Steem Monsters Rare Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 1 // My Entry

Malric Inferno Is Born

Malric awoke with the sun as normal looking out his window as he dead everyday. He would let the heat of the sun fill him with energy before heading down to start his day. Days are long and hot in the burning land but Malric loves this land. It has been in his family for years and he wasn't going to let the world being pulled apart take away what they had built. It had take some time to get the Kobolds and Orges on his side but after that the others had come to respect him. His town had a mix of man and what others called monsters living together. Also ready to fight together to protect their home if needed. Today was the day that Malric had the Serpentine clan was going to take up him the burning Mountains. His goal was to come back with Phoenix feather if not a egg. Things had been getting harder and he needed better items to trade if he hoped to kept is group prepared. Also the blight had been growing in the west and Malric knew a fight was coming.

They headed off early that day on the Journey up to the mountain to the home of the Phoenix. Malric had seen them flying in the north for many years. It was said that no one could control them but he wasn't so sure of that. They had said no one could control the Giant Rocs of his land and yet he had more than a few of them on his side. Malric knew how he did it even if the others didn't. Those beast could feel the fire in his soul. The fire that loved the burning lands and would do anything to protect it.

They reached the base of the Mountain a little before nightfall. Malric told the group they would rest of the night and go up in the morning. He set the Cerberus hounds to guard the camp and then went to his tent. That night Malric had a dream he didn't understand. He could see and feel all of his land. Connected like never before to creatures that lived it. He could feel their power. It was so hot inside of him and he felt as if he might burst. When he awoke in the morning he found his bed roll soaked with sweat.

By the middle of the day Malric and his crew had made it up to the nesting grounds. Now he just had to time it right. He knew that the Phoenix nest would be hard to hid in. Yet the left for long amounts of time. He was sure he would be able to find what he needed. Most of the camp stayed behind only the Serpent of the Flame joined him this far up. Malric hadn't got the Serpent to bend just yet but at least he had agreed to join him on this quest. Seeing what he was sure the Phoenix head away from the nest he made his move.

Malric was moving quickly from nest to nest. No eggs yet but he had many feathers in his belt. As he worked his way deeper into the area at last he saw it. The egg was bigger than his head and wouldn't be easy to carry for mos but Malric knew he could do it. As he reached the nest he heard the warning call. It was only one though he thought, I still have some time. He grabbed the egg and started to head back out of the nesting grounds. That is when he heard it again but four calls this time. He looked up and their they hovered two Phoenix had made it back. Malric looked up at them and raised his head.

"I do this to protect our lands, your magic is needed if we are to survive!" Malric yelled at them

Malric didn't get the answer he had hoped for. He could see the purple balls of magic fire coming down at him. He could feel the heat before they hit. In that moment he reached out for them. He would not die in this fire. Fire could not kill him in was in his blood. They the pain hit him as the fire engulfed his body. It was burning away his flesh. The fire ball grew and grew around him and he egg he held.

The Serpent had tried to warn him that this was not place for a man. Even a man like him that did know how to live in these lands. That fire was so strong he wasn't sure he could survive a blow and he was born in fire. He waited for the end of his friend. he could at least return his ashes to his people for the work he had done. As watched the purple blazing growing stronger and stronger still he thought he saw something inside.

The egg in Malric hands started to open. A new fire flowed out of it. The fire of life that fills a Phoenix. Malric reached for it that power that seemed warm and inviting. He could feel it start to flow throughout his body. The magic fire that he was in continued to burn but now it started to turn a bright yellow. The tow Phoenixes that had attacked him landed now next to the fire watching it. Malric could hear their thoughts. They didn't understand what was happening.

The Serpent was shocked he could see a body forming in the fire. After it had changed color something had happened. Somehow Malric appeared to still be standing in the heart of the flames. What was happening here today.

The baby phoenix took flight in the flames wrapping them around into a vortex. All that power the swirled around Malric was his for the taking and he took it all in. He could feel that parts of his body had become flames. He could see that his skin had turned read like that of the Serpentine clan. He was being born again from the fire. The was a crash and the flames died down and Malric found himself floating above flames. He could feel and see flames coming off his body yet he felt no pain. He took a minute and listened with his mind. He could hear them all the inhabits of his land. Most of all he could feel the Phoenixes watching him. They wanted to know more so he reached out to them with his mind.

"I am born of this land as well and you will serve me after today. For you have given birth to me and will save our land."

The Phoenixes looked at him for a while before understand that it was indeed him that talked to them. They didn't know how but they also didn't care so they turn to leave with the young Phoenix following them.

"Stop!" yelled Malric reaching out for them.

They stopped unable to leave. The turned and looked at him now feeling the power that he had inside him. They landed below him and bowed.

They Serpent walked up to them and was amazed. He was amazed even he could feel the power coming off Malric. It was so powerful it made him feel stronger. Malric had become something more than a man. His power seemed similar to the gods of old that had summoned his kind to fight in the wars of the past.

"Well my friend what have you become?

"I have become what we needed. I have become the inferno that will purge this land of the blight and any that think they can defeat us."

Malric Inferno
Born A Man of Burning Lands
Reborn by the Fire of the Phoenix