The Phoenix Chronicles

The smoke and ash began to clear revealing a low moon over the destroyed city. The screams had entirely stopped and the wind blew the stench and smoke away. The world had already begun to move on as it always did from such tragedy. The moment was more than either could have expected three hours ago, when their deadly fight began. Zane began to seize and his hand grew very cold. He slowly turned his head and raised his free hand to her hair in an impossible attempt to straighten it. He always commented how pretty her hair was, it was a memory Cynthia had always cherished. She allowed his touch and could not help but feel a deep regret about how everything turned out between them. Once they had been the shining beacon of hope for the world, now they were a symbol of all that was wrong. Tonight, they just finished killing their fifth major city along with most its population. They had plunged the world into the darkest pits of warfare, burning everything in their wake. She turned her glowing sapphire eyes to Zane, whose own eyes had begun to dim from a bright emerald to an almost normal green. “I truly hope our heirs don’t carry on our hate,” Zane whispered as he closed his eyes. His burnt hand slowly fell, brushing her cheek and smearing the dirt with a tear from her dimming Sapphire eyes. With his last breath escaping, he whispered “No… more… regrets…” His final word barely more than an exhale. “We shall see what happens my love,” Cynthia whispered, knowing he was already gone. A loud crash rang out over the night as the Eiffel Tower finally succumbed to the heat and toppled over. Ash once more shot into the air, joining the dispersing mushroom cloud which still menacingly hung over the night sky. “Fortunately, that choice will no longer be in our hands,” she whispered. She closed her eyes as death enveloped her and the Sapphire Phoenix died for the ninth time. Cynthia suddenly found herself in complete darkness, a cold fear surrounded her as she sat up. She felt her wounds were gone and knew she was within her Mind’s Eye. A small light appeared and a metallic pool formed from it. Within the pool, a doctor was seen standing next to a man with dark black skin wearing a white coat. He picked up the newborn and stared down, expressionless, rotating the wet babe, inspecting it as an inventor would inspect a new device. He handed the newborn over to a young boy who looked down with a warm smile. A cry broke the silence of the darkness as the vision from the pool rotated to see another baby, still wet from birth. “Hi Andrew! I’m Trevor! That baby over there is Rose. You’re a part of our family now!” cooed Trevor. He was handed the second baby. Andrew was rotated to see an exhausted woman with light blond hair, “Hey Rose, this is your brother Andrew. You don’t have to cry anymore; I promise to protect you both forever!” Trevor happily promised. The twins quieted slightly as Trevor hugged them in soft blankets. “This is so weird,” Cynthia said to herself. She watched her next life’s first moments in awe. It was a surreal feeling, seeing the world from the perspective of a newborn. “Yeah, well, we have a plan to make things normal for the kid here,” said a man, appearing from shadows. He was dressed in black dyed leather with a variety of colored feathers hanging from his raven black hair under a wide brimmed black hat and large sapphire earrings dangling from his ears. His wide, obnoxious smile always had Cynthia wanting to punch him in his smug pirate face. “Jacob, what are you guys planning now?” Cynthia moaned, just now realizing she was going to be trapped with him for all of eternity. “Come along, the others are awaiting you,” Jacob answered, turning and walking off into the darkness. Cynthia shrugged and followed. “Not like I have anywhere else to go,” Cynthia muttered, leaving the simmering pool.