Crimson Phoenix Guardian- Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage 4

Episode 119: First Day of the Festival

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I smiled as I rose up from bed. Festival time! I jumped off of bed and ran to the shower, only to find Nat had beaten me to it.

"How did you beat me?" I asked, tilting my head.

He snickered as he passed me. "I couldn't sleep, so I thought a shower would help." He lowered his towel and frowned.

I gasped. "Are you nervous?"

He rubbed the side of his neck and smiled. "Y-yeah, a little. I mean, Shuai did beat all eight of you together. Granted, you didn't exactly do a good job at working together, but still."

I patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. You and Tammy will do great!"

He snickered a bit. "Thanks."

I nodded and pushed him. "Now, off you go! I need to get ready for my own big day!"

He laughed louder. "Right, you're the boss."

I frowned. Yeah. I had to make sure everything was in tiptop shape. I wasn't even sure if I would be able to see his and Tammy's matches.

Once Nat was gone, I took off my clothes and took a nice hot shower. It felt good. Although, I was a bit sad that I couldn't go on my daily walk today. It sucked not being able to go for a jog. Usually, it helped me calm down my nerves.

I sighed and stepped out of the shower. After drying myself off, I put on my favorite red shirt with a picture of a cute cat on it. I then put on a pair of blue shorts. Since today was the first day of the festival, we could wear casual clothes!

After getting dressed, I walked back into the room. Nat was reading a book, legs crossed. He sure had nice legs, uh, for a guy.

"Hey, whatcha reading?" I asked, walking over to him.

"A novel that Dossie recommended for me. It's pretty good," he said, looking at me.

"Oh? What's it about?" I asked.

He showed the cover.

It was a simple, dark blue hardcover book with the words 'The Dragon's Tale' written in silver on the front. There was no picture, making it feel stuffy.

"Want me to read a passage to you?"

"Sure!"

Nat cleared his throat and began reading, "'The dragon stood tall and proud in the center of the cave, watching over the many treasures that filled the cavern. Gold coins, gems, and jewels sparkled in the light of the torches that lined the walls. It was a sight to behold. Suddenly, the dragon's ears twitched as he heard a noise. He looked around, but he didn't see anything. Just as he was about to relax, he heard the noise again. It sounded like a human voice, but he couldn't quite make out what it was saying. He continued searching the cave, but he couldn't find anything. He was about to give up when he finally noticed a small opening in the cave wall. It was just big enough for a person to fit through."

I gasped. "What happens next?"

He snickered. "If you let me read more, maybe you'll find out."

"Oh, right," I said, scratching the back of my head.

He resumed, "'Curious, the dragon approached the opening and peered inside. A teenage girl of great beauty stood at the opposite corner. In contrast to her physical beauty, her clothes were old and plain. 'Who are you?' the dragon asked. The girl yelped and turned around. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm the Dragon of the Cavern. What are you doing here?'"

"What kind of name is the Dragon of the Cavern?" I asked, blinking.

Nat lowered his book. "The author had a bad habit of not naming their characters. They'd always use some sort of descriptor like 'the dragon' or 'the girl.' It's weird, but it's still a fun read."