The Phoenix's Maiden

The Battle for the Crystal (Part Three)

“Problem solved,” the goddess said proudly and the two exchange glances. “I assume that we can go now before Amber notice our disappearance,” she said and the two agreed. Amaterasu flew and Kamandag spread her wings to fly, but Arthur can’t. So Kamandag carried the young knight enduring his heaviness and they followed the goddess who is eager to wipe the enemy out as soon as possible.

“What are we going to do next?” Arthur asked curious of what Amaterasu had in mind once they reach their camp.

“We will observe them and plan how we will attack them, in the middle of the night where majority of them is resting we will attack them,” she answered the knight’s question.

“Good idea,” Kamandag remarked. “When will you tell us about the secrets of that cave and why are you so desperate keeping them out?” she asked so suddenly and Amaterasu was surprised that they are still on that topic.

“Not now but soon enough you will find out,” she answered while looking straight ahead. After some time, they reached the river that Kamandag saw earlier where the trail will lead them to their camp. But this time Kamandag can’t believe what she is seeing from a lively place for the creatures here, it turned out to be gruesome. They saw the slaughtered bodies of the mystics that lived here and corpses are everywhere.

“How heartless,” Kamandag whispered to herself. “Who did this?” she turned to the goddess to ask her the question.

“Probably them,” she answered pertaining to the army that established a camp nearby. “You know that creatures in the underworld are undeniably bloodthirsty,” she added.

“Yes, I know but this dreadful,” she responded fear and anger embedded on her face. “It hurts me knowing that I came from there,” she added and her expression turned into sadness.

“Listen,” the young knight cuts off. “Where you were born does not define who you are,” he said trying to motivate the black fairy. “Clearly you are not from the underworld just by looking how good your heart is,” he added and that seems effective because Kamandag smiled a bit and her morale was raised thanks to the young knight.

Just by hearing how the two interacted Amaterasu felt happy and contented that this plan will be a success. Friendship can also be a source of power, not literally but it will boost the will of the holder and from that will great unexpected power will rise. That is why she trains Amber to be always motivated and giving her a reason to fight just like these two.

They reached two hills and from afar Amaterasu spotted flying creatures circling from above, this is not your usual Sarimanok, based on its appearance. They are black and hideous; they can smell the odor even from afar. It’s the harpies, the goddess quickly dives down to hide on the nearby hill they spotted because those are the scouts of the camp. Kamandag quickly followed Amaterasu to the hill and they hid there to avoid detection from the harpies.

“I don’t expect them to be this many,” Arthur said observing the camp.

“It’s always like this,” Amaterasu spoke carefully scanning the whole camp.

“Strength in numbers huh,” Kamandag uttered unconsciously and she quickly covered her mouth when she realized that.

“No, you are correct,” the goddess said. “They are always attacking in mass numbers so they can overwhelm the enemy,” she added. “That is where the leader is and hopefully Cain is in there waiting for us,” she pointed to the tallest hut in the center of the camp. “When the night is at its peak, and the land troops are inside their huts, me and Kamandag will take care of the harpies and you Arthur will take out the remaining guards below,” she stated her plan seriously and the two are eagerly listening to her. “For now, let’s take some information about their behaviors while we can,” she said and no one disagreed. They took their places and quietly and patiently they wait for the moon to reach its highest point.

In Kamandag’s side where her anger is fueled by seeing the abbadons having on torturing a salamander. Ripping its limbs off one by one while its scream of anguish is music to their ears. She wanted to step in and stop them but she was prevented by her thoughts that this will ruin the plan. She engraved the thought in her mind that this is just a small price to pay for the greater good, and she will make sure that its sacrifice will not be in vain.

Hours have passed and the moment that they are waiting for is here. The moon is at its highest point and most of the land troops are inside their huts and only few flames are left burning for the ground scouts. Some of the harpies take its ground to rest while the others continue to fly in circles.

The goddess and Kamandag tried to sneak away and so did Arthur to execute the first step of Amaterasu’s plan without any error. Amaterasu performed a dance even they are far away from the enemies and Kamandag just watched her doing her thing. Later on, black ambers appeared rising up and taken away by the breeze in the night. Black flames are what Amaterasu is known for since these flames can’t be extinguished unless hit by a spell more powerful than it or the holy water wielded by other gods.

“Dance of the fire goddess,” she whispered her move that Kamandag can hear and she thought that the name of the move was bit too obvious. She does not mention about it and observed how this spell will go on. The breeze flows right through the harpies so it is the perfect time to execute the plan.

The black embers reached the flying harpies and they felt some tingling sensation when they inhaled it, the black embers went inside their body. They felt dizzy and their vision became blurry and they lose their control of their wings. From the sky they fall but before they hit the ground, they regained control of their wings and fly, but they see themselves not in the camp anymore but with their own illusion. The place they have been longing for, their own paradises and from afar they saw Amaterasu as the goddess that rule over their dream world.

“My children,” she spoke with those gives the harpies the feeling of being wanted. “Come here,” she whispered again and this time the harpies’ wings flap towards her. Their whole mind is taken over by the goddess.

In reality, in Kamandag’s perception, the harpies are just flying towards their location and she thought at first that they found out about them but when she heard the goddess spoke, she thought that something is going on.

“Aren’t we supposed to escape?” she asks in case that her speculations are wrong, but the goddess just ignored her and her arms is open wide as if she is welcoming the coming creatures in her embrace.

When they are out of their camp, Amaterasu raised one of her hands and one click of her fingers the harpies were consumed by black flames and their agony cannot be heard by others since they are far away. “Let’s go,” Amaterasu flew towards the sleeping harpies. “Take the left side,” she ordered Kamandag and they separated ways.

On the other side Arthur successfully infiltrated the insides of the camp thanks to the goddess luring the air scouts away from him. He saw one ground troop that is currently facing the opposite direction on where he is. He sneaks up on the unaware creature and he quickly draw his sword to stab it. He aimed on the head for it to die quickly. The blood flows through his swords and he quickly pulls it out. The lifeless body of the poor creature slammed down on the ground and Arthur pulls it away so other patrolling scouts won’t see it.

His goal is to reach the hut where the leader is currently resting and to take him out before Amaterasu rain this place down with fire. He progressed, further near the tent and took out the guards without any hesitation. He quickly went in and there he finds more unaware abbadons guarding the area. It seems like that their leader is a very important person and it gives him more certainty that Cain is the one inside this tent.

Once again, he draws out his sword from its scabbard. He stood up and there is no reason for him to hide anymore. “I’m free to burn this place, right?” he asked the goddess as Amaterasu told them earlier that she can telepathically communicate with them.

“You can go wild,” he heard the goddess spoke to his mind.

“That’s more like it,” he said smiling and he turned the emblem of his sword into fire. “Fire Excalibur,” he whispered and the flames suddenly bursts out with flames that stole the attention of the abbadons. The guards exchange glances before they realized that Arthur is an intruder, their wings extended simultaneously and one by one and Arthur kept the flames on his sword. “Prometheus’s Wrath,” he slashed rapidly with full power killing the abbadons that charged towards him, and the woods catches the fire from his sword. The hut started to burn and from above where Kamandag and Amaterasu is, the goddess is dancing again but this time its another dance. She ordered the black fairy to guard her from enemies if there is left.

Chigumo was awakened by the explosions outside his room and he is unaware and not ready for their attacks. He rushes downstair where he met Arthur wildly slashing his men.

“WHO ARE YOU?!” the spider demon abbadon shouted and the young knigh quickly faces him.

“Your demise,” he said wearing a maniacally smile on his face. Chigumo transformed quickly to his recent form blessed by his king.

“You will regret saying that,” he spoke back to him and suddenly a swarm of spider demon appeared out of nowhere.

“Little armies huh, what a joke?” the young knight insulted the demon. “Let’s dance,” he added while he is in his assault stance with his sword.

"Oh I am going to enjoy this," the demon cracked his neck before going on his battle stance.

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-