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I was walking across a large draw bridge, over a moat, to the others, ready to fill them in on what happened. I had no doubt that they probably saw it but maybe not. Suddenly, I felt a minacious presence behind me.

"You thought I was dead, didn't you?" I turned around to find the phoenix. She wasn't in a battered state any more, her wings were gone but she looked otherwise at full strength.

"What are you doing up after he beat you?" I asked her incredulously.

"That's the thing about truth. Just a few minutes ago you thought I was dead... try though you may to find meaning, you will never know if it is truth... or just some deception. How can you trust that what you are fighting for is the right thing? What is true, what is right... these are completely abstract concepts."

The others came rushing up behind me, sensing that something was wrong. They stared in shock at the phoenix before me, as did I.

"Let me impart one bit of truth upon you all." She said, the sky darkening above us even further than it had before. The entire castle seemed to become covered in shadow as a throwing glaive appeared in her hand, igniting on fire. "You are all going to die here." She threw the glaive which was engulfed in black flames that appeared to suck the very life out of the world around it. Iggy jumped in the way of it, I suspect he didn't even think it through, taking the hit. The flames seemed to burn even him.

"Arrogant little children. If weapons can be enchanted to slay the Reapers you so diligently fight, why not be able to be enchanted to work against wardens?" She asked tauntingly.

I don't know what happened, I just reacted. "Iluculid," My glaive was in my hand. I felt like an observer as my body ran in slow motion towards her. I couldn't begin to fathom it, I had just met this kid, but he was Vincent's brother, he was family to me.

I felt my speed rising and a sense that I was stronger filled me. I suspect Vincent had used something on me, but I could barely hear it, I had become completely focused on the opponent in front of me. Suddenly I was blown off course and saw Mazurek and Raptyr on either side of the phoenix. The former was slashing wildly at the phoenix while Raptyr held her in place by the skull, digging his claws in.

Suddenly they were all engulfed in black flames and the next thing I saw was them falling into the moat. The darkness surrounding us had become so thick I had no way of even telling if it was filled with water.

"Thanks Mira," Iggy said as he charged at our opponent. Maul in hand, he lept into the air, slamming down with weapon and bearing his weight onto the phoenix. A pillar of flamed erupted around them and I was about to rush to Iggy's side, in an attempt to stop him. I couldn't though, Rin was holding on tightly to my arm.

I was about to protest and demand she let me go. I almost asked if she even cared about him, but I was interrupted as, predictably, the phoenix began to swallow the flames. They were only making her stronger.

Suddenly, she began coughing. "What have you done to me?" She asked, "You stupid brat WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

"I didn't do anything." Iggy informed her calmly, "You're the one who ate my flames. Didn't your parents teach you better than to just go around devouring anything that looked remotely like food? It is a pretty good way to get sick you know..."

"What sort of nonsense are you spouting, that kind of attack doesn't exist." The phoenix raged at him as he lept out of range, his maul dissolving as the various spikes that had been around his body beforehand reformed. She was clutching her stomach in pain.

"Mira, now!" Iggy yelled at her, signalling for her to attack. She ran up to the phoenix and touched its face. I hadn't even noticed her move. She must have gotten closer the moment Iggy released the pillar of flame.

It wasn't just an attack that exploited the element of surprise, he used the attack to draw her focus and get her off guard to set up Mira's attack. There is no way they could have planned this in advance, their teamwork was so amazing that they just knew what the other was doing. Their teamwork was phenomenal.

Slime quickly encased the phoenix's body, hardening into a cast quickly. Either it was such a substance that worked that way or it used the naturally occurring heat of the phoenix's body. Vincent had slipped behind her and stabbed with his Tuning Sword.

"And now, the Conductor's Baton." Something that looked more like a flute than a baton appeared in his hand. "Experience the Water Dragon's Ferocious Roar." A sphere of water appeared around her, it rippled and she tried to shut out the sound by covering her ears. It didnt seem very effective.

Suddenly the water was boiling and seemed to disappear. "She heated the water up to the point where it evaporated. Even though she's taken slashing wounds, Iggy's poisoned flames, Raptyr's draining attack, and Mira and Vincent's attacks as well. This things endurance is beyond monstrous."

"Is that all?" She grinned as Vincent and Mira retreated to our side. "This is exactly like I said, you thought the truth was that you would be able to take me out with these pathetic parlor tricks. Creatures like you aren't strong enough to perceive the truth, you will only wallow in agony at your own ineptitude. Do not worry though, I shall free you of your suffering."