My immortal phoenix.

by Lieral

Chapter 20- The darkest hour.

I walked through the giant trees of a forsaken forest while singing an ancient lullaby. Since a long time ago singing is one of the few pleasures I still have, and doing so inside such a gorgeous forest is a nice change, and perfect for getting philosophical.

This is not an empty world. Sure, there is no trace of human life anywhere, but that does not mean that the planet is dead. Huge insects were trying to stay away from me, jumping, flying, scaling the trees and doing whatever they can do to run away.

A monster that was half human and half bull (Minotaur) was trying to keep eye contact with me while walking slowly toward somewhere else.

I smiled. Honestly, I do not know how do I feel about it.

Happy? Proud? Superior? I do not know, but I know I like it.

I worked hard to be where I am. Dozens, centuries and even millenniums have passed since I was that small and futile girl that was locked in a cell by those pathetic humans that one day colonized this world. Beings worthy of pity, and unworthy of any trace of piety or respect.

Or maybe almost all of them...

It took me some time to notice that I am in fact walking a trail that I so many times already did, and as soon as I noticed this fact my smile faded away.

Bellow two particularly big trees and in front of a cavern that one day was my prison lies two tombstones and graves.

It was no surprise to me, in fact, I killed those two by myself... And also I am the one that buried them...

I never had the smallest respect toward the humankind. And obviously, I never regret anything I did. I was fighting for so long against it that both I and Sunset became legends here. A mysterious god that never appeared in front of anyone, and a fearsome devil that wanted to erase everything.

That was more than enough to keep them under the firm grasp of their own fear.

I sat down. This is definitely a nostalgic vision. There is already a few years since I have come here. Their remaining definitely already disappeared as a trace of smoke.

And yet, here am I, looking at this symbolic place without even having a decent reason.

Those two are special. Both of them capable to do the biggest of sacrifices for their beloved... Even if their beloved will never be able to know the truth, and they will spend the rest of eternity being remembered as traitors or cruel beings.

Celestia and Luna... I still remember their names.

Many tried to defy me, challenge me, or even kill me, and all of them failed miserably. But of all those, this blue haired woman was definitely the most challenging of all.

And because of her, my only objective was reached. The human kind extinction.

She ratter destroy the whole of humanity, destroy Sunset's heart and even do the greatest of the sacrifices and yet be remembered as a villain than to let Sunset know the truth.

And the other one... She's probably the only being that knew a small fraction of my suffering.

Maybe that is the reason I am here. Watching them laying on the bottom of their own graves gives me a hope that one day I will be able to be at their side...

What futile hope.

I turned my back at them. No word was needed from me, no one would be able to listen anyway. Now, I will go after my objective... My last objective.

---

Leaving the darkest part of the forest I reached that place: a fountain that literally shines at the dawn. And not even a little far from it there is a place I will always remember. A lonely stone where I can see the landscape below that one day was a prosperous village.

But from where I am I can no longer see it for two reasons: The first is because a few millenniums ago I reaped every life there. And the second one is a little tricky...

There is a monster there.

I observed it silently for a few seconds. That thing is in a sitting position with its legs crossed, and it is not as big as many monsters I killed, actually it has around the same size as a bugbear, around 9 or 10 feet tall but this is not the tricky part.

I have never seen that creature before.

It apparently has a humanoid form, but it will never be able to fool anyone, it is white and seem to be related to dragons. Its body structure seems ridiculously muscular, yet it does not look like a brutish brainless man. Actually, speaking of a brain, I think that thing has three of them, one for each of its draconian heads. It is white, but there is some kind of strange black thing flowing from each shoulder as a river, almost as if it has two wings made of pure shadow.

But more importantly: How come it is not scared of me? Maybe it just did not notice me yet...

"This is a very peaceful view, do not you agree?" A very calm and masculine voice spoke, and it is talking with me.

I narrowed my eyes. Most monsters can speak in their own languages, and my natural magic allows me to understand them, but he is talking with me as a human does. Whatever is this guy he does not see to be one to underestimate. "What one?" I asked. My voice is a little weak since there are a few days I had spoken the last time.

"This one," He pointed at somewhere, so I closed our distances with confident steps so I can have a better view of whatever he wants to show me.

I looked down and saw the village I had destroyed. The burned wood of the houses are still there, but nothing seems to live there since them. "It is nothing more than an old ruin."

"Yes..." He said without any of his heads looking at me, but I can see that all of his eyes are red as roses. "Those woods were of high quality one day,"

"The woods?" Why have not I killed him yet I wonder? Maybe I just miss the chance of having a conversation every once in a while, since I lived with Sunset when we make amends after our initial differences. "Is this what you were looking at?"

"You look at this place and see ruins," His right head spoke since it was the closest one to me. "I look and see a painting,"

"Painting?"

"Look at the moonlight," He simply said. Frankly, most monsters would have noticed the differences in our powers already, so why have him not? Them I noticed, I can not feel how strong he truly is, actually, it is almost like he is not here.

Interesting... Okay, I will play your little game.

I looked again at the village, and suddenly I understood. There is a river passing after the village, and the moonlight is reflecting on it at the same time as it reflects that ruined place. I smiled.

"Technically, this is something I did!"

"Indeed," His deep voice seems to be resonating as he spoke calmly. "I could not do better," Looks like he is being honest, so why I am feeling a little uneasy?

"And have you ever tried?"

"Not in a long time," I almost laugh.

"As if you know what is a long time," I crossed my arms. I looked at him and was taken back by something. He is smiling too. But it is not a happy smile, instead, it is a sad one that I very often see when I look at my own reflection on a river.

A small insect climbed his legs and soon reached his hand. "Time... What is the time?" He philosophically asked and stretched his hand toward the village. His nails are long and sharp, actually, it is more correct to call then claws. The insect walked back and forth for a few seconds, and then, finally flew away from us.

"Why have you not killed it?" I observe as the insect disappeared into the distance.

"Because there is no need to," He closed all of his eyes.

"So, what is your objective here?" I asked, but he stood silently. "If you said 'there is no need to', then there is a reason why you do whatever you do, Am I wrong?"

"Objective... Yes, I have one," He opened his eyes, and they are seen to be sadder than ever, just like two big stones of ruby, but the middle of it looks like a blazing inferno of magma. "However, I will never be able to reach it in this world."

"Huh?" I finally uncrossed my arms. "And what is it?"

"Maybe, I can understand you better than you think," He said and stood up. As I said, he has no more than 10 feet long, but for some reason, I am not inclined to start a fight with him. "That is all I can say about it. But I have a small advice that may help you reach yours,"

"And what is it?" I asked without really caring. As if he knows my objectives.

"Just remember," He started to literally disappear, first his legs, and then the rest of his body, fading like shattered petals. "The darkest hour is just before the dawn." He finished his phrase a second before truly ceasing his existence.

"The darkest hour, huh?" I looked at the horizon as the sun is just starting to rise.

I do not know what he wanted to say, but one thing I know... He wants me to meet Sunset as much as I do. Why? I have no idea. But I can say one thing. "Worry not, Sunset. One day you will come back here... And I can wait as long as it takes."

Comments

[Silver Fox]

Damn, that guy got Thanos'ed

[Lieral]

9699468
That is definitely a way to put it.