Canyon regained consciousness. She was placed near the hearth of a colossal fire, and heard some music going on somewhere. How long had she been out cold?

    She must've been unconscious for at least several hours, as the first morning rays were peaking in through smooth, orange windows. Canyon blinked at the bright fire, mesmerized for a second. She gazed at the fire for long, and looked out the window. She blinked the sun's glare out of her eyes, and tried getting up.

    Pain shot up through her right talons, and her back. Canyon gasped quietly, then set herself down again in a more comfortable position. Since she had nothing to do, and she was so tired, she passed out just as her vision was edged in black.

    The next time she woke up, Talios was over her, gently applying his supply of warm water from his wings. "Shhh, shhhh, Canyon. You best not move in case I extinguish you. Sleep..." Talios said in a soothing voice that sounded like the slow rush of a river. "Rest. Be grateful that my brethren did not wipe your fire off."

    So Canyon just went unconscious again, confused about what's happening. When she had awaken her final time, she tried to piece together what had happened the night before. Strikimir with a deadly ice sword coming at her...and his alliances had attacked them. Was that why Alabastorm darkened at the name? Was he a murderer? Was that why he held an ice sword so valiantly in front of him, as if ready to kill someone? This must be a message to her that Strikimir could no longer be trusted. A nagging though sprang up at her, but she pushed it away. Trust no one from Ice Talon's league. Defend yourself from everyone who wants to hurt you. Attack offending murderers.

    Trust no one.

    Defend against the offenders.

    Attack evil alliances.

    And save the world...

    "Ah, Canyon. Your wounds have been healing quite fast," A voice like a slow, smooth river said.  "Quite fast. Faster than a normal phoenix would heal." He paused to tend a slight wound. "And I'm surprised that you didn't die from that blast of water the way the other phoenixes did. Or at least, almost."

    It was Talios. No wonder that voice reminded her of the River Tithor! Talios spoke again, in that same, soothing voice that reminded her of home. He sounded like he was trying to tell her that everything was okay - except for the little fact that everything was not okay. Strikimir, the absolute traitor. After all of her thoughts, she still wanted to believe that he was on her side. But sadly, no.The next time she saw him, she would attempt to kill him. That's what the other phoenixes wanted to do. So why shouldn't she? But what would her family think of her, killing another member of the family - even if it was a traitor? And what would become of Talios? Why else would he be here? He's like a message sent by her parents!  Oh, now thinking of her family wanted Canyon to just...die now. She just couldn't bare to live with the guilt of leaving them behind to danger.

    "Shhh, Canyon. Shhh. You must not think too much right now. I can see your flame gears swirling in your mind right now. But yet, those gears are rusted with sadness," Talios whispered gently, leaning above her. "Rest. We can all see by now that a war is coming so forth. Your family is near, so close to you. Rest. They are desperate, and do not at all feel angry at you. Rest. Do not fear me, or my past. And most important of all, do not fear Ice Talons." Talios leaned back to pick up a jar filled with fire engine red flames flickering in there with his beak. The flames flickered violently, and at the hearth of it, the flames appeared to be waterfall blue.

    Canyon tucked her head under her wings, and closed her eyes. Why did the world target legendary good creatures to death? There was always someone standing in their way! And it irritated her.

   She heard some thumps in front of her, and withdrew her head from her wings. In front of her right now was a tall, elegant stone phoenix breathing elements below. It's eyes glowed gold, and it's wings were outspread as if it was ready to rocket off of its platform. The miniature stone fires curled around each other, making a smooth cup. Talios poured the contents of the jar into the stone cup. The flames slid down like liquid, and rose like a fiery mist around the phoenix's head. The eyes glowed an even brighter gold. The flames snaked towards Canyon, and wrapped around her. She panicked at first, but the look Talios gave her calmed her down. She let go of her tenseness, and became slack. The fire mist obscured her vision, and a voice that sounded like three voices overlapping each other recited something that made Canyon freeze.

    The world was once split in two

    A power house of who was who?

    But when the phoenixes stepped up right

    That's when they created the brightest night

    Locked away for thousands of years

    Anger boiling, frozen to their peers

    Released and allied with a blindsided kite

    Now it's up to a phoenix

    At a pressured height

    Fire and Talons

    Talons and Fire

    She flies in the skies

    In the fire of Phoenix eyes

    A Hybrid Fire Phoenix is coming...

    Canyon opened her eyes wide, and jerked back. The mist cleared, showing once again Talios in front of her. She was breathing heavily, and was scared. She had heard of this before. This was part of her dream. "Talios, explain to me immediately the meaning of this." She demanded, voice trembling.

    Talios looked at her wide eyed. "You've heard of this before? Why, this explains things." He turned around to look at the statue, and raised his blue wings upward, as if trying to envelope the statue in his blue wings. "You see, Canyon. This statue was once called the Prophets Rebel Fountain. It is used to state prophecies, and if you have even the slightest memory to it, your are somehow connected to that prophecy spoken." His wings folded back, and he swiveled his head to look back at her. "And you are a part of the Prophecy of the Fire Phoenix."

    Canyon just sat there, frozen and shocked. She never would've expected this! One moment, she was just a normal hawk, and the next, she was a phoenix destined to complete a prophecy! "I...don't think so..." She paused. "I feel bad. This is all my fault now that Ice Talons  is awake, and same with the Forbidden!" The flames around her neck flared, giving her a look of a lion eagle.

    "Why blame yourself for stuff in this accursed world? Up to this point, I hate my life, but I can't kill myself properly because of a curse for my immortality that's supposed to last 15,000 more years." Talios growled softly, which sounded like what a Leviathan might make when angered. For once, Canyon could see his great pain, and the fire in his eyes of water. Waves broiling and crashing against each other, as if at war with itself, leaving foamy water that churned dangerously, before the war waves crashed again. Green light that reflected off of his eyes gave that sea shore seaweed. Seaweed clawed at the surface of the water in agony as fish viciously ripped pieces of seaweed slowly apart. Right now, his mind was at war. And it was as if she could finally see Talios's dangerous nature. But this only lasted a moment, as his eyes cleared, reverberating to that calm, beach-like state.

    "I-I must go. Thank you for your help," Canyon stammered fearfully. She said it one more time, just so Talios could get the message that she wanted to leave. She raised, and slightly winced at the sudden, strong pain at her back.

    Talios pushed her back down gently with his wings. His voice softened, until it sounded like the mesmerizing lull of a calm beach. "No, King Falcon Claws will retrieve you." He turned away. "What a lovely last card Vuldrix has played in his game." Talios whispered mysteriously. Canyon knew who Vuldrix was. Vuldrix was the almighty first phoenix, and Fire Phoenix, in the world. Canyon had been reading sometimes at the great library, reading and rereading the legends of the phoenixes and dragons. Who knew if Vuldrix was still alive. Unless possibly...no, Vuldrix was not that.

    "Think. Suppose your brain has always been a lively gear, well oiled and polished. One untamed," Talios whispered to her.

    A shrill shriek tore through the air, and King Falcon Claws came flying out of nowhere, as if he materialized from fire. And he looked quite pleased with himself. When he saw Canyon, his expression turned from happy - to grim. "Is Canyon okay? I just hope that she will recover today. You know, Canyon, let's hope that you'll recover tonight, when there's still light."

    "Oh, Talons! Not that nonsense again!" Talios exclaimed. And seeing Canyon's confused expression, he started to explain. "Oh, we go way back - before Titanium betrayed us, before there was even a war. Strikimir is...was...never mind. But the point is that, this was back when we still had our sense of humor and loved poetry." Talios sighed, as if doing so would bring back those thousand year old memories.

    King Falcon Claws then let out a laugh - a trill that sounded like parakeets talking to each other - but much deeper sounding. "My apologizes, Canyon. Just remembering my early days, apparently. Talios, here," He flapped his wing at Talios, "knows about my knack of ways to stick to a subject, even though it was not my fault." Now what did he say?...Eh, doesn't matter right now. He was always talking in riddles, it seemed, to Canyon.

    "Uh, King Falcon Claws? Whose Titanium?" Canyon asked warily. Titanium seemed like a familiar name, yet with all of the information she was getting, she just couldn't remember. There was just too many mysteries out there.

    King Falcon Claw's face darkened, as if suddenly remembering a bad shadow of the past memories - vowed perhaps never to be spoken of again. "That is absolutely not a matter to be mentioned today." He shot Talios a unfathomable look. "Titanium was once a great bird, but...became a betrayer. He was allied with the Forbidden. His...his name was..." He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence for the sake of Canyon.

    "Yes?..." Canyon pressed, eager for more information. She wanted all of the information possibly concerning her, or anything related to her.

    "Never mind. The point is that this information is not for you today."

    "What?! But I'm...I'm...eligible to know that knowledge! And is this someone I know, and is that why you're hiding that from me?!" Canyon shrieked.

    "Shh, Canyon! Be quiet!" He said harshly to her. "You already know enough about us! Now, when you've soaked all of that up, I'll tell you when the time is right."

    Canyon was still not finished. She raised up, even if it made her vision go hazy around the edges. "You tell me now, or tomorrow, you'll be the table in lectures!" She hadn't meant it to be so harsh and cruel sounding.

   "That's IT!" A voice boomed out from somewhere. A Fire Phoenix materialized in the air above them, sweeping her wings graciously overhead. "You give my father some respect, otherwise, I'll REALLY let you have it!" Her flames flared red violently, and she landed in front of Canyon.

    "Sirentara! What are you doing here?!" King Falcon Claws screeched.

    "I was following, and watching you, daddy! I was trying to protect you in case someone tried to kill you! And what I found out was worse!" She raged, gesturing with her head towards Canyon.

    "By the laws of the ancient rules, you know that I need no assistance!" His eyes flashed, and Sirentara cowered under it slightly.

    "But-but-" Her rage was now directed at him. "You-you-...I was only trying to protect you!"

    Sirentara flew away immediately, but not before she hit Canyon across the face with her tail. Canyon flinched. King Falcon Claws looked after Sirentara's vanishing form, and sighed. Talios was surveying all of them.

    "Whose that?" Canyon asked, trembling.

    "Oh...my oldest daughter."

    "Ah..."

    Silence.

    "Um...I should really go now..." Canyon said. They didn't resist. Apparently, King Flacon Claws was not going to retrieve her. Looks like she'll just 'retrieve herself'.

    Canyon left. And when she was about to exit the room, she heard Talios say something terrifying to King Falcon Claws. "We cannot win this new war. Or at least, without allies. It's time to ally with the Dragons of Vhladkronkus. You know that, right?"