THE WRETCHED

THE PHOENIX

"The magical fields of Phoenicia," Kastor moaned, stretching out his hand to a leafy green plant that stood tall an inch from his knees, he smoothed his thumb and forefinger on the large lively green leaf, "just look at how stunning it is," he added.

The group stretched their eyes to take in the amazing green fields of Phoenicia. Fiery red flowers,  purple deep flowers, yellow bright flowers and the green leafy plants that grew side by side across the field like a multicoloured royal carpet, "it's often compared to the magnificent fields of Asphodel but it's not as magnificent," he added, spreading his hands on both sides like a cross, he took in a deep breath that cooled it's way throughout his body as it cooled his lungs, "it's so beautiful," Jenna cried out, her eyes hogging the view. The beauty of the field could rival any garden on earth, not even Rocky's eyecatching garden came close to what her eyes feasted on. She wanted to run across the field like a little girl and smell each flower on the field like a relaxing ASMR.

"The Living Lands don't even hold such beauty," Maia added, "it's so fresh and nostalgic," she choked out.

It evoked an emotion deep inside; happiness, freedom and nostalgia stirred inside their hearts. Nike closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of a white flower close to him, "simply magical," he said.

"Yeah, it's beautiful. It's not as magical as you're making it seem," Alec snapped at them. He thought it to be a stunning field but nothing special as they were going on about.

"Stop being such a bore!" Hero teased.

Kalli closed her eyes and started spinning like a lost little child in a newfound paradise. Hero chuckled, she looked beautiful while smiling; she always did but he thought she glowed, the yellow sunset glow hitting her face made her look like an angel just descended from the heavens. He felt an incredible amount of love well up in his chest, "race you," he called to her. She abruptly opened her eyes when he tried to grasp her hand, she ran in front of the others, laughing as Hero chased her down the fields. It all seemed so perfect, a glowing yellow sunset, two laughing teenagers running across the field and Alec rolling his eyes at them. Maia watched how Kalli ran across the field, her tunic flying behind her like the wind was carrying it. She didn't want to feel the small lump that formed in her throat, she wanted to push it down and not feel the flattery feel in her tummy that came up whenever she saw Hero, she wanted to know how it felt to be loved by him like a lover and not just a friend. She looked away, her eyes teary. She was cross with herself. What would people think if they knew she was in love with her sister's boyfriend? She wiped a stray tear from her left eye. She wasn't a good sister, she thought, otherwise she wouldn't feel the way she did for Hero. She hated the way he made her feel and the fact that she loved it.

"Maia, let's go," Jenna teasingly hit her on the shoulder.

"A minute," she replied, prepping herself to smile before turning to face a smiling Jenna.

"You have red eyes," Jenna observed, her eyes sweeping over Maia's face, "what's wrong?" she asked once she noticed Maia's distressed state that she tried to hideaway.

Maia smiled," nothing," she said, she pulled Jenna's hand, "we should get going," she started walking, pulling Jenna's reluctant hand.

"I'm in heaven!" Arold shouted, his hands in the air as he ran across the field shouting.

The others followed, even the unimpressed Alec smiled and decided to follow them shouting that they should wait for him.

Gregory rose from the camp, his wings growing from the sides of his back in a majestic glory that would baffle any man. He flapped his wings off the ground, pushing the dead dry leaves in the air as he ascended the sky. His body grew small silky multicoloured plumage of brilliant scarlet, crimson, purples and gold hues. The clouds parted willingly at his ascension as he soared over the fields of Phoenicia. It was mandatory for every phoenix to scout the fields for signs of Nephilim or vampires and sometimes and it happened to be his turn to perform the ritual; he didn't view it as a duty but rather a hobby that gave him a freedom that the confines of the Phoenix camp hadn't. He heard the voice of a human girl laugh, he stopped, he stretched his hearing further and the soft voice of the girl once again rang clearly in his ears. He decided to descend. The sound of his wings flapping in the air stopped the happy teenagers, their eyes rising to the sky in a ewe as a beautiful bird descended down and stood before them, its large magnificent wings resting gently on its body. Alec couldn't get his eyes off the deep blue eyes that shone like sapphires, the depths of it like the blues of the sky in the setting sun. The twilight pierced through some of the silky feathers to reflect a twilight of stunning colours spread over them. 

"Who are you and why have you stretched this far to the phoenix lands?" the phoenix asked, it's hard red beak barely moving. Arold's eyes went wide open, his eyes trying to figure out where the sound came from. He stepped towards the bird, his thin hand raised to touch the beak of the bird, he could barely believe what he was experiencing was real. The bird stepped back, it's sapphires eyes lit like a blue fire. It morphed into a human, standing before them in a white tunic wrapped around his wait down to the lower thighs like a romper. Arold jumped back in shock, not expecting the sudden change and the angry look in the man's blazing eyes, "you don't dare touch my beak human!" he roared.

Arold scrunched his face, "why? It's not like am poisonous," he replied.

Alec facepalmed, Arold had no chills at all, "Phoenix doesn't like it when anyone comes close or touches their beaks," he explained, pulling the other boy back. As if his eyes couldn't be bigger, Arold's eyes went wide as he realized that it was a phoenix.

"We come from the Living Lands, "Hero explained, "we are in search of the four rings of the apocalypse,"

"The four rings?" the phoenix repeated, "are you in cohorts with Aeschylus?" he asked, his eyes gliding across them in suspicion

"Absolutely not!" Kalli exclaimed in horror, "I couldn't be caught relating with those blood-sucking monsters,". her lip curling up.

"The seer has sent us on this journey to acquire the rings and take them to the Golden Well," Nike explained.

"You have to come with me," the phoenix said.

"What is it with creatures asking us to go with them?" Kastor asked.

"We almost got killed by an evil enchantress in the forest!" Nike added.

"Why should we come with you?" Jenna asked, "we have a quest to fulfil," she never thought she would ever be saying those words.

The phoenix tilted his head up and held his hands together at the back while his legs spread in a stance, "you have no other option," he said.

"We do have the option, after all, we aren't trying to pick a fight with you," Arold replied.

The phoenix chuckled, "it's not like you would win," he said, the others chuckling except Hero who frowned.

"All we want is to safely retrieve the rings," Hero said, his face a mask of indifference.

"Then you would be wise to follow me to the phoenix camp. The Bennu will be honoured to establish a rapport with you and help you in fulfilling your search," the phoenix said to which Hero nodded.

"We're always getting kidn*pped by some weird creatures," Arold complained, a grimace on his face.

"This isn't a kidnap," the phoenix clarified, "and I am not weird,"

"It's not like we want to," Arold grumbled.

"Maybe it would be wise of you to shut up," Alec who stood next to him whispered, "he might just set you on fire,"

"He can do that?" he whispered back, his sassy claws retrieving.

"I think so, didn't you see those fiery feathers?"

Arold gave the phoenix a side glance and decided to be quiet for the time he would be with the phoenix, better safe than sorry, he thought.

They followed the phoenix across the field and came to a hill that was littered with hard hard rocks that grew along the hill making it look like a small mountain emerging from the earth. They went down the hill and came to a clearing with several tents that were built on clear glass stones, the multicoloured tents stretched for about a mile to form a circle and at the middle was the biggest tent that stood out from the others. The territory of the phoenixes was surrounded by thick acacia trees that formed a canopy at the top and between them was a violet suspension that glittered in the fading twilight.

"What is that?" Jenna asked.

"It's the protective curtain of the phoenixes. It keeps predators away," the phoenix answered as they came to it. He pulled out a knife hidden in his cloth and cut lightly on his thumb releasing blue blood, "you can only get through if you have the blood of a phoenix," he explained once he saw the confusion in their eyes, "you just need a small smear on your forehead,"

Hero who was close to him was the first to feel the warm blue blood on his warm forehead, he felt a jolt like shock pass throughout his body and a sense of happiness grew from the pit of his stomach, his sore muscles relaxed and the tiredness in his eyes disappeared and was replaced with fully awoke eyes, "this feels good," he commented, feeling slight dizziness.

"Powerful stuff!" Nike exclaimed just as Gregory was done with him, "I can't imagine what a full cap of this would do!"

"Would probably make you euphoric," Jenna offered.

Thye followed the phoenix into the camp, passing through the purple curtain without a hindrance. They were taken into the main tent where a tall man with shiny bronze skin sat on a stool as he drunk a glass of wine. His blue eyes lit when they entered his chambers and a smile spread over his lips, "the eight of the quest grace me with their presence," he stated, his eyes falling on Arold, "I have waited to see you," he added. His smile broadened when he saw the confusion in Arold's eyes. His eyes fell back to his glass of wine as silence reigned in the tent.

"My lord, I found them straying in the fields and decided to bring them here," Gregory said, his words laced with uncertainty as to how the Lord had known of the quest.

"You did well Gregory," the lord said, his blue eyes warm when he rose them, "come with me," he added. He passed them with a lightning speed that left Arold amazed as to how he had done that in seconds. They quietly followed him outside. The sky had darkened and the stars had come out, a blue moon cast a dim light across the territory. Arold stood next to Hero, his eyes taking in the sky as Hero's eyes surveyed the neighbouring tents. He could see the faint shadow of someone eating in his tent and on the next tent was a shadow of a couple hugging each other from behind? His forehead creased, his eyes trying to see what was happening when he heard Arold's chuckle next to him, he frowned at him and then his eyes caught on what was happening in the tent, "a little privacy would be good!" he cussed.

"Not with these tents," Arold chuckled making Hero shake his head before gazing at the starry sky.

"Wish I hadn't seen that,"

"Look at the sky," the Lord said, his eyes hard on Arold and Hero. They both quickly gazed at the sky. A magnificent view of the sky taking their breath away. The sky had cleared up and only had eight stars that seemed to glow brighter than Arold recalled.

"Eight warriors, eight stars," the Lord said, "you are the eight warriors, the eight stars in the astrology of man is strength. Karmic balance is restored but it can not be done without you," he explained, "you hold the power of the eight but so do you hold the power of the five and the three,"

"What do you mean?" Jenna asked.

"I mean that you all hold the power to restore the karmic balance of our universe that has been disrupted," he explained, "darkness won't only reign here,"

"That's more misleading," Arold cut in.

"There's always fun in a puzzle," the Lord said, the corner of his lips twitching, "take them to the visitors' tent, Gregory. They have a month of training to do," he walked back into his tent so fast that they only caught sight of his long robe as he disappeared inside.

"Why does he speak in parables!" Nike cried out, "I couldn't understand a word he said!"

"He's wise, he knows," Alec answered as they followed the phoenix.