The Phoenix Summoner (ON HOLD)

53

When Anya opened her eyes, she was longer lying on the floor of the skiff. She slowly turned her finding herself lost in a bed of flowers. She slowly sat up, looking around at her surroundings.

"Anya..." a soft whisper floods her ears. She stands up noticing her attire. She was in a long silk white dress. She furrows her eyebrows in confusion. What happened on the skiff? Where's Alina? Where's Kaz? What happened with Aleksander? All these question jumbled around in her head giving her a headache.

"Anya..." she hears again. She looks behind the field of flowers to a hill. In the distance she spots a lone figure standing on top of the hill. She walks over until she is standing a foot away from them. Their back faces her but she could tell it was a women.

"Who are you?" Anya asks. The women slowly turns coming face to face with Anya. She was an older Shu women about middle age with long dark hair and even darker eyes. She seemed so familiar to Anya, but she couldn't put her finger as to why. Was she a women she had met when she was younger? Was she in the market the day her and Alina escaped? None of this makes any sense to Anya. Why would her subconscious bring her here of all places?

The women smiles gently taking in Anya appearance. "Hello, my firebird." Anya's expression dropped, the only people to ever call her that was her parents do to her spitfire attitude. She had completely forgotten about the nickname until just now. Tears stung her eyes as she stared at the women in front of her.

"Mother..." she whisper. Alma smiles holding her arms out to the side. Immediately, Anya jumps into her embrace wrapping her arms tightly around her torso.

"How is this possible?" Anya whispers into her mother's hair.

"I've always been with you firebird. It just took sometime for you to find me." Anya pulled away giving Alma the chance to lovingly place a hand on her daughters cheek.

"It was you calling me?" Anya asked her eyebrows furrowed.

"But the Phoenix-"

"Was only a figment created by your fear. The fear you have of losing control, the fear you have of hurting the people you love."

"But what about Baghra? She told me the Phoenix power caused chaos and destruction."

"Baghra told you that to protect you."

"But why?" Anya was growing more confused by the second. Why would Baghra tell her she basically would bring about the end of Ravka just to protect her?"

Her mother smiled. "Because I asked her too. You see, when I was a young girl Aleksander who had gone by another name at the time had caught wind of my power. He took me to the Little Palace and trained me just as he had you. The only difference was Baghra knew the full potential of the Phoenix and kept it hidden from him. Before I ran away I had found out I was pregnant with you so your father and I made a plan. I knew he would hunt me down and knew one day he would find you. So I made Baghra promise that when the time comes and you are brought to her to keep the secret of your powers until you were ready to face the truth. And you are." Her mother smiles softly at the last part.

Anya stared at her mother in disbelief as she told her, her story. A tear runs down her cheek and a sob escapes her lips. Alma places both hands on Anya's face guiding her to look at her.

"You've been so brave my love. Both of you have." Anya looked away remembering Alina.

"Why?" Anya asked. Alma looked down in shame knowing what she was asking.

"We did it to protect you. We thought that by separating you, you both would be safe. I can see now how mistaken we were. I never should have erased your memories of each other. I am so sorry Anya." A single tear falls down Alma's cheek. Anya reaches up brushing it away with her thumb.

"I know."

"All your father and I wanted was to protect you two. To give you something every child deserves. A family. And we couldn't even do that." Alma says looking to the ground.

"It's okay. Yes, I was angry at first but I know, but I understand now. You did what you did out love. For me, for Alina, for Ravka, all of it. I forgive you." The two smile then Anya turns her head hearing the screeching of volcra in the distance. Anya looks over her shoulder towards the sound. It all made sense now. Everything that led up to this moment happened for a reason. Aleksander tried to control her using the Stag, but Anya now understood why she broke free. This was her destiny.

"I know what I have to do." Anya says turning back to her mother,

"And what's that, my love." Alma asks a sad smile forming on her lips. She knew the answer, and it pained her to watch her eldest daughter go. But she knew she had too.

"Protect my family."

Back on the skiff, Anya's eyes shot open revealing her pure white and orange irises.