Birthright: A Phoenix is Born

Diagnosis

Hello peps, feel free to critique. Like and praise comments appreciated.

Catch you in my stories,
GaisceKid.

"Well, that was out of character." Breezed Koju. He handed me an ice pack after tossing one to Kumar who sat watching football in the living room. The slightest of contact with the chilled pack stabbed at my temples. Neck bare while jaw clutched down tempering my discomfort.

"Yeah, I didn't fee-."

"Yourself?" Koju whispered. "As if you weren't in the driver's seat?"

His words wrenched at my stomach, caking my mouth till it puckered into sandpaper. I settled my spinning head on the counter, buttressing the heavy burden with strained wrists.

"How did you know?" I mumbled through compressed cheeks.

Koju clicked his tongue against the top of his mouth, shaking his head slowly. My eyes widened as he whipped out his Pe-Mi, identical to mine except with ice blue outlines. A holographic parchment shone from the device when Koju called out "Display Ancient Scriptures."

"What are these images?" The quake in my tune unavoidable.

"The first rulers deemed it wise to collect the techniques they developed when using the Phoenix's powers, as well as documenting vital information for their future lineage."

The sheet was split into a table with three-segment across. An ebony woman filled each box. She wore brilliant material warped at her waist, a loose fitting blouse and a gold cloth crown tied around her head. In the first two segments, her arms and legs were arranged in different positions. At the third, fire pulsed from different parts of her body in contrasting shapes and forms. One time a stream of flames, another, the shape of a fiery whip.

"Wow, so I'm basically a fire bender." I beamed.

"A what?"
"Never mind"

Koju shook his head and called out. "Pe-Mi, open curse file."

A brittle lump clamoured down my throat at the word. I continued to massage my temples, the intense feeling of dread, still lurking its way in my gut.

"Damian, have you noticed anything strange when you get stressed or emotionally charged?"

"No, n-not really." I wheezed.

"Do you want to open the lie dictator again?" Koju flatlined.

My eyelids fell shut, as mind searched for memories fitting the criteria. In the blackness an inferno surged. A cold shudder suddenly grasped while this burning sensation led me through my most fiery moments. On opening my eyes, the answer was clear.

"It's like a weird kind of heartburn, but my fingers buzz and I start doing and saying everything on my mind."

"Phoenix's Wrath." Koju mouthed. "Kumar's peppered palms confirm it."

His Pe-Mi picked up the word and scrolled blurring its images. Suddenly, it halted at one. The first segment contained the same women. Fire seeped from her body, burning holes in her fine clothes. Her frame twisted awkwardly under the heat. And her maple iris from before radiated with a golden glow. In the next bracket, an inferno ensued. A monstrous hybrid form at the centre. I craned my neck to see the final box. A shriek stalled in my voice box as a pile of ash assorted the ground.

"I mentioned before of this curse. The Phoenix has grown restless due to the years apart from its home. As a result, some of its powers are manifesting prematurely under conditions of intense emotion. This is a small segment of Phoenix's Wrath."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I whimpered. "I mean if you can teach me how to use these powers, I have a better shot at defending myself and maybe rescuing my mom."

"You're missing the entire point?" Tsked Koju. "Look below the picture."

I peered underneath the woman's feet, red earth made it difficult to see one first glace. Yet the royal blue letters practically jumped out this time. Some I recognised from Koju's past Yoruba lessons.

"Every technique requires two physical aspects. The precise pronunciation of a Yoruba adage and the accurate execution of the respective movement. Both of which demands years of practice to perfect. I've been teaching you capoeira to improve your flexibility for the movements in the future. But it's not enough. One single misstep. One slip of the tongue. And we all share that women's fate. Keep your emotions in check and never evoke that power. Until your training is complete at least."

I turned again towards the third bracket, boring deep into the abyss of her ash. Looking at it set off chains of frim goosebumps across my body. Coupled by large swathes of torrid itching.

"To top it off, I have no idea how to deal with the spiritual aspect of these things." He huffed. "Alas on that note, let's begin on what I do know. Today's Yoruba lesson."