The Magic of Love

[Yugena]

The Magic of Love

Along the side of massive rocks that jutted from the earth like piercing daggers, a lone flock of phoenix fluttered about. Their nest were hidden in tiny crevasses in the face of the mighty mountain. At night, their fiery wings cast the world aglow, lighting the darkness in their wake. Although, the group was mostly composed of young phoenix, one had nearly extended her lifespan. Shivva was the name she proudly held, but with her age her once glorious flame had grown weak, masking her by the beauty of the younger birds. Her only goal now was to see to it that these young ones survive and not fall prey to their own ignorance; for this was the last hope for the phoenix of the mountains.

Humans had found world of magnificent birds of fiery, rumored that their feathers could heal incurable wounds and possibly even revive the dead. In their greed, they poached the phoenix, bringing their population down dramatically. They had crafted horrid weapons, spears with ice shards as their heads, no matter how hard they tried, the fighting phoenix were unable to melt the frozen crystals. Few humans tried with less gruesome measures, but all to no avail. Capturing the birds and forcing them to heal others drained their magic and slowly smothered out their flame, with no magic left to sustain their fire, they died, unable to be reborn yet again. Soon, the beautiful creatures would be wiped to extinction if the humans continued to eradicate them for medicinal purposes.

A disease had spread, causing many deaths in the poor village. Money was scarce here, leaving many families unable to pay for the medical care they required. Husbands and sons, ready to do anything to save their loved ones, sought the phoenix hoping to return before it was too late. The images of their dying loved ones blurred their vision of the destruction they would soon cause. They bound the ice crystals to long slender sticks, gathered horses, what few supplies they could afford, and headed towards the mountains. After a long and harsh voyage, they finally stood beneath the mountain. Tiny glowing dots could be seen darting through the sky, from the distance they appear much like fire flies. With all their strength, the men braved the mountain, determined to save their town.

Finally, they reached the nest, and the battle soon began. The men, exhausted and weak from travel, readied their frozen spears. The younger phoenix were out, searching for food with the light of their own flames. Only Shivva remained, too old to find food, she was left to protect the nest. She rose, fluttering her wings about and letting out loud shrieks to attempt to frightening the men and alert the young ones of her peril. Heading her call, the flock began its flight back, furiously trying to reach her in time. The youngest of the men, Kuni, stepped forward, holding his spear towards her. In his youth he wasn't as tired as the other men. They went at each other frantically, they were both alike, fighting desperately to protect the ones they loved; images of their loved ones, burned into their vision. Finally, with tears running down his cheek Kuni, knocked Shivva to the ground, and thrust the spear into her chest. Before her death, she saw the fiery dots in the horizon, the ones she sought to protect coming to their own doom. From withing her wound, a light appeared. A light so bright it blinded the men, leaving them to shield their eyes. From the wound, ice spread, coating her weakened flames to ice and frost.

Through her love, she was reborn as the first ice phoenix. Her precious fiery feathers had been shed, leaving them on the ground. She now glowed even brighter than she ever had, a beautiful icy blue glow, she shone bright than any of her brethren. The men, fearful of her magical powers and the ever approaching phoenix, gathered the shed feathers and headed down the mountain with their spoils, still determined to save their village. While Shivva's new beauty masked the fire phoenix. Through Kuni and Shivva's love, the first of few ice phoenix were born.

[Somariel]

This story is amazing! Beautifully written, touching, and very magical.

[Yugena]

Thank you.