Her feet were bound to the ground. Moving was impossible she found, but she didn’t feel scared. Sparks were igniting around her and soon flames formed around her feet, licking at her legs and spreading in the darkness. Her heart jumped with joy as Azura started to smile and knelt down to touch the flames with her hand.

"Welcome back. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've missed you."

The flames erupted around her and a small fiery vortex started to form three meters away from her. As the vortex started to grow, Azura smiled even wider and slowly got up. She could feel the flames, the intense heat, grow as the vortex became twice the size she was. The wings broke free first, the tail with flaming feathers followed and two big talons tore through the vortex breaking the wall of fire and leaving the Phoenix by itself. It was hovering, slowly flapping its wings, and looked down upon her.

Azura closed her eyes, feeling the power flow through her as the Phoenix emerged. She arched her spine and straightened her arms back as if they were wings, imitating the posture of the bird in front of her. The fire rising up her legs twisted around her stomach and crawled up to her chest before it enveloped her completely. She was breathing fire. She became fire. Her arms became wings, her mouth a beak, and her eyes had turned a deep shining red.

You were lost without me. I could feel your doubts, your anxiety, and insecurity. You almost messed things up and you tried to push away those who have supported you this past year and a half. What made you doubt? What scared you? I gave you back the person who you were before you encountered me. I left you, as you wanted me to.

The voice felt like home. Hearing it again was like a part of herself had returned. In her head, she embraced it, caressed the warmth like a long lost lover.

"Yes, you did. You left me,” Azura replied out loud. “You made me become a normal woman again. I used to believe that was what I wanted." Azura let her arms drop next to her body and slowly started pacing around as her feet were free again, the flames following her every movement and clinging to her like a vine to a tree.

"But I am not who I was before, I know that now. I don't want to be that girl anymore. It doesn't fit me. It keeps me hanging in the past, forces me to stop moving forward with my life. It actually scared the shit out of me to be that person again." She stopped pacing and lifted her head to face the Phoenix.

"You are part of me. We are the same and don't you ever think of leaving me again!"

The Phoenix stared straight back at her and without saying a word it slammed its two gigantic wings together creating a gigantic bright wall of flames that lasted only two seconds. Azura shielded her eyes from the bright fire and as it died down, the Phoenix was gone. Instead, the red and yellow now danced around her in a big circle, just enough to illuminate the darkness and make her feel safe.

Azura gasped as a petite figure emerged from the darkness. A smile she had craved so bad to see again. Azura's mouth fell open as Nora slowly approached her and gently caressed her arm before placing her hand against Azura's cheek. For a moment Azura was too stunned to move. The touch just felt so real. Her breath staggered and she felt a single tear run down her face.

"Oh, how I've missed you. I've missed you so much, Azura. I had to watch and see you struggle all while I was unable to reach out and do anything. Oh how much I've been wanting to tell you it was not your fault I died. That you were not to blame. I wanted to smack your head in at times for being so darn stupid and I wanted to hug you all the times you were down. How I've been longing to kick your ass to stop looking into the past and focus on the life you have built for yourself now. You've been doing great without me, Azura."

Nora placed her forehead against Azura's and stroked the back of her head gently. Azura repeated the gesture, slow and careful at first to make sure the dark-skinned woman before her was truly there. She could feel the skin of her friend, her touch, her breath. Azura relished every second Nora was with her. She caressed Nora's head and buried her face in the crook of her neck. With more force than was needed, Azura pulled Nora flush against her body, wanting to feel every bit of it so she knew it was real. More tears flowed from her eyes as Nora hugged her back. After what felt like forever, Azura slowly let go but kept holding Nora’s hands as uncertain lovers as they stood across from each other.

"Nora... You left me... You left me when you promised you wouldn't. Either we would live together or die together and yet I'm the only one breathing. I miss you! How could you, you stupid girl! We were supposed to stay together. You, me, and-” Azura grimaced just before speaking his name. “Floyd…"

A chuckle escaped Nora's lips as Azura spoke.

"I never left you, silly. We're still together. We died together and both of us entwined with the Phoenix. It just decided to use you to come back. It had a choice, you know, and you were the better fit. But that also means I am still here with you. That's why you felt so empty this past week as the Phoenix left you. I was gone as well. And we both know you are nothing without me."

Nora laughed and stepped away from Azura. Azura smiled at her and wiped away another tear that ran down her cheek.

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"For once, I might actually agree with you. I am nothing without you by my side. You crazy woman! But don't forget that I'm still the better climber."

"You're a cat, I'm a wolf. It would be strange if it was otherwise."

Nora smiled and Azura couldn't help but smile back. Even though this was Nora standing in front of her, her way of talking was a little off. At times she was exactly like the Nora she knew, and at other moments she was more distant and reserved. She dismissed it though as for now, she was just happy to see and talk to her. The only problem? There were so many thoughts and questions going through her mind but she didn’t manage to grab hold of any. They all jumbled together, creating a big mess in her head and prevented her from asking them.

Azura softly grabbed Nora's wrist and turned it so the inside of her arm was facing upward. The werecat shifter stared at the tattoo-like symbol of a flaming feather that was etched onto Nora’s underarm. This was something new. Nora had no tattoo's so how come she had one now? She traced the outline of it with her fingers and had to suppress a smile as she noticed the stark contrast between their skin. Her own skin, still pale as ever with the dark skin of Nora made for quite an appearance whenever they were together.

"What is this, Nora? What does this mark mean?"

"You'll find out. All I can say is that the Phoenix has its plans. You will have to trust it, Azura, please promise me that. Trust the Phoenix even though it may seem like the worst idea ever. I have to go now, Azu. Please stop feeling guilty. We need you alert and ready for what's to come. You've got a world to set on fire and you're not doing it alone."

Before Azura could react Nora placed a kiss on her forehead and disappeared as she turned away from her. There was no time to wonder about the body fading away for it didn’t take long for the fire to come up again and the Phoenix to reappear. Azura stretched out her hand and the Phoenix lowered its head, so for the first time, she could touch its face.

"Thank you for letting me see Nora." Azura smiled and let her hand fall down and the Phoenix rose up.

It's time to start playing with fire. Trust me, and I will trust you. Now wake up.

*

Azura groaned as she slowly got up from the floor. The back of her head hurt and as she touched it she felt something wet sticking to it. Her hand was covered in blood as she looked at it and she groaned even louder to see where she had hit her head. A small dresser. It was actually slightly damaged from where she had hit it. Nathan was still there of course but where was Ben? Azura turned around to see him sprawled out on the ground much as she had been. A tad confused, she went over to him and checked his pulse and breathing to see if he was still alive. She shook him gently trying to wake him up while wondering what the hell had caused him to blackout. Ben groaned and slowly he woke up. Pleased he was doing ok, Azura walked to a box of tissues and grabbed a few to press them to the back of her head. The wound had already stopped bleeding so all she did was clean the blood around it. She headed to the door and motioned for Oliver to come in. He gave her a sideways glance as he immediately turned to help Ben get up.

"What happened here?!" Oliver placed a still slightly dazed Ben on a chair.

"We passed out. It was harmless though. Nobody got hurt." She had no idea how to explain this to him. Oliver just stared at her before his eyes scanned the room and stopped at the small pool of blood on the ground.

"Harmless you say?"

"It's fine. I just hit my head when I went down. Want to see?" She grinned as she held a new tissue to her head.

"Let her be, Oliver. She's speaking the truth. We both passed out but not because of something bad." Oliver let out a sigh showing he was still not convinced. Benjamin got up and walked towards Azura. "Do you often have these dreams?"

"Depends. I don't know what you saw."

"Fire. A lot of fire."

She shrugged, a little smug smile on her face as she felt the flames dancing within her. "My dreams might be something like that."

The warmth in her body was back. She was fully aware of the internal flames that had returned since they had left a week ago. She welcomed it with open arms. This was the new Azura. Phoenix and everything. It had taken her only over three to four years to accept it she thought to herself. Having felt what it was like without it had been terrifying and the doubts and insecurities had completely taken over. Now she felt more at ease and seeing Nora had given her such a boost she couldn’t help but keep grinning like an idiot even though her head was hurting from the blow she had suffered.

Lost in her own world, Azura opened her hand and focused on the flames. It started small, but soon a flame as big as her own hand was dancing on her palm. Ben and Oliver had noticed she was rather distracted and when they both stared at her, the flame appeared. It was like she had completely forgotten about them as she quickly closed her fist and briskly headed towards Nathan. She stroked his head slowly.

"Please don't be mad when you wake up." Her voice was soft as she talked to the unconscious man.

She closed her eyes and pressed her hand to his forehead, keeping it there for a bit before letting go. As she turned around, Oliver and Ben stared at her with wide-open eyes.

"You did not just allow a blue-eye to live here but you also allowed a Phoenix to take residence in your city. I promise though, I will behave." She winked at Ben. "Nathan will be fine soon. Do you need anything else from me? Otherwise, I will take my leave."

Still a bit baffled by Azura, Ben finally managed to shake it off and answer.

"You’re free to go...even though I do have many questions. I really don’t know what happened while we passed out but I’m glad to see this confident you. You came in like a frightened deer and yet look at you now. I’ll call upon you soon, Azura, as I do need to know more.”

He put up a smile that for most people would appear friendly, yet for Azura, it looked more like a sly smile. Not wanting to waste any more time on Ben, Azura moved past the two men, giving Olive a small nod.

Ben’s behavior was off but she really couldn’t care less as the only thought in her head was how she could make sure she would not get kicked out of the house. Even though there were still gaps in her memory of the past week, this morning was as clear as day and it was not good. She needed to find Lucas, and fast.