The Scarlet Phoenix and the Prince of Winter

Chapter Eighty

I hunted the man down, but he was more elusive than I had expected him to be. I guess he also sensed that I was now after him after what happened because he just disappeared without a trace. I could not find him anywhere and that just frustrated me, for I lost a lot of my followers because of that person. Ova and the others died because of that man, and no amount of forgiveness from him will compensate for the damage that he has done.

"What if he is outside of Aure?" Nievo suggested to me one day when I returned to our new home from searching for that man. I even notified the King of Aure of the troubles that the man brought to me, and the King said that they were going to help me search for the man. It was from them that I learned that this man was a mercenary and was willing to kill anyone if that will benefit him. He was kind of famous from the town where he came from. They even gave him the nickname The Rain Phantom, as it is said that he appears when it rains and attacks his enemies using the rain as his advantage. "But even if he is far away, I think that he is still a threat. I could sense in him the same energy that I sense in you and I don't know why."

"He is Kentan in human form," I explained further to Nievo, for there was no other explanation why he had those powers that ordinary people do not have. "Maybe that is why you feel that energy in him as with me. We have to find him before he turns back into a deity. He will be a pain to everyone especially for the Royal Family of Aure if he remains free."

"But how can you find someone that seems to have disappeared in the face of the earth? I think he is now trying to hide from you as it would have been obvious that you were going to wake up soon. That's why he tried to attack you while you were still hibernating in the first place, right? He wanted to eliminate you while you were still helpless. That person knows a lot about you too."

Nievo was right. And that is what's keeping me at my toes. This Rain Phantom, which I deeply believe to be Kentan's reincarnation as a human, knows everything about me. It should have not mattered if I know of someone that could have given him the information that he needed but I don't know of anyone that has enough knowledge about me. He even knows about Nievo being the possible human reincarnation of Volo! So it makes me think, how is he able to get this so much information?

"Let us rest for a while," I finally said after another round of searching in another area that e have not previously covered yet. "Do you know how to go to my follower's place, yet? I remember that you told me that you had a hard time going there."

"Yeah, I had," he replied, scratching his head. "I was lost. And when I was finally there, I still cannot comprehend how to get in."

I laughed. "That's alright. That just means that Ova and my other followers had done a great job of securing the safety of the place. Come on, e will go there now. I need to talk to the rest of my followers too." And we did go there. It was funny how Nievo looked so surprised that we were able to go there without all the troubles that he faced when he tried to come here the first time. And when we finally got inside the place, Nievo's jaw dropped at the sight.

As he should. This was the Sanctuary that I requested from my Gypsies to build. And they built it beautifully. "Wow, what is this place? Is this still real? It looks so ethereal!" He looked around the place and could not believe what he was seeing. I knew that he would be mesmerized by the sight, as this was the most beautiful place that I have ever seen too. It is a garden in the middle of two rivers that meets in a spot, which is also surrounded by mountains. The mountain range encompassing the place serves as a natural wall that hides and protects the place. It is a safe haven, so to speak, but also a holy ground.

"Indeed. This place is my turf. This is where I first met my followers. They were a group of nomads who would go from one place to another in search of food and good fortune. They believed in the deities so deeply, and that is why they chose not to stay in one place. In their beliefs, staying in one place disrespects the flow of nature."

"Why would they think that?"

"They firmly believed that only the deities can claim territories like that, so in their opinion, staying at one place was the same as owning it for themselves, which would be a huge disrespect to the deities like me. Other people have called them Gypsies, but they call themselves the Luria, which in Plumbish means 'the truth seekers.' And when they found this place which I used to frequent, they decided to stay here for a while. Then they saw me here and immediately wanted to follow me. The rest became history..."

"I see... so this is where they have built a hidden community," he said nodding to himself while looking at the gardens that I personally grew with my bare hands. "It is beautiful, but why do I feel like it is a lonely place too?"

"Oh, it might be because I cried here long ago..." I admitted to him.

"You c-cried here? For what?" he asked and then covered his mouth like a fool who had just realized the question that he asked. "I am so sorry, my dear deity! I should have not said that---!"

"It's okay. It is a long time already. I had even forgotten why I cried that time, but as you see, my tears have powers. A phoenix's tears are always magical. The land here has been tilled by my tears and that is why flowers and plants bloom in here differently. Even the rocks here that have been wet by my tears have some magical properties."

"Woah! What an amazing power!"

I nodded. "This used to be my hideout. And as time went by I visit this place whenever I want to think about something. But when my followers showed up here, I made this a sanctuary for them, so that they will have a place that they can call their home. And to avoid invaders and outsiders that will cause them harm, I put on a spell here that would repel anyone other than my followers and me. That is why you had a hard time reaching this place on your own."

"I know, but if that was the case, why did you want me to hide here? I can't even enter this place, so I found it crazy that you wanted to send me here while you were in deep slumber."

"I know. And I am so sorry for that. I was just testing you if your own powers would awaken, Nievo. I thought that because of who you are, you would be able to enter here without problems, that you would not need the key. I thought that you just need the instructions from the shield on how to get here, which we give to the relatives of my followers when they have to visit them here."

Nievo looked bewildered by what I just said. "Wait... My dear deity, did you just said that I have powers? Me? What do you mean by that?"

I know that this was the time to tell him everything, so I did what I had to do. "I think this is the proper time to tell you about the theory that I have in my mind. Please bear with me for a moment, Nievo. You have to know about this in detail."

"Alright, I'll be all ears," he replied so I told him everything from the start. I told him Volo, the great deity of winter, had killed himself by drowning at the sea in Plumba so that he can be reborn as a human. I also told him why he did that, and what has Kentan, a deity of the sea has got to do with that. I also shared with him my theory that it is the reason why Kentan or this Rain Phantom wanted to kill him too. Naturally, Nievo was shocked that he could be the deity of winter that I have been looking for for years now. I was not also surprised that he tried to reject the idea.

"T-That's impossible..." he told me with a confused look on his face. But it just made me feel more confident that he is indeed Volo in human form, as even his facial expression right now resembled Volo's. "I have parents... I have a family... I even have friends! So how is it possible that I can become a deity?"

I shook my head because I think he misunderstood what I explained to him. "It is not like that, Nievo. You did not become a deity. You became a human. It is the other way around."

"That may be the case but I don't have any memories of my life as a deity, so how is that possible? I mean, I have no problem if that is the truth, I just can't see how it is possible! I just can't comprehend that it is real!"

"I know, I know, that is why I was having second thoughts in telling you all of this. I know that it looks impossible to you right now, and it does not help that I have no solid proof that will convince you that I am telling you the truth, but believe me, there is a huge chance that you are Volo."

I saw him swallow hard at what I said. "Okay, let us say that it is the truth. What happens to me then? When will I come back as a deity? And what will happen to me, as a human? Will I disappear together with my memories as a human? Because if that is what's going to happen, I do not want that, my dear deity."

"I understand your concern," I told him nodding. "And I worry about that too. However, I have no clue as to what will happen to you once you come back as Volo. Maybe you will go forever or maybe Volo can retain your memory too. It depends on what fortune you have, Nievo. But you cannot escape the fact. Once your deity powers awaken inside of you, I think you will be able to use your powers."

He went silent after that. "I don't know if I really want to become a deity. It seems to be a very risky thing to be. Plus, that would mean that I would not die, right?"

I nodded. "You won't die as we don't die in any kind of natural way. We can only die in battle. And even if we die, we are just reborn as humans."

"That is why I don't want that. Imagine how tiring that would be, to exist for eternity."

"It is a curse," I told him sadly. "But it has its own perks. And if you are really Volo then you have no choice but to accept it Nievo. But you do not have to worry. I will be by your side until you turn yourself into the deity that you once were. I will see to it that Kentan or that Rain Phantom will not be able to stop you."

"T-Thank you..." he said to me gratefully, but I noticed that he seemed to be down after he learned all of those that I told him. I wished that I could take everything back, but he also needs to know that right away. I don't want him to live this life without a clue of who he might be. I know that even if I told him that there was a big chance that he is indeed Volo, I am sure that he will cling to the smaller chance that he is not, so I wanted to fix that once and for all.

One night, I returned to my safe haven while he was sleeping in the tavern that I made just for him. I woke him up and showed him what I had brought. "What is that? Why do you have a mirror with you?"

"This is the enchanted mirror that I gave the King and the Queen so that they can help me with my search for Volo's human reincarnation. If you are really indeed Volo, you will see his reflection in the mirror. So come on have a look." I ushered him to the mirror which I put in the doorway. He went to it and instantly take a peek at the mirror. Of course, I could not tell whether he was seeing Volo or not as it is only him who can see that. He stared at it for quite a long time though, as if he was perplexed at what he was seeing.

"My dear deity..."

"Yes? What are you seeing?" I asked excitedly as he called me without looking back at me. I was behind him waiting for his reaction, but it took him this long to even just call me so I have started to wonder. "Tell me, Nievo, what do you see?"

"I am indeed him," he told me and I celebrated it silently. Finally! I had found Volo! I was right! I was incredibly right!

"But why are you looking at the mirror like that?" I can't help but ask him. "What is the matter? Do you see something else?"

Nievo nodded. "I can see something else. This mirror... does it show you the future too?"

I was taken aback by his reply. "W-What do you mean? You mean you can see something there that has not happened yet?"

"Something like that," he replied simply, which just made me more curious. What on earth did he see? I tried to ask him what he saw, but he just waved me off. "It is better for you not to know about it," he said. "The thing that I saw will break your heart."

"I don't care what it dies to me, I just want to know what did you see! Just tell me, Volo!"

But he was refusing me all the time. "I am sorry, but I cannot follow your orders."

"I am your Master!" I said to him indignantly. "You are my servant! You have to follow whatever I told you to do!"

"But I am Volo too. I am also a deity. You cannot force me to do something from now on, Alfiroa."

"W-What did you say?" I splattered at what I heard. He just talked to me informally, even calling me with my name. It irked me, but I tried my best not to get at him.

"I have to sleep now," he told me and went back to his bunk bed. I wanted to talk to him more, but the look on his face scared me. It was frightening. It was as if whatever he saw there in the mirror terrorized him deeply. I tried to look at it myself too but all I can see is my own reflection. I even asked my remaining followers to look at the mirror too if they can see something in it, but only one of them had told me that she saw something.

It was Colet, a younger member of the Gypsies, that was able to have a glimpse of something in the mirror. She claimed that she saw herself getting married to an unknown man and that she saw herself living in a mansion in the hills facing the sea of Plumba.

"Wait... I know that mansion that you are saying. It is the one owned by a Gypsy too that had married a pirate from overseas."

"Really, my dear deity? There is a place like that?"

I nodded. "Perhaps you have already been there? And you just saw it in the mirror because you have been to that mansion?"

"That is impossible, my dear deity," said one of my followers. "Colet has been born here. She never had the chance to get out of this place, so it's impossible. She had never been there, my dear deity."

"Then why did she see that house?"

"I don't have any idea too, my dear deity. But if we follow what Nievo said, if it is true that this mirror can show you the future, then maybe Colet has seen her future too? Maybe she's going to marry someone from that household?"

I shook my head in frustration. "I don't think that is how it works. But even so, let us not worry too much about it. Colet, I want you to go to that mansion at Plumba and visit them. Confirm the place for me if that is what you actually saw. Bring the mirror with you." Then I ordered someone else to accompany her. "Make sure that you will have answers once you come back," I told them and they nodded. I was already preparing myself to rest when one of them came running towards me. "My dear deity! I have some bad news for you!"

"What is it?"

"Nievo is gone! He left!"