THE END starting where phoenix finds out that fragen is gonna die

“Phee, I need to tell you something,” Fragen said.
“What?”
“Can you see Myrie?” he asked.
“No, I can't see her. What does she have to do with what you are telling me?”
“Okay,” he dropped his voice to a whisper, “This is really hard to say. I… well, um…”
“What is it?” I was confused. Was something wrong?
“Myrie and I have been lying to you. That is, we haven’t been telling the whole truth. Myrie does not want to do good with the Stone. This has all been a trick to get you to help her. She gave you the dreams so that you would leave home. She hired me and told me to tell you that story about my family… which wasn’t true. She convinced you that finding the Stones was the right thing to do.”
“You must be joking,” I said, laughing nervously. “This cannot be real.”
“I only wish this was a joke, Phee, but it’s not. I feel so bad now. We need to stop Myrie. If she finds out how to use the Stones, it will be the end for everyone. Do you have the necklace I gave you on?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Because the necklace enables you to do powerful magic. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to do what we have to do.” he sighed, shoulders slumping. “There is only one way to defeat her. You can only kill her when she is in the act of killing another person.”
“Who else is here to die?” I asked, trying to deny the obvious.
“I’ll go. You kill her, Phee, and make it as painful as you can.” Fragen stood up confidently, breathing deeply.
“No, Fragen, you can’t,” I objected. “I would hate myself if I had to live the rest of my life when you died.” He pulled me up and took my hands in his.
“Phee, there is no other way. Please, don’t make this any harder for me. You are the best friend I have ever had. This is really hard for me. I don’t want to leave, but it must be done.” His voice broke. We were both crying by now. I spotted Myrie out of the corner of my eye, making her way toward us.
“Myrie is coming,” I said. He nodded.
“What I want to say is that I have enjoyed this time we have had. Never forget me.”
“I won’t, Fragen. I won’t,” I said.
“What are you two doing over here?” Myrie asked as she walked up.
“Well, I just asked Phee to marry me,” Fragen lied.
“Well, congratulations,” Myrie said, a hint of delight playing across her face. I could only wish that this was the reason behind my tears. Fragen dropped my hands.
“Our hope is that we can have a nice, private wedding after this is all over,” I said, my throat dry.
“Wouldn’t that be nice,” Myrie said.
“Yes,” we both managed to choke out. We went back and finished the night in silence.
The next day was to be the last on the journey. Fragen and I tried to seem happy and excited, smiling at each other a lot. He even kissed me on the cheek once, maybe his way of saying goodbye. I nearly started to cry but managed to keep the tears in.
At last, we entered the Underground Chamber, where the Book of All Magic was hidden. It was large, I could tell, but dark. Our footsteps echoed around the cavern. We all made magical lights. I could see that the chamber was just dirt all over, with some old straw strewn here and there. The Book sat on a pedestal in the middle of the room. Myrie walked up to it, eyes bright with greed and anticipation. My heart gave a leap. This was it – the end.
Before Myrie reached the Book, Fragen cleared his voice loudly. Myrie turned, impatience darkening her features. “What do you want?” she spat, like he was just a bug on her shoe, hindering her.
“I would like to declare my love for Phoenix,” he announced. My eyes started to fill with tears. He walked over to me and kissed me, once, but it seemed to last forever. So this was his goodbye. I blinked, forcing the tears back. “And, Myrie, I cannot let you get that book.” She laughed in disbelief.
“Oh, come now, Fragen, we can't play these games,” she said. “You and I are going to rule the world, with that farm girl, if you must have her. Getting in my way would mean death, for both of you. We don’t need that.” She advanced on the book.
“No!” Fragen shouted, tearing after her. “NOW, PHEE!”
Out of Myrie's hands shot blue flames. Now was the time… I shot a crippling spell at her. It would knock her out, but not kill her. I was going to torture her. She fell back. Fragen ducked, but was not quick enough. The flames hit him and he crumpled, dead. I had no time to mourn. I had to get Myrie first.
I went to her and chopped her ring hand off. Her eyes fluttered open and she screamed in pain. Her clouded eyes locked on me. I stopped the bleeding on her hand and extinguished some of the pain. Enough to give her back her sense, but she still was not comfortable.
“What… what are you doing, insolent wench?” she spat. I knew she was keeping back tears. She was defeated. She knew this, but wondered why I had not just killed her. That was what she wanted; I would not give her painless death.
“I am defeating you, Myrie. I have won. You are going to die. But not yet. First, I need to torture you.” The calm way I said this unnerved me. before I left my farm, I would have fainted at the mere thought of torturing someone. Yet here I was, perposely hurting someone for revenge. It felt so wrong… but it was Fragen’s dying wish. I had promised.
“But, why are you doing this to me? I have shown you so much. Please, just give me that ring. It was a gift from my grandmother… a family heirloom. I want to have it when I die,” Myrie reasoned. I laughed at her.
“Oh, so you think I am stupid, do you? Fragen,” my voice cracked when I said his name, “Fragen told me about the jewelry. He told me everything – about the lies, the dreams, the everything. There is no way out of this. You have power no more, Myrie. You see, in the end, Fragen won over you.” I stopped, letting her think.
“Oh, no he didn’t, Phoenix. I won over him. He is the one who ended up dying!” she gave a monstrous cackle, and sat up. I knew that she was trying to edge toward her ring, as if I would let her get it.
“No, he didn’t lose. You see, he wanted you to kill him. That was the plan,” I laughed manically. “As you killed him, you enabled me to get you down – to defeat you. Its only your fault that you are done now, my dear.” I was numb all over. Realization dawned on Myrie's face.
“You… you… little brat, little wench,” her face contorted in pain and anger and her curses got worse and worse. I finally cut her off.
“How do you want to die?” I asked cruelly. “Should I crush the breath out of you? Slash your wrists and let you bleed to death? Raise you up and drop you? Crush your head under a boulder? What should I do? stab you? That would feel nice, oh yes, but I think I shall let you decide. Pick any one of those you want.” I knew that I was bending down to her level, but she deserved this. I would not be able to live unless I had avenged Fragen’s death.
She thought for a long time, no doubt stalling. My patience wore out. “PICK ONE, BEFORE I DO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE, BUT NOT QUITE LETTING YOU DIE! I AM BEING GENEROUS HERE, DON’T TRY MY PATIENCE!” I screamed. I knew that I would never act on those words, but she did not.
“I guess,” she sounded weak, ready to get everything over with. Maybe… maybe I should let her go easily. No! that is what she wanted. I knew her ways. “I think, I think I should die by fire. Please burn me, Phee,” she had used my nickname. Fragen’s name for me. I would not let her do this. I kicked her hard in the side, causing her to double over. “Phoenix. Please burn me.” I considered this. Burning would be merciful of me. I decided to let this happen.
“Okay, then,” I said slowly. “I shall have mercy and burn you. But first,” I picked her up, magically, of course, and threw her against a wall, banging her head with a sickening crunch, she slid to the ground.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Phoenix. You are a wonderful person.” Empty, empty words, I knew.
“Goodbye, Myrie. The world will be a thousand times better without you,” I said, causing her body to erupt in flames. They were white hot – just like my rage. Her screams gradually died away as the stench of burning flesh filled the chamber. As an afterthought, I threw the Book of All Magic in the fire. That way no one else would even be able to read it, ever. I knew this was the right thing to do.
Finally, two great evils were completely destroyed. I sat down and cried. I cried and cried, face in my hands. Eventually, I cried myself to sleep. I slept peacefully, wonderfully away from the troubles of my life.
I had to wake up, though. that was the sad truth. When I did, I momentarily forgot everything that had happened. I found myself in a large chamber with a slightly burning fire and a body. Fragen’s body. Everything came back to me. I felt like crying, but could not, having cried myself out earlier. I had lost my one true love. I knew I could never love another.
I thought about my future. What could I do? I would go return the Stones to their proper places. No, I would not do that. I could not let anybody else find them, ever. So then I would simply go home. Yes, that sounded nice. As for now, I decided to bury Fragen.
I went over to where he lay. He was so beautiful, even in death. I pulled the bracelet – his magical jewelry – off of his arm and fastened it around my own wrist. I then constructed a tomb out of clear crystal, through which he would be ever more preserved. I made sure that Myrie and the Book were properly destroyed. They were. I kicked her ashes around in a bit of left over rage. The rage subsided and I felt nothing.
I gathered the horses and tied them all together. I started out from the cave, deciding to get myself out of there for good. I did not even look back as we rode off into the sunset.
I rode off and on for about a week and a half. I tried to keep my thoughts off of anything except getting home. Every now and then I passed a farm or city. I would stop and eat a meal, sometimes performing little tasks that the people needed done. They let me keep to myself, seeing that I was clearly distressed.
Presently, I came upon a farm. I was going to pass it, but something made me go up to the door and knock. A woman, thin and frail, answered the door. a smile spread across her face. She was glad to see me for some reason. I smiled at her, too, instantly liking her.
“Would you like to come in?” she asked in a soft voice. I did not understand why I liked her so much, but I did. I came in. a large family of eighteen or so sat around a table, eating a meager lunch. They all looked thin and hungry. I heard a baby wailing in the background.
“I need to ask you one favor,” the woman said, tearing up. “If you don’t mind. I know this is strange, but would you take my baby?” I could not believe my ears. She wanted me to take her child? “You see, you look so well-off and, well, to be honest we haven’t enough to take care of all of our children. I want dear little Fragen to have a good life…” she was about to say more, but I cut her off.
“Fragen? That is your child’s name?” I asked, disbelieving it.
“Yes, is that a problem?” she said.
“No, not at all,” I said, deciding to take care of her child for her. “I can take Fragen for you.”
“Oh, thank you. Promise that you will take good care of him? I know that I am taking a dreadful change, asking a stranger to take my baby, but times are rough,” she said, a few tears slipping out of her eyes.
“I promise,” I said, hand over my heart. She took this to be a solemn swear. It was.
“Okay, thank you so much,” she said, blundering around. She gathered a small bag and shoved some cloth diapers, a couple of toys, and a blanket in the bag. She handed it to me and went to get Fragen. He was laying on the floor because they did not even have a crib.
“Do you need help getting him out?” she said nervously, fearing that I might drop him off of the horse. I took him, balanced him on my hip, and shook my head.
“Don’t worry. I have younger siblings at home. I have had to do things like this with them before.” The truth was, I could hold him on magically, but I did not want to mention that to them. I knew that taking baby Fragen from them was the right thing to do. I could feel it. Fragen had stopped wailing the instant I took him. The lady took this as a good sign.
“Do you want to stay for lunch?” she asked politely, though I knew that one of them would have to go without a meal if I ate.
“Oh, that is fine,” I assured, lying, “I’ve already eaten.” She nodded and opened the door for me. I walked out, turning to say goodbye, but she had already shut the door. I knew she was taking a great chance for her baby. She really wanted him to have a better life. I would give him one. That I knew.
I hauled myself on Midgen, having put the diaper bag in the saddlebag. Fragen was tied to my front with the blanket, a simple spell keeping him from slipping out. I rode Midgen off, listening to Fragen breathe. He had settled into a deep sleep.
I wondered why I had been so eager to take him. His name was one of the reasons, I knew. But there was something else – it hit me. I would teach Fragen magic, passing on my skill. I did not want to live forever. I knew this. He would be my successor. I removed the first Fragen’s bracelet from my wrist and put it around little Fragen’s neck. It looked right there.
That night I reached home. They were all surprised to see me. the baby brought a few odd looks, but I explained that I had married a man (I had slipped Myrie's ring onto my ring finger) but he had died. This was our son, Fragen. They took the story in, believing every word. I knew that it would be wrong to tell them the real story. They asked why I had left.
“I needed a change of pace,” I said. They believed this also.
“But why were you gone so long?” Merrin asked. I laughed.
“Well, I found a lover, got married, had a child, and traveled back. That takes a while.” She muttered ‘oh,’ her face turning red. I hugged her, not meaning to embarrass her. They asked no more and I told no more.

JEpilogueL
Phoenix lived out a long life. She rarely left the farm after that, not really wanting to see other people. She stayed in her room a lot, and always had Fragen at her side. The family never found out what they did so much. Fragen was brilliant at magic. Phoenix thought of the ‘first Fragen,’ as she called him, often. She never shed a tear after that first night, though. he was never mentioned in her house, either, except when she told young Fragen all about her adventure. However, Phoenix never thought of Myrie. Myrie was gone, never to be mentioned or thought of again.
The Stones were taken care of properly. Phoenix saw to this. She kept them on her person until the day that she died, then Fragen took them from her. That way they would never get into any bad hands.
Fragen left after Phoenix died. He never found his original family, but he did start one of his own. He married a magic, and they had many happy children. He passed his magic and the Stones to one of his children, and told them his mother’s story. The Stones and Phoenix’s story are being passed down from generation to generation, still in the same family. None of them has done anything bad with them yet, and that is how it is going to stay for centuries to come.
THE END