While Vitaliana was struggling to think of how to feel about the sudden affection. She felt like her feathers were growing lighter. It was as if the weight of the blood that had dried was rapidly burning away. In fact, it was precisely because that was the case. Where there had been blood now glimmered with her feathers' original color, a light green color.
Solaria, seeing her granddaughter all cleaned up again, held her out in front of her with an excited smile. "You're going to grow into a truly powerful and beautiful Phoenix. I just know it. Eternia gave you a fitting name, little Vitaliana." She cheerfully said.
Vitaliana was still confused. Unable to bring herself to understand what was going on around her.
"Wha, wha, what was that all about? I, why do I feel so much better now?" Vitaliana said, managing to utter her words chirping nervously as she spoke.
"Awe, are you embarrassed? Don't worry about it. Grandmother has always been incredibly dotting to all of us. Ever since I can remember. Even more so than Mother is." Acialia giggled, leaning in to comfort Vitaliana with a close up smile.
"The difference you feel is the result of Grandmother's evolution. She is a Phoenix. Just breathing the same air as her should slowly increase your stats. Not to mention she's family." Fulgiana commented.
Meanwhile the humans who had moved to the forward base were of two mindsets. One group was so bewildered that they just stood there, staring, as if their mind had lost all ability to comprehend reality. The other group, while not knowing who the woman standing before them was, took up various worshiping positions, Prostration, kneeling and bowing. There were others who simply fell over and refused to move again so as not to disturb the peaceful moment they were witnessing.
"Oh, is that the reason I feel so much better?" Vitaliana asked. I was curious why I felt like everything was changing all around me… Turns out it was because the presence of a Phoenix can drastically improve the stats of their kin and heal…
*tink clink ting* A small metal pellet fell from Vitaliana's body, causing her to bleed for a moment. However, it was only a matter of what seemed like an instant.
Well this is bad, once she finds out that it came from a weapon designed specifically to kill birds… Wait… That wound is healed? Already? Such a miraculous recovery speed… I wonder if this is the reason Grandmother would come back to visit every so often? A method to rapidly strengthen her kin. If that's indeed the case then maybe it's actually better if she learns of the new weapons that humans have started using.
"Oh? What is this thing here?" Solaria said, puzzled by the item that fell from a small wound on Vitaliana's already small body. "It was lodged in your body, hidden under the blood. Tell me, who was it that hurt you?" She continued, her gaze morphed into a vengeful one.
"But…" Vitaliana started.
"Let grandma exact divine justice for this affront." Solaria interrupted, with a grindy and eager tone.
"They are already dead. Vitaliana killed the foolish one already." Acialia answered.
Solaria looked over to Acialia and smiled a cold and hard smile, tilting her head to the side ever so slightly. Her eyes were closed as if attempting to contain an impossible rage. "What? I still sense many humans over there. Should they not be punished just because the one who exacted the harm has drawn their last?" She questioned, opening her eyes showing they were no longer like that of human eyes. Rather her eyes took their appearance from Solaria's Phoenix form. And a seemingly infinite heat started to rise from the flames in her eyes.
"Grandmother, we have a plan of attack already in play. The humans will pay for what they did. But we also had to abide by the gods' decrees and allow the faithful to escape." Acialia quickly explained.
"So that's what these humans are doing here, then. I see, in that case I suppose your mother will soon come to greet me, her mother." Solaria said, relaxing slightly. "And then, that means little Vitaliana was hurt while this plan was being implemented then. Are you alright?" She added, bringing Vitaliana a little closer to her face and nuzzling her gently, once again.
"I'll be fine grandma. I wanted to be the one to distract that city's lord. Since my Sisters are faster than I am, it was best for them to seal all the gates instead of me." Vitaliana said, chirping happily as the nuzzle continued. "Though I noticed that the humans weren't giving as much experience as I would have expected. My sisters noted it was likely due to their horrible training. But, we don't know for sure." She continued, becoming curious.
"Oh, don't worry about that. It's only the foolish ones who think that non-magically charged weapons would ever be more than child's play with the right resistances. And now that it has been confirmed, the gods are probably wondering if they should intervene personally again, or create a skill that just nullifies those weapons entirely. They are heretical after all. Don't worry about it though. It looks like the 6 of you will undoubtedly be fine." Solaria explained, refusing to stop her nuzzling of Vitaliana. "As for your mother… It seems she's decided to attempt her evolution after all. I have no doubt your actions played no small part in this development. However, you should know what that means, right?" She added.
"Us eldest sisters definitely understand. And we have already acquired the skill to do so." Aieria said a bit passionately.
"Don't worry Vitaliana, no one expects you to do this anytime soon. In fact you can't even get the skill until you evolve to where we are. But the rest of us will have to. To ensure our line continues. It is nothing too dreadful, just the continuation of life." Fulgiana said, approaching closer.
"But, then… Won't mother be even more upset? I was the only one that hatched. That means… I'm her last born baby…" Vitaliana chirped nervously.
I didn't realize just how much was at stake… I can't let myself ever die. Never again.