After another day of traveling, Kye and Rae finally arrived at their destination. It was a giant volcano, stretching for kilometers and kilometers. However, instead of being a black mountain, it was fiery red as if the ground was made of flames. The volcano's peak, shrouded in a perpetual cloud of smoke and ash, reached up toward the sky like an enormous, smoldering tower.
"Welcome to our sanctuary," Rae said, her voice tinged with a mixture of pride and nostalgia. "This is where my kin have lived for generations, hidden away from the prying eyes of the outside world."
Kye was awestruck by the sight before him. The volcanic landscape was both beautiful and terrifying. Lava flowed in molten rivers down the slopes, casting an eerie, red glow across the surroundings. The ground beneath their feet felt warm to the touch, and the air was thick with the scent of sulfur. Yet everything was still too pretty for Kye to be scared.
"It's... incredible," Kye whispered, his eyes wide as he took in the breathtaking view. "I've never seen anything like it."
Rae nodded, her fiery plumage ruffling with a sense of homecoming. "It's a place of great beauty and danger, a reflection of our nature as Phoenixes. Come, we must make our way to the heart of the volcano, where my kin reside."
"Will I be able to enter? I mean, won't I burn?"
"No, don't worry, Kye," Rae answered while flying toward the volcano. "You posses the King's seal, so nothing can happen to you in his territory.
As they ventured deeper into the volcanic terrain, Kye noticed that the ground was marked with intricate patterns and symbols, all etched into the fiery red rock. They seemed to glow faintly, emanating a mystical energy.
"What are these symbols?" Kye asked, intrigued by the enigmatic markings.
Rae explained, "These are ancient runes, passed down through generations. They serve as both protection and guidance for our sanctuary. Each symbol represents a different aspect of our culture and history. It's a way for us to connect with our past and maintain the sanctity of this place."
Kye nodded in understanding. He felt in awe at all the markings. Combined with the scenery, it almost gave a supernatural vibe to the place.
Kye continued to follow Rae as they delved deeper into the heart of the volcano. The journey was both thrilling and surreal, surrounded by the glow of ancient runes and the rumbling power of the earth beneath them. He couldn't help but keep his mouth wide open because of the surprise.
'Is it even possible to win the war against the monsters?' Kye started to think as they delved deeper into the volcano. 'I mean, even the strongest people in humanity would have a hard time fighting against Ras' parents, right? What about Aria's parents? Will we be able to win this war?'
In the end, even though his primary objective was to find friends and reunite with his friends, he couldn't help but think about the far future where he would have to fight against such creatures. Just the thought of it made him quite dizzy.
As they continued deeper, the air grew hotter and thicker. The glow of the runes intensified, casting intricate patterns of light on the rocky walls. It was as if the very earth around them pulsed with an otherworldly power.
Thankfully Ras' friend seal activated, allowing him to not be bothered by the heat at all.
Rae led Kye through a network of tunnels and chambers, each more awe-inspiring than the last. They passed by pools of molten lava, their fiery reflections dancing across the walls.
The path eventually led them to a massive chamber, and Kye's breath caught in his throat as he stepped inside. The chamber was like a cathedral of fire, with towering pillars of volcanic rock and a ceiling that seemed to stretch to infinity. In the center of the chamber, a pool of molten lava glowed with an otherworldly intensity.
Rae gracefully descended toward the pool, and Kye followed suit, albeit with a lot of hesitation. It took a lot of willpower to enter the lava.
As they approached, he noticed that the pool held an almost hypnotic allure, its fiery depths swirling with a mesmerizing dance of colors. It was a sight that held both beauty and danger in perfect balance.
"This is the heart of our sanctuary," Rae explained. "The lava pool is a source of power and renewal for our kin. It's where we undergo the process of rebirth, emerging from the flames as newborn Phoenixes."
Kye watched in awe as a few Phoenixes, their plumage aflame with vibrant colors, descended gracefully into the molten pool. They disappeared beneath the surface, and moments later, their forms emerged anew, radiant and vibrant, as if they had been reborn.
And when they came out of the lava, they noticed Rae, and a ... human.
"Rae, why did you bring a human here?" A voice suddenly thundered around them.
Kye, sensing the anger in the voice, immediately weaved Lightbringer into its sword form before going into stance.
"There's no need for this, Kye. They will die if they attack you, anyway."
"How dar-..." The voice thundered again but was quickly cut off by Rae's voice.
"Can't you see he bore the seal of our king? Are you that dumb, Moil? Do you want to die by the hand of our king for touching his friend?" Rae's voice spread far and wide, making every single Phoenix in the sanctuary wake up.
And even though there were just a few, it was still a sight to behold to see so many Phoenix in one place.
"W-what?"
"Is it him?"
"But why does he have holy energy in him?"
"What? Holy energy?"
"Is he an angel?"
"But he looks like a human!"
A lot of voices started to echo through the place while Kye continued looking in awe. And suddenly, 6 rather small Phoenixes in terms of size launched at him.
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