Ancestors: The Other World

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"WAGH!" shrieked Sophie as the world warped around her. The powder was not doing wonders for her already dry eyes. She rubbed her eyes, her vision slowly clearing, but her eyes began to itch uncomfortably.

It was only then she noticed she was on top of a snowy mountain. She didn't feel cold, but she still shivered. "Sophie," greeted a firm voice. She spun around, gaping at the majestic fiery bird before her. It didn't look ragged or shaggy like it did in the building where they first met.

"Radiance, is that you?" she called out.

"Yes. Hop onto my back," instructed Radiance, popping into view, landing onto the snow for her to clamber onto its back. The fiery, graceful, bird took off, soaring through the sky. "I see an endless sea of snow. What happened here?" Sophie asked.

Radiance shook its head grimly.

"The Ice Phoenix happened."

Sophie stared at the snow billowing beneath them. "A Phoenix caused this? But how? We use fire!" she wondered aloud. "No ordinary Phoenix. This Phoenix was cast out the moment others found out it was learning magic that was strictly forbidden," revealed Radiance. "What?" Sophie couldn't comprehend the sight before her. All she could see was snow. What were they trying to show now?

"It flew far away from all the other creatures. Every creature, human and animal resented it to the core, except for one human. Queen Tempest. She wanted this power. So she followed the Phoenix until the evil magic consumed it and killed it, and offered herself as a new way for the Phoenix to continue wielding its evil magic. They were the first to ever achieve the feat of bonding human and beast," Radiance explained. Radiance arrived at the peak of a mountain. "We wait here," it whispered. Sophie watched the gloomy peak, feeling another shiver travel done her spine. She found it strange, as she wasn't cold at all. It would be weird if she was, since she was sitting right next to a Phoenix.

"What's going on?" Sophie asked nervously, her heart hammering in her chest. "This is where the first ever half-form fight happened. Queen Tempest versus the 9 brave souls who offered to merge with 9 brave spirits to fight the Ice Phoenix," replied Radiance. They waited in silence. The longer they waited, the more tense they became. Sophie didn't know why her palms were sweating.

A loud crackle sounded as a Phoenix landed on the peak of the mountain, letting out a shriek.
Sophie stared at the Phoenix, her body trembling slightly as her breathing became ragged. It had blood red eyes and pure white feathers. It also had a curved beak and a smirk plastered on its beak, which looked like it could shred your flesh.

Suddenly, a fiery red Phoenix landed beside Radiance and her, followed by a massive Roc, which was ferrying a selkie. A leviathan then followed and slithered up the mountain with a werewolf close behind. A tiny Tanuki scrambled up the hill as a Griffin and Lunar Dragon soared down. Finally, a White Pegasus landed down beside them.

"Radiance, those are the same as us!" gasped Sophie. "Of course. The Spirit Queen picked us herself," chuckled Radiance. A warm burst of pride swelled in her chest, but the gloomy fear quickly replaced it. The Ice Phoenix puffed its feathers proudly. "Oh puh-lease, I expected a better matchup against me," she gloated.
"Tempest, stop this madness at once!" yelled the werewolf. "Pssht, I haven't heard that name in a while. I was the Queen of the Phoenix Empire! And look what happened, this pathetic 'Empress' takes over," gawked the Ice Phoenix, gesturing its wing at the fiery red Phoenix. "I was a better Empress than you. You were a tyrant!" cawed the Red Phoenix. Sophie's stomach lurched as the Phoenix took a menacing step forward.

The Ice Phoenix shot the Red Phoenix a death glare. "You were a peasant the King fell in love with. He threw me out once you stormed into the castle, wanting 'justice'," snarled the Ice Phoenix, ruffling her feathers.