The Rio the Darkness Saga Remastered
Rio the Darkness 1
Chapter 1: Prologue
Greetings one and all, I'm back after a near three year break. Now I know you may be thinking, "Rico, you said you retired!" That is true, I did. But allow me to explain: this story isn't new per say, this is a remaster of The Rio the Darkness Saga. This means all six stories within this saga are now rewritten with better storytelling, dialogue, fixed spelling and grammar and much more to be offered.
Each chapter, I will also be giving shout outs to classic authors who have been on this archive for years and have earned a place on my personal favorites. If you don't see your name on this list, don't be offended. Each shout out will contained justified reasoning and not just put there for favoritism. Won't be doing one this chapter since this is only the introduction. Big thanks to Loco Vampire for his amazing artwork as the story cover, don't know anyone who could have done it better. Thanks Gale.
Anyway, let's get into the story. This is chapter 1 of The Rio the Darkness Saga, starting with the first story that started the adventure: Rio the Darkness. Enjoy your time reading and don't be afraid to leave reviews on your thoughts. Can't improve if you don't tell me your thoughts properly. Enjoy reading.
-Rico.
Blue macaws. A once beautiful and peaceful species that homed the jungles of Rio were now bought to the brink of extinction. Many would believe there was no hope for their species, but that did not stop the last of their kind from meeting. Blu and Jewel, two opposites from completely different backgrounds, had been brought together through unusual circumstances. While their initial meeting started off hostile, their relationship turned from acquaintances, to friendship and to love.
It all begun at the end of their previous journey. With the various captured birds freed from their cages, the only two last birds of their kind remained on board. Knowing it was only a matter of time until the barricade they created collapsed, their priorities were to now get out of here.
Determined to escape as soon as possible, Jewel did not hesitate to grab Blu's wing and forcefully pulled him towards the edge of the ramp. "We've gotta go! Come on!"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Blu pleaded as he yanked himself free from her grasp, freezing in his steps as terror paralyzed him.
It took a few seconds until it dawned on her why he had abruptly stopped: his flightless. Though freedom was literally right outside, she could not leave without Blu. After everything they had been through, all their journey together, she refused to leave without him. Turning, Jewel approached Blu and gently held out one wing.
"Um, it's okay, hey, it's okay. We'll figure this out together, right?" Jewel soothed, her wing still held out towards him. Blu, although terrified at the thought of leaving this plane, felt reassured to know he was not alone. He returned his gaze towards her, almost mustering a smile.
Her comforting expression soon changed to one of her terror as a familiar face was approaching. "Look out!"
Before Blu could responded, a strong force knocked him to the ground, followed with his throat grasped as he was pinned down back first. Nigel, the evil cockatoo that had personal antagonized them for long, had returned to subdue them. He cackled in delight to see his enemies at the mercy of his grasp.
Enraged and tired of all the torment Nigel had put them through, Jewel had enough. Unwilling to stand back and allow Blu to suffer, she leaped forward and attacked without fear. "Let him go!"
Swiftly, she attacked Nigel and clawed at his back, digging her claws deep into his feathers. Despite her fierce personality and years of fighting experience, she was simply no match for Nigel's brute strength. With little to no difficulty, he slammed her away towards the wall of the plane. She hit the wall with a strong thud, landing down with her back half against the ground. Unfortunately, the impact of the attack had caused a stacked cage to fall from it's position and landed directly onto Jewel's left wing.
Upon impact, she released a cry of pain as the bones in her wing were snapped out of position. "Ow!"
"Jewel!" Blu called out in concern.
"Ow, my wing," Jewel whimpered, her anger now perished and changed into one of pain and fear.
With both blue macaws subdued, there were no more threats to stop him. In a sarcastic taunt, Nigel mocked their efforts to stop him. "Oh pity…Now we have two useless, flightless birds."
As Blu struggled, Nigel tightened his grip against his throat. With little time remaining, Blu acknowledged he was the only one who could stop Nigel now. Acting on instinct, he scanned his eyes around the area until the landed on the familiar fire extinguisher and attached cable he previously used to escape. He had an idea, a risky one but it was all or nothing. Outstretching his left talon, he grabbed the hook of the cable and with all his might, attached it to the end of Nigel's leg.
The cockatoo looked down curiously. Blu glared towards him, his eyes filled with determination. "Not cool, man, not cool!"
Without another word, he removed the pin, setting the extinguisher off that yanked Nigel towards the front of the plane and out the small window. Quickly recovering, he stood and rubbed one wing against his throat, catching his breath back. He wasn't certain what became of Nigel, but the couple of white feathers shredding past gave him the right idea.
"And that's how we do it in Minnesota," Blu announced proudly. However, it wasn't long until his expression changed to that of concern as he turned towards the injured blue macaw beside him. "Jewel! Hang on, I'll get- "
Their small victory was short lived as the plane begun to spiral out of the, jolting the area around them. As the plane begun to dive, the various cages begun to fall from the back. Along the way, Jewel was caught by gravity and begun slipping down the ramp. She panicked as she desperately tried to crawl with her good wing, screaming out for help. "Blu!"
Quickly, Blu chased after her as fast as his talons would carry him. He was so close, just inches away as she fell from the plane. He could only watch her plummet towards the ground, desperately flapping one wing to fly. "No!"
There was nothing he could do. With only one wing, Jewel had no chance of survival. If he stayed behind, the crash of the plane would no doubt meet his end. Either way, there was no hope.
No, there was something he could do. Jewel didn't deserve to die alone, he owed her that much at least. If this was their end, then so be it. Heisting for a brief second, he closed both eyes and jumped after her. Along the way, it was not long until the high altitude and shock had caused him to pass out. His mind flashed to an unfamiliar memory. Falling. That's all he could see, falling towards the ground at a young age. Now history was repeating itself.
In a short time, Blu opened his eyes and screamed upon realizing the situation he had got himself into. Shaking off negative thoughts, he caught up to her and then without hesitation, he wrapped Jewel in his wings as they both slowly spun around, falling in mid-air to their doom.
Though her wing was in agony combined the fear she was experiencing, her eyes widened in shock as Blu stood before her. Why would he jump after her like this? "BLU! You are crazy, what are you doing?!"
"I'm not going to let you go! We're chained-to-each-other-birds, remember?" Blu reminded her, staring into her beautiful eyes for the final time. Seeing her beautiful face, her gentle eyes and soft expression reassured Blu he had made the right choice. He didn't jump after her simply out of loyalty.
Blu jumped because he loved her.
Shocked and touched by Blu's risk, Jewel finally understood these feelings she had been experiencing ever since their dance at the club. She thought this was the sensation of friendship, but no, this was love. Without hesitation, she lunged her head forward and their beaks locked, bringing them into a passionate kiss.
No doubt caught off guard by this sudden affection, Blu's eyes initially widened with surprise. Before long, he closed them and cherished this feeling, never wanting to let it go ever again. As their descent towards the ground, something different was beginning to rise within. A feeling that he had never felt before. It was different, but good different.
"It's not what you think in here, it's what you feel in here."
As the familiar words of his old friend echoed within his mind, the feeling of his heart beating and beating a lot faster than it ever did before. As seconds passed, Blu snapped open his eyes and just as the ocean came into view, his wings spread as he gently gripped Jewel in both talons, flying directly past the ocean and towards the morning sky. The kiss from Jewel had finally awakened Blu's heart to the samba.
Stunned, Blu examined his wings as he flew, still in disbelief that he was flying. "Oh, wow."
Jewel was just as amazed, a huge smile raised across her beak as she cheered. "Blu, you're FLYING!"
"Yeah, you're right, I'm flying. I'm not an ostrich! I'm not an ostrich!" Blu enthusiastically screamed out at the top of his lungs.
It was a dream come true, one that saved them from certain doom. Freed from his limitations of being a flightless bird, Blu did not hesitate to enjoy this newfound experience as he soared through the air, flying as cautious yet free as possible. Jewel remained excited as she whooped in delight. Their amazement changed to one of fear for a moment as Blu narrowly missed crashing into a cable car but caught his bearings immediately.
The two exchanged a brief look with Blu offering her a smile of reassurance, one that Jewel returned without hesitation. Blu wanted nothing more than to enjoy this experience further, but right now he had more important priorities. He had to get Jewel back to Tulio, the only human he trusted to help fix her wing.
With one strong might, he set course towards the airfield as the sunrise came into view. It was safe to say this was the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
It had been one month since their first adventure. Blu now had the gift of flying, Jewel had almost made a full recovery and now they were living in the artificial jungle, the very same place they first met. Despite Blu's initial fears of moving away from his comfort zone, reassurance and warmth from his mate had given him the strength to accept and adjust.
During one peaceful evening, the lovebirds were doing their usually routine: practising. Due to his inexperience, Jewel had offered to teach him flying techniques and help him gain confidence with his flight. So far, he had impressed her in such a short time.
"You're doing great, Blu!" Jewel encouraged proudly from where she was perched. Since her recovery was close, no longer did she need a cast on her wing, allowing her to freely stretch and get her strength back.
Blu turned towards her to reply, but as he moved his sight, he remained unaware of the obstacle in front.
Jewel noticed this and leaped to warn him. "Look out!"
Turning just in time, Blu narrowly avoided hitting an artificial tree, missing it by only a few inches. With a sigh of relief, he continued his pattern without further distractions. As more moments passed, his training came to an end, now landing beside his new mate.
"How did I do?" Blu inquired with a small breath. "Did I meet your expectations?"
"Very," Jewel smiled. "You're a fast learner."
Instead of a simple reply, Blu begun one of his famous lectures of logic. "Being flightless for fifteen-years gave me time to study the various speed and flight of different species. By calculating their movements, it helped me to- "
Feeling that he was becoming carried away, Jewel gently placed her wingtip on his beak, silencing him from his long winded words. "A simple, "thank you", would have done nicely."
Blu gave a small nervous laugh, rubbing one wing against the back of his head. "I'm sorry, guess I get a little carried away with my words."
Jewel leaned forward and pecked him on the side of his beak, a gesture that caught Blu by surprise. "And that's why I love you, don't ever change, my nerdy, blue bird."
Blu smiled and gently held her almost-healed wing, looking deep into her beautiful, turquoise eyes. Not more than one month again, he never expected to meet another one of his kind, let alone become her mate and learn to fly. He could happily say a new life with her was going to be a great one. "Jewel, I- "
"So-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-n."
As they both leaned forward for a kiss, Blu suddenly jolted out away from her, losing his balance in the process. The sudden voice startled Blu to the point he had fallen from where was in perched, hitting the ground with a small thud.
"Blu!" Jewel shirked and immediately jumped to his side, risking injuring her wing to descend towards him. She landed to his side and inspected him, holding him within both her wings. "Blu, are you okay? What happened?"
Though dazed and slightly stunned, Blu did not suffer any permanent injury from the fall. He leaned up, rubbing a wing against his head. "Jewel, didn't you hear it?''
Jewel raised an eyebrow, puzzled to what he referenced. "Hear what?"
"I thought I heard something," Blu answered rather certain, but as he inspected the room around them, no one was present. The voice sounded so clear, yet so unreal. "It's nothing. Probably just my nerdy, little self-playing tricks on me."
Jewel could not avoid a small giggle as she gently stroked one wingtip through his head feathers. "You gave me a little scare when you fell. Can you hear anything now?"
Blu remained silent, carefully inspecting the artificial jungle around them once more. Aside from the air conditioning creating a small humming, there was not another sound. "No. Nothing. Must be my mind playing tricks on me. Guess coming from a cold place and then coming into a warm environment will do that to someone."
By now, Blu had been able to stand under his own strength. He inspected the very small window at the top of the room, recognizing a familiar, bright sunset. "It's getting dark soon. Care to give me one more lesson for the night?"
"Always," Jewel agreed.
As the sun dispersed and the night took over, it darkened the artificial jungle, leaving little room for light. Furthermore, the lights shining through the door had also been turned off, leaving the lovebirds alone. Though they did not worry as Tulio had upgraded his security after last time, hiring better guards and installing alarm systems. A fly couldn't get in here undetected.
Preparing to get some rest for the night, they cuddled up close in the center of their nest, wings giving the other warmth and comfort. By now, the sun had almost completely isolated from their view.
Before she drifted away, Jewel recalled an upcoming event the next day. "Don't forget: Rafael, Nico and Pedro are dropping by tomorrow morning to see us."
"I remember," Blu reassured as he got use to holding her close, a feeling he may never adjust to.
Excitedly, Blu was looking forward to seeing their friends again. Rafael, Nico and Pedro had been his friends since Blu's first arrival to Rio. Their time together had been relatively short, but Blu trusted them more than anyone. They were best friends now.
Jewel yawned as she rested her head against her love hawk's body right under his neck. "Only one more week until we're free. I can't wait."
Blu wished he shared her enthusiasm, but he had many doubts racing around his mind. "It…Will be great."
Jewel immediately caught the hesitation in his voice, turning towards him in concern. "Is everything okay?"
Blu shuffled slightly as he adjusted his hold over her, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'm…Scared, Jewel. I'm a domestic bird, not a wild one. What if I can't handle life out there? What if I can't protect you if we run into trouble?"
Gently, Jewel raised her good wing and turned his face towards her, making their eyes meet. She spoke in a very similar, sweet and comforting voice that Blu remembered from their first adventure. "It's okay. When we the time comes, we'll figure it out together, right?"
Her reassuring words caused Blu to smile, raising his wing to hold he own. "Together."
Satisfied and ready to get some rest for the night, Jewel rested her head and closed her eyes, uttering a farewell for the night. "Goodnight."
Blu leaned down and planted a small kiss on her head before he too closed his eyes and prepared to drift away. "Goodnight."
Peaceful silence remained throughout the night, leaving the blue macaws to enjoy their slumber. While Jewel slept serenely, the same could not be said for her mate. Blu shuffled ever so slightly in his sleep, small grunts of discomfort left his beak. The voice just wouldn't go away.
"Use my powers."
By now, Blu was now shifting a lot more, releasing his hold over Jewel as he slammed both wings over his head. He was now awake, but his eyes had never been shut tighter.
"I am your salvation."
"Leave me alone!" Blu screamed as he squirmed across the ground.
His screams had not gone unnoticed. Jewel jolted from her sleep, confusion and concern immediately washed over her. She watched helplessly as Blu squirmed in agony. "Blu!"
She moved and tried to help him, but a sharp reaction from Blu had knocked her back down, throwing he away with ease. She moved to the corner of the hollow, too shocked to understand what was happening.
"Who are you?!" Blu demanded as he fell to the ground, slamming one wing to the ground in pure suffering. The voice responded once again, speaking in a tone that sent chills completely down Blu's spine.
"…Darkness..."
As Jewel moved to help him again, a sudden explosion in a ball of purple light around Blu knocked her away. She hit the hollow wall with a sickening thud before falling onto her stomach. Worst, she landed on her already injured wing, causing her to release a screech pain.
Seconds felt like eternity as the blinding flashes came to end, all while Jewel cowered in the corner to safety. Slowly lowering her wing, she watched in horror as Blu stood before her, his back faced towards her. He now had a purple aura of darkness surrounding him, a mysterious glow that looked unreal.
"Blu?" Jewel called carefully, slowly bringing herself to her feet. She was too frightened to go near him, fearing that it was no longer the same blue macaw she fell in love with.
Blu slowly turned towards her, his face filled with pure terror. He raised both wings, examining his glowing appearance with a mixture of confusion and horror. He finally spoke, his voice slightly deepened with a small echo. "What's happening to me?!"
Jewel moved to help him, freezing her steps when Blu stumbled away from her.
"Stay away!" Blu pleaded, tripping towards the edge of the hollow. "Stay back! Stay-WAAAA!"
"BLU!" Jewel shirked and jumped towards the tree, immediately looking down and expecting to find him hurt on the ground.
To her surprise, Blu was nowhere in sight. Raising her head, she was caught by surprise yet again as she fell onto her back. Blu was only a few feet away, levitating in the air without the use of his wings, like Superman.
Blu moved backwards with the intention of going slowly, but a sudden wave energy forced him back faster than he could comprehend. He collided with another tree, creating a massive dent but otherwise unarmed himself. Whatever was happening to him gave him speed and obvious heavy durability.
Not surprisingly, Blu was terrified. He examined himself in midair, trying to understand what was happening to him. He raised his wing and felt a wave of energy escape his wing. A quick, flash of an energy ball escaped him, creating a small blast upon impact against the wall. This new power had given create energy blasts as well.
Finally, Jewel got to her feet and jumped onto the branch, slowly but effectively getting closer towards her mate. "Blu, Blu! Listen to me, I don't know what's happening, but you need to calm down. I can help you!"
"NO!" Blu screeched louder than possible.
His scream created a small shockwave, knocking Jewel from the branch and towards the ground below. A few leaves broke her fall and allowed her to land safely physically, but she was far from fine in terms of her mental state.
Realizing the extent of the damage he was causing, Blu had to get away from her. Spotting the air vent in the corner, Blu charged with his newfound speed and broke though the bars with little to no effort, disappearing without a trace
Jewel did not follow (not that she could anyway with her injured wing). Falling to the ground, Jewel curled into a corner and begun to shred tears of sadness and fear.
"Blu," Jewel whimpered as she looked towards the damaged vent. "What happened to you?"
Chapter 1 is completed, fellow Rio readers. The mysterious entity known as "The Darkness" has now arrived and possessed Blu. This may seem like the plot has built up, but believe me, it's far from the end. We got a long journey to go and I hope each of you will join me each step. I will see you all next time with chapter 2.
