Beastforged Bond B4 Chapter 23

Was it a stupid idea to tell the Zerogs about Volix? Probably.

Was it even stupider to tell Lea when she didn’t even like ? Definitely! There was no doubt about that.

But the situation wasn’t that easy. I couldn’t tell everyone else about Volix and keep her in the dark. Actually, I could do just that, but it would destroy the purpose of telling the others.

I wanted to be fair and tell everyone about Volix. Maybe they’d be able to help co up with a solution that did not involve leaving the Bastion.

The Zerogs and my parents should be allowed to know everything to connect the dots and draw the pig picture. They needed to understand the danger they were in. That the Ruler of Fire may co knocking on their doors any day now.

Do you really expect him to knock on their doors? He will set the building on fire and lt it to the ground the mont he finds out about us.

Volix corrected .

You think I shouldn’t tell them?

No, you definitely should tell them. rlin already knows and after our stunt two days ago it’s only a matter of ti before the Zerogs find out as well.

Volix did not seem particularly worried, which was not very helpful.

At the end of the day, it was possible to tell that I did not have a sacred fla. Or that I did have a Soulkin with fiery wings. Phoenixes were not the only beasts with wings wreathed in fire. It was unlikely anyone would approach to ask if I had a phoenix as Soulkin from what a few witnesses had seen two days ago.

However, those I did not want to know about would be suspicious. Those who knew about my sacred fla would realize I lied to them or that I hid sothing from them. And that was reason enough to approach – if they found out. The civilian witnesses were too traumatised. Their gossip would never reach the Rulers. But could the sa be said if soldiers talked about my fight with the Master-ranked Outsider? I…couldn’t be certain.

That was why I had to tell the rest, hoping for the best while expecting the worst.

Hence, when everyone finally ca together for lunch, I revealed everything. I talked about the Caldera, ntioned my training in the Pyrosh and how it resulted in the birth of a fla in my World and the temporary bond with sothing I couldn’t quite grasp at that ti. Next up ca the part I hate the most. The part where Ruler Kazriel and the other Rulers used us to get to the Elental Phoenix.

It was the first ti I ntioned Volix in front of the Zerogs. Lea did not look particularly surprised, and neither did Daniel and rlin. Peter and Chloe Zerog, on the other hand, were surprised. They’d heard about the Rulers’ failed attempt of subduing Emperor beasts through the grapevine, but realized only now that I’d been present. That I had been there when the Rulers and a full-fledged Emperor beast fought.

To say my parents were shocked as they listened was an understatent, but it only promised to get worse.

I ntioned the fight, told them how Ruler Kazriel and the Space Ruler died, and went on with the story until we reached the grand finale.

“The Elental Phoenix lost. The Ruler of Fire used an orb that consud the phoenix’s flas, weakening it enough to overpower it.” I said, sighing deeply at the mory.

Although I was sure Volix could have escaped the Rulers even before the battle started – or even in the middle of the fight –, he did not do such a thing. He fought, killed two Rulers, and–

“The phoenix chose to kill itself to escape Raffael Torch’s claws. Because it never really died. It would have risen from the ashes once more, after all.” I looked around and caught everyone listening intently. Even rlin had stopped eating and was laser focused on .

“It succeeded. It killed itself in an explosion. The Elental Phoenix’s flas filled the underground cavern, harming Rulers and their Soulkins, while the remaining Caldera and I survived. At least, I think the Caldera survived because the Spiritcaller and his people were no longer with when the phoenix’s flas dispersed.” I took a deep breath, “As for the phoenix, it disappeared as well.”

“Raffael Torch was angry. I-...I don’t think I’ve ever seen soone as angry – or crazy – as that man.” My heart skipped a beat and the hesitation I’d brushed aside until now resurfaced. My lips parted to continue but no word ca out for a few seconds.

“And that man is going to kill if he finds out…” My hair stood at its end, my heartbeat loud enough to muffle the noise of the world around . It took a good minute to calm down, “If he finds out that I have the Elental Phoenix.”

My gaze moved through the room, a Silence ether circuit actively isolating it, my heartbeat quickening up once more. I was not quite sure what to expect, but it was certainly not Daniel leaping to his feet.

“Is that what you’ve been hiding from ?!” He gestured wildly in my direction, “So everything you said about that human-eating tree was bullshit? You wanted to distract and made believe that nonsense!”

Right, I totally forgot I told him about that. I cursed myself.

It had been a while since I told Daniel about the World Tree. While I didn’t go into detail, I did tell him that I’d bound the sapling of a human-eating Emperor beast – tree.

You could lie to him.

Volix hinted at the obvious.

Yeah, I could lie to Daniel, but I didn’t want to. I was so damn tired of lying and hiding.

“I didn’t lie to you. That’s a different matter.” I forced a smile as I looked at Daniel, then turned back to return to the main topic. “I have no idea how it happened but the Elental Phoenix bound itself to when it sacrificed itself. It hid in the fla born in the Pyrosh, turning the temporary bond into sothing permanent. But the phoenix was not reborn just yet. It beca part of the ‘sacred fla’.”

“Is that why the scientists detected a sacred fla rather than the phoenix?” rlin asked in an even voice.

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The way he spoke caught the others’ attention. Chloe Zerog narrowed her eyes at her sibling’s behavior, but she didn’t say anything.

“Yes. The scientists failed to find Volix. Not even the Ruler of Fire could find him because he was not yet reborn when he ca to visit . He stared into my World and nearly tore it apart in the process, but he could not find him. That won’t happen when he cos back.”

Not ‘if’ but ‘when’ because there was no doubt Raffael would co back.

“Riggght, there was that!” Daniel exclaid, “The Ruler of Fire ca to visit you, to bring you Kazriel’s inheritance. You did ntion sothing about him nearly damaging your World.”

He nodded, looking way too proud to be rembering sothing I told him not even a year ago. And soone like that was already a full-fledged Beaster.

Daniel had so special monts. Stupid monts most of the ti, but monts nonetheless.

“So you’re saying that there is an Emperor beast in your World?” Lea narrowed her eyes at him, “The Elental Phoenix the Ruler of Fire wanted to be the first human to reach the next Rank? The sa phoenix for which the Council decided to forsake the Pact? That phoenix?”

I almost felt like Lea wanted to punch , but I nodded anyway. “Volix is currently a Guardian beast, but he can reach the Emperor rank if given enough soul energy.”

“They succeeded then.” She snorted, “Not in the way they expected to, but they succeeded.

Lea halted for a mont. Her face underwent a dozen emotions, “Doesn’t that an you are the only one with an Emperor beast after Ruler Saphira got herself killed? Wait…if Ruler Saphira got killed for breaking the Pact but you weren’t, doesn’t that an–...”

Her head flicked toward rlin.

“The Pact’s enforcers killed Ruler Saphira. They also took the Ruler of Fire’s arm for attempting to bind the Elental Phoenix. He failed but the enforcer didn’t care.” rlin explained.

“Cynthia.” I mouthed quietly, but rlin heard anyway.

“Volix – the Elental Phoenix – told about Cynthia when she arrived to punish the Ruler of Fire. He called her sister, but I don’t think they’re actually siblings.” I turned to Daniel and added, “At the graduation ceremony.”

My friend nodded like he understood everything perfectly fine. He even gave a thumbs up, his earlier temper tantrum forgotten.

Peter Zerog cleared his throat, his deanor all business-like. “I am happy you told us about this, but why? Why did you tell us about this? What do you want from us?”

Chloe chidded her husband but he didn’t budge.

“I wanted to warn you.” I spoke truthfully. “Once the Ruler of Fire finds out, he will co here. I don’t know enough about him to make a good call, but I am sure he will research my background. He may have a short temper and act a little crazy, but he is not stupid. The Ruler is ambitious, and he will do everything humanly possible to get what he wants.”

“What you an to say is that you dood us. The entire family.” Peter summarized. “The Elental Phoenix is too weak to fight Raffael Torch, so we will either have to hide its presence until it is strong enough so we do no longer have to fear the Ruler of Fire, or we will all die.”

It was a little brusk, but I didn’t hate Peter’s directness. Although his pessimistic persona was a little strong.

“Hiding will be difficult. I had to fuse with Volix in front of others two days ago. A Master-ranked Outsider would have killed and everyone present if I hadn’t done that.” My cheeks burned red in sha as the words left my mouth.

rlin groaned and got up, several holographic screens popping up before him.

“You should have told .” He grunted before leaving the room and speaking into his watch.

The towering man didn’t co back for a few minutes, his brows creased. “My people will take care of that. Nobody will see, hear, or say anything about your little fusion. Raffael will never find out about it.”

I stared blankly at rlin, and so did the others. “What? We don’t want anyone to know about the phoenix, or do we?”

Peter shook his head. He didn’t seem fully convinced but dropped the matter.

“Tell about the fusion. I will relay to my people what they need to pay attention to and how to respond if soone questions your power.” rlin continued, motioning to start speaking.

So I did. I told rlin how my fusion with Volix worked, what others could see, and, most importantly, that I’d never summoned Volix in his full glory.

“Rember, the Elental Phoenix does not exist. If soone asks, your sacred fla evolved into an eagle-shaped Greater Elental.” rlin said when I was done, his attention shifting from to the others and then back to the holographic screens around him.

“Do you think that will work?” I asked, honestly not quite sure.

“No.” rlin said flatly, “It won’t work forever, but it will give us so ti. Enough ti to kill Raffael Torch, hopefully.”

Kill him? That… Was that possible?

Chloe stared at her brother for a long minute. “You want to kill him?”

She didn’t even sound surprised, and only sighed when rlin looked up to et her eyes.

“Is it because of Sera? Her death was an accident, and you know that! Seekers die all the ti. Their job is just that dangerous.” Chloe tried to reason with her brother, but rlin’s jaw tightened.

He didn’t answer right away, his eyes filled with a fire I hadn’t seen before.

“Yes and no. I do want to kill him because of Sera. Not because it was his mission that killed her but because he killed her. Sera’s death was not an accident. It was murder.” rlin growled, “And it was not the first ti he killed innocent people. Raffael Torch does what he wants, whenever he wants to. Nobody is willing to stand up against him. Even the Rulers are too scared to fight him. I am not! Neither are my people.”

He took a deep breath and turned back toward . “You won’t have to run away, but you need to grow stronger. A lot stronger. I think you are tired of hiding, of running away. So am I. I am done hiding.”

The hierarchy had to change. Raffael Torch had been at the top of the food chain long enough. His tyranny had to end.

If he dies, I won’t have to hide anymore.

But how was I supposed to kill soone like the Ruler of Fire? Wasn’t that just a suicide mission?

rlin looked determined. He was ready to take his shot, even if it cost his life.

The enemy of my enemy was my friend. But were we strong enough to kill a Ruler?

Maybe not yet, but rlin’s Soulkin was preparing for an evolution. His wyvern would beco a dragon if everything worked out as intended. The evolution wouldn’t be fast. It could take up to a year.

A year. That would be long enough for to fill several Unblemished Gates. If I push a little, it shouldn’t be impossible to fill a Guardian Gate.

In a year, Nox would beco a Guardian beast. Aureus would grow as well, and it would be possible to push Volix to the Peak of the Guardian rank.

It was a bit of a ti crunch – a lot if I had to be honest –, however, it was possible. It had to be.

“Are we really going to fight a Ruler?” Daniel asked, the smile on his lips a great contrast to the determination in his eyes.

All we needed was a year. As long as Raffael stayed away from for one more year, we could be strong enough to fight him. Possibly.

“I hope your people are as good as you say.” I grimaced at rlin.

He flashed a predatory smile, “They’re even better.”

“They better be,” Peter grunted, rubbing his forehead, “If not, everyone here is going to die. Hell, we might die even if they’re as good as you say.”