The War of Phoenix, Angel92296 [if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud .TXT] 📗

Prologue
I received my Phoenix burn on my thirteenth birthday. It was a mark in the shape of a soaring Phoenix and it covered most my wrist. My mom cried all that night worried I would become one of them. She was wondering if I will join this mad war between Phoenix Summoners. I told her that would never happen. I knew that me becoming part of this war might hurt her. My father died in that war. Me, being a part of it, just might kill her as well.
My Phoenix arrived to me when I turned fifteen. It was the coolest thing that I had ever seen. He was young and very small. I used to laugh when he would hiccup and fire came out of his beak. I was attached to him the moment he flew and landed on my Phoenix burn. The burn lit up in recognition and my new Phoenix spread opened its wings. I could feel what he felt and at the moment he felt awakened.
Chapter One
“Vergos! Stop playing games. We have to finish your training,” I spoke to the Phoenix. I watched as he continued to flap his wings toward me. It was his way of clapping. I grabbed the bucket of water that sat next to me. I held it up as if threatening to throw it on him. He seemed to take this very seriously and he stopped playing around. I beckoned him with my hands and he obeyed. I placed the bucket back on the floor.
“Vergos, fire wall,” I commanded. He spreads open his wings and let out a flame wall that separated the two of us. I walked right through it without getting burned. I smiled remembering when we first tried the firewall. Vergos blew to hard and fell backwards. He hit me with his wings when I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. Now he is getting better. “Very good Vergos.”
I could feel the satisfaction he felt. It’s amazing. To know what your Phoenix is feeling and them knowing what you’re feeling. To know that a creature like this actually has feelings is extremely amazing to know. I pulled my bandage out of my pocket and wrapped it around my left wrist so it completely covered my Phoenix burn. It had spread and become bigger as Vergos grew older and stronger. Pretty soon I won’t be able to hide it.
“I have to go Vergos,” I told him. I could feel his disappointment but he nodded knowing I had to go. I rubbed my hand over his smooth beaks. I led myself out of the cave I hid Vergos in when he came to me. My mother told me that she didn’t want anyone to know that I was Phoenix Summoner. I told her pretty soon they will find out. They will look at the list of past Summoners and research whether they had children or not. You would have to be born a Summoner. You don’t just become one. My dad was a Summoner and so is his brother. I haven’t met my uncle yet but I know that him and my dad didn’t get along. The fought on opposite side of the war. I was never told if he was still alive but that honestly didn’t matter. He fought against what my father spent his life fighting for. My father’s brother is no use to me.
I walked through the woods cautious of anyone that might have followed me here. The woods were quiet and I always loved walking through it. It helped me think of things that I couldn’t think of when I was home with mom. Things like what if I could end this war between the Summoners? What if I was in this war? Could I pick up where my father left off? Could my mother respect my wishes if I wanted to join this war? I know the last question would be a no. My mother couldn’t even bear the thought of me being this never ending war of bloodshed and death. All I want is for it to end. I want it to finally come to a stop. I am willing to do anything to put an end to this war.
Coming out of the woods should have been more than this. The streets were deserted and I knew what that meant. The Night Blades were here and they were striking fear around the Vestara. Vestara is the small town I grew up in. Mom loved it here and that’s why she didn’t want us to move. I spotted a friend of mine and she seemed to be running my way. I gave her a confused look when she stopped in front of me, gasping for air.
“Lena? What’s wrong?” I asked her. She took a minute and swallowed hard.
“The Night Blades are looking for you,” she said. I groaned and shook my head. I knew this day would come but I didn’t know it would be this soon.
“Where are they now?” I asked her.
“At your house with your mother,” she answered.
“Can you come with me?” I asked her. She nodded and we began to run toward my small house in the middle of Vestara. We stopped to catch our breaths before we went inside.
“Alec? Is that you?” my mother asked and I could hear the warning in her voice. It was a warning telling me she was hoping I didn’t forget to bandage my Phoenix burn.
“Yes, mom. It’s me and Lena, actually,” I answered her with my ‘I know already’ tone.
“We have visitors,” she said. I followed my mother’s voice into the kitchen. She sat there across from a large man I recognized immediately.
“Ramos,” I greeted him with a respectful nod.
“Hello Alec. You’re just the man I came to see,” he said with a grin. I saw something moved at my right and wasn’t surprised to see Yvette. She leaned on the sink and stared at me with a smile at her lips.
“What can I do for you?” I asked turning my eyes back to Ramos.
“Can we talk a little more privately?” he asked. I glanced at my mother and she looked like she was frozen in place. I nodded and gestured for him to follow me. Lena grabbed my wrist and squeezed tightly before letting it go and walking over to my mother’s side.
“How have you been Alec?” Ramos asked me.
“I’ve been well,” I answered him cautiously.
“You look well,” he said nodding. We walked outside, behind my house.
“What did you want to come see me for?” I asked sounding confused even though I knew what he wanted.
“According to the records you were born into a family of Phoenix Summoners,” he spoke with a curious tone.
“Does that automatically make me one?” I asked matching his curious tone. My Phoenix burn was tingling which meant Vergos sensed something is wrong with me. I tried to relax a little.
“I don’t know Alec. You tell me,” he said looking at me.
“It doesn’t matter if I were to become a Phoenix Summoner. It would mean nothing to me. My father lost his life because he was one. I won’t do the same,” I lied easily. Ramos nodded and I see he bought the part about me not wanting to become a Summoner because of the way I lost my father.
“If does happen you know where to find me. That is if you change your mind about not coming one,” he said patting me on the back.
“I will if anything is to change,” I said nodding. I watched as he walked away. He called for Yvette and she danced her way to his side. She turned back to me and gave me a little wave but I didn’t respond. I waited until they were out of sight before I threw my head back in frustration. My wrist had stopped tingling but my head had started pounding.
“Alec,” Lena called me. I shook my head and walked toward her. She followed me inside where mom was still sitting at the table. She was holding a glass of water in her hand but she couldn’t keep her hand steady enough to put the glass to her lips. I grabbed the glass from her hands and put it to her lips as she drunk from it. This reminded me the day they told us my dad had died. Mom was shaking uncontrollably and I was only seven so I had no idea what to do. It was when I was seven that I promised I won’t do anything to hurt her. I never wanted to see her that way again.
“What did he say?” Lena asked from behind me.
“He said when and if I become a Summoner and decided that’s what I want to be, to let him know. That’s all,” I said placing the glass on the table. The room was silent and that bothered me. “Lena, where’s Grace?”
“She’s with my mother. She’s been asking for you a lot lately,” Lena said and that made me smile. Grace was Lena little six year old sister. She was the first person that Vergos would actually go near. I guess the truth of the world is that you can only find innocence in the young.
“I haven’t seen her in a while. I made something for her. Can you come with me to get it?” I asked her without looking at her.
“Sure,” she answered.
“I’ll be back,” I told my mom and she nodded. I pulled Lena by her arm and led her to my room. I pulled her in and closed the door behind her.
“What’s wrong Alec?” she asked me.
“It’s only a matter of time,” I answered.
“Don’t say that. That’s not true,” she said.
“Yes it is, Lena. The Night Blades came to my house. It’s only a matter of time before my father’s friend’s start looking for me,” I said dropping heavily on my bed. “The gift for Grace is behind you.”
She turned around and picked up the canvas that was sitting under a sheet. She moved the sheet and gasped at what she saw. I knew what she saw. It was picture drawn picture of Grace when she was younger. That memory of Grace was so easy to picture that it was almost easy to draw.
“How did you do this?” Lena asked.
“It was just a memory I remembered very well. Nothing impressive,” I said shrugging.
“This is impressive. I remember this day. You were at my house that day. It was the day you father died,” she said remembering. It was the day my dad dies. Mom went had some things she had to get so she dropped me off at Lena’s house for the morning. She picked me up that afternoon and it was later on that evening that we received the news.
“I guess it was,” I said staring out the window. I stood up and ran a hand through my hair. It fell in my eyes now. “Come on. I’ll walk you home.”
“The perfect gentlemen,” Lena teased. I chuckled and held the door open for her. She gave my mom a quick hug before we left. She didn’t live that far from me. Only seven houses down but I always walked her home when she came over. It’s just something that I have always done without being asked. When we were younger she would ask me if I was following her and I would yell saying ‘can’t a man walk a girl home without being a psycho