Fresh Starts: On Phantom Wings

Chapter 3, The Coming Storm

Phantom flew excitedly toward Mount Andromeda's peak. He was turning 50 and was finally going to get his domain. The shining feathers of his wings glowed brighter in the oncoming twilight mirroring their owners mood.

He had been checking with all kinds of other spirits seeing how the worked and their different forms. Water spirits and their watery often mercat features, nature and fertility spirits with their bodies made of plants, storm and wind spirits whose form reflected the sky and weather, earth and mountain spirits made of stone and rock, love spirits with their beautiful forms of mist, and many more. All of them had abilities and forms which reflected their domain. Phantom often wondered how his form would change, and he mentally prepared himself for every outcome.

The high peak of Mount Andromeda stood above all others as it came into the adolescent spirit's view. He could see many other spirits on the peak with his family in the center. He quickened his flight to get there as fast as possible.

Phantom landed just as the sun set and the stars showed themselves. All the other spirits surrounded him and his family in a circle as they watched intently. His mother stood before him proud with his father and sister nearby who walked up to him and sat beside him.

"Are you ready for this?" Negaf asked checking on his son

"Yes, yes I am." Phantom responded

Bhuta spread her wings wide to grab everyone's attention. "Every born spirit starts as a spark of the world, a piece of this planet with mind and heart. When a spirit is ready the stars shine upon them and they gain the domain given to them by fate. We spirits have looked after this world for millennia since the fall of the old world, and we shall continue to do so for all of time. Tonight my son Phantom gains his domain and true form and joins this mighty legacy." Her majestic voice boomed like a waterfall. "Phantom, do you swear to guard and guide the world and the mortals who live in it."

"I do." Phantom mewed meaning it fully and utterly.

"Then let the stars reveal what fate has to give." Bhuta mewed proudly in response.

Phantom's body began to glow brighter than it ever had as the stars also brightened. Phantom spread his wings and let the process take place. His form dissolved away leaving a ball of light. Then storm clouds began to form and everything from rain to hail began to pelt the mountain relentlessly. Snow moved like wind circling relentlessly around the light before engulfing it. Clouds formed beneath it as well. Then the clouds split into four and compressed. The ball of snow glowed with a beautiful aurora borealis as it shaped itself into the form of a winged adolescent snow leopard with the clouds being the paws. The aurora borealis concentrated into spots across the body and under the wings. Two lightning bolts struck forming to horns of pure electricity. Then two amethysts manifested as the leopards eyes. Phantom could feel his new body and the unrelenting storm. He flapped his wings and the storm opened above the peak. The clouds, lightning, rain, snow, and hail were as much of a part of him as his tail or paws.

Phantom the Andromeda storm spirit stood proud letting out a roar which shook like thunder. He then heard other roars and cries from the surrounding spirits and saw the proud supportive looks of his family. He knew who he was, and nothing could bring him down.