Chapter Six: Are You Here For Revenge?
Benign looked ahead and he saw the skies darken as awfully familiar birds soared in the skies.
He didn't have weapons or skills to strike them from that far. Hell Rain would affect his comrades.
He touched the revolver on his waist but remembered he had checked before and it ran out of bullets. Also, there's a possibility it couldn't shoot that far and against so many.
He squinted his eyes as the creatures got closer. Weren't those the bird-like creatures that he had burnt with Hell Rain at the mass murder like battlefield?
"Um... I think we should run." Vargel said and started his sprint back to Kiron. The other elf followed.
Benign took steps back, wondering how they could've survived the devastation he caused with Hell Rain. "They were burnt to ashes. What creature survives being burnt to ashes..." his eyes widened. "Phoenixes."
That must be what those bird like creatures were, a variant of phoenixes. Those creatures typically resurrected when burnt with fire according to web novels.
"I should've buried them. This is on you, Legal. Now they are here for revenge." He began sprinting to the opposite direction the elves had gone.
This happened because of his ignorance of the realms and their species, so he didn't have to bring them into this.
He had revival and regeneration skill so he would be able to survive. He rolled down the sand hill to save time. The loud screech from the birds jolted him as they signalled their were closing in on him in particular.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
In one swoop, one of the phoenixes grabbed him by the bag and flew to the air. The phoenix flew above the sand hill and covered ground really fast.
In his confusion and panic, Benign could sight a cave that looked familiar to the ones Vargel had been describing. They hadn't been lost after all... except he'd be dying first.
"Wait, wait! Legal! Why isn't a new mission popping yet? These guys are after my life!"
[Are they?]
"What do you mean now?" Benign was getting really tired of his system's sarcastic replies. "You should bring—"
Then, he found himself dropped many feet from the ground. Flashes of when he was thrown out of a plane came to mind and his breathing seized.
But he was caught by another phoenix who gently lowered him to the ground. His legs felt weak and he knelt on the ground, breathing heavily.
Were these creatures playing with him before swallowing him whole? He felt insulted and forced his body to calm down. He turned behind him.
The cave. They had brought him to the cave?
He turned to the phoenix as they descended in front of him. They must be about twenty. That was a unit.
"Um... so you guys aren't here to kill me? Then why did—"
He bit his tongue to avoid speaking too quickly while his body was still tense. He made a deep breath and asked his nerves to relax. The creatures just watched him with strict attention.
His expression became straight as he lifted himself off the ground. "Thank you for the assistance, phoenix unit, but can I ask why you assisted me even after I... you know?"
He knew he had Language Comprehension skill because he hadn't understood the first hostile trying to kill him, but his interactions with the elves had been smooth sailing.
He hoped it worked on animals or whatever the phoenixes were classified as. One of them, the one that swooped him off the ground, lowered its head.
The rest followed suit. Benign marked it as the unit leader mentally but kept watching them.
[Legacy System... loading...]
"Now? What did it do?"
[Mission: Tame the Firewings Tribe. Rewards: Mind link to the Firewings, and Hell Rain upgrade to level two.]
Benign's brows raised. Taming the Firewings? So they were actually allies. "Because I resurrected you, right? That's right, you helped me, because you were grateful."
The leader made a small sound that sounded like an agreement to Benign.
[Resurrecting a phoenix means you need their help. They only did as they were biologically meant to do. You are in charge of them now.]
Benign relaxed, folding his arms. The rewards for this mission weren't exactly what he needed, but having a Firewing transportation service would make moving around the desert easier.
Also, Hell Rain would come in handy soon.
He stretched his hand to the leader. Typically, in tribes that had leaders, whatever connection made with the leader affected the others.
"I, Benign Cross, ask you, Leader of the Firewings, to be part of my unit, for me to command and for you to obey...." He paused. "Is that... are you okay with that?"
The leader made a small sound again, and Benign saw a small cross mark glow on its head. Soon, the rest of the Firewings has glowing cross marks on their heads.
Benign paused to notice any change in his own body, but there was nothing. It was strange, his body wasn't reacting to any new thing happening. He nodded, patting the head of the leader.
"Well, now, I'd like you to deploy your men to scout the surrounding areas for caves like this." He pointed behind him. "You will stay with me for mobility. Can you do that?"
The Firewing raised its wings and let out a screech. Benign stepped back, wondering if it got angry at being given orders. The other Firewings replied in similar manner before the nineteen flew away at different directions.
"I see. I see. You might want to be a little quieter next time." He turned to the direction of Kiron were the elves that were with him had dashed off to.
"I guess we'd have to get those two back first." He carried his bag that had fallen off him. "So... Kirk. Yeah, I'd name you Kirk. Let's go and get the two you and your unit chased away—"
The Firewing screeched again, flapping his wings that slowly became bigger on each flap. It rose a foot off the ground and its body expanded and redden.
Benign studied the strange growth, but didn't have a conclusion for it. "You just really like the name for it to give your a little growth spurt, right?"
Kirk lowered his head and Benign carefully climbed atop him. Height was a bit of a problem to him, but he wanted to trust his new ally.
He noticed his scaly neck and the wings on the small feathers. This was definitely what a hybrid between a fire dragon and a phoenix would look like.
The firewing rose to the skies, and from the height, Benign sighted two small figures trudging down a sand hill. The Firewing instinctively knew those were his targets and moved towards them.
[Legacy System loading...]
[Your profile is being arranged...]
"It is? Aren't I supposed to have two more skills first?"
[Yes. You unlocked Tamer, level one. This skill was bestowed for successfully taming the Firewings.]
[You unlocked unique skill, Father, level two. This is for naming the firewing. Survival points have been added to your account for advancing a level.]
Benign didn't really understand how all that had happened but he hoped to when his profile would be complete. "I am beginning to see the end of this journey now."
[Again, don't underestimate everything. You only got these skills by accidentally reviving the Firewings. If my memory served me right, which it does, that had been my idea.]
"Oh yeah?" Benign scoffed. "Do you also mean you knew they were Firewings when you told me to burn them? Then you could've told me that and spare me having a heart attack when they started coming!"
[Tension is good for the soul.]
Benign shook his head. "Very funny, Legal. Very funny."