CHAPTER THREE

TEN YEARS AGO,

"Now Jake, i will tell you a story of a very special girl with supernatural powers" His mother said as she sat down with him on the bed.

"Is it a super hero story?" Curious little Jake asked as he looked more anxious to hear the story out.

"It is more than that my son. It is a story of a courageous, fearless and a dauntless protector" She said as she smiled.

"Go on mother, i am quite interested in hearing this story. It sounds so awesome" He smiled as he nestled into his mother's arms.

"A very long time ago, at the beginning of creation to be precise, Our Creator came to this planet to see what can be done to make it more useful. He thus created everything you see around us, the land, water, trees, animals, every thing natural he had made. He named it earth. He went back to his home and as powerful as he is made seven Protectors whom would watch over the planet and make sure it is safe.

To the seven he gave immeasurable powers. He then created mortals to live on this planet, and the seven Protectors guarded and watched the city from above and never let their guard down.

"Among the seven Protectors was the youngest, Alinda. She was the only woman among the Protectors and so she was considered a weakling judging by the fact that she was a woman. Her powers seemed to be nothing compared to the rest as all she could do was to transform to a bird with a horn and a tail with many feathers. She was thus regarded as the Phoenix. Her powers always seemed to surface truly on the season of winter and then she was more powerful.

One day, there was a quarrel between the other six Protectors. They argued about who was the most powerful of the seven. This brought so much argument that the earth became unguarded totally and the world became polluted and different atrocities came to light. Mortals did bad things and there was no one to correct or put them in the right way.

The seventh Protector was not strong enough to be at the seven posts at the same time so she in turn used all the powers she could fathom but was only able to remove half if the bad deeds that the mortals had started practicing. 

When The Creator got to know about this, he punished the six and removed them from their posts. He sent the six of them down to earth to live among men. But they made their own kingdoms and became even more evil than the mortals them selves.

He rewarded the Seventh Protector and made her the only Protector giving her powers anyone could ever imagine. 

Seeing what the six Protectors had done to Earth, the Protector made it her mission to go to earth and cleanse the planet from all its evil, even the evil the demoted protectors had brought with them.

But it was not all in her favour as she died while battling with the first Protector, The King of Summer. When the Creator had seen this, he blessed the Phoenix with much more power and power of reincarnation. If the Phoenix dies then every five hundred Years it reincarnated till it fulfils its mission here on earth which was to get rid of the Protectors.

So every time she was reincarnated she sets out to defeat the next protector and when she dies, she reincarnates after five hundred years to defeat the next. It was so till she had defeated five of the protectors.

The sixth was the King of Spring. When the Phoenix came to battle with him he took her powers and then he made himself The Ice King. The Phoenix died and soon will be reincarnated after another five hundred years and the legend says that when she reincarnates for the eighth time, she would be mated with the destined king who would be made to rule the seven worlds of the Seven Protectors, transforming all to the power of winter.

And till today the reincarnation of the phoenix is still expected and the new born King as the prophecy foretold.

"The End"

"I wonder who the King would be" Little Jake wondered loudly as he looked at his mother.

"Only time will tell my dear son. The true their is closer than you seem" She said as she smiled. 

PRESENT DAY

He often wondered when the Phoenix would come and sometimes his mind goes off to the story of Marixona. For some reason he felt there is some connection between the two stories but the more he seemed to understand the more he became more confused.

And now he could see the exact replica of the tattoo consisting of all his mother had described as the Phoenix. He held his head as he suddenly started feeling headache.

It was always the same, a crushing pain just on one side of his head that came and went in a pattern. For some reason there was always a headache whenever he tries to remember the stories and when he tried to think of what the stories mean. It made him want to pace about, he couldn't sit, couldn't lie down or relax. One eye would water on the painful side and his nose would run.

He hated it.

Standing from the side of the bed, he held his head as he walked to the kitchen. He wanted to hear some water so he could use it to clean the girl's body as she was still out cold. Having gotten the water he walked back to the room and got a towel. He then started to use it to clean her body slowly but tenderly. He made sure he cleaned every part of her body that not covered with her clothes. He then used his blanket to cover her.

Now he knew he would be making use of the floor tonight. He glanced at the clock and that was when it suddenly yawned on him. 

His father would not allow her to stay in with them. After the death of his mother, his father had results to getting drunk. He never had time for Jake anymore and he was always out. His father never liked women right from the day his mother passed on and he always gave him the beating of his life whenever he helped someone in need or maybe bring someone to the house to stay for the night. The last time he did that to a girl his father raped the girl while he had helplessly watched.

So there certainly was no way he could let him know about her.

He might either throw her out in the cold again or he would mercilessly rape her. So he had to keep her safe.

Until she wakes up at least.

Because for some reason he believed;

She was his responsibility.

🔮

The old, yellow and brown leaves hustled in the wind, as the sounds of dead, weak trees, creak at every push the wind gave. It's the end of fall and the air is colder than an ice cube, as it climbs through my jacket to the bottom of my spine. Most of the leaves are already gone. And the sight of every living thing coming to an end, depresses me. The crumpling of the brown stiff leaves creates a home to many animals that need a place to hid during this time of empty sorrow. 

The birds have ceased to sing no more so Sam Gunnigham  used this as an opportunity to enjoy nature to its fullest. He must take this time to enjoy whatever is left here in the woods. It has always been his best friend, even ever since he had climbed up his first tree while he was just seven. It has been his rock and foundation of his life ever since he had lost his family.

Pushing the aching thoughts aside, he tries to enjoy nature instead of remembering all that had happened to him when he was just a young boy, because anytime he did it brought old memories and hate for the King. He won't ever forget what that man has done to his family.

"We still do not know how to find the Phoenix, not that we have seen her face once" One of the guards said to the Chief Guard who seemed to sigh in tiredness as they walked a lonely bush path.

They were ten in all and they seemed to be heading to nowhere in particular. Having searched and searched for days they have still not found whom they were looking for.

The woodland seemed ominously quiet. They paused, now that even the sound of their own footfalls was silent, all that could be heard was the susurration of the leaves in the gusty wind. Looking up, they were transfixed by the myriad of fluttering leaves that danced in the high boughs, making a living roof above them. They were calmed, almost hypnotised, but the longer they stared the more the leaves looked like eyes staring back down at them and the boughs seemed to draw closer, blocking the sunlight as if they were forming a cage around them. He knew where they were.

They were at the Forbidden Forest.

They took some steps further and from afar they saw a very old lady, a gnome to be precise carrying wood on her head. Mere looking at her, you could tell that she was very tired and hungry.

"What could a very old lady be doing at the middle of the Forbidden forest?" He asked himself as he looked ahead again. But his heart went out for her as he could see how tired she was. She needed help with what she carried, and he was going to help her. Sam hastened as he walked up to this woman and bowed his head as an utter sign of respect.

"Good Morning ma'am" He greeted, making the old woman look at him despite the heavy load she carried.

The woman is clearly old but fighting it every step of the way. Her hair is jet black and the white skin of her face looks too tight. Her lips have been fattened and her eyelashes are false. What she can't hide is the redistribution of her body fat. Even with countless hours of hot yoga her waist was thicker and stomach more relaxed. She was at the point that the more effort she made to appear youthful the worse she would look.

"Can i help you? This load you carry seems to be too heavy for you and i would love to help you" He further said as he smiled at her.

"You should not....."

"Please. I will not be at rest till i have helped such a Kind old lady" He said as he went ahead to lift the wood off the woman's head and carried it on his shoulders.

"Where do you live ma'am?" He asked again.

"I do not live far from here kind old sir. Thank you for helping and old woman" She said as she smiled then left the way to where she lived.

Why would an old lady like her be living in the forbidden forest? He knew himself that this forest was dangerous judging by how it came about. Dragons and many beasts live around this forest and for an old woman to live in the middle of death baffled him. He did not have a problem with surviving inside this forest but she?

"Sam what are you doing?" One of the guards whose name was John asked, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"We are supposed to be looking for the Phoenix not helping a tattered looking old lady" He further said as he eyed the woman who still led them.

"Watch your tongue John" Was all he said before he noticed what was before him.

A derelict house stood before him, repugnant and mouldy. Only fear anchored his feet at that moment in the darkness. The sky has started to darken, rain threatening to fall. An immense storm could be heard in the distance, echoing through the spooky night. Lighting ripped the inky sky. The silver hues of clouds became as silver, swirling, ripples radiating. I crept to the paint-crumbling door amid low struggling trees.

The rest of the guards seemed scared as they walked back in utter fear.Adrenaline floods his system, It pumps and beats like it’s trying to escape. He thought his heart will explode and his eyes were wide with fear. His body wants to either run fast for the safety of the hills or to the crate of weaponry, but instead, he remained where he was,  pouted to the spot where he stood. He could face it, but there was really only one thing he could do: Pray she does not kills him. He want to take one great leap off the pressure plate and run to safety. His adrenaline seemed to surge so fast he almost vomit, he could taste saliva thickening in his throat and beads of sweat trickling down his brow. At some point he will have to move, or run and he would have to live with what I get, if he even survived then he had his lucky stars to thank.

Sam gulped as he looked at the woman who turned to look back at him and smiled. There were three words echoing in his mind at that very moment which made him shiver and shake.

"She is a witch"

Witches were not at all common in their land or anywhere. They were believed to have gone extinct hundred of years ago after the Phoenix had defeated The King of Autumn. It was even his first time seeing a witch and his instinct tells him no doubt that he was standing face to face with one. He couldn't tell if his face portrayed fear or worse but truth be told,

He was scared.

He turned around to search for his team mates but caught them running like a herd of chickens scooting to survival. 

Cramp! He was alone.

But still, Sam pushed his face closer, his mind ordering his body to fall in line. Retreat would be a disaster, a show of weakness an inlet for the enemy to surge through. Nothing in his face betrayed his fear, it was a mask of defiance and surety, that's why he was the Leader he knew he could be. The fear would need an out of course, he wasn't going the way of the others gibbering in their hammocks, but there was a time and a place and this sure as hell wasn't it.

"Please drop the wood here" She said as he jilted, trying to act strong. He put the wood on the ground and stood.

"Why do you not run away like your friends?" She asked as she took a step closer to him.

To say the truth he didn't know, all he knew was that he was going to pee in his army pants.

"I do not know Ma'am" He tried to act brave.

"Come with me, i would like to repay you for what you did for me today and also for not running away too" She said as she smiled and almost immediately, turned into an eagle, flying towards her house.

Now he has one prayer;

When she kills him, let she tear his skin in big portion because he did not want to die a slow death.