Vivian jogged silently along a beaten path of trampled and decayed plant matter; an earthy aroma dominated the area. She inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent of nature. Examining the map she initially detested, she took note of the cluttered plant and animal markers. Her thoughts were interrupted by the rapid footfalls of two animals not far away. And they were getting closer.
"Sasha, I know I asked for a lot. And you did awesome with my requests, but now the map is almost rendered useless from everything displayed on it,” Vivian’s ears twitched a final time. She abruptly adjusted her course and dove into the undergrowth beside the path.
There is just no pleasing you! The map is useless because there is nothing on it, now there is so much it is useless again!
Make up your mind!
Vivian grinned; it was an unreasonable contradiction in logic. She suppressed a chuckle as any noise now could be fatal. Observing the trail while using the safety of her hiding place, her eyes opened wider when a wild boar tore through as fast as its limbs would carry it. Seconds later, a beldereaver appeared and vanished hot on the boar’s tail.
She scrutinized the glimpse she caught of the predator, concern evident in her furrowed brow. What a fast beast! Ugly too. But the biggest problem I have, is why can't I see those two animals on my map?
A brief scuffle ensued when the beldereaver intercepted the boar. The forest echoed with the boar's pained wails. Silence returned briefly, a pregnant pause before the inevitable. The sounds of tearing meat and crunching bones replaced the boar's squeals. The beldereaver had begun devouring its hard-earned meal.
"Hey, Sasha. Can you change the markers into something that resembles what they represent? I would like to know what the animal is before it's right on top of me," Vivian asked and moved further into the undergrowth, abandoning the trail as she continued her trek. Realization hit her; the pathway was made from animals fleeing predators—and failing.
Logically speaking: the problems you have are that all the markers together make the map cluttered, and generic dots and squares don’t give enough information. I will separate animals and plants into toggleable overlays. As for the markers themselves, I can use a picture of the animal. However, you have to see it before I can update it.
As such, I have updated the markers for beldereavers and wild boars. I can do the same for plants as well.
I have a question. How are you so relaxed with a predator so close?
"Those changes will be a big help. And to answer your question, it is busy eating and completely focused on that. Panic and rash actions are the quickest path to injury, if not death outright, depending on what you’re panicking over. I have precious little energy presently; I can’t afford to squander any. Staying calm is in my best interests," Vivian replied. She took note of all the dots and squares that appeared on the map. I have to see every animal, huh? So much hassle and danger just for some peace of mind later, but it will be worth the effort.
She unexpectedly froze in her tracks while looking over the map. A procession of squares was seemingly marching toward a destination. A gathering? Something is drawing a massive group of predators to the grove where I first woke up. Luckily for me, this didn’t happen yesterday. But, is this an opportunity? I can see all the gathered predators and update my map while they are focused on something else. On the other hand, going to the grove is the equivalent of presenting myself as an appetizer.
Vivian started slowly walking again, her thoughts preoccupied as she trudged through the undergrowth. She tried ignoring the grove, but her thoughts kept moving back to it as she moved onwards. Many preoccupied predators in a small area tempted her. Vivian gazed hard at the map. I can't just casually dismiss such a valuable opportunity!
"Sasha? Do you know what has so many creatures drawn to the grove? I feel like something is missing from my map."
Nothing is missing. There is an apex predator marked in the middle of the grove. It is on the verge of death.
"There’s something marked?" Vivian queried while squinting at the map, and seeing nothing.
Displaying status.
Ancient Phoenix
Unknown
Level
25
Health Pool
1/100
Mana Pool
750/1000
Strength
9
Constitution
9
Dexterity
5
Agility
9
Wisdom
10
Intelligence
8
[Error]
10
Racial History
The phoenix are a long-lived race of semi-sentient birds. They can maintain their memories through the cycle of life and death, are born within a raging inferno, and are immune to fire and heat. With little effort, they could turn an entire forest into an apocalyptic wasteland in only a few minutes. Many believe the Phoenixes to contain the wisdom of the universe.
"Do I have a status like that, too?" Vivian asked, her interest piqued. "I'll assume that the [Error] shown is due to your limitations."
Yes, you do, and the error is—yes, that is accurate enough.
"Let me see my status and the phoenix's side-by-side. I need a reference point for what I'm looking at," after a quick sweep of her surroundings, Vivian sat down to digest the information.
Vivian
Ancient Phoenix
1
Level
25
2/3
Health Pool
1/100
2/2
Mana Pool
750/1000
1
Strength
9
2
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Constitution
9
1
Dexterity
5
2
Agility
9
2
Wisdom
10
1
Intelligence
8
3
Unique Racial stat
10
"What are the size and color of the Phoenix on the map right now?"
It is small to denote the size of the creature. And it is near invisible to properly show its near-death status.
"Please don’t tell me,"-she gritted her teeth in aggravation-“that you're applying that same logic to every creature on the map! No, don’t answer that. Tempting as this opportunity is, I originally planned to avoid the grove, but you just changed my mind. I’ll be putting myself and my child in grave danger to teach you a valuable lesson,” she touched her stomach. She would brave the danger for her child.
“Having you learn this now may save my life later," Vivian altered her course toward the grove. “If not for that, I would prefer not to do something so foolhardy.”
She took a deep breath to steady her resolve and forced her feet forward. The path she followed now led her to near-certain death. Sheer determination kept her moving one foot in front of the other, even as fear drenched her with cold sweat; she had not made this decision lightly.
Vivian made her way while shielding her face. Waves of heat blazed through the forest sporadically, "You can't feel it, so let me explain to you. The phoenix is nearly dead, but that also means still alive. And still alive transitions into will struggle to stay that way. Death has tried to claim me many times, and I wouldn’t be here now if I had given up even once. I doubt the phoenix is any different from me. And if these heat blasts are any indication, I’m right."
Every step brought Vivian closer to the grove. The trees she passed showed signs of exposure to extreme heat. Their leaves had dried up and blown off in the wind leaving bare, charred branches behind.
"Sasha, I hope you have been paying close attention to the map and my explanations while I traveled—you’ve been awfully quiet. So far, half of the squares previously present in the grove have already vanished. The phoenix remains alive, clearly from that." Vivian turned her gaze skyward. The vast majority of the leaves in the upper canopy had blown away, showing a clear view of the sky above.
Vivian took in the majestic flames that scorched the sky. Those flames proved that a phoenix could turn an entire forest into ash with minimal effort. Is there any point in teaching Sasha this lesson if I die here? Doubts surfaced in her thoughts as she continued forward. The hand on her belly infused her with courage and firmed her wavering resolve.
Against her instincts, Vivian continued walking towards the grove. Finally close enough to the carnage ahead, she ducked behind a large tree. Every predator present rushed the phoenix; it released the last of its mana.
Peeking around just in time, Vivian bore witness to the last flicker of the phoenix's flame and beheld the full glory of its destructive might.
A huge column-shaped dweomer formed; it expanded and swallowed the grove. In the center the adult phoenix flapped its wings as it released a shrill chirp. The column ignited. A blazing surge of heat with white flames danced amidst the animals. Devouring them, they instantly turned into ash. The trees were not spared; ashen silhouettes stood in place of their physical presence. The flame writhed, consuming the last drop of mana sustaining it. A graceful dance in defiance, the final act of a dying flame.
A heavy gust filled the sudden void in the absence of the phoenix fire; the ashen silhouettes collapsed and scattered in the wind.
The phoenix’s feathers glistened with sweat from the extreme heat. It spared no effort to maintain its balance and remain standing. Wary eyes cast a final glance around the grove. Exhaustion crashed through the tiny bird right as its empty eyes focused on Vivian, and it fell heavily on its face, embraced by the fleeting peace of death.
Vivian’s eyes had dried wide open on her face. The sheer destructive force that the tiny bird displayed, let alone locking eyes with the source of said force, had completely frozen her with fear. Vivian somehow survived the immense conflagration, as even the tree she had hidden behind blew away with the wind. She stood in silence, staring at the phoenix’s remains. The body of the phoenix spontaneously combusted, eliciting a shocked squeal from Vivian.
Recovering slightly, she turned her focus inward. "Do you see now? You have to treat every creature, even those on the verge of death, as serious threats. Even as death nears, natural or otherwise, no living animal will just accept it, they fight to their last breath.”
Silence settled before Vivan continued her lecture. After she felt that Sasha had long enough to contemplate her lecture, she spoke again, “Now, you will need to reassess the colors currently assigned to every animal on my map." Vivian watched in abject horror as the number of animals on her map nearly quadrupled. For now, I’ll assume that’s why I didn’t see that boar and beldereaver on the map earlier.
Where the phoenix’s body burst into flame, a baby chick arose from the ashes. A white mark appeared on the map, indicating the phoenix at its position in the middle of the scorched grove. Its color gradually darkened until it finally settled on pitch black. The chick flapped its wings lazily, rising and hovering effortlessly in the air. Vivian, eyes locked on the cuteness, slowly walked into the middle of the destroyed grove. She stopped several meters away, watching warily.
Curiosity filled its eyes as it stared back at her.
Is it safe to approach?
"There’s no point in running, it knows I’m here. If it meant to, that intense fire could have reduced me to ash. But it didn’t." Vivian pinched a raspberry between her finger and thumb slowly, then promptly tossed it into her mouth. The phoenix chirped at her in interest. She took another and gently tossed it towards the Phoenix. It fell short, hit the ground, and rolled a sad distance. The phoenix eyed the fruit with desire before it returned its gaze to Vivian. It watched her eat a handful of the same fruit she had offered to it, one at a time. Its eyes tracked the motions, seemingly stuck in deliberation.
The phoenix finally decided, pinched the proffered raspberry, and flew towards Vivian. It dropped the raspberry near her and patiently waited. Vivian shrugged, picked it up, and ate it.
"If you’re worried about poison," Vivian stated then ate another handful of berries to dissolve all doubt. She held out her hand, offering a bunch towards the small chick, "I do understand your concern, though, as I also highly value caution. It is an admirable quality we share, no?"
"My apologies for the misunderstanding," the phoenix responded with a high-pitched chirp. "As generous and tempting as your offer is, I would bring shame to my race if I took food from someone in greater need of it than I. Your race never ceases to amaze me, even after all these years."
"You know my people?" Vivian questioned, her voice losing its calm momentarily.
"Indeed," the phoenix nodded. "Though, no one of recent times. While I do retain my memories, they are fragments at best. Your people lived in this ominous forest back when they flourished. It went by another name then. I've long awaited the day your people would return, yet now that you are here—" the phoenix drifted off as it observed her.
The bird shook its head, "Alas, I'm afraid you barely qualify as an empty husk compared to my memory of your people from all those years ago. There may be hope for you, though, as I do sense a fire has sparked into existence within you."
"You mean my baby?" Vivian asked, turning slightly to shield her belly as concern gripped her.
"Oh?" the phoenix asked, confusion coloring its voice; it observed her body a second time, "No, I do not sense another life."
Her breathing quickened from the sudden panic. She placed her hand on her belly as the rest of her body weakened. The familiar comfort from this action washed over her, overpowering the despair that had tightly gripped her heart and mind. No, the baby is there. The prophecy—
Vivian, your child is perfectly healthy. He and I are intrinsically linked together. I’m pretty sure the phoenix speaks of me. I have released portions of your locked potential, and this is likely the ‘fire’ she’s referring to.
"I see," Vivian sighed in relief, the dreadful feeling fading quickly. Strength returned to her limbs, and she slowly straightened up her body. A baby boy! I can’t wait to meet him. I hope he’s cute. Her gaze returned to the phoenix, "Little Chicken—"
"Chicken," the bird interrupted. "I'm a chicken?"
"You’re a cute baby chick, so yes?"
"And there goes my intimidation factor," the phoenix slumped forward, feeling the cold grip of despair as it fell on its butt.
"I wish I could sympathize. I've never had an intimidation factor, to begin with." Vivian stated.
The phoenix speaks of its racial stat. That stat, in particular, dropped significantly. I am displaying its stats now.
Baby Phoenix
Level
1
Health pool
100/100
Mana pool
1000/1000
Strength
9
Constitution
9
Dexterity
5
Agility
9
Wisdom
10
Intelligence
8
Intimidation
1
"Wait, only the level and intimidation stat decreased?!" Vivian exclaimed, immensely grateful that this creature held no hostility towards her. "Speaking of racial stats, why don't we know what mine is?"
You don’t know because you never knew. And as for me—the anomaly is affecting my data storage. I discerned the phoenix’s racial stat because it specifically mentioned it. With such a straightforward reference, I simply filled in a blank.
"Hey, Vivian," the phoenix looked up from where it sat on the floor, flapping its wings to get her attention. "Are those berries enough to satisfy you?"
"How do you-?" Vivian looked at the phoenix in shock. I never introduced myself.
"I'm in a foul mood. Barbecuing always makes me feel better,” the phoenix ignored her confusion, continuing to ramble on.
"These berries are quite delicious. Though, I won't turn down a good barbecue either," Vivian admitted, drooling unconsciously at the prospect.
"Let's find a victim to cook then," the phoenix shuddered giddily. Flapping its tiny wings, it lifted off the ground and perched on Vivian's shoulder, preening gently until comfortable.
"Any preferences?" Vivian asked, viewing the wide selection of animals on her map.
"The stronger, the better."
"Sasha, I need a new map modification," Vivian spoke gleefully.
"Who is Sasha?"
Vivian smiled at the cute way the phoenix cocked its head when it asked her question, preening its feathers in mild frustration when she ignored it. A previously black square, now colored red, lit up on her map. "Let's go hunting!"