Phoenix's Nightmares and Dreams (56)

Pecado moved faster as she lead us to catch Meli and Cole before they reached the main nest. It was easy enough for both of us to keep up after dealing with Meli in the market place. We reached the others as they were waiting to be allowed into the main nest as representatives of Atlantis. Cole did not look back while we received a jaded look from Meli being trap with Cole as lone partner. His dress was removed showing simple travelling clothes he wore beneath it. The dress hung over one arm with the wing tightly clenched in the same hand. He attempted to wipe the makeup from his face but only smeared it into a mess of colour on his face.

“You should try harder to remove those colours from your face.” I commented. “Did you ask if you could borrow Meli's mirror?” I jested with him.

“I do not need a mirror to have a perfect face.” she remarked with a snicker. I made a small mirror appear in my hand which I held before Cole. He stared at his reflection while muttering obscenities under his breath. After a few more minutes of scrubbing with a cloth, his cheeks and lips were clean but his eyes and lashes still held a dark shadow of the kohl he had used. I said nothing as he grumbled. During this, Pecado had entered before us to verify if they were ready for us. She returned to the edge of the nest still smiling victoriously as she signal us to enter. We reach the centre of the nest where a dais sat crowned by a chair filled with a humanoid shaped collection of flaming feathers.

“Has Holy Annianka's Right Hand given wisdom to what perplexes us?” the feather mass bellowed. I realized quickly that those words were directed at Pecado.

“Many words of wise advise came through Lord Kestrel Meakita.” she returned merrily. “But I will need to confer with lady Mekiliean to confirm a solid path to take.” she reported easily. “May she and the noble guardsmen Sertian be allowed time away from these proceedings?” Meli glanced at Sert then me in confusion.

“It's acceptable according to the offer of assistance Her Holiness made to the Phoenix Race.” I commented calmly. Meli nodded her agreement to me as she moved to join Sert by Pecado. “Please take samples of the genetic lines of three different families as per normal genetic testing.” I whispered to her as she passed me. The slight nod answered my request silently. I waited until Pecado had guide my companions away before I spoke once more. “I will inform you directly that no all encompassing solution is available at this time.” I report sadly. “Mekiliean will collect samples for us to research more thoroughly this problem.” I continued easily. “As Her Holiness Annianka commands.” I added directly. I ignored the confused look Cole levelled at me.

“”Many thanks to Her Holiness for sending a discrete investigator.” he returned. I bowed deeply to him at this praise. “Now Sir Cole, we may proceed with honourable words from the Council of Atlantis.” he stated. Burning eyes moved in the mass of flame coloured feathers to stare at Cole. He stood frozen as he glanced from me to the leader of the Aery. I felt that I needed to clarify Cole's position to explain his shock at my comments.

“Cole acts as my personal attache to the Council.” I told the Phoenix Aery Leader. “But upon direct orders from Her Holiness I could not inform him of the true nature of my visit here.” I explained to Cole. I did my best to look contrite while I lied to him. None but myself and Annianka held knowledge of my true purpose here by my own choice. I did reconsider my decision when Sert offered perfectly needed information without prompting. Now Meli would be involved in the secret while Cole remained ignorant of it all. I stood relaxed as Cole turned to bow to the Phoenix leader. I remained easily on my feet for the four hours or so of debates, haggles, and final mutual acceptance. I was truly overjoyed at the fact Annianka would never even suggest such an ordeal for me to bear through. As we left the central nest side by side, Cole turned to face me.

“I hope you will be kind and explain to me why Her Holiness truly sent you here.” Cole stated calmly.

“Once everything is dealt with, I will explain what my mission of vain was.” I replied softly. “Sert offered advice without even knowing what he was truly dealing with.” I whispered to him. “Meli is simply following orders without explanation.” I continued quietly. “Do not feel bad for having been left in the dark.” I added.

“So we will have a meeting over this at some point after our return to Atlantis?” he returned quickly.

“Yes, since I will want more advice to help keep them progressing forward if we cannot solve the true problem they face.” I said calmly. “It is very complicated right now.” I told him. “If no answer is possible as Her Holiness fears, it may change everything for the Phoenix Race.” I concluded. I felt his stunned stare at me without seeing it. I left him in silence as another humanoid shaped phoenix meet us at the edge of nest to give us a tour of their Aery. Cole grapple my arm to pull me close to his face.

“Whatever it is,” Cole commented, “I trust your judgement like those I must serve.” He pulled away quickly. He shrugged at me while smiling sadly.

“I noticed how the Phoenix are the only race that refer to the Council with respect.” I returned.

“The Council has done everything it could for the phoenixes since it never feel under the Usurper's list of enemies.” Cole admitted coldly. “It was the only way the Council had to make many ambassadors escape Atlantis when the Usurper started her cleansing protocol.” he finally admitted. “The Council thought her corruption infected all her orders which were reviewed fully when she was exterminated.”

“Finding that those related to the Phoenixes were proper?” I returned bluntly. “Or were they too scared to allow any other race keep their position?” I remarked. “Or did they even care at all about any other races outside the Atlantians?” I retorted.

“None of that.” Cole returned. “We did not break ties with the Phoenixes as a whole because they are the only race that never set feet in Atlantis.” he admitted. “And they are seen as the only honourable race in existence other than Atlantis itself.” he confessed.

“It was a long trip Cole.” I commented. “Best we get proper rest.” I suggested. “I am sure Pecado will lead our companions to our roost early enough.” I concluded. He nodded back as one of the flaming angelic phoenix arrived on wing.

“This way.” he squawked. He did not ask or comment as he lead us to the vine covered edge leading to other ledges below. “You will need to climb down two ledges to the left.” he told us. Our guide knelt to grapple his front taloned hands to the vines on the edge to flip himself over the edge ready to climb downward.

“Would it not be simpler for you to fly down ahead of us?” I suggested calmly. He glance up at me in silence.

“It would be logical since you have wings.” Cole remarked. The angelic formed phoenix' face contorted into a grimace.

“Our leader sees it as impolite for us to fly while you crawl the earth.” he informed us.

“The reason we had Pecado as our original guide.” I stated calmly. He nodded back.

“Just fly it.” Cole retorted. “No need to clip your wings around us.” he added. I smiled as I nodded to our winged guide.

“If I had wings, my feet would rarely touch the ground.” I remarked with a smirk. He tossed himself from the edge to slowly drift to the next ledge. My stardust wings twitched with yearning to be used. “Shall we?” I interjected.

“Definitely!” he returned. We imitated our guide's climbing technique and scrambled down the vine ladder. The urge to allow my wings to carry me down to the next ledge was maddening. The breeze played with my hair teasing me to release my grip and fly on my own invisible wings. We repeated the process twice with a brief walk along the each ledge to the next left vine path. My roost reference was not far from from the truth of the simple looking shack that could easily be a farmer's roost for chicken.

“I am sorry that our accommodations for you are much less than others can offer.” the winged guide muttered.

“It will be fine.” I told him. He nodded back shyly as I felt the embarrassment filling him. “Maybe a story from the Phoenix' Myths will alleviate your unease.” I continued. I felt his embarrassment shift to curiosity. “Or a way of learning about a creature referred to as the Dark Phoenix” I explained in a near whisper. His look turned into a glare at me. “If possible.” I added. The feathers of our angelic phoenix burned brighter as his glare intensified at me in silence.

“Lord Kestrel has no knowledge of Phoenix history.” Cole remarked quickly. “If he had such knowledge, he would not dare ask such a disturbing question.” he continued. Our guide seemed to calm as the flaming feathers dimmed. Cole opened the door to our temporary dwelling ushering me inside. I bowed to our winged guide before entering. “Please forgive this oversight.” he added quickly. Cole entered and firmly closed the door behind us.

“Pecado acted more frightened than angry when she mentioned the Dark Phoenix to me.” I stated to him.

“Fear, anger, and even hatred best describes that monster from legends.” Cole returned bluntly. He stared at me with displeasure and confusion twisting in his mind. “But it is not exactly a legend since prophecy said it while be reborn and it has.” he continued.

“Explain.” I interjected. He motioned to the straw bundled across from the one he sat on. It brought back memories of being a kestrel in my mind as I took a seat in a nest like bed.

“Best to start with the original legend.” he stated slowly. I felt a thrill of fear crawl through him. “A phoenix was born with black flaming feathers but none of the others considered it an omen at first.” he explained in the same slow pace. “They soon realized their mistake as it grew faster and was more vicious than the other fledgelings.” he continued. I could see him shiver as he spoke. “The first Dark Phoenix began attacking and ingesting the others without mercy or cause.” he told me. “It took the combined flames of a thousand phoenixes to purge him from existence as he screamed he would return to feast on them all.” he concluded.

“And it was the pure form of the phoenixes that was required to end the deranged monster's life.” I surmised softly. He nodded to me in silence as I felt his fear ebbing slightly. “His last words being seen as a prophecy?”

“The prophecy came a year or two later.” Cole remarked. “It came when the first angelic form occurred during the fiery rebirth of one of the thousand.” he told me. “He had prophetic abilities that proved to be truthful visions.” he continued. “Including the cyclic return of the Dark Phoenix to plague them.”

“A cyclic return?” I interjected.

“Yes.” he snapped back. “But the time between incarnations is not precise ranging from one hundred to two hundred years.” he explained slowly. “So far another three Dark Phoenix have risen and been put down before it could regain its strength.” he continued calmer. “One hundred and twenty years between the original and the second incarnation.” he stated. “A hundred and eighty-six between the second and third while just to say a hundred and one years before the fourth and last known incarnation.” he added.

“And when is the next incarnation due to occur?” I asked. He shrugged back while my mind started brewing a plan of action against the Phoenixes if needed. “I will sleep while waiting for Sert and Meli to return.” I curled up on my straw nest-bed with half closed eyes. I watched Cole and the door while feigning sleep. An hour later, Sert,Meli, and Pecado entered in silence. I could clearly hear Cole snoring softly while feeling his mind as unconsciously lost in dreams. I remained laying with half closed eyes on the bed breathing in a deep sleep like manner.

“Is it clear?” Pecado whispered to me. Sert and Meli stood close to the door quietly waiting. I rose in silence signalling to my companions to step back out. We filed out without a sound to stand together on the ledge by our roost. “Any other advice?” she asked.

“I believe Meli and Sert has supplied all the pertinent information.” I replied. “Did you collect the samples?”

“Yes, while giving Pecado basic lesson ideas in elemental control.” she reported.

“Still must question what this is truly about.” Sert commented. “Or should we simply jump to conclusions?”

“That will have to wait until we return to Atlantis.” I remarked. “It is under Annianka's orders that I hold my tongue for now.” I explained in Atlantian. “Once the samples have been handed off in Atlantis, I will explain it to all three of you.” I concluded in common.

“And to assist speeding you on your way,” she began softly, “the leader offers winged travel back to your ship.”

“Much appreciated.” I replied quickly. “And while the leader agree to send a representative to Atlantis in the future?” She chuckled at my comment.

“If your suspicions are correct, it will happen soon.” she returned slowly. “But a solution may keep us from setting feet upon those shores.” she continued. “I am perplexed which would be preferable.”

“I believe you would enjoy visiting Atlantis.” I told her. “Even if only as a simple visitor.” I hinted.

“We will see Lord Kestrel Meakita.” she proclaimed. “Have good slumber and pleasant dreams.” she stated to us. She curtsied politely. “I will see all of you in the mourn.” she added. We responded in kind before entering to sleep in our straw nests. A soft knock woke us early the next morning. It did not repeat nor did a call for us follow the first lone knock.

“Morning already?” Cole remarked. He rose slowly to sit on the edge of his nest bed.

“Yes.” Sert returned merrily. He was sitting on they edge like Meli was. “How was your sleep?” he added. Meli and Sert stood to stretch out the kinks and knots from sleeping in a straw nest for the night.

“Good but not something I would become accustom with.” he replied. He joined them in stretching exercises to remove the issues of where they sleep. I slowly rose to stand relishing the pleasant memories from my previous life. “And how was your sleep sir?”

“Like a freshly hatched fledgeling.” I replied grinning broadly. They stared at me stunned while I smiled without stretching the night pains away. “I am sorry if my past avian existence gives me a nostalgic edge when sleeping in a nest.” I stated shyly.

“Or simply using your self-healing technique.” Meli jested back. I felt the minor tremors of magic like lightning running and swirling around Meli. She emulated my own nebulous healing as a static field being refreshed around and within her body. I smiled and nodded my acknowledgement to her fully learning one of my techniques.

“Much faster than stretching but truly no different in outcome.” I reported. She mentally scanned me as her eyes widened. “But not something I needed this morning.” I told her. Her jaw drop to the laughter of Cole and Sert.

“You were actually comfortable in that straw pile?” she muttered dumbfounded.

“He is just an odd bird.” Cole remarked with a chuckle.

“I would not comment when most referred to you as a viper.” I returned amicably.

“Better be seen as a snake than another feathered friend in Lord Kestrel's Aery.” he responded easily.

“Which means what?” Meli retorted.

“Quite simply little nightingale.” Sert said with a smirk “The Feline Guard Captain gave both of us bird types for quick referencing.” he explained. “These nom-de-guerre have spread through all the Royal Guards in our regards.” he informed her. “I am the sparrow-hawk of the group.” he continued easily. “But Captain Curd has referred to Colêsträ as the old viper of a crow but only the viper part has caught on.” he added with a chuckle.

“I feel lucky for that fact.” Cole returned. We all chuckled as we left the roost to find Pecado waiting for us. She curtsied at us smiling as she held out a candle. I barely felt the tremor as the wick sparked into flame before our eyes. “A new trick?” Cole stated calmly.

“It is a new exercise I have been practising.” she explained smiling brightly. I have made the arrangement for a flight back to your vessel in Bermeo's harbour.” she informed us. “I hope there are no objections to this means of transportation.” she added softly. I could see the smile turn into a sly smirk on her face. I chuckled as my team nodded vigorously back to her.

“A few hours of flight and we get to be at sea returning home.” Cole commented. “I see it as an offer that could never be refused.” he added. A round of agreement raised including my own voice in the mix. We followed in silence as our guide lead the way.