Not Your Average Crow

Emily believes she is a lowly crow who lands in a phoenix nest and is adopted by Queen Angelina. The three phoenix children notice she looks like a crow, lacks divine fire, and is short. Emily calls Angelina mom to stay alive, not because she believes the story. Her first escape attempt fails.

Angelina announces the young Phoenix trial in three months and expects Emily to join her brothers and sisters. Emily cannot handle a fire fruit, cannot breathe fire, and cannot fly. At Sacred Mountain training, her phoenix siblings set the standard: Rick's fire burns like the sun, Anna moves with wind, and Adrian's limp still leaves him a phoenix. Emily remains the odd one out.

Leo, the clan uncle, questions how a crow entered Sacred Mountain. Lilith, who addresses Leo as grandfather, insists Emily is a crow. Angelina defends Emily and refuses to let the clan define her. The Magic Mirror is set to test Emily at the ancestor ceremony. Emily tries to run again; Rick catches her with a packed bag.

The ancestor ceremony is moved up to three days, and the Magic Mirror arrives at Sacred Mountain. Emily has no time left to escape. At the ceremony, the mirror first gives no reaction, then reacts stronger than Rick's, and shatters. The clan elder claims the mirror shows no Phoenix bloodline.

The clan demands Emily enter the Hellfire pit. Angelina refuses. "She's my daughter." The clan accuses Angelina of letting an outsider live on Sacred Mountain as a Phoenix princess and demands an explanation.

After the Magic Mirror shatters and Hellfire dies around her, Emily learns she is the long-lost Abyssal Phoenix. She also uncovers a plot threatening her new family.