New Year s Inferno
The last night for the year was a still and silent one for the whole of MARHeaven. The mighty castle of Lestava floated dreamily across an empty black sky above dark forest. The clear silver moon shone its pale light over the impressive landscape with disdain.
Phantom stood passively on the balcony, leaning slightly on the rail, watching the scene with contempt. He would rather see the forest on fire.
A small smirk played around his lips as he imagined the mighty trees being swallowed in the eternal rage of an inferno. His delicate hand reached out and found the slender shape of his wine glass. He drew the glass up to his lips and took a brief sip of the sweet liquid.
How refreshing it was to be out here in the night all alone with a glass of his favourite wine. It was like a celebration of a year of triumph and another of victory. This feeling was almost perfect for him. Almost.
He sighed regretfully for thinking negatively. This year started off badly, but things improved every day. And now, at the end of it, Phantom was on top of the world; one step away from ruling it. He heard light footsteps behind him, but he needn't turn around. He knew who it was.
Sure enough, it was Peta s gruff whispery voice that questioned him; "Phantom? What are you doing out here? Don't you wish to join the others for the celebrations?"
"There's no need to celebrate," Phantom retorted, sipping his wine. "We haven't had any satisfactory victories, and Ginta has yet to be defeated."
Peta fell silent, surveying his leader through a curtain of greyish hair. He stepped forward to stand next to him and glanced at the ghostly pale moon in the clear night sky. The pair fell into one of their strange silences the type that if you were there you would've sworn they were telepathically communicating.
Phantom exhaled and set the glass down carefully. He continued to gaze upon the silent trees below. He felt resentment and impatience boil in his mind once more as his thoughts turned to that infuriating blonde. He had grown much stronger than he could allow. He needed to take action before the boy out-ranked him. He didn't voice his concerns however, Peta didn't need to know.
"What is on your mind?" Peta asked as if he sensed the man's thoughts. He was watching him now, his head tilted to the left slightly. Phantom regarded him coolly before answering,
"It's unfair... This... this should all be mine!" He gestured to the forest and beyond. "MARHeaven... The entire world belongs to the Chess! Yet the pathetic humans still resist us. Why do they protect what is rightfully ours?"
"They believe they are doing good," Peta replied, sighing. "Unfortunately, they are too blind to see that the very evil they are witnessing now is a product of their undoing... They don't understand that only by destroying this land will we be rid of the darkness. They can t see that once the world is reborn, it will be perfect."
Phantom looked at his companion in wonder. He was always at awe with how intelligent the man was. Smarter than him, anyway.
"I know how to cheer you up," Peta said brightly, breaking the sombre silence.
"What?" Phantom snapped, hating the man s smugness.
"You'll see..." was the sly reply as Peta left Phantom's side with a sweep of his long flowing robes, leaving Phantom feeling bewildered.
"Humph," he muttered, "The nerve of that man..." But he wasn't angry, just curious. He supposed he should be waiting for some sort of surprise, so he folded his arms and waited for it.
A loud blast rang out, resonating and echoing through the night. He smelt the erotic smell of smoke and blood. The forest below was burning, the flames eating everything it fell upon like a starving beast. The inferno grew, until even the birds taking flight were engulfed in charring smoke.
Phantom grew excited, grinning widely and laughing maniacally at the devastation below. He heard the panicked screams and cries of helpless animals being burned alive, and saw the mighty trees become ash. The heat that the fire gave off was immense, making sweat run down his forehead.
"You like...?" Peta asked him happily, appearing on the rails before him.
"How...?" he stammered, mesmerised by the scene of death and destruction.
"Simple. I used An Darta to get to the middle of the forest, and then used the Arm Hellfire to start an unquenchable blaze. I knew that would cheer you up," the man explained, stepping down from the rail. "How's that for the New Year? We've purged a part of this land, and tomorrow we go to Caldera to conquer."
Phantom beamed. Peta is right. This year will be better than the rest. I will finally get my revenge and MARHeaven will be cleansed, he thought deliriously. Lifting his glass, he toasted the raging flames below.
"To the New Year and victory!" he cried over the roar of the fire with a smirk.
The inferno slowly died as it ran out of organic material to eat. By morning it was fully extinguished, leaving behind blackened earth, braised bodies and dead trees. That was the beginning of the end.