CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
As the evening began to set in and the sun sank lower upon the horizon, the fading light painted the sky a soft vibrant mixture of orange and scarlet though it did appear way darker and more sinister than any other evening yet encountered within Brazil. The light spread across the sky casting a vast ocean of crimson red. Like blood, the crimson sky glowed brightly as if an ominous warning to the evil which had slipped into Luciano's grotto without anyone questioning a thing. This same evil only sought to destroy them. Striking from the shadows and unleashing hell without anyone suspecting anything out of the ordinary.
Marco cracked a conniving smile, deep down he knew he had Sabrina to thank for that one. Her dark sinister powers had implanted false memories within Rico, Maria, and the fool which he could only refer to as his dad. Marco slipped off through the jungle, cursing the name of his father deep within the back of his mind. His eyes glazed over with all the hatred and fury he held onto from his past. Back when Luciano was known as The Storm King. He was a ruthless tyrant, a cruel dictator, a torturous leader who cared about no one except himself, and the creature solely responsible for training him to be a cold-blooded killer, now he seemed to be completely different. He cared about the animals under his care. He had a wife named Maria and a son named Marco. He welcomed him into the family with open wings. He clutched his wing tight, forming a fist as his beak trembled and upon peering up at the sky he became lost within its beauty.
"Wow, look at that sky," he grinned, "It's a crystal-clear crimson red, exactly like the color of blood."
"Indeed,"
Marco shifted his eyes back towards the jungle where the familiar figure of Sabrina emerged from the darkness like an apparition shrouded in mist. Stepping beside the Hawk, her eyes gazed up towards the increasingly darkening sky which continued to grow redder as the sun dipped lower. A cruel smile passed her beak, drawing Marco's attention to her. Raising her wings she shifted the hood over her face keeping her identity a secret even from him, all he could make out were a set of glowing eyes.
"I heard that you have been wanting to see me, Marco?" she asked. "May I ask why? I have given you your orders and I expect them to be carried out, so if this is about you trying to talk your way out of completing your mission then you should save your breath and my time. Carry out your orders as expected or die. Those are your only two options."
Marco stepped backwards a few paces and grew more aggressive towards the female hawk. His face darkened with anger and frustration towards the female's antics. Swinging a solitary wing through the air he protested the female's words.
"That is exactly why I needed to see you. The creature you have sent me here to kill is my father, however, he is not the same as he once was. He was a cruel heartless tyrant who called himself, The Storm King. Now he is going by the name Luciano. He, however, is no fool and suspects something is amiss. He is aware that the memories you have implanted within his mind have come from nowhere and I fear he is breaking through your manipulation. If that happens it won't be long until he figures out the truth towards what is going on around here."
Sabrina held up her wing issuing for silence from her brother. Her cruel eyes glistened as she addressed the situation at hand. Her face remained relatively calm, never showing any hint towards her emotions. Her voice rang out flat and emotionless as she began to speak.
"It is of no concern," she admitted, "Luciano will break free of my control. I have foreseen this. That will be when you strike him down. However, his wife is a growing concern to me. She is a Spix Macaw and must be eliminated tonight."
With a wave of her wing, Sabrina tossed a small bottle within Marco's wings. "That is a fast-acting poison. When swallowed it will zap the energy from her until she slowly dies. It is untraceable and all who examine her will believe that she has died from some illness. Wait for her to fall asleep and then proceed with your task, but make sure she only gets one or two drops, no more than that or they'll be able to detect the murder."
Marco nodded his head. "Right, it will be done."
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As the sun disappeared and the sky blackened into the depths of the night, Marco flew back to the grotto and landed within the opening of Luciano's hollow. The silvered moonlight filtered in through the opening casting a small reflection upon the ground. Marco could not help but crack a smile while cupping the small bottle within his wings. He could not believe his luck. Luciano and Maria already were lying asleep with Rico resting nearby. Without wasting a single second, he wandered to the female's side and removed the lid from his secret weapon. His cruel eyes burned bright as a sheer enjoyment now embraced him. Finally, he would begin his mission in killing off the Spix Macaws. Finally, he would get his revenge. Twisting his wing and turning the bottle on its side, he shook it releasing a single drop of the poison.
"Goodbye, Maria," he grinned, "You always were such a gullible fool. Perhaps in the next world, you won't be such a failure." He stopped and shook his head. "Who am I kidding? There's no such thing as an afterlife, so I hope you enjoy nothing but eternal darkness."
The poison in the bottle surged and bubbled releasing a single drop to the rim of the bottle. It hovered in place for a moment until it dropped down into Maria's open beak. Marco's cruel wicked smile widened as he watched the drop disappear down her throat. The dirty deed was done, even if it did not appear to affect her now, her fate was officially sealed. Maria would not last much longer as the poison finished her off little by little. The very idea made him feel great inside. He could savor her death until the moment it happened. Nothing could save her now.