3: Phoenix
1175 Words
This is the second time this week that I have lost consciousness.
I now sit on the floor of the cave, coming to terms with the fact that Ahsen's younger half-brother did a spell on me to comfort me during my mini-anxiety attack.
I lifted my eyes from the floor, looking at him. He looked exactly like the guy in my dream. Every single detail. Down to the strand on his forehead. The only difference is that he had a much more carefree expression than before.
"Did you hear me, Anastasia?"
My head snapped up at her voice. "Unh-? oh, yeah." I stuttered, caught gawking red-handed.
Ahsen, sitting beside her brother, narrowed her eyes at me. "Oh really," she said.
"Nope. I have no idea what you said for the last two minutes," I confessed, looking First at Ahsen and then at her brother, whatever his name is.
Ahsen sighed. Her brother chuckled, looking at me straight in the eye for the first time.
His eyes were soo astounding. They were blue like the twilight sky.
"Right. So, this is my younger brother, Celalettin-"
He interrupted Ahsen, speaking in the middle of her sentence."Yeah, well, you can call me Celal."
"Sure." I smiled.
"As I was saying before, I was so rudely interrupted," she glared at Celal as I smiled at the last part." That is Celal, or as I call him, CeCe (pronounced Kiki)" she smirked. I burst out laughing because that nickname perfectly suits him. After I calmed down, I turn to him with a mischievous grin.
"Cece?" I asked, with a new smile on my face.
His head snapped up, meeting my eyes. "Only you two can call me that and get away with it." he huffed. It was so adorable that I couldn't suppress my giggle. His earlier mood was gone. I start feeling tipsy, so I close my eyes for a moment, still grinning. I could hear Ahsen and Celal having a whispered conversation, only they didn't have to whisper because I wouldn't be able to listen to them anyway. This was the same feeling I felt while exiting Beozi manor.
Abruptly, my giggles stop, and I could feel dread pooling in my stomach. My eyes are wide as saucers as I turn to the two of them. "What the heck? Why was I feeling so," I pause, trying to find the right word, "weird all of a sudden?"I ask, feeling nearly hungover.
Ahsen looked slightly guilty, while Celal just looked smug. Was he doing that? That is the same feeling I felt right after Ali left. Ahsen mentioned something about him then as well.
"Ok."Ahsen started, a determined look on her face, "So the thing is, Cece is a Pheonix shifter. He can't really shift into a firebird or yet anyway, but he can enhance or decrease your emotions. This time, he increased your positive emotions. It is called catalepsy or 'charm' based on whether its use is positive or negative. Celal used 'charm' on you. Being a Pheonix shifter, he can do this whenever he wants. Learning to control it accurately takes time. Even Celal hasn't mastered it completely, which is why I was against it. You were probably able to snap out of it because of the same reason." Ahsen explained as my gaze landed on a slightly uncomfortable Celal. Astonished would be an understatement of what I am feeling right now.
I feel utterly speechless right now.
Ahsen could see the look on my face. "Anastasia, I know this is a lot for you, and I think we both realize it as well. The reason I did that before was to try and calm you down as we tell you that mystical creatures exist, not only on Earth but almost everywhere in the galaxy."
Although his words were calming, I was still a tad angry. When I become angry, I don't let things go.
But of course, I need to calm down before I do something that could hurt anyone verbally.
"You could have kept it at a minimum. What is it called anyway?" I asked, my anger cooling down.
This time it was Ahsen who spoke, "This is what you could call catalepsy or charm, based on whether its use is positive or negative. Celal used his charm on you. Being a Pheonix shifter, he can do this whenever he wants. Learning to control it accurately takes time. Even Celal hasn't mastered it completely, which is why I was against it. You were probably able to snap out of it because of the same reason." She finished with a warm smile.
"What about you. Can you do it as well?" I interrogated.
"Well," Ahsen hesitated, "Being part Pheonix means I can't really control it properly without mixing in my own emotions. Trust me, I learned that the hard way. You probably won't be able to do it either."
"Me? I don't have a charm. I'm just a human, remember." I pointed out.
"No, you aren't," Ahsen confessed, hesitantly, as I stared at her, stupefied.
Celal was also staring at her, just as dumbfounded as I am. "Hunh," We both said at the same time in the same incredulous tone.
Ahsen then spoke, speaking all in one breath, "Anastasia Wilder, You are not a humane creature rather a tribrid. You are part Phoenix, part mermaid and a little part of you is a siren. The siren part explains why you are so breathtaking even for our standards." NO WAY!! I can't be a mystical creature.
Ahsen continued, "Your mother was a hybrid, but she did not tell your father, your real biological father. He is the one you thought had died so many years ago. He is a phoenix, but he has abused his powers. He didn't tell his wife either until it was too late."
My mind was whirling and spinning, and I don't think I would have handled that well had I not felt Celal's hand squeezing mine. I didn't even realize he moved.
Is my father actually alive? I thought he died in a car crash.
Ahsen continued before I could ask her anything else. "Oh! Also, the biggest part is that unlike most tribrids or even hybrids, you and your mother are fertile. She isn't the human mother you had on Earth. She lives around here somewhere, though she may be dead for all we know."
Now, THIS is news.
Oh hell, how am I gonna deal with this? The woman, who I thought to be my mother, is not my real biological mother. She is my foster mother. Why didn't she tell me? She neglected me half the time anyway. And to top it off, my father isn't dead?
I was fed lies for so long, and I didn't know. Now, because of those lies, I'm here. Stuck. On another planet.
Little did I know, this is just the beginning of my end. It takes two to make a child, and I do not have the most admirable or loving father...
- Writer
