After everyone stepped through the glowing Phoenix Door, a divine warmth caressed their skin. The narrow path expanded into a wide, glowing chamber adorned with radiant stones. In the center stood a breathtaking phoenix statue—its wings stretched wide, flames frozen mid-flight, a crown of crimson feathers framing its noble face. Divine energy pulsed around it, thick in the air, vibrating with an ancient sadness.
Everyone stood in awe.
Tianlan whispered, "It's… magnificent."
Xie Lian's eyes widened. "I've never seen such an aura. It feels... like it's alive."
But as their eyes sparkled in wonder, one figure moved slowly forward. Saanvi. Her steps were soft, almost hesitant. Her usually radiant expression darkened. Pain clouded her eyes, and with each step closer to the phoenix statue, her breath became shakier.
She stopped right in front of it, her hand trembling as she reached toward the stone feathers.
A single tear fell.
Then another.
Everyone froze.
"Saanvi?" Devran called, alarmed.
She didn't turn. Her fingers brushed the edge of the statue's wing, and as if in response, the divine energy flared, not with aggression—but with sorrow.
"Saanvi, what's wrong?" Tianlan asked, moving closer.
Riku frowned. "I've never seen her like this…"
"She's always smiling," Xie Lian murmured. "Always strong. Why is she… crying?"
Wei Zhan, for once, was quiet. He watched her with concern, stepping back slightly as if unsure whether to approach or not.
Saanvi stood still, tears flowing silently.
Devran couldn't take it anymore. He approached her cautiously, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Saanvi… what's happening? Why are you in so much pain?"
Before she could answer, Vihaan stepped forward, his expression unusually solemn.
"She remembers," he said softly.
Everyone turned.
"Remembers what?" Tianlan asked.
Vihaan looked at the phoenix statue and then back at Saanvi. "This statue doesn't just honor the Phoenix King. It holds the final remnants of a forgotten love. A story even the stars chose to keep hidden."
Riku's eyes narrowed. "A forgotten love?"
Vihaan nodded slowly. "Yes. Everyone knows the legendary tale of the Celestial Prince and the God of War—childhood friends turned eternal soulmates. Their story was written in the stars. But… there was someone else."
Xie Lian blinked. "Someone else? You mean a third person?"
Vihaan glanced at Saanvi, then at the others. "Yes. Someone whose love was never returned. Someone who loved the Phoenix King more than his own life."
A heavy silence settled.
Wei Zhan broke it. "Wait… are you saying the Phoenix King and this person were lovers too?"
Vihaan chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "No. That's the tragedy. The Phoenix King never saw that person's love. Not truly. His heart was too full—of someone else."
Tianlan asked, his voice trembling slightly, "Why? Who did the Phoenix King love?"
Vihaan turned to the statue, voice soft. "The God of War."
Devran's eyes widened. "Wait… what? So the Phoenix King loved the God of War, but the God of War was in love with the Celestial Prince?"
"Exactly," Vihaan nodded. "They were a trio. Grew up together, fought together, laughed, cried, protected the realms side by side. But when love entered the equation… the Phoenix King was left alone."
Xie Lian's brow furrowed. "That's… cruel."
Riku added softly, "And yet… someone else was watching from the shadows. Someone who saw the Phoenix King's pain. Who loved him without asking anything in return."
Saanvi let out a shaky breath, finally turning around. Her cheeks glistened with tears, her eyes hollow with a love long buried.
Xie Lian stepped forward, frowning. "That person… they never confessed?"
Vihaan answered for her. "He knew it would never be returned. But he loved him anyway."
Wei Zhan scratched his head. "Then what happened? Did the Phoenix King find out?"
Vihaan shook his head. "No. Not in that lifetime. When the God of War and Celestial Prince were dying in the final war, the Phoenix King gave everything—his power, his soul—to save them. He died with them… and the person who loved him remained behind."
Everyone went quiet.
Riku, voice trembling, asked, "What did he do?"
Vihaan's voice was filled with emotion. "He searched the realms, gathered the last fragment of the Phoenix King's divine essence, and sealed it here. Along with the celestial sword, the dragon flame orb, and that mysterious box. He wanted to protect what little remained of his beloved and the ones he cherished. Even after death, he chose to love… in silence."
Xie Lian's eyes were watery. "That's… heartbreakingly beautiful. To love someone so much, without ever being loved in return…"
Then Saanvi finally spoke, her voice low. "Yes… because he was an idiot."
One tear rolled down her cheek.
And in that moment, the divine energy around the phoenix statue flared violently.
A sudden shimmer lit the space, and the divine energy shaped itself into a transparent, glowing form—a man's figure. Ethereal, majestic, and filled with overwhelming sorrow and devotion. The figure approached Saanvi and gently lifted a hand. A single finger brushed her tear away.
Then he vanished.
Everyone stood frozen in stunned silence.
The phoenix statue trembled.
A deep crack split across the stone chest.
Crimson flames erupted, swirling through the chamber like a storm. The divine power of the Phoenix King surged out with a powerful screech.
Wei Zhan took a step back, shielding his eyes. "What the—?!"
But the energy didn't attack.
Instead, it circled above them once… then dove straight into Wei Zhan.
"What?! No—WAIT!" he screamed, staggering.
Crimson light exploded around him.
He collapsed, gripping his head. The power was overwhelming, burning through every nerve. His body convulsed, his screams echoing in the chamber.
Tianlan rushed forward. "Wei Zhan!"
Devran caught his arm. "Don't touch him—it's divine energy. It might harm you too!"
Wei Zhan's body glowed bright red, then fell still.
He lay unconscious.
Everyone stared, breathing hard, trying to comprehend what just happened.
The ground trembled.
The cave, the walls, the glowing chamber—everything dissolved in a shimmer of divine light.
In a blink… they were standing back at the Divine Village.
The sky above them clear.
The Phoenix Door… gone.
And Wei Zhan… still unconscious.
Everyone was silent.
Only the wind spoke now.
And the faint echo of a love that defied time itself.
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