Chapter 15: Sparks Ignited

Dawn was breaking and the mutant Phoenix, Maggie had to fly quickly to her home before the sun came up completely. She landed on an isolated red building with tinted windows on the rooftop. The Phoenix lifted up one of the windows and slipped inside the building just as the sun rose completely. Inside the building was pitch black but Maggie ignited a ball of fire in her taloned hand as her source of light as she descended. When she finally reached the ground she walked over to a wall and flipped a switch on it, turning on the lights to reveal a secret hideout before snuffing out the fireball in her hand.

The entire place was nothing short of a training area. There were four large cylinder columns with large rings and targets extending out of them. The center of the floor was matted. There were also rings and targets hung from the ceiling by chains. On the sides of the training room were four doors leading to different rooms. On the left side was a single doorway leading to the bathroom on the first floor. Above the bathroom was Maggie's bedroom located high up on a balcony. On the right side on the first floor leads to the kitchen. High above the kitchen was the recreation area. At the front of the training room was a single door.

Maggie flew up to her room to get ready for bed. In her room was a bright red bed and a desk drawer next to it. On the desk was an orange lamp and a picture of a young happy Chinese teen couple. Maggie walked up to it and picked it up. She smiled. It was her and Ben in their original human forms, before tragedy struck them both. The Phoenix sighed, remembering all the happy times with Ben during their old lives.

"Even though I'm overjoyed at having Ben back, I'll never forget the memories he had together." Thought Maggie as she put the picture down.

Maggie stripped off her clothing until she was wearing nothing but her underwear and bra. She then climbed into bed, and fell fast asleep.

It was eight o clock when Maggie woke up. As the mythical bird mutant got out of bed, she did a stretches before dropping down to the bathroom with her clothes to wash up. When she got out of the bathroom all cleaned up and wearing fresh clothes, she suddenly smelled something delicious in the kitchen. Maggie walked over there to see a middle aged Chinese woman was making eggs. The lady turned around but was unfazed by the bird and instead smiled. Maggie put her palms together and bowed to her.

"Did you have a good sleep, my dear?" Asked the woman.

"I did indeed, Auntie Ying. Thank you for asking." Answered Maggie before she sat at the dinner table.

Ying brought over the eggs and chopsticks to the table and sprinkled some seasoning on the eggs before Maggie started eating. Ying also brought Maggie a small bowl of steamed vegetables at the side. The Phoenix loves eating vegetables alongside the main course.

"You know, auntie, it still baffles me to this day how a pharmacist like you was able to own a fake building and remodeled it to be my new home after my death and rebirth." Said Maggie as she picked up a piece of scrambled egg with her chopsticks and put it into her beaked mouth.

"And I already told I have my ways, sweetie. As well as some interesting friends." Replied Ying with a wink as she sipped her cup of tea.

"Well anyway, I better get some training done after eating. Especially with my fire training with the fire scroll." Said Maggie as she continued eating.

"Yes, I know. And you already figured how to shoot a fireball, but you still have a long way to go, niece." Said Ying. "I know you still harbor anger against the triads for killing your you and your parents. But if you let your rage take you, you will lose control of your power. Look back on your memories of Ben, maybe they will help. Remember not only your pyrokenetic powers need to be focused, but also precise. You must learn to control it and give it form."

"I understand, auntie." Replied Maggie.

"One more thing, don't forget to bring your weapon for your hunt this time." Said Ying.

"Don't worry, I won't. I've been planning to use it anyway." Maggie said with a wink and a smile.

After Maggie finished eating and did the dishes. It was time for training. Ying walked out of the front door to tend to her pharmacy.

The Phoenix stood at the center of the training room doing some stretches. She was wearing an orange training bra and shorts with holes cut so her wings and tail would fit. She brought out a few things for her exercises, three bottles of water, a Chinese straight sword, and the fire scroll. Maggie placed them on the front end of the room.

When Maggie was done stretching, she got into a Kung Fu stance. Focusing, she unleashed a series of punches and kicks into the air and occasionally snapped open her wings as if to keep enemies at a distance. Then Maggie launched into the air and dive bombed back to the ground with her feet first several times. Finally she took a stance and clawed her talons and did a series of strikes and sweeping kicks for several minutes. Maggie then stopped the exercise and took a few deep breaths. Her feathery body was already sweating, but she wasn't done yet.

The Phoenix went to her stuff on the edge of the mat and picked up the sword and walked back to the center with it. Maggie held the weapon in front of her and took a moment to look at it. Then she took the blade out of the sheathe and analyzed it. It was a Jian straight sword and a family heirloom.

"This sword has been with my family for centuries." Said Maggie. "And it's time I use it to avenge them!"

The mythical bird did a series of swings and thrusts with her sword. Every move can be described as beautiful and precise. Maggie saw a wooden target on one of the columns and launched into the air towards it aiming her blade. When she reached the target, the jian impaled the target directly into the bullseye. Maggie then pulled out her blade and went to pick up her sheathe and put away her weapon.

It was time for the next set of her training.

Maggie flipped a switch that caused the cylinder columns to spin. She perched on one of the balconies and eyed the columns. They had wooden targets and rings sticking out from their sides. The exercise would test her speed, agility, and accuracy.

The bird focused on the nearest column and launched towards it first striking a wooden target. Then she flew through the ring of the next one before destroying another target with a kick on a third. She then perched on another balcony and focused on two of the columns as they spun. Focusing hard and picking her moment the Phoenix zipped over in a red blur through a ring on the first one then immediately destroyed a target on the next column behind the first. Maggie then flew down on the ground and flipped the switch to stop the columns and end the exercise.

Maggie then took the fire scroll and opened it up while sitting in a lotus position. The Phoenix focused as she read the contents.

"Fire is the element of power and destruction, as well as life. It must have a reason exist in order to be ignited. You must have a drive to create fire in order to give your inner flame physical form." Read Maggie. "It is like anger, if used it could be uncontrollable if the user is too unfocused. Therefore the practitioner must never be blinded by rage. Instead, concentrate on your anger, give your inner fire form. The key is to balance your emotions between rage and serenity."

Maggie put down the scroll and set up four wooden dummies and stood before them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and focused on her inner fire. Since her rebirth, she was consumed by rage over her and her parent's murder. So much so that during her first few patrols, she incinerated many of the triads in her quest for vengeance. She used a lighter as her main source of heat and fire she took from one of the gangsters as she couldn't create her own fire yet. But after she obtained the Book of Fire, the Phoenix disposed of the lighter as she could now create her own flame. But still she needed to control her emotions in order to properly control her fire. And after being reunited with her true love, Ben, it has become easier to control her power. This was the purpose of her fire, to avenge her family. This was her drive. But she also had a second drive, to help and fight alongside her beloved friends to make their murderers pay as well as protecting the innocent so they wouldn't be victims of the triads like they were.

The Phoenix took a stance and concentrated her energy. She focused her power from her torso to her arms. She shot out a bal of fire from her left arm on the far right dummy at the torso, destroying it. Then she shot out another fireball out of her right arm at the left dummy at the head, blasting it off from the rest of the body. Finally, the mythical bird concentrated her inner fire on both her arms and shot out two balls of fire at the remaining dummies, obliterating them.

Maggie decided to try a much smaller target. She placed an unlit candle on a stand in front of her and concentrated hard. For this target, she needed not only to be deadly but also accurate. Maggie remembered that she needed to balance rage and serenity to shape her fire and give it form. She thought about her parent's demise as well as her reunion with Ben to help her. Maggie then shot out a small flame bullet and lit the candle. The phoenix smiled at her accomplishment.

Her training over, Maggie decided to take a nice hot bath. She went into the bathroom with fresh clothes and closed the door. She filled the tub with steamy hot water and peeled off her clothes, exposing her sweaty, feathery naked body. Maggie slowly stepped into the tub and sighed in relaxation as her body soaked in the steamy water. She closed her eyes and reflected on her recent life.

"I had been tireless in my quest for revenge. But now that I have been reunited with my beloved things are getting better. And now we found Jet, or rather he had found us. Heh, and he's still has proud and arrogant as I remembered." Thought Maggie. "Hmm, I'll always cherish the times we all had together. Ever since we first met as children we were inseparable. Ben in particular, he was something else. As we got older and entered our late teens we started sleeping together and when we got intimate, we would always use protection. I can't wait for him to be in a bath with me. Yet I still wonder if Sam is resurrected yet. When he died the police said it was an accident, but I and a few others knew better. But I have a feeling he's out there somewhere, and if we're gonna take out Qin Lao, we need him. As well as the turtles."

Meanwhile in the triad headquarters, the leader himself was sitting in his desk looking rather cross. A thug came in with fear in his eyes.

"What is it?!" Qin Lao asked sternly.

"I'm afraid that the scrolls have been stolen from our guys. The fire scroll has been taken by a cloaked lady and a guy in a hockey mask." Explained the thug. "Not to mention that a couple days ago some buff guy in a hoodie took out one of our cars and beat up our guys and took the earth scroll. They also appeared to be in league with four humanoid turtle warriors."

This news enraged the triad leader and he got up and knocked over a display containing a set of Chinese armor.

"This changes everything! The prophecy is true all along. The Four Stars have risen!" Said Qin.

"Um, even so there's still no sign of the fourth vigilante." The thug said. "He hasn't appeared yet."

"But he WILL." Said Qin angrily. "Summon the Deathly Hazards!"

"But they're all the way in China! It will take days for them to get here at best." Argued the gangster.

"All the more reason to send word to them RIGHT NOW!!" Shouted the angry crime lord.

The thug quickly left the room. And Qin sat back in his desk.

"Four Stars, four turtle creatures. I heard about the latter in the news as well as rumors all over the city. Not to mention the Purple Dragons occasionally talked about them. I wasn't entirely sure if they're real. Now there's no doubt about it. Even worse, they are in league with my prophesied enemies!" Thought Qin. "My own power alone is formidable, but if I can get my hands on at least one or two of the scrolls, they will all fall before my might!"

Qin Lao's eyes flashed green as he waited patiently for the Deathly Hazards.

Now we got to see the Vermilion Phoenix's daily life and training. And boy is she on fire.

Yet she's got the feeling that the fourth star is somewhere in New York. Is she right?

And Qin Lao doesn't look very happy. So he's bringing in some guys all the from China to help him out.

But who are the Deathly Hazards really?

Find out in the coming chapters!

MergingEmperor7, bowing out.