4 Chapter 4: The Phoenix Orb

I got up and got outside to check if Elly was there. Elly was there next to the pond! I ran behind her and hugged her tightly, scared that I lost one of my friends that I care dearly for."I thought I lost you," I said with relief. I heard a giggle, and Elly turned around."Soon you will lose everything you had ever had." Elly said in a voice that didn't sound like her."Who are you?! And what did you do to Elly," I demanded."How could you forget me, I'm Elly your friends." she said sweetly. I shook my head in disbelief, was she actually Elly or is someone else pretending to be Elly. Elly slowly approached me with a sweet smile, then I felt a sharp pain near my chest. I was stabbed in the chest! I started to lose consciousness as I fell onto the floor and started bleeding out."Be careful who you trust Carmen Yin." I heard as everything fades into darkness.

I sat up patting from the chair. I was having a nightmare of Elly betraying me. I looked at the bed, Elly was still there sleeping. I got up and went outside and checked the area near the pond, there was no one there. I sighed in relief, now I feel that I couldn't trust anyone as the other Elly said. But, why wouldn't I trust Elly, she is so innocent. I took a quick breather and got back to Elly's dorm. After a few minutes of waiting, Elly slowly woke up."Glad you wake, I'm sorry that I was the one who got you hurt." I said with guilt."I know that wasn't you, don't blame yourself. I'm alright now aren't I." Elly said with a smile. I nodded my head as I started to relax a bit."Also, we won the contest, here's the nonling fruit." I said as I took the prize from my pocket and held in front of Elly."You can keep the fruit, I don't have much use of it." Elly said."I'm not at the level to make such pills so, you can keep it." Elly replied. I nodded."Now, get some rest okay. The rest of us need you alive, okay?" I said with a grin. I walked out of the door and close it. I got Veldora from my pocket,"Hey buddy, here's the nonling fruit." I said as I feed Veldora the nonling fruit."So, why exactly do you want the fruit?" I asked after Veldora ate the nonling fruit."The nonling fruit can make beast like dragons stronger and boost their growth rate. Usually, it takes a dragon 12 years for a dragon to reach young adulthood." Veldora responded telepathically. I started to understand why the nonling fruit was important to Veldora."Say how long will it take for you to grow if you eat the nonling fruit." I asked."If I eat a large amount of food and the nonling fruit, then sleep for 5 months. I can get to my form of a young adult. But, the nonling fruit alone will take me 10 months to get to young adulthood," Veldora replied telepathically. I was surprised, is the nonling fruit that powerful that it can help a dragon grow into a young adult within such little amount of time."Are you gonna sleep to make the process faster?" I asked."Depends on whether my owner choice." Veldora replied telepathically."Then, let's make the process faster, let's go hunting again." I said. Veldora gave a little nodd. Before I headed out, I went into Elly's room and got a piece of paper and told Elly where I'm heading to and soon I'll be back.

After getting out of town, I found a place where there seem to be darewolves. Now, that I have found my target, I dashed towards one of the darewolves and punched each one down with the Dark Flame Hand (You will understand this when you read the bottom). It was a bit of a struggle since the darewolves are pretty fast. It was in the afternoon when I started, now it was the evening. I sat against the tree resting as Veldora ate the darewolves. I took a while, but Veldora finally finished. Now Veldora can hide in shadows so, it was easier to go around without Veldora physically in my clothing.

I got back to the dorms, Elly welcomed me back. We had dinner in a restaurant near the dorm. When we got back, Elly and I went to the bathhouse and when we were done we got back to the dorm. Elly and I decided that we'll head out to the next town which is a long way to go to find the others. After, nightfall. I stayed up a bit longer and went outside to cultivate. Nighttime is the perfect time for cultivating the darkness element. I learned another skill after cultivating, now I can summon a black mist that can devour most life. I tested the skill out on the training dummies located in the training center near the dorm. When I got back to Elly's dorm, I got two blankets and a pillow out. I put one on the floor, the other blanket on me and put my head on the pillow. I layed there for a while and then, fell asleep.

The next morning, Elly and I got ready went next doors for breakfast. After breakfast, we packed our clothes and other important items. There wasn't exactly a lot we needed to pack. We set off from the town as we finished packing. We were heading west, to the town near "Smith Mountain", where the best weaponsmiths come from. Fire elementalists usually practice there, so we should be able to find Kaley.

We kept on walking and I saw a volcano, the sky was red instead of blue."I think we're here," I said."Gosh, how does anyone survive here? There's no grass and it's so hot." Elly started to whine."Here's some water." I said as I handed Elly a bottle of water. Who knew that in this world they would actually have bottled water. As we closed into the town, I spotted the gate of the town. When we go to the gate of the town, two guards stood there. They had to search us because of the mayor of the town had suspected that some travelers had brought something that distinguished the Pheonix Orb, which keeps the mighty Pheonix that lives within the volcano in its slumber. If the Pheonix is awakened, then it will destroy everything it sees to relieve its wrath.

Soon we passed the gate, Elly and I started walking towards the school where fire elemental users go to learn to control their flame, according to the map that Elly had. I asked one of the students where the headmaster's office was, and luckily she was nice enough to show us the way. knock knock."Come in," the headmaster said. I opened the door, Elly and I came in."Greetings headmaster..." I said as I forgot his name."It's Headmaster Wu," he said."Yes, Headmaster Wu, I want to ask if you have a disciple named Kaley. She's kinda short and has black hair with red tips." I asked."Yes, Kaley and are you her friends? She's the most gifted student I had, it's rare to see such talent." Headmaster Wu said."Yes, we promised that we would meet again so, we personally came here for her." I said."As you know how the Pheonix Orb was extinguished, we sent some of our most gifted disciples to keep it aflame to delay the awakening of the mighty Phoenix. You can find Kaley on the volcano," Headmaster Wu said."Thank you for your guidance Headmaster Wu." I said. Elly and I got out of the room, I sighed with relief. The Headmaster looks very serious which makes me nervous."Come on Elly, let's go meet Kaley." I said."Up to the volcano?" Elly asked."Yes," I said. Elly groaned but, didn't complain back.

Elly and I went around for directions to the top of the volcano. The only possible way of getting up the volcano was apparently climbing it. Elly and I started climbing the volcano as we knew that it was the only way up. We were halfway up the volcano and Elly got tired and fell back. Elly screamed. I jumped after her and grabbed her as we fell. I closed my eyes to embraced the impact. But, when I fell, surprisingly it didn't hurt that much. I noticed that a pillar was made to catch us and it's still rising."Elly, you okay?" I asked."Am I died?" Elly asked."No, silly we're actually rising up on a pillar to the top of the volcano. But, I think you can control the earth now." I replied."I can?" Elly said surprised. Within a minute, we got to the top of the volcano. The pillar became a bridge for us to walk on. When we finally reached the top. I saw 9 people standing on each side like an array and in the center is a giant glowing orb, each of them are giving the Orb the fire from their soul. I spotted Kaley, she was sweating and looks tired."Kaley!!" I yelled. Kaley turned her head and saw us.

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Carmen's Skills:

1st Skill- Dark Flame Hand

2nd Skill- Shadow Travel

3rd Skill- Dark Mist