Inside the gate of Fire Phenix

As Kent staggered out of the pond, he stood there for a long time in a stupefied state. He had never seen himself like this; his entire body shimmered with a glossy glow that made him feel as if he were someone else entirely. Just as he touched his arm in disbelief, the old patriarch emerged from the narrow path entrance, his face set in a grim expression.

The patriarch's eyes scanned Kent from head to toe. After a moment that felt like an eternity to Kent, the corners of the old man's lips twitched upwards in a rare, satisfied smile.

With a fluid motion, he raised his ancient trident, a relic adorned with mystical carvings, and whispered an incantation that seemed to make the air around them crackle. A gust of wind blasted from the trident's prongs, enveloping Kent in a warm breeze that dried his drenched skin instantly.