Tempest

48 :Let it Burn

Dean watched as the enormous Phoenix rose up into the air, moving its wings slowly as it got accustomed to its new form. He had no idea what the hell had just happened but he felt a new excitement swell within him. He took Cassey's hand and they rushed over to where they could see where his sister and her mate, in their new Phoenix form, had flown to.

The Phoenix screeched at Noah as it flew swiftly towards him. Noah ran towards it, his giant body causing the ground to shake as he left engraved footsteps in the earth. He punched at the incoming flying form which ducked away from his arm, ripping at it with its sharp beak in the process. Noah roared in pain and turned quickly, grabbing at its tail feathersWalking sideways. The Phoenix had already flown past, however, and all he caught was a handful of air.

The Phoenix turned and flapped its wings, floating above Noah as it studied him, as though deciding on its next move. Its brilliant red, white and yellow feathers glowed as it floated gracefully above the world. Then, with another screech, it attacked. 

When it hit Noah in the chest, the two got into a full blooded fight. Noah punched and pulled, with the Phoenix ripping at him with its claws and beak. The smell of their blood filled the air and feathers and skin were ripped from bodies. The growls and shrieks that were emitted from the fighting pair made the few remaining supers flinch.

The Phoenix did not let up. As Noah fought with everything within him, so did the Phoenix. The colossuses fought as though the world depended on the outcome of the fight, which in essence it did. Flesh tore, ripped by gnashing claws, teeth. Blows were traded, each behemoth trying to destroy the other. The Phoenix flew backwards and screamed in fury. Out of its mouth a pure white flame was discharged and it roared towards Noah. Noah was struck in the chest and flew backwards, the orb around him diminishing significantly.

Taking advantage of this tiny opening, the Phoenix flew towards him and slashed at his throat with its beak, pulling out his throat. Just for good measure, it dug its claws into his chest and pulled, flying upwards with the gargling Noah in its claws, his hands wrapped around his throat to try and stem the torrents of blood that streamed from his wound. 

Still in the air, its wings beating furious as it carried the massive weight in its claws, the Phoenix ripped and dug into Noah’s chest. Noah’s scream was a gurgle of sound, like a massive, clogged drain, as the blood gushed from his wound. Undeterred, the Phoenix dug into his chest until it raised its head in triumph, Noah’s heart in its beak. Then, it loosened its claws and dropped Noah to the ground.

As he fell, the orb of energy surrounding him slowly diminished and faded. By the time his body fell to the grown, the light had disappeared. The resultant impact caused a mixture of blood, gore and dust to rise up into the air like a giant mushroom. When it settled, long moments later, Noah’s body lay still in a shallow pit that had been created by his fall.
Above him, the Phoenix shrieked. It was a long, furious scream of victory. The sound died down suddenly as the carnage around it became clear. Dead bodies still littered the battlefield.

To the east stood Dean, Casey, Amelia and Damien. To their north Aida and her team of rescuers, as well as the freed captives, stood watching everything with wide eyes. 

This was all that remained of the supernaturals who had come to the war this day. Thousands of their kin had been slaughtered by a madman, leaving a few warriors who had come forth to take up the cause as well as those who had not been able to fight. It was a massacre of enormous proportions. Genocide on an unprecedented scale. 

The Phoenix let out a sad, muted cry as it flew over the war zone, looking at the destruction that had been caused by the war that should have never been.

“The Phoenix has great power,” Damien said softly. “In my thousand years of life, I have never seen one but I have heard stories of its capabilities. It can purportedly control life and death, destruction and creation.”

Dean turned to look at Damien, his lips tight, his brow scrunched up. “The death…” 

He could not continue, the sorrow in his heart filling his body, making it impossible to speak.
For long moments no one said anything as a mournful cry reached their ears. The sound came from the Phoenix and slow howls from those who were there arose. They mourned their families, loved ones. Their kin. The sound reverberated across the battlefield until it slowly faded.

No one moved. No one spoke. 

Shoulders sagged in defeat at the unimaginable loss that had been caused by Noah. 

Dean lifted his head and watched as the Phoenix flew higher, its wings flapping with enough force to be felt from where they stood. His grip tightened on Casey’s hand as he saw it flying over the battlefield. In its wake a golden stream of light flowed. Around and around the battlefield it flew, gathering speed as it circled the area where the supernaturals lay dead. When the stream of gold touched the soiled earth, a white flame arose. 

Round and round it flew, faster and faster, discharging the golden light which then became white fire until the whole war zone was covered by a white flame. This went on for almost half an hour as the Phoenix kept circling the affected area.

Finally, it flew high into the air, until Dean could no longer see it. Moments went by before he gasped. He finally saw it coming back down but something was wrong. It wasn’t flying anymore. It was falling. 

“Tempest,” Dean gasped. He made to run to where she would fall but Damien stopped him.
“Wait, please,” he said to Dean.

Conflicted, Dean stopped and watched as the Phoenix continued to fall, its wings outstretched but not flapping, its body barely moving. Finally it reached the ground and crashed into it, raising a thick layer of ash into the air.

Unwilling to wait any longer, Dean ran to where the Phoenix had fallen. Where his sister had fallen. The ash was still in the air but the white fire was no longer burning. He stopped for a moment when he reached the edge of the white, dusty ash. After a slight hesitation, he held out his hand and prepared to step into the white dust.

Just as he was about to step into it, he stopped. 
The ash slowly dissipated from in front of him and he gasped. He raised his hand to his mouth as he fell to his knees.

“Oh my...”

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31 December 2020
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