High Alpha's Risen Mate

Chapter 5: Her Rise

"Every year on your birthday, you get a chance to start new."

-Sammy Hagar

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Chapter 5: She has Risen

POV: Third Person

It's the day Lucian has waited for. The Phoenix will finally rise. His plans are already set in motion. Lucian sits on his throne of thorns as fire rages around him in the underworld. He radiates dominance and darkness.

Being in the underworld, you can travel anywhere. Seddrick's barrier has left the underworld untouched.

Lucian taps the tip of his finger on the arm of his throne. Caspian, Lucian's second, stands before him. "My lord, Alora has requested an audience," Caspian says. Lucian expected her request after hearing of the recent body found.

It was Lucian who helped her to escape the dragon's labyrinth tower. She had caused the death of their beloved princess. They made her pay ten times in kind. Once she was beaten black and blue, she was sentenced to the labyrinth where she would face every fear you could imagine. Inside the labyrinth, your fears are amplified, making it the ultimate punishment. Death was far too kind to give to Princess Alora.

Princess Alora, the elven princess sentenced for her crimes. Now out for vengeance, she will never stop. Lucian will use her need for revenge to his advantage. Lucian's need to control the world is desperate.

He learned to turn his desperation into strategy. Lucian has played the long game. All he needs is the phoenix.

"Bring her," Lucian orders Caspian to allow Alora to enter his throne room. "Yes, sire." Caspian bows, turns on his heels, and walks towards the throne room door. He opens the big double doors, revealing Alora.

She walks into the throne room towards Lucian, only to stop a few feet from him. She kneels to him. "Rise, my dear," Lucian says, pleased with her respect for him. Alora rises to her feet.

"It is done." Alora simply says. Lucian smiles, pleased to hear. "I know, I've heard. You did quite a number on him. The poor little fae must have put up quite the fight." Lucian says.

"Yes, well, it won't happen next time. My next name, please?" Alora asks Lucian for her next victim.

Lucian, being on the United Council, allows him access to privileged information such as the court and case records for that of Princess Alora North. Everyone involved in her sentencing will suffer.

As part of Lucian and Alora's agreement, Lucian will provide her with a name once the victim is gone. Lucian knew Alora could not resist continuing her work before she was locked away. Only now she does it with revenge and darkness in her heart.

"Sam Lincoln, warlock." The name and species are the only things Lucian will give to Alora. If she wants her revenge bad enough, she will work for it. All she needs is a photo to identify them. She knows their faces but not their names from the trial.

Lucian has only ever given Alora low-level names. Allowing her to take out a major player would complicate things. It is too early for higher-ranked people to fall.

"It will be done soon," Alora promises and turns on her heel in anticipation of her next victim.

"Send the wraith through. I want everyone to be ready to take her. She cannot enter Valenwood." Lucian orders his second. The last thing Lucian needs is for Sierra to arrive in Valenwood. It would ruin his plans. He would be forced to move on to plan B. All he needs is for her to be on his side and use the stone for him. If he cannot touch the stone, then he will find another way.

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POV: Sierra Grace Moonchild

I wake up to the smell of cinnamon, bacon, and maple syrup. "Hmm." Raya hums in satisfaction. My stomach growls from the scent of breakfast cooking.

Today is the day, the day Raya takes her full form. July 6th, my birthday. I am officially 19 today.

The sense of change hovers over my head. It's going to happen, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. This is who I am. I'm just not so sure I'm ready for it.

Raya urges me to get out of bed so we can eat the delicious scent radiating throughout the house. I already know what Aunt Heather has made for breakfast. She makes the same thing every year on my birthday: Hickory-smoked bacon, French toast with maple syrup, topped with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream, and a glass of orange juice to wash it all down.

"Hurry up, I'm starving. I need lots of energy today." Raya urges me once more. She is right, we're going to need our energy today. A lot is happening.

I hop out of bed and get dressed, throwing my hair into a messy bun. Then I make my way to the kitchen, where I find Aunt Heather has already placed a plate for me on the table. "Happy birthday." She says.

I give her an appreciative smile. I take a bite of my bacon and almost die from how good it is. "Good morning, my love." Uncle Blake enters the kitchen with Archer. He places a kiss on Aunt Heather's cheek.

In the past two days, the order of the flame, as they call themselves, has spent the time preparing and teaching me. For example, I learned Heather and Blake are something they call a mate or soulmate. It means they're fated to be together. Their souls are one.

Archer and Devon have worked with me to control my fire. I've had a few incidents. Archer and Devon have fire elemental powers, as I do, so they're the perfect fit to help me. The fire doesn't affect them as it does Heather, Blake, and Landon.

"So, Si, how does it feel to be nineteen?" Landon asks, sitting at the table."Yeah, happy birthday, kiddo." Devon steals my bacon and kisses me on the cheek. "Hey!" I yell in protest. How dare he steal my bacon?

"Oh, stop your pouting. You have to save room for cake." Devon pokes my nose, causing it to scrunch up. "Yes, eat up, and we will do your cake, honey. Then we have to leave." Aunt Heather implores.

We're going to the barrier today, where I will shift into Raya under the moonlight. Then I can cross through the barrier. I do find it strange that if everyone else is impervious to crossing the barrier and when I cross over the barrier will weaken. If Lucian is ending creatures of the dark over the barrier, how is it not weakened?

"Here, sweetheart, I thought you might like to have this." Aunt Heather places a silver oval-shaped locket with rose embellishments. I look inside the locket and see two oddly familiar-looking people. Who are they? The woman holds an infant in her arms. On the other side of the locket is a photo of just the man and the woman.

I feel so connected to the people. Stray tears fall from my eyes as an odd feeling of grief takes over me. "These are your parents. I searched for a long time to find these photos. I thought maybe you would like to have a piece of them.

Mom? Dad? These are my parent...

I hardly recognized them. It has been so long, and I was so young. What four-year-old remembers what her parents look like? What their voices sound like... I would give anything to hear their voices once more- to be held in the safety of their arms and never let go.

"I love it." My arms wrap around Heather's neck, hugging her as a thank you. "Let's put it on you, yeah?" She secures the chain holding the locket around my neck. "Happy birthday, sweetheart." She kisses my cheek. No matter who they are, they will always be my family. They did raise me after all. How can I just forget all of that despite the truth?

After everyone has eaten, Uncle Blake places my favorite chocolate strawberry cake, sprinkled with Oreo dust, and topped with fresh chocolate-covered strawberries. Pink glittery candles in the shape of a one and a nine sit in the center of the cake, waiting to be blown out. They sing Happy Birthday, and I blow the candles out.

After we eat a slice of cake, it's time to go. My destiny awaits as I'm told. I don't feel like I'm something great like they see me. I'm just a girl.

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The sky is in a twilight setting. The twilight set the mood of anticipation. The sun is almost set and we are close to the barrier. According to Landon, once we get to the island ahead, all I need to do is transform and rise flying through the barrier. It's a bit nerve-wracking.

As I look at the island and around it. I don't see any barrier or fire. It's clear as day. All that can be seen ahead is nothing but the ocean and ice. Galciers' line where the barrier should be. One single island covered in snow sits in the middle of the water with nothing to see.

"Where is the barrier? I thought it would be more fiery?" I give in to curiosity and ask. Some of this stuff I'm just accepting at their word without question. Other, I have no choice but to question.

"It's not something that can be seen with the visible eye. The flames are invisible. If the humans today knew of its existence, war would entail. What you see is an illusion. The ice blocks them from crossing over. The ice isn't even there." Devon explains.

As the sun sets, Blake and Archer anchor the boat and allow us to get out of the boat and onto the island. Whose idea was it to put a phoenix in the middle of all this snow and ice? Won't I melt it when I've transformed into Raya?

My family surrounds me in a wide circle, waiting to witness my first shift into Raya. I take a deep breath and put all my trust into Raya. I have no idea how to start. "Worry not, for I will take the reins now. Do you trust me, Sierra? We must be one and in total sync." Raya says.

My eyes close, breathing in one last breath. I'm in total trust of her. I can feel our connection. We are the same. I am her, and she is me. We are one.

When I open my eyes, I am surrounded by flames. Blue and purple flames fan out at the end of my wings. My wings fan out fully, showing their shape. Red and orange fiery feathers blend out into the end feathers of blue and purple.

I close my eyes, embracing the flames around me. Blissful is what I feel. Before I know it, I feel my feet lift up. Looking down, my feet are hovering over the ground. I'm flying!

Raya lets out a loud shrieking sound, almost like a scream. Raya lands on the ground, and right before my eyes, the flames around me disappear. "You have risen," Archer says.

Before anyone else could say anything else, this floating creature with a ripped and worn cloak appeared. The creature has no face, only a dark void. It screeches and points at me with its skeletal-like finger. What the hell is that thing?!

More things appear suddenly. Creatures that are pitch black with no face or ears. They look like a silhouette. "Shadows!" Landon yells. What? "Wraith!" Devon yells too.

Then the same fiery dogs I now know as hellhounds appear. It's an ambush. They all come towards me. I visibly swallow. This is not good.

Landon and Blake tackle them to keep them from me. I need to do something, but how? How did I defend myself from them the first time? "Raya, what do I do?" I beg.

"Get through the barrier now." She says. "No! What about them? I can't leave them." How could she say that? "This is their sworn oath. We have our own sworn duty, we can not risk being taken." Raya implores, but I refuse. I won't leave them to die.

Heather shifts into a beautiful red wolf. She fights back as one of the hellhounds attacks her. I jump into the fight, attempting to make the bow and arrow as I did before, only to fail. How did I do it before? Devon and Archer are surrounded by the shadow creatures. I make a snowball in my hand and throw it at them, gaining their attention.

They want me then come and get me. I run towards Landon and Blake, fighting through the crowd, putting my martial arts skills to use. One of the hellhounds manages to bite my arm, making me scream in agony.

Landon charges at the hellhound, pushing him off me. A group of hellhounds jumps on Landon. He growls loudly in pain. "No!" I scream. I look over to see that Blake and Heather are crowded by shadows and the wraith. The wraith pushes a white stone into Blake's chest. "Get her out of here!" Blake yells in pain.

Next thing I know is Devon and Archer are rushing towards me, and I'm shifted back into Raya. She flies high into the air and rushes down, grabbing Devon and Archer with her talons. Then we fly right through the ice into the barrier.

Flashes of memories rush through my head. Every phoenix's life and its purpose go through my head. I'm left with a sense of purpose.

Doubt is no more. I know my purpose and what I need to do. The stones will be reunited, and the balance will be restored. I am the phoenix, and I have risen.