Avion soaked it all in. He was surprised, mainly because he knew the entire history of the kingdom but he had never heard of this. "Well if Hadrius is chained beneath the earth, what's the problem here?" he asked. "The spell is weakening. You see, in time, when a soul is sacrificed for a spell of that magnitude, it lies in a trance like state for a long time. Depending on the purity of the soul, it repairs itself quickly the purer it is. Phoenix's soul was incredibly powerful, thus it was able to heal quicker than most. And because the soul is healing, the bonds holding Hadrius are weakening and his power is seeping back into the world. Slowly, but enough that it is a major threat to the kingdom," Arical explained. "So how do we stop him?" "How am I supposed to know!?" "Well, you're the wise sage! I'd guess you have some idea!" "You have a point there. Alright, follow me and I'll give you what help I can." The group followed Arical into the back room. The moment Avion stepped inside, his eyes went wide.
In the middle of the room, floating upon a pedestal of solid ruby, surrounded by a pillar of light, was the most incredible thing Avion had ever seen. It was a sword, a two-hander. The hilt was encrusted with diamonds and made of pure silver. The blade was diamond, with intricate carvings filled with golden, crimson, and orange swirls that made it look as if the weapon itself was on fire. "What is this majestic weapon?" Avion explained. "It is the Phoenix Blade, named after the great hero himself, for it was his. Legend foretold that when his soul is fully pieced together, it will be reincarnated into a new body. That person will be able to remove the blade from that pedestal and take on Hadrius," Arical explained. "And you think I am Phoenix?" "Well, it is possible. It was said he would be born into royalty." "Plus the fact that you didn't want to help us a few minute ago." "Well the legend said you'd be stubborn, too! And you didn't seem it until you pushed me for help!" "Well, in any case, can I try and take this thing or not?" Avion said, getting a little angry. "Of course," replied Arical. And so, Avion grasped the hilt firmly. He could feel the power surging through the sword. He gripped it with his other hand, and lifted.
The sword moved a little, then the pillar shattered beneath it in a burst of light. Avion squeezed his eyes shut, and took a few steps backward, still gripping the handle. Arical's mouth dropped open. Etzin and Danny stared in amazement. Avion opened his eyes and flipped the sword around. He spun it in his hand a few times, and then thrust it forward at where the pillar had been earlier. "And to think I'd be alive to see it all..." Arical said quietly to himself. "Wow," Etzin said. "Sweet," Danny agreed. "This sword... It... It feels... Powerful!" Avion exclaimed. "It is indeed. It holds many great abilities, but we haven't got the time for me to explain them all. How do you do at learning on the go?" Arical asked. "Just fine!" "Then off you go! With that sword, it's only a matter of time before Hadrius is defeated once again!" End of Chapter 2