“You’re not ready for this. You’ve deviated from your mission already,” said a voice behind her.
Phoenix turned to look at Caden and to argue the reason of her decision. However, the moon on his hair stunned her. It seemed to exude a light of its own. She knew now why his people spent their full moons dancing and praising the gods. The halo around his hair made him seem like an angel.
“The mission has only existed for three weeks. It won’t hurt to go home for a moment,” Phoenix finally stated.
“Will it not,” Caden asked, an eyebrow raised. “I know you think you love him...”
“I know I love him,” Phoenix interrupted.
Caden continued as though he’d not been halted at all, “...but love shows through many ways, not just through the love of a man and a woman.”
“You suggest I love him only as a brother,” Phoenix scowled at her friend.
“I suggest you love him as one loves their first crush,” Caden stated. ‘As the first thing you saw as beautiful. No one ever sees fault in the first person they see as perfect.
But there’s a danger with him, Phoenix. Berserkers are fatally insane. If he doesn’t kill himself by charging toward someone ready for him, he might just kill you. His heart has been poisoned against you. And that doubt will remain with him, even though you disproved it.”
She sighed, looking back out over the lake. Fireflies flicked across the pond, mimicking the stars that reflected in the water. “Do you know the legend of the Phoenix, Caden?”
Caden watched her. Her own hair shone like fire in the moonlight, whispering the secret of the being that had housed itself in her body. His eyes narrowed slightly at the mocking light of her hair. Selkies had prided themselves in the fact that their hair shone brighter than humans. “I know the stories that have been told among the clans.”
Phoenix shook her head. “That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The priests and summoners know the full story.” Caden remained silent, waiting for her to share the story.
She looked up at the sky, toward the constellation of the Phoenix. “Thousands of years ago humans didn’t exist. There was no dominate race. The powerful creatures now known as Summons lived among the races, protecting them. Each of the most powerful Summons was a protector of one race.
The first human, it is said, was the child of a half-Viera father and a Selkie mother. The dark hair came from the Vieran background. It is said that there was a little of every race in the child.
Soon there was another similar looking child born to another family. Both were very lonely as children. None of the other children would play with them. After all, they were mutants. This is the legend that accompanies why a human doesn’t have as strong a feeling about family and companionship as the rest of the races.
One of them was fine with being alone. But the younger of the two became spiteful. If the other races hated him, he would give them a reason. He became a killer. He would murder any that would strike out at him for his oddness.
One of the monsters began to favor the human. He would become stronger at each death. He protected this new creature from the other races’ wrath. This being was Zalera. Humans were born as creatures of death.” She sighed, looking down. “Humans were the first to create true wars. Even their own deaths fuelled Zalera.
Soon Zalera’s first human came up with a plan. If they killed the Guardians, many of the other races’ powers would die. They would be subdued. And the humans would be the strongest race. They would be the ones to look down their noses at others.
And so they killed the Guardians, one by one. By the end, only the Phoenix was left. The other races put their last hope in the Phoenix. Many of the strongest mages transferred their own powers and souls to the Phoenix.
When the Phoenix faced Zalera, though, he found his powers equaled by the monster of death. There was only one move that was strong enough to defeat him, but it would kill the Phoenix, too. But as a Guardian, the Phoenix ignored its own certain death and destroyed Zalera.”
“I don’t understand,” Caden said, assuming the story was over. “If Zalera was known as an enemy then, why is he considered one of the Sete.”
“He is still the Guardian of the humans,” Phoenix smiled sadly at him. “But that’s not why he is a member of the Sete. That’s in the second half of the story.” She looked up at the moon, as though searching for her memories. “About two hundred years later, another monster favored the human’s abilities. This one’s name was Anima. Its lust for pain was sated by the humans’ treatment of the other races.
To save their races, seven people called upon their Guardians. The human of this group wasn’t hated. He was one of the first humans who tried to exchange items and knowledge of his race with the other races of Karista. He said that if there was any chance for the world to survive a human must be included in the rescue. And he was right.
The Guardians were dead, but these seven gave up their bodies to the souls of the Sete so that they would live again. The strongest mages of the world cast the spell to bring the Sete back. Once they had succeeded, they cast another spell. This one would bring the Sete back to the world when it was in need through the races of the world.
Zalera was happy to help, of course. The humans were his race, not Anima’s. And together, they managed to save the world. The peace wouldn’t last, though. Zalera drove it’s human host insane and once more attempted to kill all of the Sete. The Phoenix managed to save its companions by killing Zalera and itself once more.”
“So you already knew he’s going to try to kill you,” Caden asked, incredulous. “You knew he’s going to become insane, and you still agreed to marry him?”
Phoenix turned once more to him with that sad smile, her hair flowing in the breeze and looking even more like a live fire. “I knew since I was old enough to speak that I would die protecting the world from Zalera. And...” she bit her lip, tears forming in her eyes, “I was heartbroken when I found out that my greatest enemy is going to be someone I loved so much.” She wiped away the tears, taking a moment to calm. “But the man that I fell in love with still exists. And while he’s still Gethin I will do anything to make him happy. Because Gethin Javed deserves happiness. Because he is going to die before I do. Zalera will destroy him. And I have to watch something worse than his death,” she said, wiping more tears away. “I have to watch him hate me.”
Caden stared at her in wonder. “You’re...more grown up than I thought.” He smiled. “If this is what you want, then I’ll support you.”
Phoenix smiled and hugged him, kissing Caden on the cheek. “Thank you. You’ve been a great friend these past two weeks.”
Watching, not too far away, were Gethin and General Dunstan. The General frowned somberly. “She favors the boy more than she does you, my lord. She hasn’t even spoken to you since she met him.
And now? Kisses? Is she really worth marrying when she prefers another man’s company over yours?”
Gethin’s eyes narrowed. Oran was right. Phoenix had been ignoring him for the Selkie. And now he knew why. They’d been meeting in the middle of the night. She’d regret this...
Caden remained leaning at the door, glancing back toward the hall. Gethin had disappeared. Perhaps it was to give Phoenix alone with this Selkie-like human, but he doubted it. He didn’t trust Gethin at all.
“Why are you home,” Pater asked worriedly. He seemed to be searching her for some form of injury.
“Gethin asked me to marry him,” Phoenix answered, brightly.
Pater seemed taken back by this. He looked up toward the door, but only Caden stood there. “Where is he,” Pater asked quietly.
Phoenix looked over at the door, confused, and Caden shrugged. Phoenix looked back to her father, her bewilderment only increasing.
A shot resounded in the temple and there were screams as people tried to get out of the way. Caden stumbled into the chapel, holding his shoulder. Pater looked over in shock, placing himself between the door and his daughter. He’d never thought that the Army of Maldade would actually strike at a religious group.
Caden drew his sword and dagger but was met with a gun pointed straight at his face as he looked up. “What kind of idiot brings a knife to a gun fight,” General Dunstan inquired.
“Don’t kill him,” came a voice from behind some of the general’s men. They stepped aside, pressed against the walls either side and Gethin walked through the group without any fear.
“Gethin,” Phoenix asked, in bewilderment.
Gethin didn’t answer, instead walking into the chapel past Dunstan and Caden. He stepped up toward Phoenix and Pater. Pater remained unmoving. Phoenix stared at Gethin in shock from behind her father. “Did you really think you could play with love like a toy, Little Girl,” Gethin sneered. “If that’s how you want it, let’s play. Let me show you what I do with my toys.” He picked up a candle stand and swung the candle off. He then rammed the stand through Pater’s throat.
All of the color drained from Phoenix’s face and she was struck dumb by the horror of what had transpired. She shook as she watched Gethin release the stand with a smile. It felt like slow motion as she watched her father crumple to the floor.
“Dad,” Phoenix said in no more than a breath. She fell to her knees and drew her gasping father into her lap, hugging him. Tears fell to his face as she looked up at Gethin, silently begging why he would do this. Gethin’s gaze, however, had become hard and cold.
“Sir, what do you want me to do with these two,” General Dunstan asked.
“Let them live, for now, and reflect on their mistakes,” Gethin stated, still watching Phoenix with his lifeless eyes. He kneeled and a hand snapped forward, grabbing Phoenix’s chin roughly and lifting it slightly. “I will not be made a fool of, Girl. Make no mistake, the next time I see you, you will be mine. I refuse to kill what can come back to life as something less obvious.”
He pulled his hand away and stood. Turning on his heel he left, the soldiers following after him obediently.
Phoenix reached shakily and grasped the stand that was in her father’s throat. She closed her eyes tightly and yanked, tugging it out. Pater rested a hand weakly against hers. Phoenix sobbed, hugging him tightly. She rested her forehead against his.
Caden left the chapel in search of a priest that knew white magic. But it seemed that the soldiers did not only come for Phoenix. Every member of the church was dead. He returned to find Phoenix tugging the sheet slowly from the altar and covering her father with it. The perfectly white sheet was immediately stained by the priest’s blood. Phoenix stood, numbly, and turned to Caden. She seemed to be looking past him.
“Phoenix,” Caden began, trying to find the right words. She walked right past him before he could say another word. The smell of blood was thick in the temple. Caden covered his own nose to keep himself from throwing up at the smell. Phoenix seemed too shocked to even notice it.
She approached the doors of the temple and her gaze changed. Though she was somber, it seemed to be a calm acceptance. She was putting on a public face, he realized. She pushed open the doors and many of the religious were gathered outside, terrified. They looked up at Phoenix not only for news, but guidance.
“The Army of Maldade may have destroyed our temple,” she stated, loud enough for everyone in the crowd to hear, “but they cannot shake our faith.” Many in the crowd started to mumble about the destruction of the temple.
“They know that the Sete threaten them. But the temple is a place! It cannot protect us. Only the Sete can. And so I search them out. We will no longer be oppressed by this army’s evils.” She motioned back at Caden and he stiffened, looking around. His face remained neutral, but he was nervous on the inside. “I give you Caden Aldegunde. Yojimbo!” Several of the more faithful cheered at this revelation.
“We leave the city tomorrow morning, to search for our companions,” Phoenix stated. “But know that we will do all in our power to defeat the Army quickly.” Many more clapped and Phoenix bowed her head to the crowd and walked down the steps. Caden followed quickly, not sure what was going on. The crowd allowed her passage, moving aside quickly for the woman revealed to be one of the seven gods.
Phoenix led Caden to her home. They would need their rest.