Chapter 5: My Mother

It was raining hard, yet we continued our trekking. 

"Are you really sure that you are okay with trekking in this kind of weather?" Zale asked for the nth time, I stopped walking and looked at him, his eyes looked worried. "Honestly Zale, for the nth time, I am okay with water, it doesn't weaken me, don't ask how, I don't know either," I said reassuring him. He nodded, still he looks worried. 

We resumed walking, I slowed my pace because of the terrain, it was muddy and slippery, and it wasn't a good sign. The rain poured harder than earlier, but as it got harder, I got irritated. I put up a small barrier that could shield us from the rain, now, why didn't I thought of this earlier?

The rain evaporated as it closes contact with the barrier as I set the temperature of my fire high enough to make the droplets evaporated, "Why didn't you thought of this earlier?" Zale asked and looked at the barrier and looked like he wants to touch it. "Don't touch it, or else you'll have a 3rd-degree burn," I said with a hint of warning in my voice. He looked away and just focused on walking. 

We were busy walking until we heard animal cries, and that is when we saw a group of animals running down the mountain. I was about to turn around but I felt a shake on the ground. This isn't good. I grabbed Zale and started running towards the foot of the mountain, I stopped, looked at him, and asked, "Can you fly?"

He nodded and I did the same and jumped on the tree leaving him on the ground. "Do you want to die or what? Jump and summon your wings!" I ordered him, he doesn't know what was going on. Since he lives far away from the mountains, of course, he wouldn't know what to do when there is a landslide bound to happen. 

He did as I ordered and summoned his wings, and flew high. I was about to follow but the land started breaking and then collapsed. I was caught on the landslide, this is certainly not good. I was summoning my wings but my back met the ground and was hit hard. I groaned in pain, still tried my best on summoning my wings. 

I won't die because of a stupid landslide. I won't die. 

I created a stronger barrier around me and then let myself get buried underneath the ground, but before that, I heard someone screaming my name, I looked up and smiled at him. And there I was, buried alive. 

Now what? I've let myself get buried alive, I am still safe, thanks to my barrier, but oxygen is slowly escaping me. I have exactly 15-20 minutes to stay underneath the ground before I run out of oxygen. Think harder Seraphina! You need to get out of here alive. 

I spent minutes until I got an idea. But this idea can get my body in great danger. I concentrated my mana and gather it in my center. As the mana gather, I raised my hands up and transferred my mana up to my hands. I will count into 5 before I release my mana. 

5

4

3

2

1

!!

I released my mana and it formed a blast of fire and the earth that was covering me was blasted away. 

I got out but as I stood and saw the sun, my knees went weak and caused me to fall on the ground. I heard someone screamed my name. I looked up and saw Zale landing in front of me then went closer and held my shoulder and said, "Are you crazy? Why didn't you save yourself first? Let's go, we need to go back to the town and get you some rest." He said and tried to pull me. I looked at him and told him, "Hey, you know what's the consequence of letting all your mana out, right?" I smiled knowing that I was about to lose consciousness. He still pulled me up, "It brings great danger to your body, that is why if I don't bring you to the clinic, you might die." He said and carried me like some princess. He hurriedly ran towards the town. I closed my eyes. 

And that was my last memory before I lose my consciousness. 

_____________

I opened my eyes only to be greeted by a forest. 

"Seraphina of Fiery Land, the hope of the elements." Greeted by a woman who is clothed with a warrior's clothing with red fur around her waist, right arm, and left thigh. 

"Who are you?" I asked the woman, she didn't answer, instead, I was given a deathly stare.

"My child dares to ask where she came from." She said seriously. I looked at her, and she kinds of resemble what I look like, only she has firey red hair. "I can't be your daughter, I have legitimate parents. Ignatius and Tana are the names of my parents." I said and she laughed.

"I see that Fiamma still uses my name. My child has been deceived by a caretaker. The only legitimate parent that was with you all this time was your father. Seraphina my child, I am Tana, the Goddess of Fire." She said fiercely. Anger and longingness can be seen present in her eyes. Fiamma, is that the true name of my mother? 

"I was raised by this caretaker you are calling, I was raised knowing that she is my mother, this is the first time I have seen you, yes, I know your name, I know your title, but I didn't know that all this time you are my mother," I said and tears are starting to fall from my orbs. I am furious, I am puzzled.

So that is why I always feel that something is missing in my life. It was all because my real mother is one heck of a goddess that after 16 years, she appeared in front of me and claiming that she is my mother, great!

She walked closer to me and held my hand. "Seraphina, why did you think you are the chosen one to be the heir of the Fire's Throne? Zale and the other heirs have already known that they are the child of a certain god. I was only able to tell you this now because I was halted by someone. I was dying to tell you that you are my child, Seraphina. You are my and Ignatius's precious child." She said. Halted by someone? Who dares to threaten a Goddess? 

Thinking that what if she's just making excuses? Wait, does this mean that all of the heirs of each throne are half-gods? A Demi-god?

I looked at the Goddess Tana, she looks at me with such endearment. Plus, she looks like me. Thinking back, I remember what grandmama told me. That I am a child of a God. I have inherited her eyes. So many thoughts flowing in my mind that I didn't notice that she was crying. 

"Am I still fit to be a mother, if I have abandoned my first child?" She said and wiped the tears that were falling from her orbs. I hugged her and said, "You couldn't help it, right? You said that someone halted you, and you couldn't help it. But there is one way to know that you are my mother." I reached for a branch. It was good that the end of the branch was pointed. I slashed my hand and let the blood flow, she looked at me and did the same thing. 

If I am really the daughter of the Goddess Tana, then the blood should glow once my blood and hers have mixed. I looked at our blood, it was slowly mixing and a faint glow appeared until our blood glowed. 

We looked at each other and she smiled, a warm smile that a mother will give to her child. 

"I really am your mother Seraphina," She said and hugged me. My hand was still bleeding, I know that she doesn't have the ability to heal others but she can heal herself. I smiled at her and said, "I need to wake up, mother, he is waiting for me to open my eyes." I said and she nodded. 

"Take care Seraphina. I will be here to guide you." And as she said that the forest was filled with mist and she disappeared along with the thickening of mist. 

I closed my eyes and the next thing I knew I woke up.

_____________

I opened my eyes, but I couldn't move my body. It feels like something heavy was pressing on my body. 

"She's awake, Sir Zale! She's awake!" I heard a woman call Zale's name. I clenched my left hand to hide the wound I got from my dream. I don't know how I got it physically though.

I saw Zale approach my bed and held my right hand. "You shouldn't have done that. I was so scared that you wouldn't open your eyes once again." He said. I was too weak to smile but I managed to speak. 

"Thank you, Zale." Were the words I can say. I tried to smile, but instead, I look at him with grateful eyes. 

I am grateful to have a friend like you. 

How I want to hug you and tell you that finally!

I met my mother, my real mother.