Fan Fiction ❯ Phoenix's Rise ❯ Legend of the Sword ( Chapter 20 )

A/n: Okay, from this point on . . . there’s going to be a lot of mythology involved in the story, so if you don’t like the stuff, then you might want to quit reading. I don’t believe in the stuff, but it’s the only way I could think of to work the story out.

Chapter 20

Legend of the Sword

Phoenix was awakened by knocking on her door late the next morning. “Ngh . . . who’s there?” She asked sleepily from under her pillow.

“Raven. Robin asked me to look up some information on a sword you found. Do you mind if I take a look at it?” Came the reply.

“No, c’mon in.” Phoenix got up slowly from her bed, and retrieved the sword from her closet. “This is it.”

Raven pulled the blade about ¼ of the way out of its scabbard. “This should be really easy to find. It’ll be even easier if you know its name.”

“When Sorora told me about it, she called it the Element Sword . . . but that might not be its real name.” Phoenix sighed.

“Would you mind if I take this with me?” Raven asked. Phoenix shook her head. Raven looked thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe you should go back to where you found this, there could be more information, or other artifacts that were left with it that you might not’ve seen since you were there in the middle of the night.”

“Alright, thanks.” Phoenix smiled. “I’ll probably go later today.”

“Hey, Robin . . . are you busy right now?” Phoenix asked the Boy Wonder, who was looking over some old records.

“Not really, why? Would you like me to help you with that toothpick of yours?” Robin asked with a grin.

“No. How would you like to come on a treasure hunt with me?” Phoenix asked innocently, and then yanked Robin’s chair out from under him. “That’s for calling my sword a ‘tooth-pick’.” She smiled down at him.

“Hey!” The spiky-haired teen cried from the floor. “What kind of treasure hunt?”

Phoenix helped Robin up. “Raven thinks it would be a good idea if I go back to the cave. There might be some stuff that I missed last night. I figured that I should ask if you want to come with me, that way you don’t come and start yelling at me again.”

“I guess I could spare some time. Maybe you should ask Terra and Beast Boy if they want to come too. I mean, Terra and Beast Boy might want a chance to hang out together since they only went on one date.” Robin suggested with a semi-evil grin.

“Are you trying to turn this into a group date?” Phoenix questioned. “If you are, why don’t we invite some other couples like . . . oh . . . maybe Starfire and-” Robin clapped his hand over Phoenix’s mouth to prevent the last of the sentence from being spoken.

“How about just us? Get your stuff, and meet me in the garage. I’ll try to find a helmet that you could wear.” Robin smiled slightly at the expression on Phoenix’s face.

“Why do I need a helmet? I’m not the one who needs to ride around on a fancy motorbike because I’m flight-challenged. And I refuse to ride double.” Phoenix stated in her don’t bother suggesting it, because there isn’t any way on earth that it will happen tone.

“I thought that you might want some way to keep sand out of your eyes.” Robin offered in a slightly hurt tone.

Phoenix’s eyes still held a suspicious glint, but she relented. “Okay then . . . but I’m still not riding double.”

“I thought you weren’t going to ride double.” Robin joked with a grin as Phoenix sat down behind him on the R-Cycle.

“I’m tired, so sue me.” Phoenix braced her legs, wrapped her arms loosely around Robin’s chest, and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Are you okay? Maybe we should go back . . . we could always go on another day . . . or maybe just wait until later today.” Robin turned and saw the total exhaustion in his girlfriend’s eyes. They had only been going for five minutes, when Phoenix could no longer remain airborne, it took a near collision with a trash can on a curb to get Phoenix to stop flying.

“I’m fine . . . just a little tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Phoenix felt bad for lying . . . but she didn’t even know why she felt so weak. Maybe it’s just my powers burning out . . . no . . . flying never takes this much out of me.

“That’s it. We’re going back to the Tower right now. Something’s wrong with you . . . and I’m not going to let you take chances with your health.” Robin checked to make sure Phoenix was steady, made a sharp u-turn, and sped back to the Tower.

“As far as I can tell . . . she’s fine.” Cyborg said. When the pair had made it back to the Tower, he too became worried about Phoenix’s condition.

“I told you, I’m just tired! Why won’t anyone accept that?!” Phoenix sat indignantly on the corner of an infirmary bed.

Cyborg cleared his throat. “But, I agree with you, Robin. Phoenix, you look rough . . . are you sure that you feel okay?”

“I told you . . . I’m fine . . . I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I’m a little tired.” Phoenix yawned.

“Then you can take a nap . . . right here. That way, if you suddenly begin to feel worse, we’ll know where you are . . . that’s only if you stay put.” Robin ordered , and got a blanket off of a shelf. “If you really are ‘just tired’, then there’s nothing for you to get so edgy about.”

Phoenix shook her head. “I’m not going to win . . . am I? Fine . . . gimme that blanket.” Cyborg and Robin chuckled as Phoenix snapped at them. “Y’know . . . I really don’t like people watching me when I sleep.”

After the two boys left the room, Robin turned to his friend. “Cy, are you sure that she isn’t sick or something? She isn’t acting like herself.”

“Look man, I know you get really worried whenever any of us get even a paper cut . . . driving yourself crazy, worrying about her, won’t do anyone any good. The most I can say is let her sleep.” Cyborg felt sorry for Robin. Poor guy needs to relax, if Phoenix was sick, she would’ve showed a sign of it.

Raven looked up from her book and jotted down the last of the notes she’d found on the sword. The weapon had a very long, and colorful history, beginning with its rumored creation. She picked up the sword, replaced it in its scabbard, and went off to tell Phoenix what she had learned.

Created by Vulcan, the Roman blacksmith god, for Demeter, the goddess and protector of the harvest, or nature. Able to harness elemental powers into a more powerful form. The Element Guardians were Demeter’s chosen warriors to control and protect the elements, weather, and seasons. The Element Sword was given to the one who led the Guardians, always the mortal with power over fire.

When separated from the sword for prolonged amounts of time, the Fire-Guardian will begin to feel tired, and the joined power of the Guardians will drain. If the separation occurs for more than 48 hours, the Fire-Guardian’s life will drain entirely.

Phoenix listened intently as Raven read off her notes. The whole concept being exposed was mind bending.

“You have to keep your sword with you all the time, Phoenix.” Robin commanded. “You’re lucky that Raven found out about that little ‘side-effect’ before your 48 hours were up.”

“Watch it, buddy. Phoenix’s got a whole bunch of gods up there, watching her back. No telling what they might do if you start ordering her around.” Terra joked in her best mobster voice. “Ya don’t mess with family, capiece?”

“Yo, it’s like she’s the Godfather!” Cyborg laughed.

“No, it’s not. I’m just some little flunky.” Phoenix shook her head. “Now that we know more about what’s going on . . . maybe Terra, Aqualad, and I should try to find the other . . . what did the book call us again?”

‘The Element Guardians.” Raven replied. “Maybe you were separated for a reason. After all, the book said the Guardians weren’t needed after humans became advanced enough to deal with climate changes.”

“There has to be some reason that the sword has bonded to me. If it hadn’t, then I wouldn’t think that I am the Fire-Guardian . . . but since everything’s going just like what history says happened when the Guardians were needed . . . I’m guessing that something big is coming, and the earth is going to need help.” Phoenix’s voice was slightly laced with the fear of the unknown dangers that lay ahead.

“That’s logical, but what could possibly happen?” Robin wondered.

“Dude, what if there’s gonna be some big disaster? Like that one tsunami from last Christmas, but bigger?” Beast Boy asked worriedly.

“Okay, that’s a scary thought. I’m with Phoenix . . . something big is coming, and if there’s anything I can do, I’m going to help stop it.” Terra declared, the expression of determination on her face matched the expression that was often seen on her cousin’s face.

Phoenix was silent in thought. “As crazy as this sounds, we need to leave tomorrow. The sooner we gather the other Guardians, the better chance we have to keep the world safe.”