"Every so often I like to look up at the sky, to remind myself just how small I really am."
Chapter I: "The Legend"
The Ironhaven Mountains were essential for the livelihood of all those living in its shadows. The mines beneath were full of precious jewels, centuries in the making just begging to be uncovered. Legends say the very first group of cats brave enough to venture into its maw uncovered more than just precious minerals however. A large opening miles deep revealed to them a large egg, red in color and hot to the touch. The egg of a Phoenix, in its last stage before rebirth. The group of cats, unsure what to do with the mysterious egg, set up camp inside the opening in order to study it and hopefully come to understand what exactly it was.
In the days to come the group had led various researchers into the mouth of the cave, all working together to conduct experiments on the areas surrounding the egg and the egg itself.
One of the lead researchers, A She-cat , discovered something interesting on the 5th day. A small heartbeat, very subtle and almost impossible to feel at first, began to thump slowly from within the egg. The first sign of real life coming from inside.
It was the night of the 7th day when things began to change. From within their makeshift tents, the ground began to shake, stirring awake all of the researchers in a panic to find out what exactly was going on. From within the egg, a silhouette of wings extended before bursting outward, a flame erupting from the tips of each feather as the large bird-like form stretched its wings for the very first time. The researchers all shielded their eyes, moving backwards away from the egg afraid they would get burnt from the sheer amount of heat radiating now from that side of the cave.
In a flash, so quick if you blinked you could have missed it, the phoenix burst into the sky, through the roof of the cave and out into the open skies above, creating an opening in the mountain below. The opening in the mountain became known as the Ironhaven Volcano; Birthplace of the Great Phoenix and it would go down in history as a story told to kits for generations. But was it just a story? Or was it really what happened….?
Chapter II: "Alone no longer"
On the top of the Tallest peak of the Ironhaven Mountains, far from the eyes of mortals, the Phoenix lay. Her dominion that of light and ash, she watched over those who believed in her existence as the goddess of rebirth and fertility. Every 700 years she would undergo rebirth, a small blip of time in the eyes of a god. As the time for her to die edged ever closer she began to wonder if this life was one she would always have. She Looked down towards those she cared for, the mortals who she had come to know and watch fade as every year ticked by, and shed a tear. She did not want to be alone anymore to bare this burden of love and loss. Of loneliness.
So when the time for her to fade came, she burst outward in a cry of pain, her beak towards the sky before her body turned to ash. Like it had many times before, only this time there were four eggs in her wake instead of one.
When seven days had passed, the first egg hatched. The original Phoenix, in all her glory burst from her egg in a bright orange flame, lighting up the skies around her. The other eggs stirred, the heat from their mother tempting them to be born and before she knew it each one, one after the other, burst from their eggs aswell. First a small dark red flame, followed by a pale orange flame and finally a bright yellow flame. Together they flew up into the sky, illuminating it with their grand light, before returning to their perch atop the mountain.
The phoenix named her children
Flint, Spark and Flame.
Finally she was not alone.
And together they watched
The domain of the Phoenix
And all those who lived in the mortal realm below.
So when the time for her to fade came, she burst outward in a cry of pain, her beak towards the sky before her body turned to ash. Like it had many times before, only this time there were four eggs in her wake instead of one.
When seven days had passed, the first egg hatched. The original Phoenix, in all her glory burst from her egg in a bright orange flame, lighting up the skies around her. The other eggs stirred, the heat from their mother tempting them to be born and before she knew it each one, one after the other, burst from their eggs aswell. First a small dark red flame, followed by a pale orange flame and finally a bright yellow flame. Together they flew up into the sky, illuminating it with their grand light, before returning to their perch atop the mountain.
The phoenix named her children
Flint, Spark and Flame.
Finally she was not alone.
And together they watched
The domain of the Phoenix
And all those who lived in the mortal realm below.
Chapter III: "The wish"
The Phoenix watched her children grow alongside her, separating her duties and tasking them instead to each of them. Flint was in charge of watching over the mortals over Ironhaven kingdom, Spark in charge with watching the mortals of the Northern Watch and Flame tasked with Watching those in the surrounding areas. The Phoenix, tired of merely just watching, disguised herself as a mortal and walked the lands, learning all she could about them and spreading her warmth. She finally felt like all she was doing had meaning…and she wasn’t alone anymore.
There was however, a small problem , Flint. He was the eldest and the most stubborn, neglecting his duties most of the time and goofing off with his siblings, distracting them from their own duties. Rebirth was upon them soon once again and the Phoenix had returned to the mountainside to be with her children for the last few years they would be together. She had no idea if her magic could handle bringing them all back once more after they had turned to ash.
“My children. I do not know what the future holds, but I ask you this. With time running out for you, I grant you each one wish. I shall resume my duties and let you live out these last seven years how you choose while I take over the duties once more for myself. One wish, anything you could want.”
Spark immediately knew what she wanted and piped up.
“I wish that I could fly away and never be seen, so that I can see the world without worry of mortals seeing me.”
“And you shall have your wish, my dearest daughter.” With a wing she placed a tip on her head and granted her the ability to go unseen.
“I know what I want!” Spoke Flame “I wish to stay here and help you mother. I always loved watching over the mortals, nothing would bring me more joy than to stay by their side and yours..until the end.”
The phoenix then looked on to her eldest son, Flint, awaiting his answer.
“My dear, do you know what you want? What is your deepest desire? You only need speak it and I will give it to you.”
Flint finally looked up towards their mother, nodding their beaked head before speaking.
“I wish to visit the mortals as one of them.”
The phoenix looked a little worried by this request but nevertheless she responded as she had with Spark.
“I must warn you, my son. Mortal life is not all sunshine. You will have trials you must face and I will not be able to help you until you return. Are you still sure this is what you wish?”
“I am sure.” And with that the Phoenix lay a feathered wing on her son and granted him his wish.
“To know that you will only do good while in the mortal plane, I am going to task you with guiding a lost mortal soul towards their goal. Once you have succeeded, then and only then will you be welcomed back to this domain. I trust you will take this opportunity to prove to me you are serious.”
“Who is this mortal I will be watching over?”
There was however, a small problem , Flint. He was the eldest and the most stubborn, neglecting his duties most of the time and goofing off with his siblings, distracting them from their own duties. Rebirth was upon them soon once again and the Phoenix had returned to the mountainside to be with her children for the last few years they would be together. She had no idea if her magic could handle bringing them all back once more after they had turned to ash.
“My children. I do not know what the future holds, but I ask you this. With time running out for you, I grant you each one wish. I shall resume my duties and let you live out these last seven years how you choose while I take over the duties once more for myself. One wish, anything you could want.”
Spark immediately knew what she wanted and piped up.
“I wish that I could fly away and never be seen, so that I can see the world without worry of mortals seeing me.”
“And you shall have your wish, my dearest daughter.” With a wing she placed a tip on her head and granted her the ability to go unseen.
“I know what I want!” Spoke Flame “I wish to stay here and help you mother. I always loved watching over the mortals, nothing would bring me more joy than to stay by their side and yours..until the end.”
The phoenix then looked on to her eldest son, Flint, awaiting his answer.
“My dear, do you know what you want? What is your deepest desire? You only need speak it and I will give it to you.”
Flint finally looked up towards their mother, nodding their beaked head before speaking.
“I wish to visit the mortals as one of them.”
The phoenix looked a little worried by this request but nevertheless she responded as she had with Spark.
“I must warn you, my son. Mortal life is not all sunshine. You will have trials you must face and I will not be able to help you until you return. Are you still sure this is what you wish?”
“I am sure.” And with that the Phoenix lay a feathered wing on her son and granted him his wish.
“To know that you will only do good while in the mortal plane, I am going to task you with guiding a lost mortal soul towards their goal. Once you have succeeded, then and only then will you be welcomed back to this domain. I trust you will take this opportunity to prove to me you are serious.”
“Who is this mortal I will be watching over?”
