The many journeys of the phoenix god

chapter 8

it's been a long time since I last posted, my apologies, I think this music goes with this chapter particularly well...

Xianian

his flute music drifts softly through the still night air, the fireflies circling his head like a halo, his gentle unearthly features softened even more by their radiant glow of the fireflies. I don't think he knows I am watching him, his eyes closed, shutting out the world around him. I step lightly along the path, approaching the tree, growing in curiosity with every step. a smile plays across his face for a second, and he opens his eyes, revealing sparkling azure pools in his face. he turns to look at me, flawless as they sparkle in the moonlight, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth as he looks at me, almost as if he knew I was there all along. 

suddenly, the fireflies rise from the leaves and delicate pastel pink petals of the flowers, swirling up into the sky in a cloud of light. he leaps from the branches, his silvery hair flying out behind him, holding my gaze as the glow intensifies. 

They swarm, their glow surrounding him like a cloak, a single tear finds a path down my face as I remember the past when the player of that song was mine, wild and alive. he throws back his head in a silent scream and explodes into millions of fireflies, becoming one with the light around him, vanishing into the night, like a shooting star. I watch them leave, the pain growing in my chest as I remember him as he was back then, long golden hair falling in waves down over his toned muscular chest. my eyes blur and I feel the tears pouring down my face in streams. I will never see him again.

I approach the aged tree, placing my hand against the rough bark, my heart aching with longing. slowly, my vision darkens and I feel myself falling, I land by the trunk, I can feel the bark through my robes. the last thing I see is a single petal falling towards me, it touches my cheek like a gentle caress.

he is there, I can feel him by my side even though I know he is long gone, buried under a mound of cold unforgiving rocks. I see his face as he dangles his gentle hands into the water, a smile playing its way across his face. his reflection in the water is crystal clear as he turns to me and utters a sound I can only remember being told about in fairytales. it seems to pierce through my being, the harsh cry echoes in my heart as he bursts into flames, a bird once more. it stops on the bow of the boat, pausing for a second to let out a heartbreaking cry once more before opening its wings and soaring up into the sky, bright fiery red against the cold blue.

I watch as the bird climbs up into the clouds, higher and higher until I can no longer see it, its cry still echoing in my head, an enchanting melody, the cry of a true phoenix returning to its nest.