Phoenix Destiny

Fourteen

Pausing at the tree line, Alexis felt it, a gentle pulse sweeping through the island. Nikiti watched her as she swayed. Dim memories of a life she hadn’t lived flitted through her mind. It felt strange, yet familiar at the same time.

Why? What is this?

Taking a deep breath, she entered the forest. The pulse grew stronger, tingling up her legs and making her hair stand on end. It was warm and comforting, soothing the raging thoughts in her mind. And yet, it was also unsettling. It was like something was trying to claw its way back into her mind, or out of it, something buried deep in the core of her soul.

Time seemed to lose meaning as images flashed in her mind. She glimpsed a life in which she grew up without her mother, a life without her cousin to share her experiences, a life where Cadmus was her only friend. And her father, so distraught because of the loss of his soulmate, indulged her whims to the point of spoiling her. It seemed innocent at first, but her actions grew increasingly extreme. She was practically tyrannical in her demands.

Is this real? A dream? A nightmare?

A pressure seemed to build in her mind as the visions overshadowed the life she had always known until her head felt ready to burst. Numbly, she continued to follow Cadmus as he led her onward.

They reached the gaping mouth of the cave in which Milagros entombed its dead. Alexis stared into the dark. She wanted to turn back, but something seemed to call out to her, pulling her into the gaping maw.

“What is it, Alexis?” Nikiti asked, reminding her that she wasn’t alone. Her cousin stared into the cave with wide, fearful eyes, hoping they had reached the end of their strange journey.

“There is something down there,” Alexis finally said.

“What is it?”

“I am not sure,” Alexis stepped toward the darkness.

“Alexis, the burial grounds are down there.”

“I know.”

“But you can’t.”

“Nikiti, I know gypsies never trespass onto burial grounds, but I have to go,” Alexis turned back to her and briefly embraced her before stepping away. “Wait here for me.”

Nikiti wanted to protest, but the look Alexis gave her warned her it would be no use. With a sigh, she nodded. Taking a step back from the cave, she said, “I’ll wait right here for you. But, please, don’t take too long.”

Alexis nodded. She turned back to the waiting darkness, took a deep breath and stepped inside. Whatever waited for her within was for her alone to face.

Cadmus led her through tunnels lined with tombs. She tried to keep her gaze forward, but it didn’t stop her mind from conjuring all sorts of strange visions. Alexis half-expected spirits of the departed to emerge and demand a toll. A chill went up her spine as she paused at the tomb that would one day hold her parents.

It was guarded by a dragon and a Faery soldier. She wondered at the odd pairing but didn’t have the desire to read the inscriptions dwarfs had already begun carving into the stone. As disturbing as it was to think about, she knew it was common for dwarfs to work on burial tombs long before they would ever see use, especially in the case of their monarchs. It was the work of years, if not decades, gradually making them increasingly elaborate as time went on. The tomb would not be complete until it was occupied.

Her hair stood on end. An image of the completed tomb flashed in her mind. Have I seen this place before?

Thankfully, Cadmus didn’t show any signs of lingering in this area and headed deeper into the cave. Alexis followed, quickly becoming lost on the meandering path in the pitch black. The only light was the gentle shimmer of Cadmus’s scales and eyes.

Just as the pressure of the earth above started to become more than she could bear, they entered a large cavern partially filled by an underground lake. In the center of the lake, a large crystal column reflected light from an unknown source. She wondered if it reached all the way to the surface and was reflecting the light of the suns themselves into this dark place. Because of that, the cave was surprisingly well lit, especially considering how far they had come.

At the water’s edge, she found an engraved locket. Kneeling, she picked it up and was surprised to see it engraved with the Milagrian coat-of-arms. She managed to unlatch it to find it was a compass. One of its four arrows was marked with M.

Does it stand for Milagros?

Alexis shivered as her mind flashed with more images. She saw a great fiery bird standing over her. It was so bright and warm the rest of the cave faded away, but it didn’t hurt to look at it. Her body burned, but her skin was deathly cold. Vaporous images of unicorns danced around her as their laughter rang in her ears.

Her limbs felt numb and heavy. Alexis’s knees suddenly buckled. The vision shattered.

Breathing deeply, she slowly stood and staggered into the water. It steamed against her warm skin. Alexis stumbled back and turned to see the collapsed remains of large weapons. Staring at them, she recalled the story of the first king of Milagros and how he built great weapons to defeat an army of ogres.

She couldn’t begin to guess how such things had been moved into the cave or why they had been left to wither and rot there. Some things were simply best forgotten.

Alexis heard a deep groan and turned back to the water, looking across the rippling surface as she searched for the source of the sound. Bubbles rose from the depths as another groan reverberated through the cavern. Alexis closed her eyes, pressure built within her mind again and confusing images flashed in her head.

What am I remembering?

She heard the sound again and opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on the crystal column. A golden wand was embedded inside. It seemed perfectly preserved and yet was tarnished and aged, as if its power had been lost.

Or freed.

The unicorn spirits. Did I free them?

When? How?

She felt sick. Her head was spinning, and now she regretted coming so far. Alexis had no idea how she was going to find her way out of the cave.

A strange bellow reverberated around her and the water’s surface trembled. She peered into the depths and was surprised to notice the crystal column continued below with shelf-like protrusions almost like mushrooms growing on a tree trunk. Sitting on those projections was treasure glimmering just out of reach. There were several chests, a massive clam and even a pot of gold.

She couldn’t help but feel she had seen all of this before. Images flitted in her mind like half-remembered dreams. But where did it all come from?

Then a red form emerged from the darkness and spiraled upward. Alexis quickly stumbled out of the water and stared as it slowly circled toward the surface. Then a large head broke the calm water.

The creature was covered in scarlet scales with yellow under plates, like many dragons. It was long and serpentine. The creature had a pair of external ears that looked like miniature wings. As it pulled itself onto a shallow shelf, Alexis saw it possessed only one pair of legs and no wings.

The creature looked at her with a sad, cat-like gaze. She couldn’t help but feel she had met it once before and perhaps that was why she did not feel any fear of it.

How long has it been here…alone?

The little dragon chirped from his perch on a partially submerged rock. The larger beast groaned in response and she understood. It was the source of the sound that she had been hearing, and perhaps it was its cry that had made Cadmus come seeking it.

“It is all right,” Alexis finally spoke. “You are not alone anymore.”

The creature let out a deep sigh and seemed comforted. Alexis fidgeted, wondering what she should do next. Before she could come to a decision, it uncoiled its length and submerged. She watched the water froth and splash from the beast’s great weight.

The beast’s groans reverberated from under the surface as it passed over the treasures it evidently guarded. Then the creature’s head surfaced again, this time much closer to her. It slithered part way out of the water with a gold plate in its teeth. Lowering its massive head, it set the treasure at her feet. Alexis stared as it slowly backed into the water. When it had gone, she knelt and studied the offerings.

In addition to the golden plate, there was a chalice. Both were carved with images of mermaids. There was a gold, sea serpent-shaped ring, two gold bracelets engraved with images of strange sea creatures and mermaids, a gilded mirror, a coral comb and a pearl necklace. Alexis fingered the treasures and looked at Cadmus.

“Am I supposed to take these?”

Cadmus chirped.

“Why would it give me such things? And what am I going to do with them?”

The dragon whined.

Where is Artac when I need him?

“A gardener would have no use for them,” Alexis picked up the ring, “but a princess would, right?”

Cadmus purred. Alexis looked around the cave. Whatever happened here; whatever memories were in her mind, this place was special and secret. She gathered the treasures the beast had left, then stood. Silently, she followed Cadmus back the way they had come. At least, she hoped the dragon knew where it was going.