The Scarlet Phoenix and the Prince of Winter

Chapter Eighty Eight

''Why did you do that?" I heard the King shouted at Colette. "You killed him!"

"But that's what you wanted to do to him in the first place, right, Your Highness?" she responded bravely. "So I do not think that it does not matter how he dies."

"How insolent! I will not tolerate this action of yours, Gypsy woman! somebody capture this ill-mannered woman!" Some of the Royal Guards rushed to where Colette was to follow the King's order but Colette was prepared to flee. It was pandemonium in the area as Nievo's death caused a huge commotion. Aside from catching Colette, the Royal Guards went to the podium where Nievo and the Forresters were still positioned. I saw Troy getting shocked at what was happening while Rico was fuming over the death of their friend. The people who watched the execution were now running and screaming, probably scared that they would be the next one to get shot by some random arrow.

The pandemonium was more than what I was hoping for, so I took it as an advantage and immediately transformed myself into my fiery bird form. I flew into the air and the people yelled and screamed at me saying that I was now going to punish them. But that was not true, as I went into the podium and swooped to the three people there. I landed there with ease while simultaneously knocking the Royal Guards who were there to suppress me.

With one fluid motion, I was able to remove the shackles that were attached to their arms and feet. Rico and Troy then stared at me blankly, perhaps still at a loss for words at what I just did. But we have no time for dilly-dallying. "Hold onto me!" I yelled at the father and son and pointed my arms as I scooped the dead body of Nievo. "We have to get out of here before they catch you!"

"B-But my dear deity, how about Colette?" asked Troy who was obviously worried that his lover might get caught too.

"She is a Gypsy. She can handle herself. Come on hold onto me or I will leave both of you here!" Finally, they did what they were told. As soon as I felt them hold onto me, I sprouted my wings that were made of flames and flew back to the skies.

"My dear deity, it's hot!" yelled Rico who was holding me closely for dear life, but his concern was that my wings made of flames were almost touching him and his son as I flap them in the air. "We might get burned!"

"Just endure it1" I replied and tried my best to escape the place with them as my load. It was tougher than I thought. but I was a deity. I can do things that humans cannot even imagine, so this was something that just made me stronger. I flew in Plumba's direction, as it was the final stage of my plan. I have to drop Nievo's body there.

I have to take a rest from flying at least three times before we successfully arrive at Plumba. We landed softly at the edge of the shore, and I instructed the two Forresters what they have to do next. I gave them something that I personally made. It was a bracelet made of bones and rocks. "Take this," I told them as I lay down Nievo on the sand first so that I could talk to them properly. "This is a key to the Ritual Grounds. Hide there and do not come back here while I do not say so."

They looked confused at my instructions, though Troy took the bracelet from me and stared at it. "This is the 'key?' But I think Colette already has one."

"I know, but you two will probably not see each other for a while. She will return to the Ritual Ground too, don't worry, but you have to go ahead now to that place for your safety."

But Troy shook his head. "Pardon me, my dear deity, but I am not going to any place without Colette!"

"Do not be stupid! Do you think the King will allow you to live after all that has happened? He will order his Royal Guards to hunt you down, so you have to hide. Colette will be there soon too after we finish what we have to do."

"Our dear deity is right, my son," Rico seconded. "We have to ensure that we are safe first. Just trust them. They can fix this. You two will still see each other but for now, we have to follow their instructions. This is for our own safety."

"Alright," said Troy in a defeated manner. "But promise me, my dear deity... Promise me that you will make sure that Colette will be safe too." Troy was pleading and I understand why he is saying this to me. We just left Colette there at the Palace. Of course, Troy will be worried. But Colette and I had a plan, and I believed in her abilities. It might not be a huge deal, but my followers had always trained themselves to be able to fight when they needed it. I think they can handle the Royal Guards in one-on-one combat, so I am not that worried. But still, until she comes back there is a chance that she might get caught so I have to check on her too after I am able to finish the plan.

"I am not going to leave Colette, so don't worry about her. What you have to worry about is you two going to the Ritual Grounds. It is a secret sanctuary just outside of Aure, but without the clue and the key you cannot reach that place. That is the only place where the King and Kentan will not be able to find you, so you have to go there while Kentan is still roaming free."

"How are we going to use this key?" Troy asked.

"The answer is in the map that has been engraved at the back of the shield that we gave your family some years ago. Go and check it. Also, coat that key in gold so that Kentan will not be able to take it away from you in case he is able to catch up to you. Now, go on! Before they come here!"

The two then ran to the town, which was as lively as it has ever been from my point of view. Plumba is such a beautiful coastal town where a lot of tourists come, be it locals or foreigners. Who would think that this is the place where someone like me can die?

I looked at Nievo's dead body. a new kind of emotion swept over me like the wind. He did not deserve what he got, but we had no choice. I know that killing him with a golden arrow was just as bad as letting him drink poison, and it broke my heart, to be honest. But what can I do? I need Volo right now. I cannot endure another couple of years just waiting for him to be reborn again as a human. I needed to do the dirty work so that we could finally defeat the evil deity that is tormenting us.

But I would be lying if I say that I am not sad that Nievo is now gone. I even shed tears while I watched his cold body now. I could not believe that it was us who had to kill him that way. Nievo was a kind man who had just an unfortunate life. Betrayed and unloved by his parents because he cannot give them anything, he had to live a life where he had to meet expectations or else he would not be treated well. It did not break his sunny disposition though. Nievo was as cheerful as always, and he was so grateful for the life that he had even at the very end. I know that it pained him when the King announced about that letter though, and oddly enough it pained me as well. I wanted to comfort him about that. I wanted to assert to him that the consequences of his life as a human will not dictate how he lived his life. I wanted to ease his pain.

But I can never do that to him anymore. I cannot celebrate his life with him the way he deserved it, all because of Kentan's sinister schemes. It made me so angry that I shouted to the heavens. I yelled all my frustrations and I did not stop until I was satisfied. I kept on shouting as a form of my grieving because whether I admit it or not, Nievo was an important human in my life. Whether he was Volo or not, Nievo had made such an impact in my life that I was now feeling regret all over me. Regrets that I was not able to help him live a good life when he deserved it so much. regret that I can't even give him the one thing that he wanted.

I could have given him that. I could have loved him if that was the last thing that I can do for him. But I did not see this twist of fate coming, so it all ended up like this. I wished that I was a little kinder to him though. It could have changed how he lived his life. I was crying and shouting and grieving when I remembered something. I should not let my tears fall into this place. This would cause a lot of trouble, as my tears have magical properties. And I can't shout and feel mad the way I please because that means that Mt. Kal Ayu will be erupting now again.

"You have to come back now, Volo. I need your help now," I said to his lifeless human body, wiping my tears. "I might have failed Nievo but I will not fail you too, Volo. I have to make sure that you come back even if it is not yet a proven and tested safe way to come back as a deity. I will just hope that I am lucky enough to bring you back here..."

And with that, I scooped him again and I flew into the sky using my wings that are made of flames. It was lucky that I can just fly like this anytime I want. It makes everything easier. I flew above the waters, thinking and deciding of the spot where I would drop him into the waters. This place was really windy, so my flames were larger here than usual as I flap my wings. I could also see some ships in the distance, and I am sure that they can see me right now. I just hope that they won't go near.

"Here is a good spot," I mumbled to myself as I looked down at the deep blue water. There was a huge rock sticking out of the water there so I went there and landed. This was the most perfect spot so I started moving his body and dropped it into the water while I stood here at the edge of this rock. I even watched as his body started to sink in the water below. "Farewell, Nievo. It was nice having you by my side..." I whispered to him silently. After a couple of seconds, I could no longer see even the silhouette of his body, so I now waited there patiently. If Amato's theory is accurate, this will cause Volo to come back. But how soon is that comeback, I am not so sure. This is the first time that a deity comes back in this unorthodox method and there was fear inside of me that keeps on gnawing. I waited and waited. I stared at the water and it was now the third day that I was there.

I was now getting impatient as I have to go and do other things as well, but my time here was getting wasted as it seemed that Amato's theory did not work. Maybe Nievo was now reborn as a human again. Who knows? Maybe there was no other way than the process that we should have followed from the start. And on the third day, I had made up my mind. If Volo does not show himself yet, I will finally leave and do the other important things that I have to do. I had to make sure that my followers, especially Colette, were safe. But just as when I had accepted that I failed again, something odd was happening with this place.

There was suddenly a strong gust of wind blowing from the horizon. And it was not an ordinary sea breeze either. It was extremely cold as if it was winter again. Then I noticed that the water was changing too. It was starting to get cold, and then I saw it change color. The ocean was getting frozen! And as if it was not still bizarre enough, I saw snowflakes falling from the sky. I looked above and saw that the clouds were dark and grey, the ones which are prominent in winter.

And then I gasped. Like an epiphany, joy swept all over me when I realized why all of these were happening. Volo, the great deity of winter has returned!