The Phoenix Series: Sacrifice

Chapter 10: The Reason

Suddenly I’m jerked back to the past. Everything changes so quickly it revives my headache, the ground turns to clouds and the trees become small buildings of some sort. All around me are the same people I saw in my vision of Yelena’s time; it’s quiet besides a few murmurs here and there, like they’re waiting in anticipation for something.

A distant sound seems to get louder, like wings flapping. The clouds in front of me slowly start to evaporate and crows suddenly pop out of a hole in the clouds; followed shortly by a large group of Seraphs.

Hundreds of Seraphs fly through the open gateway beneath our feet; cheers and shouts of joy erupt from everyone around me. Next to me I hear Joseph shout out Daniel’s name, I begin looking for Daniel in curiosity. I’m not that close to Daniel, but Joseph asked me to come so I agreed. Not only that but the elders have been telling me recently that I need to start accepting my responsibilities and act my age. So I figured this was a good place to start.

                At that moment, Daniel lands and Macey runs up to him. Delight brightens Daniels face as he catches her with a big bear hug and twirls her around, "Hey Mace, I missed you." Setting her down, he gets a better look at her, "And look how much you've grown, I find it hard to believe that you’re, what? ….!"

                Placing her hands on his cheeks, Macey excitedly says, “Two hundred and twenty three!!But did you ever think that maybe you're just getting shorter, old man. By the way, you cheeks are all prickly."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I need to shave." Ruffling her hair, he looks up as Joseph walks up to him. For a second they just sit there, staring at each other, than they hug and pat each other’s back. "Goodness, did I miss you D."

Releasing each other, Daniel responds, "You too, Joe. So has anything interesting happened while I've been gone?"

Jumping up and down, Macey excitedly retorts, "Oo oo," Daniel sets his hands on her shoulders and gets onto his knee as she says, "I just recently started my training to become a healer. It's kinda hard," looking up at Joseph, she finishes, "but Joseph is helping me."

"That's fantastic Mace, I'm so proud of you. I forgot about that, Healers start their training once they turn 200."

Looking back at Daniel, realization passes over her face as she remembers what she originally wanted to ask, "So how was your training? It feels like you've been gone for-ev-er."

Chuckling he responds, "It's only been, what one hundred years."

Grabbing Daniels shoulder with one hand while ruffling his hair with the other, Joseph says, "Actually, one hundred sixty years."

Playfully glaring at Joseph, Daniel retorts, “Well, goodness does time fly fast or what?” Looking over his shoulder, his eyes run left and right.

                Out of curiosity I ask, “Who are you looking for?”

                Surprised, he jerks his attention to me for the first time since his return, “Huh, um well I was wondering where your sister is.”

                Suddenly the air becomes silent as the rest of the crowd awaits my response. Playing with my fingers, my eyes jump from one place to another, “She’s gone through some tough times since you left and didn’t handle them so well.”

                His face instantly crinkles up, “What do you mean, didn’t handle them so well? What happened?”

                Somewhat embarrassed I quietly ask, “Um, can we talk about this later? It’s not something I feel comfortable talking about in the middle of a crowd.”