I Dare!

- BOOM!

-BOOM!

-BOOM!

The ground shook violently, and the sounds of terror from creatures, monster and animal alike split the air.

It was these vicious tremors that shook Ra awake, in front of him stood a completely naked young girl with an extremely long length of flaming hair. Her eyes were alert as she stared off into the distance. Ra followed her gaze and was stunned by what he saw.

The world was in turmoil, the oceans black and the ground ablaze, "So this is the work of the Suahc," he thought as he began to prepare himself to face them.

The sound of his movement must have startled her because the young girl suddenly turned and rushed into his arms.

Ra felt wetness beginning to seep through his clothes and he pulled away to see tears streaming down the beautiful face, wiping away the tears he asked, "Who are you?" The flow of tears stopped, the girl took an abrupt step backwards, she pivoted on her foot and slammed the length of her leg into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. "Why..." was all he managed before he doubled over and slumped to the ground.

"Hmph! it's your own fault!" she sneered at him and said, folding her arms and turning away.

She looked particularly peeved.

With effort Ra managed to raise his head, "Solara?" he asked slowly,

"Oh, so you remember me now, do you? That's fine! I've only been taking care of you for the past 5 weeks!" she snarled, still not looking at him. "5 weeks..." he murmured, "but wait, Solara? Isn't your hair brown?" Solara rolled her eyes and finally turned to face him, she bent down to look him in the eye with her hands firmly pressed against her hips, "Re...birth," she said slowly, "honestly, are you an idiot?" she humphed again and once again showed him her backside.

Ra could only sigh and try to get a grasp of his surroundings. They were in what appeared to be a cave, however, the cave was lined with glowing crystals that gave the place an eerie feel, the light was dim but Ra imagined that it must make a spectacular sight in the dark.

Solara stood at the mouth of the cave gazing intently down at the sea of forest below, when Ra joined her, he also bore witness to the forest being consumed by black flames, and his eyes widened in horror.

Steely determination filled his eyes, "Solara," he said softly, she gave him a gentle look as she stared up at him, without a word she nodded and in the next moment she had transformed into a beautiful golden bird with red feathers.

Ra leaped from the edge of the cave and began plummeting toward the forest below.

With a roar his eyes blazed gold and he encased himself in a magnificent flaming white armor that seemed so radiant it was almost sacred.

Ra landed amidst the black flames unharmed, his hands dancing in the eerie light he began channeling his magic. A brilliant scene occured as light battled dark, a sea of black flames defending against white as each sought to consume the other. Ra poured nore strength into his magic and the ferocity intensified. The fires died down leaving behind a blackened forest, Ra sighed with deep regret as he surveyed his surroundings.

Thousands of burned out husks belonging to creatures both small and large, innocent bystanders to this pointless assault brought by thoughtless invaders.

His frustration mounting, Ra abandoned all sense of self preservation, he was the only one capable of battling this evil, he would no longer run from this duty.

He shot into the air and the malevolent entity responsible was visible at a glance. Bellowing savagely, Ra sped in its direction, a tongue of burning white flame streaming behind him.

Ra reached the creature in seconds, and without pausing, slammed into the monsters neck. It was like hitting a solid wall, The things hand flew to its neck as if it had been stung, like one might swat at a fly. "Who dares!" he roared. Ra was slightly dazed, however, he did not back down. "I do!" he announced boldly, and rose to the creatures eye level, seeing him the creature began to laugh, "To think that I have fallen to such a state that even an ant thinks to challenge me!" he laughed loudly, his great chest heaving in slow bursts. As he did so, thousands of creatures began pouring out from a tear that suddenly appeared in the sky.

His laughter slowed to a booming chuckle, "You wish to challenge this General? Very well, I shall keep you company, say? how do you wish to die?" he laughed again. Ra did not back down, instead, he filled his mind with thoughts of his loved ones, for it was them he fought for. The Suahc General did not immediately attack, instead he allowed his minions to assault Ra endlessly, that spatial tear remained open, even Solara was in the midst if battle, surrounded on all sides by grey-scaled creatures with smoldering red eyes, they fought with a ferocity that allowed her no room for mistakes, the battle prowess of a Phoenix was truly a sight to behold.

However, Ra was unable to appreciate to the splendor of this battle, as he himself was embroiled in one of life and death.

Formless white flames lashed and spun, forming whirlwinds of fire as he fought. The face of the General quickly became ugly as the bodies of lesser Suahc began to form massive piles on the ground and those that Solara fought began to fall from the sky, lifeless.

"Enough!" The General roared with a savagery that displaced the air, "To me my Warriors! Arise my Knights!" Twin magic arrays formed a single gaping abyss, the ground turned to black mud, and from its depths rose grey skinned beasts clad in foul armor riding atop strange alien creatures that were foreign to Ra. Each one of the thousand or so newly risen combatants exuded a frightening aura, this aura did not lose out to Ra's at all. Without a word of command, the lesser Suahc beat a hasty retreat, they seemed to fear these horrifying things, even Ra felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

Like silent death in the realm of misery, Ra felt the sense of a threat mounting within his chest.

He planted his feet in the ground, the blistering flames surrounding him grew hotter, the clash was imminent, Ra did not shut his eyes.

With a roar he swung his arms with every ounce of force he could find sleeping within his body, he put everything he had behind this attack, convinced that it was his last and content in the knowledge that he had given everything he had to give.

Then, a figure flashed into his field of view, a pitch-black cloak rendering him sightless. His flames disappeared and he heard the man roar, "Scattered lightning!" The man's voice powerfully split through the silence as dozens of shards of lightning split off and ripped through the throng of bodies, he buried his spear deep in the midst of the monster horde,sparks erupting from its tip. The ground was devastated, leaving behinf a massive crater filled with charred, smoking bodies.

A tall cloaked figure stood amidst the dust and crackling bolts buzzing on the charred remains of the creatures.

He clutched a spear draped in lightning in his left hand, silver divine patterns were etched into his tattered black cloak, he gazed at Ra with a weathered face and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the edges, "My son." he whispered.