CHAPTER THREE

"Stay back." Carter warned Felix, who's eyes widened, and he stepped away. Carter pulled his sword out from its holster and flipped it impressively in his hand.

Phoenix rolled her eyes and gripped her spear before pulling her jacket off and discarding of it. Then, she ran up to a tree and did a back flip. Felix's eyes widened, and Carter smirked. "Show off."

"Not my fault you don't have anything to show off Carter. Don't be bitter just cause I'm better than you." She lifted her spear hand up and used her other hand to beckon him closer.

He scowled and charged at her, lifting his sword high. She smirked and slashed with her weapon. Carter ducked and swiped with his sword for her legs, but she jumped up high and flipped her spear so that the blunt end was facing towards Carter. Then, she smacked him with that end on his head.

A groan came from him and he stumbled away. Phoenix landed and flipped the spear back to its normal position, with its sharp end pointing towards her opponent. "Come on Carter. Harder! Sometimes I think I'm YOUR trainer."

Suddenly, the dazed expression on Carters face disappeared and was replaced by a smirk. He ran at her and slashes up, down, left, right. Phoenix's eyes widened, and she ducked, trying her hardest to get a hit in.

But at this point, all she was doing was playing defense. She moved her arm slightly to the left, leaving a space undefended and open for Carter to strike. He grinned and stuck his sword into her. Phoenix gasped in pain, and when he pulled his sword away, she placed a hand to the space, watching the dark red blood seep through her fingers. Thank god she was wearing a black top.

"Fuck you Carter." She scowled at her trainer. Felix watched with his mouth gaping open.

"You left that spot undefended. Your problem." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Felix snapped out of his daze and hurried towards Phoenix. "Oh my god! He stabbed you!"

"Happens more often that you'd think." The blue haired girl lifted her tank up to show a stab wound gushing blood. She pressed her hand against it and closed her eyes, muttering a few words. Her hand glowed a cool purple nearing to blue.

When she moved her hand, the wound was gone, and that was left was the blood. "Carter, I need..." She trailed off, stumbling slightly.

Carter rushed towards her and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards a tree. He helped her sit down. "Stay. I'll be back." Then he flashed away, leaving a trail of emerald smoke behind him. And mere seconds later, he appeared again, holding a bottle filled with a glowing white liquid.

He knelt down beside her and handed her the bottle. She opened her eyes and looked down at it. Once she saw what was in it, she uncorked it and downed the whole thing. Little white sparks appeared around her and she closed her eyes, shuddering slightly before opening them once more.

Phoenix stood up immediately and picked her spear up, flipping it in her hand, before attaching it to a holster on her back. "Let's move. I want to find something today." She said, before marching on into the forest.

"Is she always like that? Like gets stabbed, drinks some weird drink that could have been liquid cocaine for all I know, and then gets up and leaves." Felix looked her the retreating figure.

"I don't know what cocaine is, but it doesn't sound very good. What she drank was a potion to give you back your energy. And she does fight with me a lot, gets injured and uses up her strength trying to heal herself, so yeah this happens pretty often." Carter explained with a smile, then he followed after Phoenix.

Felix face-palmed. "What the actual fuck did I get myself into?" He muttered as he followed the crazy pair.

Phoenix takes out a small dagger that had sapphires surrounded the grip. She held it out in front of her and slashed away at the leaves and branches in her way, making sure to let them go just in time for them to smack Carter in the face, causing him to groan and her to snicker, with a smirk growing on her face.

"Fuck you Phoenix." Carter grumbled.

"Love you too darling." She smirked, continuing on her way. Eventually, they ended up in front of a decent sized cave.

Phoenix held her dagger in one hand and held the other one out in front of her. She closed her eyes, imagining a brilliant blue fire blossoming in the very palm of her hand, and when she opened her eyes, there it was. Flickering gently in the slight breeze, an electric blue colour.

"After you." Carter gestured for her to go ahead when he saw she was waiting for him. She sent him a sarcastic smile and headed into the cave. Carter was about to follow when he saw Felix lingering beside the entrance.

"Maybe its best I stay here, and you know, guard the place." He shuffled his feet nervously.

"Shush." Carter grabbed his shirt and dragged him into the cave. Felix scowled and cursed under his breath.

"Oh fuck my life." He stood straight and walked behind Carter instead of letting the older guy drag him. They followed Phoenix's flames and ended up in a large opening. Felix opened his mouth and immediately Phoenix covered it with her flame-free hand.

"Shh. There's something here." She let go and pointed at the ceiling. Felix concentrated, and he could hear heavy breathing. Loud breathing.

"Nix, its cant be a dragon. They're too far from home here." Carter whispered.

"I think it might be. There have been reports of kidnappings near the area and sometimes flame sightings." She replied.

"KIDNAPPINGS? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW!" Felix screeched loudly causing the other two to look at him, panicked and wide-eyed. "Oh shit."

"DUCK!" Phoenix yelled, pulling Felix and Carter out of the way as a large flame came down, hitting the spot where they stood.

"WHAT THE HELL KINDA DUCK BREATHES FIRE?!" Felix yelled.

Carter just looked at Phoenix. "You're fucking kidding me right now."

"You fucktard! I meant the other kind of duck! Like get down, get out of the way, ring any bells?" Phoenix said after face-palming. How much worse can this day get. And as soon as she thought that, the dragon swooped down and opened its mouth, showing off its incredibly sharp teeth.

It roared in their faces and Phoenix's eyebrows furrowed. It didn't sound angry. It sounded as though it was in pain. She held her spear tightly in one hand and walked around the dragon, circling it until she came across a spear that had dug into its side. It was in a place the dragon couldn't get out and was obviously causing it pain and getting it annoyed.

She returned the spear to its place on her back and positioned her hands on the wooden grip of the spear and pulled. She got it out in one swift pull and fell back. The dragon roared and swooped away, flying out of the entrance of the cave.

Phoenix looked down at the spear to find the silver head dripping with blood. Only, it wasn't red like normal blood. Dragons may not be normal, but they had red blood, just like humans. This blood was a dark blue. It was also thick and looked like goo. The dragon must have been poisoned and it would probably die soon. She didn't help it at all.

She may have actually made it worse, because now, everywhere the blood spill, poisonous plants that supply that same poison will grow. In easy access for any living thing to consume.

Phoenix stood and walked back to the other two, still gripping the poison spear in her hand. She held it out to Carter. "Poison. We need to identify it and then do a major cleanse of the forest in maybe a few days. The dragon will be dead by then."

He nodded and grabbed the spear from her, before flashing away once more. Presumably back to the castle labs to get it tested. Phoenix held out her hand to Felix. "We gotta go. Don't wanna run into any animals that got 'infected'." She explained when she saw his confused face.

He nodded and grabbed hold of her hand. The blue haired girl closed her eyes and imagined the throne room. In seconds, they had appeared there again. The queen was still sat on the throne. Phoenix approached her and hugged her goodbye. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Of course dear. Take care. You too Felix." She directed her words to the boy who nodded, shocked she was speaking to him.

Phoenix walked back to him and flicked her fingers, causing her outfit to change back to her original one. The one she was wearing back when they first arrived. Her spear disappeared. "Let's go."

He followed her out of the castle and back into the forest, towards the cave from which they first arrived from the normal world. They passed through and Phoenix turned to Felix.

"You're welcome to come again, but you should probably work on your voice, and maybe make it a little quieter. You did almost get us killed." She sent him an amused smile, before waving and walking back to her house. He stared at her, speechless.

Well, I guess you learn something new every day.