The Phoenix's Maiden

Start of the Training

After hearing the story of the omni stone, Amaterasu focused only on Kamandag and Arthur, leaving Amber to reflect on her responsibility. She thought that keeping the stone away from Cain and his forces is the true meaning of protecting the kingdom away from the enemy. She briefed herself while the three is away and prepare herself mentally for the hellish training that awaits her after her reflection after hearing the story about the crystals and the threat that it poses to the entire realm.

She distanced herself from her friend for a few days as she was instructed by the goddess since she knew that it can help her focus and, in her training, focus is the most crucial factor that she needed to accomplish it. She needs to develop her mental strength first because no matter how physical capable or spiritually she will not accomplish or finish anything if her mind is weak. If she is easy to give or does not have any kind of motivation that will push her through her limits. The goddess knew that mental weakness is the most common trait that everyone in the phoenix clan had. From her experience of training many of its kin.

After that they will finally go to the physical training that will test her mental strength and weapon training since her aura can be diminished, she can’t entirely rely on it in battle. After that is actual battles with hostiles in this land, she will give her missions just like what Arthur and Kamandag received as soon as their training started with the goddess. Their mission is pretty much the same after that but the difference is the intensity of the mission since Amaterasu wants to produce what is lacking to both of them.

-After Two Days-

“Are you ready?” Amaterasu asked Amber. Amber emerged from the darkness and her usual nervous expression is gone, in just a few days, significant changes can be noticed. The goddess can tell even just looking at her and she can see the determination in her eyes. Without knowing what she thinks she can tell because she seen it so many times. She trained worthy warriors in Fernis that defended the kingdom with passion and patriotism.

“Yes,” she replied cheaply but seriously.

“Now let’s get onto it,” she said and the goddess started to walk and Amber followed her. She takes back pushing her body first. First, she wants to teach Amber the basics on how to use her aura that has been stocked up inside her. She can sense the hidden bomb inside her and if handled wildly, this can cause her serious harm and worst she might kill herself. Dying is still the worst fear of the members of the Phoenix clan. Their blessings to avoid death is a double-edged sword because it can inflict emotional and physical trauma to an individual who experienced death. She seen members of the clan that developed worst psychological disorder that destroyed themselves. They were jailed but they also vanished when King Frigs saved the kingdom.

They reached another cavern and the goddess clicked her hands and the candles were lit with fire. This time It is an empty cavern with plenty of space. They walked to the center of it and they faced each other. They had a staring contest for a couple of minutes. Just the goddess testing the maiden’s focus. Amber did not blink or got even distracted. She is focused one hundred percent on her training. The goddess smile seeing her passing the first test.

“This one will be easy,” she announced.

She walks away from the maiden and she clicked her hands forming target practices made out of stones. Some are moving and many are standing completely still in different directions. She stands in front of it since Amber will not use it just yet.

“Now for the basics of your training,” she announced. “First you will learn how to control your aura,” she continued while walking back and forth from side to side while Amber is just looking straight but she is listening to her instructor like a recruit soldier who is dreaming to save him or her country one day. “I know that I said that I will push you physically, yes that is important, but without the knowledge of using the extent of your abilities, your physical capabilities will be rendered useless as your foes have different magical abilities that they will use in fights,” she explained. “You one of the blessed clans in this realm you have a pretty powerful arsenal throughout the history of your clan training in my hands,” she added and she walked near to Amber. “Did you try to extract your aura?” she asked.

“Arthur thought me how but I only produced embers,” she answered honestly.

“That is when you are mentally weak,” she replied. “Now that you have improved your thinking we will try again, do you know the basics?” she asked again.

“I think,” she sounds so unsure.

“Okay let’s start from the beginning,” she stepped aside exposing the targets in front of her. “Choose a target to destroy,” she ordered her and Amber’s eyes is immediately locked on the target in front of her. “Good, not put your hands up, your palm is facing the target,” she ordered and Amber did exactly what she said. “Close your eyes and feel your aura flowing inside your body. Think that you are the wind that dictates where the water flows and this time you will dictate where will your aura will go and that is your hand. Imagination is the key to perform powerful spells, form a fireball inside your head and shoot it towards the target,” she added.

Amber closed her eyes and she felt that every nerve in her body is like a stream. She thinks that she is a wind just like what she instructed by Amaterasu. Guide it to my hand, she thought ordering herself to perform the training. A fireball is pretty easy to imagine since she saw a lot of it in video games and movies as it was the most common fire spell in wizardry or pyromancy.

She felt heat in her hands but she continues to think of forming a fireball in her palm and the goddess is very impressed on what she is witnessing. In her first try she nailed her instruction and she produced a big fireball in her hands, just like a basketball in terms of size.

“Now push it hard enough to hit the target,” she instructed Amber when the size of the fireball is enough in her level. Amber bends her arm backwards and she instantly pushes it, shooting the fireball towards the target. Upon impact the fireball exploded that destroyed other target practices in its area. “Not bad, and very well done for your first try,” Amaterasu commended the maiden since she saw that Amber is a prodigy.

Amber felt exhausted and Amaterasu went to her side.

“Using and channeling your aura inside your body can be as exhausting as doing demanding physical activities,” she explained. “That is why I will push you through your limits and soon enough using this kind of spells will be just a child’s play for you,” she added.

Amber smiled and she cannot believe that she just produced a fireball out of her hands. She can’t believe that she just did that. She wants to celebrate and tell it to Kamandag and Arthur but they are not her and this is not the right time to celebrate small accomplishments.

“Now I want you to control and concentrate your reservoir inside your body,” she announced. “Controlling the storage of your aura is pretty important since going out of control poses many dangers to you,” she added. “Now I want you to produce small and concentrated fireballs that will destroy and incinerate one target without destroying the others around it,” she clicked her hands and the flames were blown out and the destroyed targets are rebuilt as good as new. “Learn to control and you shall master the art of the fireball,” she said observing Amber concentrating herself again. “The fireball spell is the most basic spell in pyromancy but it’s so much flexible and can be innovated in so many different ways, it’s up to the user how creative they can be in battle,” she added.

The maiden concentrated herself again. Meanwhile the two meets up in the front of the cave as they are both finished in their mission assigned for them for the day. Kamandag transformed back into her witch form from her redeemed form and Arthur puts back the sword in its scabbard.

They greeted each other and as soon as they stepped inside the cave, they felt the tremble of the stones. They can feel the explosions that Amber is causing and they are both curious what is it so they locate the source of the explosions. Soon they reach the cavern where Amber is training and as soon as they entered Arthur and Kamandad were surprised seeing their friend firing fireballs. It’s just a couple of days that they did not met the maiden and it’s this huge of a change that she had gone through. Since Amber is so focused on her training, she did not notice the arrival of the two.

Producing fireballs is easy enough for her but exhausting but controlling its density and explosiveness is so hard for her that she accidentally shoots it off around her. They watched carefully how serious Amber is on improving herself.

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-