Chapter 5: The Nine Vows
The sky above Arcania remained clear for three days following the Flame Trial.
Birds no longer flew near Starfire Palace. Wild beasts bowed at the edge of the Dragon Empire. The floating cities of the Birdkin hung still in the air, their winds quieted by unseen reverence. Even the waves that lashed the Vampire coast moved in solemn rhythm, as if mourning the death of an old age—and heralding the rise of something new.
Phoenix Bennith Nightshade, newly born, already bore the weight of divine promise. The Soulfire pulsed quietly in his chest, a tiny ember of unimaginable potential. And yet, his smile remained that of a child.
Within the heart of the Eternal Flame Hall, beneath murals carved in celestial script and relics of the first dragons, Phoenix was placed on a pedestal of glowing obsidian. The chamber was quiet, save for the echoing steps of nine women approaching from nine different wings of the palace.
His sisters.
Each one radiated an aura that could silence armies, bend steel, or charm entire kingdoms. Yet before him, they walked barefoot, unarmed, dressed in robes dyed with the light of twin moons. Today, they were not princesses, warriors, or generals.
They were guardians.
And they had come to make their vows.
---
Elira, the eldest, stepped forward first. Her voice was a smooth river, deep with ancient strength.
"I, Elira Nightshade Bennith, Firstborn of Flame and Night, vow to be your shield. No harm shall reach you while I breathe. My spear shall strike before danger ever nears your skin."
She pressed a silver-scaled gauntlet to Phoenix's forehead. A light sparked between them.
Her vow was sealed.
Next came Sylphira, the second sister, cloaked in midnight wind.
"I, Sylphira, Wind Warden of the High Spire, vow to carry you across all corners of Arcania. My wings shall lift you when you fall. My songs shall guide you when the stars go dim."
She kissed his forehead.
The wind in the chamber stirred for the first time.
The third, Lyssandra, knelt with a bow of white flame across her back.
"I vow to be your eyes in shadow and your dagger in silence. I shall strike where you cannot. None shall whisper ill of you without earning my wrath."
She drew a single arrow from her quiver and laid it across his chest. It melted into light and vanished.
Cassiel, the fourth, approached in golden robes of flame-dyed silk.
"I, Cassiel of the Crimson Archive, vow to teach you. All knowledge I possess, you shall inherit. I will help you master your mana, your mind, and your myths."
She placed an ancient book at the base of the pedestal.
Its runes shimmered and fused into the floor.
Next, Aeliana, clad in emerald and steel.
"I, your sword, your sister, your shadow, vow to conquer all who dare stand against your future. Kingdoms shall kneel. Empires shall burn. I offer my fury and my blade."
She drew her twin swords and sliced her palm. The blood hissed on the floor, forming a rune of war.
Then came Isolde, the sixth, pale as moonlight.
"I vow to soothe your wounds, tend your soul, and stand beside you even in madness. Should the world curse you, I shall remain your sanctuary."
She held out a crystal vial—Phoenix's first tear, collected the night of his birth.
She drank it without hesitation.
The seventh, Seraphine, came barefoot, laughing softly.
"I vow to make you smile. When the weight of prophecy crushes your chest, I'll be your fool, your joy, your bright thing in the dark."
She twirled, and rose petals swirled through the air.
The eighth, Vaelora, dressed in black and violet, did not speak for a long moment.
Then, her voice, low and trembling:
"I vow... to die for you, if I must. No glory, no story. Only my love."
She placed a dagger on the pedestal and walked back without turning.
Lastly, the ninth. Elaris.
She was the quietest. The most mysterious.
"I vow nothing that can be spoken. Only what will be proven. Watch me."
She leaned in close and pressed her forehead to Phoenix's.
A long silence passed.
Then she whispered something no one else heard.
Phoenix's eyes sparkled, and he let out a single laugh.
---
As the Nine Vows were sealed, a pulse of golden energy exploded from the pedestal, reaching every corner of the palace.
The guardians stationed on the outer walls fell to one knee.
In the Hall of Ancients, the great crystal of Dragon Memory flared.
In the sky, the constellation known as The Phoenix Crown—dormant for eons—lit ablaze once more.
The child had not only passed his trials.
He had been claimed.
Nine divine oaths now formed a circle around him, ancient magic swirling like a halo.
And from the ether beyond, the gods took notice.
---
Far away, in the Demon Continent's obsidian towers, the Seven Sins stirred.
Pride narrowed her eyes. "He's been marked."
Wrath bared his teeth. "Let him grow. Let him try."
On the Human Continent, inside the Sapphire Throne of the Azure Empire, Empress Helena received the omen.
"Send word to the academies. Begin preparations. He will attend. And he will change everything."
Under the World Tree, Empress Athena Yasgdril paused her healing rites and turned to the east.
She smiled. "So... the boy is real."
And in the sky, at the edge of the stratosphere, where no living thing had stepped in ten thousand years, a slumbering beast opened its eye for the first time since the Cataclysm.
It whispered only one word:
"Soon."
---
Back in the palace, Rose and Rudeus entered the hall, arms wrapped around one another, gazing down at the child surrounded by love and destiny.
"Do you think we've done the right thing?" Rose asked softly.
Rudeus nodded. "It's not about right. It's about ready."
"And is he?"
Rudeus stared at his son.
Phoenix was now asleep, nestled in the golden circle of his sisters' vows. A faint smile played across his lips.
"More than any of us ever were," Rudeus said.
The hall dimmed.
The Nine stood silently around him.
And in that silence, something eternal was born:
A brotherhood. A covenant. A future.
A legend.