With the arrival of the Flame Phoenix Lord, Duke Charles Luminaris, the heavy demonic intent of the Underworld that had been hanging over the area vanished instantly, burned away by the overwhelming aura of the Flame Phoenix. The Archmage hovered nearly forty feet above the ruined Vistro courtyard, his ornate robes snapping violently in the fierce winds stirred by his own magic.
Below, everything was destroyed. The west wing was nothing but stone pieces, the garden was a crater turned to glass, and the Marquis, Charles' long time political ally, was gone. Charles had felt the rapid deterioration of the Marquis's aura from miles away, a sickening slide as the man's vitality was devoured by his own demonic desperation. Now, only a pile of ash and a heap of silk remained where a True Mage once stood.
The Duke looked around, stopping when he saw the only person still standing in the middle of the destruction.
