Bloodstained Forest (4)

• Zian, Samer, Layan, and Shimar begin their attack on the Phoenix of Flame, but the phoenix proves to be overwhelmingly superior.

• Flames erupt in every direction, incinerating the surrounding trees, making the forest look like a hellish battlefield.

Zian (shouting): "This speed... I can't even track its movements!"

Samer (grasping his bow): "Keep calm! We'll find a way."

• Samer fires an energy-charged arrow, but it melts before reaching the phoenix.

The phoenix (speaking in a booming voice): "You are weak, like all those who have tried before you. You will never reach my feather."

• The phoenix strikes with a powerful blow from its flaming wings, knocking Layan far away where she collides with a tree trunk.

Layan (with difficulty): "This power... it's not natural."

• Zian tries to parry a direct attack from the phoenix using his celestial sword, but he retreats due to the intense heat, sustaining burns on his arms.

Shimar (approaching Layan): "Don't rush in without a plan, this battle isn't just about strength."

Layan (breathing heavily): "I won't be a burden. I'll fight."

• Samer is injured in the shoulder by flying embers, but he continues to fight with determination.

• During a brief respite behind one of the burning rocks, the team tries to devise a plan.

Zian: "Every attack we launch is easily repelled. We need a strategy, not just brute force."

Samer: "She attacks whenever we get near her. What if we forced her to come to us?"

Shimar: "How? We can barely stand."

• In the middle of their conversation, the phoenix interrupts them with her booming voice:

The phoenix: "Trying to escape? This is only the beginning. Fire is tested by endurance, and you are proving that you are unworthy."

• Zian decides to use a portion of the celestial sword's power that he learned during his training with the old man.

Zian (in a resolute voice): "This sword is not just a tool. It's an extension of my will. I will use it, even if it costs me my life."

• Zian releases an aura of celestial energy, which amazes the team and forces the phoenix to retreat slightly.

The phoenix (in astonishment): "This energy... I haven't seen anything like it in centuries."

• However, the energy quickly drains Zian, and he is forced to stop before he faints.

• During the battle, the phoenix directs its full attack on Samer, forcing him to sacrifice his non-bow arm to protect Layan.

Samer (shouting): "I won't let you hurt her!"

• Layan is also deeply wounded in her leg while trying to draw the phoenix's attention away from the exhausted Zian.

Layan (in pain): "I'm not finished yet... this forest will not break my spirit."

Shimar (in an angry voice): "Stop being reckless! If we don't cooperate better, we'll all die here."

• Just when the battle seems at its worst, the old man reappears.

• He releases a mysterious aura that temporarily freezes the phoenix's attacks, giving the heroes a chance to retreat.

The old man: "You are more foolish than I thought. This is not a battle you can win now."

Zian (insistently): "Why do you always help us at the last moment? If you are so powerful, why don't you fight?"

The old man (in a calm voice): "Because this is not my battle. This is your battle. I'm only here to give you a chance."

• The heroes are taken to a dark cave within the forest, where the old man decides to start a new training regimen based on the power of taming beasts.

• The old man explains to them that the phoenix is not merely a beast, but a guardian protecting the forest's secret.

• The training begins by forcing them to coexist with some small creatures, to understand their ways of thinking and reactions.

The old man: "If you don't understand what you're fighting, you'll never win. The phoenix is not your enemy... but your final teacher."

• Their training includes learning the language of beasts, facing natural traps, and developing new methods of attack and defense.

• The heroes begin to recover from their injuries, but the battle with the phoenix still lingers in their minds.

• The mystery surrounding the old man deepens, with hints of his connection to the creatures that control the forest.

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