Chapter 41

My Brother's Keeper

Leon was visibly shaken, his eyes darting between the magnificent creature before him and Adom, who wore a serene smile, basking in the moment of revelation. The air in the cluttered store seemed to still, charged with an unspoken magic as the reality of the situation dawned on Leon. He pointed a trembling finger at Bennu, his voice barely a whisper as he stammered, "I-is that... the phoenix?"

Adom's smile broadened, a silent affirmation of Leon's guess, but it was Bennu who took center stage with his response. "That's right," he declared, puffing up his chest in a display of pride. "And how majestic I am! Go on, admire and praise me!"

Leon blinked, taken aback by the phoenix's forthrightness. "But you were... in an egg just days ago. And now you're talking? And so fluently!"

Bennu tilted his head, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "That is because I am Bennu," he stated matter-of-factly, as if that explained everything.

Leon couldn't help but burst into laughter, the absurdity and charm of the situation washing over him. "You've certainly developed quite the character already," he managed between chuckles.

Bennu, not one to miss a beat, replied with a clever quip that had Leon laughing even harder, the warmth of genuine amusement filling the room.

After the laughter subsided, Bennu turned to Adom, a conspiratorial twinkle in his eye. "I like this one. He has a good sense of humor."

Adom scoffed, but his eyes were alight with amusement. "Perhaps it's because both of you have a questionable sense of humor that you get along so well."

As Leon and Bennu engaged in their lively banter, a peculiar sound at the door drew their attention. Curiosity piqued, they turned to find a veritable mountain of boxes teetering precariously, seemingly supported by nothing more than the slender legs of Mr. Biggins. The shopkeeper's limbs quivered under the weight, his struggle masked by a thin veil of composure.

"Mr. Biggins, are you alright under there?" Leon called out, concern lacing his voice as he and Adom rushed to his aid.

With a voice as whimsical as his persona, Mr. Biggins reassured them. "Oh, my dear boys, worry not! Just a bit of a balancing act, you see." Even as he spoke, his legs danced a shaky jig beneath the towering stack.

Greeting Adom with his usual flair, Mr. Biggins beamed. "Ah, Adom, my boy! A pleasure to see you gracing my humble abode once again!"

Despite his nonchalant demeanor, it was evident he was on the brink of being overwhelmed. "Just going to tuck these away, my lads. Give me but a moment," he said, his voice strained with the effort of maintaining his precarious load.

Without hesitation, Adom stepped forward, his hands weaving through the air as he cast an incantation. The boxes, as if relieved to be freed from gravity's clutches, floated gently upwards, guided by the invisible hands of Adom's levitation spell, and settled with a soft thud in the designated storage space upstairs.

Mr. Biggins, now liberated from his cardboard prison, stretched and cracked his back, a look of profound gratitude washing over his face. He adjusted his hat with a flourish, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Ah, the follies of youth! Once I could have juggled these with ease, but alas, time is a thief of many things, including one's sturdiness," he laughed, his voice carrying a melodic chuckle that filled the room with warmth.

With the boxes now safely stowed away, Mr. Biggins turned his attention to Adom, his expression a blend of curiosity and genuine concern. "My dear Adom, how have you been? I feel like It's been a spell since you last graced my shop. I was considering a jaunt over to Xerkes in order to check on the egg's progress," he mused, his tone carrying the whimsical cadence characteristic of his unique persona.

Glancing at his watch as if it held some arcane knowledge, Mr. Biggins continued, "By my calculations, the egg should be in the throes of hatching within three to five months, now that it's been activated. Tell me, have you noticed anything out of the ordinary of late?"

He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You see, there was a rather tumultuous fluctuation in the world's Essentia just yesterday, reminiscent of the upheaval we witnessed four years ago. I have a sneaking suspicion that your egg might have had a hand—or should I say, a shell—in this."

Adom chuckled, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place in his mind. The news of the Essentia fluctuation that morning and Bennu's unexpected arrival now seemed more than just coincidental. "Actually, Mr. Biggins, that's precisely why I'm here. And you're right, the timing does align perfectly. It appears Bennu decided to make his entrance into the world a bit earlier than you anticipated."

Mr. Biggins nodded, his eyes twinkling with a mix of fascination and understanding. "Ah, I see. It's only natural, I suppose. A being as potent as a phoenix possesses the capacity to alter the normal ebb and flow of Essentia. Their birth alone is an event of significant magical consequence," he explained, his voice taking on the tone of a lecturer absorbed in his subject.

However, mid-explanation, he paused, a look of realization dawning upon his face. He turned to Adom, his expression suddenly thoughtful. "Bennu, you say? Did you just say Bennu?" he asked, his voice tinged with a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

Without waiting for a response, Mr. Biggins grasped Adom's shoulder, his grip firm yet trembling slightly with anticipation. "Has he... has Bennu truly hatched?" he inquired, his eyes wide, reflecting a whirlwind of emotions—elation, surprise, and an almost childlike wonder.

Adom, with a gentle nod, confirmed Mr. Biggins' inquiry. "Yes, he has hatched," he began, but before he could delve further into the extraordinary circumstances of Bennu's early arrival, the little phoenix himself, curious and uncontainable, poked his head around the corner to catch a glimpse of Mr. Biggins.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

The sight of the vibrant, peeking Bennu instantly drew a jubilant exclamation from Mr. Biggins. "Ah, Bennu!" he cried out, his voice rich with joy and wonder. Adom, interrupted mid-sentence, could only chuckle as he gestured towards the lively phoenix, "And there he is."

Mr. Biggins repeated the name "Bennu" with a delighted laughter, as if the name itself was a magical incantation that brought a unique joy. He turned to Adom, his eyes sparkling, "The name you've chosen, it's wonderful!"

Adom shrugged modestly, a wry smile on his lips. "Yeah, about that... I'm not quite sure how the name came to me. It just... felt right."

As Mr. Biggins slowly approached the shyly peeking Bennu, his response floated back to Adom, "The naming, my dear boy, often comes from a place beyond our conscious thought. It's a mystical, universal phenomenon, you see." His gaze remained fixed on Bennu, who, despite his newfound boldness, seemed to regard Mr. Biggins with a hint of bashfulness.

"It's as if the very essence of the universe whispers the name through you," Mr. Biggins continued, his voice imbued with a sense of awe and reverence. "A name like 'Bennu' carries with it a profound resonance, a connection to the ancient and the eternal. It's not just a label, but a declaration of the soul's identity."

Bennu, listening intently, fluffed his feathers with pride, his eyes gleaming with a mix of mischief and intelligence. Mr. Biggins, now standing before the majestic little phoenix, extended a hand with the gentleness of a falling leaf. "Welcome to this wondrous world, Bennu," he whispered, his voice a blend of kindness and solemnity.

As Bennu cautiously approached Mr. Biggins, giving the man a moment to absorb the sight of him, he simply said, "Thanks." The word, small and earnest from the phoenix, caught Mr. Biggins off guard, his eyebrows arching in mild surprise. "Ah, your bond has already solidified so deeply," he remarked, a note of approval in his voice.

Adom, communicating through their unique bond, teased Bennu, "I never took you for the shy type, especially not around Biggins." Bennu's response, conveyed with a mental nudge, carried a hint of awe, "There's something about Mr. Biggins... He has an aura I can't quite place. It's welcoming, warm, somewhat like yours, Adom."

Mr. Biggins, in the meantime, opened his arms wide, a universal gesture of welcome. Bennu, shedding any hint of hesitation, dashed towards him with a childlike gait, reminiscent of the innocent and joyful runs seen in young, spirited characters in animated tales. His small, swift steps carried him into Mr. Biggins' embrace, where he nuzzled affectionately against the man, a gesture of genuine gratitude. "Thanks for taking care of me when I was just an egg," he chirped, his voice a blend of youthful exuberance and ancient wisdom.

Mr. Biggins, enveloping the small phoenix in a gentle hug, chuckled warmly, his laughter echoing around the cluttered store. "It was my pleasure, little one. To see you now, vibrant and full of life, it's a true joy, a true joy!"

Mr. Biggins's laughter filled the air, a rich, booming sound that seemed to momentarily dispel the weight of the world's complexities. "A phoenix! The first in two hundred and fifty-eight thousand years has graced us with its presence," he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of awe and mirth. "Truly, a miracle among miracles."

The room settled into a comfortable silence, the initial excitement giving way to a more contemplative atmosphere. Mr. Biggins, his demeanor shifting, addressed Adom with a solemnity that seemed almost foreign to his usually buoyant character. "While the birth of Bennu is indeed a joyous event, it brings with it a gravity we must not ignore," he began, his tone imbued with an earnestness that commanded attention.

"How many are privy to this wonder?" he inquired, his gaze piercing through the levity that had filled the room moments ago.

Adom, sensing the shift in mood, replied with measured honesty, "Only you, Leon, and Sam. No others are aware."

Mr. Biggins nodded slowly, his expression grave. "Then let us keep it so," he advised. "For while we celebrate this miraculous birth, we must also tread with caution. The world, Adom, is a place of beauty and wonder, but it harbors shadows deep and dark."

His voice, low and steady, carried a weight that seemed to press against the very air. "Should word spread that a phoenix has been reborn, especially one as young and vulnerable as Bennu, it could ignite flames of desire and greed that no ocean could quench."

Bennu, listening intently, couldn't help but interject, "But Adom and I can face any challenge!" His voice, though youthful, carried a defiance that spoke of an inner strength yet untapped.

Mr. Biggins offered a gentle, albeit somber, smile in response. "Your spirit is commendable, young Bennu, but this goes beyond mere confrontations. The knowledge of your existence could become the spark that ignites violent wars, draws forth dreadful adversaries, and awakens greed in the hearts of the most powerful beings."

Adom's thoughts drifted back to that night on the beach, the words of ' Death ' echoing in his mind like a distant storm. "Men like you, they try to steer clear of the storm, yet somehow, the storm finds them. It'll be interesting to see how you navigate this vast ocean of life." The gravity of her words had not fully registered then, but now, standing in Biggins' store with Bennu at his side and a world of potential dangers lurking in the shadows, the meaning was all too clear.

He had hoped for a life of tranquility and joy, a second chance to right the wrongs of his past and live out his days in peace. Yet, fate, it seemed, had other plans. The birth of Bennu, a being of immense power and significance, had thrust him back into the eye of the storm, a place he had desperately sought to avoid.

Biggins' warning about the dangers that lay ahead, the potential for wars sparked by mere knowledge of Bennu's existence, weighed heavily on Adom. The world was a vast, tumultuous ocean, and he, aboard a fragile vessel, felt once again at the mercy of its currents.

Adom knew the truth of their world, a realm where power dictated the flow of life and death, where the innocent could be swept away by the ambitions of the mighty. He pondered on who might target them, his mind racing through a list of potential threats, from power-hungry sorcerers to ancient beings lurking in the shadows.

The words on the beach, now a haunting premonition, served as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of his journey. "It'll be interesting to see how you navigate this vast ocean of life." The path ahead was fraught with peril, a test of his resolve and cunning in a world that cared little for fairness or mercy.

As Biggins spoke of the need for caution and secrecy, Adom felt the weight of his responsibility. To protect Bennu, to shield him from the dark forces that would seek to use or destroy him, was a task of monumental importance. He realized he was no longer just a man seeking redemption; he was a guardian, standing at the forefront of a battle he had never wished to fight.

Biggins noticed Adom lost in thought, his brow furrowed with the weight of the world. Placing a reassuring hand on Adom's shoulder, he offered a gentle nudge back to the present. "No need for such gloom, my dear boy. All will be well," he assured him, his voice a soothing balm to Adom's troubled mind. "While it may be prudent to keep Bennu's existence a closely guarded secret for now, there are ways to conceal him, the most effective of which is teaching him to change forms."

At this revelation, surprise registered on the faces of all three listeners—Adom, Leon, and an especially vocal Bennu. "He can do that?" they exclaimed in unison, their astonishment echoing through the cluttered confines of the shop.

Biggins couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh, the sound warm and infectious. "Indeed, my friends! Phoenixes, much like their draconic counterparts, are adept shapeshifters. They possess such mastery over this art that they can maintain their alternate forms even in slumber."

The idea of Bennu, already a creature of legend, possessing the ability to shapeshift sparked a flicker of hope and wonder in their hearts. Biggins, with a twinkle in his eye, nodded affirmatively. "I would be more than willing to impart this knowledge to Bennu. It's a skill that could prove invaluable, especially in these uncertain times."