He sat under the tree, enjoying a few hours break from training.
His eyes were closed, appreciating the sound of the wind whispering the world's secrets in his ears in a language he has yet to learn. The smell of the wild flowers invaded his nostrils, relaxing him.
Suddenly, his senses were invaded by the smell of wild berries and freesias. He opened his eyes and found dark brown ones meeting his.
"Hi." She greeted him, her smile contagious. "I'm Nicomaine. What's your name?"
Even though he has not spoken a word for years, his voice broke out of his throat to answer the young girl's query. "Thirteen."
She laughed, her giggles sounding like wind chimes on a bright windy day. "That's a weird name. That can't be your name."
He should be offended, but it was hard to be. A number was indeed a weird name for a child.
"But that is the only name I know."
"Let's see." She looked at him, her eyes penetrating into his soul, waiting for a fitting name to pop out. "How about..."
"Richard." The phoenix called out, her voice carried by the wind.
"Richard is dead." The dragon told her. No trace of bitterness or longing or anything, really. His voice no longer carried the comfort it once had. His words were merely words, no longer an endless stream of reassurance and motivation. "You saw him die. Why do you still call for someone who is long dead?"
But the phoenix was desperate. She did not know what happened to her playful yet wise emperor. She wanted to believe that he was still there, behind reinforced steel walls he had built to pull off a persona that was so far from who he was.
Unfortunately, the dragon only spoke the truth – the emperor she once knew was dead. He was killed by the ghosts of his past and an unrelenting creature took over the shell he once occupied. The dragon still remembered the good, yes. But sometimes, the good, no matter how strong the memory or the feeling, and no matter how much it outweighed the bad, would never be good enough to erase the memories equivalent to a dark abyss. The scars, even though they have long since healed, would find a way to remind you that they existed. And they would make you remember all the pain and suffering you went through. And although healed wounds were not supposed to hurt, they would feel as if you have been burnt and stabbed all over again.
"But you're not dead," she said, still hopeful. Still the untainted dreamer who had a soul splattered with brilliant red. "You're here. You're finally home."
He smiled, a smile that did not reach his eyes. This smile was like his words—void of emotions, lacking of warmth. "You use the term home very lightly, Nicomaine." An empty chuckle escaped from his lips. "My home has long been destroyed."
The confusion on her face amused him. How could she not know? The rubble - if you could call the ashes and the seared bones that was all that's left of his home town that – of what was his home had her fingerprints all over it. "Don't give me that look. Don't look at me as if you did not have a hand in killing everyone in my clan."
"I don't understand." And she really did not. The dragon seemed to have forgotten that he was years older than she was. Whatever – whoever destroyed his past sanctuary was definitely not her. It could be the phoenix within her, but not her.
Could... could it be mom? Or grandfather? But why would he take him under his wing and shelter him and treat him as if he was his own grandchild?
She shook her head – not liking where her thoughts were taking her. She took a step towards him only to be warded off by a bolt of lightning striking, the space merely a centimeter away from her before her feet touched the ground.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he smirked. Yes, the dragon was enjoying the confusion, and the disbelief and the hurt that danced across the phoenix's eyes. He was not the same emperor she had met and had fallen in love with. That person was long dead. This creature of destruction however could not contain his glee over the rapidly fading hope of his 'friend'. "You still don't remember? Let me remind you."
His eyes carried a dangerous glint—the only emotions being indifference and anger, and the occasional amusement over somebody else's pain – before storm clouds filled his eyes and lightning danced across his fingertips. His head quirked to the side as he smirked at his prey, encasing her in a whirlwind of blades that cut through her skin.
And she screamed, her cries travelling over the fields that were once filled with their laughter and mirth.
Then he released her, her blood seeping through the tiny cuts, dampening the soil and the grass which were once witnesses to their play fights and made up games.
The phoenix stood up, her eyes hard with anger. She felt betrayed. This was not the Richard she knew. The Richard she knew was sweet and kind but playful and brutally honest. He did not bask in the joy of inflicting pain and suffering. Richard – although he carried the dragon within him, a creature of chaos and destruction – did not enjoy havoc, he fought so he could contain and prevent it.
"I have no idea why you are being such a jerk, Richard, but I will gladly give you what you seem to want."
Her wings grew out of her shoulder blades, encasing her in the warmth of the fire within her. Bright red flames of the phoenix she hosted within her body, the same phoenix who loved and cared for the dragon.
The dragon and the phoenix, although they were a great pair who complimented each other, who could've been perfect for one another, should never be together. Two supernovas should never be brought together because no matter how it all began, it will all end in destruction.
"You want me dead? Then come kill me if you can."
And so they danced for the last time.
It was unfortunate how their last did not happen when they were side by side – fire and storm, working together in perfect synchronicity – but against each other.
Mist covered the both of them as water met fire. The flames were unrelenting in searing his skin as the wind tried to rob her of her breath. It was a dance filled with anger and confusion and hurt, a dance they both knew would only end in one way.
They started to waver, the dragon a bit more winded than the phoenix, but no one refused to back down. A step too late was all it took for the phoenix to extend her talons and deal with the final blow.
And they both fell, exhausted and drained as the rain that was born from their clash washed all the stains of their fight.
Richard chuckled, his breathing unsteady. "You got better when I was gone."
"Welcome home, you ass." She breathed out, tears mixing with the raindrops on her face. "Took you long enough"
"Unfortunately, I need to go very soon," he smiled, struggling to get his words out.
Nicomaine held in the sobs that demanded to break out of her chest. "You'll find your way back right? You'll find me again?"
"Hn." Was all he could manage as he clenched his jaw tight before the pain could see his open mouth as an invitation to make itself known. "And if ever I don't find you, you can always find me. I'll be the guy in blue sitting under the tree."
"You need to go now?"
"Sadly."
"I'm going to miss you."
"I know."
"See you soon, Richard."
"Hn."
The dragon closed his eyes, finally free of all the burdens of his scars that anchored him on land.
The phoenix, who was left longing for her partner in crime, offered him a show of brilliant flames and flashes of red and orange, and blue and green, before joining him in the skies leaving their ashes in that field which will forever be theirs.
