003 The Phoenix Stone is Not Yours
1389 Words
"The Emperor’s word is law, and his decrees are absolute." Thus, the yet-to-be-born Lyria Ravenwood was betrothed to the Crown Prince.
Upon her birth, a celestial phenomenon occurred, and the skies lit up with radiant hues. Emperor Celestria was so pleased that he bestowed the Phoenix Stone upon her, officially betrothing her to his heir, the Crown Prince.
Several years later, Lady Evelina Valeria passed away, and her younger sister, Lady Isolde Valeria, became the new Lady Ravenwood. Lyria, once the pride of House Ravenwood, underwent the five-year aptitude test.
To everyone's shock, Lyria was found to have congenital meridian blockages, rendering her unable to harness magic—she was a complete failure with not even a first-grade talent. Lyria's status in the Ravenwood household plummeted immediately, unworthy of her destined role.
Three days ago, Emperor Celestria officially annulled Lyria’s engagement to the Crown Prince and betrothed her younger sister, Seraphina Ravenwood, in her place.
Seraphina possessed fifth-grade talent. In the realm of Astraea, most people had only first or second-grade abilities. Third and fourth grades were considered average, while those with fifth-grade or higher were deemed geniuses.
Upon learning of her broken engagement and new betrothal to Prince Alex, Lyria had rushed to the Crown Prince’s estate, causing a scene and even cursing Seraphina. The Crown Prince struck her and ordered her execution.
Being a failure, Lyria’s death wouldn’t cause House Ravenwood or House Valeria to clash with the royal family. Fortunately, Seraphina’s plea spared Lyria’s life, but she was carried back like a dying dog, barely clinging to life.
The next day, Seraphina’s younger sister, Amara Ravenwood, beat Lyria to death. And so, the soul of Lyria Ravenwood from the mystical world of Elarian inhabited her body, reborn.
"Do you think Prince Alex, with his ruined magical core, is unworthy of you? Do you know what you are? A born failure! If not for your stepmother pleading for you, you wouldn’t even be considered for marriage to Prince Alex! And you repay that kindness by cursing your sister?" Grand Duke Ravenwood glared at Lyria with disgust, as if she were a pile of excrement desecrating his eyes.
The stepmother he referred to wasn’t her biological mother, Lady Evelina, but her aunt, Lady Isolde.
Four years ago, marrying Prince Alex would have made Lyria the envy of every woman in the kingdom. Now, it only made her a laughingstock.
Prince Alex, the ninth son of the former emperor, was once the brightest star in the kingdom’s history. A genius with unmatched talent, he reached ninth-grade potential and awakened his magical core at eight, becoming a spirit mage. By sixteen, he was an eighth-grade grand mage. His talent shook the entire North Hawk Province, and the prestigious Saint Lan Academy had extended him an invitation.
Unfortunately, during a training session, his magical core was destroyed, leaving him crippled. The matter was left unresolved, a tragic twist of fate that left the kingdom's brightest hope in ruins.
Falling from grace, Prince Alex became violent and murderous, with a reputation for killing his servants. Every year, no fewer than ten servants died in his residence, their lives extinguished by his uncontrollable rage and bitterness.
Despite being a failure, Prince Alex’s fate was better than hers. At least he could kill others, while she could only be killed, a helpless pawn in the cruel game of power and survival.
However, Lyria's eyes narrowed. Everyone knew Prince Alex loathed women ever since his beloved fiancée left him to marry Emperor Celestria, becoming his favorite consort, Lady Lotus. Given her current state, marrying him was a death sentence. Her scheming stepmother, Lady Isolde, had pushed her into this fire pit and expected her to be grateful?
"Hahahaha..." Reflecting on the entire situation, Lyria couldn’t help but laugh maniacally. Her laughter was chilling and filled with bitterness. She felt sorrow for herself and the original Lyria, both victims of cruel fates and family betrayal.
In her previous life, she was an orphan raised by her uncle and aunt. Despite being sold by her aunt, she bore no grudge, seeing it as repayment for their upbringing. She had fought her way through the arcane world, earning the title of “sorceress” for her ruthless methods, but she had no regrets. Every battle, every betrayal had shaped her into a formidable force, feared and respected.
Her greatest sorrow was dying at the hands of her beloved in her past life. Now, in this life, she faced being sent to be tortured by a stranger. And the ones pushing her into this fate were her closest relatives: her father and her aunt. Perhaps even her own sisters. The realization of such deep betrayal cut her to the core, filling her with a renewed sense of vengeance.
"You—stop pretending to be mad! Whether you’re mad or not, you belong to Prince Alex. Now, hand over the Phoenix Stone!" Grand Duke Ravenwood was unnerved by Lyria’s hysterical laughter and demanded sharply.
So, that was his true purpose for coming today, she realized.
"Oh, you want the Phoenix Stone?" Lyria’s lips curled into a seductive smile, startling Grand Duke Ravenwood. He sensed something different about his daughter, a fierce light in her eyes that had never been there before.
But what did it matter? She was still a failure, a disgrace to the family, an object of mockery throughout the kingdom, simply because she was his daughter. The thought made him clench his teeth in anger. If he had known, he would have drowned her in the river years ago, erasing this shame from his life.
"Enough nonsense, hand over the Phoenix Stone now!" Grand Duke Ravenwood commanded harshly, his voice echoing with authority.
The Phoenix Stone wasn’t just a royal engagement token; it was a symbol of the crown princess and a high-grade magical artifact. It was incredibly valuable. Emperor Celestria had personally given it to Lady Evelina, who had placed it on Lyria after her birth.
Over time, it had bonded with her. Unless she willingly gave it up, no one could take it. Only a fifth-grade spirit king or higher could forcibly remove it, as the artifact was crafted by a fifth-grade spirit king.
In the realm of Astraea, people followed the path of martial arts before reaching the innate magical stages. There were three primary stages: Body Refinement, Bone Forging, and Marrow Cleansing. Each stage had early, middle, and late phases.
After completing the Marrow Cleansing stage, one could awaken their magical core and become a first-grade spirit apprentice. Following that were spirit mages, grand mages, spirit kings, and spirit emperors. Each stage had nine sub-grades, and reaching the ninth grade would lead to the next major stage.
It was rumored that there were even higher stages beyond spirit emperors. However, in the Celestria Kingdom, spirit emperors were the ultimate rulers. Grand Duke Ravenwood was a first-grade grand mage, far from the level of a fifth-grade spirit king.
Therefore, unless Lyria willingly surrendered it, Grand Duke Ravenwood couldn’t take the Phoenix Stone. Realizing this, Lyria felt more emboldened.
"You want the Phoenix Stone?" Lyria smirked, her eyes gleaming with cunning. "I won’t give it to you!" Knowing its value, she clung to it tightly, her fingers curling protectively around the stone.
In her past life, Lyria had fought alone in the arcane world, driven by her thirst for power and constantly fending off men who coveted her abilities. She had developed a deep sense of insecurity and a subconscious possessiveness over her treasures.
The Phoenix Stone was now hers, and she wouldn’t let it go without a fight. It was a symbol of her worth, her defiance, and she would protect it at all costs.
"You—you!" Grand Duke Ravenwood’s face turned livid with rage, his body trembling with anger and frustration. He hadn’t expected Lyria to be so defiant.
"Don’t force me to take action!" he threatened, his voice shaking with barely controlled fury.
But Lyria stood her ground, her eyes blazing with a newfound determination. She would not be cowed, not by him or anyone else.
This life was hers to reclaim, and she would fight to the bitter end to do so.
- Writer
