Week Eleven: The Hydra's Heart

  Xeq put his hand to his heart.

  “You miss your brother?” He asked as he observed Xeq. Xeq sighed. “Yea. I do. But if you can tell me about this Hydra’s heart then he’ll have to wait.”

  “You took something of his.” Mioko said as Xeq sat Indian style by the river inside the mountain, the same place Mioko had brought him to when he first fell from the sky.

  “No?” Xeq said in confusion.

 “The wind tells me that he had fallen into the Atlantic.”

  Xeq got up in shock. “What?”!

  “He’s hurt?” Xeq questioned in panic.

  “He’s okay.” Mioko said with an assuring gesture to indicate that Xeq should sit down. Reluctantly, Xeq obeyed.

  “Before you go. I shall tell you why your connection is severed. No?” Mioko glanced at Xeq seeing that he had his full attention.

  “Yes.” Xeq said exasperated. “Please.”

  “You are Feng and she is Shui.” Mioko started.

  “What does Zamer have to do with this?” Xeq interrupted in confusion.

 “She is the Phoenix. The one who heals.” Mioko continued. “She told you what was required to heal someone, yes?”

 Xeq smirked. “Something significant, right?”

“That day she did not tell you what she took now did she?” Mioko wondered.

  Xeq frowned. It was one of the only days that he had yelled at Zamer. The two weren’t a couple then. He didn’t know who to turn to. He flew everywhere to find people to heal Vile. Finally, he found Zamer.

“No.” She walked away and since I found out that we lived only hours away from each other she set out and went home.

“Did you want to know?” Mioko curiously asked

  “Well.” Xeq frowned as he thought of his bother. “No. Because he was healed and that was all that mattered to me.”

  “What brought you and him close?” Mioko questioned. “You two aren’t blood. You’re an only child. Did he know that?”

  Xeq shook his head. “No… He doesn't knew about that. Besides,” Xeq smirked. “He’s always been around since birth. There’s no way he would know that we’re not really blood related…” He muttered.

  “A silver dragon of the sky related to a dragon of the sea? Unheard of.” Mioko said simply.

  Xeq frowned. “Our parents aren’t dragons.” He said sternly. “It’s possible.”

  Mioko shook his head. “The Phoenix’s parents are not phoenixes.”

  Xeq nodded. “That. I knew.”

  “Her great grandfather on the other hand was a phoenix.” Mioko added.

  “But phoenixes don’t die?” Xeq asked now the one confused.

  “You’re right.” Mioko nodded. “They great reborn.”

  “Wait...” Xeq raised an eye brow. “What?”

  “Her grandfather said he had seen enough in the world and thought that it was time for a new era. He gave his life to the baby that his granddaughter was having. In turn, she became the next phoenix, the power being reborn within her.”

  “Ew.” Xeq said as he thought about dating Zamer’s great grandfather. “So basically?”

  Mioko nodded with a smile and laugh. “Don’t worry. She only has the memory of the past phoenix’s but
 she is still her own person.”

 “Better be.” Xeq said with a sigh.

 “She took the nightmare.” Mioko remarked sternly.

 “What”, Xeq said in surprise. “How could a nightmare be significant?”

 “It told him who he was and would one day lead him to his true brothers.” Mioko explained.

 “What do you mean?” Xeq asked now starting at his true self.

 “The hydra’s heart.” Mioko pointed at Xeq’s stomach.

 “You will gain power, you lose your ability to breath fire, if you can consume the hydra’s heart.” Mioko said.

 “But it’s beating inside me.” Xeq frowned and feeling a little sick in knowing that he was now part hydra.

  “You and your brother can become one.” Mioko continued. “He is what you’ve consumed.”

   “No.” Xeq looked at Mioko is disbelief. “Vile’s a hydra?”

  Mioko nodded. “That would be the only reason why you two can’t communicate anymore. The hydra
inside him wants his brother. Each part of a hydra can be separated but in the end they all need each other. 
They’re each other’s life source.”

  “But that doesn’t make sense.” Xeq protested. “Vile was ad-”

  “Adopted? Through a foster home?” Mioko guessed.

  Xeq nodded.