CHAPTER FOUR

As the midnight hour stretched onwards into the early morning, the silver face of the crescent moon peered down through the canopy of trees towards the darkening world below. Like a demonic entity on the verge of conquest and sensing the evil deeds brought forth by that evening, the faint moonlight cut through the jungle becoming the most prominent feature that evening. Somehow, it seemed different. The pale stainless face almost radiated evil as it appeared three times its usual size. The super-moon held a dark orangey-red coloring across its surface. As the blue sky faded into black, the color only intensified, appearing like a single drop of blood upon a cloudless night sky. The whole horizon seemed to glow like a wild bush fire. Shadows crept through the darkness, remaining, dark, ominous, and whispering secrets to anyone who would take the time to listen. The message seemed quite clear! Evil was on its way to Rio de Janeiro, and it would not leave without a fight.

Roger continued along the path. His dark villainous eyes filled with sheer delight as he thought about his plan. He could not believe his luck in finding a young girl with such hatred, such anger and such evil dark desires brewing deep down inside of her. In every way, she would be the perfect putty to mold in his image. He rubbed his wings together and cackled. He would be able to kill three birds with one single stone. He would have an obedient little servant… he would have an unlimited supply of fresh meat to eat… and last and certainly not least, he would have new victims to torture before they died. He loved the sound of that. His plan held very little seams to sow and very few weaknesses to exploit. Once he held Amber's fate in his talons, he would have every base covered, every single disadvantage hidden away – in doing so, he would hold all the cards. No one would be able to beat him at this rate.

"She will be mine," he promised himself. He clutched his wing together like a closed fist. He studied it for a moment in silence as he contemplated his words. His beak curled into a vicious, sinister smile.

"Yes, just wait and see. I'll force her to make a deal with the devil himself, and then her soul will belong to me. There will be no death for her, but she will be forced to watch the remainder of her family suffer and die. She won't have a chance of redemption once I'm done with her."

Roger's eyes widened as he studied his environment. He stood just outside of a little fairy ring burdened on the path. The long thick strands of grass stretched out in a giant circle. Around him, he could hear the faint giggles of disembodied voices ringing through the air. He blinked a few times and began to back away. He could see the formation of will o' the wisps surrounding the circle. They danced through the night sky and hovered in place every so often as if admiring him. Roger knew the legends of these evil balls of light, and how they guided travelers astray or often to their doom. He didn't want to risk his own safety on such a vicious entity.

"Shoo, get out of here!" he snarled. "I don't have time to deal with you, be gone before I get mad."

The balls of light encircled him. They danced and swayed almost as if trying to guide him into the fairy ring. He could hear the faint giggle of spirits growing louder. They called out to him in their hushed voice which seemed to fill his ears and his soul like a soft though commanding whisper. At first, it only seemed like a little breeze through the night. But after a couple of moments, he could hear words.

"Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance! You must dance! C'mon dance with us! Dance! Dance! Dance!"

The Scarlet Macaw shook his head and threw his wings through the air. His eyes never moved; he could see the balls of light shifting away from his grip. The whispering stopped as he clicked his beak together with a vicious energy that reflected his foul mood. He would give these spirits no satisfaction in doing anything they wanted him to do. He cocked his head to one side and let his voice ring out. In his heart he could hear music, he let himself sing the most vicious song he could think of.

"When the devil is too busy,

and deaths a bit too much

They call on me by name you see.

For my special touch

To the gentlemen, I'm miss fortune,

to the ladies, I'm sir prize.

Call me by any name.

Any way it's all the same.

I am the fly in your soup

I'm the pebble in your shoe

I'm the pea beneath your bed

I'm the bump on every head.

I'm the peel on which you slip

I'm the pin in your hip

I'm a thorn in your side,

Makes you wiggle, and writhe

And it's so easy when you're evil

I am the life you see, the devil tips his hat to me

I do it all because I'm evil.

And I do it all for free!

Your pain is everything I'll ever need."

Roger stamped his talons across the ground. He shook his clenched wings, swatting them at the dancing balls of light. He could hear their discomfort. The souls of deceased children who died within the jungles cried out in agony. He did not care. He longed to hear their misery. He continued onwards with his songs. His voice hardened as he continued onwards.

"While there's candy to be had

While there's children to make sad

While there's pockets left to pick

While there's granny's left to trip

Down the stairs…

I'll be there… I'll be waiting around the corner

It's a game I'm glad I'm in it,

cuz there's one born every minute

And it's so easy when you're evil!

This is the life you see, the devil tips his hat to me

I do it all because I'm evil.

And I do it all for free,

your pain is all the company I need."

Roger held a wing over the spot where his heart should be. He felt no beating of it. He didn't even know if it still existed. All he knew was that he longed to make creatures miserable and destroy their very existence. He proved time and time again that he didn't have any morals. He lived to kill, and that was his only intention. Those he met held very little chance of salvation… except for Amber anyways. There seemed to be something special about her, and he wanted to find out what that something was. He would find out even if it took the rest of his life. He began to sing the next verse of his song, even though the will o' the wisps departed looking for less intimidating prey. They deserted because of the cowardly ways. The robed scarlet macaw knew that for a fact.

"I pledge my allegiance, too all things dark and I

Promise on my damned soul

To do as I am told

Lord, Beelzebub has never seen

A soldier quite like me

Not only does his job, but does it happily.

I'm the fear that keeps you awake

I'm the shadows on the wall

I'm the nightmares they become

I'm the rattling of your skull

I'm the beating of your heart

A stabbing pain, a sudden start

I'm an extra turn on the wrack

When your bones begin to crack!

And it's so easy when you're evil!

This is the life you see, the devil tips his hat to me

I do it all because I'm evil.

And I do it all for free,

your pain is all I'll ever need."

As Roger's song ended and the last few notes of his song died off upon the night, a small will o' the-wisp appeared, it circled around him transforming from gold to pink and even the occasional glimpse of blue and purple. Roger's eyes widened as he formed a confident smile. The little spirit did not seem to frighten easy, or it would have run off with the rest of its friends. Roger tried to reach out and grab it but found that it vanished from sight. The darkness enveloped him, drawing out any form of vision from his eyes. At that moment he caught sight of movement. A dark-robed figure emerged into sight. He backed away and held up his wings ready to defend himself if necessary.

"What trickery is this?" he growled. "Who are you? And why are you here? If you value your life, then I would suggest you answer me right now."

The dark-robed figure laughed and mimicked her stance. She cocked her head to one side, admiring the Scarlet Macaw for a few seconds. Her eyes cut through the darkness which served as the only light in the whole area.

"My name is… Sabrina… you have got a great power hidden within you. I would like for you to put it to good use and serve me."

Roger arched a curious eyebrow, the true meaning behind the words didn't clue into his mind, even though he thought about it for a few minutes. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Haven't I already put my power to good use? I've killed hundreds of creatures and I plan to slay many more until my time on this Earth expires."

"Now that is a good ambition… very good indeed." Sabrina cackled. "But it's not enough! Fight for me, I want you to kill and kill and kill, but first, you must find some comrades with the same ambitions. You must help each other. You will never be beaten. You will achieve powers greater than you'd ever thought possible. Find them, and the powers of a god will be yours."

Roger found himself more than a little excited by the offer. He rubbed his wings together in eager anticipation. He craved that power, he needed it. The very idea forced its way into his mind and became an obsession. His beak clacked together as he could almost taste it. This strange entity promised him everything he could ever want in his cruel existence. "Where am I supposed to find these creatures?" he asked. "Where am I even supposed to begin?"

"To the south of here, you will find a hawk… he is the key to your power. Follow his orders… the rest will come in time."

Roger blinked and found himself standing alone. The strange entity went without any trace of it ever having been there. He wiped a wing through his eyes, and focused on his words, he needed to find a hawk, somewhere to the south of his current location. He nodded his head.

"Well, I guess I should go and find him." He frowned. "Let's just hope this guy is telling the truth."

#

Heavy ominous clouds of leaden gray accompanied dawn's first light. A crisp breeze continued to sweep through the jungle sending a soft mist to hover unseen upon the air and throughout much of the landscape. The trees swayed in unison as if performing some kind of wonderful dance, remaining unaware of the evil approaching with each passing second. Despite Rio de Janeiro being well known for days of endless sunshine, and beautifully warm, humidity-free conditions, the occasional day did occur where the world brought a few bouts of rain and gloomy conditions. Thunder rumbled upon the horizon, indicating that a storm would not be out of the question as the daytime heating settled into the afternoon. Marco landed just south of the city a little after dawn. With no sun to greet him, the hawk formed a confident smile. He didn't care much for bright cheery conditions. It only served as a distraction in combat. He wanted his opponents to be at their best, so he could test his strength and humiliate them. The heat would only serve to slow them down, but there would be none of that today. Some sixth sense foretold the events of the day to him. He would be free to kill to his heart's content, and there would be no repercussions on nature's behalf. A fact which made him chuckle with sheer delight and anticipation.

"Yes!" he laughed out loud, raising his wings in victory. "Even the weather is on my side. It would be such a shame to waste this perfect opportunity. Let's find some victims… I'm just itching to have some fun."

Marco did not need to wait long. In fact, he didn't even have the chance to move a muscle before he heard a strange sound echoing through the jungle. It sounded like a group of beads shaking together in a plastic cup. His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus his attention on the sound. It appeared to come from every direction, but he could hear a faint slithering coming from just over to his right. He backed away and turned his head over towards the sound. A large brown and yellow patterned snake came into view. At the end of its tail, a small rattle shook with little time to pause. It didn't take him long to figure out that he was looking into the eyes of a dangerous and very venomous South American rattlesnake. Its eyes glowed with an eerie light, its tongue flicked in and out as it swayed its head and body back in forth in a hypnotizing fashion.

"Well, what do we have here?" the snake hissed. "You're in my nessssst."

Marco backed away, eyeing his surroundings for the first time. He could see several dead birds, and scattered belongings. Marco held up his wings and spit with disgust. His beak clacked together mimicking the snake's rattle. He noted the two razor-sharp fangs and oversized venom sacks which dripped a clear translucent liquid. He didn't fancy being on the receiving end of such a vicious looking onslaught those jagged fangs could produce, but on the other wing, he didn't really feel like being pushed around by some serpent.

"Drop dead," the hawk smiled. "You're just like every other snake on the planet. You talk big, but you're nothing more than some coward who must rely on venom and stealth. You wouldn't stand a chance against me in a real fight."

The snake's eyes reflected emotions. His tongue continued to flick in and out. His rattle stopped shaking. The serpent lowered his head and moved forward. The clear translucent liquid dripped from his mouth, staining the ground beneath its flat body. Marco didn't want to know if that stuff contained venom. He tried to wipe the thoughts from his mind.

"What isssss that sssssuppossssed to mean? Are you sssssaying I'm a coward?" The snake asked, its voice a flat emotionless hiss.

"I'm saying that you can't stand a chance against me without relying on your poison, and your stealth. You're a weak, pathetic, excuse of a living being. Fighting you isn't even worth my time. I only value strong opponents, one who could serve to power up my abilities."

The snake cackled and nodded his head. He wrapped his body around the hawk who didn't make a single move to escape the bondage. The snake continued to laugh in its cold emotionless voice.

"Very well than if that is your final wish, I shall honor it for you. You shall see my true potential before you die."

Marco smiled and held up his wings in mock victory. He charged forward ignoring the dripping liquid. He threw his wings through the air and collided with the snake's face, punching the evil serpent with all the strength he could muster. The serpent fell backwards, stunned for a few seconds, giving Marco enough time to charge forward for another attack.

"You don't deserve to live!" Marco squawked. "NOW DIE!"

Without another word, he grabbed hold of both sides of the snake's head and flipped him over his back onto the ground. The rattlesnake didn't have any chance to defend himself, his head cratered into the ground leaving a large thick hole from the impact. The snake would not move again. He trembled for a couple of seconds and lay defeated, slain by the predatory bird. He stood over the body of his fallen enemy and studied the carnage for a couple of seconds. His talons prodded across the dirt ground, as he breathed in the sweet smell of the breeze.

"That's the sixteenth victim this morning." He smiled, panting as he seated himself. "That's not too bad if I do say so myself."

He shifted his attention to the valuables along the ground. In the battle, he forgot about them, but he could now see what the snake's victims felt like risking their lives for. Rummaging a wing through them he pulled out a large blue robe with a hood. For reasons he couldn't explain he found himself attracted to it. Without a word he slipped it over his head and pulled the hood over his face-concealing it from sight. His beak prodded from underneath the hood; his only discernible facial feature left within plain sight.

"Not bad, I guess even fools can hold some valuable objects, eh?" he smiled. "This robe will serve me well. I'll definitely need to find more of them."

He caught movement out of the corner of his eyes and turned to face the creature stepping out of the jungle. An evil-looking scarlet macaw stared in his direction. Both creatures glared at each other suspiciously.

"Who are you?" Marco asked raising a bladed wing towards the newcomer. "And what are you doing here?"

The scarlet macaw cut a wicked smile. "I could ask you the same question, but if you must know, I followed the sound of battle and thought I could join in with the slaughter. However, I see that I am too late."

Marco continued to hold his wing in place. A smile formed upon his beak. "Perhaps not, if you are telling me that you are looking for a fight and are strong, then I will fight you. I always am ready to add another head to my list of victims."

"How many victims do you have?" The scarlet macaw asked a little curiously, there seemed to be a hint of approval in his voice.

Marco peered down at the two hyacinth macaws that oozed with blood upon the ground. "Counting these two, my kill count is around six hundred. But not just with birds, I have slain my fair share of sloths, fish, crocodiles, and snakes, anything strong enough to put up a decent challenge will soon fall before my blades."

The scarlet macaw nodded his head and peered down at the bloodstained gauntlets hanging from the hawk's sturdy and impressive wings. He cracked another wicked smile. "Impressive, what do you say we work together?"

Marco pretended to think about it. He winked at the macaw and nodded his head. "It sounds like a good idea, but here is a better one, let's go to war."

Roger cocked his head for a moment and Marco continued. "We'll go and gather a few allies and then when the time is right, we'll be mercenaries and slaughter everyone. That way each of us can have as many victims as we want. Then when no one can stop us, we'll rule both humans and birds alike."

The scarlet macaw arched a curious eyebrow. "You mean you want to rule everything?"

"Yes," Marco nodded, "I have a promise to keep. I was once told that by forming a group of vicious mercenaries, we will be cemented as gods to all living things. I can not in good conscience give up that kind of power. I want that power for myself."

The scarlet macaw shook his head and thought about it for a moment. "Interesting, okay, I'm in."

Marco's eyes glistened. "And then my friend we will go after the greatest victim of all. The Dark Robed Sage and her Spix macaw species."

"Spix macaws?" Roger cocked his head once more. "I never trusted those birds, they're all liars, every single one of them."

"Exactly why we should wipe them out," Marco smiled. "We'll see how powerful their ancestors are when they're facing off against me. Their little god-like powers will be no match for our brute strength." His eyes narrowed as he continued. "But we won't stop just there, we will be mercenaries, we will go from place to place taking on jobs and then slaughter everyone. No one will be able to complain to us about our methods because they hired us in the first place."

"Interesting," Roger nodded his head, "I'm in, however, I think I have found another member of our elite group. I found a person who holds a dark power deep in her heart. She might be of some use to us."

"Do you mean another comrade?" Marco arched a curious eyebrow. "That's a good idea."

"Yes," The macaw nodded his head. "Though it might take some time… we'll need to influence the events of her life a bit."

Both birds cackled again. "You're a true evil mastermind, my friend." Marco smiled. "You're exactly what I want in my band of villains."

"Please, no need to be so formal." The macaw smiled. "You may call me, Roger."

"Well, it's good to meet you, Roger… you may call me Marco."