- 12 minutes ago
The Phoenix's Second Reign
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm the last princess of House Phoenix, yet I was drained of my blood by the very husband I myself
00:05had raised to the dragon queen's throne.
00:08If I didn't need your blood to complete Lilith's awakening, I wouldn't have wasted a single second pretending to be
00:15with you.
00:22I can take this throne with or without you.
00:25The woman drinking my blood is my stepsister.
00:30I felt the fire leaving me, my power slipping away, my vision growing blurry.
00:34If I could live again.
00:40Seraphina, have you decided who you will take as your husband?
00:44The Dragonblood Council Chamber? It's the day of the choosing! I'm reborn!
00:48Your Majesty, I-
00:49Your Majesty!
00:50Calus dropped to one knee and cut me off in the exact spot I remembered him standing.
00:54Your Majesty, I know Seraphina has feelings for me.
00:57But the only woman I love is Lilith.
01:00I have sworn a blood oath. If I betray her, let Dragonfire burn me to ash.
01:04I knew he was reborn too. A gasp rippled through the chamber.
01:08How dare you!
01:10Your Majesty, I have decided whom I will marry.
01:18I know Seraphina cannot live without me.
01:25I am willing to take her as my second wife.
01:29I will care for her for the rest of my days.
01:32How dare you!
01:34A girl of common birth who exists only by the mercy of the Phoenix Clan.
01:38She is not worthy to be compared to the princess.
01:41What are you standing there for?
01:43You've been dying to marry me.
01:45I just gave you your chance.
01:46Take it.
01:47Lilith has generously agreed to share me with you.
01:50You should be grateful.
01:51I nearly laughed out loud.
01:52King Aldrich's gaze turned sharp.
01:54His aura of authority forcing Calus to his knees.
01:57Seraphina, say the word and he is yours to punish.
02:02Your Majesty, the one I wish to marry is.
02:10The King was stunned by my choice.
02:12But the look of confusion on his face quickly faded.
02:15If that is truly what you want, I will arrange it.
02:19Get out!
02:20I don't want to see you right now.
02:23He looked at me with contempt.
02:25Still confident that I would refuse to marry anyone but him.
02:28Just as I had in my past life.
02:30I did not spare him a single glance.
02:32My gaze moved past him to the young man standing in the far corner of the chamber.
02:36Two small horns jutted from his forehead.
02:38In my past life after I died,
02:40Calus ordered my body left to rot atop the tower, untouched by anyone.
02:44Every dragon heir in the kingdom feared the new king and dared not defy him.
02:48He alone was the exception.
02:50Darion trekked through the northern wind and snow for three months to reach the tower.
02:53He knelt beside my body and personally bandaged every wound Calus had inflicted on me.
02:58He kept vigil for seven days and seven nights.
03:01King Aldrich dismissed the suitors asking to speak with me alone.
03:04As I left the chamber, Calus and Lilith were waiting outside.
03:08Serafina, thank you for letting me be with Calus.
03:11There were no tears on her face.
03:13How had I never seen how vile she was in my past life?
03:16If my parents were still alive, they would be so grateful to you.
03:20Why are you thanking her?
03:22I'm the one who chose to marry you.
03:23Even if there's any gratitude to be have, it's she who should thank you for generously sharing me.
03:29Lilith's parents died because of you.
03:30She lost everything when you came back.
03:33The least you can do is give her some compensation.
03:36Lilith's bloodline is weak.
03:38She'll get picked on.
03:39You've been giving her my gifts for years.
03:42Who would dare lay a hand on her?
03:43That's not the same as real power.
03:45I want your blood.
03:48I never thought he could sink to such depths of shamelessness.
03:51The agony of that tower flooded back into my chest.
03:54My hands trembling.
03:55Hatred rose so fast I could barely hold back the phoenix fire in my veins.
03:58Letting them die an easy death would never be enough to sate my rage.
04:01But in that moment, I truly wanted to kill them.
04:04We're going to be husband and wife soon.
04:06Give your blood to Lilith.
04:08And I'll take care of you forever.
04:17Princess Serafina, the king sent me to find you.
04:20It was the young man from the corner of the hallway.
04:22Even as the pressure forced Calus to his knees, he remained standing straight and tall.
04:26No strain.
04:27No fear.
04:27Then let's go.
04:29Wait!
04:30A lowly black work.
04:32What could you possibly have to say to him?
04:35Instead of worrying about who I talked to, you'd be better off focusing on the dragon's trial in five days.
04:40You don't need to worry about that.
04:42I'm the strongest suitor of this generation.
04:44The trial is nothing.
04:45I can complete it even without your help.
04:47In five days, you just sit there and wait for me to marry you.
04:51The king told you everything?
04:53Princess.
04:54I swear by the old gods, should I betray you in this life, may dragon fire melt my bones tomorrow.
05:00He swore on his very soul.
05:02I felt the budding bond stir within me too.
05:05I trust you.
05:09Princess!
05:10They've smashed your mother's memorial!
05:17This was my mother's memorial, the shrine she had built with her own hands in the center of the courtyard.
05:22She had pricked her finger, let her blood fall upon the shrine's peak, and ignited the phoenix fire, fire that
05:27no storm or tempest could ever extinguish.
05:31Seraphina, I'm going to a faraway place.
05:34When you miss me, come sit by the shrine.
05:37Mummy will always be with you.
05:39That fire was the last thing my mother ever gave me.
05:42How dare you?
05:44Lilith loves the nightingale crest.
05:46From this day forward, this courtyard will fly her family's banner.
05:53Listen, I know you're angry with Lilith.
05:55I'll let your little tantrum at any slide for now.
05:57When that happens, even if you get down on your knees and beg me, I won't spare you a single
06:00glance.
06:01He studied my face closely, searching for any trace of panic, but he found nothing.
06:05His tone turned hypocritical once more.
06:07I'm doing this for your own good.
06:09Get along with Lilith, and I'll grant you the honor of bearing my firstborn son.
06:13Calus, you will never be my husband.
06:14If not me, then who?
06:16The king himself announced he's arranging our wedding.
06:19Stop speaking out of anger, and think this through.
06:24There would indeed be a wedding, but it would never be yours.
06:28Five days later, everyone gathered at the Proving Grounds.
06:32To my surprise, Lilith was there too.
06:42His gaze swept contemptuously over the other suitors, until it suddenly landed on the sigil at Darian's waist.
06:54Darian did not move.
06:55He met Calus' gaze calmly.
06:57That calm only enraged Calus further.
06:59He was about to lash out when Lilith grabbed his arm.
07:02Calus, that ring can't be real.
07:04It's a fake.
07:04A man like him probably won't even survive the first layer of dragonfire.
07:08Don't waste your time on this.
07:09Moments later, King Aldrich arrived and ordered the trial to begin.
07:13One suitor after another stepped into the arena.
07:15The dragon eggs lay wrapped in flame, waiting for blood to awaken them.
07:19Most could only withstand a single layer of dragonfire.
07:22The very best made it to three.
07:23A flicker of disappointment crossed King Aldrich's eyes.
07:26Then it was Calus' turn.
07:28He stepped forward with brash confidence, Lilith hot on his heels.
07:31The fire from the dragon eggs raged fierce.
07:34Someone of Lilith's caliber would be incinerated the moment they drew near.
07:37Don't worry.
07:38Seraphina won't let me fail.
07:40Just wait for me to come out and marry you.
07:45Lilith, what are you doing?
07:47You only need to be with me.
07:48You don't have to worry about anything else.
07:49Losing this much blood will ruin you.
07:52Calus, I know my bloodline can't pair to the Phoenix princesses.
07:55But I want to do something for you.
07:57Let my bloodline help you through the trial.
07:59Blood of that caliber.
08:00It'll burn to ash the second it gets near the dragon egg.
08:05She's got guts, I'll give her that.
08:08What's so special about Calus anyway?
08:10Isn't she scared?
08:11If he can't withstand the fire, her blood will burn first.
08:13She's done for.
08:14I can't believe the Phoenix princess ever had eyes for a man like this.
08:17I watched this little performance, one that never happened in my past life, and wondered where it would lead.
08:25Calus strode confidently into the proving grounds.
08:28He sliced open his palm before the dragon egg, letting a flood of blood fall onto the shell.
08:34The dragon fire surged violently upward.
08:36He triggered all nine layers at once.
08:38Wave after wave of searing heat blasted outward, forcing the crowd back.
08:43Everyone was shocked by what he had done.
08:45Is he insane?
08:46Triggering all nine layers at once?
08:48No one has ever done that!
08:51Even with the princess's help, he might not pull this off!
08:58Even Lilith froze.
09:00She had clearly not expected him to go this far.
09:03I watched with a blank face.
09:04This was who he had always been.
09:06In my past life, in this one, he cared for no one but himself.
09:09This time, I wanted to watch him try it alone.
09:12Seraphia!
09:13Don't you want to marry me?
09:15You're here to get me through the trial!
09:17Come in at once!
09:22Seraphia, hurry up!
09:23This isn't funny!
09:26The nine layers of dragon fire will kill me!
09:28I barely recognized him.
09:30Calus was actually begging.
09:34The first wave of dragon fire erupted.
09:42Save me.
09:43Please.
09:44I am your...
09:45Your husband.
09:47You cannot just stand there and watch me die.
09:52Who said you're my husband?
10:01Lilith's face was twisted with terror.
10:03The blood she had offered, evaporated the instant the dragon fire struck.
10:07Life drained from Lilith like running water.
10:09Her skin wrinkled.
10:11The crowd stared at her without a shred of sympathy.
10:13No, don't look at me!
10:15Please don't look at me!
10:19All trace of Calus's arrogance was gone.
10:22I pulled the token from Darian's waist, the one etched with the Phoenix Clan crest, gleaming in the firelight.
10:28I made a pact with King Alderk.
10:31Darian is my choice.
10:33He is my one and only betrothed.
10:37Then the crowd erupted.
10:38No way!
10:39How is this possible?
10:42Him?
10:43Darian?
10:44The neglected heir to the Black Dragon lineage?
10:47I have loved her for 200 years.
10:50May she find someone who loves her as I do in her next life.
10:53Many men desired me, but they only craved what I could give them.
10:57The Phoenix bloodline dragon eggs, the crown.
10:59Darian was the only one who was different.
11:06The Dragon's Trial
11:08Dragon heirs would enter the Proving Grounds, offering their blood to the dragon egg.
11:12Whoever could withstand the dragon fire and be accepted by the egg would become the new dragon king.
11:17If the egg rejected them, the dragon fire would burn them alive.
11:20Most suitors chose to undertake the trial in stages.
11:23Multiple attempts over years, even decades, slowly building up their tolerance.
11:27I looked at Calus.
11:28Last time he'd only dared to unleash three layers of dragon fire.
11:32Three layers had nearly killed him.
11:34He had begged me to protect him.
11:35I sliced my palm open and shielded him with all my strength.
11:39In the end, he endured all nine waves of flame, becoming the first to do so in 5,000 years.
11:44The whole world bowed to him.
11:46Everyone knew his name.
11:47But my soul was damaged.
11:49My power would never return to what it once was.
11:52This time, he was greedier.
11:53Armed with the memories of our past life,
11:55He triggered all nine layers without hesitation.
11:58He did not care at all if I was hurt.
12:00What a pity.
12:01I stared at the churning dragon fire in the trial grounds.
12:04This time, he would not survive the second layer.
12:34Lilith was not so fortunate.
12:35She slid her wrist and gave everything she had.
12:38When the dragon fire struck, her blood evaporated in an instant, and the flames rebounded on her.
12:44The young woman was gone.
12:45In her place stood a withered 80-year-old crone.
12:48King Aldrich's gaze locked onto me.
12:51I gave a slight nod.
12:52Calus caught the tiny gesture at once.
12:54A flicker of hope flashed in his eyes.
12:56He stumbled toward me and dropped to his knees.
13:00Seraphina, I was wrong.
13:05Seraphina, please forgive me.
13:09I want you.
13:11Only you.
13:12I swear I'll be faithful to you.
13:15I beg you.
13:22Calus, did you ever think of this day when you drained my blood for Lilith?
13:39Come, I will stay with you.
13:45What's wrong?
13:48He doesn't want you, Seraphiana.
13:52Do you truly think everyone craves you?
13:59Princess, I wish to complete the trial on my own.
14:02I know your bloodline is powerful, but dragon fire is cruel.
14:06I will not let you pay that price for me.
14:09Are you afraid?
14:12A little.
14:13He did not pretend to be brave.
14:15He was afraid, but he would not let it stop him.
14:17I let go of his hand.
14:19Darian turned and stepped into the trial grounds.
14:21The dormant dragon egg glowed faintly.
14:23He sliced his palm open, letting blood drip onto it.
14:29The first layer of dragon fire struck.
14:33Only one layer.
14:34It's too easy.
14:35I'm disappointed.
14:37The second layer followed, and the crowd slowly fell silent.
14:40I had not expected the second layer of flame to be this fierce.
14:43It meant his bloodline ran deeper than any of theirs.
14:47The third layer.
14:49The fourth layer.
14:50He still stood straight.
14:53The suitors who had scorned him minutes ago stared at him.
15:02After the fifth layer, the suitors in the stands felt the pressure of the dragon fire.
15:07So he held fast.
15:08His robes had burned to tatters.
15:10I could see the extensive burns across his chest and arms.
15:13But he did not flinch.
15:15I thought this would be his limit.
15:17In my past life, five layers had been all he could bear.
15:20The finest of his generation.
15:22But this time he did not step out.
15:24He was clearly on the brink of collapse.
15:26Covered in wounds he could barely stand.
15:29The sixth layer of dragon fire crashed down.
15:31I clenched my fist.
15:33Seconds later, the flames faded.
15:34He dropped to one knee but he held on.
15:38He had shattered his limit from my past life.
15:41Six layers of dragon fire alone.
15:43Without the protection of my bloodline, Darion was the strongest living dragon blood heir.
15:47Yet he looked ready to break.
15:48Another layer would kill him.
15:54Let's see you fight the seventh layer.
15:56I watched him rise unsteady as the seventh layer of dragon fire erupted.
16:12I'm here.
16:18The power of the phoenix bloodline flowed from my body into his.
16:21The seventh wave struck me.
16:23This time, Darion took no harm.
16:25His burns began to heal.
16:27The eighth layer.
16:31The ninth.
16:33Blazing light swallowed the trial grounds.
16:35Obscuring everything from the stands.
16:53When the final wave of dragon fire faded, a true dragon king was born.
16:57The dragon egg cracked open and a black dragon emerged, soaring into the sky.
17:02It did not look at the king.
17:03It did not look at the suitors.
17:05At last, it landed before Darion.
17:26Darion was crowned the new king of the dragon bloodline.
17:29King Aldric bestowed treasures and titles upon him, and our wedding was scheduled in three days.
17:34I was in my chambers when I heard a commotion outside.
17:37Pippa went to check and came back fuming with anger.
17:45Princess, it's Calus.
17:47He's here to see you.
17:48And he brought Lilith with him.
17:49I am stronger than him.
17:51It torments him to live in my shadow.
17:54Lilith is weak, and women like her make men feel needed.
17:58But now he has nothing.
18:00I wonder how long this so-called love will last.
18:08Calus stood at the palace gate in a black cloak.
18:11Lilith cowered behind him, her face etched with age and decay.
18:15Seeing me frown, Calus yanked off his hood at once.
18:18Congratulations to the happy couple.
18:20She is nothing to me!
18:22Serafina, she tricked me!
18:24She drugged me!
18:25He caught the faint smile on my face and mistook it for softness.
18:28I love you.
18:29I have always loved you.
18:30If that bitch hadn't deceived me, I would never have hurt you at all.
18:35Serafina, you must believe me!
18:36Calus, do you really think I don't know how that drug works?
18:40To control you, she would have to be more powerful than you.
18:43But you are dragon blood.
18:45Even without finishing the trial, you are still a dragon heir.
18:49How could someone of her caliber control you?
18:51She stole a lock of your hair.
18:53She brewed a potion with it.
18:55She turned all your feelings for me onto herself.
18:58He babbled wildly now, scrambling for excuses, grasping at anything to persuade me.
19:03He shifted all the blame onto Lilith.
19:05He thought empty sweet words would make me take him back.
19:07My hand cracked across his face.
19:09His head snapped sharply to one side.
19:11He stared at me, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
19:15So what?
19:16Even if all of this is true, do you think a tragic story can erase everything you did to me?
19:21Calus, let me make this perfectly clear.
19:25You and Lilith are bound together.
19:27You will rot in the gutter for the rest of your lives and you will never be apart!
19:30Said nothing.
19:31He just stood there.
19:32But the new dragon king's aura bore down on Calus, bending his spine inch by inch.
19:37His knees buckled.
19:38He crashed heavily to the ground and Lilith collapsed beside him.
19:43They fled in terror.
19:45Darion withdrew his pressure.
19:47He turned to me once again the quiet gentle man he had always been.
19:51Are you alright?
19:52I have something to show you.
19:54Curious I followed him outside and froze.
19:57In the center of the main courtyard.
19:59My mother's memorial, the shrine Calus had destroyed, stood whole once more.
20:04Every stone was back in its place.
20:06The ancient phoenix script carved into its face was cracked in places, but every fragment had been carefully pieced together.
20:12Flames burned at the shrine's peak.
20:15Not my mother's flames.
20:16Black.
20:17The genuine dragon fire.
20:18As I stared, the flames shifted to a deep amber.
20:22I cannot bring your mother back.
20:23But I can make sure her flame never dies.
20:26The night after the dragon trial, Darion had not returned to the palace with me.
20:30He had gone alone to the ancient homeland of the phoenix clan, knelt before the eldest bloodline guardian all night,
20:36and begged until she taught him the old ritual to restore the phoenix sacred stones.
20:40At dawn the next day he had returned to this courtyard alone.
20:44He lifted every shard of rubble by hand, piece by piece and rebuilt the shrine.
20:48He did not know what words were carved on each surface.
20:51He never asked me.
20:53He only used his hands, his instinct and set every fragment where he knew it belonged.
21:07I love you.
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