Phoenix

Prologue

   Night laid upon the Great North Forest. It wasn't one of those starry nights when the air itself seems to be full with strange, mysterious beauty. This night had nothing common with dark nights when woods turn wet from pooring rain, grey clouds cover skies and hide moon. Nights when only lightinings for few seconds light up secret paths. This was last night of winter, still cold but already full with something fresh and new. In this night cold winds were changed by, maybe not much warmer, but softer breeze. In this night only rare traveler or any other creature showed out. And only very rare creature appeared in the Great North Forest.

   In this quiet night a brown forest cat ran through woods. His (it was male) paws didn't make a sound while he tried to hide in shadows of trees. Only things that could be heard were soft sighs of wind and only thing that could be seen was blurry silhouette between trees. The cat shook it's head with soft sound that was something between purr and growl. Dead mouse, that he carried almost as explanation for this late walk, laid silently between his teeth. He knew that it was almost morning and mornings weren't time of his kin. Suddenly flash of red light reflected in golden eyes of the animal making it look terrific and almost grotesque. But it was only a moment of illusion. The forest cat turned its furry head to direction of light and in next moment ran away like arrow, disappearing betweed dark trees.

   This highly odd light was made by little sparkle that appeared in air. There wasn't anything that could be source of it, even more sparkle didn't fade. At first it only glowed as of getting used to this new, unusual place. But after few seconds it grew into a real flame, small but still flashing, shimmering and very bright.

   If any human traveler would see it in this moment he would probably think about forest spirits or even worse, elves... But gladly there was no one that could walk in these paths tonight. Some deep, ancient instinct drew all living away from this nightly scene. It wasn't meant for their eyes.

   The flame continued to grow. First its bright yellow tip stretched up awaking and growing, then started to make little circle in air, whirling like if it couldn't really catch itself. After that the flamy shape just floated in there for a bit as if thinking about what should it do next. And it grew again, this time almost eagerly. Now it was real ball of flames that changed color from red to yellow then orange, even white. At one point it almost became blue but then flashed red again lighting up closest trees in the way. It continued like this for a really long time, almost too long for simple forest spirit flame, that tend to live bright but short life. But this sure wasn't simeple forest light. Or even elven magic. It was biggest secret of The Forest. And only trees knew it but they were happily keeping it from beggining of time itself.

   Then things came to change again. Flame ball grew tiny bit more and then as if this size would be too much for it, flame blew up. With giant flash of light, cloud of furious sparkles and smoke it rushed into air. Now there were many little flames that hurried to form circle of surprising size. Or more like many circles, one in another.

   But fierce show wasn't over on this shimmering note. Flames changed their form to become blurry figures of creatures that could be found on the land, in the water or air. It looked like chaotic dance made from all kinds of live beings. Strange but somehow elegant in same time, it didn't lose even bit of it's wildness.

   And then sunlight finally took its turn. It lighted up the forest in speed that is only known to very early mornings. But fire didn't want to give up so easily. Fames blowed up again, again wanting to show their power but their time was over. As if some invisible giant's hands would press them together flames formed real shape. At first blurry but then real, sharp and clear. Now it was one bird. But it didn't seem to be made from half transparent fire, it was body from real flesh.

   The bird looked around and shivered a little making cloud of sparkled around feathers, as if it wanted to warm up in this sudden coldness of a forest. It looked like distant relative of crow only bright red with slightly lighter wings. It's eyes were fully black, but it was black tone of coal that is ready to light up in any moment.

   The bird flapped its wings for few times and croaked. And then with out any warning it flew up happily, slow at first moment but then it was already shooting up. Faster and faster between branches. Faster and faster chasing early lights that cut through trees. Faster and faster to bright blue morning sky. When the bird finally flew above trees its feathers one last time flashed with flames, for one moment making it mach sun in brightness. Bird flapped wings again and flew forward eagerly, enjoying fast wind. Phoenix flew in skies lighted up by first dawn of spring.