Warning: Excessive cussing

"No. No, no, no, no, nononono."
"Did you fry your brain?"
"FUCK NO!"
"Gods-"
"I DID NOT WANT TO COME BACK FROM A DATE TO FIND OUT THAT NOT ONLY DID SOLAR LEAVE, BUT SAM ALSO WENT WITH HIM TOO, AND AUNT CHELSY IS A QUEEN! A FUCKING QUEEN! I'M DONE WITH THIS FUCKING SHIT!"
"I-"
"NO! YOU LISTEN TO ME, I HAVE HAD IT WITH THIS SHIT!"
"So have we-"
"WHAT DID I JUST SAY?"
"..."
"THAT'S WHAT I FUCKING THOUGHT! NOW I'M GONNA MARCH TO SOLAR BY MYSELF IF I HAVE TO BECAUSE IT SEEMS SOME OF YOU IDIOTS CAN'T TALK TO HIM!"
"WE HAVE TALKED TO HIM! HE WON'T LISTEN!"

I take deep breaths as Phoenix tries calming down.

"I'm going anyways."
"What? Phoenix, that's a death wish."
"I know that... but if there's just one chance that something I say will get through to him..."

Phoenix was always the one who was in touch with her emotions. Not to say she was super emotional, but she knew what she was feeling and why. She was the extraverted out of all of us. She... she might know more about ourselves than we do. If I couldn't do it, she might.
But what scared me was if she couldn't. We've already provoked him, and he was ready to kill Aunt Chelsy. Phoenix doesn't even have her mark yet, I...

I don't want her to die.

"Let me come with you."
"No, I have to do this alone."
"But what if he tries to kill you?"
"Sam will protect me."

That made me feel a little better, Sam was the oldest out of all of us. She could stop Solar if she had to.

"Please... don't go."
"I've made up my mind."

She hugs her moms, who desperately try to hold her back.

"We can't lose you, sweetie."
"I'll be okay. Stay safe."
"I just..."

Ash starts crying.

"If you die, I don't know what I'll do. You're gonna leave a lot of people broken-hearted."

Kyna bends down next to them and tries to console her.

"Don't die."
"I try my best."

She turns to leave, but Ash grabs her arm.

"Phoenix..."
"Let go, Mom!"
"I can't lose you!"
"I'm going anyways!"

She breaks free and runs out.

"PHOENIX!"

She tries to run after her, but Kyna holds her back.

"She's going to go, no matter what we do."
"LET ME GO!"
"Ash, she's gone."
"NO! PHOENIX, PLEASE!"

She breaks down again and slumps to the floor, crying her eyes out. The rest of us were speechless.

"Sis, I'm sorry-"
"YOUR KID IS THE REASON SHE'S GONE!"

She covers her mouth with her hands, but the damage was done.

"I know."
Dad breathes it out before walking away.
"Wait, Noah... I'm sorry."
"You're right."

~~{Ash}~~

I'm so sorry.

But... Sam will help me, right?"

I stole a dragon and flew over. I'm pretty small, so I snuck around until I got to Solar.

"Not another one."
"Solar... I don't really understand what happened, but come back. Please, come back."
"Leave now, otherwise you're dead where you stand."
"Solar, please!"

I was shaking, scared for my life. I just... I need to know there's something I can do... anything.

"Phoenix..."
"SOLAR, PLEASE!"

He grips the arm on his chair before standing up.

"No... no. S-sam... SAM!"

She had to be around here, right?
I kept backing up, screaming for Sam over and over again.

"SAM, PLEASE! HELP ME!"

I stop at the wall and start scrambling for some cover.

"Solar... don't do this."
"But I have to. You made your choice."
"Have you?"

His eyes go wide in anger before charging up a spell.

"I KNOW WHAT MY CHOICE IS!"

I close my eyes as a blinding darkness surrounds me. The last thing I see is his face... he was distraught.
That's good... right?

Mom... Mommy... I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I love you.

~~~

That day, Solar made the worst announcement he had made so far.

And it broke the people who cared about him.
And it destroyed the people who loved her.

Because Phoenix was dead.

Phoenix... was dead.

~~{Sunrise}~~

He's a monster.
He's a monster...

Phoenix...

I thought phoenixes were supposed to rise from the dead.

So why hasn't she?
Why.
Hasn't.
She?

You're so stubborn. I'm so stupid... I should've stopped you. I should've done something.

Phoenix...
Why?

Ba thump
Ba thump
Ba thump
Ba thump
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I'm not sorry.