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Phoenix remembered the first time he met Rocco. He was stubborn and had a loose tongue. Phoenix chuckled at the memory, Rocco was the hardest person he had to help. Rocco would always sass him or simply clicked his tongue. Phoenix remembered how he used to insult him about everything.
Never once did he find it insulting. He knew that Rocco was just guarding himself and Phoenix never thought he meant all the insults he threw his way. Phoenix would always laugh and counter him in a way that made him glare. It wasn't insulting, just to get Rocco to know that he wasn't going away so easily.
Rocco was only twelve when Phoenix met him. Three long years had passed since Rocco said,"are you here to tell me who can and cannot like." Those three years felt like a lifetime to Phoenix. Like he's known Rocco all his life.
All the time they spent going to the river to catch water. Sharing a loaf of bread and laughing. Rocco was his first conquest, the first member of a family he didn't know he would have. Phoenix was glad for his persistency. That he saw not only a boy who directed his hate towards others. Phoenix saw that boy who was hurting.
When Rocco finally took his hand and walked home with him. When he cried for the first time since he was in Area Fifteen. It was also the first and the last. Phoenix remembered his words that night, "What's wrong with liking anyone regardless?"
Phoenix only responded with, "There's nothing wrong Rocco. Don't you dare stop liking anyone regardless." Thinking back it wasn't the most comforting words. It was the moment that they shared. The healing of another heart and the feeling of helping someone who deserved it.
They never talked about it. It was like their own little secret. Rocco had been there through the arrival of Rebel, Mae, Poppy and Siobhan. He was close with Rebel and cared for Mae and Poppy. He was the caring older brother. They've all been through a lot: Mae was covered in bruise and was trapped in her shell. Poppy was lost and just as covered in bruises as Mae. Siobhan was broken and drowning in fear. Rocco hated himself. They were all broken.
Phoenix was also a broken soul himself. He had lost his friend and coped in a way that led to finding those five. They became the people he loved and the people he called a family. The people who he woke up to, who he risked his life for. Those who he laughed along with, shared happy, angry and sad moments with. They argued and cry and never once did he thought he would lose one of them
Never did he thought he would have to be holding the lifeless body of his own family in his hands. Phoenix knew the others might already know, still breaking the news, confirming it to them would be hard. Phoenix allowed his tears to fall, to stain his cheeks as he sobbed. He wanted for Rocco to wake up. For him to wake up and throw his insults at him. For them to argue and apologize by the end of the day.
Why did things have to end up this way? Countless persons were dying and what were they dying for? If the King truly wanted to kill someone, Phoenix would let him have him. If it could've prevented everything that's been happening, he wouldn't mind giving up his own life. Rocco and the others had started at a new life, they were happy. Why was their happiness being taking away from them?
"Iker," Phoenix said in shaky voice. He held Rocco's lifeless body in his arms desperately.
Iker stood before him, clashing swords with the other man. Iker overpowered him, injuring only his leg. He was glad to have made it just in time. Iker knew he couldn't have stopped what was happening. That he couldn't save the people who have passed. If it was just one he was glad to have saved Phoenix's life.
Iker saw the boy in Phoenix hand. He recognized him immediately and felt a pang of pain shoot through his heart. "I didn't want this Iker." Phoenix said as he looked at Rocco. Iker rested a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He couldn't imagine the pain Phoenix was in. "Rocco is dead and it's all my fault. All these people are--" tears fell from Iker's eyes. The sight was just too heartbreaking.
"We can't stay here," Iker said. They weren't completely safe and hidden out of sight. "Where are the others?" Iker had stopped by the house first and didn't see anyone. He ventured further and found Phoenix.
"I can't leave him." Phoenix responded.
Iker knew how hard it was to lose someone; to lose a family member. Iker wanted nothing more than to stay with his parents, he knew that it wasn't possible. He could understand Phoenix, "Let's leave him inside." Iker offered. He noticed that Phoenix was pulling Rocco towards the house.
Phoenix gave a slow nod in response. Iker helped him carry Rocco into the sick house. They laid him on the make shift bed, resting his hands on his torso. It was the first Iker had seen Phoenix cry, making him cry along with him. Phoenix fumbled around the room, wiping away his tears occasionally. He found a flower and rested it in Rocco's hands.
"I didn't think I would get to say goodbye so early." Phoenix said as he knelt beside Rocco. "Everyone will miss you so much. Why did you--" Phoenix bit back the tears. Iker averted his gaze, it was growing more painful by the second. "Rocco I -- I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you even though I promised. I just--- please don't leave us."
Iker allowed Phoenix a few more minutes with Rocco. He even said a few words himself, even though he didn't know Rocco that well. Phoenix was in a daze when he left. Things had come to a calm. The damage was still there and an unbearable pain was left behind. Through all the pain, Phoenix managed to tell Iker where the others where.
Phoenix sadness was morphing into anger. And he knew full well where to direct it. "Where's Cormac?" He asked after a long walk of silence. They were nearing Sector three.
"He's in the Kingdom of Peruel. I'm afraid he hasn't return as yet. He knows nothing of this." Iker thought he should clarify that. Phoenix now knew it made sense. Why it was the perfect time for this to happen. He clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his skin.
"It was the King wasn't it." That much was obvious. The man hated the very being of them.
Iker nodded, "I'm sorry. I heard and was on my way here. I was late and--" he didn't want to say the truth.
"This isn't your fault." Phoenix responded. "I won't let this pass so easily."
The book house came in view. Phoenix took a shaky breath. The door was blocked just as he told them to. Iker helped him to move it. Stella swung a piece of board she got from the broken bookshelf at the two. They managed to dodge it, frightened by the action. Stella apologized, thinking it was one of the Seridian soldiers.
The two entered, everyone was seated in the book house. They all looked at Phoenix expectantly, looking beyond him for Rocco. "Where's Rocco?" Rebel asked, rushing out the door and searching desperate for Rocco.
Siobhan was the first to cry, understand what Rocco's absent meant. Nevaeh held Siobhan comforting, unable to hold back her own tears. "I'm sorry." Phoenix said. Stella took him into a hug, understanding how painful it was for all of them.
Rebel fell to her knees, crying uncontrollable. They were the closest, unbreakable siblings. She got to her feet, rushing towards Poppy. Rebel grabbed her by the collar rocking her body, "This is all your fault," she spat at the already shaken up Poppy. "Rocco is dead because of you. I wish it was you that--" she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Rebel stop it." Siobhan ordered. "We shouldn't fight. Now is the time we need each other more than anything. Rocco wouldn't want this."
Rebel clicked her tongue and left to another end of the book house by herself. They all stayed there the night, mourning silently. No one spoke a word, they didn't know what to say to each other. A sea of dead body laid outside, some lucky enough to have survived. Phoenix sat in a corner by himself, thinking about why things had end up this way.
They were all abandoned. Wasn't that enough. Now the King was resorting to killing them off. Everyone in Area Fifteen was just trying to make use of the life that was forced upon to them. They didn't ask for any of it, but they made use of what little they had and continued to live. Not everyone did, and now those who wanted to take that second chance was left lifelessly lying on the ground.
It wasn't until morning that everyone decided to give Rocco a last visit. Phoenix thought it was okay, that they deserve that much. The morning was grim, silence washing Area fifteen. Survivors sat in a daze, thinking there was no more hope for them. The sick house came in view, Rebel being the first to rush inside.
Mae stayed with Phoenix outside, not able to go and see Rocco. He knew that she wanted to but couldn't bear to see Rocco like that. Phoenix could hear Rebel crying loudly, the others trying to calm her down. It was taking a toll on all of them. "What are we going to do?" Iker asked as he looked around Area fifteen.
"I don't know yet," Phoenix answered honestly. He noticed a group of people making way inside Area fifteen. One seemed to be an older woman along with three, maybe four men by her side. It was hard to tell from this distance.
Iker saw it too. Even a fool could tell that they weren't from here. Iker also noticed that they had an air of royalty to them. They were stopping and talking to the people. They didn't answer, they were still in fear at what had happened. "Haven't they done enough already." Phoenix said. He didn't waste time in storming to the people ahead of him, ready to give them a piece of his mind. They've done enough already and now they were back to bask in the glory of what they've done. Iker rushed behind him after telling Mae to wait with the others, not wanting for Phoenix go and do anything stupid.
"Axton," Phoenix said in shock as he neared them, gazing up at the dark haired, pale skin man he's laid with many times. He looked towards the woman, thinking of Cormac as he laid eyes on her.
"I prefer to be called Prince Rhys from the Arilikook empire." He told Phoenix, a smile dancing on his lips. Iker was just as confused. Why was the Prince of Arilikook here? And with a woman that reminded him of Cormac.
Phoenix unconsciously took a step back. It all made sense now. He didn't want to believe it was true when he saw the white roses and what Cormac had said. "Y-You're a Prince." Phoenix stuttered, still trying to wrap his head around it. Iker looked between the two, confused.
Phoenix had called him Axton, meaning he didn't know he was a Prince. The question that Iker wanted answers to was how they knew each other. "You must be Phoenix." The woman spoke in a gently tone. Phoenix looked towards her. If Axton was with her, was she also royalty?
"What do you want Axton?" Phoenix spat. "Are you here to rub my stupid hopes in my face and what I've caused."
Stella and the others came out, seeing Phoenix talking with someone unfamiliar they joined the crowd. Stella was getting fearful of where this was going. "I think you've got things confused my dear Phoenix." The woman said. "We're here to help you."
"It's more of we're assuring you. Everything else is up to you Phoenix." Prince Rhys added.
"I don't see how you could assist me. For all I know you're working for that wretched King." At this point Phoenix trust was being crushed.
"I don't work for him." the woman said. "Pardon my rudeness, I'm Queen Zelda, the ruler of Aperia."
"You're--" Iker was shocked. Queen Zelda nodded.
"You're correct." she smiled at the Iker. Everyone else was just confused. "You may know my son very well, especially you Phoenix. I see you've captured his heart. Cormac has grown well since I last saw my dear son."
Cormac's mother was the Queen of Aperia. Iker couldn't believe his ears. All this time he along with the Prince had though she was dead. Here she was alive and well before them. No one knew what to say, not even Phoenix who stood before his partner mother. Things were starting to fall into place. Why the King refused to tell Cormac who ruled Aperia.
"I would like for you to come with me to the Relufian castle," Queen Zelda said. Stella stepped forward, knowing what was happening. "That's the first step in attaining the future you want."
"Why should I go with you?"
"Why not Prince Phoenix C. Relufian," Prince Rhys spoke, earning gasp and odd looks towards him and Phoenix. "Or should I say, the Emperor --or King, whichever you prefer-- of the Fian Empire."
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