A Phoenix Within

by R. C. Faith


Beast Tamer, Beast Tamer,

Who shall reap thy fate?

Save from evil, the land we dwell,

Or will it be too late?

Descendant of Night,

Born of Day,

Two worlds apart,

He will dwell,

Light and Dark.

Tortured past.

But memories lost,

Well hidden away,

Are afraid of the dark,

And even the day,

Bring us Hope,

In this dire time,

Can you cope?

And with new strength,

Can your will,

Be fierce as fire?

The night is long,

To darkness drawn,

Can you quell,

The forces strong,

That come so soon.

Hopeless songs,

They will sing,

The fight be futile,

Without wings.

War be hard,

Lives be lost,

Hope must triumph,

At any cost.

Death by kin shall be his end,

Betrayal by his dearest friend.

-Legend of the Beast Tamer

Silver moonlight washed over dense woods, leaving a glow on all it touched. Thick branches swayed in the breeze and the leaves, for once, recoiled at its touch. The air, unlike it’s usual pureness and sweet scents of the woods, stung the lungs of all who inhaled. It had been tainted because Fire and Earth were fighting once again, and Wind had stepped in to try and stop the conflict.

The smoke rose like a black snake in the sky. It was a total black against the silver-outlined trees. Fire as raven as a piece of starless night lapped up the trees greedily. Wooden huts and lean-to’s caught flame and fed the snake in the sky. People fled their homes, abandoning all they had. Some clutched frail, wailing babes to their breast while others dragged loved ones from the heat.

This fire was easily no ordinary fire; it followed the people as if bewitched to kill them all. Once momentarily free form the flames, many touched the points of the Diamond of the Elements on their body: brow; left shoulder; right shoulder and chest. Then they pressed a fist to the centre of the diamond, at their collarbone, to signal the final two elements. All too quickly they had to flee further while they watched their beloved home burn.

A young man, hardly the age of twenty and one years, scrambled through the brush. Already he cried for the flame had touched his heel and now it was burning from the inside out, making his skin black and bubbled. In his arms was a child with bright blue eyes and fresh tears and screams. With a shout, the man fell but rolled so he landed on his side rather than his child. He forced himself to his feet, hearing the roar of the fire not too far behind, and hobbled as fast as he could.

Already his vision was failing and pain was his only thought. The fire closed in as he strained his body into a run.

Above, a young child flew in the sky and watched the massacre. She laughed loudly and then disappeared into the column of smoke.


[Fiction: Fantasy/Adventure - Published: 12-11-06 from :www.fictionpress.com]