Sofia: Phoenix Rising - Fire Within! Book 1
Chapter Twenty-five

“What are you talking about?” I have to shout to be heard over the howling wind that is whipping around me, tugging and pulling at my clothes as though trying to tear the material from my body. As I cry in confusion, the sky at that exact moment decides to open up and cry along with me. The drops of rain feel like ice pellets as they bounce off of my body and onto the ground. I stare at the hail in awe as the balls roll around by my feet because even though I am doused in fire and flames, the little bits of ice do not melt when they hit my skin.

“I said you need to stay away from him!” I hear the male voice yell but cannot figure out who it belongs to or where it is coming from because of how noisy the wind is being at the moment. I swing my head about searching for the voice and see I am once again on the top of a cliff, and I wonder for the briefest of seconds where in the world there could be cliffs at in Ohio. That thought is interrupted by the male voice that I still have no idea where it is coming from. “You need to come home and be with your own kind.” An eagle lands just in front of me and before I even have a chance to blink, Blake has shifted into his human form and is staring at me.

I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him; “was that you yelling at me?” The smile he gives in return to my question is more of a sneer rather than a smile and my glare faulters for a second as I feel the anger and hate roll off of him in waves. What in the world could have him in such a state of rage?

I don’t have a chance to ask this question, as I go to open my mouth, a horrendous screech comes from Blake causing me to throw my hands over my ears to lessen the sound. Somewhere amongst all of this, my flames have gone out and I feel quite vulnerable at this moment. “STOP IT! Please, stop it Blake!” Blake is trying to say something but just then my body begins to shake. I feel like I’m convulsing and only when I open my eyes and see Lori standing over me, do I realize it was all a dream.

“Thank the stars!” Lori says this moving away from me a bit so that I may be able to sit up right on my bed. “That must have been some very intense dream. I didn’t think I was going to be able to wake you up all by myself. I truly thought I was going to have to yell for your parents to come up and help me.” She attempts to grin, but I can see the worry and fear in her eyes. She really had been scared that I wouldn’t wake up.

Instead of dwelling on that thought any longer though, I asked; “what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work? I told you, you could just call me when you went on break. You didn’t have to drive over here to make sure I was all right.”

Lori stares at me momentarily before responding to me. “Are you serious? It’s Saturday morning. And I did call you last night, three different times actually. Finally, I gave up on trying to get a hold of you and called your mom who reassured me that you were upstairs sound asleep, otherwise, I would have been over here last night.”

I look at her dumbfounded. “You’re lying! There is no way it is Saturday morning!” But just glancing outside my bedroom window confirms she is telling the truth. The sun is rising, not setting. How did I sleep for so long? The thought baffles me because I have never slept for a straight twelve hours or more before. With a grimace, I look at Lori and tell her I am sorry for having her be scared and worried.

“What were you dreaming about anyway? It looked like a pretty intense dream...” she trails off. I watch her as she twirls a loose thread from my comforter around her index finger.

“Well, I not sure how long the dream was. While in the dream, it felt as though it were only seconds that it was happening. I was standing on a cliff and the wind was beating against me, almost painfully so, trying to strip me of my clothing. And then I heard Blakes voice but didn’t know it was his voice until an eagle landed at my feet and then Blake was standing in front of me.”

Lori’s eyes go wide at the mention of an eagle. “Oh, I do hope Ash returns soon! We’ve absolutely got to tell him about this eagle dream of yours. Did anything else happen in the dream?”

“Just that he was yelling at me. Telling me I ‘need to stay away from him and that I need to come home and be with my own kind,’ whatever that means.” I shrug my shoulders in confusion before adding; “and I have no idea of who the ‘him’ is either. It was just a strange dream all together.” I think about the dream a second more and then ask; “are there even any places in Ohio that would have cliffs?”

I can see Lori thinking about my question. “I really don’t know. I’ll have to see if Google can replace us an answer.” She whips out her phone faster than lightening can strike and has Googlepulled up on her screen even faster.

<><><><>

I swear the lady neighed at me, that’s what her chuckle sounded like anyway. I arch an eyebrow at her response to me asking if I can see the Golden Scrolls. “Sorry mate, but is there something funny about my question?”

“You, young feline, are not allowed to see the scrolls. Only the Counsil of Shifters and those with whom the scrolls are written about are allowed to see those particular scrolls, son.” She attempts to walk away from me as though the conversation is over with.

I barely contain the snarl that wants to escape me. “Listen lady! I’ve got news for you. The scroll does pertain to me, and I demand to see it right now, for I am THE Panther!”

The lady who’s name I do not know, nor do I care to know has gone silent and still. Her mouth has fallen in shock and a red flush has crept up her neck and across her cheeks as she stares at me. “I, I,” she begins; “I am terribly sorry sir. I didn’t know. I mean, what are the chances that any of the three of you would actually walk in here.” Her laugh is more of a chortle, and she doesn’t really sound apologetic however, I don’t have time to debate with her any of this so I offer her a smile but feel as though it might have been more of a glower, but honestly, I don’t care!

“I ask you again, may I please see those scrolls? It is sort of an urgent request. Every minute I am delayed is a minute that my friend could be in danger. I need to get back to her as quickly as possible.” I fear I may have told this lady to much but at the moment I wasn’t thinking about anything but getting back to Sofia.

“Yes, yes, honey. Come follow me this way.” Horse lady waves her hand, indicating for me to walk behind her where she leads me through a narrow hall into a room that is very poorly lit. “The lighting has to be this way so as not to fade the writing on the scrolls. If you will come and sit here, I will bring the scrolls to you directly.” Nodding my head, I take a seat by the table she had pointed towards and wait for her to bring them to me.

“First you must wipe your hands down with this cloth and then you must put these gloves on. The papers are very old and extremely fragile. As soon as you are done reading each pager, you must immediately put it back into its protective cover before pulling out the next. Is this understood?” The lady looks at me pointedly, hands frozen mid-air with the scrolls in hand.

I didn’t realize she was actually waiting for me to respond to hear because my eyes were focused on the gloves, I was pulling over my hands. “What? Oh, yes. I understand everything you have said and will follow your directions to a ‘T’ to make sure they stay in their preserved state.”

Just about an hour in of my readings, I finally replace the document that both Lori and Charlie have quoted from.

~ 2nd of June, 1431~

Having witnessed the burning of the Maid of Orleans, can only mean but one thing, the last of the Phoenyx has gone to rest until the time should arise for her essence to be required wanting once more. I know not who may have witnessed thy mingling of blood and ashes, but I saw quite clearly the message that briefly fluttered heaven wards. ’A meeting prior to the fire will surely end in disaster, resulting in both thine deaths, which would not bode well for the rest of the world. For good can never live without the bad as well thee reverse! Even in death there is birth. When the Eagle and the Panther do choose to fight, only then will the Phoenyx come to light.

Unexpectedly 3 meet they shall. Upon thine meeting, Great Power will awake, unmatched to any for the flame will be able to wield elements unlike windbornes’ before her. This will cause many to search her out, wanting her power as their own, for she truly will be one of a kind. Thereafter, a battle shall ensue, a fight between what is “right” and loves fire light.’

Placing the document back within its protective covering, Ash sat back against his chair, unconsciously he slouched down into the chair, crossed his arms over his chest as he tried to sort out what the words could mean.

**

Having just wrapped a towel around my body as I stepped out of the shower, I hear my phone chime. Tucking one corner in securely, I wipe my hands on the sides of the towel making sure they are dry before I pick up my cell. I swipe across the screen, so it unlocks and am able to view the text that had just come through.

Hey, I just got back. Can you call Lori, Charlie wants us all to come to the Nest.

I figured we could all ride together. And of course, I will drive since I am the one

Who knows the way.Heart and smiley face.

I respond back immediately that I will call Lori and that we would see him in just a little bit. My heart felt like it was going to burst from my chest at having seen Ash’s name pop up on my text messages. And I really couldn’t decide what I was going to do first when I saw him, punch him for leaving without saying a word to anybody or jump in his arms and kiss the hell out of him!