Chapter 67 A Blockage
Four nights had passed since they arrived at Dirhana.
Yeseus found her in the courtyard, staring at the waxing crescent moon, a sliver of silver against the deepening twilight. He leaned against a gnarled oak, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on her.
“You’ve been restless,” he observed, his voice a low rumble.
Klishei didn’t turn.
“The moon,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “It feels… different.”
He stepped closer, his presence a warm anchor against the encroaching chill.
“It is. It’s thinning. Preparing.”
Klishei finally faced him, her eyes wide.
“Preparing for what?”
Yeseus’s jaw tightened.
“For the fifth night. The night the veil between worlds is thinnest. The night the moon disappears.”
A shiver traced its way down Klishei’s spine.
“Why would the moon disappear?” she asked, her voice tight.
“It’s a cosmic alignment,” Yeseus explained, his gaze sweeping the horizon. “A rare phenomenon that amplifies the energies of both Earth and Cosmos. For some, it’s a time of immense power. For others, vulnerability.”
He didn’t need to elaborate. Klishei knew.
“The blight,” she whispered.
Yeseus nodded, a grim set to his lips.
“The absence of the moon, the source of my strength, leaves me exposed. The blight, it thrives in such conditions. It will consume me, slowly, painfully, until there’s nothing left but a husk.”
Klishei felt a sudden, fierce anger flare within her. The unfairness of it all, the cruelty of his curse. She stepped towards him, her hands reaching for his face.
“No,” she declared, her voice firm. “I won’t let that happen.”
He caught her hands, his grip gentle but firm.
“You cannot fight a curse, Klishei. Not one from the Cosmos itself.”
“But there must be a way!” Her voice rose, a desperate plea. “Jaden said… he said the King could resolve it. That there were other ways.”
Yeseus’s eyes sharpened.
“Jaden? When did you speak with Jaden?”
Klishei hesitated, the weight of her secret pressing down on her.
“At the market,” she confessed, her voice barely a whisper. “The day I went to town. He showed me things. The King. He said the blight was a consequence of cosmic law, but that the King had ways to resolve it. Ways that might require a different kind of sacrifice.”
Yeseus stared at her, his expression unreadable. A muscle twitched in his jaw.
“And you kept this from me?” he asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
Klishei flinched.
“I was trying to protect you! He said… he said if you interfered, it would bring harm to you. And to this world.”
A humorless laugh escaped Yeseus.
“Protect me? By walking into the lion’s den alone? By trusting a Cosmic Knight who speaks of ‘sacrifice’ with a knowing smile?” He pulled her closer, his gaze intense. “Klishei, Jaden is a servant of the Cosmic Council. Their interests are rarely aligned with ours. Especially when it comes to the Phoenix.”
“But he offered hope!” she cried, tears stinging her eyes. “A chance to save you! The blight… it’s killing you, Yeseus. I can feel it when we’re together. It’s draining you, just like he said.”
He pulled her into a fierce embrace, burying his face in her hair.
“Even if it is, Klishei, I choose it. I choose you. Every moment, every touch, every breath I take by your side is worth any cost.”
She clung to him, the raw honesty of his words a balm to her wounded heart. But the Phoenix within her still thrummed, a discordant note in their tender moment. It was a warning, sharp and insistent.
“He will come tonight,” Klishei announced, pulling back, her voice resolute. “Jaden. He will use the moonless night as his cover. He wants to take me to the King.”
Yeseus’s eyes, usually a vibrant blue, now held a haunted look. The air around them grew heavy, cold.
“Then we prepare,” he stated, his voice a low growl. “We fight.”
Suddenly, the ground trembled violently. A deep, resonant hum vibrated through the stone, shaking the very foundations of the sanctuary. Dust rained from the ceiling.
“He’s here,” Yeseus growled, his eyes blazing in the darkness.
A blinding flash of light erupted from the courtyard, momentarily turning night into day.
Another tremor. This time, a section of the courtyard wall crumbled inwards, showering them with debris. Through the gaping hole, Klishei saw them. Figures clad in shimmering armor, their faces obscured by helmets that reflected the starlight. Cosmic warriors. And at their head, a figure whose dark skin glowed with an inner light, his honey eyes fixed on her.
Jaden.
He stepped through the breach, his celestial sword materializing in his hand, its blade a ribbon of pure starlight. Behind him, the cosmic knights moved with a chilling, synchronized grace.
“Klishei Aizal,” Jaden’s voice resonated, calm and unwavering, even amidst the chaos. “The King awaits.”
Yeseus roared, a primal sound that shook the very foundations of the sanctuary. He lunged, his body a blur of power, his claws extended, aiming for Jaden’s throat.
But the Cosmic Knight was faster. He merely raised his hand, and a barrier of shimmering energy erupted, throwing Yeseus back, sending him sprawling against the wall. A pained grunt escaped the Alpha.
“Yeseus!” Klishei cried, a surge of golden light erupting from her, pushing back against the cosmic barrier.
Jaden merely smiled, a cold, predatory baring of teeth.
“Such fire, little Phoenix. It will serve the King well.” He took a step towards Klishei, his eyes burning with an unholy light. “Come. Your destiny calls.”
Klishei felt a terrifying pull, an invisible tether drawing her towards him. Her feet moved involuntarily, betraying her will. The Phoenix within her screamed, a silent cry of protest.
“No!” she shrieked, fighting against the cosmic force, even as her body strained to obey. She reached out, her hand flying towards Yeseus, who was struggling to rise, the blight already gnawing at his strength, his movements sluggish and pained.
Jaden advanced, his smile widening, his hand outstretched.
“The choice is not yours, Phoenix Bride. Not anymore.”
Just as his fingers brushed hers, a blinding flash of golden light erupted from Klishei. The ground beneath them cracked, splintering with the force of her defiance. Jaden recoiled, his face etched with surprise, the cosmic barrier flickering violently.
Klishei stood, her body shimmering with an inner fire, her eyes blazing with an unprecedented golden light. The Phoenix had awakened, not to ascend, not to be claimed, but to fight.
“You will not take me,” she declared, her voice resonating with an ancient power, shaking the very stones of the sanctuary. “And you will not touch him.”
She raised her hands, and the golden light intensified, swirling around her, coalescing into a shimmering shield. Behind her, Yeseus, still struggling, watched her with a mixture of awe and dawning realization.
“This is my choice,” Klishei thundered, her voice echoing through the ravaged hall, a challenge to the Cosmic King himself. “And I choose to fight.”
Jaden’s smile vanished, replaced by a grim determination. He gripped his sword, its starlight blade humming.
“Then you choose chaos, Phoenix Bride,” he said, his voice cold. “And the Cosmos will answer.”
He lunged.