"Do you worship the Phoenix often?" Dumbledore asked softly, his eyes still locked on the Divine Bird approaching closer, seeking information about the Giant Phoenix.
"We don't know exactly, anyway the Phoenix God is our Guardian," Odin replied while remaining in a kneeling posture, "The adults say the Phoenix God protects this island from being swallowed by storms."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully.
In Ancient Celtic legends, the Phoenix is indeed considered the incarnation and guardian of the sun. The Fox on his shoulder suddenly let out a low cry, its golden-red feathers slightly fluffing up.
It appeared both awed and excited.
The Giant Phoenix finally arrived above the beach.
The scorching air waves stirred by its wings started to melt the surrounding sand granules, forming tiny glass crystals.
"Is this a show of force or a warning?" Dumbledore had to raise his arm to shield against the hot wind, a thin layer of mist forming on his crescent-shaped glasses.
When the Phoenix descended.
An astonishing scene unfolded—the Phoenix slowly landed, wings folded, tail feathers gently swaying, with each movement stirring a mild breeze mixed with a faint scent of incense. It displayed no aggression, nor hostility; it merely stood there quietly, like a living sculpture.
The land beneath its feet began to change. Once ordinary trees were transformed in its presence, assuming a golden hue, with branches and leaves radiating an unearthly brilliance—isn't this simple alchemy but a deeper transformation, a process of elevating matter into energy.
The bark of the surrounding trees quickly turned to dazzling gold, branches and leaves transformed into emerald-like gemstones, the entire tree sparkling under the sunset with dazzling brilliance.
"Advanced Alchemy."
Dumbledore was also somewhat surprised at the sight, having encountered many similar creatures, but never ones whose magic ability affected their surroundings so profoundly.
Even those mighty Ancient Giant Dragons did not possess such innate magical ability.
To understand.
This level of matter conversion, even for Nico, would require a complex array and a prolonged period to accomplish such a transformation, while the Phoenix before them achieved it merely by contact during its landing.
That is by no means ordinary ability.
Fox took flight from Dumbledore's shoulder, circling in the air, and then bowed its head to the Giant Phoenix as a subject visiting a king. This scene made Dumbledore's blue eyes widen slightly—in the Magic Realm, Phoenixes are extremely rare and proud creatures, for a phoenix to show submission is indeed uncommon.
"Perhaps I've found the origin of the Phoenix," Dumbledore realized some issues, muttering to himself, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the magic wand.
The Giant Phoenix tilted its head, amber eyes gazing at Dumbledore directly. The old man attempted to construct a bridge of Mental Link in his mind using the method of communicating with Fox.
However.
His consciousness hit an impenetrable wall—that was not rejection, but an intrinsic difference, like humans unable to converse with stars.
Dumbledore couldn't find the direction to communicate in the same frequency with the Giant Phoenix.
"Did you come to find me?"
Dumbledore asked in a magical language, believing the other party's level of wisdom might surpass that of his Fox, perhaps understood some primordial magic language.
Just that.
Dumbledore did not receive a response.
The Giant Phoenix seemed unsure or unable to understand his words, simply continued to gaze at him with profound eyes, or sometimes glanced at the Fox on his shoulder.
The eyes of the Great Phoenix held a hint of curiosity, or perhaps it was examining a lost child. Fox shivered slightly, letting out a faintly aggrieved cry.
The atmosphere momentarily felt somewhat awkward.
"Did you come to find me?" Dumbledore asked softly, his tone filled with probing and respect.
The Phoenix gave no response, merely watching him quietly.
Countless speculations surfaced in Dumbledore's mind.
This Phoenix... Is it really just a Fantastic Beast?
Or could it be a remnant of some older civilization, or a guardian from a forgotten era?
Having been curious about the past of the Dumbledore family, Dumbledore had investigated, reading records about Phoenixes, especially in ancient civilizations, where they were often regarded as incarnations of time, witnesses of destiny. Many ancient peoples shared similar worship.
They shared a core characteristic: immortality, rebirth, transcending the worldly. Yet this Phoenix was evidently more real and more... powerful than those legendary images.
In this subtle moment of stalemate, a deafening explosion suddenly echoed from the sky. Dumbledore quickly looked up to see a massive figure descending at lightning speed from above.
"Boom!!!" The beach shook violently, silver-white sand sprayed like a fountain. Amidst the swirling dust and scattered rocks, when the dust settled, Dumbledore saw a nearly ten-meter-wide deep pit on the beach.
Dumbledore clutched his magic wand.
Approaching.
Then.
In the center of the pit lay a three-meter-tall silver-haired "Giant," namely the Female Titan Claire whom Ian had encountered earlier, her descent into the Human World truly unrecordable in history.
She had changed attire, her silver-white long hair tied into a high ponytail, wearing armor that sparkled with metallic sheen, protective gear with engraved runes on her wrists and ankles.
She exuded an air of dignity.
Yet now, that dignity seemed completely lost.
"Such a tall person!"
"Is she a Fantastic Beast too?"
The two siblings who approached exclaimed in surprise.
Xiao Ya remained stubborn.
Tossing the stone ball in his hand at Claire, intending to determine if Claire was a "humanoid Fantastic Beast." However, the stone ball hit the Female Titan's head without any reaction.
"Oh no, she isn't a Fantastic Beast; she's just taller," Xiao Ya exclaimed in shock, realizing his rudeness, quickly jumped into the pit intending to assist the three-meter-tall giant.
Just that.
The reclined lay of the indoors-loving titan did not desire to rise.
"Is she hurt?" Odin ran over too, frowning at the scene. Claire did not respond, only burrowing her face deeper into the sand.
As if doing so could make her vanish from this world.
Seeing Xiao Ya wanting to rescue her.
"Don't take off my shoes, I am fine, I just want to lie down for a while, and sunbathe." Female Titan Claire lay awkwardly in the center of a giant crater.
The air still lingered with the smoldering ashes from the explosive dust. Her long hair draping messily over her shoulders, her face covered in dirt and pebbles, and her original majestic aura had long dissipated.
"She's still conscious."
Dumbledore slowly approached, eyes carrying a hint of exploration and a gentle smile.
He stood by the pit's edge, looking down at the "Giant" unwilling to raise her head, speaking softly yet with an undeniable insight: "If I'm not mistaken, you are a Titan Ancient God."
Upon these words.
The body at the bottom of the pit trembled slightly.
"Are you Albus Dumbledore?" Claire's muffled voice sounded from the sand, still without raising her head, the words causing Dumbledore to pause.
He was a Wizard from another era.
Never had he disclosed his name in this world for anyone to know.
How did the other party know his name?
"Prophet? Or did Ian tell you?" In a split second, Dumbledore considered the most likely two answers, his eyebrows raised in thought.
Yet he didn't seem particularly grim.
Of course.
Such emotions only lasted for a few seconds. Because what Female Titan Claire said next was directly earth-shattering, causing Dumbledore's pupils to involuntarily dilate, even the Elder Wand in his hand almost fell to the ground, his emotions visibly turbulent.
"No, it's Ariana who told me the information."
She replied thus.
The voice was not loud.
Yet it made Dumbledore's mind buzz like a tumult.