Blind Phoenix

Meeting of Dogs

Malevolent men met to make their means a reality. Five of them in total sat around a rotting tree in a dying, dark forest. Each gave their reports.

The first one with a plague doctor’s mask spoke few words, “I have poisoned several water supplies, millions will fall ill and die.”

The second, a tan giant with no hair said in a loud but calm voice, “I have hunted down seven more so called prodigies training under the Organization of Legends. I escaped each fight undetected by the organization, but their friends who were present vowed they would find me. From what I saw, the hatred they held towards me was enormous. They will surpass their fallen in no time.”

       The third, a man in his late twenties that had hair like lightning spoke quickly and irritably, “I have assassinated a few families of some OWL agents; I made sure they knew it was us.”

The fourth, Anthroph stayed silent with his arms crossed. The fifth glared at him through the shadows that covered his face.

       “Why do you not speak, brother? None of us enjoy listening to your putrid vocals. I assure you, though that I will not allow you to stay silent.”

       Anthroph turned his head to the fifth and growled, “Keep your ridicule inside your head, impatient fool. I will speak now.” His voice calmed down but still retained a foul tone like it always had, “I have found the boy. The one who you left alive. He has joined the Organization and has grown in power exponentially. His sight had come back to him, but had been taken away soon after. The i***t, Yuig, gouged his eyes.”

       The fifth’s eyes widened as he heard his brother’s words and responded with a raised voice, “You did not bring him here? You madman, what was the point of confronting him if you’re going to let him go?!”

“He was not ripe for the taking, brother! He could not see my movements, his eyes did not even notice when I stopped to turn around. Give him time and he will be ready. I will make sure to make the c****x of our plan the grandest you could ever dream of.” Anthroph began to drool through his bandages and his eyes trembled, “If he fails the first test, he will become a fine meal.”

“Control yourself, animal” responded the fifth. “It is imperative that he passes the first and the second. I do not care what happens after that, the outcome will be more or less favorable.”

The bald giant turned to the fifth and asked, “Is my role decided, then?”

“Yes Stigandr.”

The villainous bunch all looked at each other and the fifth nodded in approval. They arose from their spots and all of them went their way excluding Stigandr and the fifth. The fifth rubbed his own jaw and looked at Stigandr critically.

“Go to tomorrow’s match, learn what you can about the boy, his weaknesses, his strengths, everything. Keep an eye on Anthroph. You know what? Take him to the fight as well. Keep that lout in check and as far away from Byur as possible. We can’t have his selfishness ruining everything.”

Stigandr agreed to the fifth’s proposition and left. The fifth raised his hands into the air and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. He smiled, let out a casual laugh and stuck his hand into the gigantic, rotting tree. Heavy black liquid dripped down from the hole. It flowed down onto the floor and gave off a foul odor that even a skunk would retreat from. The fifth removed his hand from the tree and out came a spherical fruit covered in black slime and pulsing red bumps. He bit into it and consumed it in seconds. A black mist seeped through his teeth as he grinned again.

“Oh bittersweet black fruit,” he proclaimed, “how your taste invigorates me. Help me cover Earth in death and decay. Help me become the puppeteer of this world and the next.”