5 Chapter 5: Test of Flames

"What are you doing here?" Kaley asked as she tried to focus most of her attention to the Pheonix Orb and give her soul power."We promised that we will find each other and make a guild." I said."I'm busy right now, come back another time." Kaley said in an annoyed tone."B-but you promise Kaley," Elly said."Here I'll help, Kaley get some rest." I said as I put my stuff down."No! This is my job, I have to finish my job!" Kaley said but, her body was disagreeing, asking for rest. I grabbed Kaley from the array and the 8 other fire users seemed to have gotten more burden on their shoulders. I put Kaley aside, then I released my soul energy. I wasn't sure that my soul power could keep the Orb burning. But, it seemed to work, purple fire swirled around the orb and the 8 fire users fell back. I felt as if a mountain was on my shoulder. I kneeled down, due to the pressure then I started to adjust myself to the mass amount of pressure."Hey! What are you doing to the Phoenix Orb!" A fire user yelled.:"I-I-I'm j-just t-trying to h-help," I muttered."The fire around the Phoenix Orb is purple but, it seems to keep the Phoenix from awakening!" Another user said. Everyone started to look at the Phoenix Orb.

After 4 hours of holding the pressure of the Phoenix Orb, I had lost all my energy. But, luckily the fire users had gotten enough energy to keep the Phoenix Orb from burning. I fell down and started panting," Be careful, you can fall into the volcano if you're not careful." Kaley yelled."I'm tired," I said as I lied down on the burning hot ground and started to sleep.

When I wake up, I was hanging off the edge of the volcano upside down."Ahhh, help!" I screamed. I heard chuckling from, I looked up it was Kaley."Get me back up, Kaley right now!" I yelled. When Kaley got me back to the top of the volcano, I gave a list of reasons why she shouldn't hang me off the volcano."I could've died!' I yelled."Well technically you didn't so, I don't see the point of yelling at me. Plus, I was the one that got you back up." Kaley said in a factual tone."Uh seriously don't do that. It scared me half to death. Did Elly allow you to do this?" I asked."Sorry, I didn't want to bother you and Kaley said you won't get hurt since she was playing around," Elly said. I sighed, Elly actually agreed to let Elly hang me off the cliff when I was sleeping. I looked at the array, the purple fire is still keeping the Phoenix Orb burning and fewer fire users are needed to keep it on fire. Right now, they have 4 people keeping the Orb burning. As I sat down I heard a whisper,"Come." What did that mean, and who asked me to come? Again the voice said,"come"."Did you hear anyone say come?" I asked Kaley."No, I think you might be hallucinating from the heat." Kaley replied."Oh okay," I said. I could've sworn that I heard someone whisper in my ear. This time the voice said,"Come come into the volcano, where we can talk privately." I walked towards the volcano and looked down at the magma within the volcano. If the voice was correct then, there must be something in the volcano."Carmen!! I said be careful, we don't want you falling into the volcano. The magma isn't regular magma, for users at our level can be burnt by this." Kaley said. I stepped back and said,"Wait for me, I'll be back." Then, I jumped into the volcano. It was a big risk but, I decided to take the risk. When I touched the surface of the magma, I felt that my body was burning up as everything went black.

When I open my eyes once again, I was in a three-dimensional room and nothing was burnt. I didn't die! It felt weird, everything was orange and there are specks of yellow particles everywhere. I was sure that I was inside the volcano but, I could breathe and it was hot it was like the ocean, cool."Hello Carmen, it's nice to finally meet you." a voice said."Who are you?" I asked."Guess," the voice replied. Since I was inside a volcano and the volcano is said to be the home of the mighty Phoenix, one of the 5 spiritual beasts. Each beast represents each town, though I didn't see the King Gorilla of the first town."Are you the Phoenix that lives within the volcano?" I said."Correct," the voice said. A majestic bird appeared in front of me."You're actually is a Phoenix" I said in surprise."Yes, nice to properly meet you. My name is Kadence, I have been overlooking for you for a long time Carmen." Kadence said."Why exactly are you overlooking me, it seems a bit creepy." I said with a chuckle nervously. There was silence. Kadence started to laugh,"Seems like you haven't noticed your gift yet Carmen."Kadence said."What gift?" I asked. Kadence chuckled and said,"Carmen, tell em. Have you ever met your father?". I shook, my head."I never know my parents, I was adopted. I wouldn't be adopted if my parents didn't leave me." I said as I remembered the memories I had back when I was little. I was bullied in school all the time for being adopted and how my biological mother and father didn't want me because I was useless."Carmen your parents didn't leave you on purpose. Your father was the first successful person to master the dark element and became the god of death. Your mother was the first fire elementalists that successfully became the goddess of fire, also my original master. My body can be uncontrollable without a master." Kadence said. I felt as if Kadence read my mind."Yes, I can talk with others telepathically." Kadence said."If my parents are gods can't they take care of me?" I asked."Yes, but they also have to more responsibility as gods." Kadence responded. Now, I felt guilty for believing the fact that my parents didn't care for me."Wait, you said my mother was your master but, they are trying to keep the Phoenix Orb burning so, you don't awaken but, you seemed already awakened from your sleep." I said."Since the day your mother became a goddess, I erased the pact I made with her since she asked for it to be erased. And yes, but this is just a projection of my actual form. I haven't fully awakened yet from my slumber." Kadence responded."Can I form a pact with you to stop you from causing havoc when you are fully awakened?" I asked."Yes, but you need to pass 3 challenges to be considered worthy of becoming my master."Name the challenges, I'll pass them all and save my friends." I said."I like your confidence Carmen, you will arrive at your first challenge now." Kadence said. A blinding light shined and I covered my eyes. When I opened my eyes again I was in a white room, there was nothing there but white."Your first challenge is to test your patience, and there's no time limit." Kadence said but, she wasn't physically there.

I sat in the room waiting for the challenge to be over, but after waiting a few hours I felt like it was never gonna end. I got up and started looking at the wall, there must be something here. The Phoenix represents a lot of stuff but, also represents time. I smacked my head for being dumb and just realizing that now. I had to spend my time wisely because even when Kadence said that there was no time limit, I still felt that there was something eerie about what she said. I touched the all trying to see if there are any contraptions, as I searched each side of the room. There wasn't anything on the walls. I even checked the floor but, there as still nothing. As I lied down to think everything through again. A spark caught my attention. By the corner of one of the sides, on the ceiling was a piece of cloth burning but, there weren't ashes anywhere. I got one hand a flame and started to make the spark become a fire. The spark quickly became a burning fire and soon the fire stopped and a giant hole was made.

The hole leads to a barren desert, there is an old lady stuck there."The next challenge is a test for strength." Kadence said. I walked up to the old lady and asked,"Are you stuck here, ma'am?"."Yes, indeed would you help me get back to my home." the old lady asked. When she said, home, I realized that I also missed home, where I'm with my friends and we talk together instead of the situation I am in now."Would you like me to carry you?" I asked."Thank you, young lady. It's very kind of you." the old lady said. The old lady got onto my back, suddenly I felt as if I was carrying an elephant."Is anything wrong?" the old lady asked."N-no i-it's fine, w-where a-are you h-heading?" I muttered as I took a step."You see green there right? That's where my home is." the old lady said. I started walking slowly towards the piece of land that seemed green. I kept on walking, each step I took felt as if more weight was added. I thought about giving up but, I thought about Kaley and Elly still waiting for me on top of the volcano. The weight seemed to have been taken off and soon enough I felt as if I wasn't carrying anything but, the old lady is still on my back. Now, I know the strength comes from your confidence, this was a test of strength physically and mentally. In a minute we got to the old lady's house. The old lady got off,"Thank you, young lady, how about we go inside and have a cup of tea." the old lady said."It's fine, I have to go now my friends are waiting for me." I said."I insist," the old lady said."Okay then, if you insist." I said and walked into her house.

When I walked into the house there was a white staircase and when I felt as if I was in the air. When I turned around there wasn't a door to go back to! Didn't seem as if I had much of a choice, so I started going up the staircase. It felt it took forever to get up but finally, I got to the top of the staircase. There are two doors and there was two Elly's. Each Elly was guarding a door."Now, that you passed the second challenge, this will be the last and final challenge. Pick a door to finish your test." Kadence said. I looked at the two Elly's, wondering which I should trust and one small mistake can ruin everything for me."Carmen, choose this door!!!" the Elly from the left said."No, choose this door!!!" the Elly from the right said. Both started arguing about which door I should choose. I tried to pick but, if I choose the other then the other Elly would make a sad face and then I feel guilty. The arguing grew louder,"Stop it!!!!" I yelled. There was no way to figure out which Elly is lying so, I decided to trust my instincts to get me out of this situation. I walked to the door on the left and opened it. A bright light came through. I was back in the original room,"Congratulations, you have passed the test and fit to become my master." Kadence said."Yes," I said to myself. Kadence chanted some ritual in another language which I didn't understand a thing about. Then a glow went by,"Now, to confirm that the pact is complete. You will see a symbol on your back." Kadence said. picked my shirt up and looked on my back. There was a symbol there!"Okay now, I made a pact with you. You won't burn the village right?" I asked. Kadence started to laugh,"Of course, you are my master after all. You can keep my power stable." Kadence replied."Now, how do you get out of here?" I asked."Oh, I get you out." Kadence said. Kadence got me onto her back and she flew up, as she headed towards the surface a loud bam occurred. It seems to be the fact of how she broke through the lava. The disciples fell back in fear and Kaley and Elly looked horrified. The sky turned from red to blue again. I waved my hand at Kaley and Elly." Your alive thank goodness!" Kaley yelled. Kadence landed and her size somehow changed and she was the size of a parrot. I put Kadence onto my shoulder."Guess who's back." I said cheerfully."Y-you, scared us half to death when you jumped into the volcano." Kaley scolded at me. "I got it, no more jumping into volcanos." I said as she pulled my ear."Ow ow ow." I yelped."You need a punishment for scaring us." Elly said. Kaley looked at Elly and then at me. Before I knew it, Kaley and Elly teamed up together and hanged me, upside down by the side of the volcano."Huh?" I said. Then, I quickly remembered the situation I was in."Don't do this to me! I just got out of a volcano! Cut me some slack!" I yelled.

After an hour, they finally let me down. We went back to the academy to talk to the Headmaster."Headmaster Wu is it okay is Kaley follows us?" I asked. There was a moment of silence."I see that you had formed a pact with the Phoenix Kadence. You may take Kaley with you if you could do me one more favor." Headmaster Wu said."What's the favor then?" I said.