Phoenix rising

*****Kayla***** If there was anything I hated more than my life was the world I was born into and the thing I was forced to become... "Please! Our children..." the woman begged on all her fours spraying the blood of her husband all over the floor. She quivered in terror of her dire future. After all, the b***h saw it happen to her husband just a minute ago, when I blew his brains out. I looked at my gun's luster, wondering to myself when did any of them got the idea that I had any form of mercy left in me... Idiots, really. The past decade should've been a dead ringer. As much as this pathetic display bored me, I didn't had any patience left. "Your children never stood a chance." I angled the barrel at her and fired the deadly shot. That gross black and foul smelling matter splattered all over. Like a given, the three children shrieked like banshees rattling the cages they were in, having my men startled at the noise. Didn't had to look to know the metal won't hold much longer. When I heard one of the men gasping, I just knew those shits escaped and well, I had enough bullets left for them too. These little shits didn't die easily. Durable motherfuckers and fast! You had to take their head and hearts as well. Fast! But, speed was my attribute and I had years to practice my aim. "Ma'am, what do we do now?" one of the men asked all obedient, as he should be. Wasn't the boss for nothing. "Call a priest, have him bless this place and clean this shit." I said putting my gun where it belonged as I walked towards the exit "And make sure you burn the bodies with the drugs. We don't need the human police sniffing around." Tired of paying those motherfuckers for their silence. I wasn't always like this. No, twenty years ago I was just another girl in the sea of them. Happily enjoying my simple life, bickering with my brothers, going to school, just like any other normal creature. Sure, my father may had been one of the strongest warlocks in the history of the Night Covens, an immortal, but then he met my mother, a human woman with two sons. He loved her so much, the man renounced all his titles in the Night Kingdom. He was stripped of his power, of his magic, of everything he ever was as he took her hand in marriage, defying all laws of the Night Kingdom.They had me shortly after their marriage and for ten glorious years they raised me in the most loving family! He never grew to regret his decision...  I was sheltered from all horrors of the world, be they from the human society or that of the Night Kingdom. I haven't even seen a single horror flick until... it all changed. My brothers protected me from anything or anyone who dared to come anywhere close to me or so much as have a snide comment! I could still remember the sound of their laughter and that laugh in my lingering nightmares of that horrible night. I should've been at a sleepover with my girlfriends, but then I never slept anywhere else but my room and always with the lights on. I was restless and I did the unthinkable. I broke the promise to my parents and came back home alone, in the middle of the night. My house was just across the street, it wasn't that much of a walk and I knew it by heart. Easy peasy, as my mother used to say! Took all the courage I had as I clutched Mr.Ted, my teddy bear and went out the door in my pj's. Didn't think much of the cars parked in front of my house. I just wanted to get back home and I was happy the lights were on in the living room. Didn't even think much of the door being half opened... "Daddy?" I called in a hushed tone scared of the dark more than anything else. "Kayla, run!" I heard my father's voice rage a bloody scream as feet begun stomping and something hit the floor with a bang.   Wanted to run, my heart banging in my chest! Turned to do just that, but then a pair of large feet blocked my exit... When I looked up and up all I saw was a man with a large grin on his ashed face. His face morphing into that of a horrible monster's! His teeth growing into the sharpest fangs, drool like black ooze escaping that horrid smelling mouth of his! That thing snarled at me and I begun screaming a bloody scream before it all went black. The next thing I knew was waking up to mother's scream and a loud bang as my oldest brother fell right in front of me, his blood spilling out of his severed neck, his head rolling on the floor. I froze in horror and I all could do was watch the events unfold before me as though I wasn't even in my body anymore. My middle brother roared and despite his hands being tied at his back he launched himself at the monsters in the room, my father with him... They never stood a chance! The monsters with the face of men were faster and much stronger. They had talons for nails and one strike was enough to leave them beheaded, much like my older brother. My mother on the other hand trembled in horror, petrified, looking at her son's head, singing him to sleep. The biggest of them went to my mother, crouching before her. "Please.... please..." she begged through her madness as the man watched her with fascination "...take whatever you want, just leave us be..." she pleaded tears streaming down her cheeks.  "Oh, I am taking what I want." he smiled at her cruelly "And right now I want your heart." he added as he pierced my mother's chest with his bare hand, taking the heart right out of her chest. He looked at me as her body fell down like a useless rag on the floor and bit into the heart, devouring it right before my eyes.  "Your father was right to take your mother for a wife. Her heart is sweet!" he said as he vanished and appeared right before my eyes, pushing my brother's corpse with his leg "Too bad she was just another useless human." he said as he crouched before me "I haven't tasted a young warlock's heart in ages! Halfblood, you may be, but you'll do..." he went on as his hand moved towards me. Now, I've no idea what happened, but something triggered in me. Something dark, blackening my heart, throbbing, growing, boiling with a rage I've never felt before. I wanted them all dead and something told me to unleash that violence for all it was worth! And so I did! All that energy bubbling up, I set loose screaming bloody death as I did, feeling something hardening my heart, making it cold! A shockwave exploded from the very core of my being destroying everything in it's path! The house blew up, lightning struck from the skies and fire roared to life setting it all ablaze! The last I remember was seeing those bastards catching fire instantaneously howling in agony!  Exhausted. I blacked out once again and dreamt of the phoenix for the first time. When I opened my eyes, ashes rained down and surrounded me... All I had was gone... turned to ash. One thought plagued my mind, vengeance! All they taken, I will take! All they destroy, so shall I! They will pay for everything! As long as i draw breath in these lungs, none of them will survive!  That was my Oath then, this was my Oath now! This was my life and the only one a thing like me would have! A filthy Halfblood like me couldn't live among humans, like one of them, knowing what I know or with my power acting up each time a nightmare plagues my sleep. As for the Night Covens... those which didn't viewed me as a mongrel, a disgrace, they saw me as a w***e to pass their time with. After all, halfbloods were either taking the warrior path like me or the bloodwhore path for the nobles. Not a choice I'll make. Not in this lifetime! No matter how long or short, I had but one creed! That of the blade and death! *****Night King***** The darkness was thickest in the blackness of the old and forgotten crypt. Only one ray of the moonlight shone straight to the centerpiece of the morbid hall. It was the grave of a great man, a king crowned and buried with his grand double edged sword. On the chest of the mortuary statue laying on the grave laid a large circle engraved with ancient writing, latin, greek and some other language unknown to man. Symbols showing the tree of life bound in chains to the god of Death. The chains cracked and so did the grave's cover in half! With an explosion of sheer energy a hand pierced the stone and pushed the cover away as a man stood up dust covering his entire body, he coughed the dust and opened his silver eyes, their light piercing the black! He growled in a fowl mood. "Who dares wake me from my slumber?" he growled in the night, his voice rolling off the walls in an empty echo. No answer followed. He listened, no heart beats, no breath, not even a single sound but that of a drop of water. "No..." he breathed out as realization sunk in "NO!" his roar thundered having the hall quake as he punched the stone infuriated! If none broke the Curse of the Phoenix, then there was only one way in which he was awakened. The Phoenix died. How could he die?! He was as immortal as he was! His right hand! The strongest in all the Night Covens!   "Bastard!" he muttered beginning to feel the first pangs of Hunger twisting his gut. Great! Not only had he awakened from his eternal slumber, but he had to Feed! And his beloved... His heart ripped apart yet again seeing her as if she was right before his eyes. Those lovely blue eyes of hers, that silky strawberry hair and her ethereal beauty... His Mate, whispering his name Wrath, her ghostly hand touching his cheek as she did so many times before. Only, this time, her memory vanished and the warmth of her loving touch was nothing more but a cold empty halow in his chest where his heart once stood whole. He remembered everything... that was his curse! He remembered all of her as if she was right here next to him. She came into his life when he had nothing but his bloodright to the crown. She but gave him a taste of a life filled with joy and she was ripped from him just as fast! Decades were nothing to an immortal's life! When she passed, she took his heart with her and any will he had to go on. He couldn't live without her. Couldn't wake to his empty bed every morning leading the very kingdom whose life she sacrificed herself for! That damned throne took everything from him!  Anger spiked within once again and the hall trembled in response, its stone walls cracking and wailing under the pressure.  Wrath had to close his eyes and center himself. Letting loose now would only make his Hunger worse.  Alright... He breathed in, looking around. He had to find a fix for his current issue and after he's done with the Hunger, he'll deal with the slumber problem. However, not before finding out who was brazen enough to end his Phoenix's life! He knew that old bastard wouldn't die willingly. He loved living too much!  Took a while to find himself a few decent Veins. Unfortunately, all he found were humans in a village. He nearly Fed from the entire settlement! But, then he used his compulsion to find out that he had been slumbering for only three centuries. Since the last time he roamed Earth, the humans advanced quite a lot. They had two world wars and many other events which had their technology evolve at a worrisome pace.  Even their way of transportation was... quite impressive for humans. It was his first time in an aircraft as he crossed the Atlantic from the Old World to the New, to the Americas where the current capital of his Kingdom laid. Amusing enough, now lead by a group called the Small Council. A group made by the most prominent Night Covens and their chief nobles.  Part of him wondered what their reaction would be seeing their King before them once again, but then he didn't had to wonder very much. News of his arrival broke and he found himself greeted by the same old ass kissers he knew all too well and a couple of new faces. All bowing deep to him as he entered the grand mansion.  Still not used to these new clothing pieces the society had, he loosened the necktie around his neck and stepped forward towards what looked like the throne they've improvised for him. None made a single sound, even the music stopped. They all showed their respect as he took his throne with the same dismay he had when he left the damned thing! Not a single aspect of this rather elegant and luxurious display of a ballroom they had going couldn't swat away his disgust. "Your majesty..." one of them begun bowing even lower. Gray hair gathered in a bun at the back with a leather strand, wrinkly face, trembling joints and a long suit... Vintage, is what they called it now. Fashion is what they called it then. Wrath remembered him as a mere boy of the Gale Coven, but then that's what you get from the Witch Coven. Powerful as they may be in their politics and games, they hadn't the lifespan of the Vampires or the Dark Elves. They had the numbers though, much like the Werewolves, however, unlike them, the Lycan folk held the strength and composed their army.      Why couldn't he remember his name?! "Tell me, Witch..." Wrath begun, his words rumbling off his tongue as he turned his eyes to the old decrepit man "...where's my Phoenix?" he inquired not because he didn't knew the man was two feet under by now, but because he needed to see and hear their answer! "Unfortunately, your majesty, Seether...." the old Witch begun. "Archduke Seether, for you." Wrath didn't contain his annoyance at any show of blatant disrespect. Especially when that mal intention was directed to one of his most trusted and dear friends. "Archduke Seether renounced his titles, his ranks and his power some three decades ago." the witch answered standing tall before his King delivering quite the blow!  Wrath frowned deeply. That was unlike him... "His reason?" "Well... he Mated a human woman." the witch answered and that had Wrath blink at him bewildered.  However, despite his foul mood, Wrath ended up barking his laughter. To think Seether, the feared and terrible Phoenix, the one who abhorred the simplicity of a human life ended up mating a human! Giving up his life in the Night Covens was a big mistake. He could've used his magic to keep his woman and himself alive. Then again, immortality became tedious to Wrath, why wouldn't it affect Seether as well? "Alright, go get him then. I shall have a word with Seether about renouncing his duties in my absence." Wrath begun if only to press his current Court more. "Your majesty, we've known nothing of him and the human family he's chosen since the day he stepped out of the Court, stripped of his power." the witch said. "Someone must know something of the man." Wrath gave out an easy friendly smile. "I assure you, your majesty, we do not." the man answered as if the mere thought was insulting. Poor soul was too young remember his King's temper, Wrath observed. "You might not, Witch, you've shunned the Archduke refusing to so much as think of a compromise." a woman he didn't knew overstepped her boundaries by speaking. "Shut her up this instant! You do not speak unless spoken to in the Night King's presence! Had you forgotten your laws?!" the old witch boomed and the woman nearly rolled her eyes at him, then looked at Wrath, despite some old werewolves trying to keep her back. "Your majesty, you may not know me, but I knew the Archduke and I've kept contact with him through the decades, despite our laws prohibiting us to do so with those who've chosen the humans over the Night Covens!" she declared fearlessly. "Enough, Patricia! Take my niece out before she says anything to harm herself!" the old witch boomed as Wrath needed to exercise quite the patience not to roll his eyes, though he did so internally. How dramatic... family squabble in the Court. There's a point where it becomes too tedious!  "Oh, let me guess, you won't mention the Demons returning and decimating our population, either?!" she roared being pushed by the werewolves out of the ballroom. Demons... Wrath's anger took the best of him for a moment there! Those bastards! His Mate died because of them! His blood boiled in his veins as the fires in the room flared up to the ceiling almost taking root causing an inferno! Should he had not controlled his impulses, the room would've been burnt to a crisp with everyone in it! "Enough!" Wrath boomed in the silent with horror ballroom "Unhand her!" he commanded and the werewolves did just so, releasing the woman who looked at him rather terrified "Approach and speak your name, girl!" he demanded in his kingly tone. "Patricia..." she said and did a curtsey to show her respect. "From the Witch Coven I presume." Wrath went on annoyed at their lack of manners.  "My uncle would want you to believe that, your majesty, but I've left my birthcoven and chose the Warrior Coven." she said as several shocks came through the room, some in the form of insults. Seemed like his Court didn't much agreed with this coven. "Patricia..." the old witch eyed her disappointed. "Oggle me all you want, I am proud of my Coven!" she stuck her nose up proving her words. "What Coven might this be, Patricia?" Wrath asked angling himself a bit to take a better look at the young woman. She wasn't particularly gifted or trained as a Warrior, so he wondered, what would her gifts be and what would her use might be in a so called Warrior Coven. "A Coven made to protect us, the Night folk from the Demons." she spoke filled with pride "We do not lay down or strike deals with the humans! We do what must be done!" dangerous words coming from such a young witch. She couldn't be older than 60. Practically a young adult in witch terms. She should be worried about learning how to control the magic around her at this age, not play the lethal game of war. With Demons nonetheless!  "And, Patricia, are you of any good in this war against the Demons?" Wrath asked if only to play with her a little. "We are now that we have the young Phoenix leading us." she answered with a proud grin managing to shock him once again! Not just Wrath, but the old Witch as well. Her uncle spat at the mere mention of that creature!  "Mind explaining your reaction, witch?" Wrath didn't hide his lack of appreciation at his brazen gesture.  "Aye!" the old witch looked at him most insulted "I was afraid it would come to this, your majesty, but that foul mongrel isn't worth your majesty's time!" "She might be a Halfblood, but the last time I remember, uncle, Halfbloods are allowed to take the Warrior path should they chose it! It was Queen Victoria's law!" Patricia declared fearlessly defending this halfblood in the Court. The mere mention of his Mate's name had him wince. Didn't matter how long it passed, the pain would stay. "You insolent little wench!" the old witch spat fury taking a hold of him. "Control your temper, witch or I shall have you removed from my presence!" Wrath warned him as he turned his attention to Patricia leaving the fool bow into submission all he wanted "Girl, tell me would this young Phoenix know more of her father's location?" "She would... after all, she visits her blood's crypt nightly before she begins her hunts." Patricia answered and she might've noticed the King's deep frown "None of us know many details of their death, but from what we've gathered, Demons attacked two decades ago. When we went there, we found her... the only survivor in the ashes." "And two decades later Seether's daughter leads this new founded Coven of Warriors." Wrath concluded the story wondering what horrors has the girl witnessed. "Bring this leader of yours here." he ordered Patricia. "Uhm..." she looked at him embarrassed "I would, your majesty, but for the decade she's lead us, she hasn't once stepped foot in the Court and she wouldn't now." "Not even at her King's request?" Wrath asked his eyebrows shooting up and the woman shook her head. "And why would that be, is she not a subject of our laws?" "We're not a sworn Night Coven, your majesty. I'm only here because her advisor, Blackfire the previous Alpha of the Werewolf Packs, asked me to inform your majesty of the Demon plague." Patricia announced "While Kayla is one of the best coven leaders we've chosen, she doesn't hold any interest in politics. Blackfire and the rest of us have been trying our best to convince her to come and speak in the Court..." "Ah, I see..." the King sighed "You are a rebel Coven." he concluded. "Hardly, your majesty." Patricia grew serious all of a sudden "We might've begun as a rebel Coven two centuries ago, willing to overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Small Council, however when we chose a leader, we adopt the leader's views completely. "Kayla would not have any of us attack each other, she would have protect our Nigh Folk, our blood and defend them from the Demon scourge! This plague that descended upon us, having our numbers dwindle more each passing year! "So, you see, this Halfblood, this mongrel as you call her, directed our outrage to more productive venues, serving us all good. Which is more to say than all you've done so far!" she added fuel to the fire, because some people just wanted to see the world burn. "Careful there, Patricia, your words might be interpreted as a declaration of war against me. After all, I am the one who ordered Seether to chose the Council and let it rule in my absence." Wrath warned her and Patricia kept her mouth shut. Smart woman. Maybe her use was her intellect. "The Crown thanks you for your report, Patricia. Step down and await further instruction." he dismissed her. "Now..." Wrath looked at his Court "The Small Council has until the break of dawn to present me with full reports on all your decisions and activity in the past 3 centuries also a report in the current situation of my kingdom!" he added as he got up from his throne and stepped towards the exit. "Your majesty, you've just arrived! Please, stay with us, enjoy the night!" some of his Court asked. "I am afraid I have other urgent matters to attend to than a ball thrown in the middle of a Demon invasion." he spoke glaring at the foolish Council members. "Come, Patricia, I have to pay the respects due to my old friends, Seether and see what this daughter of his can do for us." he added as he stormed out, not lingering a moment longer.