The Phoenix - BBS

Fire 🔥

The next 2 months passed slowly, Brock feeling his will slip away more and more. It had been 19 years to the day that he'd been brought to this facility, almost two whole decades. He almost welcomed the pain the doctors brought him, it meant he was still alive.

He followed the day guards to the large room, barely finding any will to want to fight. He didn't know what they were doing that day, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.

Jon had been silent for a few weeks, barely saying many words to Brock. The Phoenix could tell Jon was breaking down, the constant activities with next to no rest wearing on them.

Ever since Brock's Phoenix had manifested physically, the doctors assumed every manifested could do that. Which was true, most manifested if stressed enough could pull their bonded spirits forward and take physical form.

Brock hated himself deeply, knowing it was his fault the manifested of this building were being tortured more and more. He could feel the anger his bonded spirit held, the regret and determination the only reasons why he could continue on.

Brock looked up as they entered the room, heart freezing with fear as they dragged him to the ice pool again. "Please, no, not again," Brock begged, digging his feet into the ground beneath him.

The four guards surrounding him yanked him forward, ignoring his pleas. They wrapped him in a fireproof blanket, locking his arms and legs down. Brock noticed the new crane hanging above the pool, shiny with grease.

He looked up frantically at the two doctors behind the glass, Dr. Jackals smirking. "All I need is for you to bring your Phoenix forward," he said calmly and Brock shook his head.

"I can't do it at will, I don't know how," Brock pleaded and the doctor tutted. "Pity. That would have saved you from this procedure. We will have you learn how to do that soon," he said and nodded once.

The four guards gripped Brock's shoulders and shoved, the blanket tangling around his legs and he went down hard into the pool.

Once again, that crushing feeling of ice surrounded his body, but this time, Brock gave up. He wanted it to end, he wanted the pain to disappear, he wanted to close his eyes and never open them again.

He held his breath instinctively, but let himself sink to the bottom of the 10ft pool, his lungs bursting with the need for oxygen. He looked up hazily, blackness fogging his brain as he finally gave in and breathed in, water filling his lungs.

His body started fighting, knowing that wasn't right. He twisted in the blanket, dying to get to the surface. Brian's form appeared in his memory, those blue eyes watching him with a smile.

And Jon, his best friend. Brock couldn't leave him, not now. Jon needed him and he felt his will to live come back too late.

We're not dying today, my bonded, he heard in his head, smiling internally as he heard his spirit talk to him. He caught the impression of his wings and he shook his head, begging internally to not reveal them.

The Phoenix accepted, and a second later, he felt metal arms wrap around him and lift him from the water. Brocks lungs were too full of water and he couldn't breathe, the darkness growing closer as he felt his body fight to do so.

He felt hands on his chest, pushing down and the water erupted from his mouth, sweet oxygen filling his body as he finally gave in. The darkness overtook him and he let himself sink into the arms of unconsciousness.

The guard sat back, looking up at Dr. Jackals. The doctor was frowning, looking at his papers. "He didn't fight," the doctor said bemused, shaking his head.