The Phoenix's Maiden

The Battle for the Crystal (Part Two)

Amaterasu went straight to the fire crystal’s chamber after her confrontation with Arthur. She checked on it for the last time before calling a meeting with the two, Amber is out of this mess and the three of them will take care of the problem since they are strong enough to fight thousands of the underworld’s armies.

She chants a prayer to it, to bless her power for the upcoming battle. The war is inevitable and she needs power, she is not in the land where she is supposed to be where her power is infinite. The fire crystal is making her alive in this land and as long as the crystal is in the right hands, she will survive. She is not sure if she is going back to her homeland but one thing is for sure, she will witness Amber rise like a phoenix in the midst of darkness, glowing, giving a ray of hope to those who in despair.

After praying to the crystal, she stood up and went outside the caver and in one click of her fingers all the magical trap that she set up was once again activated. She sealed the cavern’s doors and in outside it looks like just another wall. She is uncertain if this is enough if this will prevent the enemy from finding the crystal once they have infiltrated the base, but it is certain that it will stall some time for them to prevent them from acquiring the crystal.

Meanwhile, the two reached the training chamber where Amber is currently taking a rest. The two walks in and they saw the maiden sitting and her back is against the wall. She is catching her breathe because she is exhausted by all the aura she used up. She noticed immediately the presence of Kamandag and Arthur.

“Hey guys she called on them,” she called on them while waving her hands at them. The two exchange glances with each other reminding themselves that Amber will not know a thing about the current situation outside and the battle with the underworld.

“Hey babe,” Kamandag greeted her back retaining her sassiness towards the maiden and Amber was surprised seeing her in her black fairy form.

“Woah,” she exclaimed. “I thought you are embarrassed being in that form,” she said curiously.

“Part of the training,” she shrugs her shoulders. “Gotta train myself to be familiar with this body,” she added. “If only Amaterasu can’t sense me though, but regardless of that I am thankful that gave me the confidence to be at my best,” she said smiling. She is really happy that she gets to achieve her dream but she has a very long way to go before having the mastery of her new form.

“I am so glad for you,” Amber commended her friend.

“So how is your training?” Kamandag asked Amber. The maiden suddenly bolted, seemingly excited about something.

“I’m going to show you really something cool, I just recently learned about this move,” she said and she used her left hand to form a g*n and points it towards the dummy, despite seeing that move earlier when they visited her, they played along with her so no suspicions from Amber. “Rapid fire bullets,” she whispered and almost instantly she produced three powerful small fire balls that destroyed the target dummies. Kamandag was genuinely impressed as well as Arthur and both of the clapped their hands.

“Wow, from embers to that,” Arthur remarked and he meant it as a joke to lighten up the current mood.

“Very impressive babe,” Kamandag applauded. “You sure are crafty with your techniques,” she praised Amber more. Amber’s cheeks turned red as she is too overwhelmed hearing these great words from her friends. This is the fruit of her hard work and she turned it into inspiration to train harder, to protect her friend that is very dear to her heart.

“Don’t mention it,” she said smiling while scratching the back of her head.

“You are truly gifted as the prophecy stated,” Arthur added and Amber stopped smiling as she does not like that kind of comment from Arthur.

“Hey,” Amber called to Arthur staring at him dead in the eyes.

“Did I say something wrong?” he asked confused because of Amber’s sudden reaction.

“Yes,” she answered him straightforwardly. “I don’t like hearing about that prophecies nonsense when I am trying my best here being the best that I could be to fulfill my duty,” she said frustrated and keeping the secret about the crystal, but she is not aware that the goddess had an impact to her mindset, which is good because this way she is feeling a lot less pressure compared from the time that the prophecy is a burden in her shoulders.  “I will create my own path, not that text that was stated tp all of you years ago,” she added and Arthur backs off slightly as he prepares himself for Amber’s deadly move.

Pride Breaker Barrage.

He gave that move a name as it could destroy one self’s morale. That could be useful in the battlefield she is not just aware of. In reality Amber has no idea that the insults that she throws hurts people’s hearts. She lacks empathy towards others.

Amber toned down and became quiet and she just walks away towards the alternate exit from the chamber. Kamandag and Arthur was left behind watching Amber walk away. The young knight was very surprised about Amber’s reaction, and he does not have the slightest idea that comment will make her angry.

“Congrats pretty boi,” Kamandag congratulated Arthur sarcastically. “You are pretty good pissing others including me,” she said because sometimes Arthur just throws words at her and the young knight does not have an idea.

“I’m sorry,” Arthur whispered to himself.

“Why are you saying sorry to me?” she asked the sorry knight. “Go after her dummy,” she suggested and she gave the young knight a little push to break the ice on his feet. Arthur almost stumbles because his mind is not really clear.

“Come immediately,” the heard the voice of Amaterasu inside their heads. Amaterasu just connected with Arthur and Kamandag telepathically so they can talk about the plan without letting the unaware Amber know. “To the entrance of the cave, meet me there,” she added and once again Arthur’s feet froze from where he is and he looks back to Kamandag.

“You heard the boss, right?” she stated the obvious. “Let’s go,” she turned away from him completely ignoring about Amber’s sudden anger.

“Don’t you think that this is too soon?” he asked Kamandag.

“Well, we need to protect the cave and whatever is inside this place besides I trust her every word,” she replied back while running towards the entrance of the cave where Amaterasu is waiting for them.

In the entrance of the cave where Amaterasu is currently meditating. This is not meditation, but this is one of her moves where she sends signals all around her covering the whole region. When the signal pass on a life forms the life form will send a separate signal back to her. In simpler terms, this technique will work as a radar and every life form sends unique signal that will help her to identify the enemies and how many of them are currently hear. She sensed Arthur and Kamandag close by running towards her but she ignored that since it’s not them who is she locating.

The signal travelled through the whole land in a speed of light passing on every life form, it passes on Chigumo’s camp sending thousand of signals at once back to Amaterasu. The goddess immediately opened her eyes because that gave her a ringing sensation in her ears. That information is enough for her to create a plan and where to attack.

The two just arrived on time seeing the goddess agitated by something.

“Here we are,” Arthur tried to get Amaterasu’s attention. The goddess’s senses were temporarily disrupted by that loud signal that she heard.

“There are thousands of them,” she announced. “Thousands of them north east camping,” she added.

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Arthur. Amaterasu did not reply back to his question as she was recovering her senses. When she is in that state, her senses are keener than her usual self and much more sensitive to frequencies, the signals coming back to her has frequencies that lets her know the location of the target.

“We will attack them tonight, in their rest slaughtering every single one of them before they reach this place,” the goddess sounded desperate towards the two and Kamandag was frightened with her plan as well as Arthur. From the eyes of the two, she is like another mystic to them not the playful and gentle Amaterasu. Arthur thought that whatever is inside this place is very important that it pushed the goddess in this point of disparity.

“Is there no other way?” Kamandag asked.

“Showing mercy to the enemy of the underworld will just lead us to our defeat,” the goddess replied. “You should know that more than anyone else since you came from that wretched place,” she added and Kamandag felt ashamed of herself. “Sorry,” she apologized immediately when she saw her reaction. “Cain is their leader now,” she started all over again. “And facing his army means only one rule,” she said with much seriousness. “It’s killed or to be killed,” she said frightening Kamandag more.

“I get it, but we just used all of our energy from the training earlier,” Arthur stated his concern.

“No problem,” to Amaterasu this problem can be solve immediately since her fire can heal and restore energy of others. She stands up straight facing the two, and she immediately began chanting some prayers. “Blessing of the sun,” she finished her chant and her hands produced embers that spiraled all over the body of the two.

They felt so warm and their fatigue disappeared in an instant and they felt stronger again. It’s almost like that they are ready for the battle. No, they are really are ready for the battle.

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-