Salaark

* Kigan*(Son - Estranged)*
* Aerth*(Son)*
* Surtr*(Son)*
* Shargein*(Son)*
* Raaz Verhen*(Descendant)*
* Lith Verhen*(Descendant)*
* Tista Verhen*(Descendant)*

**Salaark** is the First Phoenix, Overlord of the Blood Desert and the Guardian that presides over its region. It's said that from each of its feathers, a peerless weapon can be forged, and that its blood holds the secret of immortality.

## Appearance

### Human Form

Salaark has the appearance of a stunning woman in her mid 20's. She has silky black waist long hair, emerald eyes and a bronze tinge of skin that seems to emit a gentle radiance.

### Phoenix Form

She has the form of a fiery red bird, with the body of an eagle and her tail's feathers resembling those of a peacock. In her true form she has a wingspan of 115 meters (377 feet), is 50 meters (164 feet) from head to talons, and her tail plumage extends for 17 meters (55 feet).

### Soul Vision

A humongous mass of power in the form of a Phoenix.

## Personality

Salaark is overbearing and fierce when it comes to her territory, but unlike Tyris and Leegaain she hasn't detached herself from human society. In her free time she enjoys exploring new fashion designs, love interests, books, magic, martial arts training, and patronage of the arts. She spends her mornings nurturing her people, the afternoons researching Forgemastering techniques and practicing martial arts, and the nights by hanging out with her friends, her offspring, or her lovers.

## Abilities

Salaark's Invigoration technique is called **Mother Sun**. In her turf, she is so strong that she don't need contact to exert her breathing technique. On top of that, when close to someone of her blood, she doesn't even need Mother Sun to read their minds. Moreover, due to the Blood Imprint and when in close proximity, Salaark needs focus to put boundaries between her and her descendants. Salaark's version of Body Sculpting is called Rebirth Magic.

Among her many talents is her ability as an unparalleled singer and dancer.

### Forgemastery

As the god of Forgemastering Salaark has reached its apex, being able to use Creation Magic. Once she understands how an artifact had been made, she can do it better than even Tyris, who invented Forgemastering. However, she considers herself in debt to Tyris for giving birth to runes, power cores, and "all the tools that make Forgemastery the discipline [she] love[s]."

## Background

Salaark was born a sparrow before evolving into a Cron, then a Firebird, before ascending to Guardianhood as the first Phoenix.

Salaark apprenticed under First Ruler of the Flames Ripha Menadion for a short time as Menadion had developed techniques that exceeded everything Salaark had ever made and was looking for a way to improve them.

### Present

Salaark united the Blood Desert tribes centuries ago, becoming their Benefactor as well as strict ruler. She fake Awakens the Feathers of each tribe and bestows them knowledge and protection. When High Feather Ashun Dagfuur advocates invading the weakened Griffon Kingdom, Salaark rebukes him and he takes his life to spare his family from banishment. She had loved Ashun as a man but they grew apart as Ashun became greedier for more power.

Salaark and the other Guardians are alerted by Lith's first world tribulation, dubbing him an "anomaly" due to the mix of Abomination darkness energy, human mana, and the tribulation being that of beasts.

Salaark tracks down the Master's laboratory after he releases Abominations into her territory that kill 5 of her Feathers and weaken her borders to invasions. The mountain range that the lab is in is devoid of world energy, so Tyris and Leegaain sing to seal the space and rejuvenate the region while Salaark invades the lab. She encounters an Amalgamation Abomination named Pazuel, who activates an array powered by Chaos magic and the sacrifice of over 100 Abominations, disabling any kind of magic besides Chaos. Her millennia of experience allow her to outwit the Abomination and subdue him for information.

Scarlett tracks down Ilyum Balkor's whereabouts to the Blood Desert, wanting to kill him in revenge for her fallen subordinates and friends. Salaark deters her, claiming Balkor as one of her own, and defeats the Scorpicore, though marvels at her battle prowess. Salaark and the other Guardians observe Nalear's insurrection, bearing witness to the price of man's folly.

After Lith kills the Black Star and Treius Clein, freeing the Lost City of Kaduria, Salaark executes Treius' uncle Glamus Clein for having provided the library, resources, and Warp Gate for Treius to learn the Kadurian language, set the parasite array, and cross the country borders.

During Lith's fourth world tribulation against the Odi in Kulah, Mogar summons the Guardians to pass judgment in event of Lith's death and converses with Solus. The Guardians discuss the significance of Lith's black and silver pillars indicative of his beast-Abomination hybrid nature. Mogar suggests that Lith might remain a hybrid and that even the Abominations it had seen as a lost cause might evolve into something new.

Leegaain informs his fellow Guardians that his daughter Xenagrosh serves the Master and warns of the bloodline powers the new hybrids are able to reaccess. He also tells them that Bytra is working with the Master as well, the 4th Ruler of the Flames who had taught them the true potential of Davross and invented modern runes. The idea that the hybrids potentially wield Chaos energy that only they can use and the great powers of the Fallen worry them.

Manohar visits Balkor in the Blood Desert seeking his "second opinion" to fight Night. After a brief confrontation Salaark appears and agrees to protect Balkor's Forgotten Plume Tribe while asking him to study how Manohar can cast silent spells without true magic.

### Grandma Phoenix

Salaark attends a meeting with her Garlen and Jiera Guardian counterparts as well as Lochra Silverwing and Baba Yaga to discuss "the anomaly" (Lith) and how to contain the Jiera lost cities. The Garlen Guardians are revealed to have known about Solus/Menadion's Desperation, and Roghar theorizes Lith's connections with souls. Later, when Tyris storms Fenagar's turf after discovering Kolga's nature as Kogaluga's twin city; Salaark and the other Guardians observe, and all of them bet on Tyris.  Despite having the territorial advantage, Fenagar loses to Tyris in just over a minute. Before she can finish the job, all the Guardians and white cores have their consciousnesses forcefully brought to witness Lith's tribulation.

When the Guardians observe Lith casting the Demons of the Flames, they congratulate Leegaain as the father, though the Father of All Dragons denies any relation. Leegaain asks Salaark for a stand-in for Faluel as she accompanies him to visit Lith's parents for a blood test, and Salaark sends him Crevan Gershal from her nest. After Leegaain gains Elina's approval, he makes an emergency summons of the Awakened Council and the Guardians. The Blood Resonance spell confirms Raaz and Elina's blood relation to Lith but contrary to expectation Lith's beast life force identifies Leegaain and Salaark as his kin. Salaark sends a letter to Lith inviting him to visit his "Grandma" in the Desert along with compliments about and cosmetic suggestions for his DoLorean.

Salaark and Leegaain view the test run of Lith's DoLorean through Tyris' eyes. Salaark and Empress Milea consider the benefits such a device would bring their people. After witnessing all its capabilities, Salaark decides to ask Lith for its blueprints once he visits. When Balkor questions why she doesn't take it, Salaark retorts that she follows her own laws and doesn't steal from her subjects or potential allies. The Garlen Guardians preside over Lith's formal introduction to the Council. Salaark performs the Blood Imprint, proving Lith is one of hers, and renews her invitation to the Desert. Lith promises her the DoLorean he had intended to give Count Lark.

She introduces him to Crevan Gershal, Lenanna, and Jhet who had been tasked with protecting Lutia. Qisal the Wyvern provokes Lith, causing him to draw War from his omnipocket and everyone to assume Salaark gifted it to him. Salaark subsequently orders Sinmara to investigate Orion Ernas after the semi-sentient blade speaks. Salaark reprimands Lith for his insults but promises that she would protect Kamila and his bloodline if he has children with her, to the extent of exterminating the Wyvern bloodline or those that threaten them.

Qisal invokes a Spirit Duel against Lith during which Lith's dormant Phoenix blood manifests, causing the Phoenixes and Dragons to cheer for their brother. Lith's Hybrid Form begins to evolve, but he soundly defeats the Wyvern before his life forces can merge, much to Salaark's disappointment. She renews her invitation to the Blood Desert, though declines his request for free gifts.

During Dawn's assault on Belius, Manohar uses the Spell Hoarding Cube to summon a specter of Valeron and his comrades, evoking Tyris' emotions. Salaark brings Balkor to witness history while offering Tyris her support. She talks to Balkor about what made Valeron attractive and the lengths to which Tyris went for him, even inventing power cores to empower him on the battlefield.

Salaark along with all other Guardians and white cores are summoned to witness Scarlett the Scorpicore's final tribulation against Xedros in the Eclipsed Lands. She is enraged by Xedros' atrocities, blaming Leegaain for not keeping his children in order. Following Lith's evolution to Tiamat following his breakthrough to the violet core at Lightkeep, he contacts the three Phoenixes guarding Lutia, who contacts Salaark. He tells them about Thrud, her development of the Ambrosia, and her regaining of Valeron's bloodline.

After learning of Lith's evolution Salaark renews her relationship with Leegaain, keeping a human form after the deed with the intent to receive a temporary boost of power from the pregnancy for Forgemastering as well as make a new attempt at mixing their bloodlines. The two Guardians contemplate Thrud's progress with attaining the powers of the Guardian bloodlines and realize Thrud's experiments with lesser Griffons and Dragons were to prepare for refining her own baby's bloodline to perhaps achieve a Griffon variation of Lith's. They inform Tyris of the development, though inadvertently reveal their renewed relationship post-deed.

Salaark joins Lith's 19th birthday party in the Verhen family home, revealing Raaz and Elina's ancestry as Phoenix and Dragon, respectively. She gifts him several days of protection for his family and the Balkor card recipients, visitors from the Nest bringing dance and music, and a lesson in Creation Magic by enlarging the interior of the living room. Salaark forces Leegaain to make an appearance after Aran and Leria ask about their grandfather. Lith shares his ice cream invention which Salaark falls in love with, bragging to her nest how it's the best thing along with a cold beer while taking a hot bath after a hard day of work in the Forge.

Tista evolves into a Red Demon following a breakthrough to the blue core. Lenanna informs Salaark, who congratulates Tista especially due to her new form inheriting more from the Phoenix than Dragon side. The siblings make plans to visit Salaark in the Desert. Salaark tells Lith about the upcoming Council apprentice expedition to the ruins of Urgamakka and offers Forgemastering pointers and the use of her Forge to Lith when he visits.

The Garlen Guardians observe Lith during the Urgamakka Council test along with the Council representatives when they learn of his ability to shapeshift into different forms. They observe his Voidfeather Dragon and Abomination forms. When Roghar witnesses Lith's Demons of Darkness corrupting him and opening a gateway to wandering souls, he expresses his desire to study Lith, but the Garlen Guardians reproach him for his reckless record for experimentation and warn him to enter Garlen at his own peril.

When Vareen the Plaguespreader attacks the fake city of Urgamakka where the Council test is being held, Salaark asks Aylen Nagaar to deal with the Eldritch in exchange for a pardon. The Verhens embark on a visit to Salaark in the Desert and she introduces them to her palace and the Desert's laws/customs. Salaark reveals to Lith and Solus that she was once Menadion's apprentice and demonstrates Menadion's Mana Well technique. She uses Creation Magic to help the pair recycle their Forgemastering materials and metals while they experiment with enchantments.

Tista asks Salaark's help in supervising an experiment with her hybrid life forces. The attempt is nearly disastrous, their balance restored only thanks to Salaark's Rebirth Magic. One afternoon, the Balkor copycat attacks Lutia with numerous mercenary groups. Aran and Leria are evacuated back to the Blood Desert with Abominus and Onyx informing Salaark of what happened. Salaark and Lith arrive shortly after the copycat escapes and learn of the copycat being responsible from Tezka. Salaark returns to the Desert afterwards.

While discussing plans for her birthday with the family, Solus triggers a memory of her father Threin, also undergoing a breakthrough to the deep blue core and restoring 4 floors of the tower along with memories of their functions. Solus gives them a tour of the new floors, leading Salaark to realize the massive magical potential Menadion had left behind. She resolves to ask Leegaain how much he knows about tower crafting. Later, Salaark is present at breakfast when Lith reintroduces Solus to the family, who has regained her human body, and adds fuel to the fire of misunderstandings.

Lith is summoned by the Royals to quell a rebellion in the Nestrar Region led by ex-Ranger Alman Quaron. He encounters and defeats a Black Dragon named Syrook who was Quaron's master. Back in the Desert, Lith shows Salaark the Void Flames he used against Syrook for the first time.

## Quotes

* *"I am Salaark, the desert's sun! My path is the only path! My words are law! I can be like the sunrise that harbingers a new era, or like the sunset that preludes a dark night! Summon me again out of petty greed, and all the tribes will need new leaders."* (Salaark to the High Council of Feathers, Chapter 126)
* *"I'm not the keeper of anything, I'm nobody's muse. I'm the conqueror of life and death."* (Salaark to Pazuel, Chapter 190)
* *"Salaark embodies the desire to rule and lead by example, but she could just as easily become a tyrant obsessed with world domination."* (Tyris about Salaark, Chapter 216)
* *"Humans are cruel beings that inflict pain on their kin not out of necessity, but simply because they can. They can't feel good with themselves unless they stand atop others."* (Chapter 304)
* *"Are you done with your magical measuring contest, boys?"* (Salaark to Manohar and Balkor, Chapter 937)
* *"Maybe because they look for your trademark dickery and light constructs."* (Salaark to Manohar, Chapter 938)
* *"With love, Overlord Salaark, Lord of War, God of Forgemasters, and Ruler of the Blood Desert, but you can call me Grandma."* (Salaark's letter to Lith inviting him to the Blood Desert, Chapter 1317)
* *"Who do you take me for? A petty thief? I made the laws of the Desert and I follow them. I've never stolen from my own subjects, let alone someone that could become a valuable asset."* (Salaark to Balkor about the DoLorean, Chapter 1329)
* *"Unless you bring her into your nest and she gives you children, she's irrelevant as well. If she ever bears one of my grandchildren, however, and something were to happen to her, I will exterminate the entire Wyvern bloodline for your words...If anyone messes with my Blood, with a child at that, there would be no place on Mogar where they could hide from me."* (Salaark to Lith, Chapter 1355)
* *"Rise! The skies are ours. Make them yours and show me your true appearance."* (Salaark joining the other Phoenixes in their chant during the Spirit Duel, Chapter 1360)
* *"Dammit! Couldn't that moron last a bit longer?"* (Salaark after Lith beats Qisal, Chapter 1360)
* *"Human history needs a human witness to be properly passed on. A Guardian's perception of events is so different from mortals that our chronicles are shallow at best."* (Salaark to Balkor while observing Valeron, Chapter 1399)
* *"When someone lives as long as we do, the only thing that matters is the content of someone's character."* (Salaark to Balkor, Chapter 1400)
* *"It's no wonder I always broke up with you, Leegaain. You're an incompetent idiot that can't even keep his own house in order."* (Salaark to Leegaain, Chapter 1413)
* *"I'm ancient, not dead. Salaark out."* (Salaark after talking about her date with Leegaain, Chapter 1421)
* *"Order and Chaos, you're the least romantic woman I've ever dated. You make even a compliment sound like a dirty joke."* (Leegaain to Salaark, Chapter 1427)
* *"'What's Leegaain doing there and naked at that?" Tyris asked. 'Well, you see, when a man and a woman like each other-'"* (Salaark to Tyris while making a circle with her index finger and thumb and bringing the other index finger inside of it, Chapter 1428)
* *"It seems that your Dragon half has performance issues."* (Salaark to Leegaain, Chapter 1512)
* *"I believe that following the law means to protect the victims and to punish the criminals, not to play with words and distort facts until the truth becomes a convenient lie."* (Salaark to Lith, Chapter 1536)
* *"Always remember that only an idiot never shares. No matter how brilliant a mind is, there's always something that you can learn from others and flaws in your creations that you can't notice simply because you look at them with the loving eyes of a parent."* (Salaark to Lith, Chapter 1536)
* *"Everything that comes before a but is bullshit. If you have something more to ask, just do it instead of beating around the bush."* (Salaark to Lith, Chapter 1539)
* *"No matter how peaceful a country is, no matter if you give people free healthcare and education, somewhere there will always be someone who wants more. The kind of people who think they know better and yet have no idea how hard it is to just maintain peace between the members of the same tribe, let alone between different tribes."* (Salaark to Lith, Chapter 1542)
* *"Everyone is honest until they have the opportunity to commit a crime and get away with it. You should know this best."* (Salaark to Lith, Chapter 1542)
* *"Failure or success doesn't matter when you have a lovely, genius, gorgeous Grandma who can bring everything back to its unaltered state. Creation Magic, remember?"* (Salaark to Lith, Chapter 1564)
* *"Lith is young and accidents happen. At least he's back in the game...It wouldn't be rude [to have an orgy in my palace]. I gave you my blessing the day you arrived. Just use protection or be ready to bear the consequences for the next twenty years minimum."* (Salaark when Lith is late to breakfast, Chapter 1629)

## Trivia

* Salaark and Leegaain have had several flings in the past, though they all ended due to Salaark being bossy and Leegaain being a couch potato.
* For vacation, Salaark enjoys a one week spa with full treatment, and doing nothing all the time since she usually works 24/7.
* In Salaark's tent are one of the few bedrooms on Mogar capable of withstanding the passion of two Guardians.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chapter 126: Blood in the Desert
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chapter 405: Birds of Prey (Part 1)
3. ↑ Legion on Discord
4. ↑ Chapter 315: Final Struggle (Part 1)
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chapter 1303: Bloodlines and Powers (Part 1)
6. ↑ Chapter 938: Genius and Madness (Part 2)
7. ↑ Chapter 1539: Family Care (Part 1)
8. ↑ Chapter 1563: Discoveries and Plans (Part 1)
9. ↑ Chapter 1441: Birthday Party (Part 3)
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Chapter 1400: When All Are One (Part 2)
11. ↑ Legion on Discord
12. ↑ Chapter 1537: Menadion's Apprentice (Part 1)
13. ↑ Chapter 162: Hard Times
14. ↑ Chapter 189: A Different Perspective (2)
15. ↑ Chapter 235: Insights
16. ↑ Chapter 304: Awakened (Part 2)
17. ↑ Chapter 725: Lord of Destruction (Part 1)
18. ↑ Chapter 728: One Shall Fall (Part 2)
19. ↑ Chapter 746: Fallen Cores (Part 2)
20. ↑ Chapter 937: Genius and Madness (Part 1)
21. ↑ Chapter 1152: State of Sorrow (Part 2)
22. ↑ Chapter 1246: Bets and Arsenals (Part 2)
23. ↑ Chapter 1252: Demons’ Horde (Part 2)
24. ↑ Chapter 1254: Demons of the Flames (Part 2)
25. ↑ Chapter 1308: Parents and Donors (Part 2)
26. ↑ Chapter 1317: Call Me Grandma (Part 1)
27. ↑ Chapter 1329: Domination (Part 1)
28. ↑ Chapter 1353: Blood Imprint (Part 1)
29. ↑ Chapter 1355: Parents and Gifts (Part 1)
30. ↑ Chapter 1361: The Verhen Mansion (Part 1)
31. ↑ Chapter 1412: Golden Dragon (Part 2)
32. ↑ Chapter 1421: Kamila and Solus (Part 1)
33. ↑ Chapter 1428: Solus and the Family (Part 2)
34. ↑ Chapter 1442: Birthday Party (Part 4)
35. ↑ Chapter 1548: Sinmara's Home (Part 2)
36. ↑ Chapter 1491: Changes and Moving (Part 1)
37. ↑ Chapter 1513: Unbalanced Power (Part 2):
38. ↑ Chapter 1529: Mirror Magic (Part 1):
39. ↑ Chapter 1542: A New Life (Part 2)
40. ↑ Chapter 1563: Discoveries and Plans (Part 1)
41. ↑ Chapter 1585: Bonds and Chains (Part 1)
42. ↑ Chapter 1602: Shared Power (Part 2)
43. ↑ Chapter 1629: In the Flesh (Part 3)
44. ↑ Chapter 1668: Source of Power (Part 2)
45. ↑ Chapter 1356: Parents and Gifts (Part 2)
46. ↑ Legion on Discord
47. ↑ Chapter 1427: Solus and the Family (Part 1)