Phoenix Fox

Silara Aphias is unique among her kind, even among Aurans. For within her blood is a raw, mystical power unheard of by her peers.

Her mother was a simple house slave named Elitha, a fennec fox who served her masters in one of Te'Roania's many port towns. One day, a ferocious horde of pirates attacked the town, laying waste to anyone in their path and pillaging whatever they came across. In the chaos, Elitha suffered a fatal injury that left her helpless against the pirates' cruelty.

However, a flash of light turned the tide of battle. Amidst the flames engulfing the town, a figure charged in and decimated the horde. They tried to fight back, but were no match for the mysterious warrior. In a matter of minutes, the attack was over, and not a single pirate remained alive.

Elitha's life hung by a thread. A shadow fell upon her body. She looked up to see what appeared to be an old bird covered in a burnt robe. Elitha could barely make out a sheen of gold and purple under the robe's hood.

The bird reached out and chanted a mantra, hand glowing. The light wrapped itself around Elitha's body and moments later, she found her wounds completely healed. Amazed, she asked the bird's name, anxious to know who saved her.

The bird called herself Zahra. Elitha was prepared to offer her gratitude, but Zahra kept her hand over Elitha's stomach. Elitha asked why Zahra looked so worried.

Zahra replied that Elitha was pregnant. While that would normally be a joyous announcement, the bird knew that the power she expended to heal the young mother would endanger a developing child, as it altered one's Aura, including one that had not yet fully matured.

Elitha did not understand. Fearing the worst, Zahra leaned in and told Elitha to listen carefully, for the life of her child was at stake. She instructed Elitha to journey to a distant mountain when the time came to deliver the baby. Upon birth, the baby is to be placed on an ash pile which will be present on the mountain's peak. Elitha was not sure of what to make of this command, but Zahra implored Elitha to do this, for the sake of her child.

The old bird then stood and left the town. No one found her in the aftermath of the attack.

Months passed, and the time came to deliver the baby. Elitha was already having problems, and begged her masters to let her journey to the mountain Zahra told her about. Elitha's masters finally relented, letting her and her mate take the journey with a group of bodyguards and traders.
By the time they reached the mountain peak and found the ash pile, Elitha had already gone into labor.

The birth was difficult, and to Elitha's despair, her child, a daughter, was stillborn. She had no heartbeat and never took a single breath. Elitha was devastated. She glanced out of her tent and noticed the ash pile outside, right where Zahra said it would be. Heartbroken, Elitha wrapped her newborn daughter's lifeless body in linen, then buried her in the ashes.

She stepped back, weeping as her mate tried to comfort her. Suddenly the ash pile ignited in a massive burst of fire and lightning. Flames spiraled into the sky over the mountain, bewildering those watching, including Elitha. Moments later, the fire faded, and silence returned to the mountain.

Elitha gazed at the ash pile, and her eyes widened. Her daughter's body lay on top, completely unharmed, and was breathing! Elitha rushed up and took her daughter in her arms. She seemed as normal as any newborn, and carried the same scent as she did upon birth without a single hint of smoke.

Elitha shuddered, her tears of pain becoming tears of joy, and named her daughter Silara. Cradling her miracle child, she and the others departed the mountain, heading home to raise her.

After they had gone, the ash pile shifted. A figure moved under the soot and stood to breathe once more. Zahra stretched in the dawn's light, fanning out her wings. Her body was naked and completely healthy as someone in the prime of her life. She let the sun catch her magnificent plumage of shimmering purple, emerald green, and lustrous gold. Zahra, the last Phoenix in existence, was reborn.

She turned to see Elitha's family further down the mountain, on their way home. Zahra smiled, sensing their joy and relief. To save Silara's life, she had given up her own immortality. Never again would she be reborn once her lifecycle ended. She nodded in satisfaction, certain she made the right decision. She made up for her mistake of endangering the child in development, and was happy at the fact that, in a way, Silara was her daughter as well. Zahra turned and prepared to leave, ready to make her final lifetime a worthwhile journey, and excited at the prospect of finally understanding the thrill of risk.

Silara herself grew to be a strong young woman, for years never knowing she was part-Phoenix. However, each year on her birthday, she would receive a peculiar gift of jewelry decorated with purple, green, and gold feathers. Only years later would she truly understand how her life was saved... and the power that resulted from that salvation. She wasn't just a fennec fox. She was a Phoenix Fox!



Yep, Silara is part-Phoenix! I've always admired that particular mythical creature, and it's only natural that a pyromancer like Silara would be related to one in some way.

This was an interesting experiment for me. I went from sketch straight to colors, bypassing inking stage and seeing how well I could do a line-less drawing. I need more practice, but I like how she turned out nonetheless. This is also the first time I've ever drawn fire, too.

Silara Aphias, Elitha, and Zahra © Aelius (me)