Along a dark pathway, a dim-lit torch could be seen. And the one holding that torch was none other than Thalor Flamefeather.
"Tch, this place is so dusty." Thalor complained.
"Anyways, isn't the path getting smaller and smaller?" Thalor said as he struggled passing through the narrow path.
Thalor has been travelling through this path for quite some time now. The longer he walked, the narrower the path became.
"At this rate, I won't be able to run properly if that bastard eventually catches up" Thalor Sighed.
Suddenly, as Thalor took his next step, his feet landed on a pressure plate.
"Crap!" Thalor exclaimed.
As he activated the pressure plate, sounds of locks being unlocked were heard throughout the path. After two seconds, the sounds stopped.
"Oh, I-I guess it was a fake. This cave is old anyways." Thalor laughed.
Suddenly, the path became slant, sending Thalor sliding through the path.
(T/N: Cave was like psych!)
"AHHHHH!" Thalor screamed as he slid down the path.
Meanwhile, at the gate of *Misth, some knights were merrily chatting away with each other.
(T/N: Misth is the city they came from.)
"Then, he said…"
"H-Hey! What's that?" One of the knights said as he pointed to the dark path in front of them.
Gradually, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, limping towards them.
"Halt! Identify yourself!" A knight shouted.
But the figure didn't stop, as the figure drew closer to the light at the gate. Only then did the knights know who the person was.
"M-Miss Ravenwood!" One of the knights said as he rushed towards her.
"Miss Ravenwood, are you alright?" The knight asked worriedly.
"Village….. attack ….. help" Claire said as she was catching her breath.
"What was that, Milady?" The knight asked.
"Thalor needs help! He is currently a hostage of a Rank SS2 rogue!" Claire shouted.
'Rank SS2!?' The knights thought bewildered.
"I-I'll go meet the Governor" One of the knights said as he rushed into the city.
Simultaneously, someone dropped in a big cave.
"Damn! My back! FUCK YOU CAVE!!" Thalor said as he got up from the ground.
"Anyways where am I?" Thalor said as he checked his surroundings.
Thalor had been sliding down the path for a considering amount of time. The path eventually led him to a huge cave with a hole in the ceiling and a statue of what seems to be a phoenix in the middle.
"Woah! A phoenix statue. What 's this?" Thalor said as he noticed a throne behind the statue.
The throne was made of stone and adorned with fiery designs. It still looked very majestic like it froze in time. And on the seat was a book.
"Hmm? A book down here?" Thalor said as he picked up the book
"The Phoenix Lord System? Wait!? The Phoenix Lord!? One of the five legendary hero!? The Savior of the western continent Idria!?" Thalor exclaimed
Manos, {What we call Earth}, was divided into the five great continents. Athostorn (The northern continent), Cenarn (The southern continent), Prythia (The Eastern continent), Idria (The western continent) and Middloon (The Central Continent).
A hundred years ago, Idria faced a great enemy, Death Posse. They spread their influence throughout the whole continent by wreaking havoc across the seven kingdoms. At the climax of the terror, the kings decided to form an alliance to fight the Death Posse.
The alliance was called the Life Posse.
The alliance went forth to fight Death Posse in an all-out war. The alliance only managed to scratch the organization before being overpowered miserably. The seven Kings were devastated, as result sought for help from other continents, but they were rejected.
When all hope seemed to have been lost, a group of people rose from the ashes to fight the Death Posse. They were known to be the "Five Legendary Heroes".
One of them, the hero who stood face to face with Shinigami the death god was none other than the Phoenix Lord.
(T/N: Don't worry all shall be explained as the story progresses.)
"If the Phoenix Lord is as legendary as our history teacher says he is, then why is his throne here?" Thalor said as he worked round the throne.
"There doesn't seem to be anything here aside this bo.."
Suddenly as Thalor touched the book, it flew from throne towards the statue of the Phoenix. It seemed to have kept itself in one slot below the Phoenix Statue
"..!" Thalor just stood there bewildered.
Thalor slowly made his way to the front of the statue where the book was. As he got closer, he saw some words being burnt to the base of the statue.
It read out:
"Welcome Young Lord! Please, place your hand on the book to confirm your Identity"
"Young Lord?" Thalor said as he saw the text.
"Is this really the power that bastard's looking for?" Thalor said as he stared at the book reluctantly.
"Well, there's only one way to find out." Thalor said as he placed his hand on the book.
Suddenly, a bright light shone covering the whole cave, even piercing through the night skies.
Somewhere in the forest,
"Tch! That brat really got me." The Mysterious man said as he was bandaging where his left hand used to be.
"Who would have thought that the illusion array also summoned spirit knights?!" The Mysterious man exclaimed.
"…!" The mysterious man suddenly felt a large rise in S.E wave coming from one direction.
"T-This S.E wave is at least an SSS grade!!!" The mysterious man said as he glared at the beam of light in the distance.
In the village,
"Where is Thalor!?" Claire said as she searched the village.
Claire's father sent the city's best squad of knights with a base rank of S grade to search for Thalor.
"Please, keep calm milady. We'll find him" One of the knights said.
"But…!"
Suddenly everyone of them felt an immense pressure emanating from the woods, then a beam of light pierced through the sky.
'T-Thalor.' Claire thought as she stared at the beam of light.
"Everyone, head to that beam right now! That's where Thalor is." Claire said as she ran towards the light.
"M-Milady!" The knights said as they followed her.
'Thalor, just wait for me.'
Meanwhile, in the cave. The beam of light grew dim and eventually faded.
"Damn! What was that?... And where's the book!?" Thalor said as he noticed the book wasn't at the slot anymore.
"Where did it… AGH!!" Thalor suddenly felt an immense headache.
After a while, the headache subsided then he saw something like a floating text in front of him.
It read out:
"Welcome Young Lord! In order to use the Phoenix Lord System, you must complete the quest "Arise From The Ashes". Do you accept this quest? Yes, or No?"
…
"WHAT!????"