properly, happy that it’s lunch time, there is no more anticipated time in my life other than this. Kamandag cooked this food and I gotta say that she is a very great cook. I always enjoy the meals that she served.

“Thank you for the food!” I said after the prayer, then I dig in. What I got is a meal with veggies and meat with aromatic sauce. I used my spoon to scoop a handful then I put it inside my mouth.

I tightly closed my eyes when the food bursts with different flavors complimenting each ingredient. This is very tasty and I will not get tired of eating this. I took my time of chewing to enjoy the flavor it offers inside my mouth.

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I’m full... then I softly burped. That was a good meal, then I lay down on the carpet. Whooo... some rest won’t harm us. I closed my eyes to take a nap.

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“Hey!” I heard Arthur’s voice shaking my body. “Time to go,” he told me. I squinted my eyes and stretched my arms. I let out a yawn then I got up seeing them cleaning. I stretched my arms again before standing up, I can’t really resist the urge of stretching my shoulders, hehe.

“Yea, yea,” I replied while standing up then I shook the carpet to let the dust that has taken hold, loose. After that, I fold it until it fits on my bag. That’s the only thing I did because the rest was already done by them.

They let me snooze off.

After all of that we are ready to go again. I felt the crystal became hot in my chest a without this leather vest on, it is completely exposed because the thin layer of fabric is not enough to hide its bright glow. I took a peek on it and noticed that even Silakbo is also glowing red.

Maybe this is just it absorbing energy from the crystal... woah, it seems like that everyone is turning around me, I lost my balance and thankfully I caught myself thanks to a nearby three preventing me from completely falling.

I shrug it off, and let it do its thing. I inserted both of my arms to the string of the bag then let it rest. They are waiting for me in the distance, waiting for me to finish.

I went straight to them and now Kamandag is retaining her form not turning into a snake and hiding behind my neck again.

“Enough rest for me,” she said as if she was reading my mind. Well, whatever I got my answers from her.

“Let’s go?” I asked them, then they turned away their gaze on me and started walking. I followed them because Arthur is the one that knows the way back to the castle. The forest is thick and I noticed that there is something deep in the forest stalking us.

It might be the creatures that lives here, I wanted to explore but I need to resist the urge and keep walking straight until we reach the castle.

The bushes are rustling and the leaves dance with the breeze. It is mesmerizing to watch, and I keep on walking.

This is the best time to calm my mind from the troubles that happened to me in the past. Just like what I have been used to and just like what I said, I used this as a therapy for myself. I thought that I am one with this place. Just casually standing peacefully.

I inhaled the fresh air and exhaled. That refreshed my mind and my lungs. I opened my eyes to see strange animals running around. As if I am currently on a camp.

This is a great refreshment for myself. I need to restart my whole system. I need this. I really do. Now I am being swayed by the wind as if my weight became light all of a sudden and now, I am flying obeying the commands of the wind.

I wonder where the other crystal is. Where are they hidden? Who are their keepers? If I remember it correctly the goddess told me that there is a total of nine crystals scattered all around this realm, entrusted to someone to keep it away from the forces of evil, which is why the goddess came in this country in the first place even if it means defying the rules of the great one.

Her actions are really selfless, naturally whoever is in her position, the power, the wealth, the authority, she got it all, it is naturally to think to use that power to gain control, but she, she chose to flee in order to bring order back in her country because the crystal is the main reason why her siblings and fellow gods in that country are fighting.

If anyone is in her position, I guess they will do the opposite and will join the death match over the crystal. There is no reason for me to not miss her, but she still lives inside me, and I hold the crystal in my chest.

I tightly hold the crystal, and swore again, to myself that I will defend this crystal as much as she did. With my life, I will defend this until death. If they can get it from my reach.

I opened my eyes again and I still saw them walking straight. We are still in the forest, what should I expect? Teleport?

I laughed on the thought catching Kamandag’s attention, she walked slower to match my pace. Upon catching up to my slowness, she is looking straight to my face right now, smiling.

“What are you laughing about their girl?” she asked curiously. I smiled.

“Nah just thought something about funny,” I told her the truth.

“Hmm,” she hummed with a suspicious tone, then she looks at Arthur, as if something caught her attention. “Did something happen between you two?” she asked then I backed off, I was caught off guard. “So something really happened?” she whispered to me.

“What?” I exclaimed. “No...” I defended myself. “I was just caught off guard by that question, why would you think of that in the first place?” I asked her.

“Ah nothing?” she answered unsurely so I stare at her with more serious look.

“What is it?” I asked her again persuading her to tell me the reason.

“Just noticed that the handsome knight back there is acting so startled whenever you are around,” she told me and I find that... not strange...

“Yea he acted like that, I don’t know why but I noticed that,” I told her then she shakes her head. “What?” I asked confused.

“Nothing,” she said. “You know what?” she said. “I even saw him looking at you when you are asleep,” she told me.

“So what?” I asked again because I don’t find that strange.

“Nothing, just telling,” she told me again, then she became quite as if she was disappointed by my response. Meh, whatever.

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-