Phoenix Tales-Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Darkness Answers1

As she walked an old phrase came to her mind…one Magi had told her about. Love as thou wilt, he had said quietly, never let those around you pressure you to love…love as how you would like to be loved in return.  ‘Ah Magi…if only you knew how hard it was to find someone to love again. All the others see me as pretty trinket they can just take off the street…not the true me. The one who wants to be free to walk through the forest around her, or the kind-hearted vampire inside who doesn’t kill nor take what wasn’t freely given. Ah if only I had someone…someone to hold close in the night…. someone to really hold close…not…’ she hesitated to finish the thought for a moment. ‘Not someone I can hold only in my dreams.  Oh Hyacinthe why can’t you be real?’ She shivered gently as a cold wind blew across her face. She looked up at the sky and saw the waning moon. “It won’t be long when there won’t be a moon to see by in the night.” Darkened clouds filled overhead and Phoenix heard a crash of thunder and felt rain fall on her face. “Ah…the Midnight Lady cries even tonight. So much bloodshed has passed through the many centuries…and all that remains of my life of the past is my heart.” She shivered as a chill passed over her and pulled up the cloak’s hood over her wet hair holding Marie in her arms. “It makes me wonder sometimes little one if there is any hope left for me and my kind…if any of my kind still remain.” A silent tear fell from her face and could not be mistaken for rain…because it wasn’t a clear raindrop. Nor was it the blood tears vampires shed. It was a pearly tear of a phoenix. Healing properties were often held within these tears and many thought when Phoe was younger that she may be a reincarnation of a phoenix. She didn’t know…but she had the slightest feeling she never did want to know. Angelus had often commented that she was a fiery sprite sometimes. She shook her head and looked up as lightning flashed in the sky. “If you can hear me, Lady of Storms…please…let me find those whom I hold dear at heart.”  As if in response a loud crack of thunder rolled through the night and she jumped at the site of a winged shadow. He had a scythe in his hand and Phoenix had the gut feeling to run. And run fast…but she couldn’t move. Something compelled her to stand where she was. Another flash of lightning flashed across the sky lighting the winged figure. Her eyes widened in surprise and her legs buckled from beneath her. He went to his old friends side. “Angelus…” He smiled gently and looked into those blue hazel eyes. Dreams used to fill them and hope…and even now he saw the remnants of it. Even after all she had been through…she still retained her soul.  “Hey Phoe…did you miss me?” She threw her arms around him…and cried holding him tight. Marie yowled outraged at getting wet and went under Phoenix’s cloak. He was startled for a moment and then held her close to him. “Shh…it’s ok.” He heard her say quietly, “Why did you leave? I thought…I thought you had died.” He shook his head. “Let’s find someplace where we can talk and not get soaking wet from this rain. I have a long story to tell.” She nodded hesitantly and stood up Marie in a bag around her waist. Angelus was amazed at how much grace and smoothness that she had raised from the ground despite him scaring her a little…it must have taken a century or more to master. “Yes…a story…and perhaps I can tell you what has happened to me in the past 2000 years as well.” He nodded and took her hand and faded from this plane to one where he and Phoe used to stay and talk for hours on end. They sat onto the rocks that had been naturally placed there. Phoenix crossed her arms and leaned against the tree her eyes closed as if feeling a memory creep through her mind. “Are you going to be comfortable like that?” She opened an eye, which glinted with shadows. “I’ve been in worse positions Angelus.” She uncrossed her arms and watched as he sat down, the scythe turning into his crystalline blade, Heaven’s Pride. “Now tell me your story my old friend? Or is there a reason you chose to remain in hiding all this time.” He looked at her, his gold eyes flickered with mischief…but the serious tone gave him away. “Now Phoe you know damn well I would never had left you the way you were in at Sky’s.” He took a deep breath…and began his tale.2

“After you slipped into unconsciousness in my arms, I was scared you would die if you didn’t get blood soon. So I took you to Sky’s and demanded that he give you blood…unless of course he didn’t really love you.” He shook his head. “He gave you his blood as you know. And when I found out he had fully turned you …I was furious. ‘I told you to heal her and nothing more!’ I told him, ‘and you go and turn her into a Vampire against her will! SHE IS JUST A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL! NOT EVEN FULL GROWN YET!’ Sky growled at me, ‘Why does she matter so much to you? Do you love her or something?’ I blew my top off then. I grabbed his throat and slammed him into the wall. ‘She’s the closest thing I’ve got to a true friend. Besides…’ I looked at him dead in the eyes, ‘your more my tastes.’ His eyes widened for a moment and then looked away. ‘You don’t understand…Phoe would have died if I hadn’t given her my blood…there isn’t much that can heal a vampire draining on that magnitude. And even if I asked her do you think she would have allowed me to?’ I had known what he had done to you because you know full well that I can see past most illusions. I let him go then and slammed the door behind me as I left. I walked away from his home and into the night. ‘Damnit I should have been there for her,’ I had whispered to myself as I walked, ‘there be times when I should have just stayed put.’ Then a realization hit me. Where were Magi during this? I pondered this for many hours…and I still have yet to solve this mystery.” He looked at Phoe. “I haven’t seen nor heard of him since your Rites.” He saw her eyes sadden subtly. “I’ve shed too many tears Angelus…I haven’t laughed in a very long time. Please…continue on with your tale.” He nodded gently noticing how she had grown mature beyond her years. Her eyes held not only sorrow but also wisdom in them. ‘I should never have left you that night…I never should have. None of this would have happened if I had just stayed put. But…it was not my place to say whether I should stay…or go.’ He watched Phoe as he told his past, “Soon I was faraway from the Clan boundaries and I saw a burning flash of light. ‘Do not take a step farther unless you wish to destroy any hope of seeing the Queen you love so dearly again tonight.’ I looked back at the light, ‘And how may I ask do you know whether or not I’ll see Phoe ever again.’ The light faded from around the being and it was a man wearing a cloak of tempest blue his pointed ears revealing him to be an elf of sorts. Ancient he was. ‘Because she is the Chosen one among us,’ he looked at me dead in the eyes. ‘If you leave her now she will not see you until she has faced so many hardships you’ll wonder why the hell did you ever leave her behind.’ I crossed my arms and leaned against an oak tree ignoring the bark digging into my back. ‘How do you know this…you do not Phoe very well do you.’ His eyes saddened then…such captivating brown eyes. I felt I was being pulled into them. ‘I may not know her in life as you do…but her dream self I know better than anyone.’” 3

Phoenix eyes widened significantly when he said that. “Di-did you say that…that the..elf knew my dream self…better than anyone else?” Angelus was puzzled at her reaction, “Yes that is what I said Phoe…” She slid to the ground again holding a hand where her still-beating heart was. “So… Hyacinthe…you’re not just a dream after all…you’re a real being.” Angelus moved beside her. “So that’s what his name is hmm? I always wondered it…for he never told me.” She shook her head and looked at Angelus. “Please…continue with your story…” He held her one armed and got comfortable next to her and stretched his wings a moment before continuing on.4

“My mind had began to puzzle that…for how could he know your dream self better than anyone? After all I had never heard you mention such a person entering your dreams before but before I could ask him how he said, ‘I’m sorry to say this to you Angelus…but the Innocent Phoe you knew…’ He looked over my shoulder toward a column of smoke rising miles high into the air. ‘Is dead.’ I whirled around and saw the smoke column. ‘NO!’ I screamed and ran back and saw the village burning to the ground…and all around was blood. I flew over the flames and looked for you…but you were nowhere to be seen. I began to panic. ‘PHOE!’ I called out more than once…then the smoke became too much to bear. I flew back to the mysterious elf. ‘Is she…is she really dead?’ He looked at me with those dream-like brown eyes again. ‘No…only the innocent side of Phoenix is gone. All that will remain of your Phoenix’s innocence is her will to protect all those she has ever loved so dear. She will wander the world looking for you, Magi, and Autumn.’ The hood which had covered his head he pulled back to reveal long jet-black hair. ‘She shall be alone from now on. A prospect for a lover between her and anyone is not going to happen. Her sorrow has struck deep into her. Sky is dead. Crystal and the rest of her clan are dead. She is going to feel…guilty.’ My eyes widened in realization, ‘You mean…she’s going to blame the deaths on herself because she couldn’t protect them?’ The elf nodded. ‘The sad story in all this is that you, Magi, nor Autumn can go to her on this journey. She is bound by fate to be alone now…for the next two thousand years. She will retain one last innocent aspect within her…and she always will until her Virgin Night that all women must face when they are wed.’ I stared hard at him, ‘You mean…despite the many centuries that go by…she won’t find one person to love?’ The elf shook his head, ‘It’s in the Prophecies. She shall not find a lover until someone loves her not for her beauty, but for her true self. The person must know what it means to be in her place. A young hybrid forced to enter the world of the night. But be told now…she is immune to the rays of the sun unlike most of her kind. Her elf-blood saved her from that much at least.’ I sank to the ground. ‘How do you know this? Are you related to Magi or something??’ He laughed, it sounded like bells. ‘No Angelus I’m not like Magi. I see things that most others don’t. I was there at Milady Phoenix’s birth. I could tell already she would be having a hard life. There is no other hybrid like her on this earth. Nor will there be. She will be singled out more often than not…and not only because of her beauty I might add. She is a woman. An unbroken woman at that, she knows this as much as anyone. She will be a potential target wherever she goes.’ He looked toward the moon and sighed quietly. ‘I used to think there is no hope in this world. I also did not feel joy or happiness until the little Queen was born…now…I don’t know whether I should put myself in danger and run after her…or just…wait it out.’ I walked over to him slowly. He was slightly shorter to me and I gave him a one-armed hug. ‘You mean to tell me that despite all that is going to happen…you want to be with her?’ He nodded. ‘Unlike Sky…who didn’t learn how potent her love was till the very end…I know her more than she knows herself.’ He hesitated a moment. ‘You see…I’ve been visiting in her dreams since she was very small.’ He smiled and we both sat down as I began to listen to him.”5

“Such an innocent thing…I promised to be with her every night in her sleep. I would be sort of like her Guardian Elf in her dreams. I would keep her nightmares away. Or if she were having one when I came I would protect her. I have a few scars from those times. Then…she told me one day that her mother died, and I asked her how and she…she threw her arms around me. I held her tightly and comforted her so she slowly stopped her tears, ‘My father killed her…and…he…’ I ran one of my hands down her back gently, ‘Sh…tell me Phoe…what did he do. Nothing is going to happen while I’m here.’ She gulped and looked up at me, ‘He…touched me.’ My eyes widened a fraction, not so much she would notice but it was there. I held her tightly, protectively in my arms. ‘Sh…he’s not going to hurt you here in your dreams. I’ll be here I promise you that.’” He shook his head. “And I always was. I was her closest friend in the dream realm. I wanted to keep that way. I wanted to protect her outside her dreams as well. But…” He closed his eyes, “I could never do that. Not without damaging the relationship she and I were having.” He smiled, “She was so sweet in my arms. I wanted to hold her till she had to wake up. But I couldn’t do that…I didn’t want to reveal my feelings for her…especially after what Riki had done to her. Then another year had passed and she got over what he had done…and one night out of nowhere she kissed me. It startled me but…I kissed her back gently. She has angel lips, soft and sweet. I pulled away after a moment needing some air. She looked up at me and smiled hesitantly. ‘Can one have feelings for a dream person?’ she had asked so quietly that I laughed softly. ‘Of course they can my little Phoenix.’  She threw her arms around me. ‘Good…cause I don’t want to lose my true love.’ I raised an inquisitive eyebrow, ‘What about Sky?’ She smiled gently, ‘I love him it’s true…but…he doesn’t know me…not like you do.’” He closed his eyes as though remembering her closeness. “Little did she know she knew more about me than most people can even comprehend.” I had to pause at that. “What do you mean?” He smiled a little. “I’m not a full-blooded elf like you would like to think.” He opened his eyes and looked at me. “I’m a little like Phoenix in a way. I too have Elvish Shapeshifter blood within me.” He put a finger to my lips when I was about to ask a question. “Ah…you’re wondering why I haven’t aged a bit. That was the only thing that those few who had Elvish Shapeshifting blood in them had a disadvantage of…Age. They alone could age significantly unless there was a trace of another races blood in them. Crystal had a very very very small trace of I believe angel blood within her…so as she actually aged she became what her other blood would have transformed her to be…and right now you want to ask me what type of blood do I have that I have that has kept me in this state for the past few millennia.” I was astonished…this…elf was reading me like a book and I haven’t even spoken a word. He was answering my questions before they were forming on my lips. “I shall answer your question…have you heard of the Tsingini?” I shook my head. “Ah…they are known to be tellers of Prophecy, as well as mystics. And there is a very good reason why you probably wouldn’t know about them…there are only 3 left in the world. A married couple and me…and among us three it seemed that I would be the one never to be remembered. I am the strongest of the three…but I keep these talents within me hidden from the world. The reason? Fear. Fear that I would be captured and used for what I can do.” He closed his eyes, “I am a DreamWalker…I can also tell you things that have been…and will be.” He opened his eyes sadness reflected in them. “I am a healer of not only wounds, but of the mind. I somewhat healed Phoe after she had her nightmares.” I asked hesitantly, “You love Phoenix don’t you? You love her so much it seems to ache whenever she isn’t close.” He nodded slightly. “Yes…I haven’t felt as such since…” His eyes shadowed some then.  “Since Matrista died.” The name struck a bell immediately in my mind. “The Guardian of Spirits?” He nodded again, “Yes…we were lovers before she died. She and I have spoken to each other occasionally…but we no longer love each other…that much was evident. We were never meant to be together…although an old prophecy came to me…and I’m saddened to say most of it has come true already.” 6

”Stop Angelus…” Angelus jumped so deep into his telling he didn’t notice Phoenix had remained silent throughout his telling. “Phoe wha-” He saw her tears then…pearly tears falling from her cheeks and he realized then he should not have told her about this part. “Sh…Phoe…please don’t cry I didn’t mean to.” He moved to go beside her and she moved away from him. “I know you didn’t mean to…but… Hyacinthe and I…we-I anyway.” He stared hard at her “Come on Phoenix spit it out. Keeping it in will only make it worse.” She took a deep breath. “I haven’t had any dreams lately…at all. Period.” His eyes widened…”You mean?” He saw the sadness enter her eyes. “I think he’s dead…just…just like Magi.” A soft chuckle was heard right behind her. “Ah my little Phoenix…you didn’t think a little Fire and a Vampire could destroy me that easily did you?”  She whirled around to be face to face with Vin…and as she raised her head she saw the familiar black eyes of her adoptive father. “MAGI!” She stood up quickly and hugged him tightly tears still streaming down her cheeks. He smiled gently and ran a comforting hand down her hair. “Ah…come now little Queen. You might want to hear the rest of your dear friend’s tale. We can stop with Hyacinthe’s tale for now…it was not for Angelus to reveal at this moment. By the way Phoenix…do not ask of mine…because I don’t think it would be wise to tell you until you are even older than you are now…not until…well we’ll discuss that later.” He nodded to Angelus and took Phoenix’s hand and moved her down beside him on the grass, Vin wrapping himself around the young Queen. She leaned against him and sighed…the tiger’s warmth spreading into her body. “Yes Angelus…please…can we wait for Hyacinthe’s tale for another night? I want to hear why you’ve been gone so long.” He laughed quietly and picked up his tale…except this time fast-forwarding it a few months. 7

“A few months had passed since I had met the young elf. I left him and started my own journey to discover what it was to wander alone…except that I didn’t actually travel alone.” He smiled then and looked up. “Ah, I stumbled upon a town a few days into my little journey. They call it ‘Tarmborie’ although if I’m not mistaken Phoe…that sounds an awful like our word ‘tarmborre’ to me.” Phoenix raised a quizzical eyebrow. “You mean the old word for ‘angel’ in Michinazyuna? The one that my grandmother usually called you behind your back my old friend.” He glared at her in mock fury. “I’m not that old, Phoenix Starsaber.” She laughed in turn. “Ah come on you know you out age me by about two hundred years.” Magi looked up from his book and shook his head. “Stop arguing you two and get on with it. We have much to retell and not enough moonlight to do it in.” Phoenix looked at Magi out of the corner of her eye. “I’m not like other Vampires Magi…I’m not going to turn into a pile of ashes as the hands of Dawn grace the sky.” He tucked a hair behind his young Queen’s elfin ear. “Ah…but you must rest sometime…and you are naturally tired around daytime due to your night travels on the road.” Her eyes widened slightly, “How did you- never mind…yes Angelus get on with it! I want to know more!!” Angelus laughed. “Patience fiery Queen…you still haven’t learned that at all.” She glared at him. “I most certainly have too!” Magi clamped a hand over her mouth. “ENOUGH! Angelus get on with your story.” He laughed, “Alright…I’ll get on with it sheesh.”8

“Anyway where was I? Ah yes…Tamborie, in my opinion truly was the lost city of angels.” He smiled faintly and leaned against his rock. “Ah…I met my Angel my own Guardian Angel.” He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of pleasure. “He was about my age…with the mind of one far older. He also has black hair with a body that Heaven had granted him causing me to make my knees feel weak…” Suddenly there was a flutter of wings, “Instead of describing me to them hon…why not show them?” Angelus’ eyes flew open and smiled happily at the site of the newcomer. “ANJIRU!” Angelus got up and threw his arms around the other angel. Phoenix looked at Anjiru. He had somewhat spiked black hair, and he was wearing a black trench coat with jet-black clothes underneath. He had a collar around his neck with a chain dangling from it. But two things caught Phoe’s eyes the most. Anjiru had jet-black wings the tips tipped in silver towards the top of the wing. Yet his eyes…his eyes seemed to be cold as ice…that only warmed at Angelus’ presence. ‘Well…love finds itself in most people in odd ways.’ Phoenix stood slowly and walked toward Anjiru his eyes flickered in her direction a moment. “Do I meet her majesty’s requirements?” Phoenix eyes narrowed and crossed her arms, “Since when do I judge my best friend’s lovers?” Anjiru shrugged, “I don’t know…maybe you want to steal me from him or something.” Phoenix shook her head and turned to Angelus, “Is he serious?” Angelus laughed, “Yes Phoe he is.” She turned back to Anjiru, “You really should learn my tastes Anjiru…I’m not about to steal true love from my best friend. I can find my own thank you very much.” Anjiru smirked, “Sassy for a Queen aren’t we?” Phoenix sighed. “Enough storytelling tonight I think…it seems to me that you stayed with him the whole time.” Angelus looked mock-shocked, “How did you guess?” Phoenix groaned. “Whatever, I’m going to take a walk through the woods a bit…” Magi gazed at her turned back as she walked off. “Hyacinthe why did you ever leave the one you love the most in such disarray? I know you love her but…” He shook his head, “Are you trying to torment yourself because you love her to the point you never want to see her in pain?” A quiet voice from right behind him caused him to jump slightly, “Yes Magi…that is exactly what I am doing.” Magi kept his back toward the Elf Lord. “Why did you leave her dreams?” He heard a shuffle of feet and looked over his shoulder to see what caused him the discomfort. “You can tell me. I promise not to reveal it to Phoenix.” Hyacinthe took a deep breath. “I…I wanted to do more than just hold her last time…that’s why.” Magi cocked an eyebrow, “Why not ask her if that is what she wants? Better yet…why not go after her? She’s going into the woods as we speak.” He heard a quiet purring and looked down to see Marie curled up around Vin. “She’s alone now.” Hyacinthe hesitated a moment then nodded and headed in the direction where Phoenix had taken off to and just as he entered the forest…he heard the thing he never wanted to hear. Phoenix’s scream of pain mingled with the sounds of fighting.9