The Phoenix King is missing.
When the High Elves faced endless threats, when the skies roared, when wildfires swept across the fertile plains, when the Anulii Mountains were engulfed in storms, when lightning and fire descended from the peaks, when endless hordes of Chaos daemons poured down from the mist-shrouded mountains, when the tides of Chaos arrived with torrential rain, thunder, and thick toxic fog...
Both the Phoenix King and the Everqueen were unexpectedly silent.
Trees mutated, animals went mad and grew tentacles, the land turned into a swamp of corruption, and granaries filled with food became fetid breeding grounds for swarms of insects. When flames engulfed the forests of Chrace, when the power of Chaos descended upon Ulthuan, almost every High Elf cried out: "Phoenix King! Everqueen! Our rulers, where are you?"
No response. The Phoenix Court remained closed, no matter how the High Elf nobles and representatives pleaded and called. The heartless Phoenix King Finubar gave no answer.
The High Elves were forced to arm themselves. The ten kingdoms fought independently, lacking commanders and coordination. The High Elves took up arms to defend their beloved homeland.
The Kingdom of Chrace was consumed by flames. Tzeentchian daemons spread multicolored Tzeentchian fire across the forests. The White Tower mages of Saphery struggled to stabilize the Great Vortex while fending off challenges from Tzeentchian sorcerers on flying discs.
The soldiers of the kingdoms of Cothique and Ellyrion rallied as Nurgle's plagues spread across the once-fertile lands.
Khornate daemons targeted Eataine and Tiranoc, Bloodletters seeking skulls to please Khorne. Meanwhile, Slaaneshi daemons rode chariots, danced, and sang, reveling in High Elf manors.
All the kingdoms were in crisis, the war at a stalemate, until Prince Imrik of Caledor appeared. Caledor was the first High Elf kingdom to completely eradicate the Chaos daemons on its own. Imrik, now free to muster his forces, prepared to aid the other kingdoms. The Prince of Caledor was puzzled by the inaction of the "Duck" (Finubar) and personally led a group of Dragon Princes to Lothern.
This legendary High Elf hero, the last descendant of Caledor the Dragon Tamer, ignored the protests of Korhil, captain of the White Lions, and strode into the Phoenix Court. When he emerged, Imrik's expression was strange. On one hand, the Prince of Caledor seemed slightly sorrowful—a rare sight for the proud Caledonians, who only showed such emotion when their dragon companions or comrades fell in battle. On the other hand, many claimed that a fire of ambition burned in Imrik's eyes.
Indeed, the first thing Imrik did was declare himself the acting War Leader in Tyrion's absence. Given the urgent need for Caledor's military support, Imrik's request was quickly granted, and he was appointed acting War Leader.
However, Imrik was not satisfied. Soon, when the Prince of Caledor demanded control over major High Elf appointments and partial financial authority of the Phoenix Court, voices of dissent arose. Many Asur realized that granting Imrik's demands would effectively place him in control of the Phoenix Court, allowing him to make decisions unilaterally. Thus, many High Elf nobles refused to accept his terms.
Imrik's response was simple: those who accepted his terms would receive the support of Caledor's mighty armies, while those who refused would have to fend for themselves. Caledor's forces would not lift a finger to help them.
"Imrik's ambitions are clear to all."
—A Lothern street saying
Thus, when the twins and other High Elf heroes returned with their defeated army, they found all of Ulthuan a battlefield. Although the Chaos daemon onslaught had been contained, much land had been lost. Among the High Elf nobles who had not supported Imrik, only the boldest dared to openly discuss reclaiming territory from the Chaos daemons.
Tyrion, ever astute and politically savvy, immediately realized that Imrik sought to become the Phoenix King. His ambition had swelled like the tide. Even so, Tyrion knew that he, Teclis, and the other High Elf heroes had to thank Prince Imrik and his armies. Without the Dragon Princes, the situation in Ulthuan would have spiraled out of control. But Imrik's actions also meant he intended to use this as leverage to propel himself toward the Phoenix Throne.
In theory, Tyrion should have suppressed Imrik's ambitions and reunited the fractured factions of Ulthuan—those who supported Caledor and those who opposed it. Only Tyrion could achieve this.
Yet Tyrion's heart was still set on Alarielle. The War Leader ordered the ten High Elf kingdoms to muster sufficient forces while defending against the Chaos invasion, preparing to organize another army to rescue Alarielle in the Old World.
Despite the daemonic threat, Lothern, the Phoenix King's capital, remained as glorious, bustling, and opulent as ever. In the gilded courtyards of the High Elves, Teclis, Supreme Archmage of the White Tower, strode into the garden.
Prince Eltharion of Yvresse and Princess Alith Anar of Tiranoc greeted Teclis, but the Supreme Archmage was displeased. Teclis did not know how much Tyrion knew, but in this critical moment, Tyrion chose to trust Eltharion and Alith Anar—two of the few High Elf leaders who knew the truth about Alarielle's parentage.
"Brother, you must step forward," Teclis said to Tyrion. The War Leader had locked himself in the war room, studying tactics for an entire day. The Supreme Archmage sighed helplessly. "You must take command of all Ulthuan's armies. Otherwise, Imrik will split the Asur. If Ulthuan falls to the daemons, what meaning is there in saving Alarielle?"
"Are you lecturing me, brother?" Tyrion turned sharply, glancing at Teclis. "She is your niece, Teclis. She is our future."
"No..." Teclis sighed. The Supreme Archmage tried again. "You know very well that only the daughter of the Phoenix King and the Everqueen can become the next Everqueen."
"Isn't she the daughter of Finubar and Alarielle?" Tyrion's expression grew impatient. "Isn't she the rightful Everqueen?"
"No, she is not. She will not become the Everqueen." Teclis suddenly sighed. "Brother, do you know what I see on your face?"
"What?"
"The Curse of Khaine. The beautiful visage of the Bloody-Handed God is already so clear." Teclis took a deep breath and said coldly, "The curse in our blood is eroding your reason. If you continue like this, you will bring ruin to the Asur."
"....." Tyrion's expression froze. The War Leader's heart was suddenly filled with a sense of honor and responsibility. He clutched his chest, struggling to breathe.
Teclis waited silently in the shadows for Tyrion's response.
"You're so cold, Teclis. Isn't Alarielle your niece?" If admitting mistakes were easy, he wouldn't be Tyrion. The War Leader glared at his brother, refusing to show any weakness. "But then, you've always been cold-hearted. Compared to Alarielle, you'd rather spend time with your goddess Lileath and the magical tomes of the White Tower library. Perhaps you're only fit to be friends with the Lizardmen."
Teclis was suddenly at a loss for words. The Supreme Archmage opened his mouth but could only say, "The fate of our race rests on your shoulders, brother. You must make a choice."
Tyrion fell silent. The sense of duty and honor as the War Leader and Guardian of Ulthuan clashed with his responsibilities and love as a father.
"Ulthuan needs a hero," Teclis said his final piece and turned to leave.
As he left the room, the Supreme Archmage silently added:
I'm sorry, brother. Forgive me.
After Teclis left, Eltharion approached Tyrion. "War Leader, the future of the Asur is in your hands."
"The future of the Asur has never been in my hands!" Tyrion said coldly. "Come, let us go to the Shrine of Asuryan. The Phoenix God will decide Ulthuan's future."
Without another word, Tyrion, Eltharion, and Alith Anar set off for the Shrine of Asuryan on the Isle of the Flame.
The process was surprisingly smooth.
The Phoenix Priests and Caradryan, captain of the Phoenix Guard, had received no divine revelations or prophecies from Asuryan, as had been the case for thousands of years. The Phoenix Priests had grown accustomed to making decisions on Asuryan's behalf. In the past two millennia, only Caradryan had received a holy symbol from Asuryan, but like all Phoenix Guards, Caradryan had since remained silent.
When Tyrion, Eltharion, and Alith Anar arrived at the Shrine of Asuryan, all the Phoenix Priests believed that Tyrion was Asuryan's chosen, for he was the first to approach the Phoenix God's pyramid.
Ten thousand Phoenix Guards knelt in unison. Dozens of golden halberd formations, under the proclamation of the Phoenix Priests, pledged their loyalty to War Leader Tyrion. The Phoenix Priests proudly declared that Tyrion was Asuryan's chosen.
"The Phoenix God has chosen you, Tyrion," Eltharion said to Tyrion. The Prince of Yvresse spoke with the utmost sincerity and seriousness, conveying his decision. "Return, War Leader, and embrace your destiny."
"But what about Alarielle?" Tyrion was deeply conflicted. The War Leader's sense of honor, duty, and mission began to outweigh everything else.
"Leave her to me and Alith Anar," Eltharion nodded to the Princess of Tiranoc. "We will raise a new army and go to the Old World to rescue Alarielle. We will bring her back... or die trying."
Tyrion fell silent for a long time, his gaze fixed on Eltharion and Alith Anar until tears blurred his vision. The War Leader finally nodded, his thousand words condensed into a single heartfelt farewell: "I leave it to you, my friends."
Tyrion parted ways with Eltharion and Alith Anar. When the War Leader marched into the Phoenix Council of Lothern with an army of thousands of High Elves and ten thousand Phoenix Guards, all were stunned by Tyrion's appearance.
Tyrion drew the Sunfang and coldly declared that he would take command of all Ulthuan's armies. Anyone who opposed him was welcome to challenge him to a duel. The Asur must unite to face their enemies.
No one dared to face Tyrion's blade, especially since Tyrion had effectively ruled in Finubar's stead for over a century. The High Elves were already accustomed to following Tyrion's orders. With or without Finubar, it made little difference. As Tyrion appeared, all the High Elf princes, lords, and White Tower mages knelt and pledged their loyalty.
Then, Tyrion proclaimed himself Regent Prince, taking full control of the Phoenix Court's governance and commanding all military affairs of the ten kingdoms.
Not a single mistake! The first release of this content is at 69 Book Bar!
Only Imrik, the Prince of Caledor, reacted with fury, realizing that all his efforts had been in vain. Imrik lashed out, demanding, "With the Phoenix King Finubar absent, Tyrion, by what right do you assume control of the Phoenix Court? By what right do you declare yourself Regent Prince? By what right do you unilaterally command all of Ulthuan's military affairs? This is rebellion!"
"Even the Phoenix King is but a servant of Asuryan in the mortal world, Imrik. I fear you have misunderstood something," Tyrion sneered at his final opponent. "And unfortunately for you, I, Tyrion, War Leader, have been blessed by Asuryan. I am His herald and favored one in this world. Don't believe me?"
Tyrion glanced outside the council chamber.
The Phoenix Priests outside shouted, "Asuryan has spoken! Tyrion, Regent Prince! Tyrion, Regent Prince!"
Imrik's face turned ashen. The Prince of Caledor suddenly realized he stood no chance against Tyrion, who now held the mantle of legitimacy.
He declared that Caledor would secede from Ulthuan from that day forward. The proud Dragon Princes would face the Chaos daemons and the coming End Times alone.
With that, Imrik stormed out of the Phoenix Council.
Tyrion sneered at the Prince of Caledor's folly. The War Leader mocked Imrik's overreach, then strode out of the Phoenix Council.
Ten thousand Phoenix Guards, the heroes and warriors of the nine High Elf kingdoms, all knelt, ready to heed the Regent Prince's commands.
Tyrion suddenly felt as though he had grasped the essence of politics.
As he gazed upon the hundreds of banners and the tens of thousands of High Elf soldiers kneeling before him, the newly crowned Regent Prince felt a burning excitement in his veins.
He had achieved enlightenment.
"Without might, one cannot vanquish the myriad foes."
"Without strength, one cannot rule the world!"
"All else is the behavior of fools."
"Chaos seeks to end the world?"
"Overconfidence!"
"Asur, forward! Heed my command, for the Phoenix Court, for Ulthuan!"
"For Ulthuan!"
...I have achieved enlightenment...
Meanwhile, just as Ryan returned to the Palace of Fontainebleau from Guisoreaux...
His personal maid, Olica, suddenly heard a divine revelation from the void.
A twisted, venomous voice, filled with endless malice, whispered into Olica's ears, adorned with golden rings.
"Daughter~ my daughter, the time has come~"
"It is time to offer everything to your mother!"
Olica couldn't help but smile sweetly.
Yes, the time has come, Mother~
Your era is over.
______
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