Nix and the City of the Sun (first draft)

Prologue: The First Dawn

Long ago I was transported into the dimension in which Sun City resides, to fulfil a prophecy; find Nix the cat-phoenix, care for her, treat her well, and prepare her for The Final Dawn.

I was told by my wizarding mentor, Arium, that it could take days, weeks, maybe even years to find Nix. Fearful of what this other dimension might look like, I hesitated at the portal entrance - but I knew I had to do it. I gave Arium one last look, a pay of respects to everything she taught me. A nod - Arium's own way of showing appreciation - was returned to me.

Stepping into the portal, I watched the fabrics of time and space unfurl right in front of me. My own corner of the world, a place I had known well, was gone in a moment, and in the next, I had arrived in The Lightless Dimension.

Some may feel lost when stranded in a new place, having to rebuild everything you know and love. Maybe I was a bit lost, but not without purpose; and purpose was all I needed.

I had searched far and wide for many millennia by the time I came across Sun City - travelling from town to town, city to city. Darkness permeated every single place I visited - the only light I knew at that time came from my amulet.

On The Last Night, I remember coming across a valley. Sunflowers stood as high as trees, faces towards the sky, but with nothing to look at; the sky was empty as always. I felt a power in this. I knew they were waiting for the Sun, just as I was.

A sudden flicker out of the corner of my eye sparked my attention. The tenderest of flames was dancing between the flowerbeds, a stark and auric contrast to the Night I had known for too long.

I carefully made my way closer, my eyes following the warm glow with every step taken. It grew and receded, over and over again, as if it was trying to breathe life into itself. I subconsciously started to copy the pattern with my own breaths, the closer I got. I always thought myself the nervous type - anxiety easily overwhelms my very core - but in this moment I felt... okay. Calm, even. It wasn't until I reached the Charred Grounds that I realised why this was.

She was small, and still quite fragile - her eyes hadn't even opened yet. I gently knelt down; an attempt to sense how far along she was in her rebirth. Her flames felt harmless, comforting as they fanned out between my fingertips. Her toe beans were soft with soot - a good sign!

I decided to sit myself down in the ashes. I didn't want her to be alone when she finally awoke. I wanted her to know that there was someone to care for her, be there for her, and help her reach her full potential.

I'm not sure for how long I sat in that valley - it could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. All I know is, when she woke up, the sunflowers' spiny stalks shrank, as their faces turned to her. Her eyes opened as she stretched out her paws. She looked up at me, and I knew we would be together forever.

Nix had been reborn, and The First Dawn had finally arrived.