The Exam Before Phoenix

 #Hi_from_reality

Art&concept by Ol Albireo

Feel free to write your stories and give names to the artworks. Also, you're not limited to just writing stories; you can draw your own art, compose music, make toys, saw with a jigsaw, scratch with a nail, and translate into other languages for practice (and never simplify the text when translating!). And show us what you've created :)

The Exam Before Phoenix

Sherd paused in one of the parks, shifting his gaze to the Black Tower where the conquerors remained.

The golden whore of Raihm had undoubtedly stayed on the throne, shimmering in Sherd's favorite shade of gold. The new overlord probably wasn't perched on the edge of the table with arms crossed anymore, but had likely returned behind it, just as when Sherd first entered the throne room.

And somewhere, Raihm had settled in. Sherd couldn't imagine where. The shapeshifter had stood aside throughout the meeting, completely off the Sherd-Katana line, but the former king's counselor had no doubt that if danger suddenly threatened Raihm's new employer, he'd be there in an instant. Sherd had no intention of attacking the new overlord; he was simply assessing the situation out of habit.

Sherd felt an involuntary respect for the Dzirovian Raihm, who had managed to earn the centuries-long love of Kan, the battle wings, and almost everyone else, and now remained in the same position under the new regime.

Because Sherd believed that abilities should be rewarded.

And Raihm was very capable. Sherd had never understood why Raihm didn't take the Phoenix exam and become a golden winged one.

Once, during yet another debate in Kan's council, Raihm suddenly took Sherd's side. After the Council, the aristocratic schemer approached the shapeshifter and said:

"If you ever want to take the Phoenix exam, know that I'll support you."

Raihm, as always, flashed a dazzling smile and replied:

"Thank you, Sherd, but I think that in my exam before Phoenix, your support won't help me."

"You're wrong to think so," said Sherd, mentally noting Raim's Dzirovian speech pattern – 'exam before Phoenix' was what Dzirovian assassins called the judgment after death – but he didn't correct him, "I can easily become the chairman of any commission."

"At my exam, there won't be any commission, only Phoenix."

Sherd had nodded respectfully then, assuming Raihm was from some proud clan that adhered to their own wild code, which Phoenix was supposed to evaluate after the assassin's death.

And now Sherd pondered, recalling both that old conversation and the recent one in the Throne Room. Even then, Raihm had known about the coup and had meant the real god-Phoenix. Did that mean the coup had been in preparation for several centuries? And no one noticed? No one? That's impossible!

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