"I love the uniqueness of my heart," said the trembling lips of Érima as she ventured out into the Woods of Crystal.
A beautiful excitement was swelling in her heart as she was pursuing the Trail of Érios, her father. The youngest of seven, she was about to take her bow to life and meet the power animal of her adulthood.
"What might it be?" she wondered; and then again, "I love the uniqueness of my heart."
That she said as it is common knowledge in Théra'lar that the power animal chooses one according to how one is and how one flows into becoming.
No doubtful thoughts could now be welcome, for hopelessness's a trial rather than a virtue, and so she ventured further on her path, and soon she reached the glen.
"Come what may," she urged her soothing thinking; "come what may," - her words barely a whisper.
And then she saw it and was struck with awe.
"A sky phoenix?"
Before her, larger than a human, the blue-feathered sky phoenix, its eyes a soothing blue, awaited.
"Come, Érima the Grey, into Lands of White," said the sky phoenix. "Your journey of becoming awaits. Now you shall leave behind all sorrow and all pain. Come, let us venture higher than ever you have been."
In saying this, the sky phoenix leaned to a side and thus invited Érima to climb. And she did so, and alas! they rocketed into heights unknown before at speeds so great that Érima wondered how it was that she neither stirred nor needed to grab tighter.
The more they journeyed, the more they became one in mind and spirit, and Érima laughed in excitement as they were rising through majestic clouds of white, advancing through a sky so great.
Peace and serenity spread atop the clouds and in their hearts as still they ventured farther.
Érima glanced back across her shoulder. "Where are we going?" she then asked.
"Into forever," said the sky phoenix. "Unburden now your mind," it added mildly, and Érima thus breathed.
"I love the uniqueness of my heart," she murmured, and leaned her head to gently touch the softness of her companion's neck feathers.
Photo credit: ClydeRS, Unsplash
