Free From The Ashes by Ian Alexander, Joshua Graham

and stopped.   A cold silence fell upon the entire world, it seemed.
    A tingling sensation coursed through Ying’s entire body.   Every ache, every hint of pain and fatigue had been expelled from his body, his mind and spirit.   He bent down and touched Chi’s shoulder.
    With a gasp, he bolted to his feet and stood right next to him.   “What…What has happened?”
    “I still believe.”
    “What?”
    “Before you lost consciousness, you kept asking if I still believed.”
    “It’s so dark.   Where are the Chungans?”
    Ying smiled.   Before answering, he sensed what was about to happen.   “They are about to be dealt with.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    Rather than explain, Ying leapt into the air.   As he did, his fingertips stretched out and feathers unfurled across his arms which grew into wings.   From over the eastern hills, a piercing call both terrible and musical rang out.   The sky grew brighter with the amber hues of fire.
    As the Millennial Phoenix returned, her fire lit the entire valley below.
    She flew higher into the sky and her flames, rather than grow dim, only glowed brighter.
    It was not until years later that Ying understood from where the next words that he spoke came.   Calling down to the troops, he said, “Warriors of Chungzhou, hear me!   You have not simply risen up against the country of Bai Kuo, but against the dominion of the King of all Kings.”
    “It’s all a show of illusions and trickery!   That’s not a talking eagle, or a great firebird, it’s some kind of device, and someone shouting from behind a tree up in the hills,” one Chungan commander shouted.   “Pay them no mind and charge forward with the attack.”
    Down where Chi had been now stood a black warhorse, strong and fierce.   It looked up to Ying in his eagle form and The Millennial Phoenix.
    “I charge you all to return to your homes,” Ying continued.   “It shall not go well with you otherwise.”
    “Forget this nonsense,” the commander called out.   “On with the attack!”
    “Then bear witness that I have warned you against taking up arms against the people of Valhandra!”
    The name echoed through the valley.
    VALHANDRA!
                   VALHANDRA…
                             VALHANDRA….
    At that moment, the Phoenix burst into flames so brilliant if the sun shone ten times its normal brightness, it could not have outshone her.   The Chungans cowered and covered their eyes at the brilliance.
    Then in one burst, which sounded like a soft and distant explosion, the phoenix was gone.   But Ying could yet sense her presence.   He heard Mei Liang’s voice in his mind.
    //LEAD THE CHARGE //
     
    As the Chungans staggered about, apparently blinded by the flash, Chi—as a stallion—reared up and charged into the center of the Chungan troops.
    Rather than defend themselves or attack him, they spread out as a drop of water in oil.   Then from over the hills, Ying understood what Mei Liang, the phoenix, had meant by “lead the charge.”
    Like colonies of ants, hundreds of peasants—some he recognized from Xingjia, others he didn’t—rushed into the valley with axes, hammers, pitchforks and other common tools.
    To those who only expect the ordinary, they would have looked ridiculous and sorely outnumbered.   But to Ying, they were more powerful than the mightiest armies in the world because of Whom they served.
    Ying swooped down at the head of the line and sent a piercing screech into the valley.   Then the entire Chungan army did something astonishing.   They fled back over the wasteland, crying out in terror as though some hideous dragon were pursuing them.   From his vantage point, Ying could see that they had scattered in seven different directions.
    Ying landed and stood next to Chi .  
    They both returned to their human form.  
    “You seem refreshed,” Ying said, pointing to Chi’s leg, which now was healed.
    “The moment you