《Phoenix Magician: [Military, Academy, LITRPG, Regression]》 Chapter 1: The End of the Road. Chapter 1: The End of the Road. Ark exhaled, the air that left his lips thin and laced with minuscule droplets of blood that evaporated under the extreme heat of the active volcano. At five-six with broad shoulders and tanned skin laden with scars, the blonde-haired man with piercing blue eyes was known as Ark Light. A warrior summoned from a place called Earth to slay the Fell Phoenix and end the monster¡¯s tyranny over mankind. At least, that was what he was told before being shackled, branded, and made into a slave to fight for the Golden Throne of the Winterfell Empire. Five years had passed since then. Five years since he was whisked away from his cushy college life of partying and dnd. Five years since he lost his parents, his girlfriend, and those he loved. Five years of grueling combat and torturing of his mind and body. Yet, the journey itself hadn''t been all bad, despite the hardships of being in a foreign world, he wasn''t alone. He had companions, representatives selected by the countries of this world to be their champions against the monstrous scourge. Behind him, Liliana Estelle, a raven-haired maiden of the Church of the Pyre of Heart. A no-nonsense priestess and capable healer from the sandy tides of the Sarcea Federation. To his left, Merlin Maze, an arch-magus of the Magitech-Foundation. A brunette happy-go-lucky boy genius with affinity for all elements of magic and first to break into the seventh realm of magic at the ripe old age of twelve. On his right, Alexios Tarduun, a stalwart half-giant of the Gyseria Mountain dwarf clans clad in fire-resistant adamantine armor. Contrary to popular media from earth, dwarfs in this world were tall, lumbering creatures known for their height, muscles, and fondness for holes. And lastly, at the rear, leading dozens of battle-hardened knights that surrounded Ark, Prince Roland Von-Winterfell of the Holy Imperium. The same nation whose King had torn him from his world and decreed Ark a slave. But now, he was ally and friend, a white-haired prince who sought to fight his own battles and be a noble that led by example. ¡°It''s¡­ over, Irelix is finally dead,¡± Liliana huffed, as she stood, bloodied and battered beside Ark to stare at the lifeless corpse of butchered black feathers and scores of simmering red mounds of pulsating flesh. ¡°Not yet,¡± Ark said as Merlin stepped forward, the boy¡¯s voice splintered into various echoes whispering scores of incantations. The young boy covered in injuries suddenly began to age rapidly, his fine brown hair growing long, his body elongating as his tattered robes shrunk, the consequences of harnessing chrono magic. As colorful glyphs of the arcane hung in the air, the remains of the massive Fell Phoenix began to vibrate angrily, the fresh gore attempting to resist the young mage¡¯s magic. But alas, the will of the Phoenix couldn''t contend with voices of the hundreds of magicians that used Merlin as their focus, offering their life force to seal the monstrosity¡¯s command over time to prevent its resurrection. A costly sacrifice, but a necessary one. Ark stared at the skull of his kill, basking under the glow of a well fought victory. Soon his mission on this world would be over and he''d be able to return home. To see his family and to have the accommodations of a modern world. Then the Phoenix moved, its one un-gouged eye snapping open to reveal a crimson iris that locked onto its killers. Immediately Ark¡¯s callous hand found the hilt of his longsword, the black armyrethium edge igniting with runic magic as its user prepared for battle. Yet no battle came, instead the butchered black bird merely opened its cratered beak as an ominous presence filled the space. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. An attack? No, this was something different, something ancient, more akin to a ritual yet Ark felt no discernable touch of mana on his skin. ¡°Outworlder¡­ with my passing,¡± Ireliex spoke, despite her head decapitated from the rest of her body, its feminine voice, even on her deathbed, sounded regal with the air of authority, ¡°So too shall yours come to be, the fibers of our fates are intertwined into a tapestry-¡± What remaining words the Fell Phoenix went to speak were cut short as Roland pierced the monster''s skull with his spear. ¡°What do you think she meant by her words?¡± Liliana asked with grim concern. A prophecy? Phoenix¡¯s were known to be prophetic given their mastery of time, yet why would the Fell-being chose now to warn him? ¡°I don''t know,¡± Ark replied as Liliana found his hand, the pair sharing a look of genuine care despite the differences of their stations. Her emerald eyes shifted from his face to the obsidian collar around his neck. An attachment that would soon be gone once Roland ascended the throne. At least that was the deal. ¡°It merely meant to sow doubt and confusion, even in its deathtroes. You needn''t listen to the perfidious rantings of an agent of ruin,¡± Roland said, pushing between the pair and handing Ark a red vial, ¡°Here, a potion. I need you to keep your strength up just in case, don''t want any surprises.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Ark uncorked the bottle, downing the contents so fast he didn''t stop to take in the bitter taste or leafy aromatic scent. Immediately he could feel strength course through his body, a renewed vigor that gave Ark relief. ¡°How long until the ritual is done?¡± Roland asked, his eyes focused on the massive feathered corpse. ¡°It''s done, Ireliex can no longer resurrect,¡± Merlin rasped, the young boy now wearing the visage of an old man who nearly crumbled if not for Liliana rushing to catch him. ¡°Your life force is drained!¡± Liliana cried, raising the magician to stand on his feet, ¡°Don''t exert yourself. Roland, Ark, we need to get him to a chapel, his life signs are weak.¡± ¡°Why can''t you heal him here?¡± Roland asked, drawing Ark''s eyes to the man''s hand resting on the hilt of his sword at his waist. ¡°I''m out of mana! Stop talking and help me!¡± Liliana spat. ¡°All conditions are fulfilled then,¡± Roland said as his sword came out, the silver weapon merely an inch away from Liliana¡¯s neck. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Ark hissed, his hand wrapped around the Imperial Prince¡¯s wrist and preventing his attack. ¡°What needs to be done,¡± Roland spat as Ark¡¯s eyes tracked the knights closing in. Suddenly Ark¡¯s strength began to wane, his eyes going wide as his collar lit up. ¡°You swore!¡± Ark yelled as he suddenly fell to his knees, his collar compelling his actions to obey the one who held his control rod. ¡°I lied,¡± Roland said before brandishing his sword at Merlin and Liliana. ¡°Alexios! Do something!¡± Ark yelled, turning to the giant who lay upon the floor still with twin cloaked figures standing above him. Ark attempted to move, willed his power to heed his call yet instead of strength, blood flowed from his lips as his body began to shut down. Poison? Ark could feel an insidious sensation course through his veins, a foreign substance masked by the healing potion offered to him by a friend. ¡°Stop! Roland! STOP!¡± Ark roared as Liliana attempted to flee, only to be caught by her hair and yanked back with Merlin collapsing onto the ash-laden ground. Liliana spun, cutting her hair with a dagger and attempting to attack Roland who merely side-stepped her attack. ¡°Why?! After everything we''ve been through?!¡± Liliana cried, raising her hand to fire a bolt of mana yet falling short as Roland''s blade easily severed her arm and pierced her heart. ¡°LILIANA!¡± Ark screamed, watching as his lover fell. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Ark suddenly found a surge of strength, his body pulsating with power as he rushed forward, blade in hand, screaming murder for the man who betrayed him. ¡°You''ll do no such thing,¡± Roland said as he took a step back and several spears found Ark''s body. ¡°W-why? You¡­ promised to free me!¡± Ark gasped, hanging suspended by the knights who kept him away from their Prince. ¡°Why betray us?! Liliana did nothing to you! We fought for you! Are you all okay with this?!¡± Ark turned to the knights, the warriors he had fought beside, bleed with, and commanded remaining silent. Roland paused, admiring Ark¡¯s hardy constitution that enabled the skewered man to continue reaching out for him. ¡°With the Fell Phoenix dead, this world has no need of heroes,¡± Roland said, turning his back to Ark and moving towards Ireliex¡¯s skull. ¡°Especially one who would inspire the rabble to rise up. Make no mistake Ark, I intend to end slavery, but to do so now would throw the Imperium''s economy into disarray. And your existence¡­ Well, suffice to say, a populace deprived of their champions is a populace more easily controlled.¡± Roland spun, blade in hand, ¡°For what it''s worth, you have my gratitude. Thank you¡­ my friend.¡± The edge of Roland''s Fateslayer found Ark¡¯s heart, the blade poking through his back. ¡°B-bastard¡­ this life or the next!¡± Ark screamed, his movements propelled by rage as he broke several spears and reached out for Roland, ¡°I will kill-!¡± Then the world spun as Ark lost control of his body and his sight was one of that fixed upon the earth staring at the sky. ¡°Goodbye Ark, may you-¡± Whatever words Roland said next were lost to Ark as his world darkened and his spirit passed. Chapter 2: Deal with the Devil You know. In the darkness of an infinite abyss, a light twinkled. ¡°Awaken Outworlder,¡± A voice commanded, one that held no warmth of familiarity yet was still familiar to Ark as he drifted in the endless expanse. ¡°Awaken yee who would grasp the coattails of a divine being¡¯s grace.¡± ¡°AWAKEN!¡± Ark¡¯s eyes snapped open at the command, coming face to face with a woman with black wings sitting upon a gold rock in a vast empty expanse. ¡°IRIELEX!¡± Ark roared, rushing toward his archfoe with his fist raised, only to phase right through the phoenix and land on the purple cloud beneath his feet that constituted a ground. ¡°Cease your outbursts,¡± ¡°You! I killed you!¡± Ark spat with fury, turning to face the Great Enslaver who merely glanced at him with indifference before shifting her golden gaze to her onyx talons. ¡°And yet, I remain,¡± Ireliex replied coldly. Ark picked himself off the ground, extending his hand as Ireliex raised a neatly trimmed brow. ¡°COME! BELLROG!¡± Ark roared, ordering his demonic blade to him. Even in the face of such a being, he wouldn¡¯t back down, not when the enemy of all of humanity stood gazing down upon him with her golden eyes. That look, that damnable gaze that viewed him as nothing more than a bug. An insignificant being that was little more than a mote of dust. One way or another, he¡¯d wipe it from her face. A moment passed, then another, with no sign of his screaming blade. In fact, as Ark stood there wondering what was going on he realized he couldn''t feel the weapon at all, or anything for that matter. ¡°What magecraft is this?!¡± Ark demanded, furrowing his brow as he glared at the Empress of all phoenixs. ¡°Funny. I was going to ask you the same,¡± The raven-haired woman raised a brow as she tapped her black lips with her onyx-colored talon, adopting a look of deep thought. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Ark looked around, taking stock of his surroundings and looking for any signs of his companions, any sign of a way to¡­ ¡°Huhlk,¡± Ark let out, his vision pulsing as the events of his death flashed before his eyes. Everything that had happened, his decapitation of Ireliex, his poisoning, and¡­ The glimmering metal of Roland¡¯s holy sword in Lilana¡¯s chest. ¡°Ro¡­¡± Ark growled, his body trembling, his fingers twitching as they curled, the very space around him shaking as if responding to his rage. ¡°Roland. ROLAND. ROLAND!!!!!!¡± Ark screamed, his voice laced with rage, filled with grief as the world around him quaked. He grabbed his head, pulling at his blonde hair as he fell to his knees. ¡°Liliana¡­ Liliana why? Why her? Whywhy! You bastards, YOUdamnbastards!¡± Ark whispered, grief taking hold of him as he recalled his body being skewered and his friends¡­ Friends... ¡°Why?¡± Ark asked to no one as he stared blankly at the floor, hugging his body as he remembered the feeling of dozens of spears piercing his body. "Why?!" ¡°Because it is in your nature,¡± Ireliex offered, drawing Ark¡¯s ire. ¡°You monkeys have always betrayed one another in pursuit of power. Frankly, humanity¡¯s only redeeming quality is your greed and rodent tenacity to strive for that which is outside your means.¡± ¡°Shut up¡­¡± Ark growled. ¡°Oh? Are you angry? ¡®I SAID SHUT UP!¡± Ark roared, causing the Empress to snicker. ¡®Cute.¡± ¡°Tell me phoenix, what is the meaning of this?¡± Ark demanded, gesturing out to the darkness that surrounded the pair. ¡°First you want me to be quiet, now you wish me to answer. Well¡­¡± Ireliex flicked her gaze at the man who walked to stand before her before she shifted her eyes back to her talons. ¡°Which is it?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Speak you damn overgrown bird,¡± Ark growled. Ireliex laughed at the warrior¡¯s demand, her golden eyes lighting up with amusement as she shifted a hand to cover her mouth. ¡°I am the Empress of all phoenix kind, the progenitor of an entire species. I¡¯m a bit more than just a¡­ bird.¡± ¡°No. You are a bird. A fat, overgrown, disgusting creature that only feeds on the suffering of mankind. The Great Enslaver, The Destroyer, Mother of all phoenixs,¡± Ark said as he began walking up the steps, drawing close to the monument Ireliex lounged upon. ¡°For thousands of years you kept humanity under your thumb, and for thousands of years we suffered as your slaves. Toiling with no liberties, no freedoms, living in fear of you and your kind as you feed upon us like cattle.¡± The phoenix rolled her eyes as Ark approached, standing in front of the indifferent woman in her raven dress. ¡°So answer me you foul terror of mankind before I gouge out your tongue and rip out your eyes,¡± Ark hissed, his rage barely contained. ¡°I killed you. So. What. Is. Going. On.¡± ¡®Are you done?¡± Ireliex replied. Ark growled. ¡°Good boy,¡± Ireliex said, speaking to Ark as if he were a pet. ¡°First off, I have been the only thing keeping you lot from dying. If you think I was terrible, you should meet the other guardians of our world." Ark blinked, furrowing his brow at the notion of worse things than Ireliex. ¡°Secondly, I¡¯m an immortal soul. My vessel can be destroyed, but not my soul, I¡¯ll always come back, how do you think I reigned for so long? Did you really think a pathetic life form such as yourself could fell a goddess when so many others have failed?¡± Ireliex smirked, causing Ark to go wide-eyed. ¡°You should feel honored that.¡­ hmm?¡± Ireliex stopped mid-sentence, blinking as her eyes dulled in their color with her form suddenly shrinking. Something was wrong, the void beginning to flicker with images, pictures of scenes Ark both recognized and didn''t. His eyes averted, looking over to the strings of memories playing out all around him. Scenes of his adventures, scenes of his battles, his life, his first time with Liliana before the battle with Ireliex, and then¡­ his death. These were his memories. ¡°Fascinating!¡± Ireliex suddenly shouted, grinning madly. ¡°So that was your game! Ahahahahaha! Genius! GENIUS! Perhaps I gave your pathetic race too little credit! A human, using the body of a guardian to ascend? Ha!¡± Ark was confused, unsure what was going on as the phoenix stood up, splaying her arms to the side and laughing with a madness in her eyes as the void around the pair shifted, twisting from a dark purple to a golden light as Ireliex unfurled her wings. Suddenly the scenes shifted, revealing images unfamiliar to Ark. ¡°YOU!¡± Ireliex pointed at Ark, her face twisted with joy and madness. ¡°You will be mine!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Ark furrowed his brow, taking a step back as the woman suddenly accosted him, grabbing his face with a deranged look in her eye. Ark attempted to pull away yet couldn¡¯t, his punches and kicks merely phasing through the Mother of All phoenixes as she leaned in, bringing his face close as she clutched his chin. "Do you wish for power?" "What?" Ark replied, still attempting to get free. "Do you wish for a second chance?" Ark blinked, eyes wide at the implications. "You mean resurrection?!" Adam exclaimed with eyes wide. "Something like that, with my power sealed, and my corpse butchered, it seems my tether to this world has been... unbalanced," The phoenix grinned, licking her lips with her forked black tongue. ¡°But you¡­ you will be my new tether, and in turn, I will grant you a second chance.¡± A second chance. If I had a second chance! I could save Liliana! Ark blinked, clenching his jaw as the phoenix stared down at him and waited for a response. "This is a trap." "I assure you mortal, it is not." Ireliex replied, the void around them suddenly seeming to coalesce, creating walls that were beginning to crack. "What I offer is another chance. Not just to save yourself, but the world." "What the hell is going on?!" Ark exclaimed, the walls beginning to break with blinding light flooding in. "Your soul is dying," Ireliex said. "And consequently, so is mine since we are now one and the same. You poor pawn, a mere piece in someone else¡¯s schemes. Use to strike a blow at your betters. I suppose even ants possess poison." Ark''s eyes narrowed, his bloodlust rising as he saw the glee in Roland''s eyes clear as day in his mind. "Phoenix," Ark began, accepting that he was making a deal with the devil. But nothing mattered if the love of his life was gone. "Give me your power." "Excellent choice," Ireliex smiled, drawing Ark close, too close. "Wait! What are you doing?!" Ark demanded as Ireliex''s mighty wings unfurled, moving until they encompassed all of Ark''s body, drawing him close. ¡°Relax. I promise you¡¯ll enjoy this,¡± Ireliex hissed, locking lips with Ark as the entire world exploded in brilliant light.