The Phoenix's Maiden

The Land of the Blazing Souls

“Thank you Mang Tonyo for delivering us here safely,” Amber shows her gratitude to the geezer and she shows him, her warm smile.

“It’s nothing big miss Amber,” he tried to sound human like to her. “I wish you good luck on your journey in this land, I hope you find what you are searching for,” he added and Amber somewhat felt nostalgic when she heard that phrase from Mang Tonyo.

“Thank you Mang Tonyo,” Arthur also thanked him. “Tell the kings that we are safe here and will continue with our mission and good luck on your journey back to the castle,” he added.

“I will deliver your message sire, and thank you,” Mang Tonyo responded. Mang Tonyo started his way back to the castle and the two observe the land beyond this border because once they crossed this border there is no going back. They will encounter many hostile mystics anytime and anywhere. They do not know the current whereabouts of the goddess since the kings did not told them where is she specifically in this place.

“Hey,” Kamandag calls their attention and their attention was caught by the snake. “I think I know where is she,” she added which made Amber smile and surprises the knight. Ever since she was small, Kamandag can sense aura in her surroundings and through the years of cultivation she harnessed this ability that helped Amaya to escape the underworld by avoiding strong foes. She can pinpoint where is exactly the holder of the aura is and the stronger it is, the easier it gets for her.

“Wow,” the maiden praised her. “I never thought that you had that ability,” she remarked. It’s nothing new to the snake since she always hides things to everyone except from her twin sister, Amaya.

“Come here,” the knight invited the snake to his shoulder and Kamandag hesitated for a second since he is just a stranger to her, but in the end, she still crawled on his shoulders. “Tell me the directions and we will lead the way,” he instructed the snake and Kamandag just nods at him. “Very well,” he said

“But beware the easiest routes are infested with powerful creatures,” she said. “I think we should avoid them,” she added.

“No, we will face them head on since this girl over here has no much time left and she need to meet Amaterasu as soon as possible,” he denied her suggestion and Arthur released a very powerful aura. Kamandag was shocked, yes, she knows that this guy is very powerful but she didn’t know that he is this powerful. She can’t miss this power level of him since Amber is always with him. The fact that mystics like him can fake their power levels exists, terrified her. She started to doubt the current power level of Amber. For now, she senses that she is more powerful than the maiden, and there is no denying that if it’s based on her senses and she hopes that this girl is not an enemy.

“Then let’s go through that hill and we will reach the goddess before midnight,” she did not tell them about the other powerful creature near the goddess and she hopes that she is right since Amaterasu is a god and it is natural that she is the powerful being in this area.

They started walking and from their first step on this land, Amber felt an immense pressure coming from this land.

“This land is always harsh to the outsiders, but you will get used to this soon enough,” he said.

He noticed that Amber’s knees are shaking and he knew that this is because of the gravity in this area is stronger. Until this day this phenomenon remains unexplained to everyone here in Fernis. They walk cautiously because they will not know what happens next and this area is not forgiving compared to places outside this land.

From afar Amber can hear the wailings of the souls and she quite scared from it as well as Kamandag since this is the first time that she reaches this place, on the other side Arthur is not bothered. They are enemies and bothering with them will only lead them astray. Since he is the one leading the group towards the goddess he must not be bothered from this distraction. They will fight if the enemy is in front of them and those who are not will be safe. For Arthur they are lucky if they can avoid him.

They stopped walking and the two is scare on what is front of them. A fierce lizard covered in fire is hissing at them and it is clear that this creature sees them as foods. This is a salamander, one of the fire mystics that dwells in this area alongside with other creatures. This is the origin place of Amber’s family.

“Salamander- a Greek mythological creature that was believed to be a spirit that live amongst the flames. It can create and emits flame from its body and was believed to teach human how to create fire. It was also believed to be a small glowing light in the dark and is also believed as a fairy-like humanoid beings.”

The giant fire lizard continues to hiss at them and prepares itself to lunge itself at them and Arthur also prepare himself. Arthur didn’t wait for the creature to take it’s move and he took the first step and quickly sheathes his sword and emit glowing flames from his sword. When he struck the skin of the lizard his fire was negated and its skin is as hard like steel. He immediately backs off as he noticed that its body glowed. His speculations were correct when its body burst with flames.

“Am I a fool? Of course, it negates fire attributes,” he whispered to himself and prepares for another attack but the salamander breathe fire with its mouth and Arthur protected himself from the fire, but he was surprised when he sees the face of the lizard coming out of the flames. It was intelligent enough to throw the knight off guard and using its fire breathe as screen.

It tried to bite the knight but Arthur has enough strength to stop its jaws from devouring him and slowly he lifts the giant lizard and throw it from afar. After sending the giant lizard away, he is out of breath but not exhausted he was just caught off guard from that attack. He did not expect it to be that intelligent.      He picked his sword from the ground and returned it from its scabbard.

“That was intense,” Kamandag told the knight from the ground because as soon as he engaged in combat the snake flees.  

“I know, I will not underestimate the intelligence of the mystics here,” he said while observing the environment. “For now, let’s get out of here before that lizard comes back,” he added and he offered his hand for the snake to climb on his shoulder. The snake immediately climbs onto his shoulders.

“Let’s go!” Kamandag shouted to Amber that is currently hiding but there is no Amber coming out.

“Where is she?” the knight asked the snake.

“How would I suppose to know?” she also questions the knight. “I quickly hide to avoid being in your way when you fought that salamander earlier, and I thought that Amber also hid herself earlier,” she defended herself. Arthur knew that blaming her won’t make Amber come out.

“Where the heck did, she go? At a time like this?” he asked to himself.

“If I were Amber, where will I go?” she also asked herself. “Ah!’ then suddenly an idea comes into her mind. “You remember the wailings earlier?” she asked Arthur. “Maybe her curiosity kicks in again,” she speculated but Arthur seems not be convinced with that.

“You know that she is also terrified like you,” he said but Kamandag spotted something.

“Hey look,” she said while pointing her tail on the bags that Amber is carrying earlier. They immediately ran towards it but there is no Amber in the surrounding area.

“Amber,” the snake mentions her name out of worry. “Where are you?” she asks the empty wasteland as if it will respond to her question and will tell them where is Amber.

“She is in danger,” he whispered as he checks on the bag. “Can you sense some aura left on this bag? Can you pick up her aura?” he asked the snake continuously. Kamandag was so worried that she forgot that she can do that.

She tries to focus and picks up the trail specifically the aura that belongs to her missing friend.

“I sense her,” she said.

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-