Chapter 15 - Beneath The Sea

Already an hour into the struggle, Amanda and Taara determined they would change their approach altogether. It was evident that the monster had a strong armored skin on its torso and back. While its limbs and tail had softer scales. Ironically, its weakest points easily grew back.

Looking at the surroundings, they have concluded the extent of the damage was far more difficult to cover-up, but then again, using more than 40% of their strength will do more destruction than the monster before them.

Taking their stances meters apart, Amanda and Taara looked at each other in dismay. This was the problem when dealing with horrors. Annihilation was within their means, but doing so while trying to maintain nature's surroundings was almost impossible.

"Abasi," called Amanda. "We need to take this lizard elsewhere. If we keep at it here, the entire forest would be destroyed."

"That's right, Abasi. There is no peace talk with this reptile. There is no point in bringing him back to his world. We might as well deal with it completely. You'll need to take part in this. Are you about done there?" Taara asked, speaking through her mind.

Abasi and Brody were investigating sightings of more wormholes that lead to other worlds. As of recently, the masters have observed more than the average arrival of terrors on earth.

"I'm coming," Abasi spoke through their heads, and in seconds, his figure gradually appeared behind the Taara and Amanda.

Seeing Abasi was there to formulate a plan, Amanda charged at the lizard. Her phoenix wings maneuvered her safely away from the monster's attack.

"Amanda, get close to it and hold it's back. I will transport you both into the deserts," said Abasi.

She soared to the black sky and countered, falling back like a meteor on fire.

The reptile saw her coming; it was prepared to swing its tail at her and as the monster struck, Amanda disappeared from its sight. With Abasi's help, she came about the lizard's back.

She quickly hugged the reptile's frame and despite its monstrous size, she clung on to it as it shook its body vigorously, trying to get Amanda off its back.

Soon enough, she saw herself disappearing, her body fading out. Amanda shut her eyes, knowing she was traveling with the thing that she was desperately holding.

Reappearing in the deserts of Sahara, Amanda dropped the reptile as she prepared to bring out more of her strength.

Shining like the brightest star and low flying in the darkness of the desolated land, Amanda reached beyond half of her full power's potential.

She heard Taara's voice on her head, "Do you need help?"

"No. I got this," said Amanda.

With nothing to hold her back, Amanda struck at the reptile with her flames, occasionally letting out her whip of fire. She was swung around by the lizard's force, but she cared not where she landed. It was only sand from miles and miles away.

The reptile screeched as it rolled its body to the soil, but no matter how it tried to put out Amanda's fire, the master of the red crystal maintained to send flames in various forms. The lizard's efforts were futile to her endless flames. Eventually, the fire had finally withered its armored scales.

After Amanda created a crater of fire, the lizard was finally burned down to ashes, and only then did Abasi sent her back to Trinity Bay. The rest of the masters took care of the cover-up.

Once again, falling from the sky, Amanda dived headfirst, approaching the sea. The minute she submerged under the salty water, her flames died and yet again, Amanda took her rest beneath the sea.

Waking up the next day, she thought she saw rays of the sun from surface of the water. She was surrounded in her usual air of bubbles, allowing her to breathe underwater.

She told herself, 'Oh, God. I am going to be late again.'

Amanda frantically swam, but before coming up from the water, she halted, following the sight of a strange creature. Her eyes grew wide, thinking she must have been mistaken. She thought she saw the biggest bird flying low in the sky.

She shook her head and proceeded to reach the surface.

Looking around, she realized Abasi had dropped her off on her third landing area. Amanda had three. At home, when she is not on fire. At the beach in front of her home or at the cliff side of the island, a good two miles from where she lived. The latter was meant for her naked landing.

There was a small cave that allowed her to stash clothes and get change before swimming back to her home.

Getting closer to the rocky shores, her eyes carefully wandered, making sure there was no one around.

Confirming that she was alone, she started to take steps on the rocks before her. Out of nowhere, she heard a familiar voice.

"Amanda? What on earth are you doing here? And? Why are you naked?!" She turned to the other side and found Christopher, hidden by a large boulder of rock.

Her mouth fell open as she dived back into the water.

"Amanda! Amanda!" Christopher called for her.

When she was in a safe distance, she raised her head and said, "What am I doing here? What are you doing here?!"

Amanda looked up to the cliffs and all other directions. She was a hundred percent sure, there was no beach access to that area. Moreover, it was not only her that was naked. He was... half-naked.

"Um... Um." Christopher scratched his head, trying to find an answer. He said, "I was taking a morning swim!"

She frowned. He was not at all wet.

Without warning, he jumped into the water and quickly rose above. He said, "A good morning swim is always good for the lungs!"

"Right... swim in pants?" She said sarcastically.

"Well, never mind me, Amanda.. I did not know it was good to swim naked miles away from where you live?" He said while trying not to look at her body.