11. Mark And Zina
Back at the heavenly realm, Alfred went to report to his father and ask for punishment because of his incompetence. Father I am accountable, please punish me. It's okay, get up, his father waved it aside. The true phoenix has shown itself, so you shouldn't feel guilty about it.Then he asked "you said the god of mountain reported that he saw them last around mount Kai? Yes father. That means they may be in the devil clan, his father speculated. But the devil clan always maintains a high level of secrecy, Alfred said. You can't enter their clan unless you find their magic gate. That's true, his father thought. This means they must still be in the mortal world. Rest assured father, I will find them and make up for my error. His father nodded and said "I know it will be difficult for you but you have to try. The phoenix power is still weak due to it's young age and I sealed half of Stanley's cultivation, so they are probably too weak and hiding away somewhere from the demon lord. You have to find them before the people of the demon realm gets to them. Rest assured father, Alfred replied and left.
In devil clan, Stanley waited for a while then he saw Linda coming. She wore a red dress that Mark ordered his servants to get her. She looked so slender and beautiful in it that both Mark and Stanley were lost and short of words for a while. Teacher! Linda called out. Linda, how are you? Am fine teacher, she said. I didn't expect I was really the phoenix, what should I do? Don't think too much for now, there are many things you need to adapt to, he replied. The most important thing now is your safety. Mark where are we? Mark replied "we are in the devil clan". Devil clan? Stanley replied with a shocked expression. The devil clan has always maintained a high level of secrecy and always remained indifferent to what ever matters going on between the realms. What is your intention of bringing us here? Stanley asked him suspiciously. Mark replied smiling, what intention could I have with the phoenix? Looking at Linda like he was enchanted, he thought "if I could get a mature phoenix feather from her I will be able to save our clan where females are scarce and bloodlines are weak.
Just then, a young girl rushed in. Her name is Zina, she is a princess of the fox segment. She and Mark have been engaged since childhood. Mark! Mark! How dare you bring people to the devil realm? I mean non devil belongings are not allowed in the devil realm, she bellowed. Calm down Zina, Mark replied. I should calm down? Do you want to get in trouble? Do you know that she isn't an ordinary mortal? The devil king has said that nobody should get involved with the phoenix! Within a few days everyone would know that a big bird has gone missing, she ranted. Zina be calm. If we didn't say, who will know? We just have to keep quiet about it, okay? He tried to appease her. But she replied "what about the devil King's ban?" Are you enchanted or something? I will go and tell the devil king now!
She then made to walk away quickly but Mark ran after her and held her arm. Zina, are you really going to tell the devil king? If something bad where to happen to me, won't you be worried? So you want to get the whole devil clan killed? She asked. Zina listen, the heavenly and demon realm have been fighting for years but neither side have been able to win, this makes our devil clan more important because which ever side we support will win. So both realms came to an agreement that disallow the devil realm from getting involved. This makes the devil realm the safest place, right? She replied after a few seconds of thinking. Okay, then I will give you another chance. If you send them away now, I will pretend it never happened. What? Zina! They are already here, how can I send them away? Are you trying to force them to their deaths? Don't I have some face? You want me to loose face as a prince of the wolf segment in the devil clan? He asked questions upon questions trying to convince her cooly but she seemed tough. Are their own lives more important or yours? She asked again. Anyways, he said "if you tell the devil king I will break off our engagement and all relations. What? Mark, what did you just say? I said "if you tell the devil king, I will break off our engagement and all relations!" I see, she replied after a while. Then Mark began regretting why he said it. Zina turned to Linda and said "you are good, I have been engaged to Mark since childhood, I love him so much but now you stole his heart without doing anything. No you misunderstood, Linda replied. Then Zina ran away almost crying.
Why did you do that? Linda asked Mark. No I didn't mean to, she just refused to get convinced. She loves you so much but you did that, now go after her and apologize. Okay, he agreed and ran after her. Then Stanley got up and started leaving. Teacher! Linda called out. Let's go he replied firmly. Then she followed him out.
Zina ran to her brother with a very sad expression. What's wrong? Her brother asked. Without waiting for a reply from Zina, he said it's Mark again! Then he wanted to rush out but Zina held him back. It's not Mark. If not Mark then who else can bully you like this? He asked. The wolf segment likes being arrogant because of their relationship with the devil king, I can let that go. But I can't stand it when he bullies you. He is the prince of the wolf segment but you are also the princess of our fox segment! Ah ya! Linda cried out, can you just let us be? She said and ran off, leaving her brother confused.
Stanley tried to teleport himself and Linda back to the heavenly realm but couldn't as he felt weak and almost fell. Linda supported him and sat him down on a chair. I can't believe I am so useless now, I can't even perform such a low level magic, he said and sighed. I now see that I am really a jinx, Linda said with a sad expression. I made my family to fall and made my hometown to get destroyed. Because I am a phoenix, I have caused everyone around me to get injured or killed in one way or the other. My injury has nothing to do with you, Stanley tried to cheer her up. Teacher, you don't need to comfort me, now I can't even protect the last thing my grandpa left for me. Stanley thought for a while and said "Linda can I see it?".