The Phoenix Stone

Epilogue

Long before the Battle of the Phoenix Stone had happened I had decided that the Phoenix Stone was too powerful for any one person to have in their possession.

When I had first held the Phoenix Stone it had told me a great story. A story of how desperately it wanted to be let free of its magical enslavement and to roam the world doing deeds of its own free will instead of at anyone's will. I had granted it that freedom. But the freedom had come at a great price; hundreds of soldiers from the Enchantiss, and hundreds more from the rebels. The only price I did not regret was the one that I had paid for with my own heart.

I had given up my one chance to meet my mother and I had given up the chance to have my grandmother by my side again. But I knew deep down that life— and death— should stay the way they end up.

Sometimes you just have to look for the good things you already have, instead of wishing for things you don't.

~ ~ ~

My road to recovery was long but it made me happy that every day I could see an improvement in my mobility and even though my stomach still hurt with every move I could feel myself getting stronger.

When I was finally cleared by the doctor to go home the first thing I did was visit the battlefield. In the three months of my recovery the field had gone from being barren and empty to full of wildflowers and bright green grass.

The crisp spring air was refreshing after being cooped up in the hospital for so long and I felt so free as I spun around in the field, admiring the huge stone statue that was slowly being erected near where the Phoenix Stone had once stood.

At sunset I walked up to the plateau that I'd fallen from and watched as the sun set on the ocean's horizon. The last time I'd been on the plateau I hadn't noticed how beautiful the view from the top of the table mountain was. I'd been too busy fighting Nalrae to see the waves crashing on the rocks below and the open, vast expanse of the ocean.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Evander said from behind.

I jumped slightly. I thought I'd been alone.

"It makes you feel so small and insignificant and yet, it's the most gorgeous sight you'll ever see." He sat down next to me and stared out at the red, purple, and gold sunset.

A few moments later Efia appeared and sat down on my other side. The rest of my family and friends slowly appeared one after the other and sat down around me as the sun slowly sank lower and lower.

Just as the sun had sunk below the horizon and the glow in the sky was like the dying embers in a fire I saw a bright streak in the sky, far out in the ocean.

My family were all standing up to telly back to our new castle in Nevermore so I got Evander to help me to my feet. I turned to huddle with my family but as I approached their tight grouping they all gasped unanimously, their eyes fixed on a point behind me.

I turned to see a huge blazing bird with wispy red, orange, and yellow flames for feathers and a ferocious looking yellow beak. A Phoenix.

With a wide grin I turned back to my family and said, "Everybody, this is Elio."

THE END