"Vance," I asked. "Is that your real name?" I asked Ace, striding alongside him.
The dark shadows didn't hide the lines of muscle and veins beneath his shirt. I shivered just by looking at him. Even with the long pants, there wasn't much for him to defend against the cold winds.
"Vance isn't my real name," he replied easily. "Ignore him."
His blonde hair buffeted against the wind, chaotic and wild, but his eyes could not lie about the annoyance he was feeling.
"What was the matter with it?"
"What else?" Ace retorted. "Bad memories. I don't want to be reminded of them every single time someone calls me."
"Bad memories..." I murmured. "Did you skip any years for The Evaluation at all?"
Ace nodded. "A couple of years. Six years."
He was twenty-seven then, six years after the first year someone could take The Evaluation. The bad memories connected with his name must have also been connected with those years and maybe more.
We were the last to make it to the hill. The clearing looked different than what it had looked like in the morning. I had been past here recently because of my trek to the shack, but now it was serene, different from how I experienced it days ago. Everything was still, even the river, lapping quietly against the sides from the cold gusts of wind.
Blended with nature were all our animals, wading in the river and extending themselves alongside the edge of it, immersing themselves with the coolness of the water. I saw Nix hanging around the shadows of the tree, poking lethargically at the grass. Ember was next to him, prodding the grass and fluffing her wings behind her. Their fire lit up the whole clearing. It was hard not to notice the two fireballs in my vision, especially how they were the only animals avoiding the water.
Aaron started, "I will be calling everyone one at a time, two sometimes, and we will be discussing your animal, your current status in training, and your future choices. While you are waiting, please make sure you are getting to know your animal more and strengthening your Phluid."
His pale, taut skin looked scary under the moonlight and the only indication that told me he was in front of us was his waving hands. Mr. Hrodvitnir stood still next to him like always.
"Alright, don't go farther than the boundary lines of the trees."
Along with the crowd, I set out to find Nix under the tree. He was done pecking at the ground and was instead nudging Ember to scoot over as if he found a different grass area to peck at. Ember ruffled her wings and snapped back, her eyes diverted straight at Nix with a sudden flare.
"Nix," I called out. His head turned to the sound of my voice, snorting as he did so. I smiled and went over, petting him casually on the head.
I continued to stand near Nix, feeling the wind buffeting around me while feeling the intense warmth of Nix. My long hair whipped around me, covering some of my vision and blanketing me against the wind. I wasn't sure if I was shivering because of the wind, or because of the sudden nervousness I felt.
Aaron called out, waving his clipboard in the air, "Iridian Cantor and Ace Ashfeld!"
My eyes found Ace staring at me. Why would Ace be in the same room as me? If anything, Logan would be in the same room as me. I started forward at the same time Ace began walking to Aaron.
I hurried faster to catch Aaron before he completely disappeared. Mr. Hrodvitnir moved away from the trees' cover and started to stalk Aaron like a shadow, weaving his body around people and trees. I eyed him closely but he didn't seem to notice me, only at Aaron.
We pushed past the clearing, toward the area beyond the trees and to where the shack was. I sucked in a breath. We were getting closer to that area and being so near, away from the others made me insecure, especially in the night. There was nothing here besides Aaron and Mr. Hrodvitnir. But I willed myself to continue forward. Aaron wouldn't do anything to me while I was near everybody else. But could he? He certainly allowed someone to drink Chimera's blood-
"Come on, I don't like to be kept waiting," Aaron called out. His voice was deep and hollow as the words rang out beneath the trees.
Aaron led us inside the shack. The inside of the shack looked no different than from the outside. The roof looked ready to collapse with its rickety shafts. Brown rust piled in excess on each tile and the smell of it along with pine needles permeated with each inhalation. Moonlight peered through the scattered holes in the walls and was the only light that lit the place up.
All around were wooden chairs with a tiny table in the center which could only hold about a book or two.Before I could step in the shack completely, I caught sight of hundreds of cracked wine bottles on the ground and leaking broken pipes.
I sat down on one of the tilting chairs with Ace sitting down on one next to mine. Aaron sat on a chair in front of us, the chair sliding across the ground with a scratchy sound.
"So," I started. "What kind of jobs can I get for a phoenix?"
Aaron laughed. "Always about the jobs and the future, huh?"
"Then what is this supposed to be?" I asked, sliding my chair closer to the table.
"We can talk about that later. First, I have to discuss the history of your animal. I'm sure you'd like to hear more about that. Don't be so hasty." Aaron locked his fingers together and regarded me curiously. "Afterall, Iridian, knowledge is power is it not?"
"What about Ace?" I mentioned, nodding to Ace's direction. He tilted his legs to give himself more room, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
"Don't worry about him," Aaron said, shooing Ace with a hand. "He'll be important to you later on."
I sat on the back of my chair carefully, trying not to break the fragile part. I squirmed around with arms at my side until I got into a comfortable position.
Aaron cocked his head a little and placed both his legs on the table with hands behind his neck. The back of the chair looked ready to snap by his pressure.
"For starters, Phoenix Auxiliaries don't come by very often. We haven't seen one in the last ten years."
"I've heard something like that," I mentioned, remembering Logan's conversation with Veronica right before I took The Evaluation.
"People's personalities never line up with a phoenix so whenever they take The Auxiliary's Evaluation, people get everything but the phoenix. Phoenixes are proud, confident creatures, very difficult to pair up with any Auxiliary. It is extremely rare for an Auxiliary's Phluid to be very strong with a phoenix. Just imagine the mental and physical capacity you must have to be bonded with a phoenix."
There was a pause. "Then what job is capable with a phoenix if they're so unpredictable?"
Aaron didn't answer my question. Instead, "Do you know how phoenixes are born?"
Was this guy kidding?
"No," I answered honestly.
I felt an intense heat rising in the air. Quickly, I glanced at the palm of my hands. They were starting to gleam with sweat. I could see the glisten of them from the bright light of my phoenix symbol.
Aaron sighed, disappointed. "Phoenixes are naturally born to receive more powers than other animals because of their innately strong Phluid. You already know that every Auxiliary obtains a special power depending on their animal once they have established a thorough bond with them. The power can be the same within a species of an animal but the intensity of that power depends on the Auxiliary and how powerful their Phluid is."
"For example?"
He smiled. "For example, a bottlenose dolphin will always give the Auxiliary the power to breathe underwater but how long the duration of being underwater, that depends on the Phluid and essentially the Auxiliary and the animal."
I wanted to look at Ace's reaction to all of this but he hadn't moved since he sat in his chair. "Then how are they born? Is it different from other animals?"
"Yes," Aaron nodded. He cocked his head. "Well, yes, in a way. Phoenixes are created, not birthed. Many people thought that phoenixes had the power of the sun. Without phoenixes, our earth would freeze and none of us would even be here. That shows just a sliver of how powerful their Phluid is."
He looked up from his palms and watched my expression. I tried not to stare back but it was hard not to when his yellow pupils kept drilling into me.
"Along with being able to passively control the temperature of the earth, a phoenix's Phluid is so powerful, they are also granted another very potent skill. I'm not exactly sure what that other power is but that specific power is enough for everyone to be greedy about it. In the past, Phoenix Auxiliaries believed that they could keep that power dormant as its power can change much of the society we live in now."
Their Phluid was so strong that they didn't just grant the Auxiliary one talent but two. I caught my breath. Since I was a Phoenix Auxiliary, I had to have the same powers. But the power to control the temperature of the earth? I thought of all the jobs that could benefit from that. Then, I thought of the other power that phoenixes had. Aaron had said that was what made everyone greedy for it. That specific power was the one that Malanthe wanted.
"So, the Phoenix Auxiliary's power is what Malanthe wants."
Aaron's eyebrows quirked from my strange statement. "Yes."
"You mentioned that phoenixes are created, not birthed."
Aaron twitched his shoe side to side. "The moment Iona introduced the connection between animal and human, well, there has been endless progression, sometimes in uncharted territory. How do you think all these mythical creatures came to be? From countless experiments and from various worlds. The phoenixes are created and live alone for a time being until paired with a Phoenix Auxiliary. Same with every other animal."
"I'm not understanding how this ties back to what my goals are," I stated.
"I haven't finished yet," Aaron replied coldly. "There cannot be two Phoenix Auxiliaries and phoenixes at the same time."
"Hold up," I said, my heart sinking. "You're saying that Logan and I are the only Phoenix Auxiliaries then?"
No, no. It can't be. I had nothing. I had no powers. My Phluid wasn't strong enough to help Malanthe. My mind spun with memories of the woman in the video of Malanthe's raids...It can't be.
Aaron slid his feet down and repositioned himself upright on his chair. He was rubbing his fingers and was mumbling to himself rapidly.
"Yes," Aaron confirmed. "There can only be one Phoenix Auxiliary with one phoenix. Having two upsets the balance of things and the way the sun works. If there are two of them then one must kill the other to reset the balance. Like with any animal, once Auxiliary and animal die, their power dies with them. Or of course, when Auxiliary willingly gives up their power, then it can be transferred from one Auxiliary to another."
"Why?" I asked, outraged. I slammed my chair back and stood up, meeting Aaron's eye. He lazily drew his head up to face me. "You're lying to me. You know this isn't what I was looking for."
"It is too risky for two. People who look for these Phoenix Auxiliaries to harness their powers are called Phoenix Hunters and by gosh, you do not want to run into one. You've seen it all on the news. Malanthe is the head of the Phoenix Hunters and her goal in life is to find a Phoenix Auxiliary willingly enough to hand her their powers."
"Why aren't the police concerned about this?" I said, sitting back in my chair.
I only wanted to train for a job that I could follow through with Iona's vision. I never asked for this. Suddenly, I felt like tipping over, delirious with thoughts.
"If one of the Phoenix Auxiliaries kills the other, news will spread that a Phoenix Auxiliary has died and people will no longer go looking for you to harness your powers." He splayed out his hands. "And you will still be living. Iridian, it's all a matter of survival for you."
Aaron was my teacher, my guide. It was like he wanted me to commit murder for my own good. The conversation back at the shack nagged at me. I shouldn't be listening to him. I should leave right now.
"You're saying this in present tense," I replied as defiantly as I could.
"Yes, it still applies today," Aaron said solidly.
I glanced at Ace's unmoving form. There was no change of expression, just blankness, his eyes glossy.
"The news about Malanthe," I muttered. "She sent raids out in Volvanic Acropolis to figure out who the Phoenix Auxiliary is. Is she looking for Logan and I?"
Aaron looked up from his foot. "Malanthe is finding followers or, Colludes, to come to her side to allow herself more leverage over the Phoenix Auxiliary. The only way she can gain your powers is if you come to her willingly and accept defeat. Power transfer happens when you relinquish it willingly. Don't take it lightly, she will find ways to understand how to break you. Once you truly accept defeat, your Phluid will become weak enough for the bond between your phoenix to break. She can then extract your Phluid and combine it with her own, obtaining not only her bond with her animal but the powers of your animal."
I couldn't help but stare at the table. The words were clicking something in my mind but some parts were missing so it couldn't complete what that something was. It felt wrong somehow...Like some parts of what he was saying was true while others were vague.
Squinting my face in frustration, I finally managed to say, "Why haven't they gotten the powers that Phoenix Auxiliaries have yet?"
"Because every previous Phoenix Auxiliary committed suicide, instead of accepting defeat so that they could die with their powers without ever giving them away. I really don't suggest you continue along with their path of desolation."
I said, "How many Phoenix Hunters are there?"
"Exactly two. Augite and Searill," Aaron answered. "Colludes are only volunteers to help Malanthe and her Phoenix Hunters."
"I have no choice then. The only things I can do are kill myself, kill Logan, or kill Malanthe. I don't want this. I never asked for this." My voice rose. "What are you expecting me to do? How are phoenixes good partners for my job!"
My eyes narrowed. Every living fiber in my body was about to break in half.
"I can't be a firefighter? I can't apply to be a vet?" I shouted. "The news was right then? This isn't adding up."
What was this twisted story? What was real? Was this what Iona was imagining when she thought about progress?
I placed my hands on the table. "Why did you let me win that fight against Kale Javier? Why are you telling me this instead of Logan?"
Aaron stared from under his eyelashes. "There are things better left unsaid, Iridian. You should just be grateful I'm telling you as a priority over Logan."
Ace sat straight up as if a bar was stuck to the back of his spine, rigid and still. Pieces were still jumbled in my mind. If I could just get the missing piece-
Someone busted in the shack and tripped over a fallen wine bottle, almost fumbling over the table. Ace's head turned sharply behind him as I twisted my body fully to the front door. It was Mr. Hrodvitnir. His eyes were yellow and there was no mistaking it. His hands were covering his face and when he moved them, claws raked the sides of his face, leaving stray scratches. The claws were like an animal's, unusual and strange. He was stumbling and groaning under his breath.
His voice was raspy and growling as he stumbled once more, knocking himself over the table in front of me. "Aaron, hurry. Agh, it hurts."
Aaron didn't move to help Mr. Hrodvitnir. He turned towards us. "Iridian, the best way to survive is to kill Logan and then accept defeat. That will be my only advice for you. Let this be over with. Otherwise, you will be faced against the two Phoenix Hunters and Malanthe herself."
He stood up and picked up a broken piece of a bottle, smoothing it casually over the small table. "I'm sure you know that the weapons on this island have always never cooperated with you. I was the one who jinxed all those weapons. And the day you were spying on me that night with Ace. Don't think I was that easily fooled. Yet, I did nothing. As your mentor, all I want is your well-being. Let your powers go to Malanthe. It's not worth the mental turmoil to think otherwise."
My breath heaved as he asked me, "You want to know why I let you win that competition even though you're as good of an Auxiliary as trash? Hmm, maybe it was for the better. Afterall, it opened your eyes to how pathetic you are."
Everything clicked and I almost wanted to cry. This is what Aaron wanted. He wanted me here to try and convince me to give up the powers that I supposedly had, to Malanthe. He mentioned something about killing Logan, the other Phoenix Auxiliary so I could be left vulnerable and alone.
"But I don't even know the power!" I screamed, holding my hands up. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
My head whirled to Mr. Hrodvitnir's direction. His eyes were identical to Aaron's yellow eyes. Gears clicking wildly in my head, I lunged at Aaron. But ready in Aaron's hand was a short sword, shying just a sliver away from my stomach.
We both toppled on his chair which broke into smaller pieces of wood and splinters. His sword grazed part of my arm, nicking skin, and making it bleed. I didn't have anything to defend myself so I picked up a metal crowbar off the ground and swung it at Aaron's direction. I heard yells and screams somewhere behind me which I believed were Ace's.
A wolf's howl pierced the air like a scream. I covered my ears and watched Aaron rolling to his right as fast as a whip crack. On his face, bruises, cuts, and scrapes were scarred onto his skin which came from the wood splinters scattered on the ground and the already broken wine glass.
His back was on the ground, his hands defending his face. I scuttled, fast, moving toward the entrance of the house, but Aaron had snagged my wrists with his hands, flinging me backward toward the table.
"Iridian, don't do this!"
I screamed while the table skittered by my weight, still sturdy enough not to topple down. The other wooden chairs were all broken by now and the only light that was visible were from the open door and the cracks on the walls.
Aaron, having recovered from his fall, brought his sword in front and tried to plunge his sword. I yelled, scooted back, and fell back, my head hitting the ground. I heard a thunk and I saw his sword plunge into the table leg.
Everything in me went into panic mode. I breathed in short bursts, trying not to scream and cry for help. I bit my tongue and scooted.
Something cut the palm of my hands. Dizziness washed over me from seeing my own blood run from my hand. When I looked down, a glass bottle tinted in red was broken into hundreds of pieces as if recently broken. The label on the remaining bottle said Chimera's Blood with scrawling red ink.
"Trust me!" Aaron's voice echoed. "You'll have no chance surviving in the outside world!"
This was what made Mr. Hrodvitnir into a human. He loved eating beef jerky... the cotton candy... the man at the Auxiliary's Yearly cubicle... all from the start.
I bit my lip, tasting blood, my heart beating against my chest. I clenched my fists and crawled away from the table, scratching my hands against the wooden floor, leaving deep grooves.
I needed help. I was dying. "Ace!" I screamed.
"Hurry up! Let's run!" a voice yelled back.
I pushed with all my strength on my feet and traced down the voice. It was muffled and I knew that Ace was outside. I knocked down the door, shielded my face, and waited for the worst. The darkness shrouded everything but it didn't do much to hide the scene before me.
Ace was facing a full-fledged black wolf, its eyes slit like a snake. Its teeth gleamed and heaps of drool erupted from its mouth, creating puddles all around it. Dark blood seeped out of its many gashes on its side but nevertheless, it looked healthy enough to pounce and with one strike, knock someone out.
Flanking Ace's side were Nix and Ace's Garvyn with Nix's wings brandished in a protective stance.
"Ace!" I screamed again.
Someone circled their hands around my waist and knocked me down on the grass. I could only grunt as the air was knocked out of my lungs. Aaron wrestled against me, trying to pin me in an immovable position, but Nix was there, pushing all his strength against his body. With help, I did the rest, thrusting Aaron away from me.
Ace had seen me then and raced to my aid, but I had already stood up and started running. There was no time. I ran past the house and toward another set of trees. There was no way I could go back to our group, either endangering them or making them panic. Nix and Ace were hot on my heels and I knew Mr. Hrodvitnir and Aaron were as well.
I kept running. Past the trees was a sharp decline of the terrain and it sloped down to a steep ditch. The night was darker than before with several clouds in the sky. It was going to be hard to outrun Aaron especially with a wolf trained to kill.
I heard a shout and then a cry.
"Mr. Hrodvitnir!"
I skidded to a stop before the sharp decline of the hill. My feet swiveled against their will and I faced what was behind me. Aaron and his wolf were racing at top speed in my direction. Ace was running in front with his Garvyn, both scrambling after me.
Before I moved any further, Aaron called out, "Mr. Hrodvitnir!"
Everything blurred. I gasped. Why was Aaron calling out Mr. Hrodvitnir when he was nowhere to be seen? That's when I remembered that the wolf was Mr. Hrodvitnir in its true form. He probably didn't have a drop of Chimera's blood yet since the only time he could take his dosage was at night and with counseling going on, he had missed his daily dosage.
A wolf was a mammal brought here illegally, Aaron was a fake instructor, and I didn't know who Malanthe really wanted: Logan or me, and I had nowhere to run. I spat on the ground, my lack of breath consuming me.
This was the end to ever progressing on. On through my future goals. I ran, putting one foot in front of the other down the hill. The hill was a huge one and after a few seconds, I was still not at the bottom of the hill yet. I kept running.