Gifts of the Living Phoenix

Chapter 8

The Changing....

            “Faith?”  Everett called out her name gently.

Faith opened her eyes to see Everett looking over her with a look of concern.

            “I’m alright, Everett,” Faith immediately said.  “I was thinking of something.”

            “Well, we have some interesting news for you as well,” said Edric eagerly.

Faith smiled to see Edric hover over her as well.

            “To what do I owe this surprise?  Two visits in one day?  Is that allowed?” Faith whispered as if worried about being overheard.

            “Yeah, we’re good to go. We had a chat with Professor Geniason.  He approved our visits, luckily,” grinned Everett.

            “We have something we wanted to share,” Edric started again.

Faith frowned.  Both twins seemed bursting to share something with her.  Then suddenly she heard Melody burst through the doors as well.

            “I found it after all!” Melody exclaimed.  “Sorry it took so long, I didn’t realize I put it away in the wrong place.”

            “What is this all about?”  Faith asked curiously.

            “May as well wait for the rest of them, they all want to hear it,” Melody said triumphantly.

            “Others?”  Faith said in confusion.

            “Yeah… others,” admitted Melody.  “They overheard and now they all want to know as well.

Just as Melody’s last words left her lips, she saw Jacob, Kyle and Dante enter the room as well.

It was starting to get a bit crowded so the twins shifted over to the sides of the bed in the middle, each holding Faith’s hands as if to comfort her for the news she was about to receive.

            “Wait, am I dying?” Faith said in alarm looking at the twins holding her hands?

            “Uh, no?  Why would you think that?!”  Melody said a little perplexed.

            “You guys are all here acting somber and it’s leading me to believe something bad is going to happen,” Faith said examining the two hands that were clutching hers.

Melody rolled her eyes.  “The twins are just anxious for you, but you’re not dying. Sheesh!”

            “Ok… so what’s going on?  Why am I feeling so hot and sick?” 

Melody proceeded to talk. 

            “You know the story about the mythical creature the Phoenix?  The one that was reborn out of the ashes to live again? Well, there is a similar story kind of related to that.  There is a story that says after a thousand frozen years, a special creature will be born to the first born of a special elf who will have the gifts of the Living Phoenix and rise from the ashes.  She will have immense power to give warmth to those who seek it and rebirth the world as was before.  She is said to be the first born, of a first born son who’s silver eyes and hair will charm all to do her bidding.

                                                                The Living Phoenix

                                                    “Born of grace, to find her place,

                                                    this first born girl of a first born son

                                                will change the world ...to bring us peace.

                                                        To this one will be wed the two,

                                                        All to rule from the top to view,

                                                        She can choose... her gifts to cease…”

Melody’s voice trailed off as she stopped reading.  Faith looked up at her as if questioning her ability to read.

 “HUH?  That’s it?  It doesn’t sound like the whole prophecy, does it?” Faith questioned confused.

            “Yeah, its weird.” Said Melody. “But that’s not the point.  The prophecy tells us a lot.  To this one, will be wed the two. Maybe it’s talking about you and the twins!”  Exclaimed Melody.

Hearing this made Faith turn crimson red, both the twins looked more like they were entranced by Faith.

            “Um, might I point out a flaw though?”  sighed Faith. “I’m not the first born to a first born son.  I’m the daughter of a second born son.” 

            “Yeah well, the prophecy wasn’t perfect,” Melody snickered.

However, your symptoms are here.  A thousand years ago there was a girl just like you, who looked just like you, who became this Living Phoenix creature and could bring immense warmth to the world, it was right before the Ogacio actually came. 

            “What happened to her?  Because obviously it didn’t work back then.” said Faith.

            “Well… yeah… because she was killed…”  said Melody quietly.

The room got very quiet after that revelation.  No one was sure that this was what was happening to Faith, but it was true she was burning up like the same silvered hair looking girl in the manual.  Her change would be in 5 days and she had already finished day 1.  If this was true, she would be different in 5 days, if not, they could all go off to Mid Term break and see their families.  Day 5 would be on Saturday…. They would all be waiting to see if they were going through wishful thinking or a dawn of a new era. 

            Dante came to see Faith quite often throughout those first four days she was in the infirmary.  He had wanted to change the awkwardness he had created between them from the first day she came to his class.  They had gotten on better as time went on, but Dante was more interested in Faith than he wanted to admit.  He had watched her from afar and saw how sweet she was in character, and how little she cared for the things that other girls seemed to deem important.  

               He thought Melody was similar, but because she was older than them, it made sense that Melody was more mature.  Faith was only 16, but she was already quite poised for someone of such a young age.  Dante pushed down the feelings that welled up inside him.  He only admired her because she was such a good elf he said.  She meant nothing to him otherwise.

            On the fourth day, he came to tell her that she was going to be having some guests - guards actually - outside her room just in case something happened.  Each realm though scoffing at the prophecy had still sent one representative to stand guard just in case.  The representative being sent showed they all had listened.  The fact that only one member was sent showed they didn’t really believe in what they heard, at least not fully. 

            Dante felt that was enough though.  His group was ready to stand guard if that should happen.  He now realized the reason that he felt a pull to Faith.  If she was the Living Phoenix, then he was her guardian.  His father had half mentioned this duty but also hadn’t believed that a Living Phoenix would ever be born.  Therefore, he only passed some knowledge to him about his duty, not all of it.  All of it however, would be unveiled on the fifth day. 

The fifth day

            It was right before midnight on the eve of the fifth day.  Faith didn’t feel any differently but still felt hot and stuffy in the infirmary.  She wanted to go back to her own room, and her own space.  But her temperature was still elevated and she was warm to the touch.  Whatever was happening to her couldn’t be shaken off.  She wanted some water, so she got up and went across the room to the bedside table to get some water.  The cool water quenching her parched throat provided momentary relief from the heat.  After drinking however, she felt even warmer. 

I should definitely lie back down, she thought, oohhh not good, not good. I’m getting light headed.

            That was the last thing Faith remembered.  At the stroke of midnight, her body became cocooned by a blinding white light which emitted a strong heat too hot for anyone to endure.  The guards who had been standing out guarding her room were surprised to feel the heat come through the doors and found that they were stopped from getting through an invisible barrier.  Their shouts led to more people coming to the door of Faith’s room but no one could penetrate the barrier or the heat that could be felt from the other side.   There was no blaze to be seen, no fire that they could smell, but the heat was intense and the glare of the white light blinded anyone trying to look directly into the room. 

            The twins and Melody had decided to check up on Faith before going to bed.  When they got to the infirmary, they heard all the commotion and were held back by the three guards from the realms and told to go back to their rooms.  Everett had tried to break through in panic but could not find any way in.  Even if he hadn’t been pushed back by the guards, he was in no way able to push through the barrier. 

            Dante seemed to appear out of nowhere suddenly and soon was eagerly trying to get through the doors to Faith as well.  It was all in vain.  No one was going in or out of that room until this immense light died out.

            And it would not go out until the fifth day came to a close.  Only then did the light cease to shine so brightly.  Only then were they able to withstand the glare and look into the room where Faith’s body was lying – the room buzzing slightly, sounding like water evaporating off a hot stovetop.  Everett was the first to push into the room and kneel next to Faith.  She looked the same, but different too.  He couldn’t put his finger on it, but her hair seemed to be shinier and longer?  Did it even look like it was a sparkly silver?  And her skin was extremely white and silky smooth, almost like the creamy milk in appearance.  She was still Faith, but somehow she was even more beautiful than before and had a warm glow around her. 

            Everett couldn’t help himself, he was so worried for Faith, his emotions overtook him and he found himself gently placing his lips upon hers.  Moments later, Faith opened her eyes.