The Magus smirked.
He thought about transforming, but decided against it.
There was no fun in an easy win.
Lightning crackled around him, then he vanished.
He reappeared behind the phoenix and whispered, "Dispel."
BOOM.
A bolt of mana slammed into the phoenix's core.
Its flames began to disperse as if something had snuffed them out.
The phoenix's body fell from the air.
Even as its body cracked apart in midair, a single feather drifted downward, still glowing.
The Magus caught it.
His eyes gleamed. "Interesting."
SWOOSH.
The crater glowed white-hot as the phoenix's burning form rose from the feather.
It shot skyward again, fire trailing behind it like a comet.
Its wings stretched wide.
Arcs of condensed plasma snapped off every motion.
Above, the Magus hovered in the air.
He raised one palm.
A swirling black mass began to form there.
It was the relic he had taken from the alpha.
BOOM.
The phoenix rushed him like a spear.
Fire howled in its wake.
