Chapter 15

It had been at least five weeks since the attack in Rio. Most birds were still mourning the loss of their friends and family. Tiago, who had lost his best friend Dan, who had been stabbed repeatedly in front of him. He had been traumatized by the experience, but was not the only one. Lilian had watched her husband and daughter explode, believed to be dead. Carla had almost died and her boyfriend had been killed along with his entire family. She was with them, and was last to be injured, but was saved by another bird before passing out. She was in a coma for two weeks before waking again. She had no memory of the incident till three days later. Remembering her boyfriend's brutal death caused her to break down. Many others were killed and injured. More had come not only from Rio, but all over the world. The Spix Macaw tribe and Scarlet tribe moved their territories closer and offered to house other refugees if the school and nearby hollows became over-filled. Jewel sat in her small nest in her families room and looked to Tiago, who was looking through an album on his Ipad of him and Dan. Carla sat at the other end of the room. She had been silent, and only ate a small amount a day. It worried Jewel, but she had tried to help her, only to be sent away. Bia had been spending more time with Zeel, helping him prepare. She had also been spending more time with Boah as well. Jewel sensed that there was more than friendship between them. Jewel felt that she needed time outside from the room, feeling it's sad atmosphere take it's hold. She went out of the room, which neither of the kids acknowledged. She went outside to see chicks playing and parents talking, trying to forget what happened that night. Funny how we forget something so tragic in just a few weeks. But you never fully forget. She flew off into the forest to the small clearing she goes to to clear her head. She sat on the massive branch and took a deep breath, then sighed, taking in the view. As she sat, she saw a small, green object heading to her. As it got closer, she saw it was actually a large, green macaw. She knew exactly who it was, and braced for the impact.

Cody was flying back to the tree when he saw her, sitting on the branch alone. He headed to her with great speed, going to tell her. But then he remembered the bird's words. No one must know. I will tell them myself. He was so deep in thougt that he didn't realise he was about to ram Jewel until she called out. "Cody! Look out!" He shook the trance away, but it was too late. He rammed straight into her, knocking her down. He quickly got off her and backed away, afraid of getting a beating. Instead, he got a big hug. "We thought you were dead." But Jewel's face changed when he saw Caitlin was nowhere near. "Wait. Where's Caitlin?" Cody turned in the direction of where he came and pointed to a cloaked bird. "She needs your help. Her injuries were worse than we thought." The bird was holding Caitlin in his talons. She was limp, and felt cold. "Quickly. We have to go." They took off to the tree, hoping that Lilian could help as well.

Lilian sat in her room, holding a feather of Cody's in one talon, and one of Caitlin's in the other. "Why did you have to leave?" She heard someone call out, and thought she was hearing Cody's voice. "Why do you taunt me with your voice. Please, just stop." But the voice became louder. She cried, until she heard Jewel's voice, then the sound of wings beating outside the window. The next second, a dark blur went through the window and changed green before hitting the floor. It looked like a macaw. A very familiar macaw. "Cody?" It responded with facing her, and he ran into a hug. "I missed you so much!" They continued to hug till someone knocked on the window. "Oh. Right." He opened the window, letting Jewel and a cloaked bird in. They tumbled next to each other, the cloaked one holding a small bundle to his chest. He unwrapped his wings and revealed a small chick laying on his chest. "Caitlin? What is she so cold?" Cody held her to calm her down. "She was injured. She needs your help. Like, now." But Lilian stopped him. "Okay. But first, who are you?" she asked as she pointed to the cloaked bird. "Do you really want to know?" Both Jewel and Lilian nodded. He signalled Cody to take Caitlin to the medical area. "Well, just don't faint." He removed his cloak, showing a mask. "This is why I sound different to how I should." He turned a small knob, adjusting his voice to normal. "This, is how I sound." For some reason, his voice sounded familiar. Then he removed the mask. "And this is my face." He looked up, and watched as Jewel and Lilian fainted. Luckily, Cody hadn't had exited. "Can you help me?" He rolled his eyes and grabbed Lilian while the other bird grabbed Jewel.

When Jewel woke, she thought she was dead, because above her she saw a familiar face. "Blu?" She opened her eyes wide, thinking she was dead. "Oh no. I'm dead!" Blu leaned her back into the bed. She looked to her side and saw Lilian. "No. You can't be dead too." Lilian let out a small chuckle. "I'm not dead. And neither are you. And neither is he"she said as she pointed to Blu. "You mean-he is-I'm not-I am so confused." Blu put a reassuring wing on her shoulder. "Allow me to explain. You see, on that island...I never died."

Two years ago...

"Azure, I am sorry. Please, forgive me." Blu felt anger, and said something that he may regret later on in life. "No. You are a monster. My brother was lost to me long ago. You are just a demon who has possessed his body, destroying his soul. If his soul was there, then I would forgive him. But not a monster. No. Not you Kronos. I want my real brother, not some evil look alike. So go back to where you came from." When Blu finished, Kronos looked down, and looked at his brother for the last time as a massive blast obliterated him. The blast was so powerful that Blu was knocked into the open. I'm sorry Jewel. I have failed you. As he lay there, he closed his eyes, preparing for the next blast, which, because of his size, would obliterate him forever from this world.

But he felt no blast. When he opened them again, he saw the human known as Wolverine carrying the woman known as Jean, who had almost destroyed the island. From his injuries, Blu passed out. Before he did, he let out a squawk and watched as Wolverine turned to him and went over to him. Then, darkness encircled him.

When he awakened, he found himself in a house. He saw a note beside him. It read:

Dear Blu,

I have left this note to tell you I have left for my own business. Take care of yourself.

From Wolverine.

P.S. I have left some gear that a bird came by to give you. He didn't say who he was.

Blu turned to his left to see a cloak and a small mask shaped to fit his head. He put on the mask and the cloak, which fit perfectly. He found a note in the back of the cloak, so read it.

Message for Tyler Blu Gunderson only.

If you are reading this, then you must prepare. A war is coming. Meet me at the White House. You know which one. Come alone.

From a friend.

Blu prepared to take flight from the window. He saw he was in a hotel room. He took off to Washington D.C. to see this friend.

WHen he arrived, he saw people walking around. But then, as he landed, everyone froze. He heard something behind him. He turned to see an old man in a wheelchair. The last he heard of this man was that he died. "Xavier? But how?" Xavier just smiled at him. "Follow me." Blu perched himself on the wheelchair. They went through the frozen crowd to the front of the White House. "This is where it began. You have heard of something that happened in 1959. The Sentinels?" Blu nodded, recalling them. "Well, in the future, a war breaks out where they will hunt mutants and bring us to extinction. This happens soon. You must gather the remainder of Kronos's Brotherhood. And watch over the school. The city of Rio will be hit hard. I have setup a headquarters for you. Follow these coordinates and you will have everything you need. If not, contact me and you will get more. Good luck." As Xavier disappeared, everyone began again. To avoid being seen, Blu took off into the sky. You must gather the remainder of Kronos's Brotherhood. And watch over the school. The city of Rio will be hit hard. This was his mission. He couldn't fail.

After a week, he had gathered a few to help. The latest one had given him the location of where the main group of the remainder of the Brotherhood had gathered. Blu and two others left. The ones he gathered believed him to be Kronos, since, with a few color changes on his feathers and excercise to build his muscles, he looked like him. When he arrived it was a large abandoned building. He knocked on the door, and it opened to reveal a large bird blocking the door way. "Password?" One of the birds with Blu walked up to it. "We are the children of the atom." The bird nodded and moved out of the way. Blu had his head bowed so no one saw his mask. He walked in, being escorted by the birds with him. He saw from under his hood many birds standing around what looked like a plaform. They all watched Blu, murmuring. When he stood on the platform, he lifted his head slightly. The light cast a shadow over his mask so no one could see. "Hello brothers and sisters. It has been some time since our last meeting. You are all probably wondering who I am. Well, you once knew me as your leader. I know myself as Kronos. Those who do not believe, please step forward and challenge me." In an instant, three birds charged him. The first he kicked in the face while doing a flip. He dodged the second one who had what looked like whips covered in spikes. He dodged two strikes, then the third wraped the whips around his wing. The attacker made a smile, but then it disappeared to fear as he went flying behind Blu, who had pulled the whip back. The third was almost upon him, but was pinned down, adamantium claws pointing straight at his face. "Do you believe?" The bird nodded. "Do you surrender?" The bird nodded again. Blu released him and turned to everyone. "Then, kneel before me." All the birds kneeled before their new master, only knowing the identity he told them. For some reason, Blu felt powerful. But he couldn't let it consume him. He explained his new mission, which was to scatter them around the world to prepare for war. They followed his orders and dispersed.

When he gathered enough allies, he moved his headquarters to the Amazon, in the darkest part of the jungle. He remembered the meeting he had with Zeel during his funeral. His mask prevented Zeel or anyone like him from reading his mind. That's why the several times he had been near his family, no one detected him.

Several events followed after the finding of the remainder of the Brotherhood. He found Sapphire and Ghoul, a mutant codenamed the Supplier, who had supplied Kronos with weapons and money and other supplies. He saw through his disguise but still offered to support Blu. Then he stayed hidden in the shadows, creating weapons to use against the Sentinles and watching over his family and friends.

Present Time

"And so now we come here. I had laid in the shadows awaiting the right time to come into the light. Eventually, the Brotherhood found out my identity, but they are still loyal. We are all over the world. Now the war has begun, we must defend ourselves." He stopped explaining what had happened when he heard someone approach him. "Dusk. I am guessing you are here to report something." The raven nodded and looked to his face with eyes full of worry. "The Sentinels are closing in on us. I estimate three weeks till they arrive. Also another group from Europe is coming here. They were hit quite hard in Britain. It seems most of our forces were assassinated before they could prepare. At least 10% of what we sent remains, and will arrive in two days. Anything else, sir?" Blu shook his head to the raven. "No more. Get some rest till I have need of you." Dusk saluted to his leader, and Blu saluted back, before dropping his wing to allow Dusk his leave. He left to the room he was staying in, and Blu turned to Jewel. "I think it's time. Tell Zeel to gather the school in the garden and the Spix Macaw tribe." Jewel was about to leave before she remembered something. "Where is Eduardo?" At this, Blu looked down to his talons to avoid looking into her eyes, since his were full of regret. "I'm sorry Jewel. I was too late to save him. He was stabbed through the chest before I could reach him. I was the last one to hear his words. I wish there was more I could do. But I did retrieve the body. You can give him a proper burial, if you wish to." When he looked up, he saw Jewel on the floor, crying. She was mumbling about how she regreted the way she treated him. He picked her up off the floor and sat her on a chair. He gave her a hug that lasted a few minutes, and she calmed and stopped crying. They looked into each other's eyes. "Better?" Jewel nodded slowly, wiping her tears away. "That's good. Come on. They deserve to know." Jewel left to find Zeel while Blu snuck out to the garden.

When Zeel was asked by Jewel to gather the school in the garden, he sensed it was urgent. He got the students and teachers in a group and asked them to go to the garden. Zeel was asked this was for him as well, so he joined the crowd. Jewel stood on the ground in front of Blu's grave. "Does everyone remember Blu?" They all either called out to answer or nodded. "Well, what if he was alive? How would our lives have changed?" Everyone began muttering in confusion by what she meant. "Well, to give you your answer, look behind you, in that tree." She pointed to the tall tree where the thought to be dead bird stood. Blu heard cheers and gasps and even some thuds from fainting birds as he flew over them. Even Zeel was surprised. "My friends. I have been alive ever since I was born. I was never killed. Instead, I prepared the world for this war. But my plan has failed, because they struck too early. Now I need your help. For if we do not act now, then extinction is upon us. We must work together to fight the threat. Now, who is with me?" There was silence...till one voice spoke. "I'm with ya mate." Everyone turned to see Cody on a rock. Lilian stood by him, raising her wing with Cody. Then Boah raised his wing, as well as Logan. "We're with you, Blu." Next was Blu's children. "We are with you dad." Then a large Scarlet Macaw known as Brawler raised his wing. "Even though it's lunacy, I'll stand by you." Then many others till all wings (minus the fainted ones) were raised. Blu was surprised that everyone had raised their wings. "We can win this with hope and courage. And we will win it together." He raised his wing, and everyone cheered for him.