"Oh c'mon. We'll be fine," Phoenix insisted. She had managed to convince Falcon and Hawk to help her investigate the rampaging woman she'd heard the other Lotuses talking about.
"We're going to be in so much trouble," Falcon repeated for the fortieth time.
Hawk shrugged, "She would've gone on her own anyway and probably would've died."
"Hey!" Phoenix snapped, "Don't talk about me like I'm not here and don't act like I can't hear you." Suddenly something slammed into her. Phoenix stumbled sideways and looked in shock. A pitch black arrow that she hadn't even seen was sticking out of Hawk's throat. She felt rage boil up within her as she heard a harshly cold laugh, "Falcon."
Falcon stared at his brother and then looked up at her. His eyes got wide as he saw her face. Her eyes were icy cold and her tone was calm as she said, "Take him back to Wyvern."
Falcon realized that she was angry. She was angry enough that she was cold. He wasn't sure whether or not fire mages were ever supposed to go cold when they go mad. He nodded quickly, deciding it was better to avoid questioning her, and disappeared.
Phoenix whirled around and faced the woman. Her long black hair fell past her waist and her green eyes glowed with unfettered universal hatred. Phoenix's eyes narrowed. Short swords slid into her hands from under her gauntlets, "And why'd you attack us when we weren't doing anything to you?"
"I wanted to," she smirked. Her black armor had a magical property that allowed her to fade into the shadows. Her magic also revolved around manipulating the shadows that already existed around her.
"You wanted to?" Phoenix hissed. She shot forward. Her opponent barely managed to dodge the unexpected attack. Phoenix slashed the woman's cheek. Blood dripped onto the ground. Usually the sight made the pyromancer sick to her stomach but in her rage she ignored the red liquid. She skidded and knocked the woman's knees out from under her. She slid past an arrow that would've hit her between the eyes and slammed one of her blades into the ground where the woman's head had been.
The other woman disappeared into the shadows around her.
Phoenix hissed and looked around.
"I'll admit you're good little girl."
"I'm not a little girl."
"You can't win," the woman appeared in front of her.
Phoenix smirked. Flames roared into a raging wall of bright flames around her. All the shadows around them disappeared.
"What the?" Her eyes widened in panic, "You can't do that!"
"Now we can play fair," Phoenix smiled.
Her eyes narrowed, "I'll kill you for this."
Phoenix smirked, "Try me."
Not it was her opponents turn to shoot forward to attack. She was still good even without the shadows to protect, conceal and strengthen her.
Phoenix had gathered as much information on this woman as possible. She was a teenager about a year older than her. Her name was Zara and her magic relied on preexisting shadows. She did not have the ability to create shadows on her own. She grabbed her arm and flipped, taking the brunette with her and slamming her into the ground. Zara wrapped her ankles around Phoenix's neck and pulled her down to the ground. Phoenix hissed and bit her leg. She reached into her boot and pulled a small knife out. That knife was shoved into Zara's thigh. Zara shot an arrow through Phoenix's arm which caused Phoenix to bite down harder on her leg but Zara didn't seem to notice. She knocked another arrow. Phoenix growled but refused to let go. Her eyes narrowed. She glared at the brunettes hateful eyes. The arrow flew and turned to fiery ash before it hit it's mark. Phoenix let go of her leg and pulled the knife out of her leg. She grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, revealing her neck. She pressed the knife against Zara's neck. Zara glared at her and shot an arrow into the redhead's abdomen. Phoenix stabbed her.
"That's enough!" Lightning streaked across a clear sky. Both of them froze and looked at the blond man glaring down at them. His eyes were cold with disapproval. Phoenix recognized Dragon and Lily standing behind him. She hissed, "And why should I?"
"This isn't your fight," Zara added.
"I can make it my fight if I have to," he warned.
Phoenix and Zara got to their feet and turned to face him standing side by side.
"Phoenix are you serious?" Lily asked.
"This isn't your fight," Phoenix snarled, "And I don't need your help with it."
"We're not here to help you. Wyvern sent us to stop you."
"All the more reason for me to be standing here. Don't get in my way."
Dragon swallowed. He had never seen the redhead like this and the sight was unnerving. Her eyes were icy cold and she was ignoring the fact that her abdomen had an arrow sticking out of it and was bleeding.
The blond man gritted his teeth, "If that's the way you kids want it." He shot forward, faster than lightning. The flames blocking out the shadows fell and Zara disappeared. Phoenix shot sideways and grabbed his wrist. Using his own momentum against him, she flung the much larger man into a nearby tree. Arrows flew towards both of them. The blond blocked them while Phoenix weaved through them. She pulled Zara back by her long hair. She proceeded to use the brunette as a human shield against the his lightning. Zara grabbed Phoenix by the back of her head and flipped her into the ground. In the same motion she fired off three arrows at her other opponent. Phoenix knocked her legs out from under her and threw flames at him while she pinned her down.
Dragon and Lily exchanged glances, "Should we intervene?"
Lily glanced at the fight and shook her head, "I think intervening is a death wish."
Dragon followed her gaze and nodded, "Yeah but the three of them aren't going to get anywhere."
"You're immune to lightning so have fun," Lily shrugged.
Dragon glanced at her, "You're less likely to accidentally hit something other than your target."
"I'm not getting in the middle of that train wreck," Lily shook her head.
"I'm not either."
"So let's sit back and enjoy the show."
"Well Wyvern did tell us to bring Phoenix back," Dragon reminded the other half dragon.
"So?" Lily asked.
"She's gonna be pissed if we don't," Dragon continued, "and I for one don't plan on facing her wrath. C'mon she's half dragon half angel. I'm not suicidal."
"Good point," Lily nodded. She glanced again at the ensuing battle in front of them, "Might as well bring bow girl in too."
Dragon nodded.
The two dragons proceeded to join in the battle. Even with the two of them in the battle it still took quite some time to bring Phoenix and Zara down.
Lily ducked under flames and shot at the brunette while Dragon struggled to hold Phoenix still. She quickly grabbed Zara's arm and wrestled her to the ground. Her grip on her quickly slipped and an arrow cut deep into her shoulder. Phoenix bit Dragon hard enough to make him bleed and elbowed him in the jaw. Storm, the blond, shot lightning at the two of them. The half dragons were used as shields. Phoenix slid past Dragon as he whirled around to try to get her again and shot at Storm. Zara came up behind her, leaving Lily stunned.
Suddenly a bright flash of light lit up the area, temporarily blinding all of them. Wyvern dropped in the middle of the fight and Eclipse walked up a moment later. Wyvern's eyes glittered with anger and harsh disapproval. Eclipse's expression wasn't much different. He stopped but his voice remained calm, "Phoenix."
"Can it," the redhead snapped, "You can't tell me what to do."
"I was going to suggest seeing Hawk," Eclipse shrugged indifferently, "but if you'd rather not then that is your choice. I will tell you that he wants to see you."
Phoenix's expression changed instantly. All her rage melted in an instant.
"And once you've finished seeing him go to Wyvern," Eclipse's voice hardened into a definite order.
I'm in deep, deep trouble. Phoenix disappeared. Eclipse nodded to Storm Dragon and Lily and looked Zara over. He sighed, "You might as well come with us also."
Zara glared at him, "I know who you are."
"And I know who you are," Eclipse nodded, "You are Zara, The Wraith of Bloodcult."
"You're Eclipse. Crimson Eclipse and leader of the Black Lotus," Zara hissed, "Why would you invite me directly into your headquarters."
"We have a telepath that can alter your memory should you decide to return to Bloodcult," Eclipse shrugged.
"You'll stay out of my head."
"And should you choose to stay," Eclipse continued as though she hadn't spoken, "Then you'll be given your own special name."
"Why would I?" Zara snarled.
"Companionship," Eclipse shrugged again, "Family. Friends, someone to always watch your back. Something to fight for. Those are just some things."
Zara reluctantly followed the vampire and the others to the extradimensional space the Lotus called home.
Wyvern instantly broke off from the group and Zara heard heated protesting to medical treatment that eventually fell silent.
Phoenix followed Wyvern into another room and sat impatiently on the table, "Look, sorry but I was bored."
"You being bored is not a reason to put any of the others in danger!" Wyvern snarled. She started wrapping Phoenix's abdomen in bandages.
Phoenix rolled her eyes, "Well I sure as hell wouldn't have been able to do it myself. Besides, danger comes with the territory."
"Hawk's probably never going to speak again," Wyvern hissed.
"And you're going to blame his choice to take the arrow for me on me?!" Phoenix shot back angrily.
"If you are going to be in charge of a group then you have to understand that they are your responsibility," Wyvern shot Phoenix a venomous look, "or they will die. You put yourself in charge of that disaster the moment you convinced them to go with you."
"It wasn't a disaster!" Phoenix hissed, "Hawk isn't dead. I sent Hawk and Falcon away the moment he got hit!"
"And then you lost all control," Wyvern reminded her harshly.
"Well if someone messes with my friends that's their fault and they'll take the consequences."
"The consequence can't be death every time!" Wyvern raised her voice.
"Like it would be!" Phoenix retaliated.
"And if you lose control again? The same way you did today? You would have killed her and you would have killed Storm, Lily and Dragon."
"I would not have!"
"Phoenix," Wyvern's voice grew dangerously quiet, "you would have and you know that in your heart. You can't deny it when it's written plainly on your face that you knew you would have. And worse in the moment it wouldn't have matter. Or am I wrong?"
Phoenix hissed angrily, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Phoenix," Wyvern's voice rose again. She took a deep breath, "Fine. I'll give you some time to think about it." She grabbed the redheads arm and dragged her through the hallways. She led Phoenix into a room made entirely of lead and left her there with the door closed and locked from the outside. Zara was also in there. Phoenix sat in the corner and glared at the wall.
"So you got thrown in here too?" Zara sounded utterly defeated.
"What the hell happened to you?" Phoenix asked, "It's like all your spunk's just gone."
"I don't really have anything to live or fight for anymore. My whole purpose was revenge. I wanted to get revenge for what everyone had done to me and the people I cared about and without that I don't have anything."
"Oh," Phoenix sighed, "I just got my ass chewed off because I lost control. I thought the knew that I was a chaotic person."
"There's chaotic and there's you," Zara said.
"Thanks a million," Phoenix snarled.
"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Zara sighed, "I just think you should probably work on not losing control like that."
"Then maybe you should think about what you're going to live for now," Phoenix shot back.
"Only if you do work on trying to not get that angry again," Zara promised.
"You're serious?" Phoenix asked.
Zara shrugged, "What else am I supposed to do? I don't have anything left."
"Then it's a deal," Phoenix shrugged, "I'll control my temper if you find something to fight for."
"What is there to fight for?" Zara asked sadly.
"Everything," Phoenix shrugged.
Zara looked at her. The two of them were sitting on opposite corners of the room, "Everything?"
"Well everything you know to be right," Phoenix shrugged.
"And if I don't know what's right anymore?"
"You wouldn't be this crushed if you didn't," Phoenix shrugged.
"And what about you? You're obvious not an angry killing machine. What makes you snap?"
"You hurt one of my friends so I was going to repay the favor," Phoenix looked away from her.
"And you fought your comrades to that end?" Zara asked.
"Well, I didn't know the blond-"
"Don't make excuses Phoenix," Zara shook her head, "It's what happened and making excuses is what got me into all of this."
"I guess."
"If you're making excuses you can't keep your promise to me," Zara added.
Phoenix nodded, "Alright. No more excuses."
"And no more sulking," Zara crawled over to her. The brunette was covered in bandages and obviously didn't feel like standing. She held out her pinkie finger to Phoenix, "Promise?"
Phoenix nodded and wrapped her pinkie around hers, "Promise."
Zara nodded, "God damn. You kicked my ass."
"Sorry?" Phoenix shrugged, "You're not the only one that's in hell."
Wyvern opened the door to the lead room many hours later. The two girls were curled up asleep. She clearly remembered them being on opposite sides of the room when she had shoved Phoenix in but now Phoenix's head was resting on Zara's shoulder and Zara had her arm wrapped around the redhead's shoulders. Wyvern shook her head, "They were beating the hell out of each other just this morning. I'm amazed at how quickly that girl's opinion of people can change." She left the door open but left them in the room.