Chapter 34

I led everyone in Dec's tower to the ocean side, where Aianite's ghost was waiting for us.

"Ianite, Mianite, Dianite, get your Champions. They need to be here," I said. They nodded and went to their Champions.

"Nix, who's this?" Gandus asked.

"This... this is Aianite..." Gandus was shocked. Aianite smiled a friendly smile. I was speechless before her, I couldn't find any words to say to her.

"What brought you back to the living world?" Gandus asked.

"I will reveal all when everyone gets here," Aianite answered. Gandus just nodded. I looked down at the ground, not saying a word... I mean, what do you say to the ghost of a goddess past? Especially one that your own past self was devoted to and sworn only to. After a while,

"What's wrong Nix? Cat got your tongue?" Gandus teased. I gave her a half-hearted look.

"What do I say..." Gandus sighed and came over to me.

"Listen, I know this must be weird, you being the reincarnation of the High Priestess that was sworn to Aianite and now seeing Aianite 'again'... but you gotta start somewhere."

"But... I don't remember her... in my mind. I only know who she is because Ianite told me." Gandus made a small 'ouch' face. Aianite looked a little sad, but recovered quickly. The others finally made their way back.

"Whoa. Who's this?" Tom asked.

"My name is Aianite. I am the eldest sister to your gods." She then delved into what happened. When she finished, the guys were stunned. Aianite then came over to me. I got very nervous for some reason. "Phoenix... please remember me..." Then she hugged me, something I didn't think was possible, her being a ghost and all. As soon as she hugged me, the memories of my past life came back.

~red haired Phoenix, 10 years old~

A lady in white, I assume to be Light, or Angrec as Ianite called her, had just told 10 year old past me to pack her things and that she wanted past me to meet the 4 gods in the morning, when I'm 'bright eyed and bushy tailed'... no wonder why that sounded familiar that one time. Then Aianite and Ianite smiled at past me and Mianite and Dianite just inclined their heads. The next morning was hard to get past me up, for lack of any kind of deep sleep. I chuckled as I watched. Then it fast forwarded to when past me and the gods were outside, past me was first to initiate communication.

"So, what can we play with 5 of us?" she asked.

"Hmm, well... we like to use our powers a lot. Do you have any powers Phoenix?" Aianite asked. So, Aianite was the first of the gods to talk to past me. That might be a reason as to why past me wanted to pledge her full allegiance and loyalty to Aianite. Then the flashback fast forwarded to the next morning.

"You'll be meditating today. You need to keep your emotions in control as a Priestess. You need to keep your wits about you. You need to keep a cool head in every situation. You can't be panicking and stressed, that will lead to poor decisions, which a Priestess for the gods cannot do," Angrec said to past me. No wonder why 'meditation' sounded familiar as well. Past me was instructed to do meditation as a Priestess practice. Also, Aianite seemed really friendly with past me, I guess that decided it for her when she became Priestess, or even High Priestess, if she was appointed High Priestess right away. Later that day, Dianite came in.

"Lunch time birdy." Past me and I both had a very confused look. "Your name is the name of a bird, 'birdy'."

"I know, but... why?" I said 'but why' alongside my past self. Dianite just shrugged and left. Both past me and I gave the place where he stood a weird look. I'll have to ask Dianite if he remembers that when this flashback ends. I chuckled. Thinking on it now, it is pretty funny. Later that day, Aianite came to get past me so they and the other three could play. Aianite warned past me that Dianite likes to cheat and past me's comment of 'cheater pants' made her giggle. As time went on, her and past me seemed to be really close. As well as Ianite and past me, though more so. Past me looked to be 21 when she went to Aianite at this point in the past. They both looked sharply dressed. It must be the day of past me's High Priestess ceremony.

"Aianite, I would like to become completely devoted to you and pledge my loyalty to you as High Priestess."

"You do realize what that entails, right?" Aianite asked.

"I do, I've seen what happens to you and I've done my research. I'll gladly declare my loyalty and devotion to you publicly. I'll already be in front of a crowd, so, why not? I also am well aware that I'll die alongside you when that time comes. That's still so far away though. We'll still have life to enjoy for a good amount of time." Aianite looked at me, searching, then inclined her head.

"I will accept your full loyalty and devotion. I am honored." Past me smiled. The flashback then went ahead a couple years and past me and Ianite are hanging out in the garden at about sunset. Past me is using her fire. Ianite seemed to be entranced by past me's ability.

"Your fire power is so cool Nix. I mean... yeah, Dianite has fire power, but he uses his for Chaos. You, you use yours for good. Perhaps that's why I'm so enthralled by it. Though... your fire that you use offensively is completely different than your fire you use to fire read. Your fire reading fire is blue... why?"

"I dunno..." Then past me seemed to have a vision. After it was done, she looked at Ianite. "I know why... but I don't think I can tell you." I think I know why... she saw me, her reincarnation and my own abilities. The blue fire past me used for fire reading is soul fire, it's a foreshadowing of the future. I'll have to remember to tell Ianite that when this flashback ends.

"Oh... ok." Ianite looked up at the sky, then leaned against past me. Past me looked surprised, but didn't protest. Actually, past me was brave and put an arm around Ianite. "The sunset is so beautiful, isn't it?"

"Not as beautiful as you," past me said softly, looking at Ianite. Ianite looked at past me, blushing lightly. Then, they began to lean closer, I silently cheered for past me. They locked lips in their first kiss. That didn't go unnoticed, however. Aianite had seen it. She smiled and turned away. I went over to her.

"I knew they would do that. I could see how close they were getting over the years. It was only a matter of time. A different close than what Phoenix and I have. We, well, we're more like best friends. Close best friends. I really do hope they have a great relationship. They're cute together." She then went away silently. Then the flashback took me to the war... when Aianite sacrificed herself. Past me and Ianite seemed to have felt a disturbance, they turned to where Aianite floated, gathering all her power into her.

"Aianite! No!" Ianite shouted. Past me looked fearful.

"Aianite!" Mianite and Dianite shouted. Aianite ended up destroying Fenrir's army, but as I mentioned, she sacrificed herself in doing so. Then past me clutched her chest and fell to her knees. I was scared. I got closer and touched the ground.

"Phoenix?!" Ianite came over and knelt down, holding past me to her chest. "Phoenix... not you too..."

"We both know... this were to happen... if Aianite died... Ianite, I promise... I will find you again... in another life..." Past me then gave Ianite one last kiss, then breathed her last. Ianite let out an anguished cry, which broke my heart into a million pieces. I couldn't help but cry alongside her. Mianite and Dianite came up to Ianite and laid a hand on her shoulders in support. Then that's when the flashback ended.

~present day~

I somehow was laying on the ground, my head on Ianite's lap. It seemed like I cried in real life, and not just the flashback. I sat up and wiped my eyes.

"What did you see?" Sparky asked, concerned. I told him and the others all that I saw. They were shocked.

"So... you remember everything from your past life?" Karl asked in awe. I nodded.

"So, Dianite, you called past me 'birdy'. Do you remember that?" Everyone grinned in amusement. Aianite even giggled.

"I called you that?" Seems he doesn't remember.

"You did. It was when you called my past self to lunch on her... was it first or second day, of meditation training?" Dianite focused his memories, then it dawned on him.

"Oh yeah! Heh, it's good to see you again, 'birdy'." We all chuckled, or giggled in Aianite and Ianite's cases. I then turned to Ianite.

"Do you remember when past me told you that she had a vision, but couldn't tell you yet after you asked her why her fire reading fire was blue, but her offensive fire was orange?" Ianite focused her memories, it took a bit, but then she finally nodded. "Well, she saw me, her reincarnated self and my powers over soul fire. She couldn't tell you because it'd spoil the far future."

"Oh, wow. Thank you Nix, for telling me." I smiled gently, then I turned to Aianite.

"And now, I remember you finally... my goddess." I stood up and bowed low, showing respect. Aianite smiled.

"No need to do that... Lucky." I heard the amusement in her voice. I grinned and stood straight. The others all chuckled and Ianite giggled.

"So, you know my nickname huh? You've been watching over us all?" I asked. Aianite nodded.

"Of course. I've been waiting for the day when I would be remembered by my sister and my former High Priestess. That's why I appeared before you, because Ianite finally remembered me. I had a feeling you would need a little help remembering me, so I came down from my place in the heavens. Also, when you were born, I got a little nudge in the back of my mind that, 'Hey, Phoenix has been reborn. Go to her and look after her'. Before you say it, there was no stopping the tragedy that happened to your village. I'm sure you've heard enough of it 'being destiny that that happened', so I will not say it." I nodded, she's right. I have heard enough. I don't wanna hear it again.

"I thought as much. Now, I also have another thing to tell you. One of you 5 Champions will need to compete in an Olympics... those Elemental stones you've been collecting, those are all to be used to give you god-like powers. So, in essence, the winner will be a new god or goddess. You need that power to help my siblings in defeating the Darkness. I am glad to see you've gathered the Air, Water, Earth, and Fire stones. Tom... you need to give the others one... you have too many. You may only hold onto one until the Olympics," Aianite added.

"I call the Fire stone," I immediately interjected.

"Of course you do," literally everyone said amused. I just grinned.

"I'll hold onto the Water stone," Karl offered.

"It's fortunate that I already have the Earth stone," Sparky added. The gods, Dec, Karl, and I nodded.

"So, where do you have the stones Tom?" Aianite asked.

"I have them in a chest somewhere at my base." Half lie. Hmm... why would that be a half lie? Wait... does he have an ender chest?!

"Don't you dare half lie to Aianite. You have an ender chest. Your outcries of ender chests being banned are false. Also, you're breaking your own outcries of them being banned... hypocrite," I chastised.

"How would you know if I had an ender chest? Which I don't." Lie. I sighed.

"Zombie, you forget that I can detect lies..." He seemed to be a little embarrassed.

"Ok, fine. I have an ender chest, and the stones are in it."

"Better. Also, very good place for them. They're safe there. Sparky, do you have your stone in your ender chest?" He nodded. "Good lad. Karl, I suggest you do the same for the Water stone and Tom, keep your Air stone in your ender chest. I'll put my Fire stone in my own ender chest," I said. They both nodded and Tom placed down an ender chest to grab the Water and Fire stones. When he got them, he gave them to the ones who claimed them. I put the Fire stone in the ender chest Tom placed down as well as Karl placing his Water stone in it. As I stood straight again, I noticed the ender chest giving off a little light on the ground around it. Then I looked up at the sky and noticed the moon's position. The others did the same.

"Oh dear, it seems the day's events went well into the night. We'd all better get some sleep," Ianite said. We all nodded, then everyone except Ianite, Gandus, and I bid Aianite farewell. They won't see her again, but I have a feeling the gods and I will.

"Sister, Gandus, may I speak with Nix alone, please?" Ianite and Gandus nodded. Ianite teleported home, then teleported Gandus to her. "Nix, I want to commend you on your achievements and levelheadedness as Priestess. You're doing me very proud, and you're living up to, and exceeding, your past self and her powers. You're surpassing the prophecy. I'm also surprised you didn't remember your past self making the prophecy." I shouldn't be surprised, yet I am.

"So, past me made a prophecy about her reincarnation... interesting." Aianite nodded.

"I hope to see you and my siblings again Nix, I've missed you all. Though, would it be meeting you all over again, now that you're reincarnated?" I shrugged, I didn't know either. Reincarnation is confusing. She just smiled gently. "Well, tell Ianite that she can teleport you to her. Good night, and it's good to see you again, or meet you." I smiled.

"Good night Aianite. It was good meeting you or seeing you again." I then communicated telepathically to Ianite to teleport me home. A second later and I was teleported to our room. I flopped onto the bed and closed my eyes.

"Exhausting day, huh? I'll take care of your shoulder." I just nodded, too tired to speak anymore, and I think Ianite picked up on that because she silently took care of my shoulder. I fell asleep as she did, so after discarding the dirty patch and washing her hands, she laid on the other side and closed her eyes, falling asleep after a couple of minutes.

A/N: gosh damn, I think this is the longest chapter yet. One word made it to the 7th page XD Last chapter and this chapter were something, huh? Aianite made an appearance! :D and more flashbacks lol. Well, hopefully you liked this chapter :)