Prelinsa never got an answer that day, as she didn’t see Corynn after that. Lunchtime passed, and soon it was afternoon – the time for Prelinsa to receive her Phoenix Spark. She made her way to an agreed upon location to meet with the Matriarch.
Making her way through crowds and streets, she found the old pokkit in a plaza, along with several important-looking people – the Silvermoon Elders. They were all wearing masks that covered their entire faces, and appeared to just be standing there. If they were talking, then Prelinsa couldn’t tell – there was no indication that anyone’s mouths were moving beneath the masks. The group seemed to notice Prelinsa, and the Matriarch acknowledged her presence, but raised a hand to keep her from interacting. So Prelinsa waited for them to finish talking.
After several more minutes of discussion, the other people bowed to the Matriarch, and went on their separate ways.
Prelinsa bowed.
“I greet the Matriarch.”
“At ease,” the Matriarch replied.
“I hope I wasn’t bothering you,” Prelinsa said, standing from her bow.
“You were not,” the Matriarch replied simply. Prelinsa noticed that the Matriarch wore her staff on her back this time, instead of holding it in her hand. The Silvermoon leader also carried a bag, with various unknown items in it.
“Were you… talking about something?” If so, she wondered how the Matriarch and the others were talking. Probably the same kind of magic that Corynn and Kiran had used earlier.
“Indeed. But for the time being, it is a private matter. I hope you understand.”
“Alright.” Prelinsa wondered if this was the same matter that Corynn had been called for by Commander Kiran. “Does this mean we need to call off the Phoenix Spark ritual?” She asked, preparing herself to be disappointed.
The Matriarch shook her head. “The matter I spoke of is already being addressed by capable individuals. Though I could perhaps resolve it on my own, there are times when I must demonstrate faith in others, and allow them to deal with their own problems. People must not grow overly dependent on my power. That is one reason why in this situation, I will only get involved if I must.”
“Okay. That makes sense.”
“Incidentally… I hope you have reflected upon your mistake from last night.”
Prelinsa nodded. “I did. And I talked to Camilla, too. I think we… reached an understanding.”
“Good. I do not blame you for becoming angry in that situation. But you must try to be mindful of how you act upon your anger, even while being attacked. I realize that this is a very difficult thing to do, especially during the rush of battle. However, it is a rule of the Fortress that you must not attack an opponent who is surrendering. As such, I do not wish to punish you, and yet I must see to it that any violators of the law are punished fairly.”
She paused for a moment.
“…Do you believe me to be contradictory?” She asked.
Prelinsa thought about it.
“Maybe? But I don’t think you’re being unfair,” she said.
The Matriarch nodded. “I appreciate your honesty. As a matter of transparency, if you had failed to reflect on your mistake, I would have delayed the Phoenix Spark ritual. The fact you have properly reflected is a sign of your maturity.”
She turned in the direction of east.
“Now, we have a long way to walk. I hope you are prepared.”
Prelinsa nodded. The two of them headed towards the east of White Blossom Fortress. As they walked, people greeted both Prelinsa and the Matriarch and made way for them, naturally forming a path through the crowds. A few of them also eyed the Matriarch warily. By now, Prelinsa was used to this. Eventually, they reached the eastern gate of the Fortress, which rumbled open for them. Prelinsa had never been past this point – it was a heavily restricted area, as evidenced by the many warning signs. They passed through several security checkpoints – unlike when Prelinsa was entering the fortress, this went by with no interruptions at all. After that, they crossed a drawbridge over the fortress moat.
On this side of White Blossom Fortress, there was no city – just a stone-paved path leading through a forested area. Pear trees in particular were abundant, their white flowers blooming and creating a lovely scene. They smelled great, too – not too strong, but with a very mild and pleasant fragrance. Prelinsa had not been permitted to take her phone, or else she might’ve taken pictures.
They continued onward for some distance, the ground sloping upward gently. The path and trees quickly gave way to a large and deep trench, beyond which was a black, rocky landscape that Prelinsa often saw from the top of Castle Hill. It was a vast, solidified plain of lava. There was no bridge to get across – the Matriarch guided Prelinsa down a ladder that was carved into the rocky trench wall. A similar ladder was on the other side.
“Watch your step,” she advised.
On the other side of the trench, the natural flow of the land was interrupted by a vast network of walls and more trenches, which the two pokkits had to navigate carefully. They formed overlapping patterns – any gaps in their defenses were covered for by a neighboring wall or trench – and they were angled and curved so that their ends pointed downhill, as if to redirect things away from Pyrus.
Barely any plants or animals could be seen. A small lizard scurried by in front of them. However, there were the occasional remains of old buildings that had been overrun by the lava a long time ago. They were decrepit, and still bore burn marks of a past disaster. There were also occasional signposts that looked much newer, colored bright fluorescent orange and with coordinates printed on them.
“So these are the lava barriers,” Prelinsa commented, after the Matriarch leaped over a smaller trench.
“They are,” the Matriarch confirmed. “Follow me. And be careful.” Prelinsa jumped after the Matriarch, landing smoothly on the other side. “The barriers have not been needed in some time, but they are maintained should the worst happen. We cannot count on the whims of Pear Mountain to keep Pyrus safe. Nor can we count solely on the whims of mages to protect the city. I believe you learned the story of how these barriers came to be.”
“Yeah. The government of Pyrus wanted mages to protect the city, but they refused at first. Because it was too dangerous and they weren’t being paid,” Prelinsa said, recalling from her history lessons. “So part of the city was destroyed when Pear Mountain erupted.” The fact that the lava flow reached so close to White Blossom Fortress was proof of that.
“Indeed. Peopled learned the hard way that they must take stronger measures to defend Pyrus. They could not rely on nature and people cooperating. As a result, they spent quite a fortune to have these barriers constructed, and paying mages for their assistance.”
“That makes sense.”
“Since that time, Pyrus has never been at such risk again. The barriers have demonstrated their worth many times over the years. Most recently about a century ago.”
An elvish surveyor dressed in rugged clothes passed them by – the first person they’d seen since passing the gate. He carried a remote with a big screen, which he was using to operate a small rover. He stopped what he was doing and bowed to the Matriarch, and she waved him off. Prelinsa watched for a bit as he drove the rover around the lava plains. He stopped it at a wall and frowned as he took note of something on his remote’s screen. The surveyor then approached the wall himself, inspecting what he saw. He pulled out his phone, typed some stuff in, and made a call to some supervisor, discussing some potential damage and how they should proceed. He must have been paid a lot to do this job – it couldn’t be easy.
The Matriarch and Prelinsa continued to trek for kilometers across the barren, uphill terrain. Pear Mountain grew closer and closer. It was also starting to get quite warm. Prelinsa realized that the heat must be coming from Pear Mountain itself.
“You must have felt it already. The power of the volcano,” the Matriarch said.
“Yeah.”
“That power colors parts of the mana streams. The fires of the volcano dance with the mana, creating a force greater than their sum. As you learn the Path of the Phoenix, this dance of fire and mana will be beneficial to your cultivation. You must learn how to properly use magic without its help, but nonetheless, we will come here often so that you can take advantage of it. For now, we will be traveling to a cave at the periphery of Pear Mountain. As you cultivate, you will require a stronger and stronger dance, and we will move your training closer to the volcano. Exceptionally powerful mages cultivate directly in the crater, among fields of molten lava.”
“Like you, Matriarch?”
“I am no longer able to gain meaningful cultivation from Pear Mountain. My training must be done through other methods.”
“Wow.”
“Let’s not become too distracted. We still have some distance to travel.”
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The Matriarch finally led Prelinsa to a cave along a small cliff. By the time they reached their destination, it was late in the day, and the sun was setting. Obviously they had meant to do this earlier, but Prelinsa’s punishment had to take priority. There was an enclosed toilet nearby, which the Matriarch advised that Prelinsa use before entering the cave. “The ritual of granting you a Phoenix Spark will take many hours. It is best to do this now,” she advised.
As they entered the cave, the Matriarch pulled her staff from her back. The crystal at its end glowed brightly, illuminating their path – its internal sparks dancing more wildly, like a flame being stoked. The interior of the cave was hot, and Prelinsa found herself sweating. But it was different from Camilla’s aggressive, draining heat. This heat was much more powerful, yet it was comfortable. It was as if just being here was purifying her body and mind. She felt calmer than she could ever remember being.
“This cave is directly above one of the mana streams, and it is close to the volcano. It is a location where the dance of the fire and mana truly begins,” the Matriarch explained. “Although you are unable to use magic right now, you have some limited sensitivity to this. This is due to your training with Corynn and myself, and because of the firestone on my staff. It was forged in the heart of Pear Mountain, and has been energized by the dance. As a result of being around it for the past three months, your body now recognizes the sensation to some extent.”
“Is that a good thing?” Prelinsa asked.
“It is. It will make granting you a Phoenix Spark easier, and less risky,” the Matriarch replied, leading Prelinsa deeper into the cave. “However, you must not be complacent. The process of granting a Phoenix Spark is still inherently dangerous. A misstep can cause you serious harm or death.”
“Right. You did warn me.” But the thought of that didn’t scare Prelinsa right now. She was feeling too calm for that.
“Watch your step. The path forward can be treacherous.”
The two of them went deep into the cave, which had no furnishings whatsoever and was completely natural in appearance. Eventually, they reached a dead end. Here, the heat was strongest, and the Matriarch’s firestone staff shone even more brightly, giving them plenty of light despite the sky being invisible from here.
“We have arrived. Remove your shirt. And take a seat on the ground, facing away from me,” the Matriarch said.
Prelinsa did so, sitting cross-legged. She breathed in and out deeply.
Meanwhile, the Matriarch began preparing something from her bag, behind Prelinsa.
“I must warn you now that this will likely be very painful at first,” she said. She began to lay out some artifacts in a circle around Prelinsa. “Even with all of the preparations we have made, the Phoenix Spark is something that is foreign to you. As a result, your body and soul will naturally attempt to reject it. You must overcome this trial if you are to begin learning the Path of the Phoenix.”
“How do I do that?” Prelinsa asked.
“I will guide you. Relax your body and focus your mind, as you have with your martial arts training. Feel the Phoenix Spark and its power. Release yourself from the pain it causes you. Your mind must make your body and soul understand that the Spark is not something to be rejected, but accepted.”
“Hmm. Okay.” Prelinsa was getting just a little bit nervous now.
“I can sense your fear. Fear is natural, but it is just an emotion. It is not something you must blindly obey. Be aware and mindful of it, but do not succumb to it. Simply allow it to flow through you.”
The Matriarch knelt down behind Prelinsa, putting her hands on the young teenager’s back.
“I will begin. Are you ready?”
“I am.”
“Then close your eyes, and take in the Phoenix Spark. Focus on its presence.”
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Prelinsa closed her eyes. Immediately, she felt a sharp burning sensation from the Matriarch’s hands. She flinched, gritting her teeth.
“Argh!”
“Relax,” the Matriarch advised her. “Pain is a natural response. You must adapt to it. Take deep breaths.”
Prelinsa breathed in and out, trying to acclimate herself to the sensation. But the burning permeated from the Matriarch’s hands and into her body, deep within her chest. It was much more painful than Camilla’s fire, and more painful than she had thought it would be. It felt as if her entire body was going to burn up from the inside and consume her. But she kept the Matriarch’s words in the back of her mind.
Relax… relax… she thought, trying to convince herself. It’s painful, but the Phoenix Spark is something to be accepted. It will grant me power. It will help cure me of my sickness. I’ll become stronger than ever.
As she thought these things to herself, the pain gradually faded, as if her body and soul were coming to terms with it, and now welcomed its presence. The heat was still there, though. It felt incredibly strong – much hotter than her surroundings and any fire she’d ever experienced. But it was starting to become less and less uncomfortable. The heat spread through every aspect of her body – even Prelinsa’s fingers and toes could feel it.
The Spark will make me stronger. Then I won’t weigh anyone down anymore. I won’t let anyone else close to me be killed so terribly, like mom was. I won’t be that weak anymore. I can’t…
As her thoughts drifted to her mother and her terrible death, her emotions began to waver, and the pain began to increase once again. Her heart and lungs hurt, like she was going to cough up blood all over again, only this time even worse. And yet, the coughing never came. Her whole body tensed up as she tried to endure the awful sensations. She felt helpless, like she was back in the slums. Sad. Frustrated. Angry. Like the fire was trying to explode from her chest at any point. She wanted to get up and scream.
“Focus, Prelinsa!” The Matriarch instructed her. “Your emotions are allowing the Spark to burn through you. Let them flow without allowing them to consume you. Understand them, and use them to your advantage. If you cannot, then there will be nothing more I can do for you, and you will perish.”
Prelinsa took more deep breaths, even as her lungs screamed at her to stop this instant. She tried to stabilize herself, and relax her muscles again. It was hard, but she recalled the Matriarch’s teachings. Instead of directing her feelings outwards from her body, she directed them more inwards, trying to examine them objectively.
…Focus! Focus. Otherwise I’m going to actually die. I’m still sad and angry because I’m weak, and because mom died. I won’t feel that way forever. But right now, I can use these feelings to remind myself that there’s still suffering out there, and train harder so I can stop it. Training, like what I’m doing right now. Use my feelings to focus on the Phoenix Spark. Accept it as part of my growth.
As she reflected upon herself and everything she learned, the pain subsided again.
“Good. You have learned well. Now, I will stabilize the Spark within you. Clear your mind, and meditate. Take in all of your senses, both around you and within yourself. Feel.”
Prelinsa did so. She felt the warmth of the cave. The sensation of the Matriarch’s hands upon her back. The air swooshing through the cave from the bellows of heat. The smell of the earth, and volcanic sulfur in the air. Above everything else, she felt the intense fire of the Spark within her body. Soon, she became lost in these feelings, and time flew by…
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Prelinsa didn’t know how long she was sitting there, but at some point, she was truly basking in the fiery sensation. With every moment, she was also becoming more acutely aware of the fire and mana dancing around her, especially directly beneath where she sat. She could feel the flow of the underground mana stream continue outside of the dance, carrying its power towards Pyrus. She sensed the swirls of energy surrounding both herself and the Matriarch, as well as within their bodies. With a bit of focus, she could even make out the presence of the Matriarch’s firestone staff, able to separate it from the Matriarch herself. It was like getting a completely new sense – as if she’d been blind before and could now see.
And then suddenly, the Matriarch released her hands from Prelinsa’s back, and she came back to reality, with all of her normal senses coming back to her. The sensations of mana faded a little, but Prelinsa was still able to make them out fairly clearly, and more importantly, feel the intense heat within her chest, spreading its tendrils throughout her body. It wasn’t trying to burst out – it was just there.
“It is done,” the Matriarch said. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel really good,” Prelinsa said. “Like there’s a fire burning inside my heart. At some point, it was actually kind of relaxing.”
“That is excellent to hear.”
Prelinsa checked herself, sniffing. “Like, really relaxing. I, uh… I didn’t wet myself, did I?” Rather than drenched in sweat, her body felt totally dry. So it didn’t seem like that was the case, but that would’ve been incredibly embarrassing.
“You did not,” the Matriarch reassured her, as she gathered the artifacts from around Prelinsa. “That is why I instructed you to use the facilities beforehand. However, even if you did, it would have evaporated very quickly from the heat.”
“Really, it was that hot? After a while, it didn’t feel so hot.” The cave actually didn’t feel hot anymore to Prelinsa – objectively it still was, but it was now a comfortable temperature for her. It was also completely eclipsed by the burning fire of the Phoenix Spark, which made everything feel cool in comparison. Prelinsa tried to imagine what the more powerful Phoenix Hearts of Corynn and the Matriarch must feel like.
“The heat of a mere cave will not bother you anymore. That is the power of the Phoenix Spark,” the Matriarch said, putting everything into her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. She picked her staff back up again. “From here on out, you will only continue to grow stronger. But for now, let us return to White Blossom Fortress. There is a long journey ahead of us.”
She went ahead of Prelinsa, lighting the way with her staff. The young girl sized up the Matriarch with her newfound senses. Unlike Prelinsa, where the fire was concentrated in her chest and diminished towards her extremities, the Matriarch’s entire body seemed to be equally full of energy. Every fiber of her being, each strand of fur on her tail, glowed with power. Prelinsa also got the impression that whatever she could sense from the Matriarch was only the surface, and something even greater must be hiding beneath.
That must feel incredible, she thought. Also, that tail must be super comfortable.
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Exiting the cave, Prelinsa saw that it was already early the next morning. The sky was still dim, and the aurora was fading, but the sun was somewhere beneath the horizon, giving plenty of light to see. In fact, even though Prelinsa was already used to seeing in low light, everything looked much sharper and clearer than it usually did. She could resolve grains in the rocks that she normally wasn’t able to.
“Wow. That really did take a long time,” she observed. She didn’t really feel tired yet though.
“Indeed. Take today off from your training and studies, and use it to rest. I have already notified your tutors,” the Matriarch said. “You should not attempt to practice magic yet, however. You must have patience. If you wish to use the time for anything, use it instead to grow more accustomed to your Spark. Become more in sync with it, and the flow of energy it creates within your body. Only tomorrow will we will begin magic practice. Am I clear?”
“Yes!” Prelinsa nodded. She did feel a bit impatient to learn, but she had been waiting her whole life for this. She could wait another day.
“Good. You will find the way back much easier,” the Matriarch continued. “Not only because you have already traveled it, but because of the Phoenix Spark. Your speed, stamina, and senses will have all improved significantly, and the effects of that should be immediately clear. You are likely brimming with energy right now, so we will move quickly. Do your best to keep up with me.”
With that, she raced off in a blur, much faster than any normal person could manage. She headed straight for White Blossom Fortress, which was just visible in the distance from here. Prelinsa blinked, then ran after her. Amazingly, her body was able to keep up, and she moved across the rocky terrain effortlessly, her sharpened senses tracking the ground to avoid tripping on anything. She could see every stone, smell the faint sulfur from the volcano, and hear each of the Matriarch’s footsteps. The warm wind whipped by her face, faster than she’d ever felt before. It was an incredible feeling.
“This is awesome!”
“It is only the beginning,” the Matriarch called back. Prelinsa was able to hear her even over the wind. “From now on, you are not merely Prelinsa Brunswick. You are also Prelinsa Silvermoon, a Phoenix Warrior. You must remain diligent. Focus your efforts, continue to improve as a person, and cultivate your Spark. Through the Path of the Phoenix, you will rid yourself of your sickness and grow powerful. However, it is through patience and compassion that you will truly become stronger in the manner that you wish to be.”
The two of them raced across the lava field. The Matriarch effortlessly jumped over a wall that she and Prelinsa had climbed earlier. It was an intimidating height, but Prelinsa didn’t feel scared. She gave it her best, let out a yell, and leaped, soaring through the air over the wall. It was over quickly, but Prelinsa felt like it was in slow motion, easily judging the landing and nailing it. She felt like a hero from a legend.
All too soon, they arrived back at the groves of pear trees outside White Blossom Fortress, marking the end of their travel. The sun was still rising, showing just how much time they had saved running. Prelinsa was just raring to go for more, but the Matriarch advised her to rest. “I understand that you are excited. However, you stayed up the entire night. Once the rush of adrenaline wears off, you will feel tired from a lack of sleep,” she said. “You must rest, and be in your best condition for tomorrow.”
They made their way back through the gate, and into the Fortress. Once again, people made way for the Matriarch. Prelinsa’s sharpened senses let her quickly notice that some people were reacting differently to her, in a variety of ways. Some with more respect, others with apprehension. A select few still continued to express negativity.
Prelinsa could feel faint energy flows from the people – the ‘ripples’ they created in the mana streams. Even non-mages generated very faint ones, but the mages stood out much more with their noisy mana hearts. She wondered if the new reactions were because they could sense the Phoenix Spark.
The Matriarch led Prelinsa through White Blossom Fortress, and back up to the top of Castle Hill. “I will leave you here,” she said. “I must inform others that a new Silvermoon, and Phoenix Warrior, has been born. For now, I believe you should speak with your mother, and inform her of the good news.”
“I will.”
“Then, I will speak with you later.”
Prelinsa bowed. The Matriarch entered White Blossom Castle. Prelinsa watched her for a bit, before heading for home. The smell of breakfast cooking was even stronger than usual – she could now pick out the individual ingredients that Missus B. was using. Eggs, carrots, broccoli. She had quite a lot to talk about over breakfast.
“I’m home!” She called, opening the door. She pulled off her shoes.
“Welcome back!” Missus B. replied, setting the food on the table.
Prelinsa could now feel the shifter heart in Missus B. She did wonder why she’d never seen Missus B. shift before, but that thought was in the back of her mind for now.
“Mom, I did it! I have a Phoenix Spark now. I’m finally a Phoenix Warrior.”
Missus B. outstretched her arms and hugged Prelinsa tightly and warmly.
“Congrats! I’m real happy for ya, Prelinsa! You’re finally getting ta do what ya wanted.”
“I’m still sick, though. And I still need to keep working hard. I’ll become someone that both of my moms can be proud of.”
“Why don’t ya tell me the rest over breakfast? Food’s gonna get cold!”
“Sure thing.”