Born Of Fire

Born Of Fire Chapter 2

“Father! Father!” Phoenix screamed, panic lacing his words. He stumbled past the boundary of the small village, Ember held carefully in his arms. The young girl had awoken, screamed once, then blacked out again on the way back, presumably from the pain of being bounced around in his arms as he ran. The workers in the outlying farms took notice of the dirty and disheveled boy, then ran to see what was wrong. A burly man gingerly removed the girl from his arms and turned away, making his way quickly but carefully to the village center. Phoenix fell to his knees, his vision swimming, pestered with the questions of the farmers.

He did not answer them, but whispered hoarsly, “I'm sorry. It was an accident.” Then he slipped into unconsciousness.

Phoenix awoke in a dark room, aware of a rustling noise that was moving about. “Ember?” He called.

“She is still with the healers young man. You just lie still,” A hoarse voice answered back.

Phoenix lit his hand, causing a small flame to envelope it. The shadows in the room fled, leaving the small space awash in red light. His eyes found one of the eldest of the village, Enzua. The woman held a candle in her hand, and Phoenix sent a tongue of flame at it, lighting the wick. Extinguishing his hand, he laid back down, suddenly dizzy.

“Is she okay?” He inquired, dreading the answer.

Enzua placed the candle next to the bed, and dabbed at his forehead with a moist towel. “She will be. What happened out there Phoenix?”

He closed his eyes, remembering how the presence of the bird caused his mind to cloud over. He couldn't tell Enzua about the bird, no one within the village knew of the extent of his powers. No one would believe him anyway, and his body shook in fear when he thought of conjuring it again. He opened his mouth to lie, but a knock at the door halted the words about to escape his tongue. Enzua rose, opened the door and conversed quietly with a young boy, probably a messenger.

She thanked him, then shut the door and turned back to Phoenix. “Ember has awoken.”

She was about to continue when Phoenix threw back the covers of the bed and rose. Dizziness overtook him, and he stumbled. Enzua caught him, surprising Phoenix with her strength.

The young man recovered his footing, then looked down at his nakedness, and covered himself quickly. “Where is my tunic?”

“On the chair, but you are not leaving this room Phoenix,” Said the woman, crossing her arms.

“The Gods could not stop me right now. I must see her,” He replied, hurrying over to the chair and slipping into his clothing.

“Phoenix! I cannot allow you to do that.”

He turned to the woman, and sent a fire orb her way, stopping and making it hover inches away from her face. “You cannot stop me, nor will I allow you to.”

Enzua nodded, seemingly too afraid to speak, and watched him extinguish the orb, then slip out of the door into the heavy darkness of night.

Phoenix climbed the stairs quickly, hurrying to the door of the room which held Ember. He threw it open, and the healers huddled around the young girl whirled to face him in surprise.

"Get out," He ordered.

The healers scoffed, and turned back to what they were doing. Phoenix felt his anger rise. "Hey!"

The healers once more turned to him, looking bored. "I said get out!" He yelled, and caused his whole body to ignite, turning into a spectre of flame incarnate. The healers moved then, quickly filing out of the room, giving the flaming boy a wide berth.

He watched them leave, then extinguished his body and turned to the small shape hidden behind the curtains that hung over the bed, swaying gently in the breeze of the warm night. Slowly pulled them back, he fell to his knees at the sight of Ember's charred body. Her once cream white skin, the depiction of youthful beauty, was now charred, some of it hanging from the right side of her body in black strips. He could smell the burnt flesh, and he reached his hand out to caress her once long, flowing hair. When his fingers brushed the now short, brittle, straw like strands, he cringed, tears threatening to flow from his eyes.

"Phoenix?" The young girl whispered.

Even though she was heavily medicated, he could still hear the great amount of pain in her words. "Yes Ember, I'm here," He said, choking back the sobs that wanted to burst forth.

"Don't cry. It was an accident."

The tears poured from his eyes then, in heavy torrents. "But it was my fault. I never should have tried that with you anywhere near, especially since I know I'm not strong enough to control it. Please forgive me Ember."

"But Phoenix, I don't blame you."

He stopped crying then, and raised his head to meet her eyes for the first time. "Really?"

She reached her hand out, placing her unmarred right palm on his cheek. "No, and I never will. You are my big brother, meant to protect me. I know you would never hurt me on purpose."

"Of course not!"

"Well then, let that weight fall from your shoulders brother. I will be fine."

Wiping his tears, he leaned over Ember, planting a kiss on the uncharred side of her forehead. "Thank you sister. But I will still make this up to you."

"Let me see the fire once more Phoenix, please?"

Phoenix pushed his fear down, and backed up from the bed. He raised his hand in the air, and set it aflame. Ember flinched, and Phoenix knew that she now feared his fire. The weight settled back upon his shoulders and he closed his fist, starving the fire of it's oxygen and causing it to die out.

"Never again shall I wield my flame," He promised her, then turned for the door.

"Phoenix no!" Yelled Ember at his retreating form. "You cannot do this!"

He stopped and turned his head. "I must. I will not risk hurting you again, so I make this vow."

With that he turned and left, shutting the door and leaving the crying girl in darkness.