Rise of the Zealots

Rebels of the Darkness

Chapter 29: consequences

And we are back ladies and gentlemen, with chapter 29. I'd like to thank everyone for staying with my story up until this point and I do appreciate it a lot. To express my gratitude, here is another chapter.


During an early afternoon, the two toucan lovebirds Rafael and Eva had finished their afternoon dinner together and were now making their way home. It had been nice to get away for a while to have time for themselves. Now that their kids were quite grown up, they were old enough to take care of themselves without their parents.

"That was a lovely meal, my pudgy papaya." Eva spoke up and leaned over in mid-flight to peck Rafael at the side of his beak.

"The pleasure was all mine, my juicy little mango." Rafael replied with a smile.

As they were not too far from their home now, they halted in mid-air when they noticed familiar faces they never expected to see in a life time again: dark macaws. They were perched on top of the trees, blocking their way back to their home and no doubt looking for trouble.

Rafael gulped in response. Last time he encountered them, they caused him to become temporarily blind. He grabbed Eva and quickly attempted to escape. "Quick, let's go!"

They turned around to retreat towards the direction they came from, but unfortunately, they were blocked by more dark macaws. They were trapped and had nowhere to fly away to. As they searched the area for an exit, three dark macaws flew a few feet away from them. It was no other than Lee, the current leader of the dark macaws. However, Rafael and Eva were unaware to his identity and presence.

"Hello there." Lee greeted with a grin. "Glad you could make it. Now we can get to work."

"Who are you?" Rafael asked while he stood in front of Eva in a protective matter.

"Questions will be answered in the future. For now, we have work to do." Lee responded and watched as more of his people began to fly around Rafael and Eva. "Now, let us talk, shall we?"


After escaping from Lee and his people, Blu and the team had escaped and retreated back into Arvo's hideout. They were lucky to escape and now it was time to plan a counter attack before Lee assembled his army.

"I hope you have a plan here." Jewel spoke up towards Arvo as they reached the briefing room to discuss their next plan of action.

Arvo, however, only had small ideas so far. "Unfortunately, no I don't. We have our people and the light macaws have agreed to send us some help, but their army is still pretty weak after the fall of their queen. They don't have many people to send us. Lee and his army will outnumber us and we will have no chance of winning. If anyone has any ideas, I am open to hear them."

Everyone present turned towards one another for an answer, but so far, everything was silent. All except for Blu that is, who began to think that he may just have the answer to their problems. As if a lightbulb appeared over his head, he smiled widely and clicked his toes together.

"I have an idea!" Blu enthusiastically called out, catching everyone's attention.

"By all means, please share." Arvo requested while taking a seat down to hear.

"Since all this has started-and I don't just mean the dark macaws, I mean everything that has happened to Jewel and I-I've met some important people and some who should be willing to help." Blu began to explain to those present in the room. "I was training with a secret clan of ninjas and I become good friends with their master. I'm sure I can get him and his clan to help. I met a scarlet macaw tribe while I was searching for my children. While we're not exactly friends, I can tell that they believe in honor and I am certain that I can convince them to help our cause. When news of the dark macaws returning, the military macaws have to help. And I believe we can convince the residents here to help us. With our combined forces, we are a match for Lee's army."

Everyone present took this time to think over Blu's plan. Only birds present were Blu, Jewel, Arvo, Nina and a few dark macaw rebels. Regardless of what the others thought, it was Arvo's choice whenever or not they followed through with this plan of Blu's.

After thinking about this carefully, Arvo made his choice. He smiled and patted Blu on the back. "That sounds like an excellent plan, Blu. We should depart at once to gather them, but in small numbers, of course. We don't want to attract too much attention. I will go with you."

"I'm coming too." Jewel replied, refusing to stay here without Blu.

"I shall join as well." Nina responded. "I think four of us will be enough."

Arvo appeared satisfied with her suggestion and nodded. "Very well. We shall get going at once." he turned towards a nearby dark macaw and gave him very important instructions. "Whatever you do, do NOT open the hideout for anyone unless it's us. Do you understand?"

"Yes Arvo." the dark macaw nodded.

"Good." Arvo smiled and patted him on the back.

With their instructions set, the team of four proceeded to leave the base and make haste to gather their army. It may be tough to convince them to join their cause but for the survival of their home, it had to be done. As they reached the exit of the base, they stopped when a dark macaw had run towards them while gasping.

"Arvo!" the dark macaw rebel gasped and began to take in some breaths. "We...We...We've had reports that...That two of Blu's friends are in danger!"

Blu gasped slightly in response. He placed his wings onto the dark macaw's shoulders. "Who? Who's in danger!?"

"Your...Your friends the toucans! And they're being held in a small area not far from here!" the dark macaw explained. He ran towards the exit of the base while beckoning for them to follow him. "Quickly, follow me!"

The team did not hesitate to follow. The dark macaw led them outside and began to lead the way from where he claimed he had found Rafael and Eva in danger. While they were flying, Blu had two things on his mind: one was his concern for his friends and the second was confusion as to why the dark macaws would attack Rafael and Eva. They had nothing to do with this. Heck, they did not know what was going on.


As a few moments went by, the four arrived where the dark macaw had escorted them to.

"There." the dark macaw rebel said, pointing towards the location of Rafael and Eva. "They're being held just behind that tree."

"Thank you, solider." Arvo thanked and allowed the dark macaw retreat back to base. He leaned forward and pulled Blu back when he attempted to fly forward. "Whoa, slow down. We don't know what we're running into. Let us hide within the trees and watch."

Blu did not agree, but decided to go along with it for now. "Fine. Come on."

The team of four hid within the trees and remained silent as they watched below. Down upon the ground, Lee and a small group of dark macaws had Rafael and Eva hostage. Two dark macaws restrained Rafael by holding both of his wings while a brute dark macaw held Eva still with ease, keeping her still with his wing over her body.

"What do you want with us?" Rafael asked while he struggled to get free, but the two dark macaws were not loosening their grip.

"As I said before: questions will be answered soon." Lee calmly responded while looking around the area for their enemies. No doubt they would be coming soon. He knew they were watching him, he knew that they would go back to Arvo for help. Any moment now, they would be here.

In the trees, the team of four watched below. Arvo and Nina were remaining calm for now while Blu and Jewel were becoming impatient and willing to help their friends as soon as possible.

"What are we waiting for?" Blu inquired impatiently. "We have to help them!"

"Blu, it's a trap." Arvo stated. He began to think on their best strategy to help the toucans, but it appeared that the blue macaws were not willing to wait. "Look, give me a moment to think."

Blu shook his head in disagreement, refusing to wait while his friends were in danger. "There's no time. I'm going to help them!"

"Blu, no!" Arvo called out as quiet as he could, but his words did not prevent Blu from leaving.

With that, Blu quickly departed down towards the ground with Jewel following him. Arvo was about to follow, but Nina held him back, knowing that if Blu and Jewel were to fail, then that would mean they were their only hope.

Blu landed in the center of the area with Jewel landing beside him seconds later. No doubt that they had caught Lee's attention because he was looking directly towards them.

"Ah, Blu, Jewel. I knew you would both be here." Lee spoke up with a grin. "Welcome."

"Let them go!" Jewel ordered and moved forward to attack, but stopped when the dark macaw brute tightened his grip on Eva.

Lee chuckled in response. "Oh do not worry, I will let them go shortly, but first, I think we need to clear some things up. I am going to make this perfectly clear so I suggest you listen. Blu, you are not going to stand in my way, you will not try to stop me. If you do, I guarantee that everyone you love and care for will suffer for your actions."

Blu appeared worried after hearing Lee's threats. Trying to stop him could cause his loved ones harm, but then again, if he did not stop him than everyone would be in mortal danger. "If I don't stop you, you will simply destroy them anyway. You are a dangerous bird, Lee and I will stop you no matter what."

Seeing that his threats were not taken seriously, Lee decided to go with their second plan. He sighed and rubbed his wingtips together. "Very well, if that is your decision, so be it. Allow me to show you the consequences of being a hero. Boys!"

In what seemed like a fast motion, the two dark macaws that were retraining Rafael pushed the toucan onto the ground belly first. One of the dark macaws released Rafael's right wing but the second dark macaw continued to hold his left one. One dark macaw held his wing out while the second one lifted his talon and stomped directly onto the center of Rafael's wing, breaking it out of place.

"AHH!" Rafael screamed in agony and clutched his eyes tightly; unable to cope with the unbearable pain he had just endured.

"Rafi!" Eva called out, stretching out one of her wings towards him.

Unfortunately for Eva, now it was her turn. The brute dark macaw restraining her raised his free wing above his face and delivered a powerful knife hand strike directly against the back of Eva's neck. She cried out in pain as the brute threw her to the ground.

"NO!" Blu shouted and charged towards Lee in danger. Before he could get to the dark macaw, he felt something lift him from the ground and into the air. He was now restrained inside a net that had leaped up into the air and he was now hanging from a tree branch. He had been caught in a trap.

Jewel, now on her own, tried to take them down herself, but she too stepped into a trap. Out from the ground hidden by the dust, rope leaped out and tied itself around her torso, retraining her wings to her side. She struggled to pull herself free, but these ropes were too tight for her to escape on her own.

Seeing that his work here was done, Lee grinned and looked up towards Blu who was still trapped within a net, struggling to get free. "Now you see what will happen when you try and stop us. Believe me; this was a lot more merciful then what I could have done. Next time, I won't order my men to hold back. Considering this my warning. Stop now or lose everything. Your choice."

With his point made, Lee and his team of dark macaws left the area, leaving the injured toucans. Once they were out of sight, Arvo and Nina flew down to help their allies.

Arvo landed on the branch and took out his sword, using it to cut the net Blu was stuck in. "Blu, if you had just waited, we could have helped them without injuries."

"I couldn't just wait." Blu responded while he tried to keep still within the net. "I had to help them."

"We're just saying that patience is the key to winning this war." Nina added as she began to free Jewel from her restraints.

"It does not matter, what's done is done." Arvo responded. He finished cutting open the net and set Blu free.

Simultaneously, Blu and Jewel were now freed and quickly leaped forward to help their friends. Blu attended to Rafael while Jewel attended to Eva.

"Rafael." Blu spoke and helped the toucan sit up. He leaned forward to take a look at Rafael's wing and could not help buy cringe when he saw the damage the dark macaws had done to him. "Easy. Try not to move."

Jewel helped Eva sat up, placing her wing upon her shoulder. "Eva, are you alright?"

Eva groaned in response while she held wing against the back of her neck. "Ow, my neck. It hurts."

"Try not to move you head." Jewel suggested. If it weren't for Rafael and Eva being injured, she would have chased after Lee and made him pay. But then again, all this wouldn't have happened if that was the case.

Arvo knelt down to Rafael and looked upon his injured wing. "His injuries look serious. They are in too much of a critical condition to move. Blu, Jewel, you both must go on ahead. I will stay with them. Nina, I need you to go back to base and get our medics."

"Yes father." Nina nodded and did not hesitate to fly back towards the way they came to get help.

"I can't leave them." Blu declined.

"I can assure you they will be taken care of in my care." Arvo reassured and took Blu's place in helping Rafael. "Now you must go. I will catch up."

As much as Blu did not want to leave them, he thought it was for the best. Every moment they wasted would be every moment Lee and his army grew stronger. He nodded and turned his attention towards Rafael. "Rafael, this is Arvo. He's a dark macaw, I know, but he's a friend. He'll help you."

Rafael nodded slightly in response, still in pain to speak.

"Arvo, head east of here when you're done. That's where the Red Dragon clan ninjas live." Blu instructed.

Nearby, Jewel was repeating similar words to Eva. "It's going to be okay, Eva. Arvo will take care of you."

"Is he a good guy?" Eva inquired while groaning. It was difficult to keep her head still right now.

"He is, I promise." Jewel assured with a smile.

Now that their friends were reassured that everything was going to be okay, Blu and Jewel made haste to get moving towards the Red Dragon temple. No doubt that they were extremely angry for what Lee had done to their friends, but rest assured that they were going to make him pay for his actions.


And this concludes chapter 29, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Rafael and Eva have been injured by Lee to prove his point and now Blu and Jewel have the job of gathering an army in order to take down Lee and end this. Chapter 30 should be here tomorrow. Until then, stay tuned for more.