Beastforged Bond

B4 Chapter 23

Was it a stupid idea to tell the Zerogs about Volix? Probably.Was it even stupider to tell Lea when she didn’t even like me? Definitely! There was no doubt about that.

But the situation wasn’t that easy. I couldn’t tell everyone else about Volix and keep her in the dark. Actually, I could do just that, but it would destroy the purpose of telling the others.

I wanted to be fair and tell everyone about Volix. Maybe they’d be able to help me come up with a solution that did not involve leaving the Bastion.

The Zerogs and my parents should be allowed to know everything to connect the dots and draw the pig picture. They needed to understand the danger they were in. That the Ruler of Fire may come knocking on their doors any day now.

Do you really expect him to knock on their doors? He will set the building on fire and melt it to the ground the moment he finds out about us.

Volix corrected me.

No, you definitely should tell them. Merlin already knows and after our stunt two days ago it’s only a matter of time before the Zerogs find out as well.

Volix did not seem particularly worried, which was not very helpful.

At the end of the day, it was possible to tell that I did not have a sacred flame. Or that I did have a Soulkin with fiery wings. Phoenixes were not the only beasts with wings wreathed in fire. It was unlikely anyone would approach me to ask if I had a phoenix as Soulkin from what a few witnesses had seen two days ago.

However, those I did not want to know about would be suspicious. Those who knew about my sacred flame would realize I lied to them or that I hid something from them. And that was reason enough to approach me – if they found out. The civilian witnesses were too traumatised. Their gossip would never reach the Rulers. But could the same be said if soldiers talked about my fight with the Master-ranked Outsider? I…couldn’t be certain.

That was why I had to tell the rest, hoping for the best while expecting the worst.

Hence, when everyone finally came together for lunch, I revealed everything. I talked about the Caldera, mentioned my training in the Pyrosh and how it resulted in the birth of a flame in my World and the temporary bond with something I couldn’t quite grasp at that time. Next up came the part I hate the most. The part where Ruler Kazriel and the other Rulers used us to get to the Elemental Phoenix.

It was the first time I mentioned Volix in front of the Zerogs. Lea did not look particularly surprised, and neither did Daniel and Merlin. Peter and Chloe Zerog, on the other hand, were surprised. They’d heard about the Rulers’ failed attempt of subduing Emperor beasts through the grapevine, but realized only now that I’d been present. That I had been there when the Rulers and a full-fledged Emperor beast fought.

To say my parents were shocked as they listened was an understatement, but it only promised to get worse.

I mentioned the fight, told them how Ruler Kazriel and the Space Ruler died, and went on with the story until we reached the grand finale.

“The Elemental Phoenix lost. The Ruler of Fire used an orb that consumed the phoenix’s flames, weakening it enough to overpower it.” I said, sighing deeply at the memory.

Although I was sure Volix could have escaped the Rulers even before the battle started – or even in the middle of the fight –, he did not do such a thing. He fought, killed two Rulers, and–

“The phoenix chose to kill itself to escape Raffael Torch’s claws. Because it never really died. It would have risen from the ashes once more, after all.” I looked around and caught everyone listening intently. Even Merlin had stopped eating and was laser focused on me.

“It succeeded. It killed itself in an explosion. The Elemental Phoenix’s flames filled the underground cavern, harming Rulers and their Soulkins, while the remaining Caldera and I survived. At least, I think the Caldera survived because the Spiritcaller and his people were no longer with me when the phoenix’s flames dispersed.” I took a deep breath, “As for the phoenix, it disappeared as well.”

“Raffael Torch was angry. I-...I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone as angry – or crazy – as that man.” My heart skipped a beat and the hesitation I’d brushed aside until now resurfaced. My lips parted to continue but no word came out for a few seconds.

“And that man is going to kill me if he finds out…” My hair stood at its end, my heartbeat loud enough to muffle the noise of the world around me. It took me a good minute to calm down, “If he finds out that I have the Elemental Phoenix.”

My gaze moved through the room, a Silence ether circuit actively isolating it, my heartbeat quickening up once more. I was not quite sure what to expect, but it was certainly not Daniel leaping to his feet.

“Is that what you’ve been hiding from me?!” He gestured wildly in my direction, “So everything you said about that human-eating tree was bullshit? You wanted to distract me and made me believe that nonsense!”

I cursed myself.

It had been a while since I told Daniel about the World Tree. While I didn’t go into detail, I did tell him that I’d bound the sapling of a human-eating Emperor beast – tree.

You could lie to him.

Volix hinted at the obvious.

Yeah, I could lie to Daniel, but I didn’t want to. I was so damn tired of lying and hiding.

“I didn’t lie to you. That’s a different matter.” I forced a smile as I looked at Daniel, then turned back to return to the main topic. “I have no idea how it happened but the Elemental Phoenix bound itself to me when it sacrificed itself. It hid in the flame born in the Pyrosh, turning the temporary bond into something permanent. But the phoenix was not reborn just yet. It became part of the ‘sacred flame’.”

“Is that why the scientists detected a sacred flame rather than the phoenix?” Merlin asked in an even voice.

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The way he spoke caught the others’ attention. Chloe Zerog narrowed her eyes at her sibling’s behavior, but she didn’t say anything.

“Yes. The scientists failed to find Volix. Not even the Ruler of Fire could find him because he was not yet reborn when he came to visit me. He stared into my World and nearly tore it apart in the process, but he could not find him. That won’t happen when he comes back.”

Not ‘if’ but ‘when’ because there was no doubt Raffael would come back.

“Riggght, there was that!” Daniel exclaimed, “The Ruler of Fire came to visit you, to bring you Kazriel’s inheritance. You did mention something about him nearly damaging your World.”

He nodded, looking way too proud to be remembering something I told him not even a year ago. And someone like that was already a full-fledged Beaster.

Daniel had some special moments. Stupid moments most of the time, but moments nonetheless.

“So you’re saying that there is an Emperor beast in your World?” Lea narrowed her eyes at him, “The Elemental Phoenix the Ruler of Fire wanted to be the first human to reach the next Rank? The same phoenix for which the Council decided to forsake the Pact? phoenix?”

I almost felt like Lea wanted to punch me, but I nodded anyway. “Volix is currently a Guardian beast, but he can reach the Emperor rank if given enough soul energy.”

“They succeeded then.” She snorted, “Not in the way they expected to, but they succeeded.

Lea halted for a moment. Her face underwent a dozen emotions, “Doesn’t that mean you are the only one with an Emperor beast after Ruler Saphira got herself killed? Wait…if Ruler Saphira got killed for breaking the Pact but you weren’t, doesn’t that mean–...”

Her head flicked toward Merlin.

“The Pact’s enforcers killed Ruler Saphira. They also took the Ruler of Fire’s arm for attempting to bind the Elemental Phoenix. He failed but the enforcer didn’t care.” Merlin explained.

“Cynthia.” I mouthed quietly, but Merlin heard me anyway.

“Volix – the Elemental Phoenix – told me about Cynthia when she arrived to punish the Ruler of Fire. He called her sister, but I don’t think they’re actually siblings.” I turned to Daniel and added, “At the graduation ceremony.”

My friend nodded like he understood everything perfectly fine. He even gave me a thumbs up, his earlier temper tantrum forgotten.

Peter Zerog cleared his throat, his demeanor all business-like. “I am happy you told us about this, but why? Why did you tell us about this? What do you want from us?”

Chloe chidded her husband but he didn’t budge.

“I wanted to warn you.” I spoke truthfully. “Once the Ruler of Fire finds out, he will come here. I don’t know enough about him to make a good call, but I am sure he will research my background. He may have a short temper and act a little crazy, but he is not stupid. The Ruler is ambitious, and he will do everything humanly possible to get what he wants.”

“What you mean to say is that you doomed us. The entire family.” Peter summarized. “The Elemental Phoenix is too weak to fight Raffael Torch, so we will either have to hide its presence until it is strong enough so we do no longer have to fear the Ruler of Fire, or we will all die.”

It was a little brusk, but I didn’t hate Peter’s directness. Although his pessimistic persona was a little strong.

“Hiding will be difficult. I had to fuse with Volix in front of others two days ago. A Master-ranked Outsider would have killed me and everyone present if I hadn’t done that.” My cheeks burned red in shame as the words left my mouth.

Merlin groaned and got up, several holographic screens popping up before him.

“You should have told me.” He grunted before leaving the room and speaking into his watch.

The towering man didn’t come back for a few minutes, his brows creased. “My people will take care of that. Nobody will see, hear, or say anything about your little fusion. Raffael will never find out about it.”

I stared blankly at Merlin, and so did the others. “What? We don’t want anyone to know about the phoenix, or do we?”

Peter shook his head. He didn’t seem fully convinced but dropped the matter.

“Tell me about the fusion. I will relay to my people what they need to pay attention to and how to respond if someone questions your power.” Merlin continued, motioning me to start speaking.

So I did. I told Merlin how my fusion with Volix worked, what others could see, and, most importantly, that I’d never summoned Volix in his full glory.

“Remember, the Elemental Phoenix does not exist. If someone asks, your sacred flame evolved into an eagle-shaped Greater Elemental.” Merlin said when I was done, his attention shifting from me to the others and then back to the holographic screens around him.

“Do you think that will work?” I asked, honestly not quite sure.

“No.” Merlin said flatly, “It won’t work forever, but it will give us some time. Enough time to kill Raffael Torch, hopefully.”

Kill him? That… Was that possible?

Chloe stared at her brother for a long minute. “You want to kill him?”

She didn’t even sound surprised, and only sighed when Merlin looked up to meet her eyes.

“Is it because of Sera? Her death was an accident, and you know that! Seekers die all the time. Their job is just that dangerous.” Chloe tried to reason with her brother, but Merlin’s jaw tightened.

He didn’t answer right away, his eyes filled with a fire I hadn’t seen before.

“Yes and no. I do want to kill him because of Sera. Not because it was his mission that killed her but because killed her. Sera’s death was not an accident. It was murder.” Merlin growled, “And it was not the first time he killed innocent people. Raffael Torch does what he wants, whenever he wants to. Nobody is willing to stand up against him. Even the Rulers are too scared to fight him. I am not! Neither are my people.”

He took a deep breath and turned back toward me. “You won’t have to run away, but you need to grow stronger. A lot stronger. I think you are tired of hiding, of running away. So am I. I am done hiding.”

The hierarchy had to change. Raffael Torch had been at the top of the food chain long enough. His tyranny had to end.

But how was I supposed to kill someone like the Ruler of Fire? Wasn’t that just a suicide mission?

Merlin looked determined. He was ready to take his shot, even if it cost his life.

The enemy of my enemy was my friend. But were we strong enough to kill a Ruler?

Maybe not yet, but Merlin’s Soulkin was preparing for an evolution. His wyvern would become a dragon if everything worked out as intended. The evolution wouldn’t be fast. It could take up to a year.

A year. That would be long enough for me to fill several Unblemished Gates. If I push a little, it shouldn’t be impossible to fill a Guardian Gate.

In a year, Nox would become a Guardian beast. Aureus would grow as well, and it would be possible to push Volix to the Peak of the Guardian rank.

It was a bit of a time crunch – a lot if I had to be honest –, however, it was possible. It had to be.

“Are we really going to fight a Ruler?” Daniel asked, the smile on his lips a great contrast to the determination in his eyes.

All we needed was a year. As long as Raffael stayed away from me for one more year, we could be strong enough to fight him. Possibly.

“I hope your people are as good as you say.” I grimaced at Merlin.

He flashed a predatory smile, “They’re even better.”

“They better be,” Peter grunted, rubbing his forehead, “If not, everyone here is going to die. Hell, we might die even if they’re as good as you say.”