FATED FOLLY

The robed figures parted, and an elderly man with grey hair streaked with white emerged. His eyes though milky with age, shone bright with wisdom.

The Phoenix does not choose lightly," the elder said, his voice rasping like a quill scratching against parchment. "Though it has been a century since the last one rose. We are prepared."

His words might have sounded ominous if not for the flicker of quiet pride beneath them.

The man on the floor growled, his wounded knee trembling as he attempted to push himself upright. "Prepared or not, the cycle cannot be broken. This one—" he gestured toward me with a sneer—"will not last. The Phoenix burns as fiercely as it blesses. She will crumble."

I crouched beside him, the Phoenix Pin between my fingers. Its heat responded to my resolve as I met his gaze without flinching. His eyes darted to the pin, as though afraid it might strike. He fell silent, tracking the artifact's every movement.

"What is it about this pin that has you quaking in your fancy boots?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, even though my heart threatened to smash through my ribcage. 

His gaze darted to the robed figures. "You wouldn't understand outsider." He sneered, his voice taut with disdain.

"Try me."

"The pin is older than the very stones beneath our feet. Choosing a bearer once every century. And you-" His lip curled, as though the very idea itself disgusted him. 

One of the robed figures stepped forward, a woman whose hair gleamed like polished silver. "Enough." Her voice was soft yet commanded an instant silence. "You will not speak to the Wanghu Mama with such insolence." 

Wanghu Mama? Great more mysterious titles. 

"Wanghu, what now?" I lowered the pin just enough to let the man breath without choking. "Look, I'm not one to turn down a bit of roleplay fun, but someone needs to fill me in. I've got plans tomorrow, and I'd rather not miss them because I accidentally pledged myself to some ancient deity."

The silver haired woman's expression barely shifted, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're not role playing my lady. The Phoenix Pin has chosen you as its vessel." 

***

The elder stepped closer to the lady who tried to warn me, his hand caressing the red imprint upon her cheek. She brushed loose strands of hair from her face, bowing deeply.

"Lady Kestral, you have done well." The elder addressed her, "Escort our guest to the sanctum. The ceremony must begin before nightfall."

Her eyes softened as they met mine. I could see unspoken gratitude but also worry.

"As you wish, Master," she said quietly. Then, her gaze flicked to the man still kneeling in defeat.

The master regarded him with cold indifference. "He will answer to the Phoenix's flame. Let her decide his fate when the bond is complete."

I blinked, rising slowly. "The bond?"

The master's gaze deepened. "The Phoenix does not simply choose, child. It merges with the one it deems worthy. You felt its pulse, did you not? That was the beginning. By dawn, it will become part of you, or it will consume you entirely."

The weight of his words dropped like a stone into my stomach.

Lady Kestral stepped beside me, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Come. There are things you must know before the final light fades."

I could feel the gaze of the man on the floor. Whose eyes burned with hatred. Shivering as though ghouls had walked over my grave something in his posture reminded me of a snake, coiled to strike rather than the injured lamb he presented. With one last look at him, I memorized his features before following her deeper into the temple.

The corridors twisted like a labyrinth, lined with murals of winged beings rising from ashes. The stories I heard as a child danced across the walls in vivid splashes of crimson and gold. The Phoenix had always been a symbol of hope in our home, but the flames it carried weren't just for protection—they were for rebirth and renewal.

Kestral led me to a chamber draped in silks that shimmered like a flame under candlelight. In the center, a basin of still water reflected the Phoenix Pin in my hand, but the reflection wavered. In the water, the pin wasn't just a simple artifact. It shimmered.

"What do I do now?" I asked, swallowing hard.

She dipped her fingers into the basin, disturbing the surface. Ripples expanded outward, carrying faint echoes of voices.

"Listen," she said softly. "It will guide you."

I closed my eyes, focusing on the pulse thrumming beneath my fingertips. The voice I heard next wasn't Kestral's or even my mother's. It was ancient, fierce, and unmistakably mine.

Rise, child of ash. The storm is here.

A shudder of fear and understanding coursed through me. Like tumblers in a lock, my psyche merged with the Phoenix, and I knew what I must do.

Kestral stepped back, perceiving the change. "It's done? I've read so many tomes, and scrolls, but they never spoke of such a seamless transition. Who are you, truly?" She squeaked.

Power swirled in the air, its tendrils invisible yet tangible. I could sense the Phoenix's urgency, the worry it carried, without fear I embraced her like kin. Waves of power coursed through me, instilling me with ancient knowledge.

Mother had once told me of the Phoenix's oldest trial and how at the end of time, she would aid the heavens in driving out demons and Instantly I knew the man who tried to prevent my ascension was not human. I howled with this revelation just as the doors to the chamber flew open.

He stood there, a sword in hand, his face twisted with rage, dark magic curling around his form. "You think you can claim what is mine, and banish me so easily? The Phoenix's power will be mine this time."

Kestral stepped in front of me, drawing a slender dagger, but I placed a hand on her shoulder and stepped forward. "This fight is mine."

The demon lunged, sword swinging in a downward arc. I met him with the Phoenix Pin raised. Shocked when it lengthened and morphed into a rapier.

Its light flared, deflecting his blade. Flames erupted from the former pin, licking at his shadowy form. He hissed and recoiled, smoke curling from his skin.

He struck again, faster this time, but I twisted, the Phoenix's power guiding my movements. My free hand struck his chest, sending a pulse of fire into him. He howled as he stumbled back.

"You will bow to the power of heaven. What is bound on earth is bound in the celestial realm." I said, knowing the words weren't mine.

Suddenly, a clamour echoed down the corridor. The man I brought to the temple earlier emerged with a band of temple guards. His face was more handsome without his bandages.

"Get away from her," he bellowed, leading the charge.

The demon stumbled and backed away, his eyes burning with rage. "This isn't finished."

As he vanished into the shadows, the Phoenix's light slowly dimmed in my hand. Its shape now an unassuming hairpin.

The man approached, bowing slightly. "It seems I owe you my life."

I smiled faintly.

Kestral exhaled, tension leaving her shoulders. "We need to finish the remainder of the bonding ceremony."

"Um, I think we're pretty much bonded here. She moved me around like a marionette out there."

Kestral chuckled, "You looked pretty in tune with one another. I meant the wedding and ceremonial celebration."

My eyes widened, "I thought with the whole Phoneix selection you'd forgotten about that."

Kestral smiled, "No. Come, there is still much to do."

I followed reluctantly. Being heaven's champion I could handle. it Asking me to marry a stranger was completely out of my wheelhouse.

At that moment the Phoenix's warmth flared momentarily. It pulses a steady rhythm in my palm. It's thoughts flowing into my conscience.

The storm was beginning and having a close ally would help.