Sitting in their home in Harmonia, Sebastian and Savannah Elrod scrolled through photos from their latest adventure, where they traveled deep into SilverCrest to aid those families who unfortunately had a son or daughter who did not inherit magic.
Sebastian was a minister whose sermons traveled far and wide throughout the aligned kingdoms. Nalthis and SilverCrest would often spread the word of Minister Elrod's sermons and praise Savannah for her work as a surgeon and world renowned doctor. She worked for the poor, as well as those families who had a child or children where the abilities of magic or the use of Chi, also known as the life force living inside all humans, was simply not strong enough to exist in SilverCrest, the kingdom of magic ability users as well as Nalthis, the Kingdom of Chi knights, martial artists, archers and the military.
The Elrod's built special housing and schooling for each of the three aligned kingdoms in order to ensure children and families weren't abandoned because of their lack of abilities. They ran all of this using donations and the majority of their personal income.
In Harmonia, where they spent most of their time due to no one having abilities, Savannah was the head surgeon at Solace hospital. Any child needing treatment, surgery or just routine checkups whose family abandoned them and/or whose family couldn't afford treatment, the Elrod's would cover the cost for them. The same went for serious injuries to the poor and the elderly would have no medical costs to pay after the age of 55.
"We brought back too many abandoned children this time Savannah, I can't believe their families toss them out onto the street because they can't perform magic or fight," Sebastian said.
"Yes honey but remember we have some of the richest investors throughout the three kingdoms, aside from that dreaded Phantoms Keep, and every life we save or make better just serves your calling of spreading the word of our Father, the Great Creator of this world, his children and of the Kingdom of Solace," Savannah responded.
Savannah pointed to a photo of a twin boy and girl, who were in their teens, with tattered clothes and barely getting by just surviving.
Sebastian said, "Those two remind me of how inseparable Tej and Soraya are written about, just not romantically of course. I believe they truly survived because of their love for one another. They were so thankful. I heard at our mass this past Sunday they were in attendance, full of life again. Their teachers tell me they're very behind but are quick learners and working hard to do well in school."
"How could I forget? Their bond reminded me why we do what we do together, despite not having to have kids of our own," Savannah said with a frown.
Sebastian kissed her and gave her a big hug and said empathetically, "sometimes the things in life we think we want and need most just aren't in the Fathers plans, which is perfectly fine! I remember how hard you blamed yourself for not being able to have kids. So I went and tested myself to only find out I also could not produce a child. Life is a funny thing, but would we be able to do all these selfless things and make such a large impact with a child?"
"We would make it work, we always do, but what's important is to trust the Father and the Kingdom of Solace to reach as many people as we can. Maybe one day we will be able to even make a mark in Phantoms Keep. Their King was a son of the Father, who betrayed him after all," Savannah said with a smile.
"And this is why I love you, " Sebastian kissed her forehead and suggested he would make a nice dinner for the evening.
Little did either of them know, but the Father had been looking after this couple for five years now. He didn't think he'd ever find two perfect people for the child he needed to create for the Phoenix System.
As the Father watched Savannah look through the photos from other trips, he realized how many souls the two of them had truly saved.
Instead of using the investors and their wealth for themselves, they built additional housing, hospitals and food supply trucks, which delivered fresh groceries to the poor. They kept improving the Church of Solace, which Sebastian owned and operated.
Linking with Tej, the Father asked him how Soraya was doing and how their egg was coming along.
"All is well Father, Soraya is convinced it's a boy, despite the prophecy, I think it's a girl, but either way it looks like you found the humans that will carry, give birth and raise the chosen one. That is great news," Tej exclaimed.
"I've searched far and wide, coming close several times but yes Tej, I do agree with you. They have all the traits we're looking for. I just hope there are no complications with this birth due to it being the first of its kind." Father stated.
"With my child in a child's heart, I have no doubt that Soraya's loving, kind and determined nature will not let anything happen to Savannah or the baby. Also, even though we didn't see the parents in the vision, with the way the flashes showed, it appeared he grew up the right way. That suggests his parents will make it through this. When do you plan on talking to them, are you worried they'll freak out?" Tej reassured his Father, but had to ask the last question.
"How much longer until the egg hatches? You said you two will need a night or two with the baby Phoenix to ensure it's healthy enough and mentally well enough to not hurt the child, correct," questioned the Father.
"Based on Zephyr and Nixie's hatching times, I'd conjecture it's only a matter of time before it hatches, which gives us maybe two human weeks at most to ask them if they are willing," Tej encouraged his Father.
"Well it looks like they're having a great dinner and are going to enjoy a movie afterwards, so I guess tomorrow will be the big day'" the Father stated. Before he knew it Tej let him know he'd let everyone know and that Luna would be ready. The system is complete and we're 99% certain it will take to the child.
"I never thought I'd be so nervous meeting a human on Earth. With all the souls I've engaged with over these billions of years, I thought I'd be calm. It's an odd feeling. I'm watching invisibly with no contingency or back up plan now. This was the only couple that aligned with the prophecy and the others who were close had too many personality risks involved," the Father sat, while he thought and pondered.
Sebastian and Savannah had fallen asleep, hands held together, nearing the movie's end.
The Father decided to make a subtle gesture after noticing what came on the TV. He turned the volume up, leaving the news on.
Anchors were talking about the Elrod's and Savannah quickly woke up and woke her husband up.
"Sebastian! Wake up quick and check out the news. It's showing our return from SilverCrest and their interviewing the twins! What are the odds we doze off and wake up to this," Savannah beamed with excitement.
As they watched the news, the Father couldn't help but drop a few golden tears, carefully into his robe so they wouldn't drop on their floor. Tears of joy as he watched the two listen to all the wonderful things the twins and others, including the news staff said about the two and he knew tomorrow would be perfect.
With that they went to bed, both giving thanks and glory to the Father and Kingdom of Solace and the Father felt a sudden link.
"Father, please hurry, the egg is hatching," Tej said enthusiastically.
With that, the Father teleported back to Tej and Soraya's baby hatch and was in awe of what he saw.
"A Golden Phoenix with white flames," the Father thought, stunned at something he did not create turned out so beautifully. Then he realized part of his soul was in the baby, due to Tej being a true child of the Father, despite being a Phoenix.
He gave Tej and Soraya's baby a blessing he gave to all newborn phoenixes. He cried tears of joy and placed one tear on the phoenixes head, one on it's chest, and finally, he dropped one last into the phoenixes mouth, to fulfil the ultimate Blessing of the Father.
This was something he only did for phoenixes and his children. Not only did it grant them immortality, but it also gave them the ability to be reborn.
For the phoenixes, they could be reborn an infinite amount of times, but for his Children, they could only be reborn once.
Soraya and Luna stared in awe of the blessing, as it was the first time seeing it. For Leo and Tej, they had seen it before with Luna and Theo.
"Not to ruin a beautiful moment, but is there a way to remove that blessing from Theo?" Leo questioned.
"The day Leo created his mark signified the day he betrayed me. When he made his first marking on the soul, he unwillingly canceled the Blessing, not knowing he did. This will be a great advantage if he does decide to go to war," the Father stated.
"Excellent, we can use that to our advantage," Leo proclaimed.
"Well Tej and Soraya, who was right!? Is it a boy or a girl and what's his or her name," Luna gleefully asked.
With a big smile, Tej said, "Soraya of course. It's a boy and we are naming him Zintan, which means white fire in the human world or Akiva, which means protect and shelter. We can't decide and want input from Luna, Leo and Father."
"My vote is for Zintan," Luna, Leo and the Father stated in unison with a laugh.
Soraya smiled and said "well my Zintan, you are officially one of a kind. It's a shame we only have a week with you, but we will always be there for you and cannot wait until you and the chosen one return one day!"
Everyone took turns holding Zintan before he too was wrapped up in a nice blanket, made by Luna, lodged between the two parents who quickly said their thanks and drifted off to sleep.
Leo and Luna both let Nixie and Zephyr know the good news, and they told their two children Asura, a blue male with yellow flames, and Alina, a yellow female with blue flames.
"I was shocked when Asura had both of our traits and even more shocked his sister was exactly opposite but with the same colors as us, but a Golden Phoenix with light flames. He must be absolutely gorgeous," Nixie told Zephyr.
"We still have the best looking family of phoenixes in all the land," Zephyr confidently bragged, which made Nixie smile.
After a joyous day, the Father was grateful the Phoenix hatched healthy and strong. Tomorrow would be the day to shock the Elrod's, and the Father realized something.
"I guess Tej and Soraya will get some time with their son. I almost forgot how slow the human pregnancy cycle is but the heart forms around 20 days into fertilization so I hope they have another baby soon," thought the Father.
Luna was now the only one awake, worried about the 1% chance the system rejected the chosen one. After remembering the prophecy, she smiled knowing full well it would work. She just didn't understand why her and this human would be so close. Eventually she drifted off into a peaceful sleep, only to awake a few hours later with her Father gently rubbing her hair.
"Are you ready to help me convince the Elrod family to have a Phoenix child," Father asked.
"I didn't realize I'd be going, let me get ready and we can be off" Luna told her Father.
"I'm going to need to get a cell phone thingy those humans are so obsessed with so she could teleport back to The Kingdom of Solace quickly and snap a few photos of Tej, Soraya, Zintan and the Zephyr gang," Luna thought.
"Absolutely, when are we going," Luna asked.
With a wave of his hand, Luna's Father had her fully dressed with a perfect amount of subtle makeup and human clothes to make the Elrod's feel at ease.
"Right now," and with that they teleported invisibly to Earth.