"Could you be from the Great War of the Succession?" Xerxes asked, the question sounding equally illogical and terrifying.
They took a moment to think, attempting to recollect memories. Yet it seemed fruitless, judging by their response. "I believe I am. My mission, too, seems unclear, but this era seems to be the right time for me. In a way, I believe I have been waiting not for someone like you, but exactly you, Xerxes."
"Me?" Xerxes thought aloud. What made him so special? What made him destined to be chosen by a phoenix? These questions spiralled continually in his mind, but what use were they? Neither the phoenix nor Xerxes had any knowledge of it.
Xerxes felt insignificant in the great tapestry of the world, and so he found it difficult to believe that such a 'responsibility', if he could even call it that, was placed upon his shoulders.
It seemed things in his life were only going to grow stranger and stranger. For heaven's sake, he had been plunged into the Fallen Kingdom, had lived to tell the tale, and now he was tethered to one who hailed from the Great War of the Succession.
"I know not why all of this is happening, but there is a reasoning behind it. Behind everything, there is a reasoning, but I believe we can only discover it through travelling together. The secrets of our lives will be unveiled, that I am sure of."
Secrets will be unveiled, he thought. All his life, Xerxes had lived a secret, in a strange way. He had been found by Vanessa outside the Fallen Kingdom, in the war of man and beast, without any reason behind it. He would be lying if he said he did not want to know why it was that way.
He would be lying if he said he did not want to know why he was alive now.
People spend their lives searching for answers, after all. Whether it is trying to reach a certain station, confirming romantic interests, or ensuring one is to carry out a particular calling. All things start as questions to oneself, but the real test is whether or not they can seek those answers. Sometimes it resulted in heartbreak, sometimes in grief, but even with those risks, Xerxes wanted to know what his life and purpose truly meant.
"Well then, I think it is time you broke out of that shell of yours. I recently did it, in a way, and you knew it. You helped me do that, so I think I should help you."
Xerxes' eyes then opened, and a feeling of warmth surrounded his entire body. It was different from healing mana; this heat was more intense, but in a way relaxing and soothing to himself.
He looked left, to where the egg had been, but he saw nothing. The egg was not there anymore, and instead what he witnessed made his mouth go slack, opening in amazement.
Smoke clung to the phoenix like a veil, the scent of ash and molten stone still hanging in the air. Her wings trembled, feathers half-formed, glowing as though each strand of quill radiated fire.
Slowly, deliberately, she spread them, sparks dripping from her body and vanishing before they met the ground. She preened with an unnatural calm, drawing her beak across smouldering plumage, as if remembering the shape of herself after an eternity in the dark.
Then her head lifted, gazing at Xerxes. Golden eyes, slit like a serpent's, locked onto him. In their depths burned more than flame; there was something she was holding within, but the only way to bring it out, as she had said, was to be with Xerxes. Her feathers flared brighter, and the phoenix had fully awoken.
"A real phoenix," he breathed. "I-I've only ever thought of you as simple tales we were told, but you are actually real. You're real!" he exclaimed.
"Of course I am," it said, its voice devoid of sadness. "I am here as a living example, albeit most of my kind are most likely dead, from what you have told me." Memories of the past were voided, which meant they could not be sad about something they could not remember.
An idea immediately sprang into his mind. "I think it is rude, calling you 'phoenix', or 'the voice'. Do you have a name in mind? If not, it is totally okay, I have just the thing in mind!"
It seemed to be in thought, and Xerxes was slightly hoping their name did not come to mind. But then words were coming out. "If I use my name from the past, it may spark some issues, so I believe you should name me. If it is not obvious, I am a female." A pause, then she added, "I should also mention, when you give me a name, my power will surge into you, as we fully tether our souls to one another."
Xerxes held back his excitement in naming her, not wanting anything unprecedented to happen. He did not want to make the Truth family worry, so he suggested to Airi, "Well, there is no time like the present to introduce you to them."
Airi agreed. She knew her power was vast and a sudden surge in it could incinerate the surroundings, so she flew towards Xerxes' shoulder. Xerxes almost flinched, perhaps thinking that the flames would burn him, but they did not. They did not burn him in the slightest way. They were, as he had thought before, relaxing and soothing.
He then decided to walk to where he sensed Aemon's mana, which was the main hall. The doors opened as Xerxes pulled them open. The eyes of the family fell upon him, with the phoenix resting on his shoulder. That simple act was enough to make them all believe what Aliya and Aemon had mentioned, about beast and man being bonded.
Xerxes grinned. "I'm feeling awake, and I'm feeling great. She's hatched out of her shell!"
Their gazes locked onto her, as she returned them. It was not hostility; there was nothing hostile about the stares, it was just fascination. Aemon spoke. "By the gods, it really is an ancient beast. And does it speak?"
Xerxes nodded. "Yeah, she can speak, verbally and through my thoughts too. She does not mean any harm, though she has lost a great many of her memories. I need to fill you lot in, but first I must name her. She told me that giving her a name would fully connect our tie to each other, which could unleash a whole lot of power."
Putting a hand on his chin, Aemon thought of what it could mean. By the looks of her, her power was of the fire nature, meaning that there could be a significant amount of flames. They needed to be in a place where they would be safe from the flames, where no one would be harmed.
"I believe you need to name her in a place where no one could be harmed. If that is the case, then I will take you to the lower city."
Xerxes' head tilted slightly. "Lower city?"
Aemon smiled, whilst resting his head on his fist. "I believe it is better if we show you. It is something I have made amongst the years in case of any dire events; this one could be one of the events included."
Xerxes acknowledged the explanation, but still, he found it hard to believe that just by giving a name, there could be so much power unleashed.
***
Nevertheless, they all made their way outside of the castle walls and travelled behind the castle, outside of the view of any citizens. They ventured through the hilly terrain with pace, and eventually arrived at a sealed door that seemed to weigh more than a hundred trees and emitted no mana.
Leiya had never seen this place, judging by the look upon her face. It was strange to her, for all her years spent within this barrier, she had never seen this. "What exactly is the lower city?" she asked.
Aemon chuckled, allowing the scene to speak for itself. He then used his unique power, which changed the colour and look of his eyes, as he poured it into the seal. The hatched markings upon it began to glow in a runic letter Xerxes could not decipher, as it began to slowly open, levitating upwards.
"I had this lower city created in case of anything going wrong with the barrier." He then took a step, for there seemed to be a staircase that led down, prompting everyone to follow him. "You see, the Fallen Kingdom can always be unpredictable, even for a family who has been living here for hundreds of years. That is why we always ensure that there are countermeasures, that there are procedures and a backup. Which is why I had this made."
And down below, Xerxes noticed an array of multiple things that would ensure the livelihood of his people. There were spare weapons and materials that could be used to forge armour or weaponry. There were potions and various plants that could be used to brew particular potions. Additionally, there were many crops and even livestock that were down here, all maintained through magical practices Aemon had likely placed in here many years ago, with earthen-like creatures tending to everything and storing it.
"Amazing," Xerxes and Leiya said in union, gasping at it all below them. There was so much in here, and it stretched for miles; it could definitely occupy every single citizen here, ensuring their needs were met and that they had the equipment to travel through the Fallen Kingdom if need be.
Conrad then spoke. "Not only is it amazing, my old man has put many things in here to stop the escapage of mana, which is why Xerxes is down here. We should have told you sooner about these things, but as he said, this is a place for extreme situations, and one of those could be now."
Xerxes chuckled. "There is not any reason you need to feel bad about it. I am glad you trust me with the knowledge of this place. I am just ready to name her."
Airi also commented, "I shall do my best to restrain my power."
Xerxes and the phoenix were then directed to a particular section of the room, which seemed to be reinforced, dimming the emission of mana.
Leiya then said, "Well, if you are going to name her, make sure it is something cute."
Xerxes looked down. He could not name her anything generic. Most pets people had were named after some sort of fruit, sweet treat, or something along those lines, but the name he had in mind for her was something totally different. In Layne, this name had two meanings, 'light'—and not light in the general sense of illuminating a room, but the light that illuminated a path. He believed that this name would fit her perfectly.
"Of course, Leiya, I will give her a 'cute' name. So how about it, Airi?"
He looked down at Airi as she thought on the name, and then nodded her head. "Airi it is, then."
Suddenly a burst of flames emitted from Airi, and Xerxes' body grew with a burning golden and ethereal light. Reflexes got the better of Aemon, as he immediately cast a shield of mana, using his earthen and water elements to dim the fire and create protection, which he did successfully.
Xerxes was engulfed by the flames, but they did not harm him. He embraced them and decided to take them on as part of himself. If they were truly linked by some method of fate, then Xerxes would openly accept it. He did want a measure of control in his life, but sometimes it was acceptable for life to take its own path.
And it was now.
Xerxes then tried to ease his mind, attempting to understand Airi's being more: her physical body, her worldly desires, and her innermost thoughts and power. He understood the feeling of being lost, whilst needing to accomplish so much more. It was something that he and Airi both shared, so he needed to embrace that and work alongside her.
The flames around him slowly became dimmer and less potent to those around, as the light finally faded.
Xerxes had tethered successfully to Airi.