“However, that doesn’t mean he won’t. Therefore, it is so important for there to be a Siapheg and a Teselym. They balance each other. They are both necessary.”
“Yes, light and dark. I know, I know.” Adrian huffed. “None of that explains why you made me the way I am.”
“Wylie is in a dark place, Adrian. The kind of dark place that seeps into you, no matter who you are. Even though she is the Teselym, she is still affected by evil. Especially if she is surrounded by it. However, you cannot help her until you help yourself. You must let go of your self-blame. You must let go of your anger, your sadness, everything that prevents you from loving her the way she needs to be loved.”
“But I do love her!”
“Indeed, you do. The responsibility of the Teselym is heavier than you could imagine. The love she requires needs to be as pure and as deep as humanly possible. The only way to do that is if you are willing to let go of all the darkness that you are holding onto.”
“I don’t understand, Immortal One. You just said that love cannot change one’s fate. Help me understand.”
“We are not asking for her to change her fate. It is no coincidence that we are dealing with the darkest breed of Siaphegs of our time. Indeed, we regret creating them. However, even without them, the world as you know it grows dark on its own accord. Human kind grows more selfish and increasingly gives in to its own selfish desires increasingly. The only way to bring balance to that is to counter it with the purest love possible; that is why we chose you.
“You know who she is, and yet you love her. You have fought for her, sacrificed for her. Given up everything for her. It is no coincidence humanity has a female as a Teselym guardian for this age. The way a female loves is all encompassing. It’s one of our favorite characteristics of the human female. Pair that with a man who loves her for who she is and allows her the ability to explore her creative side freely, and it's an unstoppable combination.”
“I still don’t understand,” Adrian protested.
“Because of how much you love her, if you can let go of your human tendency for self-loathing and carrying guilt, the two of you together have the potential to restore the balance and limit the Siapheg’s power.”
“Why don’t you just do it?”
“Oh Adrian, it seems so simple, doesn’t it? We could just wave our hands and make everything right?”
“Yes! So, why don’t you?”
“Because, Adrian, you are not our puppet. Neither is anyone on this entire planet. If we wanted to take away your free will, you would no longer have the ability to choose good if you wanted, or to choose evil. You would do good because you had to, and in that sense the purity of good, of love, of happiness, would lose its meaning.”
“I’m not sure I understand completely.”
“Of course not, but one day you will. Until then, do you think you can do as we ask?”
Adrian had to look within himself. To think about the feelings he had when his father died. He thought back over all his moments of self-doubt and the loathing he felt over everything that had happened since meeting Wylie. “I do, I can. I can forgive myself and let go of all of it.”
“Say it again, brave one.”
“I forgive myself, I let go of all of it. I want to be what Wylie needs, what the world needs. To be better.” He took a deep breath and let it out. As he did so, a soft pattering of rain started from the heavens. He rose higher and looped through the sky like a child running through rain puddles rather than a glorious mythical bird whose flaming wings could not be extinguished by a mere storm.
Adrian felt everything he had been holding onto, including the sadness over Wylie’s death, dissipate with the storm. The tiny spark of love he felt for her grew into a blazing inferno that seemed to encompass his whole being. This is why I am a phoenix! The flames that roared out from his wings grew fiercer as he let everything go and gave into his love for her.
‘The Immortal One’ laughed in his head, a gentle, wind chime tinkling laugh that made him feel like a child again.
“That’s not the only reason, Adrian. You are also a descendent of Thaddeus McCollum. The original seer and purveyor of the Dragaleths. He devoted all of his time and energy to researching them, trying to understand with as much human knowledge as possible, what the Dragaleths stood for. His desire to know and understand both the Siapheg and the Teselym, for what they were, and what they represented, was a great honor to us. In turn, we placed an invocation of protection on his bloodline. A reward for his diligence, and trustworthiness.
“Thaddeus never used his knowledge to hurt anyone, he merely wrote down everything he learned in that journal of his and went about his humble life. We had to honor him somehow. You, Adrian, are descended from that line which is another reason why your life is that much more powerful. It contains magic, in every essence of the word.”
Adrian couldn’t bring himself to speak after that. None of it made sense, and yet all of it did.
“I don’t know what to say except thank you. I won’t let you down.”
“No, you never could.” Just like that, the unsurpassable peace was gone. So was the Immortal One. He was on his own once more, though his phoenix form told him, he would never be truly alone.
Okay, Wylie. I’m going to find your Dracosinum and I’m going to make this right! With renewed energy and calmness, he headed toward Ireland, his piercing sapphire eyes searching the sea for ships sailing in the same direction. A soft, gentle glow began below him as his resolve deepened, and the distractions from earlier faded out.
Just like the map! The glow is showing me where her Dracosinum is! Adrian felt so giddy, he wanted to dance. He followed the trail, passing cargo ships, passenger ships, and finally to a little nondescript fishing boat with only a handful of people on board. Here the glowing trail ended and remained as a single bright spot over the boat. Adrian considered descending immediately to the boat, but decided against it.
He knew following the ship to its destination would be the wiser choice, only he didn’t have that kind of time. He had less than two days left to fix what felt like an unfixable situation. The pain in his shoulder reminded him he’d been shot once. He didn’t want to surprise anyone and get shot again. If the Dracosinum had been given to a common thief, as Jameston had said, it was quite possible the bloke or his shipmates had a pistol or a firearm of some sort. Adrian imagined that a mythical creature, even a dead one, would be worth no small amount of money should he fall victim to less savory characters.
He was going to have to be very careful if he was going to sneak aboard the ship. Inconspicuous. How was he going to be inconspicuous in his current state? It seemed impossible, except that mythical bird had to equal magic on some level. ‘The Immortal One’ had told him that his love for Wylie was so strong it was like magic. That had to mean something. He flew up high again, so as not to be seen, and tried to recall the myths he had heard about the phoenix.
All I need to do is disguise myself; if I can do that, it will be enough. Though I am sure these shipmates will deem me fair game and try to kill me. I know I can fly faster than any of them can run, and maybe I can out-fly a bullet. He resolved within himself to do just that and focused all his energy on extinguishing the flames that gave away what he was. The love he had for Wylie washed over him, and it was like a tonic that snuffed out the embers that were attached to his body.
I am an elegant peacock. That’s believable, right? Okay gods, if you’re listening, hide my identity and allow me to be seen as a peacock. Adrian felt a bit crazy thinking such things in his mind, but he knew that magic stemmed from somewhere, if not from belief; otherwise, where did it come from?
Testing his theory, he flew over the fishing boat, and opened his mouth to sing. From the depth of his throat came a strong guttural sound, not a thing of beauty, like the song of a magical creature, but the sound of a normal yet still extraordinary bird.
“Eh, mate. Check it out!” Came the cry of a grun
gy seaman.
“Why, if that don’t beat all! Eh Captain, git a load of this!” The dirtiest one wore rags that Adrian could smell from the air. In fact, the whole ship stank of unshowered men, rotting fish, and greed.
“Imagine what a bird like that would fetch us?” The grungy one said.
“Cleo, I don’t imagine we’re going ta catch it. Don’t think it’s stupid enough to come close ‘ere.” He grinned awkwardly, revealing a row of rotted teeth. Adrian’s keen eyesight, heightened sense of smell, and magical ability, didn’t seem to be a benefit yet. Then, out of the corner of his eye, another man appeared. Ganglier, and a bit cleaner than the rest.
“Oh, sod off, you nitwits. That beauty ain’t coming nowhere near this boat. Not close enough to catch anyway, besides, with the way the two of ya smell, can’t say I right blame it. Eh, pretty bird?” Adrian fluttered far enough away to be out of reach, but he still caught the glint of sunlight off the edge of a metallic device hanging around the gangly one’s neck. The Dracosinum! It had to be!
“Tha’s what I was just tellin’ him, captain. That thing looks too smart.”
“Eh, shut up, Will! Ya don’t know nothing!”
“Will you bugger off? You lot! Don’t ya see how that thing is just staying there? Oddest thing I ever seen.” Adrian and the one called Captain locked eyes. So, this is the common thief Jameston referred to? How am I going to get the Dracosinum off his neck? He had a sinister look in his eyes that sent a chill through Adrian, though he wasn’t sure why. He would follow the ship until the men fell asleep if he had to. He would do whatever he had to do to get the Dracosinum back.
“What are you doin’ out here? You’re a long way from home, aren’t ya?” The Captain’s eyes twinkled in such a way that Adrian began to suspect the man knew something.
“Hey Lucas, what if that bird is a demon, and it’s come to pluck yer eyes out?” the one called Will joked.
“Will, what’d I tell ya about calling me Lucas?”
“Sorry, Captain.”
“This is no beast of Hell. It surely ain’t gonna pluck nothing out of me head,” Lucas yelled angrily.
“Captain, I don’t like how it’s just hovering there, like it’s going to do something!”
“Cleo and Will, if you two don’t stifle yourselves, I’m going ta toss ya overboard, ya hear?”
“Come here, pretty bird,” Captain Lucas whistled, as if the sound would entice Adrian low enough to be caught.
Go ahead, wear yourself out. The moment your guard is down, I’m grabbing that Dracosinum.
Adrian circled the ship, dropped a little lower, but kept his distance. His eyes watched the swinging of the Dracosinum with hawk-like intensity.
“Ah, you like things that shine, eh? Well, if you’re going to take this,” Captain Lucas fingered the Dracosinum. “I’m going to put up a fight. Hope you don’t mind, pretty bird.” The man’s voice dripped with sinister overtones, and Adrian had to wonder why Jameston had picked this man above anyone else to take the Dracosinum.
Don’t think about it, just take it! Adrian steadied himself and, as the men stood gawking at him, he dove towards the Captain’s head, beak first. His mind focused on one thing, so focused, that he had not noticed Will and Cleo gathering a fishing net, and as he trained his attack on the captain, they moved stealthily up behind him.
Adrian’s sharp beak connected with Lucas’s head, causing him to yell out in pain and fall to his knees. Adrian began to ascend, but Will and Cleo had closed in and tossed the fishing net over him. His wings were suddenly caught up in the net, which knocked him out of the air. The more he struggled to get free, the more entangled he became.
Adrian landed hard on the wood plank floor, the impact knocking the air out of his lungs. For a moment he was dazed and disoriented. Then he was fighting to rise again, fighting against the net. Will and Cleo still had a firm grip on the net and wouldn’t allow him to move. Adrian’s carefully suppressed anger that had allowed him to see the path to this boat and find Wylie’s Dracosinum, now flared up full force.
He flapped fiercely against the net, darting left and right, trying to escape. Will laughed loudly at his predicament, which didn’t please Adrian one bit.
“Be still!” Captain Lucas yelled, but Adrian knew he would rather face hellfire than be caught in a trap by these men. He could feel his body growing weary and knew it wouldn’t be long before he wouldn’t have the energy to fight anymore. His bullet wound was growing more painful by the moment, probably due to his violent thrashing about. If he were a dragon, he would have toasted this entire ship by now. Perhaps that was why the gods did not permit me such a thing. Perhaps my anger would have made me more like a Siapheg than a Teselym.
It was like someone had lit a bright light in his mind. He was strongest when he let go of his anger. He was strongest when he loved Wylie; she had always made him a better person. He liked to think he did the same for her. With Wylie sick and now in her frozen sleep state, he had held onto his feelings for her, afraid to let them out, because he wasn’t sure what he would do when they put her in the ground. He was afraid of failure!
Adrian knew that was true, but there was one area where he was not a failure, and that was loving Wylie. The realization washed over him like a waterfall, and his peacock feathers, which were an illusion of his own creation, fanned out, his feathers growing longer and more vibrant. He spread his wings out under the net until they were full length.
The more he concentrated on his love for Wylie, the stronger he grew, and the more glorious his wings became. This is why I am the Phoenix. This is what the Immortal One was trying to tell me. My anger, my human emotions make me weak, but because of my love for Wylie and who I am descended from, when I toss all that aside, I become stronger than I’ve ever been. He was raising the net in the air as he ascended beneath it.
“Wh—wh—what?” Will stumbled back against the port side of the ship, until he nearly fell over the railing. Cleo, suddenly afraid for his life, ran straight for the stern and jumped off into the ocean.
Captain Lucas seemed unafraid. He stood up, tall. Blood still seeping from the gash in his head.
“Well, well, well. Little birdy wants to play?” Lucas hissed.
Why isn’t he afraid? Adrian wondered. He searched inwardly for a little more power, a little more magic to help himself. Then he found it. The tiniest bit of a spark, starting like a fire in the pit of his stomach. He allowed the fire to grow, channeling its energy outward, to the tips of his wings. The net that held him captive melted away like a spider web.
Adrian was free. He shot straight up into the sky, until the boat nearly disappeared from sight, then he dropped back down abruptly. A violent blast sounded through the air. He was grateful the bullet had not come anywhere close to him, but that didn’t mean the next one wouldn’t. He circled the boat, and dive-bombed Captain Lucas from behind.
Lucas whirled to face him, and Adrian’s blade-like beak sliced the Captain’s cheek. The Captain reached out, trying to grab him by the wings to stop him, but only managed to yank a feather out. Adrian let out a guttural cry, part frustration and part fury. He flapped his wings wildly, trying to swat the captain in the face, so he could yank the Dracosinum from the man’s neck.
“Watch out, Captain!”
Adrian’s wings radiated flames, and as he let them blaze freely, sparks began dropping into the boat. The wood immediately caught on fire, which was just the distraction that Adrian needed to cause Lucas to change focus for a second. He immediately swooped at the Dracosinum around the captain’s neck and yanked with all his might before the chain snapped, and Adrian’s phoenix form was catapulting through the air with the Dracosinum clenched in his beak.
“Ayee!” Lucas yelled, as the flames grew wilder around him, flickering up to the tiny makeshift sails. Adrian didn’t look back for a second, his next goal was getting Wylie’s Dracosinum back to her before her body was put in the ground. He had approximately a day and a h
alf left before the inevitable happened.
The misfortunes of a common thief were no longer Adrian’s concern.
Chapter Thirteen
Once Adrian had gotten out of range of the thieves’ burning boat, he slowed his flight. His Phoenix body had fought valiantly, but he soon found out that three Dracosinum was quite a load for a phoenix. Especially one in a weakened condition. The two hanging from his neck were quite secure, but due to the broken chain he was forced to carry Wylie’s in his beak, and he was desperately afraid of dropping it in the ocean.
Adrian needed to find land and soon. Now that he was no longer in danger, he cleared his mind and tried to call up the illuminated map, like he had before when traveling to Jameston’s house. He knew he needed the glowing guide to activate before he could will himself back to Oyster Bay and get the Dracosinums to safety.
The image would not come to him, no matter how hard he concentrated. Why can’t I pull it up? It was like being in the presence of the Immortals again. His mind felt disoriented, and his wings were so tired. If he could just use his abilities to transport himself. Wait, can I not use my magic over water? That doesn’t make any sense. I used it before when I traveled from Oyster Bay to New York. This should be no different!
Come on, Adrian! Stop being so weak! The more he thought, the more tired he became, and soon realized he was in a losing battle. He let go of the image he was trying to conjure in his mind and set his remaining energy to the task at hand.
He was low enough to see the ripples on the water as he soared over it. If he had no magic over water, then most assuredly he would not be able to swim.
Adrian could feel the energy draining from his body.
What is happening to me? He could feel Wylie’s Dracosinum starting to slip, and he struggled desperately to hold onto it. So tired. Need to rest.
Still no shore in sight. No way for him to rest his wings.
The Phoenix Lord (The Dracosinum Tales) Page 10
