Arose Out the Fire

Five suns and moons passed, and the hell clouds still rested over Kajiado Jungle. The villagers were all in dismay as the hell clouds had never rested over Kajiado Jungle for this long. Changes in the animals, trees, and river could be noticed by all, but nothing stood out more than the changes in Amos and Aziza. Whispers and rumors spread amongst the villagers the days proceeding Amos and Aziza's return. All the villagers believed that the hell clouds had stirred something evil in Amos and Aziza since they had been out all day and night when the hell clouds first arrived and upon their return to the village exuded peculiarities that seemed to fade and resurface day after day. Every tribe member, villager, and vagabond for miles had heard the story recounted of Amos carrying fire in his eyes and ash in his tread and of Aziza carrying the ocean in her eyes and fresh springs in her plod.

Amos and Aziza were at first oblivious to the changes they were experiencing, but then one day when they were both off to their lonesome, attempting to escape the gaze and whispers of the village, they each caught a reflection of themselves in the river. Aziza was standing north upstream, and Amos was standing south downstream. Aziza looked in the river and saw not her reflection but a blue heraldic phoenix that appeared to be made of water. Amos looked in the river and saw a reddish orangish heraldic phoenix that seemed to be made of fire. Amos and Aziza hurriedly turned from their reflections in shock and then slowly turned back to face themselves. The moment Amos and Aziza locked their eyes with their reflections they began to experience metamorphosis and take a form and shape likened to their uncanny reflections.

Amos fell to the ground and screamed in agony as his body became engulfed in flames. Wings burst from Amos' shoulder blades and then he ascended into the sky and transformed into a fire-breathing heraldic phoenix. The flames that were once scorching Amos' skin licked at his feathers and outlined his entire transfigured frame. Aziza clutched at her chest as if robbed of her last breath and then plunged into the river. Aziza flowed with the current of the river as her skin emulsified and wings formed at her shoulder blades. Aziza ascended from the river into the sky. Droplets of water flowed steadily from the tips of her feathers and every time she opened her beak water poured out like a flood.

Amos and Aziza trembled from the inside out as they adjusted to their bodies' new muscle alignment and bone structure configuration. Bewildered and out of sorts Amos and Aziza took off toward the first thing they noticed. Amos looked up north of the river and saw the biggest water droplet he had ever seen in the sky. Aziza looked down south of the river and saw a fiery ball floating in the sky. With newfound swiftness, Amos and Aziza flapped their wings and took off unknowingly toward one another. As Amos flew towards Aziza, he was able to make out that what was before him was not a big water droplet, but a bird seemingly made of water. As Aziza drew nearer to Amos, she saw a bird engulfed in flames, but not consumed by the flames. The moment Amos and Aziza came into close range of one another and met each other's gaze they immediately recognized the other. Amos and Aziza stared at each other for a moment and then flew to the riverbank and rested on dry land.

Amos took close inventory of Aziza and Aziza likewise took close inventory of Amos. Aziza found it most fascinating that even though Amos was engulfed in flames he was not burning anything around him and that when she touched him though she was made of water it did not squelch the flames blazing around him. After a little while Aziza attempted to speak to Amos, but when she opened her mouth to speak in place of words was the loudest squawk she had ever heard. Amos responded with his own unique squawk and to each other's surprise they were able to understand each other. A chirpy squawking conversation swiftly ensued. Aziza shared with Amos all that had happened the day the hell clouds came and everything that she had heard from the villagers about herself and him. Amos likewise shared his experience since the hell clouds arrived and what he had heard from the villagers about her. Aziza confessed to Amos that he did carry fire in his eyes and Amos admitted to Aziza the ocean was in her eyes, but neither could agree with the other rumors and whispers spread by the villagers that evil existed behind Amos' fiery eyes or that damnation existed behind Aziza's watery drawn eyes.

As Amos and Aziza spoke to each other the hell clouds passed over Kajiado Jungle. Once the hell clouds passed over both Amos and Aziza transformed back into their pre-metamorphosis frames. Amos transformed first and then Aziza. Amos burst into flames and as ash and smoke filled the surrounding air, there he stood as himself, a boy from the Kojates Tribe. Aziza burst like a bubble, leaving a puddle at her feet, and scattered rain showers over her head, there she stood as herself, a girl from the Kojates Tribe. Amos and Aziza shared each other's company for several more trices and then parted ways.

~ To Be Continued