The Phoenix's Maiden

Another Hardship

Amber’s Point of View

It’s a pleasant morning and the feeling of exhaustion was got rid off by enough sleep that I had last night. It was very relaxing especially Arthur is by my side that time and that helped to not feel alone that time.

I got up on my bed and I went straight to the bathroom to wash my face and get rid of the sticky feeling in my eyes. The water that is coming from the cave is crystal clear and I used a tooth brush to clean my teeth. I gurgled the water flowing from the stone and it has sweet after taste from it.

Everything in this world is so clean unlike back in the human world where you cannot trust any natural resources coming from the rivers, forests, and even mineral waters, since everything is polluted. Human activities ruined the beauty of that world, maybe in ancient times its beauty is on par in this world maybe even better.

They think of progression while abandoning the sustainability for future generations, it’s like they are believing in a love promised by a womanizer vice versa. It’s just for a short time and the promise is nothing but a false covenant. Someday they will see that, if everything is too late to save.

After I gurgled the water, I spit it out on the toilet. Although this is a cave, I can say that I am very impressed with how the goddess designed the interior design by herself, and for a place that has been away from civilization and plus she is hiding herself from others, this is very amazing for her.

I can say that she is a goddess so maybe nothing is impossible to her. I went out of my room to get some breakfast in the kitchen area and then I head out to go there. The kitchen area is not that far from my room so it didn’t take long to reach it.

“Good morning babe,” with the usual voice of the sassy Kamandag I know, I saw her in the kitchen drinking something. I’m glad to heat her voice again for a long time. I heard from Arthur last night, when I asked him if he knows something about Kamandag’s absence these days, and he said that she volunteered to scout the area after the attack on the enemy base. I understand that, and I hope that they don’t keep anymore secrets to me.

“Good morning,” I greeted back to her and form a small smile on my lips. She looks cheerful today, I don’t know what happened but I am happy for her, I went beside her and I got a mug and pour on what is in the pot. I expected it to be just boiled water but I am surprised to see a brown liquid pouring out from it. Oh, it’s the usual mrochio, that’s how they call it here, but it tastes like mocha and chocolate in one. I tasted one before that’s why I know.

“Bread?” she offered me a piece and I took it. The mrochio looks like freshly boiled because it was piping hot and the bread really compliments the drink, it’s the best duo here. We ate our breakfast normally conversing with each other likes nothing is going after us, I am surprised to myself that I can act this normally despite the situation and I am pretty proud of myself for doing it.

It’s not yet the time to execute the plan that the goddess had told us earlier in the meeting, but we need to be patient. I am patient, are they?

I am still hoping that the underworld army change their mind or was caught in a tragic accident. So that this normal life goes on.

Also the goddess told me that I will train now and there is no change of plans in regard with that. The plan to fight in a real battle will go on and I hope to God, that the goddess is not serious about the life and death situation in that training. I am feeling so nervous right now. Very nervous.

I can feel my hands shivering just by thinking of that it will happen later on and there is no stopping the goddess. I wanted to bail out but the explanation of the goddess about the purpose of that training is still lingering into my mind. That’s why even I don’t want to, I will force myself to overcome my fear. It is part of the training.

And when the worst thing possible that goddess is saying really comes, I will be ready to fight for them not just for myself. They are too important to me right now. If all of this happened in my past life there is nothing that I could wish for. Maybe the course of my life will change and maybe it will take me in my 70s before I die and find myself here. Maybe I will have a family of my own that will continue my legacy and the phoenix’s. It’s the only fate that I cannot escape, everything is interchangeable. If only I can mess with time, but the goddess told me earlier that messing with time is a taboo to the great one or the God of all things.

I shake my head to get rid of that thought about time travelling. I don’t want to be damned, cursed, or something like that by the almighty one. Let the creatures in the underworld be my example for that and for some reason they still found a way to defile the almighty one.

But the thought of living in evil every day makes me want to vomit my breakfast but I won’t do that because it’s a burglar thing to do.

Kamandag finished first and she ended the conversation between us because she told me that there is something that she needs to do, and for me as her understanding friend, it’s cool for me and I was left alone in the kitchen. Then moments later I finished my breakfast and decided to go to the goddess and I will be the one to invite her to start my training to at least show my eagerness about becoming strong. I really wanted to.

After she requested that to me. That when it comes to choosing whether I save mine or theirs, that I should prioritize mine, she said. But I don’t have to choose any more if I am strong and I have the power to save them.

But that path I chose is not as easy of saying it to doing it, that’s why I will double my effort than the others. They have experience and I don’t have, maybe they just see me as a poor girl helpless and clueless. I won’t allow that. I still have a little bit of pride left inside me. I am a strong independent woman.

I am not that helpless human Amber anymore. I am the phoenix’s maiden.

“I like the look in your eyes,” Amaterasu said when I reached her sewing something. She put it aside and she stood up.

“I am ready,” I told her and she smiled widely.

“You better be,” she told me. “Just a moment please,” she cleaned her area and I watched her do it. She is an organized person. After a couple minutes of waiting, she stood up in front of me and once again I became insecure of my height as she towers over me.

“Let’s go?” I asked her, and she walks past me.

“Follow me,” she said and she continues to walk and I wonder where she will take me, maybe a hidden arena underground where she caged a lot of monsters for times like this, or maybe a lair of monsters. I don’t know since I am just guessing here after all.

We walk through the hallways and there we reached another opening of the cave that will lead us outside that rejected my ideas earlier. We are pretty far away from it, and I can only see the light coming from it. It did not take long for us to reach there.

I was so surprised and amazed at the same time when I saw what the outside of this exit has been keeping for us. A lush oasis, as if the other side is not a burning wasteland. I am so amazed of how life has been thriving here. I can see all sorts of creature.

“Don’t be fooled by its beauty,” the goddess told me and I looked up to her. “This oasis is not some peaceful place to be,” she added giving me some idea about what she is saying. “Actually this is the most dangerous area of the region and this will be the place where you will train yourself and overcome any life and death situation,” she said and then she levitated. “See you on the other side,” before launching up and disappeared in my line of sight.

I was left staring at the sky and still could not believe what she had just want me to do.

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-