Flights of Fancy
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the teenage mutant ninja turtles. However I own all of Necron.
Chapter Thirty: Fire with Fire part one.
Gimod snarled, ' This is no good. Lobo you and your pack try to track down the Antlopes, and do what you can to hold them off.'
"What about you?" Leo inquired, having a feeling the dragon would not be joining them.
' I care for Shanza Leonardo, do not get me wrong. I would defend her to my very death, for she was the one to defend me when I was newly hatched and so many others insisted that I die. But we may need help for the antlopes are voracious creatures, and I am the only one who might be able to convince the Phoenix to aid us.' Gimod explained, patiently.
Demon snorted, shaking his head, he knew there was extreme danger in going after Symbia and Shanza without the dragon's help for the only thing the antlopes seemed to fear or respect was fire itself, nothing else could decimate their large numbers sufficiently enough to really hinder the insect army. Still, the fire bird was in many ways the ruler of the desert and it would be a great help, but it was not an animal that one could normally walk up to and ask for aid without being blasted by flame. Demon had a feeling that Gimod would be only wasting his time, and perhaps in doing so sacrifice all of them to the antlopes.
Gimod looked over at the pegasian, ' I shan't be long and at the very least my word is trustworthy; which is more than what I can say for some people.'
Demon kicked out with a hind leg, 'How much must I pay for one crime? Do not forget it is not just Shanza's son who is held by the dark ones, but my son too. Plus the dark forces no longer trust me any more then they would trust one of the light.'
Lobo barked "Come on time is wasting and it will be hard enough to pick up a scent after that storm. Demon if you and Marina can scout above it might save us some time."
Marina nodded, " I'll do it but understand I do it for the unicorn and not for you." She sniffed.
"I don't care who you do it for" Lobo informed her, he was far more grateful that she was going to help then anything, that he gladly accepted whatever she offered, besides Lobo doubted the cat would willingly do anything for him, or his pack, ' That is fine by me. I don't really need the help of a cat.' He mused to himself as they headed off. He knew that it was extremely important to find Shanza and Symbia quickly, he suppressed a bit of a shudder at the very thought of what might be happening to the two mares.
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Gimod did not favour the idea of finding the phoenix, the firebird was not an animal to irritate and it was rumoured that it was a 'fiery sort' even under normal circumstances. After all the phoenix lived it's entire life in a state of blazing fire. Born from the ashes of the previous bird's death, the firebird hatched as a full adult, it's feathers forever glowing with embers right until the point where it grew too hot even for the firebird itself and the fire would consume the bird leaving only a pile of ash and an egg. It was said that dragon's were born of fire, and it was true, but they did not live by it nor were consumed by it, rather it was in their heart and soul. The phoenix was a living fire, dangerous and uncontrollable.
Gimod, though, he may not relish looking for the bird, had a better idea of where to find it than anyone else; simply because they were connected through the fire and if the firebird would listen to anyone it would be to one who had knowledge of fire, after all the phoenix having no need of a mate, was the only one of its kind, and sometimes it would long for a little companionship though strictly on the bird's terms.
The dragon flew over the desert to where his instincts lead him, but when he reached the spot he saw no sign of the phoenix, then after closer scrutiny in the branches of a cactus, he saw a nest of cinders and ash. The dragon drew closer and saw a large egg twitching in the embers. Curious, Gimod dipped one talon finger into the ash and could feel that it was warm but not hot, meaning the ash was cooling, and that could mean only one thing that the new firebird would soon hatch.
' This could be my lucky day. For the phoenix will need to eat on hatching, I've never knew a hatchling who did not feel it was starving on breaking shell. It may be more willing to help us if, it knows a feast awaits after.' Gimod mused, he only hoped that the bird would appear soon for he knew that Shanza and Symbia might not have much time, and as anyone who has waited for a newborn to fully enter the world could attest, each young one will come in it's own time.
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Shanza rolled her eyes snorted as the antlope army moved towards her and Symbia, their mandibles clicking and antenna twitching in eager anticipation. The Antlopes were about the size of a toshe, their six legs were a bit longer and stronger then those of an ordinary insects. As far around the two mares was a moving wave of reddish brown backs of the army.
' At least we have the rocks behind us or they would all ready be coming at us from behind.' Shanza pawed the ground and waved her horn, ' I wonder though what they could possibly be waiting for.'
"Perhaps some of the army is tunneling through the rocks behind us and they are merely waiting for them to get in position. I can think of no other reason for the army to hold off." Symbia replied, "I would say we should strike first but if we do then they will attack us and without back up" Symbia flicked her tail, refusing to finish her words, the thing is without aid from the others she knew as well as Shanza did that they didn't stand a chance against the army. Symbia was also aware that the antlopes would wait for an order before striking, but she had no idea what that order was.
' Do you think I ought to try contacting the others then?' Shanza inquired of her friend.
" No you may get distracted and that could be it. We may have interrupted communications but they will find us" Symbia insisted firmly, refusing to believe other wise, " I know when that one reared up we felt it would come and so focused on the antlopes next move, not knowing they would just stand there and wait." The Centaur Mare shifted her hind feet uneasily underneath her. She tossed her head up and thought she saw a shadow of a winged creature over head, perhaps it was nothing more than a carrion bird, or a griffin but she couldn't help giving a quick yell.
Moments later Shanza and Symbia both heard a loud howl that echoed over the sands. Shanza peeled her lips back and responded by giving a loud resounding neigh.
The Antlopes clacked their jaws and stomped their feet suddenly lunged forward, toward the two mares, the equines reared up, hooves striking out to stomp down near the heads of the front runners in the army line, the antlopes bit at the legs above the hoof. A large golden coloured unicorn stallion suddenly leapt down beside them from the rocks they sheltered under. Shanza snorted shying to one side her eyes bulging, for the stallion both smelt and looked different from the standard unicorn.
The Antlopes made a strange sound and shifted slightly backward before surging forward once more just as the toshe, turtles, Demon and Marina arrived.
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The egg cracked down the middle and it seemed to instantly burst apart flying into numerous shards revealing the yellow and orange phoenix emerged, the bird squawked as it caught sight of the dragon, looming over it 'If you thought you could eat me in shell you are a little late wyrm.' The firebird accused sharply.
'I had no such intentions', Gimod crooned reassuringly, ' It is just that I was hoping that we could come to agreeable terms. I have some friends who need help and I am sure you are hungry, by helping us you help yourself.'
The Phoenix flew into the air ' You think I can not find food of my own in my realm?'
' You probably will, but I'm talking an army of delectable delights.' Gimod stated casually, 'But if you much prefer to hunt the low serpent or perhaps the Basilisk then that is strictly your choice.'
The phoenix clicked it's beak, it knew that an army in the desert meant one thing the Antlopes and the phoenix was quite partial to the insects. The firebird was just hungry enough to be intrigued by the dragon's offer 'all right but if you mislead me wyrm, then it is you who dies in my fire and I will feast on a rare delicacy in deed.'
Gimod accepted the bird's word with a simple nod, 'I'd expect nothing less.' He retorted calmly. ' Now if you follow me we will go directly to where the antlopes have cut some friends of mine off.' Since he had all ready heard from Demon where the others were he headed in as straight as a path as possible towards the others.
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The toshe worked singly striking hard at any Antlope that they drew near, running in a chain pattern around the antlopes legs, biting and slashing with the small curved horns on their head. The Antlopes seemed startled to be attacked from other sources when they had been closing in on prey, and it took them a moment to regroup and utilize their skills against this intrusion. Making it even more difficult was the antlopes had to face varied sources of attacks against them. The equine's stamped and bashed with hoof and horn, the toshe bit and gashed, the turtles bashed and stabbed with their weapons, thus making it hard for the antlopes to gain the unity they needed at first.
In that first moment of chaos while the antlopes gave in to their uncertainty many fell, but in a heartbeat the tables turned and shifted, for the antlopes realized they were under attack, and were losing members of the hive quickly. A message went out, one that only an antlope could hear or interpret and each of the insects followed those orders, turning hive mind, and a crafty logic that had nothing, whatsoever to do with the human or mammalian logic. The Antlopes broke into groups the army surging into smaller, though still incredible, numbers and in these smaller groups they focused on one species be it turtle, toshe or equine.
The golden unicorn stallion seeing this move reared up and came down striking a rock with his fore hooves and fire blazed up around them, the stallion blew into the flame and it surged towards the insects who were massing towards them.
Shanza shook her head 'Who are you that you can control flame? I have never heard of any Corn with that ability.'
'Most Unicorns don't live in the desert, the desert holds it's own magic.' The stallion replied cryptically.
Demon came down and hit a wing into the other stallion's face ' Yet you think you can control these flames so they do not consume my mate and Symbia.' he snapped.
' I am Embraha, the ruler of the fire. What fire I make I can control' The unicorn shot back curling his lip, 'I can also control wind.'
"And he's full of it too" Marina mewed where she was luring antlopes to bash themselves into the rocks by staying low and flying up just as they charged. Then she looked up "Now if I'm not mistaken those of fire are coming fast. Might I say someone is about to be barbequed."
It was just as well that Gimod and the fire bird were in sight for the antlopes had turned the tables so quickly that now most of them were fighting for their very lives.
Demon snorted 'Agreed!' he rolled an eye toward Embraha.
Shanza snorted as she caught her breath, ' He has come to help and we can use all the help we can get. I will not turn from those who offer aid. Besides he is a corn.'
"So it seems" Marina stated mysteriously, just as Gimod came up flaming a large batch of the insects that surrounded the turtles. The Phoenix dived and with wings a flame torched insects with the slightest move. There was a strange squeaking shrilling noise as the many antlopes were caught in the flame. The sound was familiar to that of nails on a chalk board only far more ear splitting then that.
The antlopes who managed to escape the flame quickly retreated backing off and heading for the freedom of the desert, but the phoenix followed after them, causing the insects to move into the long legged run that had given them the name lope in the first place.
Embraha blew on the fire he caused and it flickered quickly down to nothing.
Symbia bowed, "My thanks."
'Your help was most appreciated.' Shanza allowed as she gave the stallion a coy look.
Embraha lowered his head nipping her affectionately on the neck, then he snorted softly in her ear. Shanza trembled and flicked her tail, as she rubbed her horn along his. Suddenly Demon came down pushing Shanza away from the golden corn.
'My name may be Demon, but I have no connection with their kind, yet I still know a beast of the netherworld when I see one' he accused.
Embraha reared screaming a challenge, "You dare! I will kill you for your impudence.' he bugled as he turned to face the pegasian.
TBC