Mathea's eyes darkened. "The eggs were taken long ago, hidden away by forces that sought to destroy the Phoenix's power. It's believed that the eggs are scattered across the world, waiting to be claimed, but they cannot be found by just anyone. Only those who are worthy, those who are tied to the prophecy, can retrieve them. And the four of us... we're part of this."
"And the evil?" Athena asked, her voice sharper now. "Who's behind all this?"
Mathea's face tightened. "A dark force, older than any of us. A creature that has existed for centuries, feeding on chaos, on fear, and on the souls of the innocent.
"Let me guess, Lord Anjo?" Juan said with pride.
"Yes,"
"That's why you recognized him when we told you about what happened to the village?" Jeak asked.
"Yes. He is known as Lord Anjo of the East. He was once a powerful king who sought to rule over everything, but his ambition twisted him. Now, he serves an even darker master. His goal is simple—to destroy the Phoenix, to erase all that is light, and to plunge the realm into eternal darkness."
Yhan Yhan the pet lion purred as if wanting to tell them something but couldn't.
The air grew colder as Mathea spoke, the weight of her words pressing in on them. The forest around them seemed to shift, as if it too was listening to the tale of destruction and fate.
"Lord Anjo, the bastard!" Jea repeated eagerly, her voice full of distaste. "And you believe the eggs are the key to stopping him?"
"Not just the eggs," Mathea answered. "We—each of us—are bound to the Phoenix. Our powers, our magic, it's all connected. If we claim the Phoenix's power, if we awaken its full potential, then we can defeat Lord Anjo. But we must act quickly. The eggs are hidden, and with each passing day, Anjo grows stronger. His forces are already moving, and if they reach the eggs before we do..." She let the sentence hang in the air, unspoken but clear.
A heavy silence fell upon the group as the gravity of Mathea's words sank in. It was more than just a quest for the Phoenix's eggs; it was a race against time, a battle for their very world.
Andrei was the first to break the silence, his voice steady but filled with determination. "Then we don't have a choice. We have to find them. We have to find the Phoenix, and we have to stop Lord Anjo."
Jea, ever the healer, nodded solemnly. "We must restore balance. And we can do it together."
Mathea looked at each of them in turn, her heart swelling with an unfamiliar sense of hope. For the first time, she felt as though the prophecy was not just some ancient tale, but a living, breathing force that they could shape together. She wasn't alone in this fight. They weren't just her companions—they were her allies, her family, and together, they could change the fate of the world.
"We will find the eggs," Mathea declared, her voice steady. "We will claim our power, and we will fight to protect this kingdom. We will rise, like the Phoenix, and destroy the darkness that threatens it. Together."
The group exchanged glances, each of them feeling the power of the moment. Their fates were sealed, intertwined by prophecy, by magic, and by the unspoken bond that had formed between them. There was no turning back now.
With their path ahead clearer than ever, they pressed on, deeper into the forest, toward the unknown and the destiny that awaited them. Every step seemed to carry more weight, but their resolve was stronger. They were bound together by fate, by the need to stop Lord Anjo and reclaim the Phoenix's power before the world was consumed by darkness.
Hours passed in a haze of exhaustion, the dense canopy above blocking out much of the sky, leaving them walking in a shadowed world where the light struggled to break through. Each of them was consumed by thoughts of what they had learned. The weight of their mission hung over them, but as they neared the edge of the dark forest, something felt different.
Jea was the first to speak, her voice quiet but filled with a hint of disbelief. "I... I feel clearer. Like the weight on my chest has lifted. Do you all feel that?"
Athena nodded slowly, glancing around as though seeing the forest for the first time. "Yeah. It's like the fog is lifting from my mind." She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dim light as if a veil had been removed.
Andrei and Mathea exchanged a look, both sensing the same shift in the air. Something had changed, but they couldn't yet put their fingers on what.
They continued walking, stepping carefully as the forest started to thin out, and finally, the trees began to give way to a small clearing. The air was different here—cleaner, fresher, and the oppressive darkness they had felt for so long seemed to recede into the background. It was as if they had crossed some kind of invisible threshold.
Mathea breathed deeply, letting the fresh air fill her lungs. "It feels like we're out of the forest… but something's not right."
Jea stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the clearing. "Something's off. I don't know how to explain it, but it's like we've… been here before."
"That's ridiculous," Athena muttered, though she too felt a prickling unease crawling along her skin. "We haven't even come close to this part of the forest before. I don't understand."
It was then that Andrei spoke, his voice tense. "The truth… It's coming to me now."
"What do you mean?" Mathea asked, her eyes locking onto his.
Andrei's gaze was distant, as though he was trying to piece together the puzzle of their journey. "What if we've been seeing things wrong this whole time? What if Lord Anjo isn't the true enemy?"
A silence fell over the group as the words hung heavy in the air. Mathea's heart skipped a beat. "What are you saying?"
Andrei turned to her, his face pale as realization dawned. "Lord Anjo... he was possessed. That dark force we've been chasing—it isn't him. He was just the vessel, the puppet. There's someone much more powerful behind him, someone controlling everything."
Jea stepped forward, her brow furrowing in confusion. "But why would Anjo... I mean, he's the one we've been chasing. He was the one who—"
Mathea held up her hand to stop her. "He was possessed. That's the only explanation. His descent into madness, his lust for power—it wasn't him. It was the force controlling him. The same force that we've been fighting all along. Lord Anjo was never the mastermind."
"Then who?" Athena demanded, her voice sharp with frustration.
Andrei closed his eyes as if concentrating. "I don't know, but there's something in the air… I can feel it now. Something far older, darker, and stronger than anything we've encountered."
Suddenly, they all turned as Yhan Yhan, Athena's lion companion, let out a low growl, its golden eyes gleaming in the darkening light. The lion had been unusually quiet during their journey through the forest, but now, it stood frozen, its gaze unwavering.
Mathea's heart skipped a beat as she looked down at the lion. "What is it, Yhan Yhan?"