The Golden Throne

The phoenix winced with pain. She looked at Liu Feng. 

"You are a fire mage, right? Come here. I need your help.", the phoenix said faintly. Liu Feng nodded as he headed over to the phoenix. Though in human form, it seemed like all of the injuries that she had taken were quite distinctly visible on her body. All over the fair skin were marks and cuts. In the places where blood was coming out, the bruises were pitch black. Liu Feng sucked in air when he took a look at how bad the injuries were.

"What do you need?", Liu Feng asked her.

"You recently entered the sixth order, I can feel a concentration of mana within you. Give me the fire element mana, not the water. Careful, the fire can be a tonic, but water is a poison to me at my vulnerable state.", the phoenix gasped for breath.

Liu Feng nodded, and he turned away from the phoenix. He exhaled hard, and he felt a lot of the mana from his body leave him.

"What are you doing?", the phoenix asked Liu Feng.

"I am exhaling all of the other mana that I have so that I will have only fire mana within me.", Liu Feng responded swiftly.

"Other mana? Funny, when you have only one other- wait, I see wind and earth? What is happening here? Who are you, human? How is it that you have more than two elements? How are the spirits in accordance with such a monstrosity.", the phoenix looked at Liu Feng like she was looking at a monster.

Liu Feng wanted to explain, but he heard a voice in his head. "No. This is a secret. Find something you can distract her with. No one can know that more than two spirits reside within your contract. No one can know.", Zeus spoke with his thundering voice.

Liu Feng nodded and he said, "I was taking in mana too quickly, and I took all the mana in a hurry to defeat the demon. You are thinking too much of it.". He continued expelling the mana in his body until only the liquid fire mana was in his core. It was not easy. He had to keep the fire mana inside his body, without letting it move, and only removing the other mana. But, he got it done because of the urgency. He did not want a potential ally to die on him.

"Drop your mana on my wounds.", the phoenix instructed Liu Feng. Liu Feng complied. He moved her feathery dress that seemed to be made from her own feathers and dripped the mana on her injuries. The moment a drop of mana fell on a wound, it sizzled, and the dark wound looked healthier. Soon after, Liu Feng used up all of his mana and the phoenix looked much better than before.

"Well, isn't that a relief? I thought that you would try and kill me. Well, I guess that sometimes, humans have some sense.", the phoenix commented.

"Well, why is it that you have a deep hatred towards all humans? You must understand that there are distinctions within humans as well.", Liu Feng asked the phoenix. It was a very curious thing after all.

"Why do I hate humans? Is that a serious question? How do you think those demons even arrived on the continent? Do you think they just flew over an entire kingdom? They had help, and chances are, that help was a human kingdom. You, humans, are just creatures of desire, and greed. Why would you even think that I would harbour any good feelings for a race that Is known for betrayal?", the phoenix scoffed. Its voice, however, was not nearly as domineering and powerful as when Liu Feng first spoke to the phoenix. She seemed to have taken a lot of damage during the fight.

"You cannot possibly think that just because of the mistake of one human, or a few humans, you can take it out on the entire race! Look at me. Even though I am a human, I helped you take care of the demons. I was given the opportunity to join their side, but I did not. There are more humans than you can imagine who would make the exact same decision, even though they are powerless.", Liu Feng countered.

"What is your point boy?", the phoenix asked Liu Feng.

"Well, since you have to stay somewhere for a year, and you know... recover. I think that I have a place for you to stay. I have to practise combat in the magical forest for a few weeks, but if you want, I can give you directions to a city that I own."

"So you are a lord among the humans? Scum among scum?"

"How can you call me scum based on my birth? I helped you defeat a legion of demons."

"You call that a legion? You are far too shielded from the world. Well, they do say that ignorance is bliss. What you have seen there is just a small reckon team. The demon general wanted to capture me so he acted on his own. If an actual legion was here, the magical forest would have been flattened by an all-out war. The entire magic forest would have to come out to even stand a chance. If there were an entire legion here, then forget trying to win the war, after the war is over, all of the magical beasts will have to relocate to another destination. Where do you think they will go? The demons are far more powerful than you can imagine, human. And you humans were just cowards who forced yourselves to forget that."

Liu Feng felt shivers along his spine. He knew that he survived the day by sheer luck alone, and that if he had not realized that he could compress mana, then he would have died. In fact, Liu Feng knew that he would die a horrible death. The only reason he was able to defeat that demon was because of the demon's arrogance that caused a sudden break through for Liu Feng.

"Well, you will not be alone. As you know, I am the contractor of the King of Fire, Pyrus. That means that the dragons are under my regime. They will come to my city in a few months. You will have ample company, and I am sure that my city will change your view of the human world."

"Dragons? And do you really think that this will change my mind all of a sudden? Do you really think that I am hesitating because of lack of company? Look around, child. Do you see anyone here? You are one of the few who saw me and still live to tell the tale.", the phoenix scoffed.

"Why are you against humans? Forget all that. The city of mine has a survivor from the ancient times. This is the one city that is preparing for the demon war that could be coming up. I am sure that you would want to fight for the continent.", Liu Feng brought up his final card, patriotism for the continent.

The Phoenix thought about it for a while, and said, "Where is your city? I will see what you have to say. I do owe you a debt for helping me with the battle. But remember, I have to recover my mana in two years at the latest. If the mythical beasts in the forest know that I have gone to the human realms, there will be chaos. Especially if there are dragons as you have said. In general, the beasts here hate dragons.", the phoenix warned.

"I have been meaning to ask someone, why do the beasts here hate the dragons? Arad had told me the same thing.", Liu Feng asked.

"Your friend, Arad, is very knowledgeable. The fight between dragons and the king of the forest was a few centuries ago. I am not sure about the reasons for the fight, you will have to ask the dragons themselves."

"Wait, why does the current king still hold a grudge against the dragons?"

"Not all beasts are mortals, human. You are merely limited by your knowledge. There are multiple beasts in the forest that are eternally immortal, as long as their respectable elements are in abundance where they live. I am the only one at a disadvantage in this forest because fire corresponds with destruction, and such a habitat cannot exist in this sanctuary of beasts.", the phoenix sighed.

Liu Feng muttered. "Mythical beasts? So is there truth in Chinese myths? I always thought that it was just fiction that somebody made up. Who knew that it was actually real? It seems that this world is truly connected to Earth. I have much that I need to find out, too many things to check. Wow. life is such a riddle." 

"What are you muttering about child?"

"Nothing. Well, since you have agreed with my proposal, you can go to my city, Dilheim."

Liu Feng gave the phoenix directions and told her what to do if she got lost.

"Remember, never show your face. A young beauty will gather attention, and you definitely don't want that. Once you get to Dilheim, go to the mage tower, and ask to meet the master. Show him this letter that I will write, and he will arrange for your accommodations. I guarantee that they will be first-class."

"Whatever, it's just a few years. I don't know why I am even doing this.", the phoenix shrugged as she looked at the direction that she was supposed to head over to.