Chapter 82

"I didn't notice at first. But seeing that happen to my mother, when I went to try to help her I saw that it was already too late. For some reason I started distancing myself further and further away from that place, and as I looked at the humans I saw that unlike when they were in front of us, it was now clear that they were completely terrified."

"Huh? I did not understand. What could be so much scarier than you and your mother that caused them so much fear?"

"Me." replied the bird.

"What? You… but I thought…"

"But it wasn't exactly because I was scarier, let alone more powerful."

"Then why?"

"They weren't dragons at all back then, any more than I was a phoenix. So like mine, their powers didn't even come close to what they really should be. However, even though they really were many times weaker than they should have been, it was still a dragon flame, just like mine a phoenix."

"And there are few beings who can dare to try to resist the flames her mother used that day. But there is only one that could pass through the flames, or even stay inside them as if they were nothing..."

"So a dragon. You mean that a dragon helped those people, right?"

"Exactly. The only being that could do what those humans did that day would be a dragon. But despite being equally powerful, a phoenix's flames are not the same as a dragon's. So even though those humans have gained immunity against dragon flames, however weak. If I had attacked them, they would probably have resisted a bit at first thanks to immunity. But in the end they would die because I was a phoenix."

"But why did you help her? I thought dragons and phoenixes didn't get along very well."

"Maybe that's really true. But her mother couldn't be compared to these stupid dragons, let alone the other beasts. She was quite different. Well, maybe it's because of your age?"

"Unlike other beasts that do everything to evolve, including eating something else, and absorbing core and body IQ for themselves. She just absorbed the IQ around her naturally, even though that's the longest way to evolve."

"And one day, when I was very young. I was walking through a deserted place where there was nothing but sand around me. Being so young I was tired from flying so much, so walking around that place was the only option I had. But while walking around there I met some humans, and most of them wore white clothes, but if I'm not mistaken, two of those seven humans were dressed in black."

"My parents had already warned me about them. Worse beings who judge us despite being equal or even worse than us. Looking only at yourself, and despite being the evolution of a simple primate, they think they are the center of the universe, that everything in the world revolves around them. And that they alone have the right to control what happens in the world, or even how it is governed. Even though they are killing each other and destroying many places and cities with their endless wars."

"And with what my most told me, seeing them I quickly tried to leave that place and get away from them. But as I turned around, I found myself surrounded by them, with nowhere to escape. Tired and surrounded by those humans, who with their swords in their hands prepared to attack me. I was completely terrified of that situation, but when the first one ran towards me, like me, he and all the other humans were paralyzed."

"A huge shadow appeared behind me, and only with its presence. The owner of that shadow was able to make those humans drop their swords, and fall to their knees on the ground while demonstrating the terror they were feeling in their eyes. With my body shaking I turned around slowly, and seeing that being that made me feel like a simple bird in his presence. So, even though I was shivering and completely terrified I quickly walked away from that."

"And as I walked away I remembered that my parents had also told me about these beings. The beasts that like us, were born with the blood of one of the great beings that are on top of the world. The semi-dragons, or the huge demonic serpents."

"But even though I knew what it was, there was nothing I could do. For just being in his presence I was trembling with terror. And that action of pulling away was a simple reflex of someone very scared. But now that I knew what it was, and what was going to happen next, my entire body froze and I couldn't do anything but shiver as it approached."

"She approached me slowly with those blue eyes that seemed to be looking into my soul, and as she looked straight into my eyes she asked; What are you doing alone around here little phoenix?"

"I didn't understand why from that question, I thought she would just swallow me whole and walk away. But afraid that her mood would change, in a shaky voice I spoke; Me Me I was going to the demon forest…"

"She looked closely at every part of my body and asked; And where did you come from, little one? Why I've spent so much of your IQ to get here."

"I couldn't understand what was going on there; Why does she ask so much about me when she could only devour me at once? That's what was going through my head at the time. But what came out of my mouth was; I came from the holy plains…"

"Thoughtfully, she looked up after hearing my answer. And I just thought I said something I shouldn't, I thought it was better to have said the name of another place. But after thinking for a bit, she looked at me again and said; I understand. So that's why you spent so much IQ, that place is really far from here. But tell me. Why didn't anyone teach you to absorb IQ while flying where you used to live?"

"I was quite confused by what she had said; Absorb IQ while flying? Is this actually possible?"

"But also how would I understand? From an early age I was taught that the strong stand out above the weak. And that absorbing those IQs lowered from me was the right, and easiest way to evolve."

"But after hearing my answer, she shook her head and spoke; It's possible. And if someone had taught you that, you would never have been cornered by these rats. Since technically you would never run out of IQ in your body."

"She explained to me what I was supposed to do, and I didn't realize it at the time, but during that little conversation we had I quickly calmed down and all that fear of being in her presence disappeared without a trace."

"Demon beasts have a certain ease in absorbing IQ into their bodies. But because I have phoenix blood in my body, learning to do that was so easy. That in a few minutes, for me, absorbing IQ was as natural as breathing."

"So, with my body being filled with the IQ that entered me all the time. I felt more than alive, and again headed towards the heavens. And as I flew, it just kept going slowly towards the demon forest, while leaving those humans who had previously cornered me, paralyzed as they trembled on the ground."

"But with an anger that could be seen in my eyes for what they were about to do to me if she hadn't arrived. I flew at high speed in the direction they were, and when I passed them, I left them smoldering in my flames with revenge."