Phoenix Rising
Page 4
“Those crushed in the war probably deserved to die if their ideas held them back in such a manner,” Vyco snapped, annoyed that she’d go against each and every phrase he uttered.
Vyco gasped as he felt cold metal pierce the skin of his chest, exiting through his back. His legs collapsed beneath him. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a croak.
“Beings like you are the reason war happens. Beings like you are the reason I had to watch the ones I love get murdered. Falcon and Jayden were practically my nephews. You stole their innocence and their presence from me. All life without you in it would be much more joyous,” the being uttered, twisting the sword to be sure that Vyco wouldn’t recover.
Vyco felt his vision fade into black as his body fell backward, no longer containing the strength to support itself. He’d never seen it coming. That was something that wouldn’t happen again.
Vyco remembered clearly coming back to reality after that incident. His soul had been slowly floating through the atmosphere. It had taken him a while to regain his strength and even longer to find a suitable body to control so he could regain his position of power.
His kingdom had been in utter chaos, as there had been no true leader to step up, and a suitable hierarchy had not been established. The underworld had fallen into chaos.
Vyco wondered if Falcon had gained control over his kingdom, was watching it carefully. He was the strongest of his followers. Were Jessica and Falcon ruling in his stead while he recovered? While he hoped they were holding his world together, when he returned, he’d surely have to knock the two down and show them who was their true leader.
That wouldn’t be an issue. He enjoyed flexing his power.
Chapter Eleven
Devon
It was a picturesque view. The clear blue sky dominated the landscape, only filled with a few puffy white clouds. Vibrant trees full of life littered the ground, supported by the small creek that trickled through the area. In the background, mountains rose majestically, displaying the earth’s true grandeur.
Devon’s feelings, on the other hand, were anything but picturesque. He felt humiliated, dejected, lost, hurt, and angry. He wished it would all go away, that he could feel nothing, be numb.
How could Phoenix have chosen heartache, death, and suffering over peace in his arms? How could her friends have stopped her from a happy eternity of tranquility? Why couldn’t he be the man that occupied the entirety of her heart? He felt so lost. He was in love, head over heels, yet he was nothing to her. How could he continue being, knowing the person that completed his soul would never be his?
He wasn’t sure an eternity without her would be acceptable. Now that she was immortal, he didn’t have a chance to earn her love in death. He sat there, trying to decide what his future would be. He had no clue his future had already been decided.
Chapter Twelve
Allison
Ali woke. There was no light shining through the cracks of the cabinet door, and no noise in the house. She didn’t wake from a horrifying nightmare, but she felt uneasy. Something was off, and Ali wasn’t quite sure what that was. So she lay there with her head on the pillow, her eyes open, feeling much too uneasy to settle back into sleep.
A creek echoed through the house, causing goosebumps all the way up and down her arms and spine. She took a deep breath, trying to rationalize the sound, thinking it might just be a rat or creaking of the house like her mom warned her old places sometimes did. That thought didn’t last long because she heard it again. Closer.
“Think there’s anyone here?” A male voice echoed through the house. Ali’s heart skipped a beat. She curled deeper into the blankets, hoping she’d done a good enough job in finding her hiding place.
“Look at that dust. Those are some tiny footprints. This might be fun.”
Ali’s face froze in horror. She hadn’t thought about the dust, or the imprint she might have left. She scooted back farther into the cabinet, wishing it would swallow her and hide her away forever.
“The trail ends over here,” the first voice said suggestively, sounding much too close for comfort.
“This night might not be so boring after all.”
“The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout . . .” The man’s voice sang the lyrics as he drew nearer and nearer to her, making her tremble.
Her mother had warned her not to stay, had warned her to cover her tracks.
“Down came the rain . . .”
A single tear fell as the singing and the steps stopped.
I’m so sorry, Mama . . .
Chapter Thirteen
Vyco
A disturbance around him broke Vyco from his musing. The wind had pulled him farther along than expected. Ahead a small creek rumbled, and near the creek sat a weak being, hunched and unaware of the environment that surrounded it.
Vyco nearly decided to pass the pathetic creature when he stopped.
It was a good mortal sitting there, one who never should’ve allowed himself to be in such a vulnerable state. Amusement filled Vyco as he continued his analysis of the situation.
This immortal was weak, not in strength, but in mind. He was in a state where he could be easily controlled. There was so much negativity allowed into his soul, it would be a small push for Vyco to enter along with it.
It was quite a shame for the light being. At full strength he’d have easily been stronger than Vyco in his current state. He could have sensed the presence of his soul, and could have weakened Vyco further than he already was. But human emotion polluted the ethereal being.
Vyco carefully floated toward the being, knowing the job would be much easier without his knowledge, as resistance would create added work. Slowly Vyco pushed his soul against the light being’s soul, satisfied by the dark layer caked inside of him. The purity of a truly good immortal would have been enough to fight Vyco off.
The being let out a whimper, clutching his head. He had no idea what was happening to him. To the fairly new immortal it felt like a migraine, the pain growing to almost unbearable strength. Without proper training and knowledge, he remained unaware his mind was slowly being replaced, that he’d soon be a puppet for Vyco, a carcass to use, a body to manipulate.
He dropped to the ground and curled into a ball, moaning in agony. Vyco continued to push his soul to fully merge, already feeling the connection forming. With one last shove it felt as if he was speeding, dropping down a long dark tunnel, squeezing into a small space.
After a few moments the sensation stopped. A distant echo of the being he’d overtaken was present, but not enough to annoy him.
Devon.
Hmm. Interesting.
Vyco blinked, satisfied to be able to feel again. He stared at the cold dirt that pressed into his cheek before he slowly brought an arm forward so he could push himself into a seated position. Gaining control of a new body was always a disconcerting experience.
“Such strength,” Vyco muttered, quickly getting to his feet. He allowed his eyes to explore the new body, running his fingers along the smooth skin, feeling the flexing muscles beneath. This body was definitely more physically capable than his last form – a bonus.
Vyco ignored the sensation of the old soul of Devon fighting against his control. He was weak, and he’d be no match for Vyco. Later he’d peruse the body’s memories, maybe gain some valuable perspective, but for now he needed to figure out where he was, what his position in the underworld was, and how long he’d been out of the picture.
He refused to be forgotten. That wouldn’t do.
What is happening?
“Your soul is dying. Soon you’ll have an eternal death,” Vyco answered aloud.
Why? The voice was so anguished it almost made his head hurt. Pathetic emotions tended to do that to him.
“Because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Vyco answered, his new lips turning up in glee.
I don’t want this.
“Oh yes, you do,” he said with a laugh. “You’re heartbroken.” He began laughing even louder, the sound not quite right in this new body. “You’re in love with Phoenix Light. Good. Very good. Your soul will help me find her,” Vyco told him. There was relief inside the being’s mind at his words. “And then I’ll also give her an eternal death.”
At these added words, the soul inside him screamed. Vyco laughed with true joy. He was back. And all of them would now pay.
Chapter Fourteen
Phoenix
“Wait,” Jayden commanded, causing the entire group to halt.
They’d been making their way east in search of either survivors or enemy camps. So far they had sent three small groups toward Elise’s sanctuary with enough food to make it there. Jayden always listened for the groups as his senses were much more advanced than the others.
The three stood still, patiently waiting for word from Jayden. He wouldn’t have commanded anything without a reason, and in time of war there were no second chances. It was go time and they’d make sure they survived.
“There’s an enemy base a couple of miles north of us,” Jayden finally said, turning toward the three solemnly. “This is a good opportunity for us. The camp is too close for comfort to our own base, and it sounds as if they might have a helicopter unit stationed there. It would be a blow to the enemy to lose a resource such as that.”
“Then let’s do this,” Phoenix said, her mouth pressed into a determined line. Yes, she was terrified, but she wouldn’t show it. She would do everything she could to fulfill the higher duty that seemed to have been chosen for her.
“Do you have any idea how we go about this?” Brian questioned warily. He’d been a large part of attacking enemy bases over the years, and he knew it could get tricky, especially with so few people. He wasn’t as concerned for his own life, but it worried him to have Sadie and Phoenix there. He still didn’t grasp that Phoenix was now immortal.
“I have an idea,” Jayden responded. “Sadie, you’ve been working on your ability, right?”
“Yes. I’ve been able to activate it at will over the past few days,” Sadie answered with a beaming smile. She’d been working hard, and it was gratifying for her efforts to pay off in such a prominent way.
“If you could freeze the area, we could easily turn off power and communication without enemy knowledge,” Jayden replied, letting them in on the main aspect of his plan.
“That’s a large area,” Sadie replied nervously. “What if I can’t do it?”
“Then we improvise. We can freeze it room by room. Don’t think for a minute all of this is on your shoulders. There are many ways we can accomplish what needs to be done,” Jayden reassured her.
“I’m right here with you, Sadie,” Phoenix told her.
They stood together, side by side.
Jayden and Brian whispered together for several moments while Sadie concentrated on what she needed to do. She jumped when Brian next spoke.
“It’s go time.” The frown on his brow made her gently rub his cheek.
“Don’t worry, darling. We have a plan, and nothing will happen to any of us,” she softly whispered into his ear. “You are my world, perfect in every single way, and I’m grateful every day I get to be with you, grateful you chose me for your wife. Nothing will pull us apart.”
Phoenix and Jayden gave them a moment as they looked at one another with nearly identical looks.
“I feel the same about you,” Phoenix told him.
“You know my life is nothing without you,” Jayden said. He gently kissed her before he stood tall.
“We need to get started.” Jayden’s voice pulled everyone out of the moment. It was barely dusk, and Jayden could hear cutlery clanging against dishes, a good indication that many of the solders were gathered together in the dining hall, eating. The timing for the ambush was opportune.
Motioning his head forward, Jayden took slow and careful steps toward the perimeter. He knew he could go faster, but the others wouldn’t be able to maintain stealth at a higher speed, and stealth was more important than speed at this stage.
The group followed Jayden through the tree line. To their right, just a few feet away, breaks in the trees allowed for short glimpses of a used dirt road. Soon noises of life became apparent to the rest of the group, instilling a higher need for secrecy and quiet.
“Sadie, ten feet ahead of us and to the right, is the front gate where there are two armed guards. We need you to freeze them. If they release even one gunshot this entire plan will be compromised,” Jayden whispered.
Sadie looked forward, unable to see anything through the tree line, but fully trusting Jayden’s judgment; it had not failed them in the past. She took in a deep breath, feeling her chest tighten. Releasing her air, Sadie closed her eyes and reached into her core, feeling for the ball of energy that granted her ability. She focused on expanding the energy outside of herself, allowing it to encase those who stood before her.
Once done, Sadie opened her eyes. She glanced toward Jayden, crinkling her brows in question. She was too nervous to even speak. Jayden threw her a thumbs up before moving purposefully toward the front gate, trailed by the rest of the group.
As the four of them rounded the corner they saw two men posted as guards to the gate, solidly frozen. Jayden lithely stepped closer and plucked the machine guns from their frozen fingers before searching for more weapons. The search yielded a few packs of bullets, a loaded handgun, three daggers, a pocketknife, and a lighter.
Jayden began passing out the items, giving a dagger to Phoenix. She cringed, hoping it wouldn’t come to that. The thought of taking someone’s life, even if they were a terrible person, sent a cold shiver down her spine. She hadn’t yet had to do that.
Jayden continued to pass out weapons. He and Brian had the guns; they were more accustomed to the weapons and more willing to use them if need be.
While Jayden passed out more, Brian moved toward the two men. He used one of the daggers to remove the outer jacket of the man to the right. He started to cut it into long thin strips. He handed half to Jayden, and the two men worked to secure the enemy soldiers. They wouldn’t stoop to killing men who couldn’t defend themselves, but the guards needed to be out of the way when the effects of Sadie’s powers faded away.
Once tied and gagged to prevent noise, Jayden and Brian stood up and moved toward the gate, motioning for the women to follow.
“You have Sadie, right?” Jayden asked, turning toward Phoenix.
“Yup, we’re good to go,” Phoenix responded, clasping her best friend’s hand.
Nodding in understanding, Jayden turned toward the gate and allowed himself to slip into his true form. Light radiated from him, and he was more majestic than any being on earth.
“Always so beautiful,” Phoenix gasped.
“Agreed,” Sadie said in awe.
Jayden smiled before he grasped Brian and jumped over the wall, setting him gently down on the other side before landing. Following behind, Phoenix slowly moved over the wall, bringing Sadie along with her. Levitation, she had learned, was an added benefit to the power and duty that Josiah had given her, but she was still learning, and it took quite a bit of concentration to bring about the power, let alone use it on herself and a friend.
For an enemy base, the area seemed to lack protection. There weren’t men stationed about, although the noise that came from what Phoenix assumed to be the dining hall was a dead giveaway to the location of the troops. It just surprised her that, during a time of war, they could be so careless.
“Sadie, do you think you can freeze the entire dining hall?” Jayden questioned. With a large portion of men incapable of fighting back, taking the base would be far too easy. It was possible through different means, but that would surely simplify it.
“Yes, I think I can,�
�� Sadie responded, feeling much more confident after the success at the gate. She knew she could freeze small areas, and it wasn’t a large building. As long as he didn’t ask her something crazy, like freezing the entire base, she was confident in her abilities.
“Perfect. If you could freeze that, and the three of you could work at immobilizing and tying down all the men in there, I can go to the power and communication center and shut it down,” Jayden said.
He hated leaving them on their own, but he knew to get this done in a timely manner, splitting up was the best bet, and he knew they were all strong and capable.
“We’ve got it,” Phoenix responded, determined to prove herself.
She needed to show not only Jayden, but also herself, that she could handle the situation and the war in general. No more hiding behind Mom and Dad, no more forgetting her problems in the sanctuary where she’d spent a large portion of her life. She was a strong and capable woman who could, and would, accomplish anything she set her mind to.
Jayden sprinted away, moving faster than the human eye could track. As he moved, the rest of the group crept toward the dining hall. Phoenix and Brian stood watch while Sadie reached inside herself to pull out her power and continue the plan. After a moment she opened her eyes and grinned. All noise from the dining room hall ceased, leaving the area in an eerie silence.
Phoenix stepped toward the door and was gently pushed away by Brian. “I’m going in first. What if one person managed to fight off the power?” Brian explained sheepishly as soon as he noticed her affronted expression. Sadie glared, feeling a bit insulted that he wouldn’t have full faith in her ability.
“All clear,” Brian said with a grin, holding open the wide door for the girls to enter. The room looked like a scene from a movie. It was as though the pause button had been pressed at an awkward moment. Spoons, full of food, were held up midair, heading toward mouths. Some men halted mid conversation, mid chuckle, and even halfway through chewing a portion of their meal. There were at least two hundred men.