#The Firebird: Infernal Dance | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

justatinybunwriting · 1 year ago

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Playing with Fire 3

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Chapter 3: Orange

Word of the strange firebird that ascended towards the heavens had quickly spread far among the residents of the forest. Murmurs among the flock of the equally peculiar man who was the cause of this phenomenon had soon reached the ears of the Alpha Wile. The thought of what this could imply had become a pressing matter that trickled in the back of his mind, yet the ruler needed more evidence before any course of action could be implemented. His only option was to lie in wait, as he forwarded a task to his trusted lieutenant.

"See to it that you will bring this so-called, magician to me. I would like to have a, word with him."

Rikuo's voice was calm, yet Goro understood that it was a firm and direct order. The smaller Tengu bowed his head dutifully.

"Aye sir. Leave it to me."

Using Jac's tree hollow home as a haven, the witch and her Beta Wile friend had spent many days offering much needed provisions and support for their new guest. Goro loaned the magician some of his energy, doing so by covering him under his down much like that of a nesting mother. Other unorthodox methods were also used over time, such as skin remedies made of mud and other odd spells, which had greatly helped in speeding up the healing process. By the time of the new moon, Aiden had already recovered quite considerably. He still struggled to lift himself and was slower of pace, but he was rejuvenating faster than what would normally be possible even when putting magic into consideration.

One fateful morning, Jac walked into the magician's room with a basket of goodies in hand. She was surprised to see that Aiden was already on his feet, preparing a wizard robe that had likely been repaired by his own magic. When questioned, the magician merely replied. "I must be going soon. I don't want to burden you for too much longer."

"You're leaving? Why?"

"There's a whole wide world out there, full of people who would love to see my performances! I can't stay put for too long, for a great magician needs to spread his talents far and wide! My audience awaits--"

"You can't be serious!" Jac cuts in. "Remember what they did to you back there?"

"Yeah..." Aiden mumbled, though he perked back up right after. "But the world, Jac! Think about it! I could travel to different villages across the vast plains and beyond the ocean yonder... And I can put on one show after another after another and bedazzle the crowd with my infernal crafts! I can picture it now..."

As he spoke these words, he began to immerse himself in the whimsy of his thoughts, as if he was proudly standing on stage with thousands of people seated around him. The various moments of his tricks had bled out into reality, as he waved his hands and spun around in a sort of trance. He was humming a little tune to top it off. To this display, Jac could only shake her head.

"You expect things will be different? If you ask me, I don't think it's worth the risk of dodging the human enforcers at every corner! You could wind up seriously hurt again! Or..."

"Relax, I've survived this long!" Aiden said as he continued his dance. "I'll be a-okay! Don't swea--"

Suddenly the magician involuntary swung his foot forward, which snagged on his cape and caused him to nearly tumble. Had it not been for the armrest he had clung onto he would have fallen face flat on the wooden floor. Frazzled and a bit confuddled, Aiden was pulled up by Jac as she began to walk him to the very bed he dreaded ever going back to.

"You certainly don't look like you're in any shape to be traveling far yet!" Jac remarked. "C'mon now, your body still needs rest! I don't think it'll hurt to stay for little bit longer."

Aiden grew crestfallen, though he was good at hiding it from his friend. The magician was rather frustrated at himself, for deep down he sorely wished to be free of the doldrums that came with staying in the same room for the past half month or so. He could have sworn that he had healed so much faster in the past. He turned his head towards the hollow window and sighed. He wanted more than anything at this moment to soak in a little sunshine, at the very least.

"I won't leave yet, but... if I may be honest? A change of scenery would be nice..." Aiden finally said. "Will it be alright if I stepped out for a bit of fresh air at least?"

"If your body is up to the task, then I don't see why not. We can go about this one step at a time." Jac gave it some thought, before her eyes lifted up wide. "Oh! And when you're feeling better, I could give you a tour of the entire forest if you'd like! There are landmarks and all sorts of places we could visit! Like the Umbra Falls. Solemn Peak has a lovely view in the springtime. Or how about--"

Aiden could only give out a sigh in response. The magician could tell that Jac perked right up when the prospect of showing him around as addressed. She was already treating him like a formal citizen of the forest, despite not knowing if the other residents would take kindly to him, not that he planned to stay long enough to find out. It really seemed like she was enthusiastic over wanting him to stay for more than just the safety reason that was given. It didn't surprise him if the monotony had gotten to her too.

The fresh forest air greeted them when they walked out of the tree hollow door, and the magician basked in the soft rays that tried their best to penetrate through the thick groves above. Aiden was carefully taking his time, with Jac staying one step behind him to ensure no stumbles would be repeated on the path. Despite this they did manage to walk a good ways through the wood, with Aiden's stride steadily growing stronger with every step. Indeed, this was just what he needed.

As they trekked, they continued to talk about a multitude of little things, from magic to nature, and of life itself. Their chatter was the one bright spot that got Aiden through the turbulence of the last few days, one that he greatly appreciated. Soon the topic of socializing came about, which gave the magician the chance to prove if his hunches were correct.

"Do you miss it? Being able to... connect with people, and travel anywhere you want?"

"Hell no!" Jac scoffed. "I'm done with all of that, especially after the hell I went through before I arrived here. So no thanks! This place is as close to a real life paradise as it gets! You have all the food you can eat, you never get cold or hot, it's like a dream come true!"

"But..." Aiden looked around and subtly pointed out how eerily quiet it was. Not a single chirp or sound. "...Doesn't it get lonely?"

That seemingly innocuous question caught the witch off guard. "N-no!" Jac stuttered, before she collected herself again. "I have... I have the Wiles! Goro is the nicest person I've ever met. And... um..." Aiden blinked a few times as Jac placed a hand under her chin. "Hm... A-sushi is... unreadable. I don't know him that well. Soju is, ok... Haru is an asshole. Richard is worse... yet somehow better? It's hard to explain..."

As she was struggling with that, Aiden put his hands behind his head and chuckled. "Maybe this works best for you... you can be happy here, and free. But for me? My life is out there! I am a wanderer at heart. And I have a mission I must fulfill."

"A mission?" Jac questioned.

Aiden took off his hood, revealing the messy orange hair underneath. " Truth is... I don't have animosity against humans, even after what happened. For I know that for a time, humans once embraced magic, and looked up to those of us with the gift of wielding it... The world needs a positive outlook on magic again. Because..." Aiden took a deep breath and gave out a long sigh from his nose.

"If those... fanatics keep having their way, then sooner or later, magic will cease to exist in the world! I can't imagine what our future would be like without it! The world may turn into something... cold... and, unrecognizable..."

Jac looked down on her feet and trembled at the thought herself. "That sounds horrifying... But at least we'll still have the forests! And the mountains and caves and other fae havens. So long as there are good places like this, I'm sure magic will continue to thrive!"

"If these battles keep happening, then I'm not so sure.." Aiden sighed. "That's why I took it upon myself... to be that someone who can show them the truth even with the risks involved. If I can make at least a little bit of a difference with my performances, even if I merely change the hearts of a few, then... it will still be worth it for me."

Just then, the sound of cracking bark could be heard nearby. Aiden was rattled enough to stop on his tracks, as Jac went in front of him to stand guard. Her stance lessened in a few seconds however, when a familiar giant bird came into view.

"Goro-chan!" Jac exclaimed happily.

The Beta Wile greeted Jac with open wings, though at the same time Aiden chose to keep a considerable distance. Goro's sharp eye could see the timid one clearly as the former gave a cheeky smile.

"I see that you are well enough to be moving on your own, Aiden." He said.

The sorcerer shivered. "Uh... thank you once again for saving me..." his voice grew quieter, "please, I don't need your energy anymore. I'm fine! See?"

Aiden then whipped around with his star patterned cape flowing behind him. He wobbled a bit before he quickly regained his balance, his chin held high throughout. "See? I'm getting better! You reallly don't have to roost next to me like I'm some kind of baby chicken again!"

Goro had to chuckle aloud. "There's no need for that anymore. I can assure you. You should be able to heal on your own from here on out."

"Thank the suns..." Aiden coughed. "I'll admit, that was a bit, humiliating..."

Smiles and laughter swept over everyone's faces, which made Goro even more hesitant to say his next words. He really wanted to give the magician more time, but alas, the master's order took top priority. The Tengu had to give out an abrupt ahem before making his announcement.

"Aiden, the time has come where I must inform you," Goro paused briefly before continuing, "that whenever you are able, our master Rikuo has requested to have an audience with you."

"Oh suns..." Aiden grumbled.

"What?!" Jac yelled. "Why?! This is the first I'm hearing of this!"

"Second time for me actually..." Aiden confessed.

Jac whipped her head to the side. "Seriously? Why didn't you tell me? Is this why you were so bent on leaving?"

"Well!... It's not the only reason, but it's uh.." Aiden shrugged nervously,..."it's why I'm in a hurry, heheh."

"Oh my gawd." Jac fumed. "What the hell does Richard want with him?" She beckoned for Goro to lean closer, which he complied forthwith. She then whispered rather harshly into his ear. "He can't be thinking about eating--"

"Nonono! I highly doubt that!" Goro interrupted. "I believe he just wants to talk this time."

Jac chose to showcase her frustration by folding her arms rather than to explode in a profanity ridden rant, for Aiden's sake. The latter then crept closer to the Beta Wile as he spoke with a slight quiver.

"Will he... take no for an answer? Heheh..."

Goro sighed through his nose and spoke firmly. "I'm afraid we do not have a say on that matter. So long as you remain in this forest, you will have to abide by the command of its ruler."

"To hell with that!!" Jac exclaimed.

"Well!" Aiden said in a slightly higher voice. "I... guess this means I better get a move on after all! Heheh..."

"Aiden no!" Jac exclaimed. "If we have to do this, then Richard will have to go through me first! Trust me, I can handle the guy."

"I, believe you." Aiden replied upfront, though this did nothing to calm his nerves. Jac then took one of his hands and squeezed it tight.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to not let him lay a single claw on you. He'll be getting a fist full of flames if he tries!"

"...Thanks Jac..." Aiden sighed.

"A fist full of flames, you say?"

The two friends jumped at the sound of that voice, and even Goro was taken by surprise. All of a sudden a strong gust around them whipped across the field in a startling cold snap. Not even a few seconds would pass before their entire view was covered by a massive shadow that zipped overhead. This was followed by a loud and heavy thump that rattled the forest like a small tremor, as a familiar black bird much larger than Goro stood before them with wings spread wide. Jac marched forward with a livid huff as she placed herself between the magician and the enormous king of the forest. The pupils of the monster's eyes were needle sharp, likely caused by reflection of the surrounding light, yet the sight of their menacing gleam had caused Aiden to flinch on the spot nonetheless.

"Hello Jac." The Alpha Wile crooned.

"Richard, why the hell are you here!!" Jac roared.

"First of all, stop calling me that. Second, this is my domain, and I can come and go as I please." As the Alpha spoke, his quaint smile grew ever wider. "I told Goro that I would meet up with our 'guest' if he failed to fetch him by this time."

Goro then bowed in apology, both to his master and simultaneously to Jac for not informing her sooner. The Alpha Wile then turned his attention towards the magician who feebly hid himself behind the witch.

"So this is the little fire bird." The Alpha Wile spoke with a cat like voice. "Why don't you be a good little... man and come closer?"

"Over my dead body!!" Jac intervened.

As the Alpha Wile stepped forward, Jac made sure to stand in his way. Size made no difference in her stance, for she was still effective at putting some distance between the two. The monster bird gave his most placid expression, returning Jac's frown with a warm grin. The witch was used to that look however.

"I can assure you, Jac, that I will not hurt him." The leader of the Tengu Wiles said softly. "The new arrival is not a mere human, far from that in fact. That automatically makes him, well... free from my wrath."

Jac still wasn't convinced. Meanwhile, Aiden was given enough time to take a few breaths as he slowly calmed himself to a more manageable level. It still pained him that he had to go along with whatever the Alpha had planned for him, but he had already accepted that the opportunity to sneak out of this mess had long since passed. It was best to get it done and over with, even if it meant he had to suck in as much courage as he could handle up to this point.

As Jac had done to him prior, Aiden expressed his gratitude and his willingness to stand up for himself by gently squeezing the witch's left hand.

"It's okay." He said. "I believe him... I, can handle this."

Jac continued to cautiously leer at the black feathered fiend, although her stance had mellowed somewhat. "You promise you won't do nothing. No funny business, all right?"

The Alpha Wile grew silent for a few seconds before replying. "You have my word."

Jac continued to stand on guard for a moment longer, though it was ultimately Aiden who made the first move by walking away from her cover. Whether his decision to approach the Alpha Wile was a brave or foolish one, the magician knew not. Despite how he felt, that it was now or never.

"Okay... I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

The Alpha's smile had spread ever wider, and made for an unsettling look.

"I knew you'd come around."

****

The interview took place at the heart of the Wile's base, deep within the tunnels where the king's nest resided. The other Wiles of the flock had all gathered within the shadowy corridors, ready to assist at their Alpha's beck and call. Most of them chose to distance themselves as they gazed upon the sorcerer warily, with at least one of the Beta Wiles apprehensively raising the feathers on his back in a fight or flight response. Goro was given the order to hold Jac back with a wing claw in his own corner of the tunnel; while far removed, the witch maintained a sharp eye on the much too large avian throughout the interrogation. No matter how convincing his sweet talk was, she knew Richard still had a wild side to him.

At first the master Tengu craned his neck to scan the magician front and back, which did not help to keep the latter's nervousness in control.

"What happened here?" Rikuo gasped lightly. "That is a nasty seal..."

Aiden gulped as the Alpha looked him straight in the eyes. "What shall I call you?"

"If... I may be selfish, this once... I can't give away my name so readily, sir..." the magician tried his best to suppress his trembling. "B-basic wizard rule."

"Fair enough." Rikuo replied. "'Thou are to not give out thy name, lest thou be easily manipulated through means of enchantment.' I am well aware of that law. So then, how shall I address you?"

Aiden took a moment to steel himself before he put on his stage moxie. He took in a deep breath, and within a few seconds, his eyes opened revealing a level of confidence he had not shown before. With a wave of his cape and a bow, he spoke from his chest without wavering.

"I am... known as the great pyromancer! A magician of the infernal arts! Yet I am but a humble showman, and my passion is to capture the hearts of people around the world as I bedazzle and enrich them with the wonders of my fiery spells!"

"How interesting." Was Rikuo's response. "May I ask you to share a demonstration of your talents?"

Aiden's eyes darted swiftly between his hands and the monster bird as a slight hint of fear darted over his head. But just was those feelings sought to overwhelm him, the magician took another deep breath and used this momentum to do as he was told. A smoke-less fireball then magically appeared that hovered just above the sorcerer's index finger. He flung it in the air as he gracefully maneuvered it to dance between his arms like that of a will-o-the-wisp, all the while the Alpha Wile remained silent as he carefully took in the wondrous sight.

As I suspected... a master of his craft...

Throughout this conversation, alarm horns had already sounded off in Jac's head. She was familiar with Richard enough to know he was not the type to be charmed by flashy stunts, magic or otherwise. And on top of this, his speech here seemed... off.

"What are you plotting?" Jac muttered.

Goro's ear was close enough to hear her admittedly valid reaction, to which he gave out a short sigh in response. Jac raised an eyebrow to him accusingly.

"Do you know something?" The witch whispered.

Goro said nothing in the first half minute, before he finally answered. "I... believe it's time you learn that Aiden is, not what he seems."

At the same time, Aiden's fireballs had increased to ten as he began to juggle them with relative ease. This dazzling spectacle reached its climax in a few minutes time, however not in the way the magician expected. One by one the flames fizzled out, with only a single fire remaining. Aiden's head was drenched in sweat, but he still had momentum to take a bow as proper.

"I could show more," said the magician, as he briefly gasped for air, "but I still need more time to recover it seems, heheh.."

Rikuo looked upon the pyromancer with calculating eyes before he gave out a slightly unnerving smirk.

"Perhaps I can help you with that." He replied cryptically.

At his master's call, Souji swooped down to present a wooden stick before returning to the shadows as swiftly as he arrived. Rikuo took it by the wing claw and brought it up close to Aiden's face.

"Tell me now, does this look familiar?"

Aiden tilted his head in confusion as he gazed at the staff of burned wood, but after a moment his eyelids shot up wide. The sorcerer then took the last fireball above his fingertip and carefully placed it on top, which instantly caused that part of the stick to bloom into life like a small, fiery flower. Warm and delicate, and oddly familiar.

"What is this...?" Aiden gasped. "Normally my fire should engulf it completely..."

Rikuo smiled. "Indeed. Would it surprise you that a human came with this torch in hand? Such dubious circumstances really. It was as if fate had gifted me with the acquisition of such a profound magical artifact. One that actually holds the key..."

The master Tengu then closed in until his head was just beside the magician's body. His whispers were as soft as rain, yet as dark as twilight.

"...to your awakening."

The very essence of these words had caused the temperature in Aiden's head to drop a few degrees. His tried his damndest to speak as his heartbeat intensified, but not a single sound would escape the magician's mouth. This gave the Alpha ample opportunity to snake talk.

"There's no sense in hiding it anymore... The might of your internal flame, the power of what it chooses to burn... indeed you are more than just a mere magician." The feathered fiend slowly coiled his neck to surround the trembling sorcerer as he continued. "Tell me, great 'pyromancer', do you recall spreading your wings and souring to the highest of heights? Does your fiery soul wish to burn even brighter than the nearest star?"

The sorcerer's mouth grew slightly agape before it slackened wide, as a new sense of dread unlike any prior to this meeting enveloped him like a sudden storm.

"You know these binds were made to do more than just limit your true potential." The Wile whispered. "There is a reason why you are not healing as quickly as you would be normally... That is why I want to help you. I only ask..." he said as he placed a wing claw under Aiden's chin, "that you give your name, and your full devotion to me. Temporarily, or longer if you so choose. Indeed you could become a valuable member of the flock. Though I grant that choice to be yours."

These words shook the foundation of Aiden's very core, so much so that he nearly collapsed on the spot. Sensing her friend's anguish, Jac shot up from her position.

"What the hell did you say to him?!" she yelled. "Give him some space! He's suffocating!!"

Jac rushed to be by Aiden's side as Richard, surprisingly, did as he was told. The magician allowed the passage of time to recuperate and was thankful that the folks around him gave him the space to do so. There was a lot to unpack in the Alpha's words as they continued to echo in the back of his mind even as he had come to. At this time however, the sorcerer was much more concerned about how Jac took the news, as he sensed that she was behind him even before he looked back. Soon the magician slowly stood up and turned to meet the witch's face with a solemn smile. There was a sense of guilt in his expression, as if he felt like he had betrayed her in some way.

"I... guess you know now." He uttered. "I... I'm sorry... for not saying anything sooner..."

Jac just shook her head with a smile on her face, which brightened up Aiden's mood more than he realized.

"I don't really care about that." She said calmly. "Whether you're a Wile or human doesn't make any difference to me. I'm sure there was a good reason for it, so I won't judge."

"Truth is," Aiden sighed. "I've always known that I was a Wile... But, I barely remember anything of it. My life as I am now is pretty much all I'm used to..." He looked down on the dirt below and began to kick his heel in stimulation, which helped him gain more energy to get his words across. "This was a lot to process... Never in my wildest dreams would I... have guessed I was avian like you guys... On one hand I'm... curious about that. To be able to fly... and to travel great distances in a short span of time? That sounds like it could be the experience of a lifetime.. And yet..."

Aiden dropped to his knees and began to fold onto himself once more, though not as tightly. "What if I change? I could become dangerous, especially to humans, and that's... counterintuitive to everything I stand for... How am I to show the world that magic is meant to be beneficial when I become the very thing that people fear?"

"It's lamentable how badly the humans have bewitched you." The Alpha Wile mumbled.

"Shut it, Richard!" Jac exclaimed to the bird, before returning to Aiden with a softer glance. She took a moment to come up with the right words, before she spoke softly. "Goro has enlightened me to a lot of what's going on. Do you know who did it? The one who sealed you in your human form?"

"No." Aiden replied. "It must have happened before my memories were wiped."

"If my readings are correct, it remains." Rikuo announced. "Unbinding your soul will help you to regain everything you have lost. Your memories, your magic, and your full lifespan. You have more to gain than not from this."

"For once, I'm in agreement." Jac replied. She sat down on her knees next to the still humbled magician, and with the latter's permission, she held a hand to his back. "I don't think you need to worry. All the things you've said to me earlier, about your mission... I can tell that your heart was poured into those words! I believe that no matter what happens, you won't turn against humans. Even if this, seal or whatever it is, is broken... you'll still largely be your old self!"

"You think so?" Aiden asked, as his intrusive thoughts were gradually getting the better of him. "What if I snap?... Or turn ravenous! Or..."

"Easy now..." Jac gave it a brainstorm, but in the end she chose to reply to his question honestly. "I can't say for certain that you won't ever do those things. But frankly? I think you'll be fine. You're too good natured to be a monster. Besides, if Goro and most anyone here is any indication, you'll only turn feral as a last resort to protect someone. It matters not what they are, but who."

"...You think so?"

"I know so!"

A long sigh from Aiden was all that left his mouth, to which Jac responded by giving his back a rub. He in truth appreciated his friend's reassurances more than he could verbally express, and it had helped to part the clouds in his head as time went on.

Eventually Aiden stood up and addressed the Alpha without looking at his face directly.

"I... need time, if that's alright. I need to process everything... and... prepare."

The Alpha's smile was back, however small. "Very well then. I will permit a few moons time, or longer if necessary. When you are ready, you shall meet me at sundown at this very spot. That is when the unbinding ritual shall commence!"

Aiden stood with his face towards the ground for a few moments longer, for he couldn't shake the strange feeling he had whenever "unbinding" was brought up. Regardless, he chose to suppress those feelings, as he took a few deep breaths and slowly looked up to the giant with a renewed conviction.

"I guess I gotta." He finally said. "Honestly, if anything, I do look forward to soaring in the sky."

#oc: jac #oc: richard #oc: aiden #bun does writing #dark fantasy #fantasy creature #au #the witch and the raven #g/t #giant tiny #size difference #gt writing

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