The Past, Part 2

Egypt, 2591 BCE

Firehair once again awoke, this time in a bed in a palace. As her eyes opened, her first sight was an incredibly beautiful woman that caused her heart to race.

"Finally, you're awake! You really had me worried," the woman smiled.

"I... where am I...? Who are you?" Firehair asked.

"I am Chay-Ara, princess of these lands... several days ago, I was on an outing with several servants and while traversing the desert, we found you, ****. We brought you back to my palace, and I have been keeping watch over you since then."

Firehair looked at the woman, curiosity in her stare. "You have been keeping watch...? Why did you not leave that sake to your servants? Surely as a princess you would have royal duties..."

"I suppose I could have left you in the care of a servant, or perhaps one of my consorts... but I must admit, I was intrigued by you. You are unlike any outsider I have encountered before... may I ask your name?"

"I was called Firehair by my tribe," Firehair answered.

"Your tribe?"

"I don't have much to say about my birth tribe. They cast me out, believing I was cursed. Perhaps they were right."

Chay-Ara arched her brow, her fascination with this stranger growing deeper by the moment. "Cursed? In what way?"

"I... it's difficult to explain. I doubt you'd believe it anyway," Firehair said regretfully.

Chay-Ara smiled and decided not to press Firehair. "I understand. I hope you will tell me more about yourself in time."

"You wish to know me better?" Firehair asked.

"I told you, you intrigue me."

Firehair admittedly felt an attraction to the beautiful princess sitting at her bedside, but she didn't want to saddle someone with her problems -- being the bearer of the Phoenix **** obviously came with plenty of baggage. "Perhaps I should be on my way. As I said, I may be cursed."

Chay-Ara was quick to dismiss Firehair's worries. "That doesn't matter -- I still wish to know you better. If you choose to, you are welcome to stay here at the palace for as long as you desire..."

Firehair pondered Chay-Ara's invitation. Settling in one area sounded far more appealing to her than continuing as a nomad, and she had no idea what to do or where to go next. And looking into the fascinated princess' eyes, she knew she was intrigued by Chay-Ara as well -- beyond any personal interest, Firehair knew nothing about the time and place she found herself in. Chay-Ara was probably better suited than anyone to educate her about it.

"I suppose I could stay here for now."

Chay-Ara and Firehair lay in each others' arms, enjoying the afterglow of another long lovemaking session. In the months that has passed since Firehair had awoken in Chay-Ara's palace, the intrigue between the two had grown into a romantic relationship. In that time, Firehair opened up to Chay-Ara about her past, her bond with the Phoenix ****, hiding herself away in the M'Kraan crystal, and her terrifying transformation into the Dark Phoenix. Whenever she would open up to Chay-Ara, Firehair worried that the woman she now loved would shun her, but telling Chay-Ara everything only served to bring them closer together.

Firehair smiled as she rested her head against Chay-Ara's chest. Chay-Ara kissed the redhead's forehead and grinned as Firehair nuzzled her neck.

"Firehair, my love... How often do you think about what the Phoenix told you of your destiny?" Chay-Ara wondered.

"Honestly? These days, I don't think of it often. I'm content living here in the moment with you," Firehair answered, looking up at Chay-Ara affectionately. "Why do you ask?"

"I've been thinking about everything you told me. You've flown amongst the stars themselves. You have powers that rival those of the gods. Clearly, your future is beyond this world. Don't you ever think of leaving my world behind?"

Firehair rolled on top of Chay-Ara and gave her an affectionate glance. "No. I have no desire to leave your side. I realize I may have to leave your side someday. But you have my word that as long as I am able, I will come back to you."

"That's all I needed to hear," Chay-Ara said with a relieved smile before pulling her in for a deep kiss.

Hath-Set held a chunk of the strange metal he'd been led to. He could sense that it was no ordinary metal -- whatever it was, it would make for a powerful weapon. Or armor. Whatever he needed. And he now had plenty of it. "This metal... it is not of this earth."

Once again, the mysterious voice spoke up. "Nth metal. With it, you can forge a weapon worthy of raising against the gods themselves... or in your case, the Dark Phoenix. You can forge armor capable of withstanding a god's onslaught, as well. With this power, you can finally get the **** you've sought for millennia."

"Zastrad..." Originally, Hath-Set's intention was to acquire power. To infiltrate and control the Egyptian royals and become a shadow ruler. But along with promising him that power, whatever this entity was showed him much more; it showed Hath-Set his past. The devastation of the Dark Phoenix. Now, the sorcerer desired more than mere power. He wanted **** for the loss of his world. For his failure, a failure he lay at the feet of that red-haired woman. He would have his vengeance.

"It may take millennia. But my vengeance starts today," Hath-Set proclaimed.

"Chay-ara! By the gods, no!" Firehair screamed as Hath-Set skewered the woman she loved with the Nth metal dagger. A fiery aura began to envelope the redheaded telepath as, much to her horror, she felt a familiar reaction within her to her intense emotional response.

"That's right... let it out," Hath-Set taunted coldly, a twisted hateful glare on his face. "I wish to face the Dark Phoenix."

"Why?!" Firehair cried. "Why would you endanger this world -- this galaxy -- this universe -- to carry out your **** like this?!"

"This universe can burn for all I care -- all that ever mattered to me was my vengeance," Hath-Set hissed. "Now, I demand you free the Dark Phoenix so that I may slay her, too!"

"Firehair... fight it... please... f-for me... I know you can do it... I love you..." Chay-ara whimpered weakly as she bled out. Firehair looked into her lover's eyes and felt a calming influence, regaining a measure of control over the Phoenix ****, much to Hath-Set's anger.

"I see. I thought striking a fatal blow and forcing you to watch her die would be enough. But it's obvious that as long as your beloved princess lives, you will hold back..." Hath-Set realized, striking Chay-ara again with the dagger and killing her outright.

Firehair strained and struggled, desperately trying to maintain control over the fury she was feeling. She closed her eyes and focused on Chay-ara's final words, playing them over and over in her mind -- she wouldn't become that monster again. She wouldn't let Hath-Set win. Eventually, the telepath dropped to her knees, and the fiery aura around her dissipated. It had taken everything she had, but she had managed to suppress the Dark Phoenix. "Rrrggghh... It's over, Hath-Set. I will not give you the Dark Phoenix. Not now, not ever. You've lost..."

Furious, the sorcerer drove the dagger into Firehair's stomach. "You haven't won. The bearer of the Phoenix ****, the reincarnated spirit of Princess Chay-ara... I will meet them in their future lives. And I will slay them at the height of their love. And I will do so, repeatedly, until I am given the opportunity to face the Dark Phoenix. And until you give me what I desire, this cycle will repeat itself eternally..."