Dance with Swords | Book 1 of the Rising Phoenix Chronicles

Chapter 4 - Judgement

Aphmau

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"I promise," I spat. "That when I reveal my true identity to this world, that every evil you have ever done, every person you have ever killed, they will come AND TAKE THEIR REVENGE!"

Zane gritted his teeth as he held his sword, pressing against the force that bore down upon him. "That will never happen, you fool! I will have her relic and be invincible!"

He kicked my gut. The breath whomped out of me, and I gasped. He knocked me to the ground and ran into the church.

I regained my breath and stood.

Wings erupted from my back. I'm not talking those little angel wings that couldn't even flap because they're so frail, I'm talking full-on wings with tips that touched the floor and a span of 12 feet. They were snow white and had a hint of silver on the feathers.

I held out my arm. A silver orb materialized in my hand. I chucked it at Zane with all of my strength. It hit him square in the back of his head. He gasped and stumbled to the floor.

I walked to where Zane lay on the ground. He saw me approaching and scrambled back.

There was something in his eyes that I had never seen before.

Fear.

I flapped my wings and raised off the ground. A golden light surrounded me as I raised my sword high above my head.

"The hour of your Judgement has come, Zane Ro'meave," I said, and this time, it was me saying it. "You will be Judged for every cruel action you have ever done. And trust me, you have a heavy burden!"

"P-please," he stuttered. "I d-didn't mean any of-"

"LIES!" I screamed. "YOU MURDERER! I KNOW WHAT YOU DID! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!"

I didn't understand what I was saying.

I don't have a family besides Levin and Malachi and...

And...

A single memory pushed its way to my conscience.

(Flashback!)

"How do I look?" Michael asked me. We were on our way to a dance in a carriage in O'Khasis together, and he had gotten a new suit. And (like the total nerd he was) he had also gotten a top hat with it. I fully intended to chuck it into the port once we had reached the City-state.

I tried my best not to laugh. "You look very dapper," I said, trying to contain my grin. The truth: he looked like a total dork.

Michael raised his eyebrow. "Do you speak the truth, m'lady?"

I couldn't handle it. I laughed. "Truth is, all you're missing is a little monocle and then you're all set," I said, giggling. "Ya look like a dork."

He laugh, then took off his hat and tossed it to me. I put it on with a flourish. He laughed, his green eyes twinkling.

"You look adorable," he commented. "Absolutely dashing."

I smiled. "Thank you."

He glanced out the window. The lights from O'Khasis shone out from the night sky.

It was beautiful.

"Aphmau," he said in an serious tone. "I'm going to ask you something tonight. I'm not going to put any pressure on you to answer immediately or say what I want you to say. What I hope you'll say. Just know that I love you."

I smiled softly. "I love you too, Michael."

(End of Flashback!)

I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked back the sudden tears forming at my eyes. He had proposed that night. I had said yes.

And then, only 3 years later...

"You killed them." I spat. "My sister. My brother-in-law. My nephew."

Zane stared at me in horror. "Y-you don't have any family, though. You d-don't have sister..."

"Not anymore," I growled. "Don't you remember when you killed everyone in Falconclaw?"

His eyes widened.

"I d-didn't kill anyone!" he said. "T-that wasn't me, I swear!"

"YOU LIAR!" I shouted. "YOU KILLED THEM!"

I brought my sword down upon him. When the blade hit him, he shattered into black dust.

All that was left of him was the echo of his scream.

"Be thankful that I was not willing to shed all my fury." I said.

The six other voices faded away, and soon all that was left was me.

I saw Irene's relic and climbed the stairs towards it. It glowed and pulsed with a strange magick.

There was a strange voice.

"Take it."

My body went rigid.

"Go on, take it. It is yours."

"W-who are you?" I asked.

The voice laughed.

"You will find out soon enough. Take the relic and return home."

I reached out to touch the relic with a shaky hand. When I reached it, a warmth spread from my fingertips to the rest of my body as the relic was absorbed into me.

I closed my eyes and let it be mine.