Chapter 4: Book:1 | Arc:1 | Ch:4

After that, he simply walked out of the closest doors to the right. It was disturbing to watch them walk through the wall but it wasn't the weirdest thing that had happened. Following my somewhat quick recovery from the situation, I began walking towards the car with the elves. Most of the people were busy and few took notice of my entry. One of which was a lone elf.

I made eye contact with him? Her? They all looked androgynous. All of them tall and thin. No distinguishable curves at all. Anyway they gestured to the seat next to them. A quick look around revealed no other seats. That got an eyebrow raise out of me. 

Why would people pass on the opportunity to talk to an Elf? Then again, I am something of a weeb. Most normal people would probably not care. Or they'd be fearful. Who knows.

"Nice to meet you." I said to the elf as I sat down.

They tilted their head before speaking in an unknown language. Presumably Elvish. While I couldn't understand it, it's meaning was known to me. Probably the train again.

"Hello. It is nice to meet you too."

"Did something happen for people to cram on seats away from elves?"

"Some of us got mad from people calling us Elves. I have been quite quiet so I am unsure if they think I am one who holds rage within, or one who is going to kill them all."

"Are you not elves?"

I shifted slightly in my seat to get comfortable. It was more intriguing than I initially thought.

"No. Although from the description one of your people has given, I can see why you all would think that. It is also why I am not ripping limbs from people as of yet."

A shiver went down my spine.

'They just said that so casually.'

"Well, what are your species called then?"

They gave a small smile. 

"Your species would not be able to pronounce it."

Before returning to a neutral expression.

"This train seems to have a translation function. Useful, indeed."

Then a pondering one.

"Hmm, perhaps you'd be able to get a word for it in your language."

Every time they spoke, it was slow. Thoughtful. Yet... it felt as if instead of being slow, there was this difference between us. In the way we perceived things. The way we lived.

"We are the Dryadalis."

My confusion was evident as the elf, the Dryadalis laughed. It was as soft as the spring air. Elves truly lived up to their reputation. I thought for a minute, pondering questions I could ask. Wasn't often that I could ask the beings themselves.

In the end, I decided on the most important question. It was probably obvious and idiotic to ask at this point, but I still needed an answer.

"So magic is real?"

The Dryadalis paused. They lifted their hand. I could hear it. The wind began whistling. A light form coalescing upon their palm, a ball of wind.

I was entranced. I came face to face with actual magic. It made me feel like a kid. A kid in their childhood, fascinated by a simple trick at a magic show. Wondering, ever-curious on how it works. 

I reached for it, slowly but as I got closer I realized it was sucking in the surroundings to fill it. It wasn't complete. There was wind escaping as well. It would never fill.

"Interesting."

I jolted from the trance I found myself in. Shame coloring my cheeks in embarrassment. I snuck a peek at the Dryadalis' face as they continued.

"You seem to have an affinity with the Wind Element."

I paused. Hesitant but excited. Maybe I could learn magic. Their next sentence, however, crushed me.

"But your race has no mana so it would be near impossible."

I sighed.

"What did I expect."

"I wouldn't know."

I chuckled. So serious, so logical. They felt cold when they spoke to me, distant even. Once again the differences between us showed.

But seeing that small spell. That confirmation. It gave me a little hope. There was a quote I had heard. It's not impossible, you just haven't found a way yet. In that case, magic would make that quote the truth.

"It's time to go."

I whispered, quieter than I've ever spoken. Quieter than the softest breeze. I almost didn't believe I spoke until I got my confirmation. Both of that I had spoken... and of the idea I didn't want to be true.

[Kiran Trevis, Quinn David, Celestine Mudiwa and Sameera Laurita. Please Get Off. The Train will Depart in 10 minutes.]

Shouts and whispers filled the area, the air tensing as eyes shifted, sweat dropped and fists clenched.

Eventually, all of our kind gathered in front of the four. I could hear the gritted teeth of people besides me. I saw the drooping eyes, the tired looks. The narrowed eyes and hands curled into fists. The puffy, tear-ridden eyes and knees up to their head. The reactions were varied, I was the latter reaction.

For different reasons.

I could only focus on the coincidence.

'It can't be one though. Which means I'll be stuck here for who knows how long.'

I tuned out everything. Heard nothing but my own heartbeat. Smelled nothing but my intensifying sweat. Tasted nothing but the salt imbued drops that fell from my eyes. Saw nothing but the ever-lasting sunset that plagued me so. Felt nothing but the empty cold that came with the announcement.

Ages passed to me, time twisting longer in spontaneous moments and shorter in erratic timing.

After what seemed like centuries to me, time seemed to return to what was once normal. The epicenter of this, seemed to be a new arrival.

They were short, was the first impression of most no doubt. What I was focused on, however, was that they felt like a mountain forged in heavy rainstorms. Their eyes were calm and keen. The sharpest I had ever seen.

{{ PoV: ??? }}

"Is this it?"

Before me was a train of indeterminable length. Translucent rails and reflective windows, gold connectors and this weird rainbow wood. It was the most mysterious thing I'd ever caught sight of.

"Yes."

I turned back, behind me was a man that my instincts screamed both weak and dangerous at the same time. His light-blue hair was smooth. His left eye was dark and lifeless while his right was a vibrant forest. A far cry from his visage when I met him.

I turned back to the train and ended up curious.

"So I chose a disciple? Interesting. You told me I'd know when I see them but is it that obvious?"

I strode towards the opening doors slowly. There was no rush.

Then, I came face to face with my arch-nemesis.

Steep-stepped stairs.

I sighed before starting the treacherous journey. One step at a time. The first one was the most arduous, pain inflicted on the entirety of my legs as I pushed myself upon it. The second was vicious, it took advantage of my exhaustion and had me gasping for air when I won. The last was slightly easier and I felt a sense of accomplishment from getting up there.

The person behind me, Kryos as he called himself, snickered. It was quiet but it couldn't escape my sense of hearing.

I decided to be generous and ignore it. Once and once only.

You are reading story The Ashen Phoenix at novel35.com

After all, I'd be getting a student today! My standards were high so for me to be choosing a disciple, this was truly a once in a lifetime occasion. I was joyous, forgiving even!

Well, only slightly.

The air split.

A plop resounded as the person's facial expression twisted, but only for a second. They looked back at me and stiffly smiled as I looked back at them and reciprocated with a genuine smile.

His expression twisted once more. This time, I ignored it and continued forward.

I immediately felt the changes as we walked through the place. The mana begun to rise exponentially with each car entered. After seventeen cars, Kyros fell to a knee. The mana saturation had become too much for him. I dismissed his presence and continued on. Thirteen cars later and it had become uncomfortable for me.

'But not unbearable.'

I smiled.

'The power of a Sin is truly incredible. A pity that I can't obtain blessings, though, nullifying curses cast upon me is certainly a great trade-off.'

The mana began to feel more alive after another seven cars. It felt vibrant and the air felt hostile yet calm. It was as if I was its enemy and it was holding back because of something.

'Or someone.'

I went through twenty more cars before something incredible happened. It disappeared. All the mana. It was gone. It baffled me. How could it just vanish?

Then I felt something else.

A nagging at my soul, at my Sin.

'Candidates.'

I entered the next car and immediately saw six people. Four had such weak presences that I could hardly believe they were candidates. The other two were the real deal though.

The first was an old man, wrinkles visible and eyes dead. They stared at me and I'll be honest, I'd never seen such eyes before now. The only difference they had with the 4 barely candidates, was the amount of mana they had absorbed. It didn't even look like they were conscious of it. It was natural to them. The 6th person, however, was the crown jewel of the car.

It was a man, not slender but not burly either. His eyes were closed and mouth thin. He carried a pendant with a sapphire embedded in it sitting in his left hand while he had a kitchen knife in their right.

'His aura... it resembles greed. But...'

My gaze wandered towards his head. I groaned.

It was sparkly.

'Is he a monk or something?'

I sighed.

'Well, no matter. He's the only one I'd even consider as a student. There must be something about him.'

I smiled and began to approach him.

{{ PoV: Nika Mayrell }}

I mentally sighed as I watched the person walk towards another in the car, somehow ignoring the inability to sigh physically.

'What was I expecting.'

I guess I was expecting some type of reprieve.

'I wonder if there's a toilet on this train.'

To fuel my curiosity I stood. Then I fell back into the seat. I looked at my hands and was startled to say the least. In my vision were two spindly and skeletal in both appearance and feel. They wouldn't stop shaking either, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't make them calm.

It scared me. I was conscious yet I didn't notice a thing.

'Perhaps it's despair that I felt...'

After all, I hadn't even moved. There was no doubt that the seat had the shape of my ass by now. Curious for no reason, I scooted to the side and looked.

'Nothing. How peculiar, the train seems to be more interesting than I'd first thought. At least I won't be bored in the last moments of my life.'

I felt like I was in a fresh spring, cleansing my mind. I sighed peacefully and I prepared myself.

'It shouldn't be long now.'

I sat there for hours, the only entertainment being that the short person arguing with the calm monk that had been across from me.

Eventually, I felt it. A tiredness, an emptiness. A weakening body. Something unexpected happened though.

"Do you regret anything?"

The shorty was in front of me, parted from their conversation with the monk. They looked both male and female but I got the feeling they were a he rather than a she.

"Of course I do."

"Why."

"I made stupid decisions."

"Do you want to fix them?"

"Most would."

"You don't?"

"No. It would change too much. I wouldn't be able to understand anything anymore."

"I see."

A lull in the conversation continued before my deathly sleepiness began to intensify.

"You're dying."

"I am."

"Do you want to live?"

"No."

They scrunched up their eyebrows.

"How curious."

"Nothing curious about it. I'm just tired."

I gave a resigned smile.

"I see."

He stared at me before saying.

"Goodbye... and good luck."

I closed my eyes.

You can find story with these keywords: The Ashen Phoenix, Read The Ashen Phoenix, The Ashen Phoenix novel, The Ashen Phoenix book, The Ashen Phoenix story, The Ashen Phoenix full, The Ashen Phoenix Latest Chapter