Aside from a gentle, trickling flow, the surface of the pond was almost completely still. The water was clear and cool, reaching deep into a rocky crevice where the water within it flowed from.
An amorphous form emerged from the crevice and fought its way to the surface.
The silence and stillness of the surface shattered as two young men broke through, gasping for air.
Dorian rolled to his back in an attempt to float while he sucked in as much air as he could–while still holding onto a flailing Ace. Ace simply continued gasping, coughing, and otherwise shouting in a strange combination of panic and relief.
Despite the effort to keep them both afloat, the Kalgaran managed to find the bank a few meters away with his good eye. He kicked backward in that direction, lugging the worn-out and waterlogged Daethan with him.
The second his knees scraped the bottom of the pond, Ace clambered to his feet and staggered out–only to collapse face-first into the grass. He remained where he lay, still breathing hard to recover from their ordeal. His shirt bled to a deeper red in its waterlogged state, and the mantle around his shoulders barely clung to his drooping frame.
Dorian crawled up to the bank, flopped onto his back, and shut his eyes. He tugged open his orange leather vest to aid in catching his breath. The swim wouldn’t have been so bad if it weren’t for lugging Ace’s dead weight along with him, but he was grateful both made it to the other side regardless.
Once he had calmed his breathing and relaxed his tensed muscles, Dorian opened his eyes and started to focus on the area they had been washed up in. It didn’t take him long to sit up with his lips parted in awe.
“Ace…”
The man in question propped himself up onto his elbows, water still dripping from his hair as he parted his bangs away from his face. He blinked and immediately pushed himself up to his knees.
“Oh… wow…”
Ace and Dorian found themselves in an oasis of sorts; among the rocky crags that formed a high wall around them, they now stood in a lush, green meadow with leafy trees and taller pines gathering thickly around the edges. The underground river that had led them into the pool at their backs now trickled into a gentle stream that flowed through the middle of the meadow until it disappeared into the shadows beneath the trees.
“Where are we?” Ace managed to speak again, standing up to better take in the view. He clenched his gloved hand in a fist against his forehead to block the sun.
Dorian had also risen to his feet, idly squeezing the bottom of his vest to release excess water. Beyond the sloping edges around them, he could see the increasingly taller peaks that made up the southern border of the Tallelands. “If I had to guess, I think we’re inside Sungate Mountain.”
“That is the closest mountain to Fortanya,” Ace mused as he also scanned the area. “Who knew it was hollow inside?”
As the two continued to follow the edges of the mountain wall and scan for breaks in the trees, the chirping of the birds and the rippling of the stream filled in the silence. Despite the pleasant scene, the expression on the Daethan’s face was quickly souring.
“...How do we get out of here?”
Dorian’s gaze followed the stream back to the pool. The river’s mouth was far below the water in the deepest crevice; and, even if Ace could swim, fighting the current to get back outside would be almost impossible in one breath.
“Because I am not–absolutely not–going back the way we came,” Ace solidified Dorian’s sentiments. “I will climb out of this place with my hands if that’s what it takes!” He balled his fists, squeezing out more water from his gloves in the process.
“Well, we can try to look for another way out,” his shorter companion tried, removing his vest to squeeze the remainder of the water from it. “If we start here and go around the edge of the mountain, we can look for caves or ledges to climb.”
Ace was also wringing out his short, black cloak. “This place is huge!”
“Yeah?”
His hands dropped to his sides “It’s going to take forever!”
“Do you have another idea?” Dorian cocked an eyebrow.
Ace’s focus shifted past Dorian’s sarcastic expression. “There’s a house!!”
Dorian turned around in disbelief, but sure enough, his eye fell upon a small stone cottage across the stream and tucked within the shadow of the pine trees.
Ace broke into a sprint toward the cottage. “That means someone knows how to get in and out of this place!” His exuberance had him spinning around in front of Dorian’s steady pace like a child waiting for a parent to catch up to him. “Because I can’t imagine anyone swims against a massive flood current just to go to the market every–”
“Can you stop for a second?” The Kalgaran interrupted him.
Ace held his tongue as he slowed to a stop, glaring at the back of Dorian’s head as he stepped past him.
The shaded area where the house sat was peppered with beams of light that found their way through the leaves and needles that blanketed the area. The house was modest and seemingly well-kept, with faded blue shutters flanking a wide picture window and a rose-colored door locked against sandstone blocks. A small table with a single chair sat in a clearing beside the house, bathed in sunlight. Birds visited a feeder hanging from a sapling that was growing in the light, undisturbed by the two visitors who now stood nearby.
Dorian slipped his vest back on and stepped up to the door. He gently rapped his knuckles upon it.
The birds at once fluttered away, leaving the feeder swinging in their wake.
Ace kept his eyes on the window, hoping to see movement within. At best, through the dusty window and the dimmed interior, he could make out a small, wooden table and two chairs pushed against it.
After a moment, Dorian knocked again.
“Hello?” Ace chimed in, much to Dorian’s apparent dismay.
Still, there was no reply.
Ace shrugged and went for the doorknob.
Dorian grabbed his hand. “Hey!”
“What?” Ace looked at him incredulously. “If I lived inside a mountain, I wouldn’t keep my door locked!”
“That doesn’t mean we should just walk in!”
Ace jiggled the doorknob with Dorian’s hand still clasped to his wrist. “Lucky for you, it actually is locked.”
Dorian huffed and released him.
“But, lucky for me, I can still get us in.”
He blinked. “What? No!”
Ace pulled a small metal pick from his boot and slid it into the keyhole. Beside him, Dorian had backed away, as if to distance himself from the apparent crime Ace was committing. Still, he kept his eyes on the skillful hands of the former thief–if only for intrigue’s sake.
A simple turn of the metal produced a sharp click, and Ace opened the door into the house and stepped onto the threshold. “Hello!” He called again. “Sorry we opened your door–you probably don’t get a lot of visitors, but we could use some help if you’re in here!”
Dorian was both chewing his lip and frowning as he curiously dipped his head to see around Ace and into the home.
Ace turned around. “I’m not sure anyone’s in there.”
“Well, don’t–” He ended the sentence in a sigh when Ace walked in, regardless of his attempted warning. “You’re soaking wet!!”
He glanced down at his feet, squishing muddy water on the wooden floor. “I’ll clean it up!” He dismissed before continuing further in. He walked past the table he could see from the front window, taking careful steps. “They haven’t been gone long,” he commented. “There’s a loaf of bread on the table that looks pretty fresh. And the room doesn’t smell musty or moldy or anything.”
This finally piqued Dorian’s interest enough to draw him into the doorway. “It’s… certainly tidy.” Dorian slipped inside after Ace, though he paused to ensure his waterlogged shoes were still on the small rug at the doorstep. Pausing in the doorway allowed him to notice a series of hooks beside the door, and on one hook was a long, purple cloak. A darker pattern had been dyed into the fabric, and Dorian gently tugged on the edge of the cloak to spread it open.
The pattern was revealed to be the outline of a great bird.
Dorian gasped as he immediately released the cloak. He recognized this bird.
“Well, no one’s here.” Ace returned to the room, scuffling across the floor with a towel under his boots. “There’s only a bedroom and a washroom and this room, and no one is in any of them!” He paused, letting his hands drop as his expression skewed. “What’s up?” He asked when Dorian continued to stare at the cloak incredulously.
“I can’t believe he lives here… although it makes perfect sense.”
“Who lives here? What’s going on?” Ace scooted closer.
Dorian’s single blue eye glanced at him. “Have you heard the story of The Phoenix?”
Ace’s brows remained furrowed. “No.”
Dorian turned away. “Finish the floor. I’ll tell you outside.”
Ace obeyed, too curious to be annoyed at Dorian’s order. He shuffled back to the doormat, glanced behind to ensure the water was cleaned up, and left the towel near the door. He stepped out into the grassy glen as Dorian shut the door behind him.
Dorian rubbed his chin as he walked a few paces from the house. “I assume you haven’t heard of Alphega, either?”
“That one I’ve heard,” Ace stepped into his line of sight.
“Really,” Dorian’s flat tone was betrayed by his surprised expression.
“Yeah; that’s the deity who came to this world but got burned at the stake–and now there’s some eternal fire in Kalgara he left behind.”
“That’s… the abridged version for sure,” he smirked. “Though, it’s impressive you’ve heard it at all considering you grew up in Fortanya.”
“You’re not wrong.” Ace returned the expression. “My mom believed in Alphega. She told me all the stories, but I don’t remember very much.”
“That’s a start,” Dorian nodded before tilting his head. “Your mom?”
“Adopted mom,” Ace clarified quickly. “You… you know the story of my real mom.”
Dorian nodded again.
Ace stepped closer. “So, who’s The Phoenix? And how’s he connected to Alphega?”
Dorian’s eye looked out across the meadow. “Before Alphega left this world, he appointed two men as guardians and granted them a portion of his power,” his hand stretched out in front of him. “The first was the Guardian of Life. He was granted power in the form of light that spread from his back as mighty wings to give him flight and agility. He could also wield the light as an impenetrable shield. With his power, he was told to protect others in need; those unable to protect themselves. Over time, this man became known as The Sentinel–ever-watchful for those needing aid.” The man glanced at Ace. “And the second was the Guardian of Death.”
Ace flinched. “Death?”
“This man was granted power in the form of mist and shadow that is said to flow from the cape on his back.”
“The cape in that room?” Ace commented aloud.
“With his power, he was told to tend to those who are dying alone. In their final moments, he will give them comfort and company as they pass from this life into the next; hence, the Guardian of Death.”
As his companion’s eyes drifted away in thought, Dorian continued. “In order to fulfill his role, he was granted the ability to transport himself across far distances and withstand life-threatening situations. His days were lengthened to centuries, and whenever he seemed to fall into death himself, he would rise again.”
The Daethen looked up. “And so, he became known as The Phoenix.” He shook his head as he tried to find words. “Dorian–I think I’ve seen him.”
“When?” His visible eye widened in surprise.
“When we were trying to break the curse, there was that point when everyone else was knocked out or had fallen down. I had just tried to save Hylas but… well, I had collapsed. I couldn’t breathe, and I was probably actually dying,” Ace’s unfocused eyes narrowed. “As I was laying there, I saw a shadow block the sun, and I heard a voice say, ‘it’s not your time.’” He glanced up. “Then the next thing I knew, I was waking up to a broken curse and you all were there.”
Dorian appeared both stunned and impressed. “That had to have been him,” he spoke almost as a whisper. “He must have been the one to break the curse, too.”
Ace half-smiled at Dorian’s shift in attitude. “And now, we’re at his house,” he said as he turned back to face the cottage.
“It’s incredible we have a chance to be this close,” Dorian was also looking toward the cottage. “Out of both Guardians, The Phoenix has always been the most enigmatic.”
“I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard of The Sentinel before, either, though,” Ace crossed his arms. “Wouldn’t there be some word about him around if he’s around too?”
“They’re both only there to fill gaps, really,” Dorian took a similar stance. “If you’re not in a place of needing protection–or have ways of protecting yourself–you may never see The Sentinel; just like someone who isn’t alone upon their death bed won’t see The Phoenix.”
“It’s just–you think there’d be more talk about a light-winged flying guy around–especially if he’s the less reclusive one.”
Dorian began to rub his fingers over his chin. “I came in contact with The Sentinel once,” he offered gently. “Moments after my parents were killed, a woman with wings of light took me and hurried me away. She’s probably why I’m still alive today.”
“She?” Ace blinked, only for a pang of compassion to hit him from Dorian’s seemingly idle admission. “...Your parents were killed?”
The Kalgaran at once seemed dismissive. “The Sentinel was an older woman when I saw her,” he only acknowledged the first of Ace’s questions.
Despite the urge to know more of Dorian’s past, Ace allowed the conversation to continue as it was. “So, we’ve each seen one of the guardians! That’s kind of cool.” When even this phrase fell upon silence, Ace decided it best to change the subject. “What all else can The Phoenix do, then?”
Dorian tugged at his shirt sleeve. “Over the years, he learned to contain the source of his great power within a gemstone pendant–leading many to credit The Phoenix with the creation of the first totem. In fact, there’s word that every totem in existence was created by him, or one of his successors.”
“Successors? Wait, so there’s been more than one?”
“There have been many Guardians over the years.” Dorian at last returned eye contact. “The Sentinel was not granted any sort of longer life, so when he–or she–dies or becomes too old, the power passes to another who is considered worthy.” He wrung his hands together. “The Phoenix is different; he lives many centuries before growing old, and then, since his power is contained within a totem, he must pass the totem on to his successor–usually a descendant.”
“Interesting.” Ace scratched his head, his drying hair beginning to fluff into its usual disheveled form. “Well, whoever he is now, I guess I can thank him for saving me when he gets here–unless we find a way out of here first.”
The Kalgaran’s face scrunched. “About that,” he said almost nervously. “Since The Phoenix can transport himself anywhere he wants…”
Ace’s hands dropped to his sides. “Oh no!” He groaned, only to shoot his hands back out at his side. “And how much do you want to bet he picked a place with no real way in or out on purpose!”
Dorian frowned. “We should still do a search on our own, just to rule it out. Hopefully, he’ll show up before too long.”
The gambler groaned another time, his head rolling back on his neck in annoyance.
Dorian pointed to the rocky wall to the left of the pool. “I’ll cross the river and go this way from the pool; you go that way. If you find something, make a note of where it is, and we’ll meet back here and look things over.” He paused when his orders were met with more groaning. “I’m sorry; do you not want to get out of here?”
“I do, it’s just…” Ace huffed loudly. “Why can’t my life ever just be… I don’t know–normal?? I swear, since the day I was born, bad luck has followed me everywhere!”
The Kalgaran remained unmoved. “You think bad luck is what got you here?”
“You think this was good luck??” Ace waved his hand at the mountainsides around them.
“I don’t think it’s luck at all.”
“You don’t believe in luck?”
“No.”
“So what do you believe in?” Ace took an accusatory step towards the shorter man.
“Alphega.” He answered simply.
Ace half-rolled his eyes as he turned the rest of his body away. “Well then: why did Alphega almost drown us and then bring us to a place we can’t get out of?”
Dorian narrowed his eye, remaining calm despite the gambler’s volatile nature. “It’s making us work together and forcing us to talk to each other.”
Ace’s mouth was already opening in a retort, but he slowly closed his lips. This was not the answer he was expecting.
“I’m not expecting you to believe in something you haven’t learned more about,” Dorian continued as Ace remained turned away. “But I wouldn’t mind if you tried to refocus the way you’re thinking about things.”
Ace turned around, unsure if Dorian’s words could be considered an insult.
“Instead of seeing everything as a series or good or bad luck, see everything as a point to learn something. You could see a challenging situation as a time you can make a choice to influence your future, or a way to look for something good in something that seems bad. The plans for our lives can be so far beyond what we could ever imagine.”
Ace tilted his head as Dorian’s words sunk in. “I am trapped in a hollowed-out mountain just to… talk to you more?”
“Perhaps. Or there’s something else planned for us here.”
Ace’s expression remained blank as he considered his words. “Okay. So… in order to get out of here, I need to go this way and you need to go that way.”
“If you don’t mind.” Dorian’s words extended like an open invitation.
“Okay.” He nodded with a hint of determination in his eyes.
The Kalgaran watched Ace pocket his hands and start away. He brushed his fingers through the hair that covered his right eye before smiling and following the rocky wall in the opposite direction.
---
This scene comes directly before "Aurora" - I original had them all as one short, but it wasn't very short that way, heh.
Right before all this, Ace falls into one of the canals in Fortanya and drags Dorian with him. Because it's the rainy season, the currents are quick and the canals are full, so they are briskly whisked (ha) into a cave that then leads into the Phoenix's "crater". They almost don't get there because Ace has panicked SO much (like he has to trust Dorian that there's light beyond the cave but they have to go underwater to go the rest of the way and Ace is not a fan). Then, they break through the water here.
I like this one because it's the first real time these 2 have been alone, and really get to start testing their new friendship. And by the end of this whole book, they absolutley get it.
I don't know how many times I rewrote their conversation, since even the original note I found had 2 different copies in it. Then, adding the revised bits of what the Phoenix actually does now, along with the Sentinel and not being a long drawn out speech was kinda tough. But, I also don't want it to get too preachy, since yes, Alphega is a mirror of Christ/Christianity... but that's not quite what this story is for. It's more for showing how you can believe in something bigger than yourself, but you also have the power to make your own decisions. Ultimately, your choices, and what you base your choices on, are what matter.
And this conversation is just the start :)
(and, spoiler alert, Ace gets to meet his mom and Dorian is exactly right lol)
