The Phoenix Journey

Throughout his whole journey, FengGe may have seemed like his life was enjoyable, but his life was and will forevermore be as challenging as the next one ahead of him. What some people don't realise is that he wished he hadn't worked so much and spent a little more time having fun and exploring his options. Everyone only thought about their own problems and what FengGe could do for them. They took advantage of that, but they didn't know what he was truly going through.

At the beginning he was just an ordinary boy, until he turned eighteen, that's when everything in his life took on a drastic turn in his life causing him to struggle. It all started with him learning he had these abilities. He knew he had kept them to himself from everyone else but he had always wanted to tell someone and never could. The only person that knew was JiaYi, but only by chance. He passed away after FengGe, it was like they were connected in some way. He later realised that JiaYi was in fact his own conscience, something of his own creation.

He was worried about what other people might say, so he decided not to tell anyone, not even to his family. It wasn't until the day when it was his time to go. He laid in his bed that night feeling warm and exhausted. He fell into a deep sleep and didn't wake up for several days. His mother had been worried and didn't know who to turn to. Her husband had passed away and LongWei had gone awol. Some days she would sit by his side for days on end and most days she would cry herself to sleep. She feared being branded a bad mother and would not live a happy afterlife.

There came a day when she had to pop out to the market, she was reluctant to leave FengGe alone, but she knew he wouldn't want her to carry on the way she did. As she stepped out the house, LongWei entered and he wasn't expecting his name to be called out, "LongWei? Is that you?" FengGe said, in a whisper.

"Yeah, It's only me. You finally awake." LongWei asked.

FengGe nodded weakly, "It��s"' he cleared his throat, "It's all up to you, make things right" he paused for a moment to take some air into his lungs, "See you on the other side" he finally said. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber. LongWei hugged his brother crying until the last drop of air left his body.

Feeling alone once again. He tried to decipher his brother's last words.

---o0o---

FengGe found himself in an unknown but familiar surrounding. He scanned all around and everything looked peaceful, yet he seemed restless and out of place. He tried to run but he couldn't bring himself to move his legs. He had always imagined the afterlife a bit differently to what he was seeing.

Suddenly feeling a warm surge flowing through him. It felt like he was being modified from the inside. He was then taken somewhere that was more isolated and just then there was a moving image that had appeared in front of him. He recognised LongWe straight away.

"You can speak to him. If you want to, that is." the voice said suddenly, he recognised it belonged to his late father's.

"What… I mean… you mean I can talk to him from here?" FengGe stammered.

"Yes you can and he will be able to see you once you make the connection" his father explained.

"Connection? What kind of connection? How long will it last?" FengGe asked, before being shown what to do.

"All you have to do is look at LongWei and think where he is and it will lead you straight to him."

"I should, but then again I shouldn't. He needs time alone and to try doing things on his own. Right?" He mumbled to himself.

"Yes that is true. I think at this moment, I think it is best for you to talk to him. You're special FengGe in more ways than you can imagine are possible.' his father said, inspiringly, FengGe nodded. He took his position and thought of LongWei and he was there, appearing right in-front of his brother making LongWei jump.

---o0o---

Two months earlier…

As FengGe continued to grow in strength he found out that his gift grew more powerful, so much so that he managed to sprout wings of flames at the time where he needed it the most. He was then trying to work out how to use it on demand. He tried and tried, until he finally managed to master it. It wasn't long after he took flight, he ran into some trouble with a group of guys.

He later found out they were gangsters working with the triad.

FengGe knew it had something to do with LongWei and chose not to retaliate. He just stood there defending off as much of the punches they threw at him as he could, but they were coming in from all angles. They punched and kicked him and left him for dead. Death did not take him this time. Someone carried him home. FengGe was in too much of a state to focus on anything.

Although unconscious, his mind was still full of power and energy. So much so that he was already thinking about his next move, but wasn't sure how he was going to act on it.

Months later, it was the day of FengGe's funeral and to LongWei's surprise, many people attended Jayson FengGe's funeral. He knew his brother knew a fair amount of people, but he didn't realise that he had touched the hearts of so many people in the village as they came pouring in to pay their respects.

Throughout the day LongWei seemed to have been coping well until he saw his mother walking alone. LongWei bowed his head low turning his fair smile into a sad one. LongWei had also been feeling a great sense of anger inside of him. It was partly because he blamed himself for FengGe's death. He held so much in, when really he wanted to talk. He almost snapped at a few people thinking about it but he managed to gain control of himself. He knew that if Jayson were around he wouldn't be too pleased. The only word LongWei could mutter out was "Hi" before proceeding with the ceremony.

"It was in Jayson's letter that he wanted to be cremated, he did not give any reason as to why he did. I'm LongWei, I'm Jayson FengGe's younger brother. I'm very pleased to see so many people here today. I never knew FengGe knew so many people or had so many admirers, makes me wonder. He really was a great role model, so let's try to keep his spirit alive by remembering what he did for us." LongWei with eyes filled with tears, continued with his speech making people laugh and cry.

After the ceremonial cremation, LongWei said goodbye to everyone. He made sure everyone was ok and that they would get home safely. He had everyone believing he was holding things together, but he was distraught inside.

His mother was the only person that could see how upset he really was. He chose to avoid her for weeks as she kept trying to talk to him.

---o0o---

Several months had passed and LongWei was still grieving over Jayson. One evening Jayson had appeared to a very tearful LongWei. LongWei leapt in fright and stared at him for a moment before speaking his name "Jayson? he muttered. LongWei then rubbed his watery eyes.

"Well yes, that was my name when I was alive. I just go by FengGe normally right?"

", FengGe..what are you doing here? How am I seeing you right now?" asked LongWei, confused as to what's going on.

"Well I'm not actually here, I'm just in your head. The reason why I appeared is to tell you to go speak to mother, she needs you more than you know. She really misses you and I know you better than anyone, I know that you miss me but you also miss her. Try and find it in your heart to love her the way you did before. Forget about running away again, you can't always run away everytime life gets tough." FengGe said, his voice faded out towards the end. "Remember what I said before - it's all up to you now to make it right."

"But… I… still…" LongWei started to say as FengGe vanished.

LongWei just stood there for a while. Thinking about what FengGe said to him. He gripped his head with both hands "Arrrr! This is giving me a headache. What do I do now?" He asked himself. LongWei felt a burning rage within him that he tried to contain.