A Flawed Alliance

Chapter 3- The Threshold

A piercing quietness welcomed me. I rubbed my eyes and looked over the couch to where Crescent was asleep. He was gone but had left remnants of his fur behind on the carpet. Nobody was in the room and it was already evening, the red and blues quickly fading to black. Lights were turned on from several neighboring houses, casting long shadows through the windows.

I leaned toward the coffee table and scoured for the remote controller that was left there, into my hand. Throughout shuffling through different channels, all I could think of was the test I had taken in the afternoon. What it had meant and what it would mean later on. I wanted to forget it and thank goodness I did when my eyes caught onto the news channel.

A woman in business attire appeared on the screen, her eyebrows drawn together tightly. I turned the volume a little louder. Drowning the buzz in my head.

"Raids have sparked rampant in the outskirts of Volvanic Acropolis by several different Auxiliary groups. Citizens were threatened to give information about a Phoenix Auxiliary and enticed to become Colludes. We haven't seen a Phoenix Auxiliary in ten years and we are unsure why they are looking for one now. To give more additional help to our police crew, please contact us immediately if you see this symbol."

I didn't pay any more attention to what she was saying when an insignia appeared on the screen in a box next to her. The insignia was stunning. A phoenix was etched with bold black lines, its wings enveloping a sun above its head and its tail curled in such a fashion that I imagine its feathers being soft to the touch. The eyes of the phoenix were only a thick slant, small and confident. What bothered me was the slash across the whole symbol, making it look like a rabid beast had torn through it.

"For the following video, viewers may find the footage disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised."

The symbol disappeared, replaced with a deathly scene. Most of it was hidden in shadows, but I could make out run-down streets as well as lights strewn across the ground with pixelated blood pooled all over. People shrieked, animals cried out, and it was all too horrible to see. I had heard this for more than a year now, but never had I heard the raids escalating to such intensity. The video held no hint of who the attacker was.

The video continued playing out. More screams. They hadn't seen a Phoenix Auxiliary in ten years? Wasn't that what that proctor-Logan-was talking about? Wasn't I a Phoenix Auxiliary?

Light footsteps echoed on the stairs. I turned off the television just as Sean came into the living room. His eyes searched for me. "What did you do?"

"Have you heard about the raids?" I asked, ignoring his question.

"There are more Phoenix Auxiliaries than just you, you know that? Even though it comes rarely, it's not just you."

Was this person only looking for one Phoenix Auxiliary? Many people out there would take the hit. I was only one person among a million. Of course, right? If I was born lucky with a silver spoon, there was no chance. I grabbed the arm of the couch above my head and squeezed it, relieving a bit of stress from my chest.

Such bad luck to be caught in such a scandal like this one. If police were desperately looking for this person, how come they hadn't found them already? Especially with wolf and dog scent, they still weren't able to catch them?

Training was only for a year. A year seemed so long yet was so little to get used to my animal. What if a phoenix wasn't compatible with me? It was so easy to fail during the year. My heart pounded against my chest. Nothing like that will happen to me. I have to make it.

A sudden musical tone split the silent night. My eyes jarred open just as Sean's head pivoted to the front door. Both of us, without a word, ran toward the front. Sean threw the door open, all the while my heart throbbed. People and animals were teeming outside, fast walking alongside each other down the street towards the same direction.