Dance with Dragons | Book 2 of the Rising Phoenix Chronicles (REWRITTEN VERSION)

Chapter 12 - The Mountain

(My Gods, it's been a long time. Sorry about that. I had a lot of personal stuff going on, from two friends passing away in the span of two weeks, to the pettiest of petty drama. I will try to update as much as I can from now on. But be warned, this series is about to take a drastic turn away from Ru'aun and all of the rules you know for MCD. I also broke up with Shadow back in August, so from here on in, Ashburn and Shadow are no longer dating. I am questioning if I should remove any mention of him for the rest of the book. Also the flashback symbol has changed. You'll see it later. I think it's lit. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!)

Aphmau

Long ago, I learned that there were forces that we never could have dreamed of controlling. The way the Earth shapes and forms the land around us over the course of billions of years, the way that the waves slap against the shore, how you can capture the tradewinds in your sails and let it take you wherever its heart desires.

The way that your heart beats when you're truly and irrevocably alive.

I missed those. I missed seeing it.

"Actually, Michael," I said, looking up at the canopy of trees that protected the square. "Let's go on an adventure. Like we used to, back when we lived in Aethera."

"Really?" he asked. "Where will Sora stay?"

"I'll ask Zoey to take care of her," I answered. "She's good with children. She raised Levin and Malachi."

"Then let's do it," he said. "Shall we?"

I grinned cheekily. "We shall."

~.~

"Come on, slowpoke!" I called back to Michael, who was struggling with his sail. "Get it tied faster! I'm already on my boat!"

"Just gimme a second!" he yelled back. "It's been awhile since we've been sailing!"

"And apparently, after being not-alive for 20 years, you've forgotten how to tie a goddamn knot!" I teased. "Do you want me to do it? I will climb onto that boat so fast—"

"NO!" he yelled, his voice taking on slight edge of hysteria. "WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME?!"

"BECAUSE I LIKE YOU!"

"WELL, I LIKE YOU TOO!" he answered. "AND I GOT IT TIED, SO SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"

"Then GET IN THE BOAT."

He scrambled into the boat, snickering quietly. "I'm in the boat, mom," he said sarcastically. "C'mon, let's go!"

We rowed out to a significant distance from the shoreline, then dropped our sails and rode the waves. I heard Michael whoop as a strong wind blew into his sail and surged him forward ahead of me.

A yell of happiness died in my throat when I saw something jutting out of the sea.

It was a mountain.

Something huge was wrapped around the base. It writhed and moved, and was as rocky as the peak it constricted.

A roar came from the mountain. Then several. The air was alive with the song of the creatures.

Not wyverns, but dragons.

Soon, the boat was enveloped in a thick fog. Something in my gut was pulling me towards the mountain, calling me forward. The waves surged me forward. I stayed steadfast.

After what felt like an hour, the call sounded, closer this time, like a loud trumpet blast. The wind picked up on the sail and surged me onward.

Out of the gloom, I saw the wreckage of ships hundreds of years old, moss and seaweed clinging to their wooden skeletons. Rocks erupted out of the water, sharp and dangerous. One of the ships had gotten stuck on one.