Legend of The Phoenix

SEASON ONE : CHILD OF FIRE

TWENTY ONE YEARS LATER

Andron passed by his mother carrying, on his right shoulder, four long logs of wood. He walked straight across the compound of their home as he carefully balanced the weight of the wood weighing down his shoulder. 

He walked over to the far end of the compound where straight poles were already dug into holes in the ground, surrounding a circular space. Andron was busy building a new stable for the horses. He had just turned twenty the previous fortnight and his mother had gifted him, for his birthday, a new young horse to add to his herd of four. 

On reaching the far side of the compound, where he'd been working, Andron stood steadily and then suddenly dropped the logs from his shoulder onto the ground. The pieces of wood clattered loudly as they fell, spreading across the ground and Andron had to jump to avoid one that almost smashed his foot. 

"Careful there!" Martha, Andron's mother, shouted from a distance. She was now standing outside their brick house with arms on her waist. 

"Are you okay? Did it hit you?" She added. 

"No, I'm good Ma... they just slipped and fell." Andron said, bending over to pick up his hammer and nails where he had placed them on the ground. 

"Be careful." 

"Ma, I'm fine... you worry too much." He said, standing up and turning to look at her where she stood. 

"I don't worry enough over your clumsy ass." Martha said, quietly to herself as she began to walk away. 

"I heard that." Andron said, smiling slightly as he went back to pick up his logs. Martha, on the other hand, also smiled as she walked away and disappeared into the house. 

Andron stashed two nails behind his right ear and then stuck the hammer into the huge belt on his waist. He then bent down and picked up one of the logs from the ground, lifting it up with both arms. 

He walked forward and aligned the log to horizontally connect two of the standing poles. He then moved over to one of the poles and carefully nailed the end of the log to tightly bind it to the pole. He went to the pole on the other end and did the same, connecting the two poles. 

He then used his machete to chop off the end of the log that was sticking out beyond the pole. Andron then went forward to pick up another log from the ground and nail it onto another pair of standing poles on the other side. 

By the time he was done with the logs he'd been carrying, the somewhat circular stable he was building was now beginning to shape up. He stood aside for a moment to inspect his handy work and was frankly impressed with himself. 

He then removed his sweaty t-shirt and hang it onto his left shoulder as he walked forward into the stable, contemplating what was remaining in order to complete it. 

He figured he would need some more wood to craft up a small wooden gate for the open front part. He would also need to check his father's old store for some pairs of hinges for the door. He would then nail the iron sheets Leonard had sold him on top of the poles for a nice overhead roof and then that would be it. 

All this, he figured, was something he could finish the following morning and by the end of the day, the structure would be ready for Sky and the other horses to move in. He had named his new horse Sky because he thought its eyes looked like a clear sky. 

Andron then stuck his right hand into the back pocket of his three-piece shorts where he picked an apple he'd stored there for till he was done. He immediately bit into the green apple, crunching in his mouth as he chewed and swallowed. 

He then walked slowly outside the structure headed towards where Sky was silently grazing under the shade of the huge Jacaranda tree that stood in their compound. 

On walking up to the horse, Andron lay his left hand onto its back as he bit another chunk from the apple in his right. 

"Sky, check it out," He said, looking over at the structure. "Doesn't it look neat?" 

The horse didn't actually look. He kept grazing silently on the green grass under the tree. 

"You and your buddies will sleep in there tomorrow, I promise." He added. 

Andron then knelt down and handed the remaining piece of the apple into Sky's mouth. The horse quickly took it up and chewed immediately into its crunchy succulence. 

"Good boy." 

"Andy!" Martha's voice called from inside the house. 

"Yeah," he shouted. 

"Come have lunch, you can continue afterwards." 

"I'm actually done for the day, I'll finish up tomorrow." He said, lowering his voice. 

"What was that?" 

"Never mind, Ma." Andron replied as he now walked slowly towards the front door into the house. 

Just before he could enter, he paused suddenly and turned around, headed towards the water tap on their green front porch. As he walked, he picked his t-shirt from his shoulder and threw it onto the grass. 

He walked forward and picked a huge plastic basin that was lying around, immediately placing it under the tap and turning the knob on. The water gushed out with aggressive pressure, splattering with power into the black basin and splashing out onto Andron's dusty legs. 

He then turned the water off and picked up the half full basin, taking a step forward and placing it onto the grass on the ground. He bent over, dipped his hands into the water and threw up a double handful onto his head, ruffling up his short hair as he felt the cold brush up against his skin. 

He went forward to throw some more onto his face before moving on to his hands and legs. When he was done, Andron left the basin - with some dirty water inside - exactly where it was. His t-shirt he also left lying on the ground. 

He then walked forward into the house, top less, and with drops of water all over his skin. 

On walking into the house, Martha sat on the long couch beside the open window with a porcelain plate held steadily on her left hand. She continued eating slowly as Andron entered inside the living room. 

"No!... you made chapatis?" Andron said, awed and looking at her plate. 

"Your favorite," she replied, smiling. 

"I love you Ma," Andron blurted, turning quickly, headed for the kitchen. 

"I know you do." Her smile broadened. 

In a short while, Andron reappeared into the living room carrying a plate onto which were placed several rolled up chapatis alongside a bowl of thick brown soup. 

He sat down onto the single-sitter chair and placed his meal on the brownish coffee table in front of him. He then immediately dug into gobbling it down. 

Martha took a glance at him as he concentrated on the plates in front of him, still topless, and she could only but smile. 

"I'm gonna need you to later go down to Bramuel's and carry home some units of charcoal, my stock is running out." Martha said. 

"Sure," Andron said. "Wow, this is so good." He added, munching. 

"Yow Andron." A voice came from outside the house. 

Andron immediately recognized the voice and stood up from the chair, licking his fingers as he walked forward and stood at the door. At the compound in front of his house, his two best friends Leonard and Kennedy were both on horseback. 

They also had bows hanging from their shoulders and quivers full of arrows dangled beside their horses. Kennedy also carried, on his back, the usual bagful of supplies. 

"You up for a hunt?" Leonard said, looking at him where he stood at the door. 

"Where?" Andron said. 

"We are headed North, towards the Tuki falls," Leonard said. 

Andron then turned around into the house and looked at his mother where she still sat on the couch. 

"Will you be okay?" 

"I'll be fine, go." She said. "How long will you be gone this time?" 

"Tuki is a little far, three days... tops." 

"Okay, just don't bring rabbits like the last two times... we've had enough of those." She said and smiled. 

"Okay Ma, I'll find us a nice deer." Andron said. "How about the charcoal?" 

"Go. I'll find somebody else to carry it." She said. 

"Okay." Andron said and turned around to face his friends outside. 

"One minute bro." He added, turning again around and walking fast into the house. 

He picked up the two plates from the table and finished whatever was remaining as he walked and disappeared into the kitchen. 

When he reappeared, Andron was fully changed into long khaki pants alongside brown boots. He also wore a tight long-sleeved top that brought out his biceps and protruding chest. He had the bow he'd inherited from his father hanging on his right shoulder and a quiver full of arrows hang on his right arm. On his left hand, he held a horse's saddle that looked ancient. 

Hunting was the thing for Andron. The thing that raised his spirits and brought him that feeling of aliveness. Actually, not so much the hunting itself as the adventures him and his friends would end up going on as they chased game. 

Traveling North, especially, into the thick forest, experiencing the wild of nature and getting to behold the marvel of the Tuki Falls, at sunset, was the stuff he lived for. 

So he wasted no minute and before long, he was steadily perched on top of Sky's back, galloping into the evening winds headed towards the North. Racing his friends and laughing off the thrill of Sky's incredible speed. 

*************************

The Underworld was dark, as usual, but the demons could see. They could see each other. They could see the deep pool of water beside which they were doing their normal martial training. They could see the path beside the pool which led straight towards the Queen Mother's Palace. They could also see the massive and sharp protrusions of limestone that hang down from the rock ceiling high above them. 

"It's almost time now," Graula said to her friend Iris as she tied the leather tightly around her left wrist. 

"I really hope we don't get separated." Iris said. 

"Me too," Graula replied. 

Iris was now kneeling down on one knee, busy tightening the strings on her black leather boots. Today was finally D-day. The day for young demons, who had been training day and night, to finally be initiated into the different Divisions of Demons in service of Lucifer, their Queen Mother. 

Every teenage demon of the underworld eagerly looked forward to this day. The final testing day which would decide which Division they were assigned and thereafter gain them cognition as a full member of The Society of Hell. 

As Iris finished up tightly tying her boots, Graula spotted Demilia, on the other side of the pool,  with her crew of loyal demons surrounding her like a pack of wolves. 

"There's Satan," Graula said. 

Iris then immediately stood to her feet and turned to face her direction. As soon as she did, Demilia also  happened to throw her glance at their direction and she instantly locked eyes with Iris.

"I will kill you." There were no words, Demilia's lips just gestured the phrase and Iris read it off the bitter  expression on her face. Demilia also went forward to slide her thumb across her neck as she looked Iris in the eyes. 

"I hate her so much." Graula said. 

"Not as much as she hates me," Iris said. 

"Are you surprised? I mean, you humiliated her pride in front of the entire unit." 

"It's not my fault she is slow." 

"It's kinda your fault you're fast," Graula said, carving a slight smile onto her face. "Faster and more agile than anyone else here, you are lucky I like you." 

As Graula was speaking, The Mistress of their unit, Madam Dinnah, walked swiftly into their company. As soon as the demons saw her arrive, they quickly ran in unison, arranging themselves fast and standing together in a parade of three horizontal lines in front of her, right beside the pool. 

"Alright girls," Madam Dinnah said and paused. "Time to show us what you've got." She added, strolling slowly across the floor in front of the parade, her boots crunching on the gravel below them. 

"You have been paired in groups of two according to your abilities ... the first to surrender is out of this year's selection. The winners will all proceed to meet The Queen Mother who will initiate them into service and assign them their appropriate Divisions, are we clear?" 

"Yes Mistress." They responded in unison. 

"Okay," She said and paused. "and remember, no use of any kind of weapon against your fellow demon is allowed, this is a test of your martial skill and not a fight to the death... if and when your partner surrenders you must stop immediately. And... no morphing... And absolutely no fangs, do I make myself clear?" 

"Yes Mistress," came again the abrupt answer. 

"Group one... Demilia and Iris." Dinnah said, looking down at the piece of paper now in her right hand. 

Graula's heart almost skipped a beat, where she stood stiff and motionless, when she heard the two names said together. Those two had unfinished business and the floor had just now been set for them to finish it. Graula knew this would probably not end well since she knew them both well, and none of them would ever surrender to the other. 

"Hurry up girls, we don't have all day." Dinnah said, looking up at the demons in front of her. 

Iris and Demilia then quickly stepped forward from the group, walking over to stand paces beside each other, right in front of Mistress Dinnah. Iris could see the hate and vengeance announcing itself in bold upon Demilia's face. 

But Iris never, for one moment, felt threatened or scared. She stood there in complete confidence. Confidence in herself. Confidence in her skill. Just as she had brought Demilia to her knees before, she could definitely do it again. Only little did she know that Demilia had every intention of keeping her earlier promise. 

"Fight!" Dinnah's voice was sharp and stern. 

As soon as the word left her mouth, Demilia rushed forward swiftly and landed on her oblivious opponent's face a smack, with the back of her fist, that immediately sent Iris sprawling to the ground. Falling with a thud and bruising her face against the coarse ground below. Iris had, literally, not seen her coming. 

Seeing this sudden and somewhat exciting opening, the group of demons got roused and they began cheering. They quickly rearranged and now stood in a perfect circle, beside the pool, surrounding Demilia and Iris in the middle. Mistress Dinnah found herself somewhere amidst the excited lot, her eyes transfixed on what was looking like the beginning of an interesting day. 

Iris was now on all fours on the ground and she felt a sharp pain sear through her lower lip. She raised her right arm to touch the spot and when she looked at her fingers, there was blood. She then folded the lip into her mouth and stood up to her feet, feeling the pain in her mouth intensify. 

"Ohw... I'm sorry, did I hit you too hard there?" Demilia said and smiled. Some demons in the group laughed. 

Demilia and Iris then began slowly walking around the space, looking at each other. Iris remained dead silent, still biting her lip and sucking on the stinging wound, hoping to stop the bleeding. 

Demilia was good. Her hands were strong which meant she landed heavy blows. She was also fast with her feet. Her flying kicks were fairly above average. She also had really good reflexes and Iris had also noticed, in their previous encounter, that she was also pretty good in anticipating attacks. 

Her only weakness was psychological. She involved emotion in her fighting. She didn't fight to learn or win, nay, she fought to feel good about herself. She fought to enjoy seeing her opponent lose or hurt and that was exactly how Iris would get to her. By making her hurt and therefore feel terrible about herself. So terrible she will think she's losing and then slowly let her guard down, to the point of surrender. 

Demilia moved briskly and flipped in the air towards her, throwing a collection of airborne simultaneous kicks, headed towards Iris' torso. This little demon had humiliated her in front of everyone and it was time Iris felt her wrath. The rules for this fight might have exempted death but Demilia, quite frankly, didn't care about the rules, or even about being selected. This wannabe had tested her and now she had to pay. With her life. 

Iris quickly folded her hands into pointed knuckles and prepared to put her plan into action. As soon as the kicks began landing on her, she began hitting with power on Demilia's feet, aiming to cause as much pain as possible. 

The first flying kick found Iris' left shoulder from above, hitting her into confusion. Iris, however, managed to maintain composure and kept throwing knuckles at the flying legs. Demilia then descended down towards the ground, throwing blows at Iris face. Iris ducked and went low, striking Demilia's left leg with her right knuckle. 

Her little reverse psychology took effect immediately. The strike had found Demilia's left ankle and smashed through it, dislodging it from place. The pain was beyond bearable. So hurt was she that she instantly fell to the ground, groaning in pain. 

In no time, Demilia stood back up. Her face turned stern and the pain she was still feeling showing itself in her expression. She strolled slowly around, looking Iris in the eyes as she slightly limped her left leg. 

Iris knew she now had the advantage and immediately ran towards her, throwing numerous blows at her face with sheer precision and confidence in her apparent victory. Some blows landed but most Demilia saw coming and shielded away. Then she suddenly stepped down hard on the injured ankle. 

Demilia let out a loud scream that resounded far in the vast space of the Underworld. Out of burning rage, she instantly morphed into her demon form. Her two long fangs protruding instantly from her open mouth. She then thrust her head forward into Iris neck, aiming to tear it apart and end this once and for all. 

Mistress Dinnah tried to find way to the front to stop this ignorance of the rules but she couldn't even move. The demons in front of her were aggressive and all scrambled, craning to see what was happening. 

Iris was fast in withdrawing her neck from the approaching fangs. She turned around in an instant, getting behind Demilia. She then also morphed and powerful claws emerged from the fingers on her left hand. She then slashed into Demilia's neck from behind, tearing into it with sheer might and the next thing she knew, Demilia was falling to the ground. Silent. Blood everywhere. 

She was dead. 

Then out of nowhere, Mistress Dinnah jumped in front. Iris still stood there, glued to the spot, staring down at the utter mess she had just made. Dinnah then immediately threw up her right foot towards Iris, right onto her face. The powerful kick found Iris unawares, throwing her instantly to the ground and knocking her out cold. There was then a dead silence as everyone processed the weight of what had just happened. 

"What are you gonna do to her?" Graula said, stepping forward and looking at the Mistress. 

"Killing another demon is punishable by death... everyone knows that," another demon said from the crowd behind. 

"Ohw come on," Graula said, turning to the crowd. "We all saw Demilia morph and draw her fangs first... it was self defense." She added. 

"That... is for the Queen to decide." Dinnah said, bending down to see that Iris was still out cold. She then immediately stood up and turned to the demons. 

"You two," she said, pointing. "Help me carry her to the Mother's Palace." 

The two demons then immediately followed the command and took Iris' body from the ground. Knocked-out Iris was then placed onto one of the demons' shoulder and the three immediately took off. Walking around the pool of water and taking the path towards Queen Lucifer's Palace. 

******************************

The water was powerful. Falling and falling in a sweeping avalanche. Showering with a passion onto the pond below and then flowing downstream with grace and ease. Birds chirped in the distance as Andron stood and took in the breathtaking scenery of The Tuki Falls. 

Leonard and Kennedy were submerged below the surface of the pond water, competing to see who could hold their breath the longest. Their clothes and hunting gear placed in two little mounts on the rock surface beside the clear blue water of the pond.

Andron stood still, staring at the falling water as he felt a cold breeze sweep across the trees under the tall canopy. He then suddenly felt a sharp sting at the back of his neck and instinctively slapped it hard with his right palm. 

He looked at his hand, and it was a mosquito. He had smacked it with the center of his palm and its blood was now splattered all around its smashed body. He then wiped it off against the coarse bark of the huge tree he was standing beside. 

Kennedy appeared onto the surface of the water in a sudden burst. He was now coughing uncontrollably as he flapped his hands in the water to remain steadily floating. Trying to laugh but ending up coughing even harder. He'd reached his limit and accidentally swallowed a gulp. 

"No way Leo outlasted me," Kennedy managed to sneak some words amidst his heavy cough, looking up at Andron. "I wasn't ready." He added, smiling slightly. 

Leonard's head then gracefully appeared from beneath the surface, the water dripping off his hair as his head protruded completely from beneath. He then raised his right hand and wiped the water away from his eyes, down to the nose and mouth. 

"You always find an excuse Ken, just admit defeat and pay respect to the unbreathing king." Leonard said, looking at Kennedy as they both floated about the water. 

"Unbreathing king my ass," Andron said, walking slowly onto the rocky surface towards the pond. "You know I outlast you both everytime." He added, pulling his tight t-shirt over his head to remove it. 

"Not today my friend... I'm on a roll," Leonard said, "Get in here and meet your defeat." 

Andron then quickly untied his boots, then slid off his pants, remaining only in black underpants. He rushed forward and dove like a dolphin into the heart of the pond, disappearing immediately into the deep. 

He felt the cold water chill his body to the bone as he now rose back up to the surface. As Andron penetrated the surface of the water to appear above, his gaze happened to interlock, for a slight moment, with the bright countenance of The Star. 

And instead of the usual blindening light, he saw something. Right at the center of the brightness, a bird. A bird with two massive red wings flapping beside its small body. The wings weren't just red, they were burning. 

Andron then suddenly looked away from it and into Leonard's face. 

"Is something wrong with the star?" Andron said. 

"What?" Leonard said. He then tried to look into the star's countenance but it only blinded his sight. 

"I thought I saw..." Andron said thoughtfully and paused. "You know what... never mind... We go under on three.., are you ready?" 

"I was born ready," Leonard said. 

"One..." Andron began. "Two... three." 

The two then simultaneously dipped into the water, bubbles bubbling up above their heads as they slowly disappeared under the surface. Kennedy remained atop alone, fingers crossed, hoping Leonard would lose. 

Andron gave it no thought afterwards, the burning bird he'd seen. It made no sense to him and he thought his eyes had just tricked him because of the blindening light of the star. Only little did Andron know that The Star had begun calling.