While Black Jade wrestled with the wraiths of the Grove, White Embers was surrounded by a very different kind of energy. The Elemental Fields were alive with fire and air, the wind whipping through her hair and the molten rivers of lava glowing brightly against the darkening sky. Somewhere above her, among the swirling clouds and embers, was the final piece of her puzzle: the Phoenix Feather.
The Phoenix Feather was a legendary ingredient, said to be as rare as it was powerful. It was known to be a part of a celestial beast born from fire and rebirth, its feathers imbued with the essence of flames that never died. Like most Climbers, White Embers didn't know what her ingredients would ultimately create, but something about the Phoenix Feather resonated with her. It called to her, and she intended to claim it.
As she climbed higher into the rocky terrain, she could feel the heat intensifying, the air growing thick with ash and smoke. The sky overhead had darkened into a deep red, and the distant rumble of thunder echoed through the air. In the distance, the silhouette of a massive bird could be seen circling the skies, its wings trailing flames as it soared above the Fields.
"There you are," White Embers said, a grin spreading across her face. The thrill of the chase was like fire in her veins. "Time to see what you're made of."
The bird—no, the phoenix—let out a piercing cry as it circled lower, its massive wings beating against the wind as it descended toward her. Its body was wreathed in flames, the tips of its feathers glowing with a silver hue that flickered and danced like molten metal. The sheer size and power of the creature was breathtaking, its presence filling the air with an overwhelming heat that even White Embers could feel from where she stood.
She raised her Valkyrie sword, its blade already glowing with fiery energy as she prepared herself for the inevitable battle. The phoenix didn't hesitate. It let out another piercing cry before diving toward her, its wings trailing flames as it hurtled through the sky.
White Embers barely had time to react as the phoenix unleashed a torrent of fire, the flames scorching the ground around her and sending up plumes of smoke. She leaped to the side, dodging the attack as the heat singed her skin. The phoenix's fire was unlike anything she had faced before—hotter, fiercer, and far more dangerous.
But she wasn't one to back down.
"Let's see if you can handle my fire," she muttered under her breath as she charged toward the phoenix, her sword blazing with flames of its own.
The two forces of fire clashed in an explosion of heat and light. White Embers slashed at the phoenix with her sword, each strike sending waves of fire through the air. The phoenix retaliated with blasts of molten flame, its wings beating with enough force to shake the ground beneath her feet.
The battle was fierce and relentless. The phoenix was fast, its wings carrying it high into the air before diving back down to strike with blinding speed. But White Embers was faster. She danced around the phoenix's attacks with ease, her sword moving in fluid arcs as she deflected the incoming flames and countered with her own fiery strikes.
For every blow the phoenix landed, White Embers gave it back tenfold. She could feel the fire within her burning hotter with every second, the raw elemental energy of the Fields feeding her strength. This was the kind of battle she lived for—a fight between two beings of pure fire, each pushing the other to the limit.
But the phoenix was not just a creature of fire. It was a being of rebirth, its flames eternal. Every time White Embers thought she had gained the upper hand, the phoenix would rise again, its body reforming in a burst of silver flames. The cycle of destruction and rebirth seemed endless, and White Embers knew she couldn't keep this up forever.
She needed to end this, and she needed to do it now.
With a final surge of determination, White Embers summoned the full extent of her power. The flames around her sword intensified, glowing brighter and hotter than ever before. She could feel the heat radiating off her body, the fire within her merging with the very air around her as she prepared for her final strike.
The phoenix let out one last cry as it dove toward her, its body wreathed in silver flames. White Embers met the creature head-on, her sword blazing as she swung it in a wide arc, the flames trailing behind her like a comet.
The impact was cataclysmic.
Fire and light exploded in all directions, the force of the collision sending shockwaves through the Elemental Fields. The ground beneath them cracked and crumbled, and for a moment, it seemed as though the very air itself was on fire.
The phoenix let out a final, mournful cry as it dissolved into the flames, its body disintegrating into a shower of embers that rained down around her. And there, amidst the falling ash and embers, was the Phoenix Feather—gleaming silver and pulsing with an otherworldly heat.
Breathing heavily, White Embers knelt down and carefully picked up the feather. It was cool to the touch, despite the flames that still flickered around it, and she could feel the immense power radiating from within.
"I have no idea what you're going to become," she whispered, holding the feather close. "But I can't wait to see."
With the Phoenix Feather in hand, White Embers stood and looked out over the smoldering landscape. The battle had been fierce, but it had been worth it. She could feel it in her bones—her familiar was going to be something extraordinary.