Phoenix Reborn

A Tale of Ace Gallagher Short from Book #4
by Jill D'Entremont

Vance raised his head as a cacophonous cry came from the arena in the distance. He frowned and returned to his half-hunched stance, continuing on as the distant uproar continued.

“At least I know where to look if Ed’s not at the post office,” he muttered to himself.

“All banners: half-off!” One of the vendors suddenly shouted, rattling Vance’s pace and composure. “Sir, can I interest you in a banner? Bring it home to your kids as a souvenir!”

Vance did little to hide his scowl, and he ducked his head further into his scarf to display his indifference. He did his best to avoid any further commentary from the vendors still lined along the main road until he turned onto the next street.

Now that he was alone, his tensed body began to relax and straighten out. His pace, however, remained unchanged. He needed to get to the post office; he needed to check if Ed had been there or not–or, if he was lucky, Ed would still be there and he would be reassured that all was–surprisingly–well.

He sighed audibly as his mind began to calculate the chances of Ed being where he was supposed to be. His recent penchant for angst didn’t help with his odds. As the elder brother, it was Ed’s duty to ensure his family was taken care of–even if his family only included his brother and two roommates at this point. He wouldn’t care so much if Ed was contributing to their household in a regular fashion, but lately it seemed he was going through more jobs than pairs of clothes.

“I’m sick of making sure he’s holding down a job,” he grumbled aloud. “And yet, here I am, walking through the streets of Montrose, making sure he made it in to work.” He sighed loudly. “This is going to be the last time I do this–I swear.”

At last, he found the sign for the post office at the end of the block. Beyond the small stone building was a large park, contained within a short stone wall. A path of paving stones traced its way into the park and down a small slope to a gazebo covered in blooming purple flowers.

A man was leaning against the stone wall near the path. His slumped posture indicated something was not right.

“Sir?” Vance’s trajectory adjusted and his pace quickened to a light sprint.

The man’s eyes scarcely lifted when Vance rushed to his side. His brown hair was streaked with gray, and his face was worn with age. His hands were limp at his sides, half on the purple-gray cloak draped around his chest and shoulders, and half on the grass his body was resting upon.

Vance did his best to check the man’s body for obvious injury or impairment, but he didn’t notice anything. “Sir, are you all right?” 

“There, in the wisteria,” the man seemed oblivious to Vance’s question, “a woman is dying.”

Vance gasped and threatened to stand. “Wh–do I need to call someone?? I can get a doctor, or a patrolman, or–”

“No,” the older man grasped Vance’s arm, shakily, yet firmly. “She needs someone to be with her… as she passes.”

The younger man’s brows furrowed, though the rest of his face was still arced in worry. He glanced toward the gazebo down the hill, but the flowers were too thick to see through. 

“Please,” the man urged, barely above a whisper. His gray-blue eyes pierced into Vance’s with a disarming sincerity. “I cannot; but you can.”

Vance nodded without another word or thought, got back to his feet, and left the man at the wall. He walked down the stone path to the gazebo, and the sweet scent of the wisteria blooms welcomed him in. The hanging flowers swayed in the breeze, and in the clouded sunlight of the gathering storm, a woman clothed in a white dress and a woolen shawl lay motionless on the bench.

“...Ma’am?”

Her eyes opened, harried and wide, and her frail body tensed as she gasped for air. “Phoenix?”

Vance initially began to disagree, but before his voice could escape his lips, realization silenced his words. His head whipped back to the man near the wall, and his wide eyes slowly turned back to the woman, still looking at him expectantly.

“No,” he said after a moment, “but, he sent me.”

 “Oh… yes.” She closed her eyes and released her words as a sigh.

Vance bit his lip, then slowly got to his knees beside the bench. Unsure of what to do or say, he began by resting his hand upon hers. “I’m… here to be with you,” he said simply.

She drew in a breath, raspy and labored, and her hazel eyes reopened. This time, however, the anxiousness was gone. Her body, once tense, had relaxed. “What’s your name?”

“Vance Edwards.”

Her lips found a smile. “You are kind, Vance… to be here.”

As he watched her composure soften, his mind began to wander. “I’ve almost died before,” he admitted softly. “And while–somehow–I pulled through, waking up and finding those I love around me… I would never want anyone to feel alone in their final moments.”

She released another sigh through her smile.

“What’s… your name?”

“Aurora,” she breathed, “Gallagher.”

Vance was again struck with realization. “Gallagher?”

Her eyes weakly focused on his piqued expression. “Do you know… my son?”

“Ace?”

Aurora’s lips parted as a wide smile drew them open, and her eyes again fell closed. Her hand reached to her neck, touching a chain. She struggled to take in another breath, and struggled further to pull the chain from inside her shawl.

Vance delicately reached around her fingers to take the chain, and he pulled it to reveal a small top made of three twisted bands of metal.

“Please…” she uttered, her voice scarcely escaping her throat. “Give this… to him.”

“I will,” he nodded, watching as her eyes faded out of focus.

The corners of her lips twitched, forming a final smile as a shallow breath escaped them. The hand at her chest rolled to the edge of the bench. She slipped into silence and stillness.

Vance could scarcely take his own breath when he realized she had taken her last.

He closed his eyes and bowed his head, resting within the moment until he could find the strength to move again. Then, slowly, he brought his fingers to her half-open eyelids and closed them.

He was at once filled with sorrow; both from witnessing her passing, and from learning she was Ace’s mother. Sorrow turned to remorse, knowing he would need to bear the sad news to her son. But remorse faded to a strange curiosity, as he knew now he had been given the task by The Guardian of Death himself.

He glanced out of the gazebo’s opening, through the boughs of wisteria. He breathed in their scent and turned back to the woman. He gently unclasped the chain, removed the metal top from her neck, and slipped it into his pocket. He then got back to his feet. As he looked upon her one last time, he was surprised how peaceful she looked; as if she had only just fallen asleep.

“May Alphega take you into his arms, Aurora,” he whispered.

He bowed in reverence, then turned and left her among the flowers.

–

The man at the wall lifted his head as Vance came up from the gazebo. “Has she passed?” He asked.

“She has,” Vance said gingerly, stepping up to the man’s side. He paused as the man before him closed his eyes and nodded, but he soon urged more firmly, “I know who you are.”

The Phoenix remained unmoved. “Yes.”

“Why weren’t you the one to be with her? Isn’t… isn’t that your duty?”

He took in a breath. “Not for much longer.”

It was at that moment, Vance realized how much older the man appeared. In the short time he had been away, his face had grown gaunt and worn, and his hair had faded completely to gray.

“Phoenix,” Vance dropped to his knees, “are you dying?”

“Even the Phoenix cannot live forever…” the man uttered, tugging open one side of his purple-gray cloak. Deep red stains blotted through his shirt near his abdomen.

Vance’s face paled. “What happened??”

“A man with a cursed blade came into my home,” the guardian let the cloak fall as his hand dropped back at his side. “I could not heal the wound; and he took my Astress as his prize…”

“Wait–a cursed blade,” Vance bit his lip. “Ace–one of my friends had that curse before I met him.”

“Ace,” he repeated the name. “Ace Gallagher?”

“Yes,” he awkwardly glanced toward the gazebo. “And she was his mother.”

“With her death, and mine, he is the last of us…”

Vance replayed his words in his head. “I beg your pardon?”

A shrieking call bellowed overhead.

The dark-haired man looked up to find a massive bird-like creature swooping down from the air. He scrambled to his feet and backed away–only for Astress to gently come to rest mere feet away from himself and the Phoenix.

“Astress!” The Phoenix held out his hand in relief as the creature bowed her beak into his palm. “How did you escape?”

Actress trilled from her throat, fluffing the scarlet feathers on her neck. Her half-draconic wings folded as she bent her long legs and settled on the ground before her master.

“She’s over here!” Another voice called from behind them.

Astress turned her head, staying low as three horses galloped up from the street.

“Vance?” Ace noticed him before his eyes fell to the man at his side. “Oh no!”

The younger Edwards brother stepped forward as Ace practically leapt from Lady’s back. “I just found him–he’s been wounded, and–”

“Dorian–quick!” Ace called as the King of Kalgara dismounted. 

“Ace, be careful with your arm!” Athena called from the horse as his bound arm swung freely at his side.

He didn’t seem to notice as he collapsed at Phoenix’s feet. “It was Rei Laude, wasn’t it,” he gnashed his teeth and shook his head as Dorian did his best to examine the Phoenix’s wound. “When he released Astress into the arena I knew something was wrong!”

“He said he was stabbed by a cursed sword,” Vance recounted carefully.

“And Rei has the Sword of Ignarathos,” Ace growled under his breath. “That stupid sword is going to plague me and the rest of this country until someone can destroy it–”

“Ace, this is… there’s nothing we can do,” Dorian’s fretful expression weighed heavily on his usually steady demeanor.

“This cannot be healed.” the guardian confirmed. “My time has come to an end.”

“...No,” Ace breathed as Astress bowed her head to the ground beside him. 

Vance bit his lip, glancing at Athena when she stepped beside him with worry. Behind her, past the horses and near the street, Vance caught a glimpse of a man stepping up to the post office. His eyes darted past Athena’s ear and refocused.

“Ed!!” He shouted, startling the entire group in the process.

The accused drew his hands up in surrender before turning to face his brother. His brows immediately furrowed when he instead found three horses, five people, an owl, and a giant bird in his direction. “What in the heck is going on?”

“I could ask you that,” Vance remained where he stood.

“What are you talking about?” He gestured to the post office behind him, “I’m coming to work.”

“A little late?” Vance narrowed his eyes.

“How did you–did you actually show up in Montrose to make sure I got to work??” Ed scowled incredulously. “Because that would be obnoxious.”

“It’s not more obnoxious that the offices in both Fortanya and Montrose called me when you didn’t show up on time?”

“They did what??”

Ace glanced up. “Can we not have this conversation right now?”

“What–already tired of not being the center of attention?” Ed cocked an eyebrow.

“Excuse me?” Ace shrunk back.

“Someone is dying,” Dorian spat, standing up just as abruptly.

Ed, along with the rest of the group, redirected their gaze to the man lying on the ground. Silence overtook them, with only the struggling breaths of the Phoenix breaking it.

“Phoenix,” Vance crouched down beside Ace, regaining the dying man’s attention, “you were saying something about Ace being the last?”

“The duties of The Phoenix have been in the Gallagher family line for centuries,” Phoenix drew a labored breath. “It began with my ancestors, and it will continue with my progeny.”

“But… my mother…” Ace’s words cut short when he found Phoenix’s expression twisting.

“She passed away,” Vance admitted quietly. “Just a few minutes ago.”

Ace froze, not even taking a breath.

“I knew… with my magic waning, she would die… I brought her to find you… but I grew too weak.” His eyes slowly refocused on Vance. “Instead, he was there to guide her on.”

Ace and Vance exchanged glances; a mixture of gratitude, sorrow, and empathy in their eyes.

“Now, Ace, you are the last of my line,” the Phoenix’s eyes again closed weakly. “This role will go to you.”

Ace nodded and tried to straighten his posture, though it was clear apprehension was still weighing him down.

“It is a noble duty,” the Phoenix spoke softly. “You will be granted the ability to enchant, to create, and to heal; and you will use this power to stand beside the lonely mother as she loses her child... To lead the weary traveler to his final rest… To comfort the dying soldier in the field… Never to die yourself for hundreds of years.”

Athena turned to Ace with worry.

“While you are able to touch so many lives… you will also watch as those you care for grow old and pass on before you.”

Ace scowled so deeply his eyes shut. His mind raced to decode the Phoenix’s words, struggling to comprehend the life he had not expected to receive. He had heard the stories and understood the duty of the Phoenix–and understood the role he and his family played–but he had not expected the Phoenix’s death in his lifetime.

He looked at Athena, the woman he loved was now pledged to marry. He glanced at Dorian, a better friend than he could ever have imagined. Vance and Ed, too, were good friends he hated to lose–along with so many others. For the first time in his life, he had a lot to leave behind. 

Taking a deep breath, he painfully turned back to Athena. “I know I just asked you to marry me–but–I understand if you want someone who will actually grow old with you.” He again shut his eyes, “We can just call it off.”

“No,” she urged, dropping to her knees beside him. “I don’t care about that; if you’ll still have me, I will love you as long as I live.”

“Teena,” Ace found words difficult to muster, and he fumbled to reach for her hand with his good arm.

“Let me do it.”

Breaths were cut short, movements froze, and all eyes turned to Vance.

“Vance,” Ed started to protest, but the younger brother held up his hand.

“No, listen to me,” Vance said firmly. “Out of everyone here, I have the least to lose.”

“Don’t you say–”

“And honestly,” he continued speaking over his brother, “what else am I supposed to do? Right now, I have practically no life–and I definitely don’t have a purpose.”

“You have a purpose,” Ace tried, “Your music, your goals–”

“They don’t matter if I can never achieve them,” he said almost harshly. 

“Then–do it!” Ed jumped back in. “Write your music! What’s holding you back, anyway?” 

“The fact I’m the only stable income in our house?” The light glinted off Vance’s glasses as he shot a glare to his brother.

The elder brother was strangely still. “You’re really blaming this on me?”

“Even if I was alone, I can’t just drop everything and survive for months while I write symphonies. It’s never going to be practical,” Vance turned away. “Almost dying has given me a rude awakening to the lack of life I’ve been living. I’m not doing anything that has made me deserve another chance, but this…” Vance glanced at the medallion around the Phoenix’s neck. “This could be my purpose.”

“Do you understand what you must do?” The Phoenix spoke. “The power–and responsibility–you will have?”

“I do,” he replied. “I understand the weight of this position–I just witnessed it first hand with Aurora.” He paused, then pulled the scarf away from his neck to reveal a long scar across his throat. “I also know what it feels like to rise from death.”

Ed, however, was not giving up quietly. “Vance–whether you want to or not–this is Ace’s job, not yours.”

“Ace already has a job; he has a purpose, and a life ready to live with his new bride,” he replied as his lips tugged to one side. “This can be mine.”

“So, you’ll willingly move into isolation and give up your own dreams?” Ed’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m not giving anything up. In fact," he paused, his eyes drifting aside, “maybe this is what I was meant for all this time… maybe this is why I didn’t die in Kalgara…”

“But, what if one day you find your own life–your own bride?” Ed was growing more flustered as his opposition swelled. “It won’t matter, ‘cause you’ll be shackled to a long, lonely life–chained to a magic that was never meant to be yours!”

Ace frowned in annoyance. “I don’t see why Vance couldn’t find someone who would love him and understand his role.”

“Yeah–you’ll let him deal with watching her grow old and die instead of you??” Ed shot back.

“I’m not forcing him to do it!!” He gnashed his teeth.

“You’re not stopping him either!!”

“Ed–stop it!” Vance said forcibly, rushing between his brother’s flare and the incredulous gape on Ace’s face. “I know you think you know what’s best for me–but, right now, I am making my own decision.”

The seriousness in Vance’s tone caused Ed to waver between anger and remorse. His hazel eyes darted to and fro as his mind frantically searched for something to say in response.

“I can do this," Vance turned back to Ace. “I will do this.”

“Are you sure?" Ace asked, barely above a whisper.

“Yes.”

“’Cause Ed’s not wrong… this is my family line; it should be me.”

“But, I want it to be me.” He knelt down with his knees at the Phoenix’s side. “The Phoenix will be an Edwards, now.”

The man’s gray eyes met the light blue of Vance’s. “It is yours.”

Thin, trembling hands rose from the ground, and boney fingers grasped the thin golden chain around his neck. Tugging it over his hair, the Phoenix, then, held out the medallion. 

Vance reached out his hand and took the chain into his fingers.

Dorian bowed his head.

Athena grasped Ace’s hand.

Ace watched with anxious eyes.

Ed scoffed as bitterness tightened his chest.

Holding his breath, Vance looped the chain over his dark hair. When he lifted his head, the blue and gold medallion’s light began to flicker upon his chest.  

The old man smiled slightly. “Thank you... Vance Edwards... the Phoenix... is reborn.”

The hands dropped and the eyes closed. After centuries of keeping his duty, Julian Gallagher released his final breath. 

At once, Astress threw back her head and bellowed a loud cry into the air. Embers began to flicker from the feathers on her head.

Vance’s eyes opened wide. “Everyone–run!!”

The group could scarcely obey before Astress burst into flame. In one great screech, her fiery form collapsed to the ground and consumed Julian’s body.

The horses scattered. Orfea took to the sky. Ace rolled away, wincing as he tried to keep his wounded shoulder from touching the ground. Athena had fallen to the ground beside him, while Dorian staggered backward with his good eye turned toward the fire. Ed fell back near the road. 

Vance took the blast of heat head-on, only throwing up an arm to block the light of the blaze.

Then, as if by a great wind, the fire was extinguished. Only a pile of dark embers remained.

Vance lowered his arm. Trancelike, he walked forward to the circle of burnt grass.

The darkness shuddered and gave birth to a leathery creature; bird-like with wings stretching and flapping fallen embers from its skin. A beak clacked open and shut, and a new Astress–featherless and half the size–rose from the ground.

“Astress,” the Phoenix called her.

The creature turned to him, eyes bugged and blinking. She let out a weak cry, stumbled over her long, knobby legs, and finally found her balance in front of her master. 

He set his hand upon her beak, finding her head at full height was only a few inches shorter than his own head. Her awkward proportions and dull coloration reminded him they would both be growing into their roles together.

He looked back to the fire’s remains, but there was nothing more than scorched grass and blackened embers. He looked beyond the wall toward the gazebo, studying the purple flowers that covered it. A woman’s body was still lying inside.

Ace slowly approached him, leaving the others behind as a gathering crowd joined them near the road.

“I’m sorry about your mother,” he spoke to Ace without turning his head. “We should bury her.”

Ace gave a short nod.

“Oh,” he looked down and fished the metal top from his pocket. “She wanted me to give you this.”

Ace accepted the twisting of metal into his hand. He chewed his lips, remembering the day he had first seen the top–and his mother–since the night he was born. “Thank you,” he muttered. “For being with her. And for doing this…”

The Phoenix looked up at Ace, meeting his eyes; and for the first time in what seemed like ages, he smiled.

“I am proud to do my duty.”