The beastmaster's advice was extremely helpful. I walked up the side of the mountain along the path that had been created for the miners and entered the mines through the third tunnel from the bottom. At the end of the tunnel, which opened up into the main central shaft. From there I was able to observe the phoenix below. It was resting with its chicks next to a lava pool. The lava pool was small but the heat was unbearable; I'd only been standing on the ledge for a few seconds but I was already drenched in sweat and was having difficulty breathing. The phoenix was as big as the beastmaster said; I wouldn't stand a chance against it if I took it on directly. There were four chicks and they were still small, from where I was standing they looked to be roughly half the size of Anbu. The next three days I spent at the inn thinking about how I was going to capture the phoenix. The old man didn't return, and neither did the horse; they had well and truly vanished. They had both appeared before me for a reason, of that I was certain. I chose to believe that they were harbingers of good fortune, and armed with that belief I went for the phoenix.

I took Anbu with me. For the plan that I had devised to work I needed his help. This meant placing him in mortal danger, which terrified me, but I couldn't do this without him and I trusted that he would do what he needed to do to survive. I had Anbu wait for me at the entrance to the tunnel that led to where the phoenix was nesting while I entered from the tunnel above. While making my way through the tunnel I threaded a rope through all of the buttresses on the end of which I had tied a bell which would be suspended at the entrance. The first time that I rang the bell was going to be the signal for Anbu to start barking and the second time I rang it was going to be the signal for him to stop barking and run. I had a second rope with me which had a grappling hook attached to it. The grappling hook I secured to the final buttress at the end of the tunnel. When the time was right I would use the rope to rappel down into the cavern where the phoenix had made its nest.

If my plan failed, of which there was a high probability, I was dead, and yet despite that I felt no trepidation. Without hesitation I pulled on the rope tied to the bell and set the plan into motion. Anbu started barking and the phoenix, sensing danger, woke up and set off in the direction of the danger. I counted four seconds and pulled on the rope again. Anbu's barking stopped, but whether he had survived I wouldn't know unless I managed to survive. As soon as I'd rung the bell I threw the second rope down into the cavern and rappelled down as fast as I could. Anbu's barking had sent the chicks into a panic, and when they saw me their panic worsened. They started running around hysterically, making it harder for me to do what I needed to do in the short amount of time that I had to do it.

When the phoenix returned to the cavern it found me holding one of its chicks with a knife to its neck.

"Heel," I said, looking the phoenix straight in the eyes.

The phoenix let out a screech and started walking menacingly toward me.

"Heel!" I said again, louder this time.

The phoenix stood upright, spread its wings and roared. It's golden ruff swelled and began to glow; it was about to blow fire.

"HEEL!" I yelled back at the phoenix.

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The phoenix leant forward and opened its beak. I could see the flames inside and feel their heat on my face. I refused to be intimidated by the phoenix and responded to its display of fire by holding its chick tighter and pressing the knife harder against its neck.

"HEEEELLLLL!!!!" I yelled again.

The phoenix showed no signs of backing down, but when the chick that I was holding started crying out as if it was in extreme pain the phoenix began to show signs of wavering. I didn't loosen my grip on the chick and kept the knife pressed hard against its neck, staring into the phoenix's eyes with eyes unwavering resolve. Seeing and hearing its baby in distress, and seeing that I would not hesitate to slit its throat before it could incinerate me, the phoenix finally backed down. It withdrew its wings, extinguished the flame inside of it and closed its beak, adopting a posture of submission. As a show of good faith I removed the knife from the chicks throat and put the chick back on the ground.

A contract is formed between a beast and a human when the beast submits to the human and the human places a binding stone on its head. If the beast accepts the contract it will absorb the binding stone and depending on the beast a symbol will appear on the sister gem stone held by the human, signifying the completion of the contract. The binding stone that I placed on the phoenix's head was absorbed by the phoenix and was visible only as a small gem fragment on its head. With the contract formed we were able to transmit our thoughts to one another, and I used the power right away to explain and apologize for my actions.

"I'm sorry for what I just did, but you have to listen to me; you and your babies are not safe here, this mountain is an important mine and if you stay here people are going to keep coming here and trying to get you to leave, but if you'll come with me I can take you someplace where you'll be safe."

I stepped closer to the phoenix and put my head and arms against its breast. Its body was softer and warmer than anything I'd ever experienced before. I could've stood there enjoying its warmth and softness forever, but the chicks had come over and were pecking at my legs demanding attention. I picked up the chick that I had taken hostage, hugged it and kissed it all over.

"I'm sorry," I said to the chick, which appeared to have no recollection of what I had just put it through.

"My, my...I knew you were impressive but I never imagined you would accomplish something like this," a voice from inside the tunnel said.

Upon hearing the voice the phoenix and her chicks began stepping back from the tunnel. They were afraid. The footsteps got closer and soon the speaker came into view.

"It's you!"

Out of the darkness of the tunnel stepped the old man from the stable, only now his hair and beard were perfectly groomed and he was wearing blue and white robes befitting of royalty.

"Just who are you?" I asked him.

"The question isn't who am I, the question is who are you."

"Who am I?"

"That's right; you, Alegra Luthera, are the new queen of the Aseronian kingdom."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am the Overseer for the kingdom of Aseron. The king is dead, and it is time for a new ruler to ascend the throne, specifically, you."

"You can't honestly expect me to believe this."

And then, right before my eyes, he transformed into the white horse that I had rescued that had then mysteriously vanished.

"That was you?"

"We Overseers have a human form and an animal form," the Overseer said, turning back into human form, "I used both to test you, to test your compassion, and you passed, as I had no doubt you would."

"You mean this is for real?"

"Yes. You are going to fly to the capital city on the back of your phoenix, march into the palace, throw the impostor queen off of the throne and announce to your subjects your ascension to the throne and the rising from the ashes of the fire queen."