Birth 1.

There's really no great way to start this off. I honestly don't know how to explain the fact that I'm being chased out of Stonebrook City by the entire city guard. Okay, fine. Maybe I do know, and maybe it's because I was caught in the bedchamber of a maiden who may have been the jarl's daughter. I would love to jump from this window and escape from this city as fast as possible, but first let me explain how I found myself in this situation to begin with....

It was a cool autumn evening. I just finished my noble duties for the day and was getting ready to retire to my bedchamber. I just walked out of the great hall when I heard a familiar voice calling me.

"Lord Kaiya!"

I turned my head to find my head servant, Sera, running to catch up to me.

"Yes, Sera? Is something wrong?"

"Sorry, my lord. Your father asked me to find you and tell you to go see him in his study."

"Thank you, Sera. You may take your leave. Be sure to change my bed with fresh linens before I return."

"Yes, my lord."

Sera bowed her head and left to take care of her duties. While I wondered what my father could possibly want, I made my way to his study.

On the way, I decided to pass through the gardens. I often came through here just to remind myself of my mother. She left when my brother and I were very young. She always had a compassionate heart. Which is exactly what led to her being banished from our homeland. She was caught helping a rival clan, which is a major taboo. Since my father is the Patriarch of our clan, he was the one to ultimately decide my mother's punishment. My brother and I pleaded with him to not kill our mother, so he decided to banish her instead. I know what you're thinking, 'How can a phoenix be killed?'. Well, it honestly isn't that hard. When a phoenix dies, our physical bodies burst into flames. Our soul leaves our bodies and a new body is reconstructed from the ashes. Then our soul enters the new body and we are reborn. It takes a couple of days for our strength to return after we revive, so it's easier to kill us again and again. In the phoenix clans, being killed over and over is a type of punishment called 'The Wheel of Hell'. Some of us that have undergone the punishment have been known to go insane. I'm just thankful that my father had mercy on my mother. Instead, she was branded with a curse mark that would destroy her soul if she were to step foot into our country. I think of her sometimes. I often think of leaving to find where she went, but I have many duties to fulfill here since I'm next in line for the patriarch seat.

After arriving at the door to my father's study, I knock and wait for him to answer.

"Come in."

I open the door and see my father staring out over the horizon from the balcony.

"You wished to see me, father?"

"Yes. I have something I wish to discuss with you."

I wonder what it could be. Father normally isn't this serious. He turns to look at me.

"Do you remember your cousin, Luther?"

"I believe he left for a quest from his adventuring guild, correct?"

"Yes. Although that's just what the public knows."

"What do you mean?!"

I was shocked. It was common knowledge that Luther had left the city to embark on a quest for his guild. My father saw the disbelief on my face.

"The real reason he left was kept classified as to not stir up panic in our city. The real reason he's gone is because he chose to betray us. He fled during the night to go to the Kangar clan."

"Is he mad?!"

I would've never guessed someone from the Zanathor clan would betray us to side with the Kangar clan. It just didn't make sense. The Kangar clan is one of the three great phoenix clans. Aside from the Zanathor and Kangar clans, there's also the Dafor clan. Each clan is ruled by a great phoenix who gifted their powers to chosen warriors a very long time ago. They named each clan after themselves and allowed their chosen ones to keep their family names. Lan' Zanathor chose Liza Hurtzer, Ral' Dafor chose the twins Pedra and Zayne Nylan, and Zan' Kangar chose Beatrice Owen. The great ones tend to stay out of our family affairs due to the God Covenant. The God Covenant was put into place by all of the major gods coming together and deciding that it was against the way of nature for gods to directly intervene in worldly matters. That's why they all chose warriors to do their bidding in the mortal realm. Since Luther has decided to betray the Zanathor clan, he is likely going to have his soul destroyed by the great Lan' Zanathor himself. Destroying the soul of a phoenix is the only way to truly kill them for good.

"Is there a reason that you're telling me all of this?"

"The great one has spoken Kaiya."

He can't be serious!

"I'm guessing he wants me to go after Luther?"

My father is normally a cheerful guy, so when I saw the concerned look on his face, I knew that there wasn't going to be any negotiation with Luther.

"He wants me to kill Luther, correct?"

"It's what must be done, Kaiya. He betrayed the clan, therefore betraying the great one. We all know that we only have the great one to think for our way of life. Without him, we would be like any other mortal of this realm.''

My father had a point. Without Lan' Zanathor, none of our family would be immortal.

"Why did he choose me?"

"Some in our clan believe that you aren't fit to be patriarch, so the great one said that if you were to complete this task for our clan then it will prove that you have the ability to take over as head of the family when the time comes."

I talked to my father a while longer. He told me that I would leave tomorrow afternoon, and filled me in on where Luther was hiding out. After saying goodnight, I returned to my room to prepare for my journey.

I awoke the next day and finished up with my preparations. My brother, Samwell, came into my bedchamber.

"Goodmorning! Are you prepared for your journey?"

"As prepared as I can be, I guess. What brings you to my chambers?"

"Father was busy with an elders meeting and told me to come to see you off, and give you this."

He handed me a rolled-up parchment. I unrolled it to have a look at it. It was a map of the country between us and the Kangar clan.

"Remember that traveling through the humans' country is very different from here. You will have to be careful not to kill someone unnecessarily. They can't be reborn like us."

He gave a lighthearted chuckle after saying that.

"I'll keep that in mind."

I gave a smile back. We said our goodbyes and I set off to complete my mission.

I walked to the edge of our city and gazed out towards the horizon. Fire combusted from my back as my wings formed from the flames. I took one last look at the city and shot into the sky in a blazing streak.

It took me a couple of hours to reach the edge of our country.

"Looks like I should walk from here."

I sighed. This the second time in my life that I've traveled away from home. The first time was to visit one of the smaller villages in our country, so we didn't have to travel on foot. This was different. The humans aren't used to seeing anything other than normals birds flying in the sky, not an immortal being engulfed in fire.

After a couple of more hours, I came across the first city on the map my father gave me and decided to sleep there for the night since it was getting late. The city gate was open and the guards weren't paying enough attention to notice me enter the city. The humans had a weird architecture. They built their homes and shops out of mostly wood. It was very different than the stone buildings back home. I walked through the market stalls as they were closing up for the night. I never had to go to the market myself. Normally Sera does my shopping for me, so I've never gotten to see how the commoners live their lives. Maybe I'll visit the market at home when I return.

After reaching the end of the market road, I decided that it was time to rest for the night. I remembered that the humans call their city rulers 'jarls', so I look around for a building that a jarl would live in. I look up to the hill in the center of the city and decide that must be where the jarl is. I have a thought that maybe I can convince him to let me sleep there for the night.

After reaching the door to the jarl's longhouse, I ask one of the guards if I could speak with the jarl. He first told me that the jarl isn't seeing visitors, but I slipped him a few gold coins from my coin purse and he let me in.

The jarl was sitting on his chair at the back of the hall.

"Who might this young man be to enter the hall of Jarl Lancaster?"

"My apologies, your grace. I did not mean to intrude. I am Kaiya Hurtzer of the great Zanathor phoenix clan."

"Zanathor! You're one of the immortal warriors! By the gods! I haven't seen your kind in many years. Since I was a small boy. Come. Tell this old man what brings such a person to my city."

Jarl Lancaster waves for me to come forward. A servant pulls up a chair for me at the jarl's table.

"Thank you for your kindness, your grace. I am on a top priority mission for my clan. I was wondering if it is possible for me to sleep here for the night?"

The jarl pours me a glass of wine and hands it to me.

"Of course, of course! That certainly won't be a problem. We have plenty of rooms. Just find an empty one and lay your head. Before you retire to your room, let us drink to celebrate our meeting here today!"

The jarl downed his wine and let out a loud burp. He poured another glass and our night of drinking began. We talked and drank for hours as we shared stories of our pasts.

After many laughs and drinks later, the jarl passed out in his chair and I was stumbling around looking for an empty room. I came across a room at the end of the hall that was empty, so I decided to sleep there. I fell out onto the bed and passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I woke up to many swords waving in my face. I focused my vision on the guards standing over me.

"So you're finally awake? Good. You're under arrest for taking the first daughter's innocence."

Whaaaaat?!?! Seriously! I don't remember doing anything of the sort.

"What proof do you have of this?"

"You're in her bed as we speak! Don't try to play dumb."

"Okay, okay. I'll comply, but I'm not decent right now. Step into the hall to let me put my garments back on."

The guards were reluctant to agree, but seeing as how the only way of escape was a window high above the ground, they decided that it would be fine. They stepped into the hall to let me get dressed. They couldn't see under the linens, but I actually still had my garments on from last night. I quickly gathered my equipment and rushed to the window.

And here we are! Now that we've caught up, let's get out of this city before I get into any more trouble.

I leap out of the window and let my wings explode open. The guards hear the explosion and burst back into the room to see me flying away. They were so stunned to see someone flying while on fire. They have never seen anything like it. I make fire erupt from my hands to propel me forward over the city walls. I turn back to get an aerial view of the city.

"Maybe the next stop won't be this exciting."

I let out a small chuckle and continue flying to my next destination.