The air was filled with dust and ash clouding my vision and making it hard to breath as I stumbled over the broken landscape left by the battle between the two titans. Worry gnawed at the back of my mind as I pushed deeper and deeper into the cloud. I knew the Broodmother was dead but I had also seen the wounds that it had inflicted on the Phoenix during their final plummet to the earth, and I feared that the Phoenix too had perished during the battle.

My stumbling run through the dense cloud of dust and ash continued until without warning my instincts screamed at me to stop. Not hesitating to listen to the feelings that had served me so well in the past I call forth my earth magic and root myself in place. The sudden stop is jarring and I let out a small gasp of pain that is quickly turned into a hard swallow.

Not more than a pace in front of me the ground disappears into a large dark hole. A few bits of rock and earth, jostled by my abrupt approach to the edge, are dislodged and fall into the pit, it is several long moments before I hear them hit the ground.

“That was a close one Mel. Running off of that would probably have been unpleasant wouldn’t it?” I question while trying to get my racing heart under control. Mel responds by gently chastising me for once again acting rashly. “I get it I get it. There is no need to be rude about it. I really am trying to get better at that kind of thing you know.” I respond in a huff of annoyance.

“I really should have done this earlier but this dust needs to go.” I say mostly thinking aloud. Calling once again on my mana I braid it together into a large spell circle that starts to emit a strong breeze. Carried away on the new wind the dust cloud disperses and I finally get a good look at what I nearly fell into.

The crater is massive. Sitting in the center of the clearing is a new scar on the land that will likely become the site of a decently sized lake. At the bottom of the crater is the broken body of the Broodmother and a heavily injured but still living Phoenix.

Rather than being relieved to find it alive a spike of concern shoots through me as I see the state that it is in. Long gashes are craved across its back and neck slowly leaking blood that drips into an already sizeable pool, one of its wings is obviously broken jutting out at an unnatural angle, and its once pristine and beautiful feathers are in disarray.

Trying to fight back both fear and the growing threat of tears I make my way slowly down into the crater. Once at the bottom I stop, unsure what to do.

How can I approach such a large and majestic creature that took on such grievous injuries in order to save my life? How did it know me? What did it mean when it said that it owed me a debt? These questions swirl through my mind only making me more indecisive. I continue to stand there arguing with myself over what to do until the Phoenix lets out a long sad cry. It is not loud but still carries across the entire clearing. The sound is that of a broken heart and of a soul lost in sorrow. The shear emotion in that cry almost breaks my resolve to hold back my tears, and then the Phoenix speaks. Its voice is soft, feminine, and musical.

“Why do you hesitate Reiza? Come closer, I wish to see you again and our time is running short.” In a slight daze I walk forward until I am standing in front of her. Without really knowing why I sit down and the Phoenix lays her large head in my lap. The two of us would probably make quite the strange sight seeing as her head is nearly the size of my upper body making it so I need but look down to be eye to eye with her.

Oh wow she is really warm. That probably has to do with her being able to use fire. So soft too. Her feathers are almost as soft as my tail. Wait! This isn’t what I should be thinking right now! “H-how do y-you know who I am?” I ask with a shaky voice.

“So it really is true that you don’t remember me. It is no issue after all you did tell me that this would be the case when we met again. There is much that I cannot tell you about our first meeting other than it was long ago.” The Phoenix laments before continuing. “ I was little more than a hatchling and had gotten myself into quite the spot of trouble when we met. You helped to set me back on the right path likely saving my life and sparing the world from the trouble I would have caused. For that I am in your debt and have hoped to find a way to repay you for it ever since. “

Her words make my head spin as I try desperately to penetrate the fog that clouds my memories attempting to recall ever meeting her before. I find nothing. My past remains as indistinct and blank as ever. “I- I’m sorry but I really can’t remember you. No matter how hard I try there is nothing. You say that we have met before but when was it and why won’t you tell me about it? You speak as if we are supposed to be close friends yet you are refusing to tell me anything about the past. Why?” I ask starting to grow agitated at the lack of information.

“There are two simple reasons Reiza. First, I can not tell you more because I gave my word that I would not and second because to tell you the tale of our time together would take more time than I have left.” She replies steadily.

“Who could you have possibly given your word to? Isn’t it me you owed a debt to? Why would you not be able to talk to me of all people?” I ask, starting to grow even more upset at the seemingly backwards logic of her words.

“Naturally the one I gave my word to was you Reiza. I can tell you no more than the assurance you gave me. You told me that all things have their time. Life, death, spring, fall, and even knowledge, all of these have their time and this is not the time for you to have such knowledge.” Her words at first confuse me, then make me angry, then finally result in making my pout because despite it not being what I want to hear it makes sense. Even if my curiosity burns brighter than ever I will have to take her word for it and try to find the answers I want on my own.

Knowing that I will be unable to get any further information out of her I instead turn my attention to the second thing that has been weighing on me. “What did you mean when you said that you wouldn’t have the time to tell me about our past even if you could?” “Hahaha.” She lets out a long musical laugh that sounds like sunshine and the crackling of a hearth fire. “Isn’t it obvious child? I’m dying. Look with more than just your eyes, even now the darkness is coming to take me back to the great cycle.” She answers solemnly.

“What!” I shout as a new wave of panic shoots through me. Sending mana to my eyes I look at her and see it. Spreading slowly through her body are tendrils of black energy. I have seen it several times before. I saw it in a fallen tree that was decaying on the forest floor, and in the blight, and also in some of the beasts that I have killed. It is the mana of darkness, a should that is only present over the dead and dying. “What can I do? How can I save you?” I ask desperately almost pleading. The thought of this beautiful creature and the only living link to my past dying rips at my heart.

“There is nothing you can do Reiza and even if there was you know you should not.” Her answer hits me like a punch to the gut causing my insides to twist and my heart to ache. “I have lived a long life, a good life. For over 1,000 years I have watched over this world. I have died and risen from the ashes many times but alas it is finally time for me to rest. This was to be my final rebirth, and now that I have finally met you again I can go to my rest at ease.” Her voice has started to fade and I can tell that she is trying hard to stay. My head is telling me that I need to let her go but my heart still protests.

“Why? Why must you go now?” I ask, nearly pleading as the tears I had been holding back start to leak down my face. “It is my time Reiza and I am tired.” She responds, and I can hear the weariness in her voice. “I have lived long enough. I have seen both great beauty and great evil. I have done good and I have done bad but like all things I must pass on. You should not fear the darkness and death for they are a part of the cycle and thus a part of life. When we die our bodies return to the earth to nourish the growth of those who come after and our souls reenter the cycle such that we can be born again.”

As she speaks new pieces of information start sliding into place and the cycle of birth and death becomes clear to me. I can see how neither can exist without the other and my heart finally accepts the truth that I will have to let her die. The tears that were just a trickle before start streaming down my face faster clouding my vision.

“Do not cry Reiza, I have little time left and must ask two favors of you before it runs out.” She says with definite strain in her fading voice. “W-what is i-it that you w-would ask of m-me” I ask between sobs as I try to wipe the tears from my eyes.

“I may be moving on from this world but my child is getting ready to enter it. I carry but a single egg inside of me. A daughter who will grow to carry on my legacy. I ask that you care for you like you cared for little Melody. Give her a worthy name, help her grow, and teach her so that she will not make the same mistakes that I did. Pleas I know it is a great deal but I must ask this of you.”

The request shocks me. Filled suddenly with fear, sadness, and joy that she would trust me with such a thing I find myself unable to speak so I only nod. If this is her dying with then I will do my best to see it through.

“Thank you. I know that you will raise her well. Now for my final request. Will you sing for me one last time?” “Sing? You want me to sing for you?” I ask completely stunned. Out of anything she could have asked for I did not expect it to be a song.

“Yes. Long ago I was there when you called to nature with not but your voice. It was the most beautiful thing I have witnessed in my many years and I wish to hear your songs one last time.” “I- I can do that. I can sing for you.”

I search my mind going through the songs I know but none of them feel quite right. I ponder making up a new song but as I start searching for the words I feel something calling to me. The thin tendrils of darkness are humming calling out to me and for the first time I let my fear drop away and open my mind to their voice.

It is not dark like I expected it would be, rather the voice it calls out with is a comforting one. It speaks of the same things that the Phoenix told me about and at last I feel that I understand it. I listen a moment longer and then I start to sing. I sing the song of darkness.

The day was long, and the sun now sets

Come back home to your hearth and bed

Close your eyes and lay down your head

it’s time to rest

The shadows rise you feel no fear

You’ll find your peace and your pains will fade

To final sleep all thing go

to leave this plane and join the endless flow

Ash to ash, dust to dust

Wood will rot and iron rust

All must end to start again

Those that die let new life grow

The sun has gone and sleep has come

The shadows call and the time is here

Drift away into their embrace

It’s time to rest

From light to dark, life to death

From newborn’s cry to final breath

At the end shadows wait

Open arms, death’s embrace

The final friend to show the way

To guide you on so far away

As I sing I watch the darkness. I know that this is only one of the forms that it can take but it is the form that is right for this moment. The shadow that waits at the end of all life to take it on and return it to the endless flow of time. With each word and line of the song that passes the darkness inside the Phoenix grows. It wears away at her pain both physical and mental. The song is meant to be soothing and peaceful, to draw people into the next life, it is the last lullaby.

As the song draws to a close I hear her whisper a final “Thank you.” before closing her eyes and dissolving into ash. When the last word is sung I am left sitting alone in a pile of ash blood and feathers clutching a single large egg. Pain and sorrow eat at my heart and I am about to truly break down and cry when several things all happen in quick succession.

The ash swirls around me pressing closer and I gasp in pain as what feels like a hot iron is being pressed into my back. The pain is intense but fades quickly as notifications start to flash across my vision.

The Phoenix Cindra an old friend has died and given you her blessing. From this day on you branded with the Blessing of the Phoenix, as long as you grow and carry out the promise that you have made it will grow with you.

Blessing of the Phoenix – In its final moments the Phoenix Cindra has blessed you. This blessing will teach you more about the ways of the Phoenix and grant you a portion of their power.

lvl 1 Phoenix Bond – Entrusted with the care of her young Cindra has given you the ability to bond with a single Phoenix. This bond will allow you to sense, care for, and raise your Phoenix.

Lvl 2 Locked

Cindra’s Gift- Cindra has left to you her feathers as a final gift. Phoenix feathers are well known for their magical properties. Beautiful, sturdy and, highly accepting of enchanting they are a much sought after crafting item. Cindra recommends that you make yourself something nice to wear as she found it quite odd that you have been running around naked. She thinks that you would look quite lovely in a dress.

Quest Alert: The Endless Song

A song of incomprehensible power that bends the very laws of nature; it is beyond your current understanding. To know this song you must know the 6 primal aspects of nature. Feel them, listen to them, and understand them.

- Understand Fire (x)

- Understand Wind (ü)

- Understand Water (ü)

- Understand Earth (ü)

- Understand Light (x)

- Understand Darkness (ü)

Reward: The Endless Song

Druidic Defender has reached level 21!

Class Alert! Your classes have reached a sufficient level for you to select a third class. It is recommended that you make your selection now as some classes may cease to be available to you.

The sudden deluge of information makes my head spin. New knowledge about Phoenixes wars with the new glimpse of the Endless Song for my attention. For some time I sit there and try to take it all in until finally my mid starts to settle. There is a lot left for me to go through but seeing the final message telling me that I should pick my class now catches my attention. Knowing that the system has rarely displayed messages without a reason I quickly pull up the class selection menu and search for the one class that I know I will pick. Finding it right at the bottom of the list where my other Legendary classes were I make my selection and confirm that I want to become a Spellsinger.

The class seems ideal for me and should mesh well with the other classes I have already chosen so there is little regret in picking it out of the long list of options. After confirming my selection I sit and wait for the notification to come up that will give me more details on my class when suddenly the world around me explodes in a riot of sound.