"What are you guys doing here?" Lith said after identifying them as Phoenixes. "Grandma prohibited you from intervening."
"No. She simply didn't mobilize us." Said a male Phoenix with dark hair and eyes who introduced himself as Urxat. "Grandmother gave us permission to answer your call individually, but only as long as we could find a proper substitute to cover for our territories during our absence.
"We old coots have a child of two who can take our place for a few days so it's not a big deal." He shrugged.
"I'm grateful for your assistance but I'm pretty sure I've never met any of you." Lith looked at the nearby crowd, receiving many greetings yet recognizing no one. "Who are you guys?"
"Seriously?" Urxat clenched his chest as if Lith had stabbed him, quickly followed by the others. "We are your relatives from your father's side. Did you really expect us Dark Phoenixes to sit out of this and let those scummy Fire Dragons hog all the glory?"