It was worse than he expected.
In fact, so bad that he might've as well commited suicide.
When he had returned to the Forbidden, and admitted his failure, they roared at him. Tailstar cowered down in fear, and when they were done with him, the Sorcerer spoke.
"Why have you not accomplished this? I just ask of you of one thing - ONE THING - and you can't even beat information from a clumsy old fool?" Calmly said the Sorcerer atop the Forbidden. The Sorcerer was a scrawny thing, with thin limbs, tiny hair, and no scales. She held a scepter by her hand. Even though she was tiny, the Forbidden protect her and her significant other like they were their rulers. Well, through their behavior, they probably were. But she had powerful magic, unlike a dragon's. Good reason for them to obey one.
The Forbidden came closer, then landed on the ground in front of Tailstar. The Forbidden leader bared his great teeth at him. "You know what we do to failures, Frigate." His eyes gleamed wickedly, and he moved his talons ever so slightly. "Did we not help you retain your position at the Rising Sun? Did we not help you get across the storm? Did we not take you in as one of our own?"
Tailstar trembled as memories came rushing back to him. "You did do those things for me, my lord."
The Forbidden leader, Xuvier, snaked his head towards Tailstar. When he was within three wing beats away, he lowered his head, and positioned himself so the Sorcerer was eye level with Tailstar.
"Do not forget all of the mercy we've given you, Tailstar. We've given you enough." She raised her scepter in the air, and Xuvier rose. "And so, it is time that you meet your doom. With Flame." Flame materialized next to Tailstar, as if he tumbled from the heavens.
"What?" Tailstar cried out.
Before both of them could react, Xuvier's jaws opened wide, and came chomping sown on them. Tailstar screamed, fervently batting at the mouth. Flame looked around in fear, and started shooting fire balls everywhere. They were sucked down the gullet, and screams reverberated throughout the stomach. Acid-like water swirled around, with various creatures - phoenixes, gryphons, dragons - all screaming and crying out for mercy. Tailstar tried to flap out, but he was sucked viciously down into the water.
"My lord, please! Let me serve you again! I can assure you that I'll be of greater use this time!" There was a horrible gurgling sound, then Tailstar found himself sitting in a pile of the acid. He quickly scrambled away from it, and sat, acid/waterlogged, a little ways from Xuvier.
"And how will you serve me this time? You've failed me - now twice. Once for getting information from Sleektalon, and twice for killing him. Not." His cold, dark eyes surveyed him, sweeping over his body. "It's not up to me to decide your fate. It's entirely up to your work of progress...or my mistress." He looked pointedly over his shoulder at the Sorcerer, and she raised her scepter, pointing at Tailstar.
"Alas, your failure has put a great deal of burden on us, but I'm not so merciless. For a servant who suffers for us has chance of surviving. You are free - to do our bidding. Go to Ice Talons, and assist him in the upcoming battle. We will win the war." A lightning bolt flashed out of the scepter, and hit the air between Tailstar and Xuvier. It opened up a portal. Inside it was all foggy, and dark. "Go through the rift to the other realm, and bring victory to us so we may not stay here forever in banishment."
Tailstar glided closer to it, feeling its pull. Before he stepped in, he was curious about just one thing. "Lord Xuvier, what will happen to Flame? Shouldn't he accompany me in this journey?"
The Forbidden laughed - a noise so thunderous, it shook the sky. Xuvier looked down at Tailstar in amusement. "Why, Flame will stay here forever. Or at least, when the time is right for him to pay back his debt." Xuvier laughed ruthlessly, and looked at his belly, licking his teeth. "I feel like now eating another phoenix. Care to find out who?"
"Um...no. Bye!" And he stepped through.
Xuvier looked at the place where the Frigatebird had just been. "Do you really think that he has the skill, and potential to repay his debt, your majesty?" He looked up onto his back. "I personally don't think so. I guess I'll just have to prepare his eternal punishment."
"Patience, Xuvier. We do not know what he's capable of - yet." She gazed at the others. "Well, what're you waiting for? Let's prepare our escape from this cursed land!"
The Forbidden roared. And who roared the loudest, but Xuvier.
Xuvier Forbidden.
Of course.
YOU ARE READING
The Prophecy of the Fire Phoenix: #1 The Gift of Phoenix Fire
FantasyHer final destiny was to complete The Prophecy of the Fire Phoenixes. And that was it - no reason to worry about a possible relative, nor was it her business to get involved with anything associated in her biggest threat coming her way. She just had...
