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The Phoenix - 160
🕑 Added 2022-09-19 11:51:24 +0000 UTC[A/N: This took much longer than expected, as I had some personal stuff to take care off and probably rewrote this chapter half-a-dozen times. Still, it is finally finished and with this we have arrived at the true epilogue of the story. Enjoy!]
Chapter 160 – The Last
[303 AC – The Summer Sea Near the Stepstones]
A cluster of hundreds of ships could be seen at the edge of the Summer Sea, a collection of islands laying ahead.
The archipelago consisted of dozens of islands and many more islets, some of them were densely vegetated while others were little more than rocky outgrowths with a few natural caves that were ideal for pirates to hide out in.
Arianne stood next to her father, uncle, and aunt, Kinvara and Obara were by her side as well as she looked at the figure standing at the bow of the ship, while Missandei rested below the deck after having been held awake by her child during the night.
Phenex stood tall, his broad shoulders carrying the faith and burdens of an untold number of mortals while he gently cradled his son in his arms, Marselen yawning adorably as he looked up at him with the golden eyes of his mother.
"It's time, my love. Everything has been prepared.", Arianne informed softly after she had stepped up to him, her warm palm brushing over his arm.
Turning towards her, Phenex answered with a mild smile: "I know."
Handing Marselen to her, the Dornish Princess couldn't help but smile gently as she took hold of the beautiful boy. Marselen may have his mother's eyes and skin colour, but he had definitely inherited Phenex' handsome features and charm, the boy having stolen her heart the first time she had held him.
Arianne could only hope that her future children with her love would have as much of their father inside of them as Marselen and his siblings.
For the moment though she felt not yet ready to be a mother, though she spent a lot of time around Allyria, Eleana, and Marselen whenever she was not busy with her other duties.
Looking up from the small bundle of joy in her hands, Arianne saw Phenex shedding his mortal coil as he transformed into a blazing figure, his divine aura spreading through the atmosphere.
He rose into the sky, higher and higher, until he was several hundred feet away, the light of his form becoming more intense by the minute.
Like a second sun, Phenex' figure stood above the world as he called upon the reality-shattering power slumbering within him.
The atmosphere trembled under the pressure of his might, the sea becoming turbulent and wild as he shielded the fleet of ships from being affected by what he was about to do.
Deep rumbles and roaring waves shook the world, the sight before Arianne and the other's eyes simply apocalyptic as Phenex raised the land and shifted the seas, reforming the Arm of Dorne.
…
[304 AC – King's Landing – Red Temple]
“Surprised, little wolf?”, Phenex questioned with a mild smile looking at the lithe figure of Arya Stark standing below the rough stone throne, his Feathers standing beside him while two rows of Fiery Hand warriors stood guard at the two sides of the hall, unmoving and in silence.
The young girl though fought hard to find her voice as she looked at the simply clothed man before her. She had come into contact with the Sword of the Morning often during her last two years of apprenticeship as he had come by regularly after their first meeting.
He had talked with her about anything and everything, taking an interest in her thirst for strength and her desire for adventure, sparring with her and teaching.
Phenex had talked with her about history, politics, responsibility, duty, freedom, and many more subjects, and only now did Arya understand that he had tested her and taught her at the same time.
The Red God hadn't planned to test her after two years of apprenticeship, the two years she had spent in the Red Temple had been the test.
“When we first met, I told you that loyalty, affection, and respect had to go both ways when it came to the bond I share with my Feathers.”, he stated calmly, “What I did not tell you was the fact that the mind and heart of a Feather has to be impenetrable, their beliefs and determination unshakable.”
"This was something that you had to discover yourself, something you had to become yourself."
"And you did.", he added after pausing momentarily.
Rising from his throne, Arya watched as Phenex arrived before her, his calm purple eyes turning into blazing orbs of divine fire, looking deeply into her mind and soul.
“Arya Stark of Winterfell, do you still seek a place amongst my warriors?”, he asked, his words reverberating in the great hall and pounding into her eardrums, pressuring her body and spirit.
Falling to one knee while bowing, Arya drew her short and curved Valyrian blades from behind her waist and presented them to the Red God, as she replied with conviction: "I do, my Lord."
"Then you shall be a warrioress of the Red Temple, guardian of my line, and enactor of my will. From this day forward, you are my fourteenth and last Feather.", Phenex declared as fire erupted from his form and wrapped itself around Arya.
…
[305 AC – Volantis – Red Temple]
"One lifetime doesn't seem to be enough.", Phenex sighed as he stood on the large balcony overlooking the magnificent city beneath him, his heart weighing heavily in his chest as his arms around Rhaella's waist tightened somewhat, pressing her form closer into his.
"But it should be ... It has to be.", Rhaella whispered while she soaked in the comfort of her love's embrace, her tears leaving dark spots on the black linen of Phenex' tunic.
Having just rejected Phenex' offer to extend her life by possibly hundreds, maybe thousands of years until her mind and spirit could not withstand the wear and tear of time any longer, Rhaella knew that her decision caused her love great heartache.
Still, she did not want to see her children and grandchildren die one by one, unable to escape the cruelty of time.
Phenex had already explained to her that he would not extend the lives of his children beyond their natural limits, as this would make it impossible for them to have a family of their own without him having to do the same for their future partners and offspring.
He knew that doing so was a recipe for disaster as it would make future generations of his family inhuman and twist their minds and beliefs without fail.
Phenex had no intentions of creating an undying upper class that would try and destroy what he had built, purely to satisfy their own greed and darker desires.
And while he certainly wished for his children to accompany him and live as long as he did, such a thing was impossible in the first place as he was the only true immortal being that existed. As such, Phenex had decided to not interfere with their life cycle, so that they may find joy in a simpler life.
They would grow up, love and live, and eventually they would pass away naturally. Even knowing that watching them die would break his heart, Phenex did not waver in his decision as this was how life was supposed to be.
He, as the Aspect of Life and Rebirth, knew this better than anyone, though often times he wished differently.
