The morning air was calm. Too calm.
Karlous stood at the edge of the wilderness, preparing to say his goodbyes. His body, though battered and bruised from Frey's brutal training, felt stronger—sharper. The once-aimless son of the Phoenix family now stood with the poise of someone reborn.
Frey stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the sky. His golden hair shimmered slightly in the breeze. Neither spoke much. Their bond didn't need words.
"So, this is it?" Karlous asked, trying to keep his tone light.
"For now," Frey replied. "Empress University awaits. Your journey begins anew."
But then—
The ground shook.
A low rumble echoed across the Phoenix estate. Birds scattered. The sky dimmed—not with clouds, but with something more majestic.
A burning light.
A streak of gold and crimson flames danced above them in the sky.
"No way…" Frey muttered, eyes widening.
Karlous instinctively turned his gaze upward—and his breath caught in his throat.
Isundra—the Phoenix of Rebirth.
A divine beast of myth. A creature whose appearance alone could tilt the balance of realms. Towering wings lit with holy fire. Feathers that shimmered with hues no human palette could name. Its eyes were pools of endless wisdom and sorrow.
And it was flying directly above Phoenix territory.
"He's not attacking," Frey said, his voice almost reverent. "He's headed toward… Karmajhvan."
Karlous blinked. "Karmajhvan?"
"The Forest of Eternal Echoes. An ancient land, older than the empire. They say even gods sleep beneath its roots."
Driven by pure instinct, Karlous dashed toward the tallest tree in the area—an ancient skybirch with twisted silver bark and a canopy that touched the clouds.
Frey followed, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Reckless, but worth it."
As they climbed, branch by branch, the world opened up beneath them.
Meanwhile, back at the Phoenix estate…
Nox—Karlous's elder brother, the untouchable prodigy—stood atop the castle's terrace. For the first time in years, the stoic swordsman looked like a child, awe-struck, eyes glinting with childlike wonder.
All across the estate, nobles, knights, servants—even the maids—rushed outside. They stood marveling at the divine sight in a mix of awe and fear. In the capital, alarms rang out, signaling the appearance of a divine-class entity.
In the Empress' castle, a high council meeting was abruptly interrupted as one of the palace kings barged in, kneeling before the throne.
"Your Majesty! Divine beast Isundra has been sighted flying over Phoenix territory!"
Gasps filled the royal hall.
The Empress, usually composed, rose from her seat, her eyes narrowing with concern. "Are you certain?"
"It has already reached the ears of all twelve noble households. The news is spreading like wildfire. Even the neighboring kingdoms are dispatching scouts."
The Empress's fingers tightened around the armrest of her throne. "The Phoenix bloodline… it may no longer be idle."
Back in the Phoenix estate…
For up above, on the highest branch of the skybirch, Isundra looked directly at Karlous.
A long moment passed.
No words. No sound.
Just the wind… and that divine gaze.
Then, a single feather—wreathed in golden-red flames—drifted down.
Karlous instinctively held out his hand.
The feather landed softly, unharmed by the winds or the heat, glowing faintly with divine energy.
It pulsed.
Like it had a heartbeat.
Frey stared at the feather in silence, then looked at Karlous.
"Well... looks like you're no ordinary trash after all."
Karlous couldn't answer. His voice was lost. His hands trembled, not from fear—but from awe.
In that moment, as the divine beast vanished into the distant horizon toward the ancient forest of Karmajhvan, Karlous understood.
Something had changed.
Not just within him.
But in the world.
And the world… had started to watch.