Born Of Fire

Born Of Fire Chapter 11

Phoenix set his body alight, and surveyed the square in the red glow cast off of his body. People cowered in the darkness, huddling together. Some moved toward him, instinctively seeking out the light, but Phoenix moved closer to where his father stood, apparently frozen in fear. He reached Soran’s body and knelt, letting the flame leave his hand. He grabbed the prone forms shoulder and flipped the body so he could see it’s face. Charred, empty eye sockets gazed back at him, smoke curling up from within them. Phoenix let his flames around his body coalesce into an orb in his hand, then he lazily threw it at the pile of wood that had never in his lifetime been without flame. The fire caught, and within moments once again raged.

This seemed to snap Doritan out of whatever had gripped his mind and he slowly turned to look Phoenix in the eye, and he whispered, “What have I done?”

Phoenix turned to the people, who were still looking to Doritan with fear blazing in their eyes. “Everyone to your homes. This will be discussed in the morning.”

No one moved, until Doritan himself spoke up. “Do as he says. We will figure this out in the morning.”

Hours later, Phoenix was woken by a hand shaking him, as an unfamiliar voice bade him to wake. He turned over and was met with the green eyes of Lindani, clad in a nightgown he knew to belong to Ember. The expensive silk clung to the young woman’s curves, and Phoenix had to avert his eyes as the morning light made the material sheer. “What is it?” He asked.

“Your father is addressing the people in the square, you might want to hear this.”

The woman’s voice sounded like a song to Phoenix, but he quickly pushed those thoughts from his mind “I will be there in a moment.”

Lindani stepped back as Phoenix sat up on the cot, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. When she made no move to exit the room he turned on her again. “I am quite naked beneath these blankets Lindani, I suggest you take your leave.”

Lindani giggled, then turned on her heel and walked to the door, stealing on more glance at his chest in the morning light. When the door closed, Phoenix slid into his breeches and removed a shirt from the chest at the foot of his bed. Pulling it over his head, he heard the door open again and he sighed. “Lindani-”

“No, Ember,” Said a familiar voice with a touch of amusement. Embarrassed, Phoenix let the shirt fall over his naked chest quickly.

Ember made her way to him and smoothed out the wrinkles in the heavy materials with her hand. “What do you think about what happened last night brother?”

Phoenix sat heavily on the bed, then slipped his feet into his boots. “I do not know. I have heard tales of the Gods using bodies in the throes of death for prophecy, but if that was a prophecy, I have not the slightest idea of what it could mean.”

Ember sat next to him, then rested her head on his shoulder. “Neither do I. I spent most of the night awake thinking of what it could mean. But I was unable to come up with a possiblity.”

Phoenix could always tell when Ember was lying, as her voice got a touch higher, and she pronounced her words with much more care. She was lying now. “What are you not telling me Ember?”

Mouth agape and eyes wide, Ember brought her hand to cover her mouth with a gasp. “To think I would lie to the likes of my own brother! How dare you accuse me of such things?”

“Ember,” Said Phoenix, dropping his voice menacingly in a game that was familiar to them both.

“Oh come off it brother,” Ember said, before turning and making her way to the door. Turning the handle and opening it wide, she turned back once more. “Let us hope that no one else has come to the same conclusions I have.”

She left, and once the door closed, Phoenix let a smile creep onto his face.

Phoenix walked outside and basked in the warmth of the sun for a moment, before he spied Lindani and Spedro leaning against the wall of his hut, presumably waiting for him. Spedro nodded, and Phoenix nodded back. Lindani’s eyes swept over him, and Phoenix rolled his, though his stomach fluttered in spite of him. Pushing away these feelings was proving to be harder than he had originally thought. He had never dealt with such things, as the women native to his village had never even looked at him, and he returned the favor, keeping his eyes on the ground. Never had such a beautiful woman shown such a marked interest in him, and the result was Phoenix having a problem keeping his interest, and his hands, to himself. Embers head appeared on the other side of Spedro, and her eyes met his. She jerked her head toward the largest hut in the village, Doritans home, also the place where the village elders met. A steady stream of people flowed into the home, and Phoenix followed with Lindani behind him, Ember behind her, and Spedro taking up the rear.

Inside the meeting hall was a cacophony of voices, each shouting to be heard. Phoenix opened the doors and strode in, and the din immedietly quietened. All eyes were on him and Phoenix had a feeling that it was he they had been talking about. Doritan stood and beckoned Phoenix to him at the head of the large table where the elders sat. Phoenix made his way to him, and took the chair offered on the right of his father. Ember rested her hands on the back of the chair, and Phoenix waited, a foreboding feeling turning his stomach.

Another elder, Phonus stood and stabbed a crooked, bony finger at Doritan. “This boy has shown his power once. Just once. And you want to entrust the survival of our entire village to him?”

Doritan smirked, and rose from his chair. “This is my son, the most powerful Yaagalo in Yaag. Not only can he control fire, but he can control water as well. One is within; Phoenix’s natural element. One shall be given; that has not happened that we know of. Two shall be taken; Phoenix already took the power of the dead Piaslo! Four are required to save the extinguished flame; My son already has two, and can receive two more. If Phoenix can control all four elements, he is obviously the person the prophecy was talking about! What else could it mean?”

“I do not know!” Yelled Phonus. “If you had let the apparition speak instead of burning it to a crisp, we would know!”

“Nonsense,” Said Doritan, and turned to meet Phoenix’s eye. “Phoenix shall protect us.”