Clan Phenex

**Clan Phenex** is one of the well-known Mage Clans of Betoriv, descended from one of the greatest human mages of all time, Ahriman Phenex, and they are considered to be the early innovators of family crests and magic. They are known to be the most notable practitioners of the Fire element, in addition to being staunch defenders of their homeland.

## Background

### General

The Phenex family is considered to be the early innovators of family crests and magic. They are quite traditional, and, like the Aesions, they value keeping powerful knowledge secret to give them an advantage. The clan uses a complicated and powerful family crest aligned to Fire, and the only one with two Vitakinetic circuits specifically drawn in it by the original crest creator. Due to their crest's element, they are natural masters of Fire in general.

The Phenex clan is famous for their trademark blue flames, which are much hotter and more destructive than the golden orange flames that are used by normal pyromancers. Their control over such powerful flames is so great that they can even form apparently solid, black armor from the flames, which is another of their most recognizable skills.

Due to the inglorious defeat of one of their ancestral Head Mages by Clan Aesion, a rivalry had developed between the two clans, which persists even as far as the Modern Age. This is also reinforced by the fact that the Phenex family is also known to learn summoning of Perfected Grimoires.

### Outlook

Known to be one of the secretive clans, beside Clan Aesion and Clan Ayashi, the Phenex family value knowledge greatly, but tend to keep more sensitive knowledge to themselves from those they percieve as 'lesser-minded' ones who do not know better.

According to a source, the Phenex clan is said to value life, which they do not take too lightly or heavily nor for granted. In their words, fire gives warmth and light when mortals need it, but playing with it will end up scorching the ones who treat it as a toy or a weapon. They take the legacy of the Zero King and Ahriman Phenex seriously, and normally try to achieve balance between themselves.

## Notable Members

### Ahriman Phenex

Considered as their ultimate prodigy, Ahriman is said to have spear-headed the rise of the Phenex clan to prominence and into the light in Betoriv. However, the end of his tale is said to have been rife with mystery, but those whom truly knew about his ancient past refused to speak of the details to others. He is the ancestor of all modern Phenex Clan members.

Ahriman has a promise with his family, and in fact it is said he will return should the family face a trying time when they cannot overcome darkness and destruction. His death was never recorded by anyone, and most members of the Phenex clan still believe he is waiting out there for the right time to return.

### Balthazar Phenex

A constant source of shame for the Phenex clan, Balthazar actually doesn't deserve the censure his clan sometimes accords to him. A talented and powerful mage in his own right, and in fact a scholar who made significant advances to the magic of his time, Balthazar is only remembered for his defeat at the hands of Reydan Aesion, which led to the destruction of his Grimoire Spirit. It was his actions that sparked off the Phenex-Aesion rivalry, which persists as far as the Modern Age.

### Elesis Phenex

Known to be a prodigy of her clan, Elesis was known to possess potential that was yet to be tapped to the fullest. She was known to have sworn an oath that she would defeat the most notable members of Clan Aesion to garner the respect she desired. However, it proved to be ultimately fruitless, and Elesis began harboring even more jealousy towards the Aesions, and especially one of their members, whom defeated her in an Arena battle in Azureridge.

Later, when she was finally fed up of her perceived weakness, Elesis abruptly left the group she was forced to accompany, only to be kidnapped by agents of a mysterious third-party who sought to use her as a vessel for a powerful Artifact Spirit. The group she accompanied later went to rescue her, and after some conflict, Elesis's hate and jealousy of the Aesions were banished when Erienne opened up to her, and resolved the situation in a non-violent way.

## Trivia

* The name *Phenex* of the clan/family is an abbreviation of the word *Phoenix*. In Greek mythology, a Phoenix is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn, and is associated with the Sun.