Phoenix stood before Cosmos and the Warrior of Light in Order's Sanctuary. The Warrior was on edge because both he and the chimera remembered what happened the last time they met. "Phoenix, what has brought you here?" asked the goddess. Phoenix remained silent for a moment. "I've come to give you an answer. When I was first trapped in this war, you came to me with the choice to remain on my chosen path of neutrality or to serve you as one of your chosen." she explained. Cosmos and the Warrior looked at each other. "I will maintain my neutral standpoint but I would be honored to serve you in my own way. I know that the six remaining warriors, aside from him here, are on their way to the door where the manikins are coming from. I came from where I found them with the intention of standing with the Warrior to protect you." the chimera said.

"After what I almost did to you, you would stand and fight at my side?" asked the Warrior. Phoenix shifted her gaze to him. "Kain told me everything. Why you put the others to sleep and the truth of the war we're in. I'm still mad you were foolish enough to try to take me down but what right have I to punish you for something you thought was right? I can see that you and Kain did what you did out of hope, no matter how remote. I wish to do this to set things right. So I have no regrets." she replied. Cosmos's hands lifted to rest against her chest, her face sad. "I do not wish for you to suffer in this war if you don't have to. You're not one of my chosen and you may very well meet your end here." she said. Phoenix closed her eyes and smiled before going to stand on her other side.

"I will not be ended here. There's no time for you to imbue me with your power so I may seek a crystal in the next fight. That is something I do not wish for, Cosmos. Regardless, I will fight for you next time. This isn't the end." she said. Cosmos looked over at her. "You are very wise. I'm surprised." she said. "No wiser than the one who's waiting for me at home...wherever home is and whoever he is. I feel this is where my road was leading me." replied Phoenix. Silence fell between them. There was nothing more to say and the end drew near.

Phoenix was meditating, her eyes closed and head bowed, when she heard something approaching. She opened her eyes to see an army of manikins several yards away from the throne. "They have come." said the Warrior. The army stood where they were, making no move to engage. Phoenix knew they were driven by instinct over intellect. Doubtless they were waiting for the right opportunity to strike. "Cosmos. At this moment, I can but lead you towards certain defeat. You wished for victory. You wished for an end to this conflict. As things stand, I regret there is nothing more I can do." said the Warrior.

"It is I who should've done more. I wanted…I wanted to save you all from this nightmare." said the goddess. The Warrior and Phoenix could hear her pain at the grave situation. "Your divine power exists to protect this world. If you wasted it on your servants, and allowed the world to fall, what purpose would that serve? We are warriors-the chosen few who were summoned to this land to secure victory for the goddess of harmony." replied the nameless man. "He is right. The rules of this conflict bind you to that duty." said Phoenix. Cosmos still looked sad and guilty.

"Cosmos. There will come a future in which that victory shall be won. And so I ask you: believe in that future. Stand by your heroes as they look to the next battle." the Warrior said before moving forward to stand in front of her. Phoenix let her eyes drift to the manikin horde. "Though I once fought in the name of light, that honor may now be lost to me. However…the light I hold within my breast, never once has it flickered or faded. This I swear: I shall do my utmost to protect you until the very end." said the man. He summoned his sword and shield and start walking toward certain doom. "I cannot." said the goddess, wanting to help somehow.

"Cosmos. Though I cannot join you in future battles, I pray you forgive me." he said, before walking onwards to battle once more. Phoenix took a few steps forward before stopping. "He will not waver from the path he's chosen. I will not do so as well. I'm involved in this whether I like it or not." she said. Cosmos looked devastated at how powerless she felt, her power committed solely to holding the world together. "I do not wish to see either of you fall. You cannot win against such numbers." she said. The chimera turned her own sad eyes to the goddess.

"You're right. We cannot win but we're going to go down trying." she said. Her piece said, Phoenix walked to join the Warrior. "The time is now, Warrior. I'm at your side. Let us fight together." she said. With that, the two comrades raced forward to begin the battle. The manikins rushed them all at once to join in. The fight was something spectacular. While the Warrior used his weapon and shield to mow down countless manikins, it seemed Phoenix had been put in touch with her innate magic. The blue flames that had appeared to save her from the Warrior that time flared brightly to take out more of their foes than Phoenix could possibly vanquish with her stinger and horns alone.

The battle pushed the two back towards the throne where Cosmos was floating above it. They were wounded badly but still they kept fighting. Blood flowed from Phoenix's nose and mouth as well as wounds along any part of her body that wasn't protected by armored scales. The blue flames were weaker now that her energy was expended. The Warrior's strength was failing, too. He kicked aside a manikin before his shield fell from his hand and he collapsed to his knee. Cosmos looked at him sadly before her attention was nabbed by a manikin of Garland. She called out to the Warrior by his name and he looked up to see the would-be killer. He kicked it back before falling again.

More started to charge at the three and the Warrior could fight no more. Their attention was grabbed by Cosmos who floated out before them and put her hands together, her eyes blazing with determination. The manikins kept coming and one leapt into the air to deal a killing blow to the goddess. "Cosmos!" the Warrior cried out in vain. Phoenix stared in awe before a shield appeared then, destroying the manikins. The two defenders finally collapsed, unconscious.

When they came to, they found themselves on a high mesa. Around them were the six warriors that were put down along with Terra, Tidus, and Cloud, three warriors that served Chaos. Their bodies glowed gold as they were lifted into the air to surround Cosmos. The Warrior and Phoenix looked over to see six ghostly figures and Phoenix let out a choked cry of sorrow. It was the comrades who went to seal the portal to the Rift. A bright light lit up the sky and the two still conscious looked up to see the specter of Shinryu, the dragon. The six faded from existence as Lightning gave a gentle smile and farewell nod.

The ones that were passing on to the next cycle started breaking down into particles of light and becoming one with the dragon as he dove down to fly around the mesa. Phoenix felt her wakefulness fail her and she fell to her side, the Warrior collapsing next to her. They, too, broke down into light particles and joined their comrades as they passed over to the next cycle. Their memories were scoured clean and each forgot the previous struggle. Awareness came to Phoenix first, then the feel of water around her body. Her violet eyes opened first and the sky greeted her from her place on the ground. She felt groggy and exhausted.

Underneath that was a feeling of intense sorrow she didn't know the cause of. Beside her was a man with silver hair in armor. Confusion and panic made Phoenix get to her hooves before the unknown sorrow overwhelmed her. The chimera let out a sorrow-filled cry that echoed across the area. Blinded by tears and ruled by an iron feeling of hopelessness and confusion, Phoenix staggered away. She swayed uneasily on four unsteady legs, tripping over her own hooves as she sought her escape in a strange world.