The dimly lit pathway twisted into the horizon, the black trees making it hard for sunlight to pass through its leaves. This pace was naturally the dark wind forest.
The dark wind forest was not too far for the Flaming sun sect, in fact it was just a few minutes walk, that was why Vin was easily able to be rescued by old Bai.
A few crunchy sounds could be heard as two pair of footsteps stepped on the twigs while marching on, these were Vin and Suzanne who were on their way to the overhanging edge cliff, they had pass through this corner of the dark wind forest as theur destination was on the other side.
"I'd heard that a fire Phoenix had died in the dark wind forest in the legends, I wonder if that's true" Suzanne said breaking up the silence that had ensued since they left the sect.
Not like they didn't want to talk but they didn't know what to talk about, they'd never left the sect together. "Hmm, who knows, it's just a legend after all" Vin replied but that was different from what he thought.
'Hmm, now that I think about it that legend was from a hundred years ago, if that Phoenix was truly immobile when I found it, then that means it was injured but if so how did it survive for a hundred years in that state, well I guess that's why it's one of the Royal beasts.' he thought absent mindedly.
"But it might be true though" Suzanne pushed, she seemed to want to get a positive reaction "Well maybe, maybe not, you seem quite interested in that Phoenix, Is that why you picked this mission" Vin said as he glanced at her
"Well, maybe I'm just a little curious, Is all" Suzanne giggled. They continued on the part forward making small talks every now and then, now that the tension had been broken it was easier to converse.
After a day of moving they realized they had almost reached their destination so they decided to camp for the night, luckily Suzanne had prepared for this as she brought out two tents for both of them.
They ate dried rations and succumbed for the night, barely slept 'It's cold' Vin thought as he stretched and stared at the tents, a few thoughts running through his mind, he really had no idea why Suzanne had decided invite him in her mission, when she cloud have chosen someone stronger and besides...
"It's almost time, right?!" he said to no one in particular. After that he closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep through the cold.
Early the next day after eating dried rations they set out again and after a few hours they saw a bright light in the distance.
"Finally " Suzanne exclaimed "I never thought I could miss sunlight this much" she said with joy as she stepped out of the vicinity of dark trees and into sunlight.
A faint smile nestled on Vin's lips, he was also glad they had left the dark wind forest, he felt like he was walking on thin steps and besides he just noticed something.....
"Huh, we didn't actually encounter any demonic beast, how come!? " Vin stated as he realized that fact "Oh that, it's because of this" Suzanne replied as she waved a bottle with white powder in it "It's a beast repellant powder, I always carry it around me when I leave the sect" she introduced.
"Hmm, that's good then" Vin replied and looked ahead, he didn't notice sinister smile that curled up at Suzanne's lips, when looking ahead, he saw the so called overhanging edge cliff.
He noticed they were actually standing on a mountain that was cut-off at the front of them with only a thin layer stretching forward and connecting to a small cliff in front of them.
"No wonder it's called overhanging edge cliff, it's typically just a cliff with a thin layer hanging by the edge of a mountain" he said "Alright I think the fire blood ginseng is just up ahead, let's go" but he was met with silence.
He stopped and turned around "Huh Suzanne, where... Hey watch out!!! " he screamed at the top of his lungs, what he saw frightened him out of his wits, beasts, dozens of them were rushing forward towards them and at forefront was Suzanne who just stood there.
It seemed like she didn't notice the commotion behind her, or she did but couldn't register it, anyways he decided to rush forward but..... 'Wait a moment' he thought and looked again 'How could she not notice that' and that's when he realized.
It's not that she didn't want to move but she didn't need to, that's because the beasts ran around her and continued rushing forward, yes they were coming for him and that's when it clicked. If they could make a powder to repel beasts, can't they make one to attract them also.
"Have you realized it yet?!, that's right, while you didn't notice I sprinkled a portion of beast attracting powder on you, it was actually quite easy seeing as you let your guard down around me" she said with a sinister smile plastered on her face.
'Why,' he thought 'he didn't do anything wrong, so....' "Why?!!!!!" he roared. "I have never wronged you, so why?!" he felt indignation clouding over him 'Why did it always have to be him'.
First his parents, then old Bai and now someone he had thought to be his best friend even though they hadn't known each other much, why did they have to betray him, what had he done to them. He was almost driven to insanity at that point.
"Why you ask?!" Suzanne giggled "Because it's fun!!!!" she screamed "I have watched you for a long time, but you bastard, you don't even notice me, and when you look at me it's like you're looking through me and so I decided, if I can't get you then you should die"
"WHAT THE FUCK!! " his eyes widened in dismay, how ridiculous, she decided to kill him because of something as stupid as that, he felt like he might die of anger at this point.
"Well, you don't have much time, there's only one thing you can do at this moment" she laughed madly "Run Vin, Run!! " and that's what he did, he turned around and fled like his life depended on it cause literally it did.
After a point he turned around but immediately cursed his luck, he hated the fact that he didn't have extra pair of legs, because the beasts had caught up and the moment they did, they attacked immediately but he didn't stop because stopping meant death.
And even though claw marks kept appearing on his body, he kept running until he couldn't do so anymore, he had already reached the edge of the cliff without even realizing it, he stopped and turned around.
It seemed the beasts also noticed it and stopped too, he looked in the distance, Suzanne was still laughing madly, it looked like she wouldn't leave until he died.
"Will I really die here?!" he said desperately, he was helpless at this point. But the only thing that answered him was the rampaging of the beasts, they tore at him until he was pushed over the edge of the cliff and he fell.
"Old Bai, I'm sorry I couldn't wait for you " he muttered and then he felt a rising heat, looked down but all he saw was was magma flowing like a river. That's right, at the bottom of the overhanging edge cliff wasn't a river but flowing magma 'So this is the end' he thought before.
Plop..
His body fell down into the magma but surprisingly he didn't feel the pain at first, he was already on the verge of death so he felt the was the best ending 'Well at the very least I....' his thoughts was interrupted by a faint voice that he had almost forgotten.
"It is time" the faint voice of Sedalia El Amari said at this point and as if reacting to that a heart wrenching scream was heard
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh" This pain, he remembered it, it was when Sedalia El Amari had passed her essence to him, no it's double the pain, he realized, not that it would help anyway.
His felt like his soul was burning in hell, his was mind clouded in unimaginable pain. Karmic Flames were brimming with hostility within him, and while all this happened, his body started turning ethereal, like it was fading in oblivion.
But his heart was still yearning, waiting for hope and salvation, his soul in anguish suffering, with his mind clouded In illusions of drifting away to nothingness.
He had no choice but to inflict pain to maintain his sanity that was rapidly deteriorating as he bit his tongue tightly, his wary spirit in helpless agony as he could no longer feel the passage of time.
Eternity became a punishment too unbearable as he felt Life to be an endless journey and Death to be heaven's relief, he wished he would just die and be over with it.
And in that little moment of despair, he heard a faint soft voice saying "Beyond the veil of sanity lies the fury of a Phoenix" Sedalia El Amari said as she continued her chant "Hear me Eridoria, I beseech thee!" and then she went silent.
Just when he thought he would lose consciousness from the pain, he heard a faint whisper that sounded like it came from a distance but also nearby at the same time.
"Awaken".
************