The sky was tinged with crimson. The wind carried the scent of ash and change. Before Veran and Raigor, the egg of the Dark Phoenix pulsed with a dark and unstoppable energy. Bright cracks furrowed the shell, and with a roar that split the air, the being within broke free.
An explosion of black flame spread in every direction, scorching the grass, blackening the rocks, and heating the air to suffocation. When the glow faded, the Dark Phoenix rose before them. Its wings, immense and made of dark fire, seemed to be able to block out the sun itself. Its eyes, two burning slits, peered at the world with an ancient wisdom and anger.
Veran clenched his fists. "It's not like normal phoenixes… this power…"
Raigor nodded. "It's not just a creature. It's something much older."
The Phoenix opened its beak and a wave of dark flames crashed down on them. Veran leapt forward, unleashing a storm of lightning to counter the attack. The sky lit up, the thunder of the impact shook the earth. But the Phoenix didn't retreat. Its flames bent, merged with the lightning, and then exploded with even greater power.
Raigor leapt back, narrowly avoiding the wave of destruction. "We can't fight it like any other enemy."
Veran gritted his teeth. "So what do we do? If we don't stop it, it will destroy everything!"
Raigor concentrated, trying to connect with the creature's energy. He felt something… a deep pain, a fury that wasn't of the present. The Phoenix was not just a monster born from the power of a defeated enemy. It was a guardian, a being trapped in an eternal cycle of destruction and rebirth.
Raigor approached, ignoring the suffocating heat of the flames. "Dark Phoenix… why are you here?"
The being raised its head, its eyes flashing. For an instant, the image of an ancient destroyed city appeared in Raigor's mind. A forgotten kingdom, a faceless shadow, and a broken seal.
"Raigor!" Veran shouted. "It's about to attack again!"
But Raigor did not stop. He took a step forward, holding out a hand. "No… it doesn't want to destroy us. It wants to show us something."
The Phoenix stopped. The fire that enveloped its body subsided slightly, and its wings folded as if in reflection.
At that moment, the sky darkened further. Something immense and looming was approaching. A presence that neither Raigor nor Veran had felt before.
A roar split the air.
The Dark Phoenix raised its head and for the first time… it seemed to feel fear.
Veran exchanged a look with Raigor. "Whatever it is… it's coming."
And with it, the next truth about their fate.