The forest sparkled with the light mist that was slowly fading. They had been traveling for days in this godforsaken forest, and Ashula of the Abraxan Province was feeling fed up with seeing forest everywhere, from stamping in the forest floor that felt like more than mud than dirt. She glanced up again at these brigands she had been forced to walk with. She had long hoped for a day when she could've been on her own, free from people. But she was still a woman.
Still alone in the world. She unfortunately still needed to rely on people, even people she would've preferred never to have relied on.
The brigands were people in hiding from the royals who would subdue them and force them into work that was no better than slavery. From the Mage masters that they have always hated. Not knowing that there were magic users among them hiding in plain sight. These were the brigands who believed women were underneath them and how it chafed at Ashula to be so stuck depending on them to keep her safe.
She glanced over at Nazneen who was watching everyone as closely as she always did. It nearly made Ashula want to smile. Which was a mistake because she lost her concentration and bumped into one of the other brigands.
The man who was already twice the size of Ashula straightened his broad chest easily eclipsing everything in front of Asula's view. Her eyes went wide as he furiously started speaking a string of vowels and constantnants in a language that Ashula had never learned.
"I did not mean to bump into you, I'm sorry!" She said backing away. The Brigand in question grabbed her wrist bringing her closer to him screaming obscenties in the forgotten tongue.
Nazneen moved to say something but before she could there was a shuffle behind them, and someone shouting once in the Brigand tongue. Ashula watched as the man in question turned slightly and an arrow pierced his neck as he let go of her wrist.
Ashula stared at his crumpled body for a moment in shock before Nazneen pushed her into movement, they backed away from the Brigands hiding behind a copse of trees.
"What the hell was that?" Ashula demanded.
Nazneen pulled out an arrow from where it had been shot at one of the trees, studying it for a moment before looking back at Ashula.
"This is a mage arrow." She said her voice thick.
"Why would they be here?" Ashula whispered frantically.
"I don't know but we can't stay here." Nazneen said, drawing a sword.
Asula took a breath and pulled out her staff, nodding to Nazneen. "The clearing from last night. They won't expect us to double back." Ashula said.
"If we get separated that's where we will be." Nazneen said as they both delved into the fighting trying to avoid the Brigands and the flashes of thunder that was the Mage Masters signature.
Ashula was nearly past the clearing when she was grabbed from behind, she turned surprised to see the Brigand from before. "Let me go!" she demanded.
He gestured at her angrily, nearly yanking her arm from her socket. He pulled her close once more lifting her completely off her feet before throwing her down. She felt a fury she had never felt before against this brigand who seemed determined to give her hell.
Such fury that she felt it once more. The flames. She tried to keep them at bay getting up and trying to take a step away from the brigand but he kept coming he grabbed her wrist drawing blood with how he gripped her, and that was the last straw. She felt the fury of the flames encase her and she screamed as the flames filled her once more.
The flames of the Pheonix. Her flames.
She screeched her caw and felt the flames take her bird shape around her. The brigand stared at her his eyes wide, making a cross over his chest. She pushed her hands forward and the Brigand fell down in a crash of flames and wind.
Ashula knew that she was burning and tried to close her fists, to bring the flames back to herself before she was found out.
It was already too late.
"Ashula!" Nazneen screamed. "Run!"
Ashula watched as her friend was cut down by another Brigand her eyes glazing over as the sword went through her. Ashula screamed in pain and fury the flames growing bigger as she screamed The Mage Masters all turning to look at her with triumph.
She knew she should run. This had been her greatest fear ever since she had woken up and had become not Asula but Idothea the Pheonix reborn.
She stared at the Mages that all gathered as one the Brigands forgotten as they fled the flames of the Pheonix. She watched as one of them stood above the rest his eyes as dark as coal as he watched her shimmering flames recede, leaving scorch marks on her skin.
The blonde haired mage with eyes black as coal twisted his hand and Ashula felt herself disappear in darkness. When she opened her eyes she was in a dark earthen chamber of some sort, looking upwards at where there was a hole carved that showed the last rays of the sun, as it prepared to set. She looked around her and saw that she was in the middle of a circle that was carved into the stone, runic symbols all around her.
"Hello Pheonix. It's time for you to fully awaken."
Ashula looked upwards at the man, and stood determined to stand her ground even when she knew everything had been lost. For this was the day Ashula would die and Idothea would be born.
"Even if you bring back the Pheonix, she will not bow to you. There is only one person she was ever loyal to, and he does not exist in this realm any longer." Ashula said fury lacing her voice.
"Exactly. Dragomir is no longer around to save the Pheonix and she will obey me, or suffer. Don't worry, you won't feel a thing. For you will have been already consumed. No human body can contain the Pheonix." He said.
"Who are you?"
"I am the man who will soon be the Leader of all, thanks to you. For that I thank you." he said with a smirk. "I will be stronger than all with a Pheonix on my side! I am Lord Alkimos and I will conquer the Six Kingdoms." He said throwing what looked like silver dust in the air.
It swirled and Ashula felt her eyes grow thick and felt herself fall back and all that she felt as she went under was the burning of a thousand pinpricks.