They angered it.

Liam thought that if he could escape now he couldn't do it on his own, but if there was something to distract those two, even for a minute then he could succeed. He could only think of one way to do that;

''The Phoenix hates the villagers so much. If they get close, the Phoenix will probably sense them and punch them.''

he thought ''I can run away then!''

As long as these crazy people don't babble nonsense about me killing it. I'm going to be okay...

HARSH PUSH...!!

Liam was scared thinking of a way out of this and hesitating. then suddenly he was pushed by a kick from the man behind and fell to the ground!

'Liam!!!'

'those bas****!!!!'

His parents were full of rage and swore at the men, but they couldn't do anything more to Liam who was panicking on the inside but looking emotionless while standing from his fall.

(Hey shitty brat, hurry up and get going!!)

The man urged him, but Liam was trying to calm the chaotic thoughts;

''...It's okay, I am going to be okay. I have to stay calm like always, only then I can survive...''

'' Right, the Phenex won't hurt me. I could feel from the first time I borrowed the fire that she did not want me to use it even if she gave it to me, so, although I requested it, I took nothing of that fire for myself.''

No matter how cold I was, my parents said, me sleeping in their loving cold embrace combined with the warm embrace of the stable animals is a hundred times safer than sleeping beside the fire of an angry Phoenix.

Mom said that these hateful people were bringing doom upon themselves. Because if you stay by the fire for a long time, its power was bonded to seep inside the body. But even if it enter their bodies, it was still the Phoenix's power and no one else's.

Even though I risk my life every time I go to borrow the fire. I did not bring hell to myself by keeping a fire that will never be mine. I told them repeatedly that it was merely a "borrowed" fire.

I had no way to save them as they did not believe whatever I said, and their reactions became harsher by the day, to the point that I had no spot on my skin without a bruise.

Why do I care about them?

From the start of my memories, I had nowhere to sleep but the stables and nothing to eat but the food I found in the woods with my parents' help... I would get beaten up even if I was too sick to search for food and ate their animals' feed...

Why did I warn them about the Phoenix again?

I don't even remember anymore...

.................

we walked till we reached our destination, but then I saw something more shocking than anything I've ever seen; I was like... ''wait... what?''

and the words seeped out from my lips

(My God... just what did you people do to it?? why is she so angry?)

(just continue walking when you are told nicely!!)

I was scolded and harshly pushed forward when I exclaimed in shock.

As I walked through what used to be houses, not only the houses, everything near the place where the Iron cage was, as well as the path I just came from...

All was turning into a fire path and ashes...

What did they do to anger the Phoenix to this extent?

'why....path?'

(What is wrong with the path?)

I asked dad in a small voice why he pointed out the path.

'.... Means..... invite....waiting.'

Creating a path means they are inviting and waiting for someone...

That's right, why else would the Phoenix meaninglessly create a path instead of burning everything down? But inviting who?

Impossible... did they tell her I was coming to fight?! Is she mocking a child who was pushed to a suicide mission?

'... not worry....prideful...not spiteful...most be... important.'

'yes...although extremely sad.. not hostile.'

...Yes, mom and dad are correct. After calming down, I can feel it.

The fire... It's heartbreakingly sad as if... I murmured:

(...as if it was welcoming a friend attending a funeral)

There is no hostility...

at least not toward me...

(Aaaaaaaak..!!!!)

(Aaaaaaa!!!)

(?!!)

As I thought so, Lek and Lee, the two big guys, started screaming and rolling on the ground in agony, as if their insides were burning up.

((correct))

(?!!!)

A deep voice suddenly sounded.

An enormous, mighty red bird reached down from the sky.

The fire sadly danced along with the flapping fiery red wings. The eyes were bloodshot. No, blood was already flowing from them instead of tears...