- Several days ago at Uril mountains within the No Man’s Land. -

“This is waste of time, Havil”, said man known as Korvin, a True Magus. “Most ancient remnants have been found over the ages. Rest have likely been collected by periodic sweeps.”

“Our sects have a deal. Are you planning on going against it all by yourself, Korvin? We are to scour this area of anything worth.” Replied Havil with slight annoyance as they were flying across the mountain range. “This place is heavy with mana. We should do our best to take anything useful that forms here, even if we find no ancient remnants. Remember that even recently some have been found, hidden deep within mana that hid them from any passing gazes.”

“I’m well aware. We should still concentrate on treasures that often form here spontaenously from the surrounding mana”, Korvin continued the argument. “Still, having us here to collect such things is waste. They should send someone else.”

“People disapear here in unexplainable manner rather often. Not only that, Cari come here too for the same reason as we do. Even those prideful students of yours would likely not last a week until they vanish or are eaten by those arrogant beasts. Almost as arrogant as your sect.” Havil replied. He was getting annoyed.

These two true magi were from two different sects, Heavenly Tower and Sacntuary of Thought. They worshipped same gods, mainly Ronar the Archiver, Collector of Knowledge, but had different religious opinions. Despite this, they were allies, even if they had distaste for each other.

“Hmph, at least we acquired the Spirit Herb, Shadow Bloom, that appeared here a decade ago”, Korvin pointed out.

“And thats why we are to do this together so we have to share everything. If that herb had been a Greater Spirit Herb, there would have been a war. You still paid quite a price to prevent that, yes? No one wants a pointless war.”

“You do not need to remind...”, Korvin replied with annoyance. Then suddenly he stopped. “Do you sense that?”

Havil raised his brow. “Hmmm, I don’t… wait, I sense it. Perhaps it is a treasure! Lets go, you don’t want to waste time, do you?”

Korvin couldn’t bother answering. The two shot towards the direction where they sensed a disturbance.

For an ordinary person the distace might have been long, but for true magi, it was not. They flew quickly across the land that would have been extremely difficult on foot. Nothing lived in the area for long, except plants and some desperate creatures that had nowhere else to go. It was unusual to find anything at such place within the so called No Man’s Land. Yet now they sensed powerful mana fluctuations. It could very well be a treasure that is coming into existence within area of such dense mana.

Once they reached the source, they already sensed everything beginning to return to normal. They had been just in time!

“Is that a … phoenix?” Havil was shocked. “I thought they would already be extinct!”

What they both saw was an enormous bird. It had bright fire colored feathers that radiated with what looked like golden flame. This effect was even more pronounced on a large plume right on top of its head. That single enormous feather was basically telltale sign of phonixes. Its size and shape told a lot about its owners power. Phoenixes would generally use it only when they get serious. At that moment the mana would make it appear like flame instead of a feather.

This phoenix was clearly not holding anything back. Whatever it was doing had its entire concentration. The entire area around it was charred black. Yet, the area just outside was blooming with plantlife. Phoenixes were mainly fire mana aligned species, but the more powerful they got, the more there were mana with atributes related to life in it. Fire might burn things to ashes, but from those ashes would sprout new life.

They were monstrously powerful. That life attribute made them also extremely resilient. Phoenix must in most cases be exhausted before you can attempt to kill it. Even then getting anywhere close to them was tricky. Going next to one during a fight was like standing next to a pool of lava. Despite being a bird, it had clawed front and back legs not to mention the wings on its back. Physical close combat was not a problem to a phoenix.

Both of them quickly hid their presence as well as they could.

“One of the beast gods takes form of a phoenix”, Korvin pointed out. He was only slightly less shocked. Phoenixes were thought to have been either extinct or extremely rare. Their bodies were treasures. From their wondrous feathers to deepest parts of their bones, they were valuable! Despite the difficulties of such undertaking, they had been hunted ever since human’s figured out the way to do so. “I doubt a beast god would allow its chosen race to disapear from the various Cari races. I’m certain there are more somewhere else. This one should only be a lesser phoenix.”

“Even, if it is not a higher Cari, it is still at least as strong as we are. One on one either of us would likely lose.” Havil said.

Korvin turned to face Havil with a look of greed. “Yet, there is two of us. We should be able to suppress it and eventually kill it. Our contribution to our sects and the church would be enormous. Materials from a phoenix, even lesser one, are priceless.”

Havil squinted a bit as he thought. “I agree. Chances like this are extremely rare. I would regret letting such chance pass without even trying.”

The two quickly formed a battle plan. The phoenix seemed to be doing something, but was nearing completion. Korvin and Havil decided to observe before attacking. This turned out to be a very good choice.

“Could it be?” Korvin said. His eyes were excited and he was almost drooling from greed. “This phoenix is forming a birth flame! Those have been collected only twice before in entire known history.”

“I’m certain of it!” Havil’s reaction was almost the same as Korvin. “We absolutely cannot let this phoenix escape! It will be at its weakest once it finishes forming the birth flame. I suggest we attack at that moment. We will get the flame along with its body!”

“I agree. Valuable parts of its body will be shared according to the sect collaboration deal! As for the plume and the flame, which are the most valuable parts, we can’t decide that. Our sects will have lengthy negotations who gets them.” Korvin said.

Havil nodded.

They didn’t have to wait for long. The entire phenomenon they had sensed had already been dying down by the time they reached the phoenix. Eventually the flames dimmed and the phoenix stopped glowing. There was a small, but more lifelike flame among the flames that the phoenix pulled inside its body.

It was at that moment Havil and Korvin struck. They used ice and water attributed attacks to strike at a weakpoint.

The phoenix screeched in rage. It had received some wounds, but was still more than able to fight.

“Treacherous humans!” Screeched the phoenix as it struck back. Thin condensed beams of flame crisscrossed across the entire area leaving behind molten lines as collateral damage. The two true magi had been able to block the attack despite its power.

“I didn’t expect to find a phoenix this deep in No Man’s Land, haha”, Havil laughed. “You are weakened. Surrender and we will allow you to die painlessly. That strike just now was easy to block.”

The phoenix was enraged. It knew these humans had waited for it to be at its weakest moment before attacking. It was also far from home or any safety.

“I will never surrender!” The phoenix shouted in rage. The human’s had dared to suggest it to surrender?! Despite being prideful creature, it knew escape was the best option. A burst of mana flashed through its feathers and enormous explosion radiated outwards.

Using cover of the explosion, the phoenix flew out while its attackers were distracted. Havil and Korvin were not fools. They knew exactly what the phoenix was planning. They could sense it move past, but a mana infused explosion was difficult to sense through. Despite this, Korvin managed to cast a spell to slow the phoenix. It was going to be a lengthy fight. Control was more important than power and the true magi had prepared for it.

The spell slowed down the phoenix. Since it was a bird, it would always be naturally better in air than humans, even if human used magic to give themselves wings. That slow spell was critical. With it they would actually be able to reliably ensure the phoenix could not get too far from them.

Still, it was a continuous fight. The phoenix would escape since victory was unlikely and the true magi would follow, keep attacking and make sure the phoenix would not get far.

Existences at their level could cross continent in a day or two. Despite being locked in combat, they were still moving relatively quickly. The phoenix was flying south.

Beasts existed almost everywhere, weaker ones in even human controlled areas. Strongest beasts, ones with at least similar level of intelligence as humans, the ones that actually have culture and other such things, were called Cari. They had chosen this name themselves when they gathered together when their gods told them to do so. Like humans call themselves human, the intelligent beasts call themselves Cari.

Weakest Cari were of the same level as human at Condensation stage. The phoenix was common Cari and they were on average the level of True Magus.

Their number wasn’t that large and they lived far from human influence. Most of them lived in Frika, over the Dividing Sea south from human empires. It was the landmass that beasts controlled. Desert, savanna and enormous rain forests. It was chaotic paradise of death. Beasts battle each other and winners grow stronger – perhaps eventually reach to be called Cari. Not to mention in such primal land, there were more than beasts, such as elementals and creatures of mana. Things humans kept in check in their lands.

Havil and Korvin believed this was where the phoenix was trying to return to. Despite their best attempts they could only wear it down, but not stop before it flew over Dividing Sea. As for human following it to Frika? Suicide.

“We are going to require help”, Havil told Korvin just after he cast another ice spell at the phoenix which countered it with another spell. “We will have to share benefits, but if we don’t act, no one gets anything!”

“As much as I hate to admit it, I agree”, Korvin replied. “We have day or two at most. We are moving along the edges of human territory. People I know will not be able to do anything. They are too far away.”

Havil thought a moment. “I know someone, I wouldn’t otherwise consider it, but we do not have choice. You are aware of the current war with Sacronan? There is a genius Condensation stage formation master stationed within the area. I have supported him so that I might pull him into the sect later so I know his abilities.”

“Condensation stage against a phoenix?” Korvin voiced his doubts.

“I told you, he is a genius”, Havil alleviated Korvin’s worries. “We only need to steer this bird slightly to right direction. It will pass close enough that a genius formation master has time to produce trap that will be able to hold phoenix for quite a while. Right now it can still avoid us, but lets see it do that when it can’t move.”

“I have my doubts, but I can’t think of other choice”, Korvin replied as he was launching another spell.

A tool appeared in Havil’s hand. It was long range communication device. He started sending orders. No one could decline him and those who could, would not do so.