Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 23:39:10 -0600
From: Adam Mcdonald <ender2155@gmail.com>
Subject: Phoenix reborn part 6

All the disclaimers and restrictions from my last stories remain in
effect.


Stars everywhere!  And not like the stars we are used to, but orbs of
fire and cataclysm that burn and explode with the fury of the gods.
Looking around, I can see I'm in the utter depths of space and not on
earth where I last remember being.

  What WAS I doing just a second ago?  I know it was something
important, or was it?  My past life and everyone and thing in it seems
miniscule and vapid faced with the infinite wonder and majesty of the
universe before me.

<your dream>

That's it!  I've been in this vision before, but never to this part.
Creation's labor pangs are all I've witnessed having always awoken
before the universe is done being born.  But why am I here and not
where I belong?

<you have always belonged here.  It's why you visit so frequently>

"Who is saying that?!," I yell, "Show yourself!"

<in due time.  I rather enjoy these quiet moments with you, and I
would hate to ruin them or overwhelm you>

"Overwhelm me?  What are you talking about?!  Who are you?!"

<a friend.  One who has come to you in your time of need to help>

"You would help me more by explaining what the hell is going on!  Are
you the one who keeps bringing me here?"

<I am not.  This is your escape when things move beyond you, as they
recently have>

"Move beyond me?  I don't remember anything like that."

<you don't seem to remember much at the moment>

WAIT!

"I remember hearing a voice much like yours ... Only it was cold,
heartless ... angry.  Was that you?"

<it was me and not me ... that is for you to decide>

"ME!  What do I have to do with anything, and how is this my decision?"

<I see this will be harder than I hoped.   I will show you.  Behold my
glory>

The multitude of stars rush forward and engulf me, yet strangely, I
feel no scorching heat, only the gentle breeze of a lover's kiss.

The suns collide violenty, before joining together and growing in both
size and power.  The forces of gravity and fusion overtake all I
behold leaving me breathless with both fear, anticipation and dare I
say, ecstacy?

Under no volition of my own, I find myself being drawn closer.

As I come nearer to its heart, I see a figure forming in response to
this nuclear chain reaction.

With a giant shockwave and incoming rush of air, the suns collapse
into a shining and incredibly beautiful woman floating before me.

Nevermind, 'beautiful' cannot even begin to describe the flawless
features of this creature.

She has the most lustrous and flowing red hair I have ever seen and
the most piercing green eyes that literally burn with a jumping fire
that mirrors the energy consumed to create her.

She is naked, but does not seem in the least bit concerned about her
lack of clothing, and while I have never looked at a women in a sexual
way, I instinctively know she possesses the most gorgeous body seen by
the human eye.

What sets her apart the most, though, is her smile.  One that is both
compassionate and loving yet sly and almost conniving at the same time.

<you are impressed>

It is not a question, but a statement of fact.

"Erm," I mumble, "You could say that."

Her smile widens slighty before wavering as she turns her head to one
side as if listening for something.  With a look of shock on her face,
she turns back to me.

<we do not have much time as I must leave soon.  I will give you as
much information as I can, but I fear it will not be enough, yet>

"Wait, time for what?  What do I need to know?"

<I must hurry>

As this being floats over to me, I start to hear the sound of
something ... A machine of some sort ... begin to power up ... Almost
as if it were charging and storing up power.

The creature reaches me, and lightly strokes my face.  At her touch,
an eternity of memories invade my mind.  Infinity caresses me, and I
shudder at the weight of it all.

Throughout this, the charging sound continues, growing in intensity.

As does the pain and now fire of what is being bestowed into me.

"Too ... Too much!  Make it stop!  It burns.  IT BURNS!"

<forgive me, it must be done.  But I promise to help you deal.  Until
such time as you are ready, these secrets will remain locked away>

At those words, the pain ceases, and I am blown backwards away from
her at an incredible rate.

As I fly away from the entity, the charging sound finally stops and is
replaced by the WHOOSH of released energy.

"JEAN!" a man's anguished voice cries out.

"SCOTT!" the woman yells in return.

The universe explodes.

When the light of the devastation clears from my head, I find myself
back on earth, surrounded by chaos.

The podium where that Charles Xavier had been speaking is deserted,
and the chairs that had been set up for the attendees of the memoial
service were strewn about as if a tornado had struck.

Aghast over what lies around me, I tumble to the ground in near
shock.  What the hell happened?

"Ryan?" whispers a small voice behind me.

I stand and turn around to see Nick's crumpled and bloodied body lying
on the ground.

"Oh my God, Nick, are you all right?!" I cry as I rush to his side,
"What happened?  Who did this?"

Nick pulls away and tries to push himself as far away from me as he
could get.

"Nick, what's wrong with you?  I'm trying to help!"

Nick only continues to crawl away with a look of terror in his eyes.

"Nick?"

"That will be quite enough," a quiet yet commanding voice tells me.

To my left, in what's left of his wheelchair, sits Charles Xavier,
with a stern yet shocked look on his face.

"What happened!" I demand as I stand and walk over to him, "Who did
this?"

Xavier grimaces and says, "You did, Ryan.  Or should I say, Phoenix."

And with those words, a force hits me that reaches into my head and
shakes my brain.

For the second time that day, I lose consciousness.


Well, how did this one go?  Let me know at ender2155@gmail.com