Phoenix's Prophecy

Wrapped in the remnants of Wolf’s cape, I eyed the castle wall from afar. The day was bright and blue outside the boundaries of the enchanted forest. Full of resentment, I debated whether I should return to the forest where my mood was better suited. Despite the circumstances of our meeting, and Wolf’s petulant nature, I had grown fond of the furry beast. He had been my first friend. I suspected he would be my last. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I would miss him. “What now?” I thought. I felt purposeless, my sense of adventure temporarily diffused. “If I stay, I may never leave. If I go, I may never come back.” In the end, I decided to head for the castle. It was the only logical destination. My thoughts of revenge took a back seat to my desire for the sights and sounds of the living. As I neared the castle wall, I could see sunlight glinting through the cracks between the stones. Throwing off the tattered cape, I wedged myself into the largest space I could find. Being small has many advantages. The first thing I noticed after crossing over was the noise of a festival. The second was a large sign posted across from me. “Magic Free Zone,” it read. “Humans found aiding, affiliating, or in possession of magical creatures will be punished by order of the Queen.” I had heard rumor of these types of cities, but never known one specifically. There were no “Human Only” cities when The Great Phoenix was alive. After he died, the vanishings started. The number of witches increased and strange things started falling from the sky. Natural order fell apart, as did the counsel of rulers. In the past we had rulers of all species. There was Misu, the mermaid. She sunk the treasury. There was Draco, the dragon. He ate his entire kingdom. And Tiny, the giant, who accidentally confused his castle for a chair. All in all there were twelve. They were appointed and governed by the Phoenix. With the order gone, the world had become disjointed. Kings and Queens ruled their kingdoms separately, making the laws to suit their own interests. The day before a hurricane in Floradine put him out, The Great Phoenix had made a speech. He told of a great change that would alter our world forever. “We exist because they want us to. We die because they forget.” Some people thought he’d lost touch with reality. “Went mushy in the noggin!” I heard one Harpy say to another. Actually, everyone in the area heard it. Harpies have a tendency to yell. “The rulers are foolish to listen to such poppycock predictions! I always said there was something wrong with a creature that died and was reborn that many times. Where does he go in between? Why doesn’t he tell us that?” “Quit your squawking!” The second Harpy said to the first. “Because of the Phoenix, us Harpies no longer have to steal. We’ve worked hard for equal rights. Now you want to take all that back?” The first Harpy ruffled her feathers angrily. “I still don’t believe we’re in any danger.” The next day, as news broke out about the hurricane, I watched that very same Harpy vanish into thin air. She had just opening her mouth to say something when, “Poof.” She was gone. Over time, more and more creatures disappeared. Despite the gossip that the Phoenix had lost his mind, no one could argue that strange things were happening throughout the kingdoms. Some species got hit harder than others. The Loch Ness colony lost a member a day, until none but one remained. The Minotaurs and Hippocampuses went missing over night. For most of the others it was a sporadic disappearance here and there. The only creatures that weren’t harmed in the vanishings were the humans. Hostility towards them rose, causing some to create “Human Only” cities for protection. Matters were only made worse when the strange objects started appearing. There were weapons that shot out metal balls, flying ships, and shiny beasts with wheels instead of feet. They materialized where the humans were greatest in number. Not that the humans had any idea how to use them. After a while the paranoia dissipated. Vanishings and strange objects became the norm, although no less mysterious. Most of the “Human Only” cities integrated back into regular society and the babies born after the death of The Great Phoenix had no idea that life at one time had been more peaceful. Still, some “Human Only” cities remained. Witches preyed on the Phoenix’s prophecy by claiming it had been a sign that humans were to inherit the world. Some were lucky enough to find positions of power in these cities. Others were left to slink off into solitude rejected, forced to practice their evil magic alone. The irony of these W.A.M.B.’s (witches against magical beings), were that they themselves practiced magic! I stared at the sign across from me, unsure what to do. A wise fairy would have flown away and found a more hospitable place to stay. So of course I did the opposite. Just as I had made it to the other side of the road, a large group of people came in to view. They were marching in my direction. I took them for a parade. It wasn’t until they were closer that I saw the batons and banners for what they really were, pitchforks and torches. “Who celebrates with weapons?” I wondered. I waited until the mob had passed before leaving my hiding space. Along the road were multicolored canopies, cover for vendors in open market. On that day, the market was empty. Baskets of fruit lay out in the heat unprotected, as if everyone had left in a hurry. I darted from canopy to canopy, using the cover to shield me from prying eyes. It didn’t take long to catch up to the mob. I just followed the sound of their cheers. Once I was close enough to understand what I was hearing, I pushed myself to fly harder, slinging around corners and under tarps until I had reached the main square. “Burn it!” A woman in front of me shouted. “It lies!” A man further down yelled. The townspeople pushed toward the middle of the circle, fighting with each other for a chance to get to whatever they had pinned in the middle. A voice rang out above the others. “You’re making a mistake!” It cried. “I’m a prince!” “Get back!” I yelled as I broke into the clearing. The air swiftly rippled out from the center of the circle, sweeping the townspeople off their feet. I watched in astonishment as they flew into the air, carried by a large invisible wave. One after the other, they landed on the other side, dazed but unhurt. “I am always saving you!” I shouted at Wolf. “Some prince you are.” He looked torn between disbelief and delightment. “I could kiss you, Fae!” “What, and waste it? Right now we’ve got to get out of here.” The townspeople were beginning to recover. I didn’t think it would take long for the confusion to wear off. I could hear their angry cries as we escaped.