- 3 hours ago
The Phoenix's Second Reign
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๐ฅ
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 king'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. I just gave you your chance. Take it.
01:47Lilith has generously agreed to share me with you. You should be grateful.
01:51I nearly laughed out loud. King Aldrich's gaze turned sharp, his aura of authority forcing Calus to his knees.
01:58Seraphina, 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, but the look of confusion on his face quickly faded.
02:15If that is truly what you want, I will arrange it.
02:19Get out! I don't want to see you right now.
02:23He looked at me with contempt, still confident that I would refuse to marry anyone but him, just as I
02:29had 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, Calus 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.
02:49Darion trekked through the northern wind and snow for three months to reach the tower.
02:54He 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.
03:08Seraphina, 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.
03:31She 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 Seraphina, 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 talk 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.
05:27Fire that no storm or tempest could ever extinguish.
05:30Seraphina, 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.
06:04But 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.
06:18Stop speaking out of anger, and think this through.
06:24There would indeed be a wedding, but it would never be yours.
06:29Five days later, everyone gathered at the Proving Grounds.
06:32To my surprise, Lilith was there too.
06:33Seraphina, I'm counting on you today.
06:36I'm the strongest heir here.
06:37Use your blood to get me through this trial.
06:39I'll marry you, and the two of you will get along well after this.
06:42His gaze swept contemptuously over the other suitors, until it suddenly landed on the sigil
06:47at Darian's waist.
06:51Why is the phoenix sigil in your possession?
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.
07:05A man like him probably won't even survive the first layer of dragon fire.
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 dragon fire.
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.
07:39Serafina 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.
08:07What'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.
08:19One that never happened in my past life.
08:22And 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.
08:39Wave 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!
09:21I am your husband.
09:22Serafina, hurry up!
09:23This isn't funny!
09:26The nine layers of dragon fire will kill me!
09:28I barely recognized him.
09:30Kalis was actually begging.
09:34The first wave of dragon fire erupted.
09:56Serafina'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. Her skin wrinkled. The crowd stared at her without a shred of sympathy.
10:13No, don't look at me! Please don't look at me!
10:18Kaelus, help me!
10:19All trace of Kaelus's arrogance was gone.
10:22I pulled the token from Darien's waist, the one etched with the phoenix clam crest, gleaming in the firelight.
10:29I made a pact with King Alderk. Darien is my choice. He is my one and only betrothed.
10:37Then the crowd erupted.
10:38No way! How is this possible?
10:42Him? Darien? The neglected heir to the Black Dragon lineage?
10:47I have loved her for 200 years. May she find someone who loves her as I do in her next
10:53life.
10:53Many men desired me, but they only craved what I could give them. The phoenix bloodline dragon eggs, the crown.
10:59Darien was the only one who was different.
11:07The dragon's trial. Dragon 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. If the
11:17egg rejected them, the dragon fire would burn them alive.
11:20Most suitors chose to undertake the trial in stages, multiple attempts over years even decades slowly building up their tolerance.
11:27I looked at Kalos. Last time he'd only dared to unleash three layers of dragon fire. Three layers had nearly
11:33killed him. He had begged me to protect him.
11:35I sliced my palm open and shielded him with all my strength. In the end, he endured all nine waves
11:41of flame, becoming the first to do so in 5,000 years. The whole world bowed to him. Everyone knew
11:47his name. But my soul was damaged. My power would never return to what it once was.
11:51This time, he was greedier. Armed with the memories of our past life, he triggered all nine layers without hesitation.
11:58He did not care at all if I was hurt. What a pity. I stared at the churning dragon fire
12:03in the trial grounds. This time, he would not survive the second layer.
12:34Raulith was not so fortunate. She slit her wrist and gave birth to the sword.
12:37gave everything she had. When the dragon fire struck, her blood evaporated in an instant,
12:42and the flames rebounded on her. The young woman was gone. In her place stood a withered 80-year-old
12:48crone. King Aldrich's gaze locked onto me. I gave a slight nod. Calus caught the tiny gesture at
12:54once. A flicker of hope flashed in his eyes. He stumbled toward me and dropped to his knees.
13:00Seraphina, I was wrong. Seraphina, please, forgive me. I want you. Only you. I swear I'll be
13:14faithful to you. I 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?
13:49He doesn't want you, Seraphiana. Do you truly think everyone craves you?
13:59Princess, I wish to complete the trial on my own. I know your bloodline is powerful,
14:04but dragon fire is cruel. I will not let you pay that price for me.
14:09Are you afraid?
14:13A little.
14:14He did not pretend to be brave. He was afraid, but he would not let it stop him. I let
14:18go of his hand.
14:19Darian turned and stepped into the trial grounds. The dormant dragon egg glowed faintly. He sliced his
14:24palm open, letting blood drip onto it.
14:29The first layer of dragon fire struck.
14:33Only one layer. It'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. It meant his bloodline ran deeper than
14:45any of theirs. The third layer. The fourth layer. He still stood straight.
14:53The suitors who had scorned him minutes ago stared at him.
15:03After the fifth layer, the suitors in the stands felt the pressure of the dragon fire.
15:07So he held fast. His robes had burned to tatters.
15:10I could see the extensive burns across his chest and arms. But he did not flinch.
15:15I thought this would be his limit. In my past life, five layers had been all he could bear.
15:20The finest of his generation. But this time he did not step out.
15:24He was clearly on the brink of collapse. Covered in wounds he could barely stand.
15:29The sixth layer of dragon fire crashed down. I clenched my fists.
15:32Seconds later, the flames faded. He dropped to one knee but he held on.
15:38He had shattered his limit from my past life. Six layers of dragon fire alone.
15:43Without the protection of my bloodline, Darion was the strongest living dragon blood air.
15:47Yet he looked ready to break. Another layer would kill him.
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. This 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, obscuring everything from the stands.
16:37Fire!
16:39Fire!
16:39Fire!
16:42Fire!
16:42Fire!
16:43Fire!
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. It did not look at the suitors.
17:05At last it landed before Darion.
17:08Fire!
17:08Fire!
17:10Fire!
17:10Fire!
17:13Danyan, chosen consort of the Phoenix clan, future Dragonblood King, I Aldric bow to you.
17:26Danyan was crowned the new king of the Dragonblood line.
17:30King 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.
17:38Pippa went to check and came back fuming with anger.
17:45Princess, it's Calus. He's here to see you.
17:48And he brought Lilith with him.
17:50I am stronger than him. It torments him to live in my shadow.
17:54Lilith is weak, and women like her make men feel needed.
17:59But 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! She 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.
19:12He 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?
19:22Calus, 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?
19:53I have something to show you.
19:54Curious I followed him outside and froze.
19:56In 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, black.
20:17The genuine dragon fire.
20:18As I stared, the flames shifted to a deep amber.
20:22I cannot bring your mother back, but 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.
20:49He 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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