Fire Rising [Archive]

[DragonSong]

Adrian Denan looked around at the burnt out mess of what had once been a clearing and decided something had to be done. He swung his gaze around to glare at his son, Malcolm, who shifted uncomfortably and dropped his eyes.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Mal protested, trying not to sound like a whiny teenager. "It just sort of..." He waved his hands around and mimicked the noise of an explosion.

His father sighed, shoulders slumping, and he winced guiltily. "It always, "just sort of", Mal," Adrian said tiredly.

The younger man gave a sigh of his own. "I know...I really am sorry, Da."

Adrian shook his head sharply. "Sorry isn't enough anymore. You could have really hurt someone!" Before Mal had a chance to respond- though what he might have said he wasn't sure- his father held out his hand and muttered a spell.

A gleaming scarlet feather appeared over his open palm. Mal felt suddenly and inexplicably drawn to the thing, taking a hesitant step forward to get a closer look. The mage murmured again, and the feather suddenly caught fire. Mal yelped and jumped back, looking to his father in bewilderment. "What is that supposed to do?"

"I called for backup," the older man grumbled. He sighed again and rubbed the back of his head, leaving mussed salt-and-pepper hair in his wake. "There are...things I should have told you, Mal. About your magic. About you. I thought I might have more time, but..." He gestured around them at the blackened devastation and Mal winced again.

So quietly he almost didn't catch it, Mal heard his father mutter, "I just hope she can help."

[SilmeriaElemred]

''I told him... fire will find a way...'' Silmeria thought the moment she felt the familiar sensation in her body; someone called upon her by burning one of her feathers. She was not exactly close by however and turned back towards her new destination. Not knowing what she would get herself into. She knew vaguely the one who set her feather ablaze and that some adoptive kid he had taken in posessed the gift of fire magic. But not the reason why the kid had it. Well kid. She supposed he was a young adult by now.

---
Reaching her destination took her two days and her arrival was not exactly a secret as she litterly landed in her natural phoenix form in front of Adrian's house.

[DragonSong]

Mal had been outside the cottage, meditating on their little stoop. It felt like he'd been meditating for two damn days. Whenever he tried to move around, do something, his father was suddenly there, shoving food and water at him and then snapping at him to "Keep clearing your mind".

So when the giant scarlet bird suddenly landed right in front of him, he yelped and jumped to his feet, eyes and wide and mouth agape. Before he could react further though, Adrian was at his side, waving a hand to hail the bird- what that even a bird? It was huge!

"Silmeria," he called, a small smile curving his mouth. Mal looked rapidly back and forth between the two, utterly bewildered.

[SilmeriaElemred]

It was even more surprising when the bird shrank in size and turned into a woman in white clothes with black accents, fair skin and long white hair. ''Hello Adrian. It has been a while.'' Silmeria replied and gave a polite bow.

''Sorry for the wait. I was kind of on another planet. Litterly.'' Silmeria admitted. ''I hope you have been well. Can not deny I had expected your call sooner.''

[DragonSong]

"Whoa whoa whoa." Mal managed to find his voice. "You two know each other? How- is this what you meant by backup? And what the hell even are you?" he demanded, turning to the bird-now-woman.

Adrian shot him a glare and he added quickly, flushing slightly, "Er, ma'am. Sorry, that was a...bit of a shock."

"Silmeria, you may remember I mentioned my son," Adrian said, putting a hand on the young man's shoulder and pushing him forward a bit. "This is Malcolm. He's the reason I called you."

[SilmeriaElemred]

''Yes Malcolm. I remember you. Although last time I saw you you were but an infant. I suppose his fire magic got out of hand right?'' she asked with a smile.

She looked at Malcolm. ''Your father and I met once. I scared off some raiders. As for what I am, I am a phoenix. No need to worry for your reaction I am kind of used to it by now. You should've seen your father.'' she jestered.

[DragonSong]

Adrian chuckled a bit while Mal just continued to look between them, confused. "Alright, we can regale him with embarrassing tales later." His expression sobered and he looked at Mal.

The young man gulped. He didn't see that expression on his father's face often. "What?" he demanded.

The mage ran a hand through his hair again, letting out a sharp breath. "Yes, his magic is getting...out of hand. And I believe you may be the only person who can help him."

Mal frowned. That was a big claim to make. There were plenty of fire mages he was sure his father could have gone to, why was this...phoenix- he still had a hard time wrapping his head around that- the one he'd called?

Adrian sighed again. "Please do not think less of me, Silmeria," he said quietly, looking at her. "I didn't know what else to do when I found him. I'd yet to encounter one of your kind, I wasn't sure-"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Mal cut across him, exasperated. Something was going on- something that quite clearly he was involved in- but he had no idea what.

"Perhaps we should go inside, and I'll explain," Adrian said quietly, gesturing toward the door and looking at them both.

[SilmeriaElemred]

''I agree. Magic matters in detail are usually best to discuss indoors. After you.'' Silmeria replied calmly. Although a bit of suspicion grew somewhere in her gut. With a bit of research indeed Adrian could've found a regular fire mage but she had promised Adrian to help him would the need arise in exchange for the fact he had not told anyone else she was exactly a phoenix. Most others who had seen her just thought she was a mage with a good parler trick but Adrian had been the only one to had actually seen her morph all those years ago.

She would give Adrian the chance to explain when indoors and waited for Adrian to enter first.

[DragonSong]

Ushering their guest inside, Adrian suddenly started pacing, a habit he only got into when he was very stressed. "Mal, you may want to sit down."

Slowly, he did, taking the small chair by their hearth. This did not bode well.

"You may want to sit as well," Adrian added, nodding to Silmeria. There was an armchair the mage himself usually used, but with his pacing that wasn't looking likely.

[SilmeriaElemred]

Silmera nodded and sat down. She watched Adrian closely. Almost like a vulture. ''Calm down Adrian. Please. I already am resisting the urge of pushing you down in this chair myself. How bad can your message be? It is not raiders or opressors right?'' she asked.

[DragonSong]

Adrian gave a short laugh and shook his head, stopping his pacing. "No. No it's nothing like that. It's just-"

He looked over at Mal and once again his son gulped. "Da, what is it?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Adrian let out a sharp breath. "Look, there's no easy way to say this, so..." He glanced between the two of them. "Silmeria, Malcolm is...what you are. He isn't human, I mean. I told you I found a child abandoned in the Thunderblacks, well that wasn't quite true..."

His voice faded from Mal's attention, replaced by the sound of blood pounding in his ears. What? What did he mean, he wasn't human? He knew Adrian wasn't his biological father, but he'd never thought- he'd never even considered he might not be human!

[SilmeriaElemred]

''He is what I am?...'' Silmeria asked and froze. ''You are saying he is a phoenix? And you did not tell me this until now why?'' she got on her feet but there was no anger only an expression of amazement as her gaze went to Malcolm.

Never in her 1400 years of life had she met a phoenix. Sure Malcolm looked cute and she somewhat had motherly feelings when she saw him but she thought that was just her instinct of taking care of something defenseless. Come to think of it with Malcolm the feeling had been stronger. Was that because he was a phoenix like herself?

''How...'' she started but did not finish the scentence. ''If finding him as a child was not true then what is the true version of the story?''

[DragonSong]

"I know it was stupid and selfish, but I knew he wouldn't survive on his own, and the only way I could think to care for him was to keep him in human form," Adrian told her. Malcolm, still in a state of shock, simply sat there, staring. "I didn't tell you because- well, he was just a baby! I'd hoped I'd have time to figure things out, to explain." He shook his head. "I realize now that was a mistake."

Running his hand through his hair yet again, he took a calming breath and began to explain, "I was exploring the mountains, the Thunderblacks, and I stumbled across an abandoned nest. There was only one egg, too large for a bird, and at first I assumed it belonged to a dragon. I waited for two days, but the parents never returned. So I took it home."

It. His father had just called him "it". Or his...egg? What the hell?

Adrian was still talking. "After reading up on magical creatures, I learned what the egg really was. I didn't know what to do with him, so when he hatched..." He shrugged. "I knew a phoenix could take a human form. A bit of magic was all it took to keep him in it."

Mal's head was spinning. With a soft groan, he leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands. He didn't know how to handle this.

[SilmeriaElemred]

''It took me years to master human form and elvenform in order to blend in but then again I litterly had no one when I hatched.'' Silmeria spoke and pondered. Her eyes went to Malcolm. ''It is most likely a lot for you to take in. I will give you a choice. I will teach you how to control your fire magic to the degree it will not harm you or your loved ones. With this choice you can live your life as a human. Or, I will not only help you mastering your fire magic but also flight, how to hunt and the like. Regardless though I will not leave until you control fire enough so you will not burn things you will not want to burn. I doubt we can leave things as they are. You did well though Adrian... calling me. Although if it happens again despite very unlikely. If you know it is a phoenix then let me know? I truth be told never encountered one of my kin before. And I've been around. Long.''

[DragonSong]

"I-I..." Mal stammered, unable to form coherent sentences. "I need some fresh air."

He bolted for the door, ignoring his father calling after him. He didn't know where he was going, he just needed to get away from that house and Adrian's pity and guilt filled eyes.

A choice? To control his magic? An hour ago that would have been an easy decision, and he knew he should have just accepted her help. But everything just seemed upside down. He need to think.

[SilmeriaElemred]

''Give him time. He is still a pyromancer.'' Silmeria replied and got on her feet. ''Hence why I am going to tail him for a little bit. Fire reacts mainly on emotion if it's user can not control it. If he would light anything ablaze at the least I can prevent thigns from escalating to much. You though. Do not feel guilty. It is kind of the best you kept the truth from him. I kind of made a mess in Connlaoth.''

She left the house as well following Malcolms trail but did not close up on him to much. Only made sure she was in range for magic would it be nessesary.

[DragonSong]

By the time he was aware of his surroundings, Mal found himself in a small grove of trees a decent distance away from the house he'd grown up in.

Panting lightly, he leaned back against a trunk and closed his eyes. With a frustrated groan, he ran his hand through his hair, a habit he'd picked up from Adrian.

"Damnit," he muttered. "Damnit damnit damnit!" He could feel his body heating up and his eyes flew open. Oh no... "Oh not again, please stop," he ground out, clenching his eyes shut and desperately clamping down on his power.

He didn't know why he even bothered at this point- it's not like he'd ever been able to control it before.

[SilmeriaElemred]

If there normally would be fire in this moment, it certainly took a long time to appear. ''It will only stop if you manage to calm down. Breathe in calmly through your nose, and out through your mouth.'' Silmeria said after having watched him for a moment. The young man was a mess. Not that she could blame him for it. It was not every day someone got to hear he was an actual phoenix.

''Though luckily enough I can prevent you from burning things to a crisp with my own power.''

[DragonSong]

Mal jumped in surprise, hearing a new voice, and fire licked into being along his arms. He yelped and closed his eyes again, taking her advice on reflex.

It was difficult, but he somehow managed to calm himself down enough to get a handle on his power. Opening his eyes, he saw the woman- phoenix- and narrowed his eyes a bit. "Did you follow me?" There was no real bite to his words, he sounded more tired than anything else.

[SilmeriaElemred]

''No I walked randomly in this direction.'' Silmeria spoke with a kind of kind sarcasm. ''Of course I followed you. Right now you are one emotional mess which for pyromancers already equals disaster. I use my own magic right now to supress the fire you are making to prevent from everything to turn into ashes. Would you mind to sit down with me for a bit to talk? It can be about anything you wish.''