Fushicho Agaru

Phoenix Rising

Chapter 1: Floating in the Sea of Sky

"Clara I'm tired and I don't think I can walk much longer." Kayla said as she stretched her arms and stifled a yawn. "Ever since you had that dream you haven't been the same." Nearly a month after the boys disappeared, Clara had a strange recurring dream where Cye asked her to save him.

"Don't worry we'll stop soon," Clara called back as she surveyed the land ahead of her for a suitable campsite. "If we can find somewhere to sleep. Besides, I'm sure the guys are still alive."

"How about by that lake?" Kayla asked as she pointed to a sapphire blue lake ahead of them on their right.

"It'll be a cold night but we have no choice." Clara said as she took off her backpack and began setting up camp.

"Look Clara! It's a shooting star!" Kayla said as a dark blue star streaked through the rainbow colored sky.

Clara stared into the sky where her friend had pointed and saw a dark blue circle plummeting towards the lake, as it got closer she could see a figure suspended in the center. "No, it's a person." She whispered quietly as she held her hands out in front of her as if in prayer then stretched her arms forward and slowly opened her hands.

As if in response the orb slowed down and disappeared as it touched the lake's surface. Then a wave of pain swept over her that brought her to her knees and Kayla started to run over to her Clara when she cried out, "It's Rowen! We must help him!"

Immediately Kayla's direction changed towards the lake and she dove in headfirst swimming furiously as her pale blue eyes searched the clear water surrounding her. It feels like I'm swimming through the sky she thought to herself. Then suddenly the figure sank past her and she quickly wrapped her arms around the person and swam up to the lake's shoreline. Meanwhile Clara had just barely recovered from the pain when she saw Kayla surface and ran over to her.

"He's not breathing Clara," Kayla said softly as she laid the young man down on the ground.

"Ok, I've got it." Clara said as she knelt by the young man and was preparing herself to perform CPR when she noticed a kanji symbol flickering on his forehead. She stared for a moment then shook herself and began CPR. "Come on!" she yelled as Kayla tried to get a pulse.

"There's no pulse Clara, he's dead." Kayla said gently.

"NO, HE'S NOT DEAD! HE'S ALIVE!" Clara screamed into the sky. Kayla could only watch as her friend cried in frustration, slammed her fist on the boy's chest, and fell forward across his chest.

Then something happened, the kanji symbol suddenly burst forth on Clara's forehead glowing with a bright silver light and the fading symbol on the boy's forehead suddenly died out completely then came back glowing brightly with a beautiful sapphire blue light.

As Clara lay there sobbing, she suddenly noticed that a hand was gently combing through her dark blue hair in an almost consoling manner. Immediately she pulled herself into a sitting position and began looking around her.

Tenshi? Tenshi no kibou? Rowen thought in disbelief as he stared at the young woman before him No it's Clara.

Startled by the voice, Clara looked down at the young man who had pulled himself into a sitting position and was staring at her with wide eyes. "Rowen do you remember me?" She asked as he continued to stare at her.

"…Where am I? What happened?" he finally asked quietly as he looked into her silvery eyes.

"One question at a time please." Kayla said with a gentle laugh and smile.

"I'm not really sure where we're at right now. All I know is that we were just getting ready to set up camp when we saw you falling from the sky. You had us worried at first because you weren't even breathing." Clara said as she explained what had happened and why they were journeying through the mountains.

"One day I was fighting an army of demons with my friends when one of them stepped forward and started chanting. The next thing I remember is waking up in outer space dressed like this." As he spoke he gestured towards his kimono, which was white with dark blue-tipped ends. "I don't mean to be rude Clara but what happened to your legs?"

"My legs, they've turned to stone!" she cried in surprise as she stared at her long legs, which were now stone from the knee down. "It must have happened after I used my magic to slow your fall. But the sacrifice was worth saving your life and I'll use it again if I have to."