![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
CURRENT SUMMARY OF PHAINON'S JOURNEY (3.0 - 3.5)
Spoilers for latest patch (3.4) in summary
☀︎ Born in a small village called Aedes Elysiae, he's the son of a farmer and spent a chunk of his childhood out in the fields helping his family with the crops.
☀︎ A major daydreamer, he'd have these odd dreams of destruction and sadness that he could never really make sense of, so he'd forget about them soon after.
☀︎ While it's not known what age he was, he was still a boy when his home was razed to the ground, the other villagers were turned into monsters that he had to kill, and his best friend Cyrene was murdered by a robed figure in black.
☀︎ With nowhere left to return to, Phainon made the long journey to Okhema and was basically raised there until he was an adult. He spent time as a soldier when he was old enough- and became a well-known swordsman. His reputation was so well-received, he was pulled from the ranks and got to know Aglaea and Tribbie because of it.
☀︎ Believing in both Aglaea and Tribbie, and feeling like it was his calling, he joined the Flame-Chase Journey and was labeled as Amphoreus' savior- the Deliverer.
☀︎ Over time he met the other Chrysos Heirs as he prepared for the journey: Mydeimos, Castorice, Hyacine, and Cipher (Anaxa refuses to join the chase even though he is slated for a coreflame).
☀︎ At some point, he was foisted over to the Grove of Epiphany and was placed in classes led by Professor Anaxagoras. Unlike most in the Grove, Phainon took longer to graduate than his peers. Still, it was a chance for Phainon to grow as a person, and while Anaxa declares that he is a stubborn student who should watch his tongue, he holds great respect for one of his best "debate holders" he's ever taught.
☀︎ Time is much faster in Amphoreus then it is in the cosmos, so an unknown amount of time later, Phainon goes with Tribbie on a mission to bring back refugees from Janus- and in the process, notices something unusual coming out of the sky over in the remains of the city. He comes across two people he's never seen before, and acting quickly, disarms one and breaks the spear of the other.
☀︎ Turns out, it's the Trailblazer and Dan Heng- the two crash landed into Amphoreus after something hit their train car and it slammed into the earth. Phainon apologizes for his hasty reaction, as he didn't know if they were friend or foe, and vows to have Dan Heng's spear repaired once they return to Okhema.
☀︎ They return to Okhema just in time to witness the city under attack by the titan Nikador and his soldiers, titankin. The group clears them out and then fights a copy of Nikador, and Tribbie follows after the remnants to find where Castrum Kremnos is.
☀︎ Once the Castrum is located, Phainon goes with Mydei and the Trailblazer to retrieve the coreflame of Strife. They end up winning and manage to take it back to Okhema, in which Phainon prepares for the trial of Strife to make that coreflame his own.
☀︎ This is not his coreflame, of course- he's taking it to try and take the burden from Mydei of having to shoulder something that makes him wary and has baggage attached to it.
☀︎ ........................unnnnnnnnnnfortunately, Phainon very much fails the trial, and Mydei and the Trailblazer have to go in to save him before he goes mad.
☀︎ From there, the Flame-Chase truly sets off. While Phainon is in recovery, the Trailblazer, Castorice, and Tribbie go to the Grove to speak with Anaxa. The four return later with grave news- the Black Tide has overrun the Grove and many Chrysos Heirs perished protecting it. Even worse, the black-cloaked figure that killed Cyrene was there, and tried to steal the coreflame of Wisdom. Phainon speaks with Anaxa while in Okhema and goes with him to talk to the families who lost members in the attack. They give their condolences before Phainon acts somewhat as a mediator between Anaxa and Aglaea (the two do not see eye to eye on the Flame-Chase Journey and it has led to tension previously) hold a conversation on what to do next.
☀︎ Tribbie comes back from the temple of Oronyx (Titan of Time) shortly after going there to try and speak with the Titan, and tells them Oronyx is dead and they were ambushed by the black-cloaked figure again. Trianne, one of the three Tribbies, sacrifices herself to let the other two get away with this information.
☀︎ Aglaea and Anaxa decide to call this black-cloaked figure the Flame Reaver, and know they need to get the coreflame back in order to complete the journey. Using the Trailblazer and Mem's help, they devise a plan to trap the Flame Reaver in the past and pull the coreflame from him before he's transported there. This works only so well- the Flame Reaver does let go of the coreflame of time, but he also frees himself from being locked to the past. Mydei, having moved past his burdens and completed his trial, ascended to being the new demigod of Strife, arriving just in time and basically shoving the Flame Reaver into a pile of crystal, immobilizing him.
☀︎ Shortly after, the Chrysos Heirs learn Mydei has left Okhema to go face the Black Tide on his own in Castrum Kremnos, to fight it singlehandedly as Nikador once did before him. He does not return to the city, and this wears on Phainon tremendously.
☀︎ Later, Phainon, Aglaea, Anaxa, and Castorice arrive in Kephale's (Titan of Worldbearing) proximity, an area known as the Dawncloud. It is here that public debate, voting, as well as lectures are held for the people regarding the fate of Okhema and her people, led by an intellitron called Lygus. An argument is raised by a woman named Caenis- she brings Anaxa and Castorice to her side to open a future debate between Chrysos Heirs and the Council of Elders on whether the Flame-Chase Journey should continue. Phainon is the one chosen to represent the debate for the continuation, while Caenis represents the side against it.
☀︎ Castorice takes the Trailblazer with her to Styxia to figure out the Trailblazer's dilemma and Phainon prays for their success and safety in the meantime.
☀︎ Caenis begins the debate and reveals her plan to try and bring Okhema back to a time of peace, where the people did not even know what the word "death" meant or what it even was. To do this, the Flame-Chase Journey must end and all future endeavors must be handed to the Council.
☀︎ When it comes time to present the Heir's side, Phainon delivers an incredible speech, telling about his childhood in Aedes Elysiae and how the Black Tide swallowed his home and forced him to mercy kill everyone within the village, as they had been corrupted. That the issue isn't about whether they should focus on going back to a time of no death or sorrow, but rather choose to fight against the odds for here and now.
☀︎ The vote is brought to a 50/50 tie, with Anaxa being the one to break the tie in favor of the Heirs, and consequently putting the Council under investigation for "allowing" him to merge his soul with Kephale to discover and reveal the truth about Amphoreus as a whole.
☀︎ The truth? Amphoreus is cyclical in nature. "Era Nova," the supposed future paradise in the Flame-Chase prophecy, is Amphoreus being reborn once more, or "restarted." Most declare his words as sheer madness or heresy.
☀︎ Because of his actions, Anaxa is sentenced to death for blasphemy, with Aglaea to be his executioner (much to Phainon's utter dismay).
☀︎ When the time comes, Phainon remains in the room (the Vortex of Genesis, where all coreflames are gifted to the tidal bounty to be "reclaimed" by humanity) where Anaxa is for his death, but cannot look at his professor as the man tears the coreflame of Wisdom from his chest and disintegrates into nothing.
☀︎ Shortly after Anaxa's death, it is discovered that Aglaea has been murdered by a group known as the Cleaners. In fact, they not only visited Aglaea, but also visited Phainon and the Trailblazer at the Grove- Phainon actually threatens the Cleaners sent after him that he does not fight humans, so they need to leave. Obviously, this is just a distraction so Aglaea can be the true target.
☀︎ With no one to lead the Flame-Chase now, the task is given to Phainon, as Aglaea expected this may happen to her after the debate. He becomes the new leader of the group and prepares the remaining Heirs for the last few steps of the journey to take. He asks Hyacine to gather what's necessary so they can go to the sky fortress of Aquila (Titan of the Sky), to get the coreflame for her, while also tasking Cipher (the demigod of trickery) with keeping the Worldbearer coreflame safe from a potential attack from the Flame Reaver in the future.
☀︎ Before he leaves, he is gifted a bracelet by Chartonus, a mountain giant who forges weapons, which contains the last of Aglaea's divinity.
☀︎ He, Hyacine, the Trailblazer, and Dan Heng venture to the sky fortress with the intent to slay Aquila and claim her coreflame. Along the way, they learn the truth about the history of the Flame-Chase Journey- that it was a lie made by a Chrysos Heir to save her life, and eventually task future generations to fight back against the titans and reclaim Amphoreus as their own.
☀︎ The fight against Aquila is long and brutal, with the discovery that the titan has been corrupted by the Black Tide as a last resort to kill the group. Aglaea's divinity within the bracelet responds when everyone supposedly will fall to their death on a now-broken stone elevator, using her threads to hold things together long enough for the five of them to escape to stable ground. Unfortunately, they cannot recover the bracelet in time, Phainon barely holding his composure together as time has gone on in this entire journey from start to finish. They escape just in time, before the sky fortress begins to fall apart.
☀︎ After the defeat of Aquila, it is discovered that things have taken a turn for the worse back in Okhema. Cipher is tracked by the Flame Reaver, keeps him busy, and dies while making sure he does not get the worldbearer's coreflame. As a result, Cipher's lie of Okhema being safe forever under Kephale's light is broken, and the rest of Amphoreus is shrouded in darkness. The Black Tide attacks in full force, and Hyacine chooses to ascend as Aquila so she can use the powers of the sky to protect Okhema's people.
☀︎ Phainon, the Trailblazer, and Dan Heng must fight their way from Dawncloud back down towards the Vortex, in order to get the last coreflame to complete the entire journey. While fighting against Black Tide monsters and the Cleaners, the Flame Reaver shows up to stop all of them in their tracks. Out of nowhere, Mydei interrupts the attempt, covering for the three and telling them that he and Castorice will keep the Reaver busy. Phainon goes to protest but swallows it down, agreeing and running off with the others. Shortly after, the Flame Reaver kills Mydei for good, and Castorice can no longer reach the mortal world to assist anyone.
☀︎ The group hurries towards the final chamber, only to be stopped by the Reaver again. This time, it's Dan Heng who tells Phainon and the Trailblazer to run. The two go, leaving Dan Heng to fight the Reaver alone as Imbibtor Lunae.
☀︎ PHAINON IS NOT DOING OKAY AT ALL DURING ANY PART OF THIS, HE IS THREE SECONDS FROM CRASHING OUT THIS ENTIRE TIME, H E L P.
☀︎ Upon the arrival to one of the back entrances to the Vortex, Phainon decides to enact his decision he made before the journey to the sky fortress was begun- he tells the Trailblazer that he cannot let them come with him to finish the journey in good consciousness, as this story was never theirs to begin with. He leaves them behind and tells them to go back to help Dan Heng instead, as their part in this fight is now over. He will ascend as the worldbearer alone and bring about Era Nova.
☀︎ With the Trailblazer now no longer in danger (or so he hopes- but he also knows better and thinks they may just defy his wish and come along anyway), Phainon is greeted by Trinnon, the last of the Tribbies, and a spirithief named Bartholos. As it turns out, Bartholos is not only a friend of Cipher's, but actually the titan of trickery himself, Zagreus. Bartholos tells him he has a gift waiting for him, and presents him with the worldbearer's coreflame- fully aware that once he gives this up, he will disappear and cease to exist, like every other titan the journey has encountered. Phainon takes the coreflame and Trinnon guides him on what to do next- she will use the remaining power she has to teleport him straight to the Vortex, as the back way no longer works because of the world being shrouded in darkness. Doing so will render her as a doll, just like Trianne and Tribbie before her, signifying her death as the last of the three Tribbies.
☀︎ Phainon approaches the Vortex alone...
☀︎ Or at least, he thought he was alone.
☀︎ Turns out Lygus is there in the Vortex to "watch Era Nova in its beginning," whatever that means. This intellitron knows a LOT more than he lets on, and as Phainon is about to complete the journey, the Trailblazer arrives in the Vortex to help. They openly accuse Lygus of being the perpetrator behind much of Amphoreus's problems, and to Phainon's utter disgust, Lygus confirms this.
☀︎ CUE THE FIRST LORE DROP.
☀︎ Amphoreus is not a planet. It is not a country. It is not a state. Amphoreus, as a whole, is a simulation run by a decommissioned node from the aeon Nous, and left in the hands of Lygus for experimenting. It startles Phainon to hear this, that the Trailblazer and Dan Heng have been in a simulation this entire time!! Surprise! While Phainon, Aglaea, Anaxa, Mydei, Castorice, Hyacine, and Cipher are merely parts of this program that was created by this scepter to figure out the equation Lygus has been wanting to solve since the start...
☀︎ The equation he wishes to complete is the "Prime Mover of Destruction." Basically, Lygus wants δ-me13 (the scepter's name) to collect enough data about Destruction to the point it can kill a god. More specifically, to kill Nous THEMSELVES.
☀︎ Lygus then begins his villain monologue! It is... long. Very long. The intellitron likes the sound of his own voice, it seems. But he congratulates the Trailblazer for finally moving the cycles of Amphoreus forward to complete his goal. It is one he has been waiting for for a long time, and now he waits with bated breath for the final cycle to arrive.
☀︎ The story of Amphoreus spans a long amount of constant rebirths and restarts in the simulation, the scepter creating life and eventually creating Amphoreus as a whole. This cycle of the program was not the first- there were others that went into the millions that came before it, and they became the legend of this era in Amphoreus' new chapter. He tells the Trailblazer all about Phainon's life before they met him, even going so far as to include Cyrene as well. Along the way, Lygus admits that the scepter (or the equation itself, it's a little confusing at this point) was gazed at by Nanook, the aeon of Destruction. When this happened, it became the beginnings of what is known as a Lord Ravager- an emanator of Destruction that can cause immense calamity and devastation.
☀︎ In fact, it already has! Lygus had taken the incomplete equation and projected it onto actual civilizations on other planets and caused complete collapse! Because of this, it was named as "Irontomb" by the IPC. But yeah, Lygus fucking SUCKS, man. Me and all my homies hate Lygus.
☀︎ As this whole info dump finishes from Lygus, his head gets severed from his body (he's not dead, that body isn't real), and a familiar face shows up. The Flame Reaver arrives and attacks Phainon, determined to stop Era Nova from happening. The fight is a rough one, but Phainon actually manages to cut off the Reaver's mask- to reveal that the man is... an ashen and cracking version of himself, clearly missing pieces over time. The Reaver continues the fight, until, at last, Phainon wins and holds the upper hand. Phainon grabs the crescent scepter weapon from the Reaver and holds it to his neck, threatening to end him... and that's where everything changes.
☀︎ ENTER LORE DROP NUMBER TWO.
☀︎ Since Amphoreus is a program that is a cycle, Lygus has been using these cycles to redefine and teach the scepter the true meaning of Destruction. Phainon and Cyrene's Flame-Chase was supposed to be the last cycle before Irontomb's equation would be complete, and it would finally be released.
☀︎ While those two went through their journey, they became sentient and aware they were in a simulation rather than just a world on the verge of an apocalypse. They wondered what the true point of their existence was, when there was so much suffering and pain along the way for an end that was no longer real.
☀︎ They both confronted Lygus in the Vortex at the end of the cycle. After having their purpose to be fuel for Destruction confirmed to their faces, the original Cyrene and Phainon chose to rebel, instead. Phainon "killed" Lygus in the simulation, and Cyrene forcibly removed herself from "Time," to make the Flame-Chase go into an endless repeating cycle. By doing this, she had Phainon kill her, so Oronyx's spot could never be claimed, and she expected every version of Cyrene forward would also remove herself from Time. In return, Phainon swore to essentially continue the cycles and keep the Flame-Chase from completing, collecting the coreflames himself so the journey would not finish. He would keep doing this until the true "Deliverer" would come to save Amphoreus from her fate.
☀︎ In his words, as Amphoreus was a place that was gazed upon for a means of Destruction, he would "become the Destruction to end Destruction."
☀︎ Before her death, Cyrene gave him the name of "Khaslana," an epithet he had when he was a child. In rage and anger, and as a result of his actions and stalwart decision, Khaslana was also gazed at by Nanook, becoming a second potential Lord Ravager in Amphoreus.
☀︎ His mission was to collect every coreflame in each cycle, a feat known to be absolutely impossible to most. Chrysos Heirs could, at best, hold only one- as the sheer power of more than one coreflame would be enough to kill them otherwise. However, Phainon was known as the "perfect vessel" according to Aglaea- he was a Chrysos Heir born without flaw. Even if the task would eventually kill him, Khaslana had to try.
☀︎ Khaslana then continued for the next 4 million cycles through Amphoreus keeping his promise. At first, it was being a herald of the future and begging the Chrysos Heirs to surrender their coreflames so Irontomb would not devastate an entire cosmos upon completion of the Flame-Chase. Khaslana took those coreflames into his own body to keep them safe in the interim. It wasn't enough. Each time a cycle ended, he still would not be strong enough to pierce the scepter, despite having 12 new coreflames added to his count. His mental sanity and coherence, as well as his humanity, began to waver over time, until he lost the both of them completely (When warnings had come up previously that told Lygus of potential mental breakdowns or instability, Lygus told the scepter to stop sending him them because they were of no interest to him). It became an endless direction of asking for the coreflames, then demanding them, then having to result in fighting and killing his friends and family in order to keep the cosmos outside the simulation safe (it was never something he wanted to do, but was always forced to, because his friends loved him and didn't want to continue to see him suffer like this). This happened over, and over, and over, and over.........
☀︎ By cycle 4,000,001, Khaslana's body could no longer sustain the sheer heat and weight of the 48 million coreflames he'd collected inside of him. He was falling apart, his very existence barely hanging on by a thread. But he knew if he died, the Flame-Chase would complete, and Irontomb would bring tragedy and chaos to worlds Khaslana had never had the chance to ever see or even know. He couldn't allow that, would not allow that.
☀︎ So he came up with a plan- Khaslana would no longer kill the Phainon of the current cycle (because THAT SURE WAS A THING), and instead would become the villain for Phainon's journey. The method in how he would do this? He would don a black cloak and mask, becoming the Flame Reaver, and make sure his mark was one to remember. When the time came, Khaslana would let this Phainon kill him, and pass on the coreflames, memories, and powers he once had. He was sure this Phainon would take on the role that Khaslana had done- after all, he knew himself well enough.
☀︎ And Khaslana was correct. Every Phainon after him took on his role- they would ascend to become the new Khaslana once they killed the Flame Reaver, taking all of his power and memories as well. Then, once the cycle reset, they would become the Flame Reaver for the new cycle and steal the coreflames, adding to the total. This continued Khaslana's promise for another 28,000,000 cycles, with each one still being unable to pierce the scepter to destroy it. By the 33,550,335th cycle, he had collected a total of 402,604,020 coreflames. It was the equivalent of carrying a sun in his chest, and anyone who tried to touch him while he was in that form would burn themselves or be immediately incinerated (the amount of coreflames ran so hot Khaslana's entire chest was simply stone/ash, as that was the only thing capable of handling the heat).
☀︎ The current Phainon is the 33,550,336th iteration, and like all of his predecessors, once he learns the truth, agrees to continue Khaslana's duty. He kills the Flame Reaver with the crescent scepter (which is actually Cyrene's weapon, surprise!), and in turn ascends to become the new Khaslana. After receiving everything from the previous Flame Reaver, Phainon takes a moment to recuperate with the Trailblazer within his own memories of Aedes Elysiae, before agreeing to become the next Flame Reaver. Before that happens in the new cycle, though, Phainon makes the choice to disrupt the idea of "worldbearing" as a whole.
☀︎ By this, he means to truly throw off all cycles- instead of simply moving to the next cycle, the 337th, he chooses to tear the simulated sky asunder, declaring his anger and hate for Nanook. How his rage spans 33 million eons and is enough to end the Destruction that came to his home and strike the aeon where THEY stand.
☀︎ Nanook actually responds, presenting THEMSELVES in the torn sky above him, and uses Phainon's words as a test. Millions of minions of the Destruction pour in, most from the Anti-Matter Legion, a faction for the Destruction and its ways, and Phainon runs headfirst towards all of them, straight into a fight.
☀︎ He... may have also gone a little nuts in doing so. Oops. His fight moves past the minions and towards Nanook THEMSELVES, only to be confronted by a projection of another Lord Ravager- Zephyro. The two are locked in combat and match each other until Zephyro strikes Phainon hard enough to cut off one of his arms and his wings. Phainon falls to the earth, but that insane smile of his hasn't quite disappeared yet.
☀︎ Because spite is a powerful motivator, and when it's influenced by fury? Well, a lot of things can happen. Phainon ends up rising again and tearing off his other wing, managing to get past Zephyro, and lets his entire body be consumed by every ounce of the rage he's contained for so long. It turns him into a flying object of flame, and he lashes out with everything he has towards Nanook... and ends up leaving an actual wound on the aeon THEMSELVES, before falling back to earth and being merged with Irontomb.
☀︎ As of right now, the only sign that exists of Phainon still being alive is his halting of the Black Tide, as indicated in the 3.5 program for the patch. Whatever else happens? Well, we'll see.
☀︎ Born in a small village called Aedes Elysiae, he's the son of a farmer and spent a chunk of his childhood out in the fields helping his family with the crops.
☀︎ A major daydreamer, he'd have these odd dreams of destruction and sadness that he could never really make sense of, so he'd forget about them soon after.
☀︎ While it's not known what age he was, he was still a boy when his home was razed to the ground, the other villagers were turned into monsters that he had to kill, and his best friend Cyrene was murdered by a robed figure in black.
☀︎ With nowhere left to return to, Phainon made the long journey to Okhema and was basically raised there until he was an adult. He spent time as a soldier when he was old enough- and became a well-known swordsman. His reputation was so well-received, he was pulled from the ranks and got to know Aglaea and Tribbie because of it.
☀︎ Believing in both Aglaea and Tribbie, and feeling like it was his calling, he joined the Flame-Chase Journey and was labeled as Amphoreus' savior- the Deliverer.
☀︎ Over time he met the other Chrysos Heirs as he prepared for the journey: Mydeimos, Castorice, Hyacine, and Cipher (Anaxa refuses to join the chase even though he is slated for a coreflame).
☀︎ At some point, he was foisted over to the Grove of Epiphany and was placed in classes led by Professor Anaxagoras. Unlike most in the Grove, Phainon took longer to graduate than his peers. Still, it was a chance for Phainon to grow as a person, and while Anaxa declares that he is a stubborn student who should watch his tongue, he holds great respect for one of his best "debate holders" he's ever taught.
☀︎ Time is much faster in Amphoreus then it is in the cosmos, so an unknown amount of time later, Phainon goes with Tribbie on a mission to bring back refugees from Janus- and in the process, notices something unusual coming out of the sky over in the remains of the city. He comes across two people he's never seen before, and acting quickly, disarms one and breaks the spear of the other.
☀︎ Turns out, it's the Trailblazer and Dan Heng- the two crash landed into Amphoreus after something hit their train car and it slammed into the earth. Phainon apologizes for his hasty reaction, as he didn't know if they were friend or foe, and vows to have Dan Heng's spear repaired once they return to Okhema.
☀︎ They return to Okhema just in time to witness the city under attack by the titan Nikador and his soldiers, titankin. The group clears them out and then fights a copy of Nikador, and Tribbie follows after the remnants to find where Castrum Kremnos is.
☀︎ Once the Castrum is located, Phainon goes with Mydei and the Trailblazer to retrieve the coreflame of Strife. They end up winning and manage to take it back to Okhema, in which Phainon prepares for the trial of Strife to make that coreflame his own.
☀︎ This is not his coreflame, of course- he's taking it to try and take the burden from Mydei of having to shoulder something that makes him wary and has baggage attached to it.
☀︎ ........................unnnnnnnnnnfortunately, Phainon very much fails the trial, and Mydei and the Trailblazer have to go in to save him before he goes mad.
☀︎ From there, the Flame-Chase truly sets off. While Phainon is in recovery, the Trailblazer, Castorice, and Tribbie go to the Grove to speak with Anaxa. The four return later with grave news- the Black Tide has overrun the Grove and many Chrysos Heirs perished protecting it. Even worse, the black-cloaked figure that killed Cyrene was there, and tried to steal the coreflame of Wisdom. Phainon speaks with Anaxa while in Okhema and goes with him to talk to the families who lost members in the attack. They give their condolences before Phainon acts somewhat as a mediator between Anaxa and Aglaea (the two do not see eye to eye on the Flame-Chase Journey and it has led to tension previously) hold a conversation on what to do next.
☀︎ Tribbie comes back from the temple of Oronyx (Titan of Time) shortly after going there to try and speak with the Titan, and tells them Oronyx is dead and they were ambushed by the black-cloaked figure again. Trianne, one of the three Tribbies, sacrifices herself to let the other two get away with this information.
☀︎ Aglaea and Anaxa decide to call this black-cloaked figure the Flame Reaver, and know they need to get the coreflame back in order to complete the journey. Using the Trailblazer and Mem's help, they devise a plan to trap the Flame Reaver in the past and pull the coreflame from him before he's transported there. This works only so well- the Flame Reaver does let go of the coreflame of time, but he also frees himself from being locked to the past. Mydei, having moved past his burdens and completed his trial, ascended to being the new demigod of Strife, arriving just in time and basically shoving the Flame Reaver into a pile of crystal, immobilizing him.
☀︎ Shortly after, the Chrysos Heirs learn Mydei has left Okhema to go face the Black Tide on his own in Castrum Kremnos, to fight it singlehandedly as Nikador once did before him. He does not return to the city, and this wears on Phainon tremendously.
☀︎ Later, Phainon, Aglaea, Anaxa, and Castorice arrive in Kephale's (Titan of Worldbearing) proximity, an area known as the Dawncloud. It is here that public debate, voting, as well as lectures are held for the people regarding the fate of Okhema and her people, led by an intellitron called Lygus. An argument is raised by a woman named Caenis- she brings Anaxa and Castorice to her side to open a future debate between Chrysos Heirs and the Council of Elders on whether the Flame-Chase Journey should continue. Phainon is the one chosen to represent the debate for the continuation, while Caenis represents the side against it.
☀︎ Castorice takes the Trailblazer with her to Styxia to figure out the Trailblazer's dilemma and Phainon prays for their success and safety in the meantime.
☀︎ Caenis begins the debate and reveals her plan to try and bring Okhema back to a time of peace, where the people did not even know what the word "death" meant or what it even was. To do this, the Flame-Chase Journey must end and all future endeavors must be handed to the Council.
☀︎ When it comes time to present the Heir's side, Phainon delivers an incredible speech, telling about his childhood in Aedes Elysiae and how the Black Tide swallowed his home and forced him to mercy kill everyone within the village, as they had been corrupted. That the issue isn't about whether they should focus on going back to a time of no death or sorrow, but rather choose to fight against the odds for here and now.
☀︎ The vote is brought to a 50/50 tie, with Anaxa being the one to break the tie in favor of the Heirs, and consequently putting the Council under investigation for "allowing" him to merge his soul with Kephale to discover and reveal the truth about Amphoreus as a whole.
☀︎ The truth? Amphoreus is cyclical in nature. "Era Nova," the supposed future paradise in the Flame-Chase prophecy, is Amphoreus being reborn once more, or "restarted." Most declare his words as sheer madness or heresy.
☀︎ Because of his actions, Anaxa is sentenced to death for blasphemy, with Aglaea to be his executioner (much to Phainon's utter dismay).
☀︎ When the time comes, Phainon remains in the room (the Vortex of Genesis, where all coreflames are gifted to the tidal bounty to be "reclaimed" by humanity) where Anaxa is for his death, but cannot look at his professor as the man tears the coreflame of Wisdom from his chest and disintegrates into nothing.
☀︎ Shortly after Anaxa's death, it is discovered that Aglaea has been murdered by a group known as the Cleaners. In fact, they not only visited Aglaea, but also visited Phainon and the Trailblazer at the Grove- Phainon actually threatens the Cleaners sent after him that he does not fight humans, so they need to leave. Obviously, this is just a distraction so Aglaea can be the true target.
☀︎ With no one to lead the Flame-Chase now, the task is given to Phainon, as Aglaea expected this may happen to her after the debate. He becomes the new leader of the group and prepares the remaining Heirs for the last few steps of the journey to take. He asks Hyacine to gather what's necessary so they can go to the sky fortress of Aquila (Titan of the Sky), to get the coreflame for her, while also tasking Cipher (the demigod of trickery) with keeping the Worldbearer coreflame safe from a potential attack from the Flame Reaver in the future.
☀︎ Before he leaves, he is gifted a bracelet by Chartonus, a mountain giant who forges weapons, which contains the last of Aglaea's divinity.
☀︎ He, Hyacine, the Trailblazer, and Dan Heng venture to the sky fortress with the intent to slay Aquila and claim her coreflame. Along the way, they learn the truth about the history of the Flame-Chase Journey- that it was a lie made by a Chrysos Heir to save her life, and eventually task future generations to fight back against the titans and reclaim Amphoreus as their own.
☀︎ The fight against Aquila is long and brutal, with the discovery that the titan has been corrupted by the Black Tide as a last resort to kill the group. Aglaea's divinity within the bracelet responds when everyone supposedly will fall to their death on a now-broken stone elevator, using her threads to hold things together long enough for the five of them to escape to stable ground. Unfortunately, they cannot recover the bracelet in time, Phainon barely holding his composure together as time has gone on in this entire journey from start to finish. They escape just in time, before the sky fortress begins to fall apart.
☀︎ After the defeat of Aquila, it is discovered that things have taken a turn for the worse back in Okhema. Cipher is tracked by the Flame Reaver, keeps him busy, and dies while making sure he does not get the worldbearer's coreflame. As a result, Cipher's lie of Okhema being safe forever under Kephale's light is broken, and the rest of Amphoreus is shrouded in darkness. The Black Tide attacks in full force, and Hyacine chooses to ascend as Aquila so she can use the powers of the sky to protect Okhema's people.
☀︎ Phainon, the Trailblazer, and Dan Heng must fight their way from Dawncloud back down towards the Vortex, in order to get the last coreflame to complete the entire journey. While fighting against Black Tide monsters and the Cleaners, the Flame Reaver shows up to stop all of them in their tracks. Out of nowhere, Mydei interrupts the attempt, covering for the three and telling them that he and Castorice will keep the Reaver busy. Phainon goes to protest but swallows it down, agreeing and running off with the others. Shortly after, the Flame Reaver kills Mydei for good, and Castorice can no longer reach the mortal world to assist anyone.
☀︎ The group hurries towards the final chamber, only to be stopped by the Reaver again. This time, it's Dan Heng who tells Phainon and the Trailblazer to run. The two go, leaving Dan Heng to fight the Reaver alone as Imbibtor Lunae.
☀︎ PHAINON IS NOT DOING OKAY AT ALL DURING ANY PART OF THIS, HE IS THREE SECONDS FROM CRASHING OUT THIS ENTIRE TIME, H E L P.
☀︎ Upon the arrival to one of the back entrances to the Vortex, Phainon decides to enact his decision he made before the journey to the sky fortress was begun- he tells the Trailblazer that he cannot let them come with him to finish the journey in good consciousness, as this story was never theirs to begin with. He leaves them behind and tells them to go back to help Dan Heng instead, as their part in this fight is now over. He will ascend as the worldbearer alone and bring about Era Nova.
☀︎ With the Trailblazer now no longer in danger (or so he hopes- but he also knows better and thinks they may just defy his wish and come along anyway), Phainon is greeted by Trinnon, the last of the Tribbies, and a spirithief named Bartholos. As it turns out, Bartholos is not only a friend of Cipher's, but actually the titan of trickery himself, Zagreus. Bartholos tells him he has a gift waiting for him, and presents him with the worldbearer's coreflame- fully aware that once he gives this up, he will disappear and cease to exist, like every other titan the journey has encountered. Phainon takes the coreflame and Trinnon guides him on what to do next- she will use the remaining power she has to teleport him straight to the Vortex, as the back way no longer works because of the world being shrouded in darkness. Doing so will render her as a doll, just like Trianne and Tribbie before her, signifying her death as the last of the three Tribbies.
☀︎ Phainon approaches the Vortex alone...
☀︎ Or at least, he thought he was alone.
☀︎ Turns out Lygus is there in the Vortex to "watch Era Nova in its beginning," whatever that means. This intellitron knows a LOT more than he lets on, and as Phainon is about to complete the journey, the Trailblazer arrives in the Vortex to help. They openly accuse Lygus of being the perpetrator behind much of Amphoreus's problems, and to Phainon's utter disgust, Lygus confirms this.
☀︎ CUE THE FIRST LORE DROP.
☀︎ Amphoreus is not a planet. It is not a country. It is not a state. Amphoreus, as a whole, is a simulation run by a decommissioned node from the aeon Nous, and left in the hands of Lygus for experimenting. It startles Phainon to hear this, that the Trailblazer and Dan Heng have been in a simulation this entire time!! Surprise! While Phainon, Aglaea, Anaxa, Mydei, Castorice, Hyacine, and Cipher are merely parts of this program that was created by this scepter to figure out the equation Lygus has been wanting to solve since the start...
☀︎ The equation he wishes to complete is the "Prime Mover of Destruction." Basically, Lygus wants δ-me13 (the scepter's name) to collect enough data about Destruction to the point it can kill a god. More specifically, to kill Nous THEMSELVES.
☀︎ Lygus then begins his villain monologue! It is... long. Very long. The intellitron likes the sound of his own voice, it seems. But he congratulates the Trailblazer for finally moving the cycles of Amphoreus forward to complete his goal. It is one he has been waiting for for a long time, and now he waits with bated breath for the final cycle to arrive.
☀︎ The story of Amphoreus spans a long amount of constant rebirths and restarts in the simulation, the scepter creating life and eventually creating Amphoreus as a whole. This cycle of the program was not the first- there were others that went into the millions that came before it, and they became the legend of this era in Amphoreus' new chapter. He tells the Trailblazer all about Phainon's life before they met him, even going so far as to include Cyrene as well. Along the way, Lygus admits that the scepter (or the equation itself, it's a little confusing at this point) was gazed at by Nanook, the aeon of Destruction. When this happened, it became the beginnings of what is known as a Lord Ravager- an emanator of Destruction that can cause immense calamity and devastation.
☀︎ In fact, it already has! Lygus had taken the incomplete equation and projected it onto actual civilizations on other planets and caused complete collapse! Because of this, it was named as "Irontomb" by the IPC. But yeah, Lygus fucking SUCKS, man. Me and all my homies hate Lygus.
☀︎ As this whole info dump finishes from Lygus, his head gets severed from his body (he's not dead, that body isn't real), and a familiar face shows up. The Flame Reaver arrives and attacks Phainon, determined to stop Era Nova from happening. The fight is a rough one, but Phainon actually manages to cut off the Reaver's mask- to reveal that the man is... an ashen and cracking version of himself, clearly missing pieces over time. The Reaver continues the fight, until, at last, Phainon wins and holds the upper hand. Phainon grabs the crescent scepter weapon from the Reaver and holds it to his neck, threatening to end him... and that's where everything changes.
☀︎ ENTER LORE DROP NUMBER TWO.
☀︎ Since Amphoreus is a program that is a cycle, Lygus has been using these cycles to redefine and teach the scepter the true meaning of Destruction. Phainon and Cyrene's Flame-Chase was supposed to be the last cycle before Irontomb's equation would be complete, and it would finally be released.
☀︎ While those two went through their journey, they became sentient and aware they were in a simulation rather than just a world on the verge of an apocalypse. They wondered what the true point of their existence was, when there was so much suffering and pain along the way for an end that was no longer real.
☀︎ They both confronted Lygus in the Vortex at the end of the cycle. After having their purpose to be fuel for Destruction confirmed to their faces, the original Cyrene and Phainon chose to rebel, instead. Phainon "killed" Lygus in the simulation, and Cyrene forcibly removed herself from "Time," to make the Flame-Chase go into an endless repeating cycle. By doing this, she had Phainon kill her, so Oronyx's spot could never be claimed, and she expected every version of Cyrene forward would also remove herself from Time. In return, Phainon swore to essentially continue the cycles and keep the Flame-Chase from completing, collecting the coreflames himself so the journey would not finish. He would keep doing this until the true "Deliverer" would come to save Amphoreus from her fate.
☀︎ In his words, as Amphoreus was a place that was gazed upon for a means of Destruction, he would "become the Destruction to end Destruction."
☀︎ Before her death, Cyrene gave him the name of "Khaslana," an epithet he had when he was a child. In rage and anger, and as a result of his actions and stalwart decision, Khaslana was also gazed at by Nanook, becoming a second potential Lord Ravager in Amphoreus.
☀︎ His mission was to collect every coreflame in each cycle, a feat known to be absolutely impossible to most. Chrysos Heirs could, at best, hold only one- as the sheer power of more than one coreflame would be enough to kill them otherwise. However, Phainon was known as the "perfect vessel" according to Aglaea- he was a Chrysos Heir born without flaw. Even if the task would eventually kill him, Khaslana had to try.
☀︎ Khaslana then continued for the next 4 million cycles through Amphoreus keeping his promise. At first, it was being a herald of the future and begging the Chrysos Heirs to surrender their coreflames so Irontomb would not devastate an entire cosmos upon completion of the Flame-Chase. Khaslana took those coreflames into his own body to keep them safe in the interim. It wasn't enough. Each time a cycle ended, he still would not be strong enough to pierce the scepter, despite having 12 new coreflames added to his count. His mental sanity and coherence, as well as his humanity, began to waver over time, until he lost the both of them completely (When warnings had come up previously that told Lygus of potential mental breakdowns or instability, Lygus told the scepter to stop sending him them because they were of no interest to him). It became an endless direction of asking for the coreflames, then demanding them, then having to result in fighting and killing his friends and family in order to keep the cosmos outside the simulation safe (it was never something he wanted to do, but was always forced to, because his friends loved him and didn't want to continue to see him suffer like this). This happened over, and over, and over, and over.........
☀︎ By cycle 4,000,001, Khaslana's body could no longer sustain the sheer heat and weight of the 48 million coreflames he'd collected inside of him. He was falling apart, his very existence barely hanging on by a thread. But he knew if he died, the Flame-Chase would complete, and Irontomb would bring tragedy and chaos to worlds Khaslana had never had the chance to ever see or even know. He couldn't allow that, would not allow that.
☀︎ So he came up with a plan- Khaslana would no longer kill the Phainon of the current cycle (because THAT SURE WAS A THING), and instead would become the villain for Phainon's journey. The method in how he would do this? He would don a black cloak and mask, becoming the Flame Reaver, and make sure his mark was one to remember. When the time came, Khaslana would let this Phainon kill him, and pass on the coreflames, memories, and powers he once had. He was sure this Phainon would take on the role that Khaslana had done- after all, he knew himself well enough.
☀︎ And Khaslana was correct. Every Phainon after him took on his role- they would ascend to become the new Khaslana once they killed the Flame Reaver, taking all of his power and memories as well. Then, once the cycle reset, they would become the Flame Reaver for the new cycle and steal the coreflames, adding to the total. This continued Khaslana's promise for another 28,000,000 cycles, with each one still being unable to pierce the scepter to destroy it. By the 33,550,335th cycle, he had collected a total of 402,604,020 coreflames. It was the equivalent of carrying a sun in his chest, and anyone who tried to touch him while he was in that form would burn themselves or be immediately incinerated (the amount of coreflames ran so hot Khaslana's entire chest was simply stone/ash, as that was the only thing capable of handling the heat).
☀︎ The current Phainon is the 33,550,336th iteration, and like all of his predecessors, once he learns the truth, agrees to continue Khaslana's duty. He kills the Flame Reaver with the crescent scepter (which is actually Cyrene's weapon, surprise!), and in turn ascends to become the new Khaslana. After receiving everything from the previous Flame Reaver, Phainon takes a moment to recuperate with the Trailblazer within his own memories of Aedes Elysiae, before agreeing to become the next Flame Reaver. Before that happens in the new cycle, though, Phainon makes the choice to disrupt the idea of "worldbearing" as a whole.
☀︎ By this, he means to truly throw off all cycles- instead of simply moving to the next cycle, the 337th, he chooses to tear the simulated sky asunder, declaring his anger and hate for Nanook. How his rage spans 33 million eons and is enough to end the Destruction that came to his home and strike the aeon where THEY stand.
☀︎ Nanook actually responds, presenting THEMSELVES in the torn sky above him, and uses Phainon's words as a test. Millions of minions of the Destruction pour in, most from the Anti-Matter Legion, a faction for the Destruction and its ways, and Phainon runs headfirst towards all of them, straight into a fight.
☀︎ He... may have also gone a little nuts in doing so. Oops. His fight moves past the minions and towards Nanook THEMSELVES, only to be confronted by a projection of another Lord Ravager- Zephyro. The two are locked in combat and match each other until Zephyro strikes Phainon hard enough to cut off one of his arms and his wings. Phainon falls to the earth, but that insane smile of his hasn't quite disappeared yet.
☀︎ Because spite is a powerful motivator, and when it's influenced by fury? Well, a lot of things can happen. Phainon ends up rising again and tearing off his other wing, managing to get past Zephyro, and lets his entire body be consumed by every ounce of the rage he's contained for so long. It turns him into a flying object of flame, and he lashes out with everything he has towards Nanook... and ends up leaving an actual wound on the aeon THEMSELVES, before falling back to earth and being merged with Irontomb.
☀︎ As of right now, the only sign that exists of Phainon still being alive is his halting of the Black Tide, as indicated in the 3.5 program for the patch. Whatever else happens? Well, we'll see.