The red scales glimmered under the powerful sun, the white spots reflecting a mellow shine of yellow. The creature's wings covered the sky for the ground, providing shade to the creatures below while opening the path to a new realm. Such great morals were reflected on the creature's expression, a gentle ferocity in his gaze. He heard a faraway melody as he closed his eyes, the grand echoes of a mythical aura sensed by his consciousness. He faced the sky as he opened his jaw, a string of fire trailing towards that realm. Such a mysterious element it was, fire. A form of energy unlike the other elements, one that could be produced by the creature only because of the atmosphere of the land.

He reached the abyss with the other few dragons behind, few on the ground and few coming through the passage of water. An ethereal feel overcame the dragon as it stared into the fiery chasm. The Land was a symbol of home, though whose home it was, was a matter of perspective. Such thoughts didn't matter to the dragon because it held no curiosity only wisdom. This land's environment was responsible for the evolution of the creature, their connection to their sun and fire prominent in the dragons and the phoenixes. In other lands other mythical creatures existed, or perhaps they would exist in the future, but few creatures were the same across all universes. These mythical ones were connected across a dimension, thinking that the other was a legend while they went on with their lives. Only those who were aware of certain truths knew that no story was unreal, and all one the Land of Hearth were aware.

Suddenly, as the darkness came, the dragon felt the faint and oddly familiar presence of a Shadow that hid within the sight of the Sun's fire. Under the cover of the night that enormous creature approached, its white eyes the only indication of its presence. Its body could be consisting of skin, scales, feathers or anything else; the appearance of the illusion changed from perspective to perspective. However, it had always been known by one name.

The Raven of Hearth.

Perhaps the name was so because of the darkness of its vessel, or because it guided the souls of the dead living things to the place they had to go to till they realised the Truth. But its presence brought a sense of comfort and duty to the dragons as life moved for them, adopting a spiritual journey. They were one of the living things to inhabit the land at that point of time, but were certainly the most powerful.

They had gathered there simply as an action of respect for the Raven, something practiced every year. It was said that on that day, certain souls would 'celebrate' death to help those souls part from the living.

Time began to pass for Mildred as the scenes shifted. The warmth of the air lightened but was still comforting, an alleviating breeze blowing through most seasons, now. However, the end of a dragon's age came closer, the old and wise beings slowly leaving the materialistic plane. Their period of existence was passing and they understood that fact, no new ones being born due to the large energy required and the changes in the environment. Eventually, the moment approached.

Radiations emerged from the mouth of that large fold of land, distorting the image of the sky. The heated orange flowed over the cold white with a sudden force, making its way towards the land of the living creatures. The dragons helped to transport those living in the area in a safe zone, though there was not much time. The only ones who stood any chance against such heat, such energy were them. So the five followed the gestures of the one dragon of Hearth as they stood in the way of the lava, preparing themselves for the impact. At once they understood that this was no ordinary phenomenon; after years had that volcano erupted and its liquid carried nature's force.

Few creatures standing behind the dragons were harmed by that fluid fire, but many were safe. Their time would come in the future for they had to live at that point of time. The dragons accepted their end, the energy in the lava tearing away the particles of their bodies, their souls leaving those vessels. So much zeal was released, some returning to the land but most going back to their dimension. However, the land needed the essence of the dragons to remain. The energy had to be preserved.

After the blackened hill had calmed, the Phoenixes flew to the side of the dragons, a little of their zeal merging with the essence of the dragons. It so happened that the 'spirit' of the angels was passing by the land; an eternal soul whose zeal in existence was one of the greatest.

Together they were all combined and the soul of the last dragon left, the beings of wisdom and morality leaving to give way to beings of compassion and duty. Intelligence, instincts, courage, respect and so many others rose in other universes, but the Land of Hearth had always been about those that were embedded deeper than instincts, along with a notion or an emotion.

Three ball of spheres were formed once three new souls entered those circles, signifying the coming of a new species. However one glowed especially brightly, an absolute brilliance of gold. A fragment of the land's spirit broke and became a part of that sphere, binding her to the land till a new species came.

Three months passed, all of these events passing through the white gaze of the Raven. The Golden sphere began to burn brightly, the illusionary fading away as the vessel appeared. The child's eyes opened slowly to reveal a calm expression in those lucent white eyes, the small strands of a flaming hair. A colour began to set in the pale cheeks as she closed her eyes again, with her two companions entering this land.

The Raven flew beside them, perhaps a smile on its face. It would take upon its duty to raise the Golden One and these new beings.

The Phoenexias.

---

"Imagination is powerful."

A spark of positivity propagated from Mildred as she could only agree with Vlad.

"Folk tales and works of fiction are inspired by some universe, even if it is only vaguely. Perhaps that's why stories have affected living things around existence so deeply; they are real, and they are felt.

"It is sad to know that majestic creatures such as Dragons are extinct. They were so profound, untainted by any mundane activities, mundane emotions."

"Dragons are not really extinct."

The notion was soft but heavy with a sense of truth.

"Their existence was shared across the universes and these mythologies contain their interpreted information. It is not the original but it is data nevertheless.

"Nature is in favour of life. If the environment and circumstances of any habitable place is suitable to the 'extinct' species, they will be reborn. After all, in one of Earth's universes dinosaurs return a billion years after their extinction, after the last of the mammals remain in remote places across the planet.

"Every species has to go eventually. Beings of morality, instincts, emotions, intelligence, and sometimes a combination of all. However every intelligent or moral or any sort of species is different from the other. The smallest change in the environment can lead to the biggest difference. However, all information is stored not in the form of matter, but in the form of an energy that is not yet understood by most living things."

Vlad wondered what sort of energy the Shadow spoke of, but perhaps he didn't want to admit the truth. He couldn't afford to start an internal conflict, as an emotion and a soulless being.

"Demonic Creatures were born of animal thoughts but mostly humans, as their information was firm. Imagination is powerful indeed. However, Demonic Creatures are different from the Wind Phoenexias as they are absolute physical representation of the images in the minds of the humans whereas the latter were also born of the Wind Phoenix's energy. That is why the Wind Phoenexias look very similar while the Demonic Creatures don't; they preserve Zephyr as a creature's energy.

"Also, the Wind Phoenexias are very different from the Phoenexias. They weren't born of any thought or emotion. They are like us, not truly living as their vessels are an illusion. But their energy is.. different. A mix of dragon, phoenix, a fragment of angel with a sense of life. It is their nature that makes them so angelic.

"However one Phoenexia, the Golden One also contains the land's spirit's energy, the spirit who understands energy. Triyeal and Sousconic have their 'children' and the third entity has one - the spirit of Hearth. This is why the creatures of Hearth can never be infected by the notion of life, death, or existence in general. Yes, they did exist but they do not view existence as normal being across the universe do."

The thought was almost silent.

"It is difficult to see and understand the truth. But I know you do."

"And what about the Raven?"

"Souls are energy, Vlad. I guide souls, when I am not in this form."

Vlad found some comfort in that notion and build an immense feeling for that Shadow. He wasn't connected to her in any way - Menod, Sousconic and Rage, none of them were - and yet she, as a Shadow Being managed to instil a sense of truth in that being of emotion. He would've stopped trying to kill all the Demonic Creatures if it wasn't for what she said next.

"It is what you fight for, is it not? The integrity of souls and the interference of emotions. I have never blamed you for ending the existence of the Wind Phoenexias, and neither do they. You are a force of nature and every existence must eventually end, just like all mythical and historical creatures did. However, the way you did it, by nature's hand, they may exist again. To ensure that doesn't happen we need Time's hand. Fortunately, something ensured that for the Wind Phoenexias. Something within you.

"Demonic Creatures are so much like you - materialistic emotional beings, soulless beings. I think you know what has to become of you for the Demonic Creatures to go because you now bind them to existence; you hold an essence of nature that prevents such emotions to be overcome. The notion of change. This is why you must oppose us. Change is brought when one learns from the past. Some destroy everything, some let it fade away.

"You want to destroy everything, and that brings the possibility of it coming back because then it hasn't left the minds of the people. Letting the information fade away is important, but we need you so that no more will ever be created. We need you so that compassion can understand the price it has to pay if it fails to follow its duty."

Realisation and confusion dawned on the being, but for the moment he solely listened to the Shadow.

"I respect you, Vlad."