Author's Notes;

OMG it has been very long time since I've stopped writing this story! To be honest, I was having a bit of writer's block on writing this story and was busy focusing on my other story, ' The Professor and The Bodyguard'... but at long last you readers gave me enough courage to continue writing this chapter! Claps for everyone! :D

Notwritten: Thanks again for dropping by! I'm glad you liked the last chapter and apologised for keep you hanging for the next chapter for so long!

RoselleIcedTears: Dearies, words can't expressed how happy your comment made me as an individual and a writer. I thanked the two of you from the bottom of my heart and again, let me apologised for leaving this story hanging for a while. I will resumed to it and together, we shall see this till the end. ;)

Chapter 26: Second Trial: Red Temptress

THE night carried on as Claire made her way out of the clearance where she just had her first battle with one of the Four Legendary Gods, Genbu. Now fully recovered and with an Elemental ring to help her, she was ready to take on the next challenge.

It didn't take her long to wait for her challenger to arrive, because the moment Claire stepped out of the entrance, she heard a lighthearted hums in the woods.

Claire stood still, her guard increased and her eyes frequently searched for something, anything at all.

The humming grew louder like an alarming siren. Claire had both her ears covered with her hands. Her teeth gritted and knees buckled into they fell to the ground.

The humming continously for a while before it abruptly stopped. Silence once again fill in the air. Claire slowly removed her hands from her ears and put them by her side.

"Hello there, dearie." A soft female voice suddenly whispered close to her left ear.

Claire flinched and quickly turned to look at the thing that was standing behind her. She took a couple of steps back.

It was a gigantic bird with feathers in many different hues of vermilion.

When and how did it get there behind her without her noticed? Claire was too stunned to answer that question.

The Vermillion Bird, known as Suzaku in Japan, chuckled softly at the unattractive way Claire had gawked at it. It lowered it's head graciously in 's voice was sultry when it spoke, "I see you've managed to defeat my brother, Genbu. How impressive. For a mere human to defeat a God is impressive indeed. Tell me, your reason for coming to my lair, human?"

Claire gulped and answered it as calmly as she could. "I need to learn how to master the Elemental powers..."

"And why is that?"

"To protect the ones I loved from the people who are planning to hurt them. The people who are planning to hurt my loved ones are Elemantalists. Normal magic won't work on them. That's why, I need to learn how to control my Elements. Please, would you help me?"

Suzaku stared down at her, saying nothing. It's dark red eyes pierced deep into Claire's soul - determined whether what the mortal said was the truth or lies. Finally, it spoke after a moment of silence.

"You are speaking the truth. However, I shall be the one to judge of that."

It flew above Claire's head and landed across the field. Opening it's beautiful wings, Suzaku said, "Let's see if you have what it takes to defeat me and my Prisons!"

Flapping it wings, Suzaku shrieked as mighty gale began to attack Claire. The young muggle braced herself for the strong wind, not knowing that while she was distracted by the wind, a small cage came out from the ground and trapped her inside!

"What?!"

Suzaku summoned fire to surround the cage. She giggled delightfully at Claire's horrifying expression. "What's wrong, mortal? Can't stand the heat?"

Claire gritted her teeth. She was sweating profusely from the heat. The only that prevent the fire from burning her immediately because in her panicked moment, the muggle had automatically cast layers of ice shield to her surroundings. It might not helped her much in long run, but it sure helped her a lot in preventing the heat from touching her skin.

"Fool. My fire will melt your Ice in seconds!" To prove it's point, Suzaku increased the heat, causing the flame around Claire to dance wildly.

Meanwhile, Claire was having a hard time trying to breathe. She felt like tearing her clothes off but knew even doing so wouldn't ease the heat.

Looking at the Elemental ring around her finger, Claire lifted one shaky hand in the air and tried to summon the Beastly God, Genbu.

Strong blizzard came out of nowhere, freeze everything standing in it's path. It immensely freeze the flamed cage, and there was a thick icy barrier surrounded Claire. However, even with Genbu's power, Suzaku's mighty flame could still easily melted the barriers.

"Give it up, mortal. It's no use. My fire is no match against any form of ice. Not even my brother's power could win against me!"

Damn. How on earth do I defeat this creature who breathes fire? Claire pondered. She watched as her icy barrier started to melt. It won't be long before it melted completely and she would be burning in flame.

Panic started to rumble her inside but Claire refused to give in. Closing her eyes, she tried to relax her mind to think of a way out of this challenge.

"Elementalist." Claire heard a deep grumbled voice calling to her: Genbu.

"Elementalist, what are you afraid of?"

Claire frowned at the question but still her eyes remained shut.

"I'm not afraid."

"You are. What are you afraid of?"

I'm-"

"Of the flames that might consume you?" Genbu chuckled deeply. "Don't be. You have the Power of Genbu. Embrace it. Embrace what has been giving to you..."

Claire suddenly felt extremely cold as ice slowly began to cover her. It started from the tips of her fingers followed by her arms and later her whole body was frozen by a thick block of ice.

Believe. She heard Genbu's last word to her before cold and numbness taken over her.

Suzaku who had been watching the whole scene, sneered.

"Foolish mortal. You're only choosing your own death by freezing yourself! No matter." It flapped it's wings to increase the heating temperature. Fire around the cage burnt hungrily and quickly melting the thick ice around it.

"We'll end this here and now!"

Instead of flapping it's wings again, this time, the vermillion bird burnt itself with its own flame before transformed into a gigantic arrow - shape.

Taking its aim to Claire's heart, Suzaku launched itself toward her and prepared to consume her whole once and for all.

Little did it knew, as soon as it touched the tip of the ice block, immediately, Suzaku's fire began to frost.

"What?!" Suzaku heated itself with its mighty fire. Unfortunately the more it heated up, the quicker it surrounded by ice.

"Thou arrogance shalt not underestimate the Power of Genbu, dear Suzaku." Genbu's voice echoed throughout the forest. The ground, the cage, and the forest began to freeze as well.

"Genbu!" Suzaku's panicked voice began to shrill. Still, it refused to give up. Suzaku returned to its former true form and flew above Claire who was still frozen and being protected by Genbu.

Half of its beautiful feathers were being coated with the deadly ice.

"Brother, you're giving up your power to help this mortal? Why?" It hissed.

"Dear sister, Thou shalt not refused what Thou eyes can see. This mortal has fairly won the battle against me. Thus, offering my services to her is what I shalt do. Defeating you is a must."

"Ha! You're getting soft, brother! We are the mighty Gods! We do no heed from the humans! No matter. Since you have decided that, it will be my honour to end this battle for you." Suzaku circled itself in a fast pace until it became a gigantic frosty fireball.

"This is for you, my dear brother!" With a final swing, it launched itself again at Claire; readily to sacrifice itself if it takes to win this battle.

Genbu looked up as Suzaku came toward them in fast pace and opened its mouth and howled toward the Heavens.

"Elementalist,now!" Genbu's voice drilled inside Claire's head. Opening her eyes to deep frosty blue as Suzaku came close in contact, Claire muttered:

"Genbu: Gungnir."

As soon as words came out of her mouth, Suzaku was trapped in the tips of a gigantic Lance, and launched it upwards toward the Heavens.

Severus watched in amazed as the battle had come to the end. He had cast a protective magical barrier around him to avoid getting hit by any of them magic and was hiding amongst the many bushes, watching in great tension at the commenced battle.

He had grown worried at one time when Claire got herself trapped in the cage of fire. But as soon as she summoned Genbu, Severus worries ceased. And now, he was mostly amazed at the vast power that she had achieved in a short amount of time.

"It's over." He heard Genbu's echoing voice loud and clear.

Looking at where Claire was, his eyes immediately found her sinking her knees to the ground as the block of ice around her began to hurriedly melted.

Claire blinked her eyes rapidly. Her cheeks were red while her skin was paled. She warmed helself to get rid of the cold. The tips of her fingers glowed in warm heat.

At last, Suzaku's voice could be heard echoing through the woods.

"I'm surprised..." It flew above her before gracefully landed in front of her. "Indeed I was. Never before had I thought of being defeated by a mere mortal such as yourself. Well done, Elemantalist. I, Suzaku, admit defeated."

"Suzaku-sama..."

Suzaku bowed it's head at her. "Raise your left hand, Elemantalist." Obeying it's words, Claire lifted her hand and immediately she felt a surge of new power being added into the Elemental ring.

The power of Suzaku.

"You will also need this." The mighty God summoned a red cloak. "It is made from fire that will surely protect you agaisnt any elements."

Claire put the cloak around her and it hugged her like a second- skin.

"Your next challenge awaits you, child. Good luck." With that it disappeared in gust of flame. Once again, Claire found herself alone in the woods and getting stronger with each challenges.

She made her way out of he woods and into the riverbank.