ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴄɪᴛʏ, ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ "ɴᴏx" ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇꜰᴜʟʟʏ, ᴜɴᴀᴡᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴀʟʟ ʜɪꜱ ʟɪꜰᴇ, ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ꜱᴀɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇ "ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴄɪᴛʏ" ɢᴏᴛ ᴅᴇꜱᴛʀᴏʏᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ, "ɴᴏx" ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ꜱᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴏʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ. ʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ᴀʟʟ ʜɪꜱ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇꜱ, ɪɴ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇɢᴀɪɴ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ ᴀʟʟ-ᴏᴜᴛ ᴡᴀʀ ʜᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴꜱ ʜɪꜱ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴀʀᴄʜ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ. ʜᴏᴡ ᴡɪʟʟ "ɴᴏx" ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜᴘᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴡᴀʀ? ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴇ ʀᴇɢᴀɪɴ ʜɪꜱ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇꜱ? ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ 10 ʀᴇᴀʟᴍꜱ. ------------------------------------------- The cover art is made by me, if you want to see more concept art about the story, places, characters and more, check my Instagram account Instagram: @artsydreamer123
Nox arrived at Amara's room, and then a little nine-tailed fox comes and jumps into Amara's hands, flapping his nine tails, glowing with magical particles.
"He's so adorable," said Nox, looking at the cute little Fox.
"His name is Foxy, he's a level 22 Magical Beast," said Amara.
"WHAT!!!! Isn't it dangerous??" said Nox, frightened by the fact that a level 22 Magical beast is in front of him, yet can't believe that such a cutie is of a high level.
Contracted Beasts are magical beasts with more intelligence than regular ones, If you subdue them, you can make an evenly beneficial contract with them, and they'll aid you to the best of their ability.
Foxy is a level 22 magical beast of the rare Tailed HellFox race, he's the contracted beast of Amara Fireheart. Power: 5'300'000. Danger: ★★★★★
"He's my contracted beast, so don't worry about it," said Amara.
"But... a level 22 sounds too high though," said Nox.
"He's strong, every City needs a strong contracted beast if they want to raise their power, and this cutie here, even an army of 50 thousand tier 8 soldiers, can't lay a finger on him, despite his small cute appearance, he can grow big in an instant and cover the whole castle, Nox clears throat, he has seen today powerful entities more than he has seen in all of his life.
"Ever since I entered this palace, all I see are monsters," said Nox.
"Then We're waiting for you to climb your way up to our level," said Amara.
"I definitely will," said Nox, Foxy suddenly jumps towards Nox, the Fox's eyes are wide and sparkling, and he sniffs Nox's hand.
"Foxy!! what are you doing?!" shouted Amara, Foxy sniffs around Nox and then uses magic to search him.
"What's he doing? He's not gonna eat me right?" asked Nox, overwhelmed by Foxy's power level.
"Foxy usually does this when he senses a treasure, I'll stop him," said Amara, she tries to pull Foxy away from Nox, but he was too stubborn and used even more magic, he searches inside Nox's spatial ring and then pulls out something, and gives it to Amara.
"I'm sorry Nox, it's the first time Foxy does this, but what's this artefact?" asked Amara, (It looks familiar though) thought Amara.
"I have no idea, I remember when we visited the Pirate Boss's cabin, this artefact was in there and I took it," said Nox.
"Do you need me to inspect it for you?" asked Amara.
"Is it valuable?" asked Nox.
"It will definitely be valuable since it caught Foxy's interest," said Amara while petting Foxy, He moves his nine tails and feels like a good boy.
"You've done a lot for me, consider it payback," said Nox.
"What payback, we're..." said Amara, but was interrupted by Nox.
"Just take it, since Foxy gave it to you, he knows that it might suit you," said Nox, and Foxy howls in confirmation and looks at Amara.
"Then I'll gladly accept this," said Amara.
Amara put the Artefact away, and put down Foxy, then summons a book from her spatial ring, she sits next to Nox.
"Nox, do you remember our promise," said Amara.
"What promise exactly?" asked Nox.
"I told you if you live up to my expectations and get admitted to the Oni, I'll tell you more about the Water Of Life," said Amara.
"I remember now, this book is what you wanted to show me?" asked Nox.
"Indeed, did you have something else in mind?" asked Amara, while touching her hair.
"Haha! No, not at all, please tell me about the book," said Nox feeling awkward.
"Alright then, the legend says..."
20 ᴛʜᴏᴜꜱᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴀɢᴏ, ɪɴ ᴀ ᴅɪꜱᴛᴀɴᴛ ʟᴀɴᴅ, ꜰᴀʀ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ ᴏꜰ ᴇʟᴅᴏʀɪᴀ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ꜱᴀᴄʀᴇᴅ ᴛʀᴇᴇ, ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ "ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛʀᴇᴇ", ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴋʏ ᴀꜱ ꜰᴀʀ ᴀꜱ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴇᴇᴛꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʏᴇ, ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ꜱᴀʏ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ꜱᴀʏ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪᴛʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴋʏ, ꜱᴘʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ɪᴛꜱ ʀᴏᴏᴛꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄᴏʀɴᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ.
ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴏꜰꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ'ꜱ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ, ɪᴛ ʜᴇᴀʟꜱ ᴀʟʟ ᴅɪꜱᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ, ʙʀɪɴɢꜱ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪɴᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀᴀɴᴛꜱ ᴜɴɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴀʙʟᴇ ʜᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇꜱ. ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀᴄǫᴜɪʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇꜱ, "ʀᴇɪɴᴄᴀʀɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ" ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪǫᴜᴇ ᴘʜᴏᴇɴɪx ʀᴀᴄᴇ.
ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜᴏᴇɴɪx ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ ɢʀᴇᴇᴅʏ, ꜱᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ ꜱʟᴏᴡʟʏ ᴘᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪᴛꜱ ʀᴏᴏᴛꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ᴘᴀɴɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴀʏ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜱɪɴꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ꜱᴀᴄʀɪꜰɪᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛʀᴇᴇ, ɴᴏᴛɪᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴏᴛꜱ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ꜱʟᴏᴡᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪꜱ ᴀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ꜱᴀᴄʀɪꜰɪᴄᴇ. ᴡᴀʀꜱ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀᴍᴏɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀɪʙᴇs, ᴛᴏ ꜰᴇᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ, ᴛɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀʟᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴇxᴛɪɴᴄᴛ.
ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛꜱ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ʙʀɪɴɢ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪꜱ ᴡʜʏ ɪᴛꜱ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ "ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ ᴏꜰ ʟɪꜰᴇ", ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪᴛꜱ ʀᴏᴏᴛꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴘʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪᴛs sᴇᴇᴅs ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʟᴏʙᴇ, ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ sᴇᴇᴅs ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄᴀʟ ʙᴇᴀsᴛs, ᴀs ɪғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴇ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴀ ᴘᴜɴɪsʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪs ʟᴀɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇ ɪꜱ ᴘᴀꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴅᴇꜱᴄᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜᴏᴇɴɪx.
"I can't believe such a thing," said Nox.
"I was too worried that you'll die on that ship, many species stronger than humans drank the water of Life, hoping that they gain supernatural abilities, but their bodies shattered on the spot, you might be the only one other than The Phoenix Race, to ever drink the water of Life," said Amara.
"I drank it, does it mean that I can reincarnate?!!" asked Nox.
"I don't advise you to bet on it, the most you can get from that single drop is a passive healing ability," said Amara.
"Come to think of it, I regain my stamina and I heal a lot faster than anyone else," said Nox.
"Now do you understand why I guess you're going to be among the strongest on this land?" said Amara.
"You said that... the tale is passed down to every descendent of the Phoenix, does it mean you're..." asked Nox.
"Pfft..hahaha.. Do you really think so? Both my parents were human, and so were my ancestors, but my family knows of the tale, we're supposed to tell no one, but I'm telling you only because you have fate with it.
"I see, I was being silly, haha!" said Nox
Tree Of Life Seeds: The Tree Of Life left its seeds in this world, and from those seeds come all magical beasts that exist today, except for 3 races that didn't originate from the seeds, they're referred to as the Superior Races: They're The Dragon Race, The Phoenix Race, and The Python Race.
"Then what do you think of this story?" asked Amara.
"There is something that I think is weird" said Nox.
"What is it?" asked Amara.
"What does it mean that the Tree of Life left its seeds and created the magical beasts as punishment?" asked Nox.
"It's because powerful beasts came from the seeds of the Tree Of Life," replied Amara.
"But isn't the Phoenix race one of the 3 superior races? how can any other race be a threat to it?" said Nox.
"That's what worries me, we don't know anything about the Tree except for what I told you, we don't know why it appeared nor why it disappeared," said Amara.
"The reason it appeared, can it be to get worshippers?" asked Nox.
"Except for its benefits the 'Holy water', we don't know anything else about it, and there has been no other informations, even the three Holy Races has disappeared after 25 thousand years of conflicts and war," said Amara.
" So many questions are on my mind right now," said Nox.
"Take it easy sweetie, though I don't have much time, but I'll satisfy your curiosity," said Amara.
"This world was once ruled by the three superior races, what made them disappear.."
" You really think I know everything," said Amara with a giggle, and she said "Then tell me what you wanted to ask me," said Amara.
"You're the most knowledgeable person I know..." said Nox in hesitation.
"Come on sweetie, ask me anything, if i know the answer i'll definitely tell you..." said Amara.
Nox is completely serious about the question.
"What do you know...
....about Dragons?"