Igniting Sparks

Chapter 30.

Her feet were bound to the ground. Moving was impossible she found, but she didn’t feel scared. Sparks were igniting around her and soon flames formed around her feet, licking at her legs and spreading in the darkness. Her heart jumped with joy as Azura started to smile and knelt down to touch the flames with her hand.

"Welcome back. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've missed you."

The flames erupted around her and a small fiery vortex started to form three meters away from her. As the vortex started to grow, Azura smiled even wider and slowly got up. She could feel the flames, the intense heat, grow as the vortex became twice the size she was. The wings broke free first, the tail with flaming feathers followed and two big talons tore through the vortex breaking the wall of fire and leaving the Phoenix by itself. It was hovering, slowly flapping its wings, and looked down upon her. 

Azura closed her eyes, feeling the power flow through her as the Phoenix emerged. She arched her spine and straightened her arms back as if they were wings, imitating the posture of the bird in front of her. The fire rising up her legs twisted around her stomach and crawled up to her chest before it enveloped her completely. She was breathing fire. She became fire. Her arms became wings, her mouth a beak, and her eyes had turned a deep shining red.

You were lost without me. I could feel your doubts, your anxiety, and insecurity. You almost messed things up and you tried to push away those who have supported you this past year and a half. What made you doubt? What scared you? I gave you back the person who you were before you encountered me. I left you, as you wanted me to.

The voice felt like home. Hearing it again was like a part of herself had returned. In her head, she embraced it, caressed the warmth like a long lost lover. 

"Yes, you did. You left me,” Azura replied out loud. “You made me become a normal woman again. I used to believe that was what I wanted." Azura let her arms drop next to her body and slowly started pacing around as her feet were free again, the flames following her every movement and clinging to her like a vine to a tree.

"But I am not who I was before, I know that now. I don't want to be that girl anymore. It doesn't fit me. It keeps me hanging in the past, forces me to stop moving forward with my life. It actually scared the shit out of me to be that person again." She stopped pacing and lifted her head to face the Phoenix.

"You are part of me. We are the same and don't you ever think of leaving me again!"

The Phoenix stared straight back at her and without saying a word it slammed its two gigantic wings together creating a gigantic bright wall of flames that lasted only two seconds. Azura shielded her eyes from the bright fire and as it died down, the Phoenix was gone. Instead, the red and yellow now danced around her in a big circle, just enough to illuminate the darkness and make her feel safe.

Azura gasped as a petite figure emerged from the darkness. A smile she had craved so bad to see again. Azura's mouth fell open as Nora slowly approached her and gently caressed her arm before placing her hand against Azura's cheek. For a moment Azura was too stunned to move. The touch just felt so real. Her breath staggered and she felt a single tear run down her face.

"Oh, how I've missed you. I've missed you so much, Azura. I had to watch and see you struggle all while I was unable to reach out and do anything. Oh how much I've been wanting to tell you it was not your fault I died. That you were not to blame. I wanted to smack your head in at times for being so darn stupid and I wanted to hug you all the times you were down. How I've been longing to kick your ass to stop looking into the past and focus on the life you have built for yourself now. You've been doing great without me, Azura."

Nora placed her forehead against Azura's and stroked the back of her head gently. Azura repeated the gesture, slow and careful at first to make sure the dark-skinned woman before her was truly there. She could feel the skin of her friend, her touch, her breath. Azura relished every second Nora was with her. She caressed Nora's head and buried her face in the crook of her neck. With more force than was needed, Azura pulled Nora flush against her body, wanting to feel every bit of it so she knew it was real. More tears flowed from her eyes as Nora hugged her back. After what felt like forever, Azura slowly let go but kept holding Nora’s hands as uncertain lovers as they stood across from each other.