phoenixstories

[phoenixstories]

End in fire.

The black smoke swirled in the breeze coming through the broken windows near the top of the town. This wasn’t the plan, but plans change from time to time. I watched as the banners of the nine realms slowly caught fire and began burning. The fire crawled its way up the finely crafted and embroidered cloths, and I smiled. Somehow this seemed more fitting than what I had planned at the start. 

I hadn’t planned to kill everyone. I had actually meant to let a good portion of them go. But after what had happened in the last month. Sigh. The pain, and death, and destruction. This would serve better. A threat. No, a promise. To the next person, or king, or god that dare to cross me or hurt those that I love. The smoke was starting to get thick and coughing sounded around the room. They’re finally waking up. Smiling. Out of the pan and into the fire. Laughing I said, “Oh great and powerful lords and ladies,” They would struggle to see me clearly, but my voice and words would make it known who had cast their die against the so-called leaders of the free lands. “I regret to inform you that your payment has come due.” “Lady Cain!?” A voice coughed. “How?! How are you here?!” It demanded as another coughing fit rattled the voice's owner. The smoke really was thick now. “My dear Lord Sabin,” I said with a wide grin, completely lost in the field of smoke we were all standing in. Well, I was standing. They were on their knees where they belonged. “When you and the others stormed my keep, killed my servants, my family, my love Seara, and then tried to kill me, you all forgot one very important thing.” I waited before continuing. Making my way to stand atop the head table. “You didn’t make sure I was actually dead before you set fire to my kingdom.” “You’re a monster!” Another voice shouted. “We should have taken your head and put it on a spike!” A third yelled between coughs. “Yes, you should have.” I said. “Know this,” I placed my right foot on the side of a barrel of Dragons Fire that I had paid an unsuspecting servant to bring in before the party had started. “Today you all pay the dues you owe. I sold my soul for a deal to see this act done.” Glancing through the smoke, my altered eyes found my target. “Great King Odice, you die first.” I applied force to the barrel and it toppled over spilling the bright red liquid across the king, and all the lords, ladies, and guards that remained still breathing. 

I thrust my arm forward, as the flame that had been building in my left hand shot into the puddle and it erupted in a bright flash of fire and light. I must have miscounted the guards however, as someone tackled me from behind straight into the flames. This was acceptable. I hadn’t come into this expecting to walk out alive.

“If it is to end in fire,” The guard who had tackled me shouted. Gabriel? She shouldn’t be here! “Then we will all burn together!” “They say the screams of the dying could be heard twenty floors below in the courtyards. They also say,” I said, leaning back in my chair and closing the book in my lap. “That the number of bodies they found later was incorrect. That two bodies were missing.” The wide eyed children gasped and started asking questions.

“Miss Cain,” A small girl with bright fiery red hair called. “Is this story about you?” “My dear sweet Seara,” I replied, placing a scared, three-fingered hand on her head and giving her hair a slight tussle. “It’s just a story, my love.”

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[phoenixstories]

Does it hurt?

“Does it hurt?” Erin asked, watching Rylee grit his teeth any time he moved. They had been traveling together for only a few weeks, but she did genuinely care about his well being, and that fight looked like it took more from him than he was willing to admit. When he didn’t answer she repeated herself, more sternly this time. “Rylee Stormbrand,” She said. That got his eye contact at least. “Does it hurt?

“I will survive.” He said through a clenched jaw while cradling his right arm. Shoulder was dislocated, there was an alarming amount of blood seeping through the holes on his left side where the bandits sword had made it through the armor. Who was this woman to worry if I am alright? He thought.

Erin watched as he placed his left palm on his right shoulder, just above his armpit, and gave a sharp thrust. The loud POP signifying that the joint was now back where it belonged. Groaning in pain, Rylee slid down the cave wall he had been leaning against until he felt the hard cave floor beneath him, and relaxed into a seated position.

“Not what I asked.” She replied. This boy, no, she had to stop seeing him as a child. She may be four years older than him, but at twenty-one Rylee was a skilled swordsman, intelligent, and beyond any man she had met her own age, or even some much older. “Listen,” He coughed. “That guy's sword bit deeper than I’d like to admit.” He removed a strap on his side as more blood ran down his side. “Think that your healing power will help?”

“I could stab you myself for not telling me right away.” Erin snapped as she quickly came to him and placed her hands against the wound. The area grew warm as a dim light glowed from her palms.

“Honestly,” He said, gritting his teeth. “If you put more holes in me I might actually be in trouble.” She watched as the pain began to recede from his face, and his ragged breathing normalized.

“Next time,” Erin said, placing her hand against a wound on his leg and applying pressure until he groaned in pain again. “Do not make me ask twice.”

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