Ash [Prince Zuko - Book Two]

❃Chapter Twenty One❃

Everything was dark around Asake, darker than anything she had ever experienced. Her head felt heavy, pulling her back against the soft grass-like structure beneath her. She looked up into the darkness, stars dancing across her vision as she rocked back and forth. Her physical body must have been somewhere else while her soul traveled through space and stars.

She lifted her right hand above her, barely able to see the faint outline of her fingers. Anxiety gripped her heart at the thought of being dead, of being gone and stuck in a place that was somewhere between the Earth and the Spirit World. Suddenly, a bright orange sun flared to her right, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Her head grew dizzy with the brightness of the sunlight, and the heat surrounded her.

Forcing her eyes open, Asake saw the flames coming from her whole body. Red and orange fire waved back and forth, traveling up and down her broken and beaten body, the warmth and smoke overwhelming her. A scream made its way up her throat, but she didn't let it out. The fire wouldn't hurt her because she was the one controlling it.

Of course, she was the reason she was stuck in her dreams and nightmares.

Asake sucked in a deep breath, feeling her heartbeat connect with the fire's heartbeat around her. As she breathed in, the fire grew, and as she breathed out, the fire lessened. She did this a few times to get control over the fire, and then she snuffed out the flame by letting go of her anxiety. There was no reason to be this anxious when she didn't know what was going on.

"Good job," a deep, ancient voice said all around her.

Asake didn't jump. The fire that surrounded her slowly dissipated, and the darkness she was in spun around and around until she found herself lying in the midst of a thick, dark forest. A small orange bird perched on one of the many branches of the tallest tree, and she slowly sat up, taking in the reddish-orange feathers of the bird. But its eyes were the real stunners on the creature. They were pure white, but colors flashed through them every time they flicked to her and to the forest around her. There was something about its eyes – the spark that made her feel so relaxed – that reminded her of two people, though their names were stuck on the tip of her tongue.

"I don't have much time left," the creature continued with a roll of its white eyes, "so you better listen to me." Asake remained quiet, tilting her head to the side. "Oh, you aren't going to talk?" She shook her head, her shoulder-length hair falling into her face. A small breeze blew through the area, brushing her hair out of the way. Asake realized that the creature was a phoenix, and her eyes widened. "I see. Good thing I'm able to read your mind."

Asake narrowed her eyes, lifting her hands to cover her head from the penetrating mind of the phoenix. The creature laughed, the sound grating against her ears. "I can still hear you," he said, his chin lifting indignantly. "However, you're the first one who knew what I am. Congratulations, Asake, daughter of Yagow and Zoa, you are well versed in your Spirits. Now, what is my name?"

This was all too much. How did this Spirit know about her parents, know their names, know her name? Her heart jumped into her throat as the fire flickered in the palms of her hands. She needed to calm down and listen to what this phoenix said so she could get back to her body safely.

Clenching her hands at her sides, she sat up and stared hard at the creature. Even though he didn't have a human face, she saw a look of laughter. She ran a hand through her hair, thinking hard about who this spirit was. His rough shape looked like the spirit in her dreams, the bird that was always orange and red. Father used to tell her stories about a particular spirit that followed her mother around as if it was watching out for her. Nao Van was his name, and he was a special spirit.

"You are smarter than you look," Nao Van said, nodding once. "I am Nao Van, the Spirit of Fate and Crossroads. Your mother learned about me from her childhood and was a great disciple of mine, believing in my guidance. It seems like, even though she may have left you, her influence still worked."