Page 81 of His Fate
"In mythology, a Phoenix cannot truly be killed, it is born of its ashes over and over again, gaining new life from the ashes of its predecessor. I have yet to completely translate the passage our father began deciphering on the Phoenix Dragon, but from what I gathered a king and an army that is backed by the Phoenix Dragon is essentially unstoppable. Each time a soldier dies the Phoenix Dragon incinerates the carcass and within minutes the warrior is reborn, immediately able to pick up his blade or shift and return to battle, but that is not all."
Of course it's not.
Why would that shit be the only beneficial aspect of some crazy myth?
Henrich scoots around nervously. "The Phoenix Dragon alone is possibly the most powerful to ever be rumored to exist. A long white body with iridescent scales stronger than any metal, golden spikes and talons that could melt any substance without actually coming into contact with it, a mere few feet away and they would still cause great damage. The Phoenix Dragon is able to communicate telepathically with all dragons regardless of clan but only in dragon form and has the potential to control them through that link. And because the Phoenix Dragon is essentially a giver of life, it can also take on the injuries of those it chooses; it can absorb the wound as its own in order to heal the victim but would die instantly from doing so with the possibility of not coming back." Then Henrich looks at my father who seems to be rather lost in thought before looking at me. "When the Phoenix Dragon shifts, it is on fire. It can breathe it, but also ignites completely, its entire body engulfed in gold flames that incinerate everything it comes into contact with. The fire of the Phoenix Dragon can eliminate massive amounts of people within milliseconds of the shift, then control it enough to do so at will."
"And you think somehow I'm the Phoenix Dragon? Think Cyril knows I'm the Phoenix Dragon?"
Henrich nods but it's my dad who speaks.
"Do you remember anything about your dragon, Posey? Anything at all?" He searches my eyes and I try, try to remember but I can't, which doesn't seem to be a problem since he says, "You're on fire when you shift, peanut. You've taken out enormous chunks of land, almost leveled our house several times." He clears his throat. "And you're white. White and gold with completely white eyes, longer than my dragon, not as muscled or wide but still so strong and graceful, just like your mother."
I blink, then blink again. "Your dragon is green though. Green with burgundy spikes and mom was almost a peachy color, peachy with pinkish-purplish spikes."
Dad nods with a sad smile. "Your mother looked like a sunset."
"I don't understand. Why don't I favor either of you in my dragon form? I look just like you both like this." I point to myself as I start to get a little panicky. "You're both redheads but the brunette comes from you, my freckles and eye color come from Mom, I'm tallish like her and I have your fucking hands!" Hands I hold up as I feel more and more hysterical. "If I look so much like both of you in my human form or whatever, then wouldn't it make sense that I at least favor one of you as a dragon?!"
Kai starts rubbing my back. "Typically, yes. Families carry shared genetic traits in both forms but if you are the Phoenix Dragon then I suspect it trumps DNA."
I turn toward him with wide eyes. "You believe this?"
He nods.
"How? How can you believe something like this when I haven't even shifted in just over twenty years?"
"Call it a gut feeling. My dragon not only recognizes you as our mate but he sees his counterpart in you. He cannot convey it properly, does not use descriptive words to explain what he sees but he oozes pride each time the Phoenix Dragon comes up and quickly follows it with a firmmine. My dragon seems to think this is who you are and I tend to agree with him. He has never let me down before and I highly doubt he will now since it pertains to you."
"It is not something we can confirm until you shift though," Henrich blurts. "The Phoenix Dragon has one very distinct identifying marker though, something different from a unique physical appearance."
I lace my fingers with Kai's as he kisses my shoulder. "Which would be what?"
He fidgets again. "Your marking. It is said it will be present both in human and dragon form, something that is unique only to the Phoenix Dragon. Always visible in each state, on its back as a human, on… on its wings as a dragon."
We sit in silence for a few beats before something Henrich said pops into my head. "So what did you mean when you said Kai may have more power than he thinks?"
"It is possible that since you have mated and share a life-bond that Kai will also be… he may also be on fire when he shifts. Because you are mates it is entirely feasible that any power the Phoenix Dragon possesses will be shared between you but we won't know that for sure until you shift." Henrich pushes a hand back through his hair and sighs. "Kai's dragon will look to yours for guidance, will not exhibit the power until you do. It is foreign to him so he will learn from your dragon in order to summon and control the shared gift."
"Oh good," I deadpan. "I'm so glad all of this is totally reliant on my ability to shift into a dragon we aren't actually sure I am, a dragon that is totally snoozing into her twenty year nap."
It will happen, beloved. Have faith. Your dragon will wake and she will be just as magnificently beautiful as you.
Despite my frustration, I smile at Kai's words and calming energy.
His unwavering support and faith in me, in our bond, is so humbling and just so needed that I love him more for it.
I sigh and lean back against him. "So if I am in fact this Phoenix Dragon and Kai has obtained extra gifts by mating me, what could happen when we shift at the same time?"
Henrich blinks. "I hadn't really thought of that."
"A fucking atom bomb." Milos chuckles. "I bet if the two of you shifted at the same time, totally engulfed in flames it would be like a damn H bomb going off."
Andrej nods. "Very beneficial."
Or devastating.
But I'll let them have their optimism.
