The Phoenix (The Prophecy #1) Page 4

“Max, stop taunting her and practice, its not a game.”

  “But she’s just a little girl. I would hate to hurt her.” Maximus was the most arrogant student Gregory had ever taught, but he had potential and Gregory was determined to break him so he could turn him into the Fighter that Gregory knew he could be, a Fighter like his father had once been.

  “You won’t hurt me.” Anastasia threw her punch and it landed perfectly on Maximus’s jaw. Even though he stood a good foot above her, she still managed to hold her own. Gregory believed it was because she had spent her entire life being knocked down and this was her chance to stand back up.

  Maximus charged her, the anger from the embarrassment clear as day on his face. Anastasia braced for the assault but before he could reach her Gregory grabbed him by the throat and slammed him to the ground.

  “What the hell old man? You told me to fight!”

  “I told you to practice Maximus, but that is not what you were going to do. You were set on destroying. You cannot fight with anger in your heart it will do you no good.”

  “Isn’t that the point of this? To destroy the enemy?”

  “The enemy yes, but Anastasia is not your enemy, and I won’t have you attacking her as so. You will learn to channel that emotion into something productive. Use it to make yourself better.” He stepped off of him and let him get to his feet. “Shake hands.”

  Anastasia took Maximus’s hand ignoring when he squeezed a little too tightly. He had been an arrogant prick to her since the day she had met him and she couldn’t help but feel smug that she was coming along faster then he was. She was tired of being knocked down by men who underestimated her.

  “Very good, now head back to town, Maximus. Tell your mother I said hi.”

  Maximus muttered something under his breath and took off towards the village.

  Anastasia sat on the steps of the training cottage and watched as the sun sank lower in the sky.

  “I don’t think I will ever get used to seeing the sky so clearly. Seattle is pretty, but between the clouds and the smog the sky was never this clear.”

  Gregory sat next to her and stared out at the horizon. “Do you miss it?”

  “Honestly?” Anastasia laughed, something that was beginning to come more freely to her. “No. I miss Dakota, and his parents of course but that’s it.”

  Gregory nodded and slapped his hands on his legs. “Shall we? Annabelle will have dinner ready soon, and I for one, am looking forward to it.”

  Anastasia smiled and stood with him. “You are always looking forward to food.”

  “That I am my dear, that I am.” They walked back towards the village.

  In the trees Anastasia heard the familiar scuffling of animals running about. She heard the call of birds that she had never known existed and she smiled.

  Terrenia had become more of a home to her in the three months she had been there than her house in Seattle had ever been the seventeen years she had lived under its roof.

  Since she had arrived, the three of them had eaten every single meal together. They talked, laughed and told stories of their days. No one yelled, no one screamed or threw anything. She hadn’t seen any anger from anyone in the entire time she had been there. Not once did Gregory complain about what Annabelle had prepared or berate her if it wasn’t done when he got home. They instead worked as a team. Anastasia wished she had grown up with them rather than Mitch and Monica.

  The training was giving her a way to release the pent up anger she had. Only unlike Maximus, she didn’t use it as a way to win a fight but more as a reason behind it. So that she could never be as defenseless as she had been before. She would never again be abused in the way Mitch had treated her. She was going to be a force to be reckoned with and it made her ecstatic. When her destiny did come calling, she would be ready and she would do it with a fight that she had never known had been inside of her.

  They continued their walk towards the village and Anastasia’s mind drifted back to the time she had spent being afraid. Gregory had told her of the prophecy and although she hadn’t believed she was anyone of any importance at first, she was quickly becoming more confidant in her abilities and she was beginning to believe that she would become who they thought she was.

  “Brother.” The voice filled Gregory’s mind and his body went rigid. He turned slowly knowing he wouldn’t see the owner of the voice but he still wanted the confirmation that he and Anastasia were alone.

  “Is everything okay Gregory?” Anastasia watched him cautiously. His change in demeanor had come so suddenly that she worried he had seen something she hadn’t.”

  “Yes, go on into town. I’ll be there in a bit.”

  “Are you sure? Is everything okay?” She searched his face, but he smiled at her.

  “Yes, it is. I just forgot something back at the training center, ill be there in a bit. If one of us doesn’t show up soon though, Annabelle will be in a fit.”

  Anastasia smiled at him. “Okay, but don’t be too late, or she will have one anyways.” She turned and jogged off towards the village, Gregory watched her the entire way.

  “You have some nerve to show up here, Vincent.” He said as soon as Anastasia was out of earshot.

  “Not really there Gregory.” Vincent reminded him.

  “Might as well be. What do you want?” Gregory stood rooted in his spot, his body tense. He was waiting for an attack he knew wouldn’t come, but he wished it would. Then they could finally put an end to everything.

  “A man can’t pop in to see how his brother is doing?” His tone was dry but Gregory knew there was heat behind it.

  “You are no brother of mine.”

  “And whose fault is that?” The anger in the voice sent chills down Gregory’s spine.

  “You tore my family apart, Vincent.”

  “I tried to bring us together!” He yelled.

  “You lost me the moment you starting delving in the dark arts.” Gregory did his best to keep himself calm. It would do him no good to get riled up.

  “We could have been great together, Gregory. We would have ruled, and you would have been able to raise your daughter from infancy knowing that she would be safe from everything. It’s your fault I was able to take her, and your fault that she was beaten by the man who raised her. What will she think of you when she learns that, I wonder?”

  Gregory felt the anger rise in his chest and his attempts to beat it back down were beginning to fail.

  “I was not going to sell my soul and the souls of my family. You knew that and you took her from me anyways.”

  “You could have found her had you used even half of the magic inside of you. But instead you use it to bless potions that your wife makes.” He spat the word out as if it left a bad taste on his tongue.

  “You will not speak of Annabelle or of Anastasia.”

  “I will take her again, Gregory, only this time I will not leave her alive. She won’t stand a chance against me. That seer was foolish.”

  “You won’t touch her, Vincent, or so help me God you will regret the moment you were born.”

  “You think I fear you brother?” Vincent laughed mockingly. “You are afraid of the power inside of you when I fully embrace it. I do not fear you.”

  Gregory felt the flame inside of him building and he thought of Annabelle. She was his light, and the only center he had for not losing control. “If you are truly unafraid then why are you not here, Vincent?”

  “Other business to attend to.” He dismissed the accusation. “This is your last chance Gregory. If you continue to train her, I will tear everything you love apart. You will lose her again, and there will be no rescuing her this time.” Vincent’s voice faded away and Gregory’s fists tightened at his sides again. He closed his eyes and choked back the anger. He couldn’t let anything show on his face, he didn’t want to risk scaring Anastasia, as she was finally getting more comfortable around him.

  He would wait to talk to Annabelle, although he knew that she w
ould tell him to ignore Vincent’s warning. He knew she believed Anastasia was the only hope any of them had at defeating his brother but dammit, did it have to come at the cost of his only child? If he continued to train her, Vincent would come after her. But if he didn’t, then he knew at some point Vincent would come for them all. He would never leave them alone, not as long as Gregory continued to refuse the dark magic.

  He headed back towards the village watching for any signs that anything was wrong. From the shadows, he could feel the eyes on him.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “Maximus, you have to stop underestimating her. She is quick.” Gregory bit back a laugh as Anastasia threw him to the ground yet again.

  “She caught me off guard.” He whined and jumped back to his feet.

  “Use the lesson, don’t make excuses.”

  Anastasia dodged Maximus’s fist and then felt the contact of his other one in her gut. She doubled over and laughed breathlessly.

  “That was a good one.” She complimented him, but he ignored it as he usually did.

  She straightened and got back in the fight, managing to knock him to the ground with a right hook and a kick to his gut.

  She reached her hand down to pull him to his feet but he slapped it away and stood on his own.

  “I don’t need your help.”

  “Fine.”

  “Alright that’s enough for today.” Gregory walked towards them and patted them both on the shoulders. “You two are coming along nicely. Shake hands.”

  They did and without a word Maximus headed back towards the village.

  “Way to go Anastasia!” An excited Brady came running towards her with his hand outstretched ready for a high five.

  “Thanks, Brady.” She smiled at him and together the three of them headed back towards the village.

  “Man you were awesome! You are only half his size but you were all ‘bam bam bam’!”

  She laughed at his excitement and the way he mocked throwing punches. He had become the little brother she had never had in the year she had been there.

  She had gotten to know the villagers very well and felt as if she had spent all her life here. Everyone had accepted her as if she had.

  “Gregory!” Tony ran towards them with half a dozen fighters on his heels. Anastasia immediately scanned the woods around them and pulled Brady in close.

  “What is it?”

  “We’ve got trouble. About three-dozen Brutes are headed this way. They are approaching from the north side.”

  “Anastasia, take Brady back to his house and then you immediately get back to ours.”

  “But I can help-”

  “Not yet Anastasia, eventually yes. But you are not adept enough with a sword yet and I cannot risk you. Please, get back to the house and warn Annabelle.”

  She thought about arguing with him, but knew it would do no good and it would only delay him from getting where he needed to.

  She nodded and lifted the six year old onto her hip. Anastasia turned and ran at a sprint back towards the village.

  When she entered the clearing she saw that the alert had already been issued. No one was out in the open and even those who had been working on building a fence around the town were gone. She knew that the Fighters must have already headed towards the north side and she quickly ran towards Brady’s house.

  “I'm scared Anastasia.” He cried.

  “It’ll be fine Brady. You know we have the toughest men in the world on our side. They will take care of it and still be back in time for dinner, you’ll see.” She smiled and knocked on the door to his house.

  “Oh, thank God.” His mother Serena, a small woman with dark hair answered the door. Her young daughter Sarah poised on her hip. “Thank you Anastasia. Wont you come in? We are headed for the cellar.”

  “No, thank you. I'm going to head to my house. You guys get inside and stay safe.”

  “We will.” She shut the door quickly and Anastasia ran towards her home. As soon as it came into view, she knew something was wrong. The door was ajar and Annabelle never left it open.

  She crept through the door and behind a counter. Annabelle was kneeling between two large Brute’s and a man in a robe stood before her.

  “Where is she Annabelle?”

  “Who?” She heard Annabelle ask softly. Anastasia could hear the fear in her voice but knew she wouldn’t show it on her face.

  She heard the crack across Annabelle’s face and Anastasia grabbed the dagger from her waist. She bit back the crippling fear in her chest as she remembered Mitch’s face when he had slapped her. Calm down Anastasia, she said to herself and tried to refocus.

  “You will tell me where she is, don’t be stupid.” The man said.

  Didn’t she know that voice? She wondered.

  “I will never tell you where she is.”

  “Then you will die.”

  “NO!” Anastasia swallowed her fear and leapt over the counter with her knife. She couldn’t see the man’s face but she had the eerie feeling that he was smiling underneath his black hood.

  “Anastasia. You shouldn’t have come.” Annabelle smiled softly at her and then

  Anastasia screamed in horror and lunged when she saw the man drive the knife down into Annabelle’s chest.

  She threw herself on the Brute that charged her. It was at least seven feet tall but she threw all of her body weight at it and it seemed to stun it just enough that she was able to slice her knife across its throat. It fell and the other howled with rage. It charged her and she was thrown back into the counter.

  “Well, aren’t you something.” She heard the robed man say as he stood back and watched her fend off the second Brute attack. She did her best to fight it off, but it slammed her down and her vision wavered.

  “Anastasia!” She heard Gregory yell as he and four bloodied Fighters charged the cabin.

  She watched helpless as the robed man disappeared and Gregory ran towards her.

  “Anastasia, where are you hurt?” He searched her for any wounds.

  “Gregory, I’m so sorry.” She cried, the tears streaming down her face. “I tried to save her.” The color drained from his face. He turned slowly to face the crumpled body that lie in the center of the living area.

  “Oh no.” He rushed for Annabelle and fell to his knees at her side.

  “Oh no, oh God please no.” He cried as he cradled her in his arms.

  “I tried, I swear I tried.” Anastasia cried as Tony knelt next to her.

  “Hush child, he knows you did. We all do. You were very brave, it’s not your fault.” His eyes shone with unshed tears and he pulled Anastasia into his arms.

  How had everything gone so wrong? She wondered later that night. It seemed as if she had finally gotten lucky in her life and then this happens? Was she doomed to live a life of horror? Of pain? What had she done to deserve it? Anastasia lay curled in bed, drowsy from a healing potion she was given. She felt as if her entire body had dried up, unable to produce any more tears.

  They had sat on the kitchen floor for hours after they gathered Annabelle’s body and took it away. Gregory hadn’t said a single word and she was afraid he would blame her for not being able to protect his wife. She should have been able to. She blamed herself. Had she worked harder when he was training her she might have stood a chance. But instead, she failed and Annabelle had died.

  Had they been looking for her because she was fated to be the one who fought against the Dark Enchanter? Who was he anyways? The robed man’s voice had been so familiar and yet she couldn’t place where she had heard it before. She was going to kill him one day. Anger replaced her grief momentarily and she allowed herself to feel all of it.

  She was going to get revenge for Annabelle’s death and for the pain Gregory would now live with. She would kill that robed man and every single Brute she could get her hands on.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The day after they laid Annabelle to rest Anastasia went to the villages’ artist. Sh
e had been doing tribal tattoos for the Fighters and Anastasia convinced her to give her a tattoo as well, only she didn’t get the usual.

  Zarina tattooed a large Phoenix over Anastasia’s entire back. The orange firebird covered every scar Mitch had left her with her last night at that house and it represented how she felt inside. The Phoenix is able to rise from the ashes and Anastasia was determined to do the same. She would be better then she had been before, and she would defeat the bastard that had caused her to put the only woman she had ever thought of as a mother in the ground.

  The tattoo took four days to complete and the process was much more painful then she had imagined it would be. Since there was no electricity, Zarina used the method of inserting the ink under her skin with a sharp bone shard. It was another month before her back stopped aching and each time she looked in the small mirror above her dresser she felt stronger.

  The color in the tattoo was magnificent and she knew Zarina had been proud of her work. Even back in Seattle, where they used electric guns to tattoo Anastasia had never seen anything so beautiful.

  Gregory still had not spoken. He simply sat at the table staring into the kitchen as if he were waiting for Annabelle to walk in. Anastasia’s heart ached and she felt it break each time she saw the tears on his face. The light in his eyes was gone, and she felt the blame resting heavily on top of her shoulders.

  She had begun her training with Tony and she was learning to use a sword. Anastasia threw all of her grief into the training. She wanted to be ready as quickly as she could so that she could get the revenge Gregory deserved.

  “You are doing well, Anastasia.” Tony regarded her as she sheathed her sword.

  “Thank you.” She turned and headed for the training cottage. The villagers had added on to it and turned it into a small house large enough for she and Gregory. He hadn’t stepped foot back in their old house ever since it had been finished.

  “Anastasia.” She felt Tony’s hand on her shoulder and she turned to face him. “You have to let go of the anger.” She remembered Gregory telling her that as well, although it seemed like a lifetime ago. “What happened was not your fault.”