Chapter 2: The Sacred Cradle
The sun had not yet risen above the horizon of Arcania, yet golden light bathed the Dragon Continent as though the world itself sought to bask in the aura of its newly born prince. It had been mere hours since the birth of Phoenix Bennith Nightshade, and already, the realms of mortals and divines alike stirred with anticipation.
Within the heart of Starfire Palace, a sacred chamber was being prepared—one reserved only for beings of extraordinary destiny. This was the Cradle of Ascendancy, a sanctum crafted in the era of the Primordial Dragons. Only once every ten thousand years did it awaken, and now, it pulsed with ancient runes, echoing in rhythm with the breath of a newborn.
"Is it ready?" Rudeus Bennith's voice resonated through the vast hall like thunder wrapped in silk. His piercing golden eyes surveyed the arcane mechanisms as ancient magic weavers and draconic scholars bowed low.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the chief arcanist replied, trembling beneath the Emperor's gaze. "The cradle has accepted the child's aura. It has... never reacted this swiftly before."
Rudeus glanced down at the tiny bundle cradled in his arms. Phoenix blinked up at him, his eyes—those ethereal orbs of red and violet—sparkling with wonder. A single tiny claw peeked from beneath his silk wrappings, a sign of his draconic bloodline asserting itself.
"You see, my son," Rudeus whispered, "this world was not made to contain you. But for now… let it welcome you."
Behind him, the nine princesses stood in ceremonial attire, each holding offerings symbolic of their domains. From weapons forged in starfire to tomes of forbidden magic, each gift was chosen not for what the boy could use now—but what he would become.
Empress Rose, now recovered and radiant, entered beside them. Dressed in flowing robes embroidered with moonlight thread and rose thorns, her presence brought a hush to the chamber. All bowed—even Rudeus inclined his head slightly.
The moment had arrived.
---
The cradle itself was no ordinary object. Forged by the first Elder Dragon, Oruthar the Timeless, it was said to respond only to destinies that bent the threads of fate. Floating above a dais of celestial stone, it resembled a nest made of starlight and runes. Pulses of living mana streamed through it like veins.
When Phoenix was gently laid within it by his father, the chamber dimmed. Silence fell. Then—
A radiant pillar of light erupted from the cradle, shooting through the ceiling and into the heavens.
Outside, across the Dragon Continent, the skies shifted. A second sun appeared momentarily above the palace, burning violet and crimson. The other continents reacted instantly:
On the Vampire Continent, blood lilies bloomed in winter.
On the Elven Continent, the World Tree glowed with new leaves.
On the Demon Continent, Envy collapsed to his knees, whispering, "I can't see his fate."
On the Central Continent, guild leaders gathered in confusion, sensing mana fluctuations like they had never encountered.
Inside the cradle, Phoenix's tiny body floated weightlessly. Ethereal wings—half dragon, half bat—briefly flickered into existence behind him before vanishing again. Symbols older than history spiraled across his skin and disappeared into his soul.
Then, silence.
Phoenix slowly descended back onto the cradle's surface. As the light faded, a strange hush fell. Even the mana itself seemed to pause in reverence.
A single symbol glowed above the cradle: Infinity.
The arcanists gasped. One fainted. Rudeus clenched his fists. "Impossible…"
Rose stepped forward. "What does it mean?"
The chief scholar, barely able to stand, croaked: "The cradle has judged the child to possess… no limits. No end. An infinite potential."
---
After the ceremony, the child was returned to the royal nursery, a place now enchanted beyond comprehension. Each wall was layered in barriers of love and protection. The nine sisters took turns watching over him, singing lullabies, casting dream wards, and reading ancient tales.
It was during one such night, with the moon at its peak and stars watching closely, that something strange happened.
Phoenix opened his eyes fully for the first time.
He did not cry. He simply looked around, blinking with intelligence no infant should possess.
From within his crib, soft light began to pour forth. The toys around him levitated. Mana gathered of its own accord. The child lifted his small hands and giggled.
Then, the shadows in the room shifted. Not in menace—but curiosity.
A single, translucent figure stepped out from the veil. Clad in robes of shifting galaxies, he was an Elder Spirit, long thought extinct.
"I came to see the one the Cradle awakened for," the being whispered, kneeling beside the crib. "You are… curious. Terrifying. Hopeful."
Phoenix gurgled, reaching toward him. The spirit smiled sadly.
"I will leave you a gift, young Sovereign," he said, placing a single feather of starlight beside the child. "When the stars fall, it shall awaken."
Then, the spirit vanished.
---
In the days that followed, more phenomena occurred. Creatures long extinct appeared near the palace. The mana density around the Dragon and Vampire continents doubled. Prophets across the world wept without knowing why.
But within Starfire Palace, Phoenix cooed softly in his mother's arms, watched over by his sisters, unaware that his very existence had already rewritten the fate of an entire world.
The Sacred Cradle had spoken.
And the world would never be the same again