//------------------------------// // Phoenix Rising // Story: A Change of Heart // by ChaoticHarmony //------------------------------// Chapter 14: Phoenix Rising Unfurling his wing with a flash of red-hot fire, he dived into the mass of black-shelled monstrosities. As he dived, he was struck by a wave of green flames, obviously intended to kill him. He felt only a warm touch on his coat as he passed through the fire, red flames of his own trailing behind him. He slapped his wing across the first changeling’s face, the flames flowing from the feathers catching on the being’s carapace. He felt a cold satisfaction at hearing the creature screech in pain at the fires burning through its shell. Whipping around, he caught another changeling in the face. He glimpsed it clutching at its face as it fell to the ground quickly engulfed in the fire that burned from Phoenix’s heart. He danced through the black masses, still trying in vain to strike him down with fire of their own. Phoenix couldn’t help but smile at their stupidity as they fell again and again to his inner flames. He cut a wide path through the crowds. The changelings he set aflame ran into others, setting those alight as well. Phoenix was a cyclone of fire and death. The changelings that were closest to him felt his wrath first, though the rest of them would feel it eventually. He was blasted with green fire again and again, but it fazed him no more than a soft breeze would. He smashed his iron-reinforced wing into black-coated bodies again and again, feeling nothing but satisfaction at the crunches and screams that he was the cause of. Every single monster that he set ablaze or crashed into with a fury was a monument to his love for Cherish. He had to kill them all, or they would go after her again. As he thought that, another wave of anger washed through him, and he spun through the crowds with renewed force. Soon they were all gone, burning into ashes on the ground. Phoenix stood in the middle of a wasteland of fire, screams, and black ash. Nothing remained but corpses. He heard a swift flapping above him, almost like an insect’s wings. He looked up just in time to see a couple of changelings clad in blue armor dive towards him. Dodging to the side, he turned to his new opponents, wing aflame. They looked towards each other and nodded, both of them adopting a low stance. Phoenix was expecting another round of green fire to be cast from their lit horns, but instead they charged him. He hopped to one side, catching a hole-ridden hoof in his chest. Grunting with pain, Phoenix slashed at him with his wing. These changelings were obviously trained, as the one who struck him avoided his swipe with ease, jumping back to stand with his companion. Coughing up his already limited blood, Phoenix began to circle around the square, keeping the distance between the two equal. They charged him as one. Phoenix was all too familiar with this tactic, having to fight off multiple bullies in flight school. They came at each of his sides, and jumped high into the air with a jet of fire and a flap of his wing. He didn’t get as high as he wanted, having only one wing, and he began to descend towards the two confused warriors. His wing smashed into one of them, and his hoof into the other. The one who was hit by his wing fell onto the ground, knocked unconscious and set aflame by Phoenix’s diving attack. Unfortunately, the other one only backed away dazedly. Shaking his head, the changeling fighter took in his companion’s corpse. With an anguished cry, the fighter charged towards Phoenix Wings. Knowing he couldn’t pull another surprise attack, Phoenix crouched low and prepared for the first contact. Their hooves crossed as they exchanged the first punches. Phoenix felt the jagged back edge of the fighter’s hooves cut at his own, but he gritted his teeth against the pain and fought on, barely able to keep track of the punches that were thrown his direction. Phoenix hissed with the pain that lanced across his body at every misjudged block. He felt the wounds of the changeling’s attacks throb in time with his dying heart. Jumping back suddenly, he was granted a moment of reprieve as the changeling swiped at air. Extending his wing, Phoenix leapt back at the fumbling changeling, catching it in the chest with the metal edge. He watched as the changeling staggered back, his coat on fire, and then made to attack him again. This guy just doesn’t know when to quit! Phoenix shook his head and slashed at the flaming monster with his wing again. He was a good opponent. The least I could do is kill him quickly. Phoenix turned away from the flaming corpse, If only I’d get that luxury. Odds are, if they all die this easily, then I’ll die of my lack of blood first. He searched the square for any other signs of life. Nothing remained there with him but corpses and ashes. His fire burned dimmer than before, and he felt the weakness start to grip him as he panted in the square, alone. His blood dripped onto the ashes in the ground, flowing from his many injuries. He heard a chattering behind him, and he turned to see a wave of black heading towards him, all clad in blue armor. Doing the only thing he could think of, he backed up into the street leading to the portal steps. He would hold them there, or die trying. Oh wait, that’s right. I’m already a dead pony anyway. They charged towards him, stomping over their former allies’ ashes in their haste. Phoenix knew that they would be forced to fight awkwardly on the stairs, and that meant he could kill more of them before he died. With a roar, the first changeling leapt up the steps, only to be met with an iron-reinforced wing smashed into his face. The unfortunate monster fell blazing into the crowd, setting those he fell on ablaze. More and more of the black atrocities made it up to him, to be cast down again by his whirling wing or his punching hooves. He knew that he couldn’t keep the fight up forever. He knew that he would die here, on these very steps. He refused to stop fighting, knowing that the more he killed, the more he would show his love. Nopony else would see it, but he would, and that would be enough for him. Smashing another monster’s face in, he reeled back to crush two other’s skulls with his front hooves. Before he could crush them, he took another jagged hoof in the side, and was knocked off balance. He screamed as the fangs tore into him. He tried to fight back, but he was held fast by the changelings who were sinking their teeth into his coat. He felt a feeling of coldness grip him as he began to go numb. Those… punks are stealing…. my….. Emotions! Phoenix could do nothing as they drained him slowly. They seemed to draw out the death on purpose, as if they wanted him to suffer. This wasn’t how he wanted to die. He wanted to die in combat, not helplessly getting the emotions sucked from him. His mind started to cycle through his life, the memories coming unbidden. Flash He was just a young colt, staring after Cherish as she walked out of her first day of school. He thought that his heart had nearly stopped when he first saw her. I mean, who wouldn’t love a pony like that? Flash He sat crying in his room. His parents had just yelled at him for breaking another of Flight School’s numerous rules. Those colts were asking for it! They were being mean to Cherish! I just slapped some sense into them! Phoenix later learned that they spent a week in the hospital after he hurt them. Flash Cherish was smiling at a joke he had just said. Her face was so pretty when she smiled. How could anypony want to mess with her? He was gripped with the urge to kiss her right then and there. Shocked at his own thoughts, he stood there staring at her until she stopped laughing. She looked at him for a moment, “Well….. I suppose I have to go now. That’s my sister calling my name.” She rolled her eyes and leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Phoenix hadn’t been prepared for that, and he sat there dumbfounded as she giggled and walked away. Flash He opened his eyes to look at the sky as he felt the rest of his emotions drain away from him. It was a light blue, just like Cherish’s coat had been. He would never see that beautiful shade of blue again in his life. He felt his emotions rush back into him, giving him one last breath of life. “Goodbye Cherish.” And then Phoenix Wings, along with the changelings around him and the portal itself, exploded in a nova of white-hot fire.