The Professor and the Starlight Phoenix

by Nathan David Ward

  “Robin! It’s good to see you made it!” said Teppi, climbing to his feet to greet Robin as he rushed over.

  “I didn’t think I would, for a moment.”

  Teppi drew Robin into a tight embrace. They held each other with no care in the world what anyone else was thinking, and Robin rested his head for a moment, on the shoulder of his fellow professor.

  “Have you seen Sachester?” mumbled Robin, his face still pressed against Teppi’s robes.

  “She’s about the foyer. Why do you ask? Did something happen?” asked Teppi, eagerly.

  “I need to speak with her, but I don’t know how. I don’t even think I can look her in the eye.”

  “Whatever happened out there, you did all you could. No one doubts that.”

  “I should have sent the creature back...”

  Teppi held the weight of Robin’s guilt, grief and sadness that was still lurched on top of him, anchoring him towards the shiny marble floor. Even though Teppi had never been too fond of the creatures that inhabited the Institute, a shiver ran cold down his spine as he listened to each and every word Robin spoke.

  “Those creatures are like children to her. What am I going to say, Teppi?” Robin brushed his hand against his swollen eyes as he took a step back, almost pleading to Teppi for advice.

  “I think Sachester would agree that you being alive is a cost worth paying - no matter what the price, Robin.”

  Robin raised his hand and pointed his finger sharply towards Teppi.

  “To trade a life? Those creatures have families! Their lives are in no way less significant than ours. I studied and worked with them for thirteen years, I should know. I had them eating pellets from my hand, and comforting students during times of distress -”

  Robin’s eyes widened, and his chest fluttered as detailed memories came flooding back to the front of his mind. Sharp, significant memories of his time as a Professor, and the smiles that the Slitherbacks brought to his students, “- no wonder my practises were questionable! But they were safe, no one was stupid enough to pose a threat. If I hadn’t been so selfish and just followed the rules, maybe they wouldn’t have suffered, yet now, even after all this time, they still want to help. Why is it that the ones who want to do good are so often punished?”

  Robin frowned as he remained lost in the depth of thought.

  “I didn’t mean it like that, I just meant that -”

  “More people would miss me, but that’s not fair,vhe has a family waiting for him, too. They’ll be waiting a very long time...” Robin’s lip quivered as he looked to the ground. A single tear drop splashed the marble surface, which reflected his face back at him as he cleared his eyes with the clean side of his hand.

  He drew a long, sharp breath, then lifted his head towards the ceiling.

  “I’m sorry, Teppi. I don’t mean to be a jerk. I just don’t respond well to loss, I can’t bear to look her in the eye...”

  “You hear me now: You were never a selfish man, you are everything but that. You said it yourself, Robin. The good are punished, and you saving the institute: It’s students, it’s all forms of animal and spiritual life; it came with consequence. The real enemy has returned now. When the sun is risen, we can mourn and celebrate the lives we lost, but we have to move forward and appear strong for those who look to us for hope...”

  Teppi’s eyes began to wander as Robin looked to him for reassurance. Then a cold, nimble hand fell gentle on his neck, and ran across the back of his collar and along his shoulder.

  “It’s ok,” said an understanding voice. Sachester had seemingly heard everything, and was now stood at his side, fighting the urge to turn him around as he stood nervously, glancing at her reflection beneath him.

  If the weight he felt was real, and his heart hung as heavy as iron, the ground beneath him would have already fractured, making way for his body to sink, but the psychological weight was something he had felt before. As his memories gradually returned to him, sparking life within his mind, they also unveiled the scars. Reminders of the times he had already survived and lived to tell the story.

  Robin took ahold of what courage was left and slowly turned to Sachester, glancing at her dark wavy hair before meeting her gaze.

  “Edmond knew the dangers. Slitherback aren’t stupid, they’re decisive. And even though he must have been distressed, he would have died proud, with a heart enriched with love. And that’s one hell of a way to go, wouldn’t you say?”

  Robin’s frown slowly softened.

  “If, that was the case, he went proud, so I may be able to find some forgiveness for my guilt, but we shall never know, not really...”

  “Don’t think I hold you or anyone to blame, Robin. These times we live in, they were never going to be what the Morient realm had hoped for. Loss was always expected, and as Teppi said, we have to make sure we bloody celebrate the lives that were taken as a result of our triumph over the darkness that threatens to cast our love, and passion into shadow!”

  In that moment, Robin found the courage to look Sachester in the eye.

  “I feel a bit silly,” Robin chirped, forcing back a smile, and wiping the back of his hand against the redness around his eyes.

  “I wouldn’t do that, they’re a mess, Robin. Why don’t you go have a wash, freshen up,” said Teppi, pulling at Robins arm.

  “So I can wine and dine the Count? I think not. Who I need right now is Grimtale, have either of you -”

  “Follow me,” Sachester interrupted, haven just come from speaking with him - so she led Robin all the way back across the foyer, towards the bellowing voice of the Institute's headmaster as he called out for Professor Yuri.

  He was stood amongst the working Enforcers; jacketless, with his shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows, his arm reaching as Yuri moved under his wing from behind a stone archway.

  “My friend, I’d like one final check on the stone fragment, just to be sure. We need an optimised acceptance charm to ensure the Count doesn’t waltz his way in here,” said Grimtale, walking beside Yuri with his bare arm hung over his shoulder.

  “I was going to suggest something along those lines. I’ll make my way down to the Dungeons, now -”

  “On second thoughts,” Grimtale interrupted, “Take this strapping young fellow with you.”

  Robin cracked a smile as he approached, with Sachester at his side.

  “It’s good to see you, again,” said Robin.

  “I had no doubt,” Grimtale added, as he placed his palm on Robin’s shoulder.

  “But truthfully, we never imagined getting this far, did we?”

  Grimtale gave a subtle shake of his head and glanced at the ground.

  “A little improvisation might be necessary. What happens once we defend this Institute, is something I wish for you to decide yourself, Robin. But right now, I feel your presence is needed by the side of an old friend.”

  Robin nodded.

  “Quite possibly, Professor. In the meantime, while I accompany Yuri, I can only wish you the best. And I hope the defences hold long enough for my return.”

  “If not, we will die fighting, won’t we.” Grimtale cast his sights to the chamber doors, “Go now. Take Robin with you, Yuri. Time is fleeting.”

  “Absolutely, Professor. Come on, my friend,” said Yuri as he made his way towards the back of the hall, cutting his way through the sea of enforcer bodies, as they brought more furniture to the barricade structure that was beginning to take shape across the centre of the foyer.

  Grimtale watched over the crowds as the heavy chamber doors opened and closed. He then turned to Sachester, who was lost in thought, clutching his arm and staring out at the gloomy looking pit outside the gates.

  “His Slitherback didn’t make it. He seemed pretty torn up about it,” she muttered, still fixated on the view beyond the gates.

  “You didn’t think he’d care?” asked Grimtale, with surprise in his tone.

  “Of course I knew he’d care, at least, I knew t
he old Robin would. He adored those creatures as if they were his own.”

  “See, the difference between the Robin we used to know and the one now, is not so clear. But his love now has a much greater meaning to the man who never wanted to settle, yet he has a wife to be, and a daughter he has taken on as his own. It’s simply struck a nerve that we didn’t realise was there...”

  As he explained, his words turned Sachester’s fearful expression to one of delight as she wrenched her attention from the cold metal gates to the dark brown iris of her lovers weary eyes.

  Under any other circumstances, the gatekeeper and the Headmaster would have never aired their true feelings for one another, however, with the strong scent of uncertainty, a lack of care glistened brightly as Grimtale drew Sachester close, held her firmly at the waist and pulled her body against his own. He seized his moment and sealed it with a long, drawn out kiss. Sachester smiled as she drew back.

  “Why don’t we just go back to Shoulders Heath, release the herd and fly. Build a cottage where no one can find us...” she fantasised, as she held tight to Grimtale’s hand.

  “Are you being serious?” he asked, with a look of surprise, “Is that really what you want?”

  “A future, no matter how we have to live it out. I know what this place means to you, but Grimtale, we really don’t stand much of a chance...”

  He glanced towards the golden chamber doors, then back to Sachester.

  “Chance...” he muttered to himself.

  “Yes, we could all disappear from here. We’d probably stand a far better chance that way!”

  “Sachester, Reapers would eventually find us, and kill us off one by one when we’re at our most vulnerable. Here, we can stand together and potentially put an end to many years of living in fear. Understand, I’ve lived in this fortress since the day of my promotion, that’s a very long time!”

  Grimtale reached into his trouser pocket, rummaging around before pulling out a coin and a heap of damp tissue paper. He shook the coin clear of tissue and placed it heads up in the palm of his hand.

  “Tails - we run through those gates and never come back...”

  “That’s not what I’m asking! I just meant that we can avoid any more death!”

  “For how long… tails, we abandon the Institute, my home. Heads... we stand, we fight, we endure the consequences, together.”

  As he stood there with his hand outstretched, the work carried on around them. The construction of the barricade was nearing completion and the front doors were being pushed together, shutting out the cold and the darkness.

  Sachester nodded as she glanced at the Morient coin which was cast in silver, with the likeness of sovereign Ambrax (Ruler of all the Morient realms) embedded at its centre, and made of ruby.

  Grimtale met Sachester’s gaze, then proceeded to flip the coin, swiping it from the air as quickly as possible, before it reemerged with one of its two ruby heads facing up towards a pair of eager eyes, and one, not so much. Sachester was totally oblivious to Grimtale’s bluff. He had never wanted to use his dirty trick on someone he wholeheartedly adored, but he couldn’t always agree, so he had placed his double headed coin against his palm, much to his discomfort.

  Sachester looked disappointed for a moment, then her expression changed to one of fear as the cumbersome front doors slammed together, pushed with a heavy hand by two grey coated enforcers.

  “It will be okay,” Grimtale reassured her, wrapping his heavy arms around her, suppressing fear and trying to ignite a long lost hope in her heart.

  * * *

  Yuri insisted that they pick up the pace as Robin’s curiosity got the better of him.

  “Have you seen Magenta? Did she make it back?” asked Robin, as he hurried past the Ruby Phoenix statue which stood alone at the centre of the dull, unlit chamber.

  “I haven’t seen her. Plenty of grey coats though - no surprise there. Would be nice to think they’re here for our protection, but you and I know otherwise.”

  Robin nodded as he caught up to Yuri, finding his way around Grimtale’s golden throne.

  “Their entire regiment was slaughtered at the foot of the Black mountain. There were these very odd looking creatures, Grimtale called them Veilers. They didn’t like the Enforcers one bit, or perhaps it was just the rotting stench beneath Silverstein’s flesh ...”

  Yuri turned to Robin as he approached an opening in the wall.

  “Yeah I heard about that, he had me fooled, that’s for sure. But not everyone, Grimtale had his suspicions, just nothing solid to act upon, good job he kept a close eye on him -” Yuri pulled a torch from the wall, then waved Robin on, “down here...” he said, as he took the first step down, into a tight descending stairwell, with only the light of the flame to guide the way.

  Their shoes clapped against the stone slabs as they carefully made their way down, into the underground passages that linked the various cells and storage rooms which were once dungeons during the dark ages.

  Robin could feel a slight breeze brushing against his sweaty forehead as he stepped off the stairwell.

  “The Reapers won’t be down here, will they?” he asked, dubious of further hidden passages.

  “No one has ever found the underground entrance, it’s still protected by the acceptance charm though. I wouldn’t worry,” said Yuri, lowering his torch towards the cobbled path.

  “Great,” Robin muttered, as he pulled his wand from his coat pocket. Its core was pulsating, it was still bright green, moving within the woodwork, flowing like blood.

  It cast some extra light on the narrow tunnel walls as Robin and Yuri pressed on, keeping a keen eye out for potential threats, but most importantly, the Starlight Phoenix, which was said to be lurking beneath the Institute. An Enforcer had already spotted it when it arrived, he said it had taken the stairwell and headed straight for the dungeons, but no one was brave enough to follow it, given the fatal curse that its razor sharp beak could carry - the look of the Veilers was far from appealing, so they waited, hoping that someone was brave enough, or stupid enough to attempt bonding with the creature. Thankfully, Robin was brave and crazy enough to do so, not to mention he had already done it, if anyone had earned the rights of control over the Phoenix, it had to be him. The one man that could show it his love and compassion, a life where it needn’t flee from those it feared.

  But the dungeons were far from friendly. There was a thick, unearthly presence making itself known to them as they advanced down what seemed like an endless tunnel. Robin felt uneasy - it was far too narrow, far too dark and there were strange noises echoing behind him.

  “Try and ignore it, Robin,” whispered Yuri, “ - they mean us no harm”

  “They? Who are they?” muttered Robin anxiously.

  “This place is old. You probably can’t remember, but some of the most devastating Morient wars took place in and around these grounds, above and below.”

  Robin hadn’t noticed the brittle skulls and bones laid against the sides of the tunnel as they walked by, which was probably for the best, even though he had seen far worse, Yuri knew the parting of their way was approaching, and Robin had to go on alone. With barely any sleep for days, his imagination was understandably in overdrive as the ghostly footsteps faded and the gentle breeze began to whistle around the cross section of the tunnel. Its walls were rounded with many archways, leading away to further rooms and tunnels - one of which was the stone room, where the powerful stone fragment resided - exactly where Professor Yuri was headed. The others were detention cells, and empty armouries that were used in the wars.

  “I didn’t see the Phoenix, so there’s no way of telling where it went...” said Yuri, as he glanced at all the openings, waving his torch in hope of casting some light on the situation; but it was far too dark, and the sound of dripping and the gusts of wind circulating the tunnels made it near impossible to further the search - Robin had no choice but to stand by his instinct.

  “You go on... come and find me
when you’re done, if I don’t find you first,” said Robin, with a diffused green glow coating the side of his face.

  Yuri nodded, then rolled up his shirt sleeves, “It shouldn’t take me long - if I were you, I’d try that one, there,” he pointed towards the largest opening in the wall, to which Robin proceeded to unveil, waving his wand around the shape of the archway. Stark green light reflected from the wet brickwork as his wand panned across it. Robin glanced over his shoulder, but Yuri had already taken his leave and was heading into the stone room.

  The air felt heavier as Robin took his first steps towards the side room. The atmosphere was different as he crossed under the arch of stone, keeping an eager eye out for the Phoenix as he followed the green emissions, pulsating a path of light through what seemed to be the cell block. Made of tough iron, the cells were tall and wide - supposedly built to hold monsters, judging by the bulging metal work and missing bars as Robin carefully walked by, listening closely to the sound of dripping as it became distant, and the gusts of wind less aggressive the further he moved from the entrance.

  The Dungeons were a dire sight to behold, left in an awful state of disrepair, it was obvious that no one had crossed the threshold in quite some time, as the cells that were still intact housed the remains of their prisoners - mounds of bones and hair, brushed against the walls to decay. Robin turned away as he passed, looking ahead to the distant glow as gravel crunched beneath his feet.

  “Hello? It’s me, Robin. You don’t have to be scared anymore, I’m here to help...” his eyes glistened an emerald hue as they searched high and low for a trace of the Phoenix, but only the sound of the wind whistling, and the damp wet trickling could be heard. Robin gave a heavy sigh of frustration, it was followed by a whimper, which echoed around the underground. Robin knew for sure he hadn’t made that sound, unless it was Yuri? But it couldn’t have been, surely? He was in the stone room...

  “You can come out,” Robin reassured the unknown presence, hoping it was the Phoenix and not something worse.