Shadows over Sigil - The Deva Spark

"And into flames he boldly dives;

His spirit revels in the glow;

His death a grand and beauteous rite,

His mind now free, with joy aglow.

Without any sorrow's weight,

He sinks into a brief respite,

To ash he fades, embracing fate." 1)

Third Guild Day of Savorus, 126 HR

Morânia awoke with the first rays of the morning light. The amber-colored sky looked like freshly washed in the golden dawn. The bal'aasi rose quietly, turned to face the rising sun and said a prayer to Lathander. Nowhere was the Morninglord, god of dawn, hope and renewal, closer to her than here in Elysium, his home and hers. She always felt a surge of confidence and contentment flowing through her here. Since her god and her faction, the Ciphers, were at home in Elysium, she regularly came here from Sigil, and she always took the warmth and hope that she felt on the heavenly plane back to the City of Doors. After she had finished, she turned back to the small camp they had set up. The others woke up one after the other, too, the first being Naghûl, who generally needed very little sleep, and the last being Lereia, who - as a weretiger - slept a lot, as Morânia had noticed. They had some almond bread and dried fruits for breakfast, and Kiyoshi brewed tea again. While they sat together, still speaking little and slowly waking up, a red glow suddenly blossomed on the ridge of the near hills, flickering gently. It looked like a fire was burning there.

"Oh ..." Lereia looked at the flames on the hills. "The phoenix?"

Naghûl nodded. "Yes, I would interpret that as the phoenix's nest. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Lereia looked up the information in her notebook. "The phoenix, who has his nest in the Oreb Hills, must be asked for a Gem of Harmony."

Since the flames were kindly showing them the way to their next destination, they broke camp and packed up everything. The Chalice of Peace, which they had carefully placed next to one of the tents, was still filled with the blessed water. Carrying it up to the Oreb Hills without spilling a drop would be quite a challenge, though. Abaia, who had been resting behind the tents, now climbed to its feet and looked somehow sleepy, as strange as it might seem for a bebilith. Then they began the ascent, and fortunately the Oreb Hills were neither too high nor did they rise particularly steeply. In most places it was possible to climb up without using hands. So they all came up the rocky hills relatively quickly, Abaia had the least problems with its eight long, spider-like legs. In bumpier places, Morânia who had put off her armor repeatedly flew a short distance so as not to risk spilling some of the blessed water. Her wings didn't carry her as high and as far as an angel could fly, but she could cover short distances or soar a few meters into the air. They came closer and closer to the flames on the hilltops, which they could now clearly perceive as such. Finally, several rocks rose in front of them, leaning against each other and piled up to form a structure about three paces high. On top of it, there was a large nest in which several adults could easily have found space. It shimmered reddish and golden, and in it sat – surrounded by flames – the phoenix. He resembled an eagle in appearance, but was almost as big as a horse, and had many long and bushy tail feathers, more like a rooster or a peacock. His plumage was dark red on the body and at the base of the wings, but it brightened towards the wing and tail feathers to a bright orange and finally a golden yellow. The phoenix of the Oreb Hills was known beyond the borders of Mishakal's realm, and he was as beautiful and majestic as Morânia had imagined him. She remembered that the phoenix was still Terrance's heraldic animal – maybe an emotional connection to a phase of his life he had left behind, but would never be able to shed completely. Perhaps also a fitting image for the death of his faith and its rebirth in the worship of the Great Unknown. They had stopped behind the next hill to not walk directly into the focus of the phoenix – although Morânia was sure that he sensed their presence nevertheless. She felt her heart beat a little faster with joy and excitement. She had experienced many things on her travels through the planes, but one didn't come face to face with a phoenix every day. For her and Naghûl, it was the first encounter with one of those mythical birds, as it was for everyone else.