The Phoenix (The Prophecy #1)

by Jessica McCrory

  “No.” She admitted. She would have still gone in those woods, and she knew Patrick and Leo would have as well. She remembered Leo yelling at Patrick, he had wanted to go in after Brady as well.

  “It’s terrible that we haven’t found them, and I’m still holding out hope that they will turn up and will have just gotten lost, but until then we need to focus on the problems at hand.” He sat at the table and she walked slowly over to take a seat across from him.

  “What problems? Other than Maximus.” She added.

  “The Brutes have taken out two of the villages within a ten mile radius of us. The scouts found nothing but rubble.”

  “Is it possible that the villagers escaped?”

  “It’s unlikely. There was no one in the outlying woods and the nearby villages that were still standing were scouted out for survivors. There was no one.”

  “What are they doing with them?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I should have killed him.”

  Without her having to say, Gregory knew whom she was talking about. “That’s not who you are, Anastasia. You may have to become that person one day, but had you killed him then it would have been for nothing other then taunting you. You didn’t know what he was capable of.”

  “How did she kill the Brutes?” Anastasia wondered thinking back on what Gregory had said about Kaley.

  “I’m not really sure.” He rubbed is hand over his chin in thought. “For us, only platinum coated blades or decapitation will put one down. When she attacked she went for the throats, I’m thinking it might be something in her bite.” Jose padded over and rubbed against Gregory.

  “Anastasia!” Brady burst through the door, his mother and sister on his heel.

  “Hey, kid.” She smiled and accepted his hug. She grunted with pain when he all but ran into her.

  “Oh, sorry!” He stepped back cautiously.

  “It’s okay. How are you?”

  “I'm good. Mom says I’ll have some scars, but that’s okay because girls like scars. It means I’m tough.” He flexed his muscles and Anastasia smiled. Nothing could keep this kid down.

  “Thank you, Anastasia.” Serena took her hand in her own and squeezed lightly. “If it hadn’t been for you-” She started.

  “You don’t have to thank me Serena. Besides, had it not been for me then Maximus may not have taken him anyways.” She looked down at her feet, the guilt settling in.

  “Don’t you blame yourself for that evil boy Anastasia. You can no more control him and his actions than you can control the weather.” She shook her hand lightly. “I will thank you. Because of you I am not having to plan a funeral for my son.” She smiled at her again. “If you need anything at all you only have to ask. I’ve brought some dinner with us if you two are hungry?” She pulled the small sack off of her shoulder and set it gently on the table.

  “I'm starving.” Anastasia’s stomach grumbled. She looked over when she heard Brady giggle and saw that Kaley was rolling on her back so that he could rub her stomach.

  “I named her Kaley.”

  “I like her.” He laughed.

  Sarah smiled down at her brother and Anastasia saw two teeth poking out.

  “When did those come in?” She asked tickling the small toddler.

  “About a week ago.” Serena said as she pulled the containers of food from the bag.

  “She’s growing up so fast.” Anastasia said and she held her arms out for the little girl.

  “That she is. Going to be two in six months. Where does the time go?” Serena laughed.

  They ate together and for a moment things seemed normal. But Anastasia has learned that things never stayed that way for long in her world.

  “I tried to access my magic that night.” Anastasia told Gregory as they sat on the steps together. “I couldn’t find it.”

  “You were frightened.” Gregory didn’t seem surprised when he responded. “You have to be in control of it, until you are more adapt it may take some time to access it. You have to have a clear mind or it won’t help you.”

  “That’s why when I began training you told me that fighting angry would do me no good, because I wouldn’t be able to focus on the bigger picture.”

  “In a way yes, although with your magic it seems anger is your trigger. But that night in the clearing you were afraid for Brady and for yourself. You have to be able to control that fear, use it to channel your magic or it will block it.”

  She nodded silently and continued looking at the sky. Kaley slept lazily at the base of the stairs but Anastasia knew she would be ready to pounce the second any danger showed its face.

  “When can we start training again?”

  “You need some time Anastasia, heal first. We can begin our training next week. I also want you to start coming to meetings with me, you need to become acquainted with the Fighters and being more involved in what’s going on out there.” He pointed to the fence.

  “Okay.” She agreed quietly.

  “As much as I want to deny it, your destiny lies in fighting and I want you to be as prepared as possible.”

  It wasn’t long into the training when Anastasia realized Gregory had been holding back. They fought hand to hand, with swords and even magic a time or two and she was learning he was quite a capable opponent. She began noticing a change in herself, she was becoming quicker and everything was becoming second nature to her. Although they had stuck with the lighter magic’s, she knew she was capable. She was beginning to feel stronger then she had ever felt before, and she knew she was no longer the weak, scared teenager who had shown up before, and like the tattoo on her back, she was determined to rise for her past and become something more.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “I’ll have the usual.” Dakota said to the bartender as he took his seat at the end of the bar. He had been coming here ever since he had turned twenty-one. It was a cop bar so most of the men he had seen had served with his dad at one point or another.

  “You got it.” Jax replied and poured his scotch.

  “Thanks.” Dakota added in response when the glass was set down in front of him. It had been a long damn day. Another murder in his city that couldn’t be explained.

  This time it was a young girl who had been walking home from her job at a diner. She hadn’t been robbed, hadn’t been sexually assaulted, not that either of those would have made the gruesome crime acceptable. She had just been killed to be killed. She had fought back, but he knew from the previous cases that the skin under her fingernails wouldn’t be skin. It would be some form of skin that was unknown to forensics and there would be no way to trace it.

  What in the hell was going on? He wondered. It had only been three years since he was promoted to a homicide detective with the Seattle PD and while he was good at his job, he now had twenty-five of these ‘unsolvable’ cases on his plate. He drank deeply and savored the burn from the scotch.

  “Long day?” The man sitting next to him asked.

  “One of the longest.” He replied taking another drink. “How are you doing, Silven?” he asked the man.

  He had been coming to the bar the same amount of time or longer possibly as Dakota had been and he always sat in the same seat. The man was as nice as they came and Dakota had grown accustomed to their conversations.

  “Can’t complain today.” His grey hair was pulled back at the base of his neck and he was drinking his usual beer. “How is your mother?”

  “She’s doing well. She took that apartment near me, still wont sell the house but at least she’s close now.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “How is your daughter?”

  The man smiled and Dakota saw the pride reflected on his face. “She’s doing great, can’t believe she’s grown up.”

  “I hear it goes by quickly.” Dakota replied.

  “More than you know.” He laughed. “You’re a good kid you know?” He said to Dakota, catching him by surprise. “Your dad would be proud.�
��

  “Thank you.” Dakota smiled at him. The first time he had met Silvan, he had come by after graduating the academy. He had visited his father’s grave first, and then needed the drink. He had found a confidant in Silvan and after a few scotches had become open enough to tell the man what was on his mind.

  George Parker had been killed seven years ago on his way to the office after he had finally caught a break in Anastasia’s disappearance. It was ruled as a random act of violence and the man who killed him was murdered in jail two weeks later. Since that day they had become friends of sort, although they only ever saw each other at the bar.

  “Hey there, Parker.” Maliki Mitchell, Dakota’s partner sat on the stool next to him and ordered a beer.

  “Hey Mitchell, what’s up?”

  “Exhausted. These cases are insane aren’t they?”

  “That they are.” Dakota agreed. He turned to ask Silven if he wanted another one and found that the man was gone. He had left a note with a stack of bills. ‘This ones on me.’ It said. Dakota smiled and turned back to Mitchell.

  “I just don’t get it, there’s not one damn connection between any of the victims.” Mitchell drank half the bottle in one drink and Dakota knew he was feeling just as frustrated as he was.

  “We’ll get back at it tomorrow. There has to be something somewhere.”

  Mitchell nodded and ordered another beer.

  “I'm out, next ones on me.” He tossed the bills Silven had left on the counter and then headed for the door.

  He walked the short distance to his apartment rather than drive it. He could grab his car on his way to work in the morning. The night seemed darker than normal and Dakota noted that there weren’t as many people out and about as there normally was. He assumed it was due to the media calling the murders the work of a ‘serial killer with no discriminations’. “Smart people.” Dakota muttered as he continued walking.

  Dakota was about to walk into his building when a blue light caught his eye. He turned and headed into the alley that ran next to his building. The blue light disappeared right before his eyes and Dakota stood for a moment staring at the space that had been there.

  “What the hell?” He asked and walked to the end of the alley. A matchbook from the bar was on the ground and when he opened it, there was a note scribbled on the inside flap. ‘Never underestimate the value of an open mind Dakota’ –S.

  “What the hell?” He repeated again to the dark. He hadn’t had that much to drink had he? He looked around for more clues and stuffed the matchbook into his pocket. He was surely going insane.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Anastasia stood staring at herself in the mirror. Her sword was sheathed across her back and at her waist were three dirks. Her hair had grown and now fell in loose curls to her waist. She quickly braided it back with the precision of someone who had been doing it every day for years.

  She saw no trace of the beaten teen that had arrived in Terrenia ten years prior. Her face was no longer battered from the years of abuse and her eyes were clear. Her body was sleek and strong and she knew she could be deadly if she needed to be.

  She had seen more battle in the last five years actively fighting against the Brutes, than she had in her entire childhood with Mitch. She closed her eyes at the memory of the most recent destruction. They never seemed to arrive in time to save the occupants of the village. The men, women and children who had once lived there were just gone. The buildings burned to smoldering piles. The only bodies left behind were those of animals who had gotten in the way of the monsters.

  The latest village had only been five miles away. Too close for comfort, she thought to herself.

  “Ready girl?” She asked Kaley and headed for the door.

  “Morning, Anastasia.” Gregory sat at the table writing in a notebook.

  “Good Morning.” She grabbed a slice of bread off of the counter and sat next to him.

  “What are your plans for today?” He asked her as he continued writing.

  “I am going to head out with Tony in a little bit; we are going to scout out the last standing village that’s within a ten-mile radius. We’re hoping we can get them to vacate and relocate here where they will be safe. There’s power in numbers.”

  “That would be good.”

  She nodded in agreement. The last two villages they had offered to help had refused to move, and now they were no longer standing. She hoped this one would be different.

  “Be safe.” He added and stood to walk into the kitchen. “Take Kaley with you.”

  “I always do.” She smiled and headed for the door.

  She met up with Tony and Emmitt, another fighter, on the outskirts of the village.

  “Hey, Ana.” Emmitt greeted her flashing a smile when he saw her.

  “Hi Emmitt, and its just Anastasia please.” She would never let another person call her Ana. It was reserved for Dakota even though she knew she would probably never see him again.

  “Right, sorry about that.” He smiled again.

  Emmitt was tall, standing at least a foot above Anastasia and his dark hair fell to his shoulders. He was muscular and a fantastic fighter. He was handsome, and he knew it. But even if he hadn’t been on the arrogant side, Anastasia knew she wouldn’t have given him a second glance. She had only ever had eyes for one boy in her life and she had a feeling it was going to stay that way. She only wished Emmitt would get the hint.

  “Let’s head out.” Tony said and they began walking through the trees. “Keep your eyes peeled.”

  They walked the first three miles until they saw the smoke billowing through the trees.

  “We’re too late!” They took off at a run towards the village, Tony in the lead with Emmitt, Anastasia and Kaley flanking him.

  When they burst into the village Anastasia cried out. The entire town was in ruins. Houses and other buildings were burned to the ground. Debris lay strewn across the dirt and she choked back a cry when she nudged a small burnt toy with her boot.

  “This didn’t happen long ago, look for survivors but keep watch they may not be far off.” Tony began searching the debris, lifting the large pieces before walking on them.

  Anastasia headed towards a small line of houses that were badly burnt. She looked under debris and tried to ignore the blood that had pooled on the dirt. What did they have to gain from doing this? Did they just enjoy the slaughter? Where were the bodies? She felt the familiar anger in her chest and tried to beat it back. It would do her no good now.

  She spun when she heard coughing. “Over here!” She yelled to Tony and Emmitt and raced for the small half burnt cottage it had come from. A woman lay in the center of the ruined house.

  “Help me.” She choked out. She was covered in soot and her forehead was bleeding. Anastasia reached foreword and helped her to her feet. The woman stood and Anastasia noted that they looked to be the same age.

  “Unbelievable.”

  “What?” The woman asked at Tony’s surprised response.

  “You are the only person known to have survived a Brute attack. You should consider yourself very lucky miss-”

  “Ophelia, my name’s Ophelia. I fear I am very dizzy.” Her knees buckled and she fell foreword with Emmitt catching her. “Oops, I’m sorry.” She said embarrassingly and then used his arm to stand herself back up.

  “Emmitt you stay here with Ophelia. Anastasia you and I need to keep looking, make sure we don’t leave anyone else behind.”

  She nodded and continued her search, but they found no one else. Ophelia was the only survivor.

  “Were you able to see anything from where you were hiding?” Gregory asked Ophelia later that afternoon. They had gotten her back to the village, cleaned her up and now they all sat in the living area of the training cottage.

  “No, I’m so sorry. It was pitch black in my cellar. I could only hear. The screams were awful.” Ophelia covered her eyes with her hands and Emmitt reached over to put his arm around her. Her blonde hair
was loose around her face which was bruised. When she looked back up at Gregory, her light blue eyes shone with tears.

  “It’s okay, Ophelia.” Gregory assured her. “Just tell us what happened again, from the top.”

  “I was sitting inside my cottage when I heard the screaming. I climbed down into my cellar and hid. I'm sorry but that’s all I know. I didn’t see anything.” She started crying and covered her face again.

  “That’s quite alright.” Gregory stood and motioned for Tony and Anastasia to step outside with him.

  “She’s been through a lot, I'm not sure what it is but there’s something off here. It could be nothing, but I want you both to keep an eye on her just in case.”

  “What do you think it is?” Tony questioned, but didn’t sound surprised.

  “I'm not sure, just a feeling that I have and I’ve lived long enough to know that I shouldn’t brush it off.”

  Anastasia and Tony both nodded. Truth be told, she wasn’t entirely trusting of their victim either.

  “We need to figure something out. If the Brutes keep tearing apart villages like this, we won’t have anyone left to fight this war.” Anastasia turned to face the trees where the village sat. She could hear the laughter of those she had grown to know as her family. “We cannot let them come here.”

  “We won’t.” Said Tony. “We will protect them, Anastasia.”

  “Yes we will.” Gregory agreed.

  Their words did little to soothe the fear that had begun to bloom in her soul. She feared for those she loved and for the life she had made here.

  They turned when Emmitt and Ophelia walked out. “I'm going to take Ophelia into town and get her some food. Where should we set her up for the night?”

  “Talk to Leigh. See if she is up for some company. We can look for a more permanent residence tomorrow.”

  Leigh, Maximus’s mother had become the village’s mother hen since Maximus disappeared. She was one of the sweetest women Anastasia had ever known and it was an increasing mystery as to how she had raised such a monster as a son. She no longer spoke of Maximus and had written him off as a family member, but Anastasia knew she was lonely and that her heart was broken. She could see it every time she looked at the woman.