The Great Collision.
An event that foretold the dawn of a new age. And with it, came the inception of the Apocalypse.
Fifty years ago, a massive meteor struck Arkanis.
A poisonous substance proliferated through the land like a cancerous mist from the impact.
Whatever it touched, corruption and defilement followed.
Beasts mutated.
Lifeforms evolved.
However, that extra power came with a steep cost.
One… that robbed them of their sanity.
Creatures quickly turned rabid, stripped of rationality as the Defilement claimed their souls.
All that remained was an intense desire for blood.
Murder.
And most of all, carnage.
Humanity, still reeling from the shockwave of the meteor's collision, was unprepared to face such a dire threat. Many died, and many more found their blood being spilt as they fought these dreadful foes.
Mana ran amok through the air.
Even with all their strength pooled together, the human race could not contend with the domineering might of the Defiled. As such, they quickly found themselves on their last legs.
The once vast population was culled to a great degree.
Only a fraction now remained.
Just as despair peaked and all hope seemed lost, the Asterons arrived to save the day. Following their arrival, mighty Champions - individuals granted fearsome power through a contract with these otherworldly beings - rose to the fore and battled these frenzied creatures.
Eventually, the Sanctuary of Everlast was created.
It was a haven that served as the last bastion of the human race, protecting them from the horrors of the Apocalypse.
Stalking through the forest, Alden cut his thoughts on the Great Collision short.
The echo of a distant howl streamed into his ears.
His expression turned grave.
Conscious that the phoenix in his arms was growing weaker by the minute, Alden was beginning to get desperate.
That was… until he stumbled onto another clearing, this glade much smaller than the previous one.
In its centre, a small building stood with a circular 'O' engraved on its front.
Alden breathed a sigh of relief.
Staring at the sign, he thanked his lucky stars, happy to have uncovered an Outpost.
These miniature supply stations were set up for any Paladin or Hunter who had lost their way and required a restock.
Alden was not a Paladin or a Hunter, but even he would find the cache of essential provisions useful. There were bound to be rations inside and safe drinking water for him to quench his thirst.
Walking closer to the metallic door of the Outpost, Alden tried to glean anything through the window at the top of the egress. All he saw, however, was darkness and a quiet stillness that signified nothing threatening was lurking inside.
'Can't be too careful…'
Cradling the weak phoenix with his left hand, Alden twisted the handle with his other limb and entered the Outpost. The light from the forest illuminated some of the interior, enough for him to catch sight of a switch embedded into the wall.
Pressing the button, Alden watched as a mana crystal fitted into the ceiling flickered to life and bathed him in a warm glow.
His eyes quickly adjusted to the light.
Scanning the space, Alden's expression froze.
A bowl of water and a tin of rations were conveniently placed on the floor.
That was not all.
Alden's gaze snapped toward the item beside the food and liquid, a sense of warmth assaulting him from afar. It had the shape of a lotus, its petals ablaze with different hues of red, orange and gold.
Staring at the fiery flower, Alden entered a daze.
A weak cry escaped the phoenix's beak as it tilted its head towards the fiery flower.
Alden broke out of his stupor and instinctively stepped forward.
His brows were knit into a frown.
'This is too convenient…'
The door behind him shut with a small click.
Alden's paranoia spiked.
What were the chances of him coming across the exact thing that would help him heal the pitch-black phoenix?
Extremely slim, but not out of the realm of possibility.
What confirmed his suspicions that all was not as it seemed, was the amount of water and the size of the metal tin. Alden estimated it was the perfect quantity for a person and their winged companion to consume without the supply immediately running out.
Goosebumps erupted all over his skin.
He desperately wanted to flee from the eerie scene.
Unfortunately, he still had to treat the injured phoenix.
Alden gritted his teeth as the responsibility for the creature's fate weighed heavily on his shoulders.
He could not just let it die.
Especially after he had gone to the effort of risking his life to save it from being devoured by the Defiled leopard. The little creature's parents were also probably in distress, searching all over for their missing child.
Ignoring the bird's plight did not sit right with him.
That was why he forcibly clamped down on his fear and placed the creature gingerly on its back, right next to the fiery lotus.
Watching it struggle to move, Alden sighed and lifted the flower, ignoring how it charred his skin. Gently, he dropped it into the phoenix's beak and observed as it travelled down its throat and into its stomach.
Nothing happened for a few moments.
Just as Alden began to fear that the creature had succumbed to its injuries, he saw it jolt.
Wisps of pitch-black flame slowly ignited from its stomach, before spreading rapidly to the rest of its body. Alden took a step back under the intensity of the heat. All around, the shadows of the outpost stirred, disturbed by the crackling flame.
Under Alden's curious stare, the phoenix slowly levitated into the air. Inside the blazing conflagration, he thought he saw it wriggle.
…Maybe that was just a figment of his imagination, though.
The phenomenon lasted for a few more seconds. Then, all of a sudden, the flames shone blindingly like a star and Alden instinctively closed his eyes. A moment later, the heat vanished and he tentatively blinked, almost afraid to see what had become of the little bird.
'Coward.'
After a couple more blinks, Alden finally mustered the courage to open his eyes. And when he did, he discovered a pair of striking yellow, reptilian eyes scrutinising him intensely. Alden resisted the urge to flinch, glancing at the phoenix slowly inching towards him, its tiny nails scraping against the wooden floor.
'What's it doing…?'
Confused, Alden observed the fiery creature come to a halt a few steps away.
A sense of anticipation welled with Alden.
He was suddenly very interested in what the fiery creature was about to do.
The phoenix paused, taking a second to ruffle its feathers before it bent its legs and bowed its head.
His mouth twitched.
'I understand it's probably thanking me for saving its life, but since when did phoenixes bow?'
The thought amused Alden.
"It's alright, no need to bow. I'm just glad you've recovered."
He smiled at the creature, wondering if it understood him.
The phoenix slowly straightened, an elegant cry escaping its beak.
Alden raised an eyebrow.
"You understand what I'm saying?"
The phoenix cried again.
What a fascinating bird…
***
After thanking him, the creature greedily drank from the bowl of water. While it was doing that, Alden opened the tin and retrieved some rations.
He chewed, savouring the taste of jerky.
The phoenix noticed him holding a treat and stopped drinking, staring at the strips of dried meat in his hand.
"Want some?"
Alden smiled and opened his palm.
The fiery bird's beak quickly snapped shut, devouring the meal.
Alden watched its body freeze, a shiver travelling through its frame as it digested the food.
In the next moment, the phoenix gagged and coughed out the jerky.
He laughed heartily at the sight.
Once the little bird had its fill with the water, Alden saw it claw at the door, obviously seeking out.
He sighed a little sadly but complied nonetheless.
Alden hoped the phoenix would be able to reunite with its parents.
As he witnessed it gracefully take off with a flap of its wings, the young man muttered a silent prayer and closed the door.
As soon as the egress clicked shut, Alden frowned and thought about the strange incongruity with the supplies.
Had someone been alerted of his arrival and seen him carrying an injured phoenix, thus placing the fiery lotus inside for him to use?
'Impossible… there was only a short window between me rescuing the phoenix and stumbling on the Outpost.'
That meant… the supplies had been arranged like that from the start.
A shiver crawled down Alden's spine at the implication.
How did whoever was responsible for this know that he would stumble on this particular Outpost?
Not only that… but how did they know he also carried an injured phoenix in need of saving?
Shaking his head, Alden inspected the shelves at the back.
The sooner he left this creepy place the better. Around ten minutes later, he was finished with his search. The only items of note were an enchanted compass pointing towards the Sanctuary and a rucksack.
'Neat.'
The navigation instrument saved him from having to stumble around blindly, hoping to come across a landmark that would help him arrive home.
In such a vast forest, the chances of that happening was slim.
Moreover, the pack would help him store some supplies to take with him.
All in all, it was a good boon.
Munching on some more jerky and quenching his thirst, Alden was soon ready to depart. He had chosen to leave the compass behind in case another person ended up stranded and required the wayfinder.
Alden was confident in the navigation skills he had learned from being a porter.
As long as he had a general direction, he wasn't too worried about getting lost.
However, just before he could begin his journey home, the sound of something scraping against metal resounded from the other side of the door.
Alden tensed, wondering what it could be.
Climbing on a chair, he gazed down from the window, a mixture of curiosity and dread swirling in his stomach.
Had one of the Defiled caught on to his scent?
Steeling his mind, Alden saw… a pitch-black bird of flame holding some sort of grey crystallised orb in its beak, its nails scraping against the door.
His eyes widened.
Alden quickly jumped down from his vantage point and let the phoenix in.
'Why did it come back?'
Shouldn't it have gone in search of its family?
However, his bewilderment didn't last long as the bird deposited the weird orb onto the ground, nudging it towards him. Looking closer, Alden noticed a familiar set of patterns covering its surface. An inky black translucent vapour seemed to be trapped inside.
Alden's eyes widened for a second time.
'A beast core.'
How did it get one so fast?
It had only been away for ten minutes most, surely that wasn't enough time to complete its hunt?
It was only then that Alden remembered the Defiled leopard.
Were the Dryads successful in taking it down?
…It seemed so.
Alden sent a strange glance towards the creature as he mused.
Was this the phoenix's way of paying him back?
The bird nudged the orb closer to him.
"Alright, alright. Thank you."
Alden smiled and gently picked up the beast core.
Holding it in his hands, a myriad of complex emotions bloomed in his eyes.
It was a shame he had no purifying equipment with him, otherwise he could have cleaned it of any trace of the Defilement. That would have allowed him to fetch a higher price instead of selling it in its current state.
'Can't be too greedy.'
Alden shook his head and scolded himself.
This was still an incredible boon.
Especially so, since he had just received a beast core for free without risking his life.
Once he returned home, he would have Alistair purify the core for him.
Smiling, Alden was just about to stow the core away when the phoenix suddenly cried out.
He paused.
The little bird seemed to be flapping its wings in protest.
Puzzled, Alden moved the beast core closer to the young phoenix.
Its crying ceased.
Still bewildered, Alden watched it direct a wisp of pitch-black flame towards the grey orb.
Before he could react, a sea of flame engulfed the beast core.
'No!'
An expression of regret formed on Alden's face.
However, his dismay was short-lived.
The flames quickly died down.
He blinked.
Reflected in his gaze, a grey orb sparkled under the warm light of the mana crystal, rid of the inky black vapour that had plagued it before.
"HAHAHA!"
Alden couldn't believe his eyes.
A radiant smile like the sun bloomed on his face as his boisterous laughter echoed across the walls.
The phoenix raised its beak proudly in the air, radiating an aura of smugness.
Alden smiled at the display.
He turned his gaze towards the beast core, a flicker of hesitation casting a brief shadow over his joy.
To awaken, one had to submerge themselves in the dissolved remains of a core. From there, the body would slowly absorb the mystical properties of the orb, and after some time, become saturated with enough mana that a mana core would naturally form.
Moreover, the quality of the beast core used also played an important part.
If one dissolved an orb belonging to that of a Beast, they would be more likely to awaken a weaker Magic Class.
Alden didn't have the equipment to dissolve a core, nor did he have a high-quality orb in his possession.
Nonetheless…
This was just too good an opportunity to pass up.
Alden's features hardened, coming to a decision.
Recalling the distant echo of a howl he had heard on his way to the outpost, he inhaled and swallowed the orb in one quick movement.
In the next second, harrowing pain tore through his entire being.