This time, they were all up before the phoenixes left. At first they still tried to stay ahead so they didn’t fall behind when they needed to stop, but eventually it seemed that the phoenixes slowed down to match their pace—even stopping when they did.
One of them, when they took a break, circled around them before settling to land in front of them. It perked up and tilted its head. “Are you ready to hear our song?”
The mutual glance the four of them shared showed that Lydia wasn’t just going insane; they really were hearing the phoenix’s voice.
“We heard how you tried to make sense of us,” it said. “You considered the idea that we are more than whose soul we harbor. For that, we will share with you our song, if you are willing to hear it.”
Lydia practically jumped up. “Of course!” The twins got up quickly as well, but Tavin wasn’t able to hide his sigh when he followed their lead.
The phoenix went back into the air, circling around them again as it said, “Come! We will tell you what we have experienced in our countless years.” It swooped down around the other phoenixes until they were all up in the air too, then led the way as they continued their migration. The four of them immediately started to catch up to them.
“You know his story,” a phoenix guessed, “though it hurts no one to start on common ground.”
Then they all joined in, a few even going so far as to provide some theatrics for the display.
“Our king, our creator, is one whose story is oft told;
Stop! Fly slow, watch your surroundings—
Keep a careful eye of where the ground is.
When Orestis sees His plan before Him
He will not let anything surprise Him—
Woe be the one who breaks the mold!
So our story starts with Ekambar,
A curious boy who sought to know the world
Who soon, in the sky, whirled;
Took up his father’s wax and feather wings
Without thinking of the trouble it brings
Challenging himself to fly afar!
Disaster struck on the morrow;
For his travels took him many places
And, caught up in imaginary races,
Failed to recognize the stranger
That would soon, his family, endanger
Oh! The coming sorrow!
The days turned desperate—
For around him they fell,
Finding their way to where Vriuh does dwell.
He sought the world for a cure,
Yet looked to find no more.
Gave himself to the search with no respite.
Soon he had little remaining,
So again he went to seek
What could change what turned so bleak.
Faster! Faster, he flew,
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Up into the sky then into the ocean blue
For his feathers gone and wax draining.
Vriuh looked upon him, welcoming
Until a messenger came from the Creator
To Him, this boy was a traitor—
Betrayer of design, so he shall return;
His soul, one that none shall mourn—
Eternal life and death was his sentencing.
Phoenixes, we hold his soul.
Symbols of foolishness in His eyes
As each one of us tries
To reach the end of this suffering
And see Vriuh, wondering,
If we have finally achieved his goal…”
Together, all the phoenixes dropped down from the sky only to pick themselves back up at the last minute. They returned to their own bird cries for a moment, as if congratulating each other and laughing over their performance. One of them—the same phoenix that had first come up to them, though Lydia wasn’t sure how she knew that—went to fly right next to the four of them, careful to be far enough away so it didn’t burn any of them.
“Did you learn something new?” it prompted. It looked… happy, somehow.
“Vriuh was going to welcome him?” Tavin asked with a mix of confusion and thoughtfulness. “Everything else says that they didn’t even want to look at him…”
“Ah, yes, Death greeted Ekambar as they do all others,” it mused. “But we cannot blame Qizar and the Fleyw Bresh for forgetting that, because they were never told; they hear the events from Orestis. He is not willing to say that anyone, not even Death, had looked upon that boy before He sentenced him to the phoenix’s fate.”
After that came a question from Tim and Henry each:
“Did you even do anything wrong?”
“Have any of you ever made it out..?”
Lydia sighed, noticing the phoenix’s hesitance and instead answering the first in its place. “We’ve all got to remember that the gods are kinda screwed up in the head. If it wasn’t for Qizar’s blind following of them, I don’t think anyone would be able to say they understand every decision. I’ve come across enough ruins and artifacts to know that it’s possible even the other gods couldn’t even understand Orestis’s reasoning. But no one ever says anything because they know what happens when they speak up. Technically we don’t even know what Eldrianna did to get herself banished, which you’d think would be something pretty important to mention about the person whose banishment led to something that world-altering.”
“I believe, on this journey, you will find fragments of that answer,” the phoenix mumbled. “Orestis tries to erase all traces of anything He does not like, but that does not mean it is all gone. As you continue to follow this path, perhaps you will understand what Darkness did… then determine for yourself if speaking out against Him is worth the punishment you will receive at death.” It sighed. “Your second question, little one… simply, yes. Over the years our numbers have dwindled, even if it only by a few. Those portions of his soul have returned to Vriuh, though it is not until we have all made our last cycle that he will be able to see his family.”
It flew a little higher and further, telling them, “We shall share more stories with you tomorrow.” then flying back up and disappearing in the rest of the phoenixes.
They didn’t say anything else to each other until they and the phoenixes stopped for the night. It was by another odd panel again, all the phoenixes flocking on top of it to feel its warmth. Lydia passed out their meal and let them fall into a quiet conversation.
“Is Ekambar really the villain?” Tim wondered.
“He isn’t the hero,” Henry returned.
Tavin shook his head. “At the same time that he was trying to make things better, he only made it worse for everyone.”
“I guess it depends on what part of the story you start on,” Lydia eventually said. “If you start at the very beginning, he’s just a curious kid; someone you know is going to end up getting in trouble for it at some point, yet never expect anything that bad to happen to him. Or it could be at the start of his own legend, where he stole his father’s wax and feather wings. At that point, he’s foolish enough not to listen to his father’s instructions. Again, something you expect him to pay the price for, but nothing too serious. If you come in the middle, where he’s trying to help his family… that’s noble of him, without knowing what led up to it. Even with the knowledge that he was the one to cause it, he’s still got enough resolve to fix it. Then there’s the fact he never knew what he did…”
“I guess it’s weird to think about all the stuff Orestis does and does not allow,” Tim muttered. “I mean, technically, we’re a family of ruin desecrators and grave robbers. Yet the only bad thing that’s only happened to us is a couple of curses that we learn to live without in a couple of generations.”
“There’s also Selik, who tried to get rid of all the magic users on the continent,” Henry pointed out. “That had to have been someone that challenged Orestis’s plan, right? At least tried to harm His people, which He shouldn’t let happen. Yet Selik’s spirit still floats around every now again in the north, with all the people descended from those who shared his ideals.”
“Perhaps, simply, it’s just because we aren’t Qizarn or a child of Fleyw Bresh,” Tavin suggested. “Orestis never cared about the regular humans to begin with. We’ve long since slaughtered the dragons and manticores, so at that point we lost practically any godly guidance that we were ever going to get. To Him, we’re already on our own, which everyone would think to be the ultimate punishment.”
“Yet we’re perfectly fine without it,” Lydia remarked. She glanced at the phoenixes. “I’d actually say we’re better, in some cases… At least, we don’t have to worry about impressing people who are never going to change. We’re free to do whatever we want and, if nothing else, we’re still guaranteed everyone else’s eventual right to join Vriuh and our ancestors in the underworld.” She shook her head. “Let’s all try to get some rest. I’d like us to get as far as possible tomorrow, so we’re all going to need to be ready to sacrifice some other breaks along the way.”