INTRODUCTION - LEGENDS ARISE - BCE 4489, Five days before Spring

    Everyone knows about the fearful Ice Dragon, Ice Talons. His sudden mad rages of destroying peaceful villages, and ruling the land, lead to the extinction of his reign. Vuldrix, the first ever Fire Phoenix, struck him down when it was midnight, and more births of phoenixes came to life. But not many phoenixes and reptilian alike know of his small and secretive past, for it brought down shame upon him every time he thinks about it. Legends of his past swirl around him like mist, but I've written something worth knowing that I've found out to be true. And the only true one.

    Canyon flipped over to the Table of Contents that King Falcon Claws seemed to have written recently. She looked for something of great importance.

1. The War of the Ice Dragons and Fire Phoenixes.....pg. 1

2. His Legend.....pg. 41

3. Secret Name.....pg. 78

4. First Life.....pg. 129

5. Secrets of His Past.....pg. 156

6. Way Beyond Millenia and Decades.....241

7. Dark Ice Aura.....299

8. Outcasted.....pg. 325

9. Future Arisings.....pg. 379

Epilogue.....pg. 415

Glossary.....pg. 472

Index.....pg. 515

    Hhmm...the whole book sounded interesting, but she only had time to read the helpful sounding ones to analyze how to defeat Ice Talons. She flew out of the cranny, and went to the tree that held parchments and calligraphy pens. She grabbed one of each, and went back to the secret cranny. When she wrote with the calligraphy pen, its ink was a flow of fire. Phoenix calligraphy pens worked without ink, but used the elements that the phoenix had as ink. In this case, Canyon was a Fire Phoenix, so the words were created in small fiery flames.

- Secret Name

- Secrets of His Past

- Dark Ice Aura

- Future Arisings

    Canyon flipped to the First Life section, and began reading.

SECRET NAME - BCE 4441, 6 shadows after Winter

    Most only know of him by the name Ice Talons, but how many know of his Secret Name? None! Or at least, some, but Ice Talons killed them so they may not give out his real name. Names are powerful in Ice Dragons, particularly Ice Talons. You can control one by speaking of their Secret Name, so that's why many do not know of Secret Name's. Way back before the Miocene Period, even the period where real Earthen life cherished, Ice Talons was born. He had a name full of cuteness, and peacefulness, but he ultimately destroyed it from ever being spoken again. He became an Ice Dragon through choice, and Dark Magic (see Dark Ice Aura). He became so hateful in feeling, and so destroyed his first name, and altered it to one final Secret Name.

    Secret Names are fatal enough, but if someone got ahold of it, then you could be controlled. Everyone has it, but not everyone knows of its existence. When someone tries to control you, and you refuse, your brain could turn to mush and you'd be killed - and be transported through death to the Forbidden as they decide your fate. Many had tried to use Ice Talon's Secret Name, but to no avail. They just simply disappeared - most likely right into the belly of Ice Talons. His original name was Cuddly Crawler, but that changed when he hated it. You can't use it against him now, as it's now useless.

    Secret Names can only be found by the bearer of it, or if you've heard it from someone trustworthy. His Secret Name is Killer.

    Then the rest of it was about his Secret Name, and what he'll do about it if he ever found out that someone else knows about it.

    Suddenly very excited, Canyon flipped over to the Secrets of His Past section.

SECRETS OF HIS PAST - BCE 3979, 8 days before Fall
(That you didn't know about)

    His Secret Name, Killer, abandoned all hope of eternity of his original species. Before he was an Ice Dragon, before even when he got ahold of the first Dark Magic, he was something else. He killed his original species to extinction, and that's when he became known as Ice Talons. Why? No one knows, but the dead. His life before a tyrant, way back thousands of years before this journal, he was once known as the now fantasia species the Sycamore Stygian Shrimp.

    That did it. She didn't even need to read the rest of the long chapter. He was once a shrimp, and even though that was thousands of years ago, he still must have some shrimp instincts...maybe she could manipulate him...? How a shrimp ever got ahold of something so powerful was truly a mystery. She flipped over to the Dark Ice Aura section. This would help her solve some mysteries, at least.

DARK ICE AURA - BCE 3781, First shadow of Summer

    I've always wondered how a tiny, calm shrimp ever got ahold of something so powerful, and it still remains at large today, but one of my discoveries have lead me to solving a portion of that mystery.

    On night, on the thirty third day of Winter, a Sycamore Stygian Shrimp was wandering about. Meanwhile, three hundred feet above the water line, a sorcerer and an Ice Dragon were fighting. The cause is still unknown, because at the time, wizards, witches, and sorcerers alike were at peace with the fantasia creatures.

    The sorcerer had killed the Ice Dragon with a spear through the heart, the powerful Ice Aura Magic still in the great beast. The dead Ice Dragon plunged down, right in front of the Sycamore Stygian Shrimp's path. The Ice Dragon's powers still lingered, and it froze the waters around it. But the shrimp loved the frozen water. He started eating away at the dragon, as that's what the particular Sycamore Stygian Shrimp likes to do - eat anything. Within a week, the shrimp had finished the dragon, and the waters became back to normal again. Only the shrimp ate the dragon, as he was the only thing that liked freezing coldness.

    Once he finished it, he suddenly felt a surge of power through his tiny body. Dark Magic. Ice Aura. And he transformed. Great big wings shot out of his back, and his body grew in length. Jaws erupted from his head, and horns shot around through his spine. His tail grew and narrowed, and his body started snapping into something more powerful. Now, he looked like an exact replica of the dragon he ate. He killed his fellow shrimps, unable to control his great power. He finally was what he longed to be since his first sightings of the beasts. But he saw something of even greater power than him. A Fire Phoenix destined to defeat him, and restore peace to the Ice Dragons. The phoenix was a hybrid, part Fire Phoenix, and another unknown. A Hawk was to finally upheave his everlasting power.

    Canyon jumped as she heard the scrabble of sharp claws on smooth wood. She whipped around, sweeping her head over the vast library through a tiny window. The shadow of a bird darted away. It seemed to be a black bird of some sort, but had another shadow. Could it be another type of Fire Phoenix? But surely, it couldn't be a Fire Phoenix, as they create shadows and burn them away. No, this was something different.

    She spotted the shadow again, and locked her eyes on it. It seemed solid for a shadow, but still...there can't be any other way. Someone was watching her.

    Canyon braved enough of herself to stand up straight, and whisper in a menacing voice, "Whose there, anonymous phoenix? Show yourself!"

    No answer. No reply. Silence was in the library. Only the slight rustle of feathers greeted her ears, and the shadow disappeared.

    "I said whose there?" Canyon was half hoping that no one would answer, and that the shadow was just a hallucination.

    "And might I ask the same question for you?" Canyon shrieked as she saw the shadow move towards her, and open dark red eyes. "Quiet!" It hissed. "Sheesh, phoenix! You don't have to scream." And into the light the bird stepped. It was a dark feathered bird, with a strange black fire coming off of him. A Shadow Phoenix, perhaps...? "Alright, guys. We're all in the clear." He flicked his fading-like tail, and from above dropped down four birds. One Lightning Phoenix, two Ice Phoenixes, and one Fire Phoenix. PYRETALON?!

    "What? What? WHAT?" Canyon shrieked, suddenly enraged. How dare they sneak up and watch her like that! "Pyretalon! It's only been one day, and you're already out? And you!" She pointedly looked at the lightning phoenix. "Syrefala! Why haven't you shown yourself already?" Her other phoenix friend just shook her head. Canyon turned to the twin Ice Phoenixes. "Iceclaw and Frozenheart! Why have you joined these phoenixes and spy on me?" The just stared at her with those glassy blue eyes of theirs. Canyon turned to all of them. "WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED TO SPY ON ME, AND WHAT TYPE OF PHOENIX ARE YOU, DARK ONE?" She specifically yelled more at the possible Shadow Phoenix. "WHY GO AND SCARE ME LIKE THAT?"

    "Well, I am A Fire Phoenix, and hoped that you'd get the joke." He explained. "I just came in last night. Ah, the night of the attack. Strange.

    "Well, I DID NOT." She paused in thought. "And you're a Fire Phoenix? Doubtful. You're most likely a Shadow Phoenix because you're so dark in plumage."

    "I am what I am. And my name is Shadow."

    Hmm...ominous name for a Fire Phoenix.

    "Well, Shadow...and everyone else...why were you guys watching me?" She looked around more calmly this time.

    Syrefala sighed, and stepped up. "Well, we apparently banded up together, and were out hunting when we saw you flying to the library. We were suspicious, as you were the only one besides us going out. Haven't you realized how quiet it was lately? Anyway, we followed you, and sent Shadow here to sneak up on you. We saw you reading a book by the king, and got interested." She paused. "What's your excuse for getting up so early?" She yawned, making her jagged beak even more noticeable.

    "Well..." The king told me not to tell anyone about this. But...Canyon looked around at them. They are my friends, or at least, most of them. I know that I can trust them. I just know I can. "King Falcon Claws personally told me to come here, and read this book." She held the fragile book out carefully. "Because he wants me to be the one to defeat Ice Talons." Everyone sucked in their breath.

    "How can we know to trust you?" Frozenheart asked. He looked at her suspiciously. "I mean, we are part friends, but these days, we don't know who to trust anymore.

    Canyon laughed harshly. "Well, that's what I was thinking when I told you this, Frozenheart. And you're the one to band up with a newcoming strange phoenix first!" Canyon lowered her head. "You are my friend, and you have to trust me, like I do to you." Frozenheart relaxed a bit.

    "So...watcha' reading?" Asked Iceclaw. She seemed interested in the book.

    "Oh, the king's journal about how to defeat Ice Talons, and his secrets."

    "Ooo, nice." Her blue eyes turned ice blue, as if she was adverting her gaze to contemplate the book.

    There was a moment of tense silence. "Well, this is awkward. Why not we all go hunting - together?" Pyretalon suggested. "We can all talk about this in the woods. And Canyon...tell me - us - about what you've learned. Like you've said, we're your friends, and you can trust us. Look." She stared straight at Canyon's eyes. "Like you, we all want to defeat Ice Talons, and bring peace again to the Ice Dragons. So please tell us your findings so we may savage any associates of him."

    Canyon nodded. "Alright, Fair enough, I guess. Let's go."

    "Race you to the woods!" Pyretalon shouted. They lifted off.

    Canyon was about to lift off when Shadow said, "Wait."

    Canyon folded back her wings. "What?" She looked back anxiously.

    "So, what made you end up coming here?" He asked. Weird question to ask. Probably he was one to always cut to the chase.

    Canyon paused, unsure exactly. What did make her come here? Was it perhaps her 'monstrous nature'? Or Strikimir's? She didn't know. "You first." Was all she could say.

    Shadow gulped quietly. His expression suddenly saddened. "Ice Talons killed my parents in a quarrel not long ago...perhaps five days?...Anyway, I was now dubbed an orphan. The only reason that I ended up here was because they...sang me a map." He became silent, as if trying to call on the map again.

    This greatly reminded Canyon of her own problem, but much worse. And sang him a map?...that's what the bats do! She wondered what they might've felt - perhaps just ice and cold. Canyon did all she could to not cry as she recounted her happy days long ago. "Yes. I know what you feel like, Shadow. I do." She walked up to him, and lightly draped her right wing over his back.

    Shadow looked up to her, with a vicious glint in his eyes. "You know what? I want to so badly hurt Ice Talons, and I also want to kill him so he knows what it feels like!" Was it her imagination, or did his black fire seem to turn slightly blue?

    "What? But you're too young, and the battle is nearing!"

    "That's what anyone - everyone - ever tells me anymore." He closed his eyes. "I've changed, Canyon. In many ways." He flew away towards the woods, where the others would be waiting for them.

    What a poor little phoenix. Vuldrix knows what he's been through. Somebody else would be defeating Ice Talons, a Red Tailed Hawk. Definitely not Shadow. So who could it be?

    Also, why did Shadow remind her of someone, like she perhaps saw him before? From the woods? From school?

    Or possibly from a dream?

    Canyon shook her head to clear away all of the confusing stuff, and flew away to the woods where everyone would be watching, and waiting for her. And for the rest of the day, Canyon hunted and told them all of her secrets. Her findings.

    No more hiding them from everyone she could trust. It's now time that everyone learned of her secrets to Ice Talons. Its time that someone take action and rise up against him once and for all.

                                                          ~~~

    "What more do you want from me?" Shadow cried out.

    "To use you. Or do you want to die at my hand like your parents?" A cold voice laughed cruelly. Ice Talons.

    "Don't talk about them like that!" Shadow screamed fearfully. "Shut up shut up SHUT UP!"

    "I don't care about your wants and needs. All you need to do right now is to listen to me!" He hissed.

    "No!" Shadow tried to fly away, but his wings were somehow locked in place, his still body held up by a strong thermal.

    "Alright, then! I am coming for you! And I'll unleash a weapon to crush all of you pathetic fools!"

    "Please, no! Please don't come!" Darkness engulfed him as he thrashed around in nothingness. Before the darkness started, he saw the glint of a furious eye.

    And another glint of a more calmer, friendly, fiery eye.

    Vuldrix was coming. How? No one knows. But he did.

    His parents had promised him so.