Chapter 33 To Finally Return
Lo Garyan’s hand trembled as he reached for Klishei, his fingers brushing the skin of her cheek. He felt the subtle thrum, the warmth that now radiated from her, something ancient and powerful. His eyes, usually sharp with the wisdom of years, were clouded with a mix of awe and profound fear. La Meiphi, her face still pale from the earlier assault, watched them, her gaze unwavering.
“My little fire dahlia,” La Meiphi’s voice was a fragile whisper, thick with unshed tears. She stumbled forward, pulling Klishei into a fierce, trembling embrace. The scent of woodsmoke and sage clung to her, a comforting anchor in the swirling chaos of Klishei’s new reality. “You truly are… a Phoenix now.”
Klishei hugged her back, feeling the delicate bones of her grandmother, the rapid beat of her heart. She was here, she was alive, and that was all that mattered. “I’m still Klishei, La. Just… a little more.”
Lo Garyan cleared his throat, his gaze drifting to Yeseus, who stood a respectful distance away. The Alpha’s presence was a steady, immovable force in the clearing, a silent guardian. “This… this power within you, child. It changed everything. Daevar… he called it the Phoenix. We thought we were sending her back, freeing you.” He shook his head, a tremor running through his broad shoulders.
“You did free her,” Klishei corrected, her voice holding a new, quiet authority. “From the cycle. From being a tool. But she chose to stay with me. To become one.”
“One,” Yeseus echoed, stepping closer. His blue eyes met Klishei’s, a silent conversation passing between them. “It’s unprecedented. A true fusion. Not a vessel, but the goddess herself, reborn in human form.”
Suneia, ever practical, pushed off the doorframe. “So, what now? The ritual was meant to send the Phoenix back to the Cosmos. Instead, it seems to have… rooted her deeper into this world, into Klishei.” Her eyes narrowed, a hint of accusation in their emerald depths. “And now the world knows. Daevar knew. Others will follow.”
“She will not be safe at Atcha,” Lo Garyan declared, his voice firm, cutting through Suneia’s words. He looked at Klishei, then at the still-unconscious forms of Daevar’s pack, scattered across the clearing. “Not in Atcha. Not with us. This is no longer a matter of ancient traditions or tribal prophecies. This is… cosmic.” He turned to Yeseus, his gaze direct and unflinching. “You are the Alpha. The protector. You brought her here, to us. Will you protect her now, from the world you have introduced her to?”
Yeseus met his gaze, a flicker of something ancient and resolute in his own eyes. “I gave my word. I will protect her. With my life, and beyond.”
La Meiphi stepped forward, her hand reaching for Yeseus’s arm. “Then take her, Yeseus Garashi. Take our fire dahlia and keep her safe. We, her grandparents, give her into your care. We know our limitations. We cannot shield her from this new destiny.” Her voice broke, a sob catching in her throat. “But promise us, you will let her live a life, her own life, as much as this new power allows.”
“I promise,” Yeseus said, his voice a low rumble, the conviction in it absolute. He looked at Klishei, a silent question in his eyes.
Klishei nodded, a wave of emotion washing over her. Her grandparents, her beloved La and Lo, were letting her go. Not out of abandonment, but out of a profound, selfless love. They understood. They saw the impossible path laid before her, and they chose her freedom, even if it meant their own heartache.
"So what happens, then?" La Meiphi asked. After all that has happened, her grandmother was worried on what her granddaughter's life will turn out to be. Her daughter and son-in-law had already sacrificed so much only for the inevitable to happen. She could not bear that Klishei returning to them after ten years would still end in a bad way.
“We will return to Spasio City,” Klishei said, her voice clear and strong, though a lump formed in her throat. “I still have a year of high school to finish.”
La Meiphi's face lit in delight. That was it. Her daughter spent her own fortune for Klishei to have a good life in the city, away from the province where La Meiphi and Lo Garyan were forever bound. At the very least, at the city, Klishei was out of their tribe's archaic traditions that was against women achieving something. If Klishei is able to finish her education, she will be able to fulfill her dreams as well as her parents' wish of finally having a member in their family with a diploma.
Angus zipped around, a tiny whirlwind of excitement. “To Spasio City! Oh, I’ve heard of the towering buildings, the bright lights! Will we see another huge mall again, Klishei? The one with all the paper and gadgets?”
Suneia rolled her eyes, but a small, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips. “You will do no such thing, Angus. You will stay here and protect the sanctuary. Naelyr, you too. The balance of power is shifting. This place is more vulnerable than ever.” Then her voice softened. "But Klishei, let Yeseus go with you. Although I doubt that the werewolves will bother you any longer, you still need to be careful."
Naelyr nodded, her shy demeanor replaced by a quiet determination. “We will guard it, Suneia. And we will prepare for whatever comes next. Go on, Yeseus. Go with Klishei back to the city.”
Yeseus turned to Klishei, his hand gently touching her arm. “Everyone is right. Atcha is no longer safe for you. On the other hand, Spasio City offers a kind of anonymity. A chance to re-establish your old life.”
“My old life, huh,” Klishei mused, the word feeling strange on her tongue. Could anything ever be normal again? She had the power of a goddess simmering beneath her skin, the memory of a werewolf’s fangs at her throat, and a cursed Alpha as her sworn protector.