Prechapter: wrote:
I stared down the long wall, and studied the grass at the bottom. The ground was so far away, and people were barely visible from up here. This castle was in the sky. I saw a cloud casually floating over towards me. It passed through me, and obscured my vision. I couldn't see anything, but it calmed my mind. When it passed, I was able to see again, but I was worried again too.
I turned around on this platform that I was on. It was a small stone platform with a parapet stopping someone from accidentally falling off. There was one door that led to a small room. I tried to open it, but it was locked. Besides me, there was only one person up here. The maid of the mount. She was in her usual pose. Her face was locked on me, and her arms were outstretched. I was lost, and I was angry.
“What's wrong with this place? Why are you here? What are you trying to save me from?”
She stared at me in silence. I counted the seconds before I continued. One, two, three, four, and five.
“What are we doing here? Why do you haunt me?”
One, two, three, four, and five.
“It's perfect here! Nothing is wrong! I have my friends, I have my family! Why do you want to take me away from here? I saved Natalie! I saved Fletcher! Everyone is HAPPY!”
One, two, three, four, and five.
Still, the maid of the mount stood silently besides me. Verbally, she was silent, but physically, she was screaming inside my head. She was sorry, and she was sad. Why was she sad? Sad for me? Yes. Why? I don't understand. The door opened, revealing everything inside. It was a nightmare that escaped that room. I had locked it for a reason.
I saw two Natalies, I saw two Fletchers, and I saw Jepu.
One, two, three, four, and five.
They were all smiling despite having vastly different conditions.
The first Natalie was in great distress. Parts of her hair were missing, along with a chunk of her ear. The flesh on one of her thighs was stripped to the bone, and it was struggling to hold her weight. Her gut was open, and blood was drooling down the front of her shirt. Her face was more scratches than skin; and she was smiling. She was completely obvlivious to the wounds her body had sustained. The second Natalie was perfect.
The first Fletcher was deathly pale. The blood was draining down his neck from a fresh wound. The top of his head was the same way. He was coughing, and his spittle was dark red. He was wheezing and could hardly breathe. He wiped the blood off of his face and revealed a large smile. He was also forgetting the extreme damage that his body had accumulated. The second Fletcher was pristine.
When my eyes fell on Jepu his face lit up. He was smiling kindly at me. He walked up to me as though we had been long lost friends. He embraced me warmly before taking his place back in line. He turned around still smiling. Something was wrong. I looked back at the maid of the mount and her arms were still outstreched, her eyes were still locked on me. What was she trying to say?
“Why? Why are you doing this to me? It is perfect here! Why did you bring these monstrosities here?” I waited for her to answer; she didn't.
“I didn't bring them here! They were way up here, locked away. They were locked, hidden from everyone! Why did you release them?” I waited for her to answer; she didn't.
“Look at them! Just look at them! Natalie wouldn't have survived! I saved her! I DID! And look at Fletcher! He's better alive! They're together! They have a FAMILY TOGETHER! WHY?” I waited for her to answer; she didn't.
One, two, three, four, and five.
The seconds flew by, but still no answer. I fell to the ground crying. “Why? Why can't I keep them hidden?” I felt a hand on my shoulder. I felt the other under my arm, and they gently helped me up to my feet. I was turned around and hugged tightly. I looked at both Natalies and both Fletchers again. Jepu was missing; he was helping me. I pushed him away from me.
“Why? What is wrong? What do you want me to do?”
“They're not real? What do you mean? I made them real!”
“I made them that way! Why would I want to remember an imperfect Natalie?”
“This Natalie loves me and cares for me too! Everyone is happy here!”
“No he doesn't.”
“Forget him. He doesn't belong here. He doesn't deserve this.”
“This is my kingdom! This is my castle! Of course I deserve this!”
“I KNOW! But I don't know what. What is missing?”
The heavily wounded Natalie fell to the ground, she was wheezing, she was dying.
“NO!”
I grabbed her hand.
“Natalie? Natalie, can you hear me,” I asked, my face was drowning in tears.
“Yes,” she struggled to say. Her breathing was harsh and she sounded winded.
“I'm sorry Natalie. I'm sorry. The ground, I lost my footing and fell...”
“Stop,” she managed to say before screaming in agony. She squeezed my hand hard, and wheezed heavily for a few breaths. Her body relaxed and she smiled. “It's not your fault… You did your best. Hurgh… … You ahh… you need to understand.”
“What? Understand what?”
“Love.”
“Love? I do understand that though?”
Natalie coughed, and wheezed before continuing, “If… If you do… Don't let them bring me back.”
“What? No, Natalie!”
“Don't! Ah!”
Natalie writhed again struggling to breathe. She grasped my hand even tighter than before. Her breathing increased rapidly, but they grew short and raspy. Her eyes were glossy and distant, but calm. She looked firmly into my eyes, and struggled to pull herself onto my lap. I helped lay her head on my thigh, and her eyes grew dreamy.
Her breathing slowed to a stop, and her body relaxed forever. I held her head in my hands and began sobbing aloud; Natalie was dead. I pulled her body up, and held her close. I knew she was dead, but I knew also that she could feel all of my emotions as well. I felt alone, and hopeless. This war was taking its toll on me, and my family, and my friends. I lowered Natalie to the floor, and stood up once again.
I was suddenly back with the maid of the mount. She was still waiting for me with her arms wide open. I neglected her offer again. She was trying to persuade me, but I needed convincing. I didn't recognize any problem with my world. Everyone was happy. What was wrong with that?
The wounded Fletcher fell next. He was choking, coughing, and writhing along the platform. He was dying. His face was paling and he was running out of blood. I tried to run over to him, but the maid of the mount pinned me to the wall.
“...”
I sat down; she was right. If I went to help Fletcher now, I would probably get shot as well. Fletcher's body began to slide through the platform, and I stood up to reach him. The maid of the mount pinned me against the wall again.
“...”
I heard something that I hadn't heard before in watching his death. The whispers of my dying brother. When I watched him die, Emos was talking and there was fire and arrows; I couldn't hear him. The maid of the mount was silent. She let me hear the words of my brother while he died a second time.
“Altimis... Altimis. I love you.”
Fletcher's body continued to float through the floor until he was completely obscured from view. He was gone forever.
“Goodbye Fletcher.”
I felt my eyes begin to tear up. My world was perfect, my world was whole, but it was a lie. My world was missing something. It was missing love. Everyone was happy here; everyone but me was happy here. I made a perfect world, by hiding the imperfections. There was never any trouble, there was never any strife, there was only perfection. I couldn't stand my faults or my failures, so I hid them.
I fell to my hands and knees and wept atop this platform. I sobbed for hours, stopping only to take deep breaths from my pained chest. I was weak. Instead of accepting my life, I created perfection. I looked up at Natalie, Fletcher and Jepu. They were silently watching me. They were smiling.
They never spoke. Nobody ever spoke. I spoke, both my dead memories spoke. They were real. This world wasn't real.
“NO!”
It had to be real. I had been here for so long. Something was wrong. It was perfect. There were flaws. I racked my brain, thinking hard about my world. Watching the family, walking along the beach. Nobody spoke. Watching Fletcher, arguing with Caitlyn, fighting with Edward. Nobody spoke. Everybody was always smiling. They were always smiling. I broke down.
“WHY?”
“Why can't I stay here in this world? I like this world.”
“No, I don't.”
“Everyone is happy, but there is no love. There is no love within this world.”
“Something else to show me? Haven't you shown me enough?”
Suddenly, a body fell down onto the platform. I looked up to see where it could have come from, but there was nothing above me. I walked over to the body, and I recognized it as my own. What was wrong with me? I studied the body closely.
I was lying there with a vacant expression on my face. My eyes were glossed over. My body wasn't moving. I reached down to find a pulse; my heart was racing. I placed my hand in front of my mouth to check for breathing; my breaths were rapid. What was happening?
“What is this?”
“As I last remembered it?”
“You!” I pointed at Jepu. He smiled at me. “You did this to me?”
He nodded.
“No, you're right. It's not his fault. What can I do? How can I help myself?”
“A choice?”
“I choose that world. I don't want this world.”
“I do choose it! What do you mean?”
“I WANT IT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?”
“Yes. I need to be taken there. My mind is broken, and only I can fix it. This world, I need to leave, but I can't can I?”
“Then I must start fixing what I can. I need to remember reality. I need to make my way home.”
“I'll need help. My mind is broken, but I can fix it if I know how.”
“I know where I need to go, but I can't get there. Until then, could I borrow you?”
“You used to take people to a sacred place. The tower of eternity. Within it, the knowledge of everything that was and that will be. In it, I can find my cure.”
“Yes, and I need you to take me there.”
“I know. I remember. Oh merciful maid of mine. Take me to a place divine.”
Jepu's blade struck the floor beneath my head sharply. The noise rang in my head. I felt no pain; I didn't even blink. Jepu look shocked as I sat up. I turned around and swung my blade at him. He barely raised his blade enough to protect himself. I knocked him off his feet, and he ended up in front of the tub.
“How? How is this possible? What are you doing?”
“I'm finding my way.”
I swung out again and again at Jepu. He found his way back to his feet and we restarted our duel. Jepu and I were dancing around the room together. We were both tired, but neither of us relented. Powerful strike after powerful strike, our battle continued. After five minutes of parrying we were back to where we started. Jepu was in front of the tub, and I was in front of the stairs.
Originally, I wanted to be in this position so I could run and get help. Now, I had all the help I needed. Now, I needed to kill Jepu and rid the world of The Phoenix King. Suddenly, we heard screams as two children leapt out of the pile of clothes in the tub. They both had knives and attacked Jepu.
One found its way into Jepu's thigh, and the other into his shoulder. Jepu angrily swung his free hand at the two children, but I stopped him and kicked him down. He tripped over a chest and landed heavily on the floor. I jumped over the chest and pinned his blade to the floor. He struggled to move it, but then tried to punch me in the face.
I dropped my sword and caught his arm. I proceeded to pin Jepu to the floor and the two children grabbed the swords away from us. Jepu snarled at me; he was trying to escape. I was stronger than him. Now that he was unable to move, he was unable to be faster than me; I had won.
“What are you going to do now? You have defeated me!”
The child who had my sword handed it to me. I took it in my only free hand. I was too tired to hold it and pin Jepu at the same time. They handed me a knife when I dropped the sword on the ground. Jepu finally began to cry; I found this disturbing.
“Leave,” I told the children, “you shouldn't see this.” They turned around to leave, but I stopped them to say, “thank you.”
Both of the children turned to me and smiled. They nodded. They each saluted me. Each one held his right fist to his forehead, and punched it forward. Then, they turned and ran down the stairs. I turned my attention back to Jepu. He was still crying.
“What are you doing?”
“Make it quick.”
I was unsure of what to do. The last time I faced The Phoenix King he was vicious and confident, even when he had lost. Jepu was not. Did I make a mistake? No. He was tricking me. He would say anything to get me to release him. If I released him he would continue to cause trouble. If he did, everyone would blame me. It would be my fault. That I could not allow. He was playing mind games with me, and I wouldn't fall for it.
Still, I was unsure. Something wasn't right, something was different. If he wasn't The Phoenix King, I would be killing an innocent man. Well, he wasn't innocent, but he wouldn't be The Phoenix King. That, too, would weigh heavily on my soul. I was stuck between two choices. I couldn't decide.
“What is taking so long? Why aren't you killing me?”
“I can't. I don't know that you're The Phoenix King.”
“I'm not.”
“But I don't know that you aren't either. I certainly don't trust you. If you are The Phoenix King, and I let you go, everyone will blame me. I will have released The Phoenix King back into the world. But, if you aren't The Phoenix King, killing you gains me nothing.”
“You lose an enemy.”
“That doesn't gain me anything Jepu! We are different that way.”
Jepu paused. He knew that I was right. He was vicious, and I was not.
“Kill me,” he said calmly.
“What?”
“You have more to lose being wrong than you do being right. You don't trust me, you can't trust me, and you have a decision to make. Kill me. Be wrong, but know that it was the right decision.”
“How is that possible?”
“You misunderstood. If our roles were reversed, I would have no problem killing you. But, that is not the case. You have a shred of humanity few others have Altimis. You don't think about yourself, you don't think about others, you think about everyone. When you think that way, what answer do you get?”
“I need to stop The Phoenix King.”
“You think I'm The Phoenix King. I understand that, and you can't trust that I'm not. In order to save everyone else, you have to kill me.”
“But if you're not?”
“I will die a happy man. You have shown me something that I cannot reciprocate. You have shown me dignity. I don't belong in this world. I have spread so much hate, I could be comprable to The Phoenix King. Kill me, knowing that you have changed my view of the world. Kill me, knowing that you will be the savior to everyone else. Kill me, knowing that you were an amazing opponent.”
“I can't.”
“This was a fight to the death. One of us will die Altimis. Just make it quick.”
I took two deep breaths thinking about what he said. I couldn't trust him, but he spoke truth. What was I supposed to do? I was confused. What if I was right? What if I was wrong? He knew that if I killed him, it wasn't in cold blood. He knew that I had no choice. He accepted that, and he encouraged it. Jepu was different than I first impressed of him. He had honor and he only hated me, because he thought I had none.
“I'm sorry Jepu. I would that I could call you a friend.”
Jepu laughed, “Never call me a friend, but I'll be glad if we don't part as enemies Altimis.” I held the knife close over my heart. I didn't notice, but Jepu had stopped struggling. I took one last deep breath, and I tensed my muscles. I was getting ready to strike. Jepu closed his eyes. “Thank you.”
I pressed the knife down quickly digging it into his heart. He inhaled sharply, and his eyes opened again. I jumped back expecting the worst. His body was limp before I could even catch my bearings.
Jepu was dead.
I waited and observed his body. Nothing happened. I counted to myself. One, two, three, four, and five. Nothing happened. I was wrong. Jepu was not The Phoenix King. Jepu had fought with a hidden honor. Jepu was a good man. I am glad, as he mentioned, that we did not part as enemies. His death would not weigh on my soul because of that.
I picked up the loose blades. I had my sword, the two knives, and the hilt of Jepu's dreamblade. I carried them somberly down the stairs. I passed the children on the second floor. I told them to go up to the allures. They would be protected by the archers and wizards. They ran off. I reached the first floor of the castle and I opened the door to the bailey. The battle was still raging on.
I opened the door and I held Jepu's hilt high in the air. Slowly, the battle calmed down from this new visual. The archers and the wizards were still busy with the hatchling, but the soldiers stopped and stared at me holding the hilt of their leader's blade. One of them, enraged, ran to attack me but was stopped by Godfrey.
Godfrey slowly approached me and embraced me tightly. I returned the favor.
“What happened?”
“Jepu is dead. We made peace in his last moments, he wanted it this way.”
Godfrey nodded. “Are you convinced that he is not The Phoenix King?”
“Yes. Fletcher, soldiers, everyone. Jepu was not The Phoenix King. Our search sadly continues. Let us not quarrel with these soldiers of his. They did not know more than what they were told, the same as us.”
“Everyone! Jepu made it known to me that he trusted my judgment, and I trust that you do as well,” Godfrey shouted. “The valiants need to disband! This world is different. The world has changed. Necromancy is no longer a cult, but an accepted method of longevity. We should not hate, so aggressively, those whom are different. Let us end these hopeless squabbles. Let us forgive each other and fight our common enemy. The Phoenix King!”
Everyone raised their blades in unison. The battle was over, and instead of killing the last of our enemies, we found ourselves new allies. The hunt for The Phoenix King could continue with more peace than it had for the last four years. The land was beginning to find new peace.
“Godfrey, you should collect Jepu. He is on the top floor of the great hall.”
“Altimis, it has been fine knowing you. I hope we meet again someday on the same side of battle.”
I smiled and embraced him. He led his remaining soldiers into the great hall and directed them upstairs. Fletcher found his way to me. He was bloody, but alive. I gave him a large and powerful hug as well.
“Altimis, we should head home and clean up.”
“We can clean up here?”
“This isn't home. This is work. Let us relax. The guards can clean up, and Emos and Meredith can runs things while I'm away. Felix should be by shortly anyways.”
“Of course,” I nodded at Fletcher, “home would be nice.”
We wrapped our arms around our shoulders, and we left the castle. The gates had been opened at some point, probably to let people run, and the short walk to Vitior was before us. I had no idea how the end of the battle turned out. I didn't know about the hatchling. I didn't even know if Godfrey's men were helping to clean up or not. All I knew was that I had found myself, and that my brother and I had found some free time together.
Fletcher and I reminisced about the fishing trips we had. He thought about the trouble we used to get into. We reminded ourselves, that there was a life before this. We remembered the times of peace in the kingdom. It felt good to laugh. A weight had been lifted off of my shoulders, and Fletcher's shoulders as well. We were able to be ourselves for once.
We enjoyed our entire trip back home, until the last few minutes. One thing suddenly struck me during a lull in our conversation. Jepu wasn't The Phoenix King. If he wasn't The Phoenix King, who was? Did we spend all of this time for nothing? Is he still here? It was odd enough that my mind started to think of these thoughts, but more mysterious was what Fletcher mentioned next.
“Now we don't know who The Phoenix King is.”
“Why did you say that?”
“What do you mean?”
“What I say. Why did you say that?”
“Because it's true. We don't know.”
“But why did you say it now?”
“I don't know. The thought just entered my mind. We suspected Jepu, Jepu suspected us. In his death, he was proven innocent.”
“So you randomly thought of The Phoenix King just now?”
“Yes. Is there something wrong with that?”
“Maybe.”
“Why?”
“I was thinking the same thing, I just didn't say anything.”
“Altimis, you might be overreacting.”
“That's not good Fletcher.”
“It was a coincidence.”
“Something isn't right Fletcher. Someone is affecting our thoughts!”
“What? How? Don't be ridiculous.”
“Honestly. When I was slaying the dragon, I was hearing your voices in my head, obviously. However, one more voice I heard. It wasn't a memory either, it was a voice. It said something, something ancient. I didn't know what it was, but I repeated it before I killed the dragon.”
“What was it?”
“I understand, and I'm sorry.”
“Maybe you could ask Phillip. He might know better about that ancient language. Olam knows he's studied it enough.”
“I could ask Ud'Turock as well.”
“If you ever find him. Phillip is with you now. Use him to your advantage. I don't know what he sees in you,” Fletcher jested as he held open the door for me, “after you Sir Altimis, the little brother.”
I gave Fletcher playful push, as I walked into my house. I could smell sweet honey in the air, and I heard conversing in the dining room. I knew Peter and Elizabeth were both home, but I didn't think Elizabeth was able to really get up. I turned around the corner to find Peter talking and drinking with an unusual guest.
I drew my sword. Fletcher didn't see what I saw, but he drew his sword as well. The figure heard the sleek steel, and he stood up.
“Altimis. Put that away.”
“You can't be here.”
“I am here. We need to talk.”
“You can't be here. It's impossible. How can you be here? How did you find us?”
“I found a way,” the man said as he turned around. His ashen skin was lightly covered with the dirtiest dark red robe one could own. It was almost not red anymore. His hands were frail and skeletal, but his composure was confident and demanding. His head was bald, and his hazel eyes pierced into mine. I stared at him briefly before I noticed the large scar in the center of his forehead, just above the brow.
Peter was confused at our reaction, but he also didn't quite know the story between us. Fletcher was just as confused, but he knew very well that this man didn't belong in our world. Both of these men were looking at me. I held my sword out in front of the man, and I brandished it delicately. I stepped infront of my brother and signaled to him behind my back. I wanted this impossible intruder incapacitated.
I kept myself between Fletcher and our old friend while he signaled Peter. Peter received the message and tapped his palm lightly on this man's head. Fletcher and I wasted no time in finding a chair and rope with which to bind him. Something was seriously wrong if he was here, and we needed to plan for the worst. Peter was still confused.
“What's happening? I thought you two would be excited to see Lucas Quincy again?”
“Excited? He's not supposed to be here. He can't be here!”
“But he's here?”
“Thus the something's not right. It's impossible for him to be here. He is locked in the library in the Tower of Eternity. Where there is only entrance, and only one exit. There is only one way to exit. Even then, it's impossible for him to exit. He saw to that.”
“He sacrificed himself so you could be free. Why is that so terrible?”
“Well, if he can't escape, how is he here now?”
“An imposter perhaps? Some magic? Something?”
“Thats's what we're going to find out.”
I tapped Quincy's face with my hand twice. He didn't wake up. I did it again, harder this time. I was about to slap him again, but Peter stopped me.
“You can't wake him. I need to. It's my spell. Promise me that you'll at least treat him withs some dignity.”
“No promises Peter. If he's dangerous, we need to know.”
Peter scoffed while he tapped the forehead of the fainted Quincy. He clearly disapproved, but until further notice, he couldn't be trusted. Quincy opened his eyes almost instantly; he took a deep invigorating breath as well.
He focused on me. I put my sword away and he smiled.
“Altimis, it's been too long.”
“Who are you?”
“Please? You don't recognize me?”
“I know who you are, but I don't know if you are an imposter. That is all I meant.”
“That's something you are going to need to figure out.”
“How did you get out?”
“It's a long complicated story.”
“You can tell us now!”
“I don't want to right now. I don't trust you. Answer our questions, and that could change. Who are you?
“I'm Lucas Quincy.”
“Lucas Quincy is dead. He died in a library four years ago.”
“I didn't. You forget. I was stuck in a library with an a answer to everything. I was bound to come across an answer eventually. I was bound to escape.”
“How?”
“I'm not going to answer that. I can't. That's the problem with trying to leave the library.”
“Stop toying with me Quincy! This is my house that you are in, and you just did the impossible. Nobody can escape that library like this.”
“I did. But there are many things that I cannot say. The world is missing them for a reason. I cannot reveal everything. I apologize for that inconvenience.”
I snorted, but I accepted that answer. I knew very well how the library worked. You have to give up any information you learn inside. In order to leave, you had to give up the time you spent inside the library. It was part of the Tower of Eternity.
“How have you been Altimis? You look exhausted?”
I glared at him. I didn't know what to say. I wasn't sure if this was actually Lucas Quincy, or if it was an imposter looking for information. I rubbed my hand against my forehead while thought of what to do. The first answer, which happened to be truth, burst out without warning.
“The castle was attacked. We came back to clean up.”
“You came all the way here to clean up? Curious.”
“Look who's speaking,” I gestured at Quincy, “How are you? What are you doing here?”
Quincy smiled and chuckled and looked down at the floor. He was somber about something. He spoke after about a minute, “How am I? That's a difficult question to answer. I am glad to see you, but I've been better. What am I doing here,” he paused, “I'm dying. Today is the day I die. I'm just making sure things get put into motion.”
“Why do you die today?”
“I can explain later, I'd rather not have to explain twice.”
“Why would you need to explain twice?” Fletcher asked.
“Patience. Everything will be revealed in time. I know you don't like that, but you will need to trust me in that. Something will happen shortly, and I needed to be here.”
“Is that why you escaped? You needed to be here?”
“I doubt it is the reason I escaped. I escaped because I found a way. I came here to make sure things happen as they were supposed to.”
“As they were supposed to? Something isn't right.”
“We're missing someone...”
“Then look no further,” Phillip said, walking in the entry way, “for he has come.”
“Phillip.”
“Lucas.”
“You know each other?” I asked.
“We've met only briefly,” Phillip casually stated, “it's time to talk.”
I sat down and Fletcher sat next to me; Phillip had other plans. He leaned over into Quincy's face. He was mad, but he was curious. I couldn't read him, but he was trying to understand Quincy better. He was aggressive though.
“How did you do it?” he asked Quincy.
“The same as you.”
“I know that, but how. You died. I saw it. I read it. I did it. How are you here now?”
“You died? Again?”
“Stay out of this, Altimis.”
“But you just said you killed him.”
“Altimis, let Phillip talk.”
“No, you don't get it do you Quincy? The Phoenix King is still out there. He lives on some way. We have to investigate every source of necromancy for fear of The Phoenix King's return. If you died again, and are back again how do we know you're not him?”
“Altimis,” Fletcher said while he grabbed my hand. I didn't even notice that I was on my feet. “Let them talk. They seem to need it.”
I pulled my hand away from Flethcer's and sat down. This was all confusing, my life was too confusing. I didn't understand.
“I read it as well. I found it in the same book I had been reading about my friends. I saw what was supposed to happen, and I changed it.”
“You can't change it, it's the future!”
“But it hadn't happened yet.”
“But it did!”
“I, like you, have had plenty of time with that library. I know it all.”
“Weston Hoover?”
“Born in a log house on the edge of Kajili Island Five. Dies a hero at the mouth of Chalmolv Pass.”
“Impossible. Yrstin Hert?”
“Sorceress that discovers the cure for infallita...”
“Kirk Obliman?”
“Cleric of the Mandan Sky and bear...”
“Arrik Naou?”
“Halfing born in Vinitis underground...”
“Rashibab Immoin?”
“Iopoi.”
“Isheaiu”
“You know well who he is.”
“STOP IT! This is impossible!”
“Anything else?”
“Why?”
“You know. I am here to help. I have jeopardized your task. I am here to set it right. Today is the day.”
“Curious. You know everything?”
“Yes.”
“One last thing,” Phillip pressed his thumb to Quincy's forehead. Both of their eyes closed for almost a full minute. Their bodies just stood in a meditative trance during that time. I fixed my gaze at random places in the room. I didn't know what was happening. I was worried that they were mentally fighting with each other. Quincy's eyes opened again.
“Convinced?”
“Yes, thank you. Altimis, Fletcher, you have nothing to fear from this man. You may free him. Is it alright if I do so?”
“What?”
“He is not the Phoenix King. I can assure you of that. It is hardly fit for him to be confined to this chair. May I release him?”
“My place is here. I won't go anywhere.”
I nodded weakly, and Philip untied Quincy. Phillip and Quincy embraced like old friends. Phillip patted Quincy on the shoulders and said, “You have a few minutes. He'll remember this.”
“Altimis, I know everything. Your hunt for The Phoenix King is almost at a close. You will find him. I know it.”
“But where? How will I find him?”
“That must be yours to complete. Time will tell, but it will not be years.”
“When?”
“I cannot say. Who knows how much that would change? I am already treading on some very thin ice now.”
“What can you tell me?”
“Black is the dawn of the Azure Son.”
“I know that.”
“Look outside,” Quincy said gesturing towards the door.
Fletcher and I ran out through the kitchen. Outside the sky was unnaturally dark. It was shortly after midday, the sun should be out. It wasn't until later that I had noticed the sun was out. The inky sky was paired with one solitary orb. It was a fiery blue replacement for the sun.
“Black is the dawn of the Azure Son Altimis,” Phillip said gesturing to the sky.
“But you said it was a person. This is the sun?”
“It can be interpretted in many ways, but that is not the sun. What do you know of the ancient redenellen people?”
“Ud'Turock told me about the land being saved by a man. He told me the man left on the blue sun and was supposed to return after trouble.”
Phillip chuckled under his breath, “One man can't do it all. He can try, but the world is too much for one man.”
“What are you saying?”
“Do you know why I travel everywhere? Do you know why I do what I do? Because I'm looking for you Altimis. I've been looking for you.”
“Why me? What is so special?”
“Everything! I've been searching this land for someone to take over the Azure Son title. Remember it is a title that is granted. The return of the Azure Son will happen only when trouble arises and only under certain conditions.”
“The Phoenix King is the Azure Son. He said that himself.”
“Listen to what I am saying! I traveled the world to find you. I needed to find someone who met four requirements. That person needed a sense of dignity, a sense of charity, a sense of chivalry, and a sense of clarity. He needed to be pure at heart, they needed to be wise, and they needed to be strong. That person, that leader, the Azure Son, is you.”
“You have the wrong man. I am nothing. I am not that hero, I am not that man!”
“You are wrong! When we were in town with your family, you showed charity to those who were looking for food to eat. That is only one example of the kindness you have showed others. At home, you treat your friends and family with all the respect in the world.”
“I would be nothing without them.”
“And that is not all, in the cavern against the hatchling, you had difficulty seeing the truth of the matter, but you overcame that.”
“You helped me see that...”
“But it was your choice to overcome. Finally, with Jepu, you showed him a respect that very few can show their enemies. You gave him a dignified death and you did more than that. You turned an enemy into a friend.”
“How do you know that? You weren't there for that?”
“I know everything,” Phillip snapped his fingers and a blue flame erupted into his hand. He pointed at Fletcher and called, “Fletcher, come and reach for this until you can no longer bear it.” Fletcher was unsure, but he came to an arm's reach away from Phillip and brought his hand close to the flame. He stopped about a foot away and snapped it back wincing a bit. “Altimis, your turn. Come and reach for this until you can no longer bear it.”
I walked two steps over to Phillip and slowly reached my hand towards the flame. I moved my hand delicately expecting the flame to surge, but it didn't. I didn't feel any heat coming from the fire at all. My hand slowly crawled towards the flame until the flames were licking my palms. Phillip grabbed my hand in a firm handshake. Our hands were the origin of a minor immolation.
My mouth dropped, and I examined my hand from afar. My hand was clearly in the fire, but I wasn't feeling any pain. I didn't feel any heat. What was going on?
“The flames of the guardian shall accept only the guardian. The pure in heart, the most deserving. I have traveled countries, and came to find you. I knew when you had defeated me, that you stood a chance, but I did not know you would succeed.”
“When I defeated you?”
“Altimis, this news will break you, and I'm sorry. I am he. I am The Phoenix King. I am the creator of this. I am the master behind this current plight.”
“How? Why?”
“One man cannot do it alone. This world needs a guardian. It needs many guardians, but they cannot be chosen. They must choose for themselves.”
“But The Phoenix King was evil, you can't be him.”
“Was he evil? What did he do? What did I do?”
“You... you watched my children. I trusted you! Where are my children?”
“Your children are safe with Dria. They are staying at Tanz for now.”
“Fletcher! Go to Tanz and see that my family is safe.”
“They are safe.”
“You don't have that right! You don't say when my family is or is not safe!”
“Why? What has changed? Have I done any wrong to you?”
“You ruined my life. You ruined the world. I don't care if you're different now, you're a monster.”
“I did what was necessary, and I will continue to do so. You may call that monstrous, but you will find out in time that that isn't true.” Quincy walked over to us, and extended his hand to Phillip. “Quincy, I am sorry for your loss. That is a tragedy that must be remembered, but it is time.”
“I understand.”
“Altimis, Fletcher, I wish you well. Remember, black is the dawn of the Azure Son.”
Phillip crumpled to the ground as if he lost all support. A pale crimson wisp filled the air around him, and it floated up to the sky. It floated towards the blue sun. The wisp quickly left our view, and I turned my attention to Quincy.
“You knew?”
“I know everything Altimis.”
“How could you be here? You were trapped in the Scoprium, you were unable to leave. How did you escape?”
“Altimis, I don't have time for this, you need to listen.”
“No! I need to know! What is going on here?”
“Altimis, I have limited time remaining. I can help you, or I can waste my time explaining.”
“Explain quickly then.”
“That man built the Scoprium. He designed it and enchanted it. He knows how to work around it. He centers the powerful time lapse around his phylactery. By entering his phylactery he can choose to move inside or outside the scoprium. He sets his body to leave the scoprium, and then leaves as a spirit through the phylactery. The spirit is where all of the knowledge is stored, so he doesn't forget anything when the body's time is taken.”
“If that is so, then you are a lich now? How can you be a lich when you were already a rax?”
“A lich is someone who binds his or her soul to an object. All I had to do was unbind my soul and reconnect it with the phylactery.”
“But, you shouldn't be able to bind more than one soul to anything?”
“It was certainly more complicated than that. I had to create room for my soul, without destroying the integrity of the phylactery.”
“Why didn't you destroy it?”
“This is why you have to listen. I don't have much time left. Not everything is as it seems. That you must truly understand. There is one more thing.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“Altimis...”
“You are working with The Phoenix King.”
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