342HI– 342 years after humanity first gained its independence from creatures and no longer had to serve them.
The Phoenix Clan had long been regarded as one of the most powerful clans in the world, a force so immense that no empire dared challenge them, until now. Their blessings, given to them by the Phoenix itself, were as legendary as the creature they were named after. The Phoenix, a creature that stood at the highest tier of power, a being so great that it was categorized as **Unclassified** a level that could not be measured by any other standard.
The Phoenix's power was immeasurable, and it was this power that the empires sought to control.
The Phoenix's power was coveted by the empires in Varlud and Vostram continents, and it was not long before they turned their eyes toward the Phoenix Clan, seeking to capture the Phoenix and force it to submit, so they could claim its immense blessing and use it to dominate the world.
The Phoenix Clan's stronghold was in ruins.
The massive explosion that rocked the battlefield was the last, desperate act of the Phoenix itself sacrificing its very being to kill half of the enemy forces in a fiery explosion that scorched the earth, leaving nothing but ash in its wake. Its death was not a quiet one. The roar of the Phoenix as it exploded shook the very ground, a burst of flame and light that could be seen for miles. It had given everything to protect its people.
But the price was steep.
The Phoenix Clan, renowned for their fiery powers and their fierce loyalty, was no more. What remained were the survivors the few warriors still fighting and their families, who had escaped the wrath of the explosion. They were now scattered, lost, running for their lives in a desperate attempt to escape the enemy forces that had overwhelmed them.
Desmond the 7th clan leader, holding the line with the remaining warriors, realized that without the Phoenix's intervention, none of them would survive. The Phoenix Clan had always been strong, but it was never meant to stand alone. As Desmond continued to battle the advancing enemy, the realization struck him: the sacrifice of the Phoenix had bought them precious moments, but it was not enough to save them.
The Phoenix's final act had decimated half of the invading forces, but the remaining empires continued their relentless push. They believed the Phoenix was dead, but they also believed its blessing would be transferred to the survivors, a blessing they could seize from the next generations of the Phoneix Clan. Even in death, the Phoenix was still the prize they desired.
Elena's Escape
Amidst the chaos, Elena, the clan leader's daughter, was caught in the confusion. She was only a child, unable to fully comprehend the scope of the destruction around her. Elena was not in the battlefield when the Phoenix exploded, and she did not see her father's final moments. Instead, her memories were blurred by the heat and devastation, the ground shaking as the last of the Phoenix Clan fought to protect their people.
Her fiancé, Noah, found her amidst the wreckage, bloodied but alive. He had been by her side through the chaos, but the two were separated in the aftermath of the Phoenix's final act.
"No, Elena, we have to go now!" Noah urged, gripping her arm tightly, pulling her through the smoke.
Through the haze of battle, Elena turned one last time to look for her father. But all she saw was destruction.
"We can't fight anymore. We need to survive," Noah said softly. His tone was firm, yet there was a sadness in his voice. Elena, her heart heavy with grief, let him guide her away from the battlefield.
The Xoliti Clan's Aid
The Phoenix Clan's survival would not have been possible without the secret aid of the Xoliti Clan, an ancient and powerful clan whose abilities where given from a creature that focused on utility seals and barriers. It was another creature said to be called unclassified.They were not an aggressive clan, nor were they known for their strength in battle. However, their mastery of sealing magic made them invaluable to the Phoenix Clan escape. The Xoliti Clan had long been allies of the Phoneix Clan.
As the survivors of the Phoenix Clan fled into hiding, the Xoliti Clan used their magic to cloak them in powerful illusions, changing their identities temporarily until they could escape and making them untraceable by those who hunted them. It was the Xoliti Clan leader, Anara, who met with Isabella, Desmond's wife, to ensure their safety. The two women, though grieving the loss of their loved ones, knew they had no choice but to preserve the legacy of the Phoenix Clan.
"The world believes the Phoenix is dead, but the power it gave your bloodline is not lost , Durian(the husband of Anara) has sacrificed himself to make the Phoneix's reincarnation hidden," Anara said, her voice low and resolute.
Isabella nodded silently. "What will we do now?"
Anara took a deep breath. "We will keep you hidden. For now, you will take new names. The Phoenix will reinacarnate I don't know when right now, but you must stay hidden from the world you have too many enemies. No one can know who you are."
Anara used her blessing to cast magic that enveloped them temporarily altering their appearances and hiding their auras from anyone who had detection blessings. The Phoenix Clan was no more in name. From this point on, they would live under the guise of the Veldrin Family, identites given to them by the Xoliti, to hide from the eyes of those who would seek them out.
A Flame within Elena
Before they left the hidden sanctuary, Elena felt something deep within her, a faint warmth that seemed to stir her very soul. It felt like the blessing of the Phoenix itself was alive inside her. But she could not understand what it meant.
"You must live Elena," Anara said, sensing Elena's unease. "The Phoenix's blessing is dormant in you, but it is growing. It will one day be the key to the return of the Phoenix Clan, I don't know how it will come back but you have to live so there will come a day where you can get revenge for this tragedy."
Elena, was still unsure what it meant to have the Phoenix's blessing. But she would live on if it meant that she could take revenge for her family.
And thus, the Phoenix Clan began their life in hiding with their new identities as the Veldrin Family, scattered across the land. The Phoenix though dead had its essence transferred to Elena through Durians sacrifice but it was still unknown how the essence would help the Phoenix reincarnate.
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End of Prologue