Another six months have gone by, and Phoenix and I have run clear across country by now. Slowly, due to the flames. Anyway, we just got to Mt. St. Helens and began climbing. I had a dream a few days prior, saying to come here for insight on my background. Yet, according to the dream, Phoenix would confirm it, and it wouldn't be good for us. "Hey, stop brooding, we're almost to the top," Phoenix said with a smile, "and don't worry, I feel like my powers have been suppressed."
"How do you know?"I replied, but I surmised as much. Neither of us could do much other than a walk since we reached the base of the mountain, and the closer we got to the top the less we could walk at a time. Currently, we were in a cave, but it seems like it shouldn't belong there. Almost like it wasn't normal. Something that has gotten increasingly normal during the last six months, and increasingly deadly. We've fought a lot of different monsters together and sometimes on our own when we got separated. I've learned a few new abilities, but they each require immense energy or emotion. I wish I knew how Phoenix had so much to use for her own powers.
"So, what are we looking for in particular?" asked Phoenix, ever the silence breaker, " is it some time of weapon or treasure?"
"I don't know, just that it is a part of my background, and probably the reason for my abilities. Because that thing in my dream said it will reveal the worst outcome for us both." Not very good thinking on that, but it's all I could think of at the moment.
"Hey, over here!" her tone suddenly changing.
"What? We have to get to the top, I feel like this place isn't safe," I replied.
"There's a symbol carved into the rock at about the height for me to touch it, looks like another language…"
"Any language we know?" a question we have had answered badly before, "Remember not to touch it if it's Latin or Greek…"
"Because we don't need unnecessary fights or distractions," she finished, "and it's the Greek letter for H"
"Then we continue climbing," then, I stopped, suddenly afraid. I hadn't noticed that it was getting warmer around us, I mean Phoenix always radiates warmth, but this was different. I felt like the warmth was alive and angry. I pulled her alongside me and realized that the cave had started closing. I couldn't do anything to help us both get out, but I could help Phoenix get away safely. I didn't know why I cared, but I couldn't stand the thought that she wouldn't run away fast enough, and I simply raised my sword. " Go! I'll hold the entrance open for as long as I can." I knew it meant I would get captured by whatever was controlling the rock, but after six months of being around Phoenix, I decided I would meet back again soon. I threw her as best I could with my blade aloft. And the rock closed immediately afterward. "There, now she can go."
And immediately I realized why I called her fire ability Overheat because she simply used it to melt the rock. I saw her then, with flames in her eyes, and realized she overdid it. Her anger was overwhelming her into a dangerous zone. I had one idea, but it rarely worked. I also had no energy, but with no other option, I once again lifted my blade and moved it counterclockwise. "Rewind!" If this didn't work, we would die, simply the end of us and the entire mountain, but the pressure was the last of my worries. The flames died down, or rather they never started because Phoenix was as she had been before she lit up. I let down the sword and realized time went differently in the cave because it was sunrise outside, and we found the symbol while the sun was setting.
"You waited all night? Why?" I was completely confused. This girl toyed with me, and we never cared about each other... until today.
"I will never forget a debt, and despite my actions, I've grown attached to you." She said through tears. "Also I saw the item, I had to Overheat to survive the explosion. Some kid jumped into the volcano, I know he's never being seen again. And you got a lot more to explain than you think. For now, we head east."
"Why east? Why would we go all the way back? Another vision?" I didn't know what got into her. "And did you say explosion?" It suddenly sunk in, she nearly died to help me, and I was pushing her too hard. "Did you find anything concerning me?" My last question for a while.
"I can't say here, but I'll tell you once we're far enough away." Now she's brooding, that isn't good.
"Where are we going, then?" Now my last question.
"We're heading to a camp, but we don't want to be there too fast. I need to get answers first. If we live...