"...The Ring of Fire is an arena dedicated for the learning, training, and determining a young Fire Phoenix's skill. You may also call it the Fire Arena, but the other name applies to its nature better, as we do not practice vigilant violence," They approached a great big ball of flames on the ground. It was in the shape of a circle, covered in that strange fire wires. Two fiery figures stood there, darting around the arena.
"Wait! I can't go in there! It has too much fire that could burn me up!" Canyon gasped, desperate to change courses into another training session.
"Ha, Canyon. And I thought that you understood the concept here..." He said jokingly. "But anyway, fire simply cannot burn too much of a...purebred Fire Phoenix. Only other phoenix's fire can burn you. And besides...don't you want to know your level in battle?"
"Well, I couldn't care less..." Said Canyon. But secretly, she does because this could be her chance to prove to them that she was something!
As they neared the Ring of Fire, Canyon could see little phoenix forms battling, yelling, and spewing fire at each other. One held a jagged, fire sword while the other carried a lance that shot embers out every time it hit something. The once with the lance shot out a strange red fire from his beak whenever he yelled, though.
King Falcon Claws swooped down through the fire wires, and landed on a jewleled ruby and citrius perch. As he landed, the two phoenixes battling stopped at once, and stood tall and graceful, ever so slightly bowing their heads.
"Alabastorm, come meet our new recruit, Canyon. " He said solemnly. Canyon looked over to the phoenix who held the ember lance, who had glowing blue symbols on his wings, and who stepped up forward. He gave her a slight smile, which made flames instantly shoot out of his mouth. He closed his mouth, staring sternly onward. "Could you do one of those Test Battles for Canyon, so we can determine her level on warfare fighting?" He questioned, then added hastily after seeing his smile to Canyon, "But go easy on her. Remember, this is a Test Battle. Not an Elite Battle."
"Why are you reminding me this? Remember that it was someone else?" Alabastorm said sarcastically, sending great plumes of flame from his beak.
"What? Wait! But can't I just do a Test Battle again?" Said the phoenix with the sword with a frazzled feather sitting atop his head.
"Talcfire, you've already had your turn! And remember that you thought that it was just a regular battle, and ended up sending him to the ER system because of several cursed - ...I meant, hot scorches?" Alabastorm said, matter-of-factly uncertainly.
"But...but-" Talcfire, stormed out. Flying while sending strong gusts of mini firestorms in every direction. He perched somewhere up high, watching grumpily.
"Sorry, he does have a short temper when he tends to get excited," Alabastorm said quickly, immediately shutting his beak afterwards to prevent anymore flames to burst out of his mouth.
"Alright, let's get this over with..." Canyon said, eager to proceed.
"Okay, Canyon dear," King Falcon Claws responded. "Remember, this is just fighting with your talons, fire, wings - whatever you've got. Canyon, try your best. Alabastorm, do the usual strengths needed for these tests.
"Ready...BEGIN!"
A gong sounded, and Canyon advanced. She slowly glided towards him, and when she hit an instant thermal, she slashed her claws down at Alabastorm, but missed. She flew backwards to avoid his red plumes of fire. Canyon's beak just touched it, and instant numbness creeped out onto her beak. His fire was paralyzing fire, she realized.
Just as Canyon was about to breath her own bits of fire, a feathery ball of fire clad in armor flung itself into the arena. Alabastorm halted, so as not to strike the sad, feathery thing. Canyon was not as fast. Her flames swept over the Fire Phoenix, and he squawked in pain. The thing is, a Fire Phoenix is immune to fire, but can be hurt by another's, which is a weird rule in the phoenix dimension.
"Elixir!" Talcfire gasped, astonished at Elixir's appearance.
Elixir stood up, fear fully in his eyes. His feathers and armor were tattered to bits, and deep scratch marks embedded around his face. "They're coming! They're COMING!" He screeched.
"Who?!" King Falcon Claws demanded, seeking a medical phoenix for Elixir.
"The ice! The ones who were claimed dead! Creatures locked away are awake now! Ancient ones! To powerful to withhold for us! Strikimir is back!" Elixir lolled his head, and spotted Canyon, his head instantly snapped upright. "There she is! Strikimir's descendant! She will kill us all! She will betray you!" Then Elixir fainted, right in the middle of the Ring of Fire.
"What?..." Canyon was confused. She had no idea what the eagle Elixir had meant, nor anything about a so called relative called Strikimir. It seemed that every new information she received, twice more confusing things came from out of nowhere.
"Elixir! What-who...why did-" Talcfire stuttered, then returned to his senses to get someone. "Someone get him out of here! His soul will burn into a crisp if he does not recover quickly!" He looked wildly around. "You, there! Talios! Come over here!" He made way for the - Water-X?!
"Coming! Fire Phoenixes, please get OUTTA THE WAY!" Yelled an old looking Water-X. Why he was here, Canyon didn't know. But as far as she had been told, all of the Water-Xs had sided with Strikimir. She guessed it was about 99.99% true..."Let me see him! Let me HEAL him! Don't get extinguished by my waves!" His droplets of water smothered straying flames.
"Thank you, Talios." King Falcon Claws said. "Bring Elixir to the ER system."
Talios bowed his head down, and carefully used his magic to carry Elixir without touching him.
"Who is Strikimir, sir?" Canyon asked, once they had gone.
"Hhmm..." He said. "Alabastorm, why not you tell Canyon about Strikimir."
"Are...you sure that...it's a wise choice...to make?" He said, trailing off whenever flames from his mouth shot out too much.
"Yes, I'm sure." He looked into Alabastorm's eyes, communicating something telepathically.
"Very well..." Alabastorm turned towards Canyon as King Falcon Claws lifted off to help Talios carry Elixir. "You know...legends surrounding Strikimir may've passed onto you." He said, eyes burning yellow flames, red tongues of flames flickering in and out of his beak. "He is now a Mississippi Kite...and, well, let's just say that you're Strikimir's...distant niece, if that's how you put it." He took a deep breath. "Elixir is all of the proof that we need. And your way of battling is genetically the same as his."
Canyon gasped, because she suddenly remembered a passage from the Chronicles of Ice and Fire. But still, she tried to deny it. "But, so? How can that prove anything?"
He looked into her eyes intently, wanting her to understand it all. "Strikimir looks exactly like you."
YOU ARE READING
The Prophecy of the Fire Phoenix: #1 The Gift of Phoenix Fire
FantasyHer final destiny was to complete The Prophecy of the Fire Phoenixes. And that was it - no reason to worry about a possible relative, nor was it her business to get involved with anything associated in her biggest threat coming her way. She just had...
