The Phoenix's Maiden

Facing The Challenge

Amber’s Point of View

I was left here staring at the lush forest in front of me and I still can’t process in my head that this place is dangerous amongst the ones that we had been through. Well, it looks peaceful to me at the very least and I can’t imagine this place popping out monster in front of me.

I heard a screech and looked up- speaking of the devil a giant fearsome monster bird is pointing its talons towards me. It is ready to grab me anytime. My face went blank. Really? I quickly caster a simple exploding fireball towards it and I did not have the time to identify it as the explosion blew it away from me.

If that bird is not trying to kill me, I guess I admired it pretty hard as my geeky side is getting the best of me again but no, it’s trying to kill me mistaking me as its prey. Now I believe the goddess and I felt nervous going inside that forest alone. I heard earlier that she whispered “Welcome to the Garden of Eden” before she launches herself upwards and disappearing. I hope not because that is so COOL.

Right in front of me is the real Garden of Eden! Sheesh! That place is so popular back in the human world especially to the Christians because this is the place where Adam and Eve appeared when they are created by God. That makes sense since Adam and Eve ruled this kingdom once.

That’s so cool! Although I am excited and afraid at the same time upon entering the forest. That bird ruined its element of surprise by letting me know that it is there ready to kill me and I felt that I just got lucky that time and there is no next time.

I took a deep deep breath and closed my eyes to ease my fear that I am feeling right now. I exhaled making me feel relax a little bit right now. Deep breath helps me to relax right now and I am practicing it ever since when I discovered about it since when I am a child. Whenever my foster mother is abusing me and after that I wanted to breakdown, I just take deep breathes to show her that I am strong and no one will destroy me.

I opened my eyes once again and still saw that I am in front of this peaceful looking forest. I need to gather my courage and be ready for the surprises that is waiting for me. Remember Amber, you are not the weak self that you had been in the past, right now you have something to defend yourself from the enemies. You will not let yourself get beaten anymore. You are strong now. You have friends that support you and most of all there is someone waiting for you in the other side.

That’s what I told myself and right now I am feeling so confident that I can overcome this obstacle pretty much, because I am strong and I will use that strength to win this challenge. More like of a tall wall hindering me from getting to the other side. I will blast through that wall and get there triumphant with my proud face looking at the goddess.

Because that will assure her that I am ready for any fights that will come for me. I know that she knows that battles in this situation of ours is unavoidable how much safety precautions that we use and that goes for all of us. That’s why we are preparing ourselves.

I am reminded by myself that I must complete my 100 moves with my fireball after this challenge which makes it harder for me to fight through this forest. If I wanted to make this quick, I must improvise and use that move against monsters that will come for me. Any friendly creatures will be spared or those who chose not to attack which will be in my favor but I am sure that many monsters will come for me, and that big bird from earlier is the great example for that.

Now I have gathered my courage and I decided to jump to this- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! OH, GAWD I DID NOT EXPECT THIS TO BE THIS TALL. I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! Please guide me oh great one! I don’t want to die here!

AH I pointed my hands towards the ground and fired a fireball towards it to lessen the impact of my fall and the whole time I am closing my eyes because I can’t take it. I fall onto my butt which caused me a little pain, I grunted and touched that part where it is painful.

Nineteen more to go! I am glad that the first challenge that come for me was a success. Oh I really thought that I am going to die in that fall and I must admit that it is not so enjoyable first experience inside this forest. I did not pay any attention from my surrounding and I just assumed that I am not in front of the cliff.

The trees are so large which gave me the impression that I am nearby and it is really literally in front of me which will take me just a few steps to get inside it, BUT NO! I am not falling again and I must be wary of my surrounding if I don’t want that to happen to me again. I really am wary of my situation right now after that fall.

It woke me up literally and now I need to get inside of this forest now. I need to get through this before any monsters show up again and tries to kill me. I am not ready for this horror experience like an innocent child not ready for dark experiences in this crucial world.

Where there is darkness, there is always light. That’s my mindset, like a yin yang, while there is good, bad will not disappear. I don’t know what is the clear explanation of that statement but I am confident that I get it.

Another deep breath Amber, whoo, relax, you have your abilities to shoo them away and complete your task. Wait- since I don’t want to kill any creatures inside this forest, I just need to shoo them away. Great idea, truly a great idea Amber. Just shoo them away or knock them down.

If I will kill something or someone it’s going to be those demons that is attempting to get the crystal and destroy the world. Yeah they will be the ones that will taint my hands dirty with demon blood. That’s it! Great idea.

I heard a growl, from my right and I hid inside a giant leaf immediately. Great Amber, after having the idea of only killing the enemy, and then a while later a small chicken like monster appeared out of nowhere, aww so cut- oh never mind it just growled just like what I’ve heard before. Very brave Amber, very brave and most of all definitely not cute at all.

I step outside of the leaf that I am just hiding into after confirming that there is no danger at all, at least now and I think this little chicken like creature that I don’t know that has a scary growl pose no threat to me. I need to move forward. I don’t what is this creature and I don’t what their names is, I think I will come back here when I am brave enough and that time, I had a journal with and will study their behavior, and maybe I will try to draw them. I am not confident with my skills when it comes to drawing.

Right after I step out of the big leaf, the chicken like creature and I stare at each other, it scanned me for a moment and there I wondered what is it just thinking about me. After realizing that its just curious I turned my back from that chicken like creature and move forward so I can reach the other side and pretty much improvise other things when I get there, if there is no monster that tried to eat me.

Why would I hurt for no reason? I need some reasonable reason to knock them out, like they are killing me, or trying to eat me or hurt me the very least. That’s more than enough to hurt them because I am defending myself. I am not that godsent angel that is invulnerable. I feel pain and most of all and when I die and resurrect, according to the goddess, that I will feel extreme pain enough that it will break my mind.

If I will suffer from that pain, at least it’s more worth it than my life and it will not give me a lifetime regrets in my life. Maybe that’s enough.

I continue to take step forward and- oh, I don’t where is the exit. I feel the land is shaking, is there an earthquake, and I hear a low growl again from my back, meh, that’s only the chicken like creature doing its thinggggggggggs...

My jaw dropped when I saw that chicken like creature transforming into a giant monster bird. My feet felt so heavy to the point that I can’t move them because of fear. It approached my face until we are staring at each other eye to eye.

It growled at me very loud and that’s when my brain signals my body and tells me.

RUN!

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-