The Immortal Phoenix

Hiisss!

The loud sound of the serpent came just after the horn blew. As everyone was rather in a daze looking at the bird, the serpent was momentarily disregarded and it charged forward to its prize at full speed.

I was still watching the sacred bird with magnificent scarlet plumage of red, purple and gold. It was for all reasons, the ultimate symbol of perfection and beauty.

{As I guessed, it's the immortal legendary phoenix...} The dogs' voice came to me all of a sudden making me shake my head clearing out all other thoughts.

At the same time, my body hairs stood on inch making me feel the threatening pressure that was approaching.

I shouted out to Cerberus who was still watching the bird as it flapped its wings.

"The serpent..."

{Don't worry about it. Even if it's mighty and absolute with unquestionable traits, no one acts the way they want in front of the immortal phoenix. Only rulers of the underworld are considered worthy to act recklessly on its presence... We are safe for the time being.}

The serpent was still making its progress and I estimated it will reach us in only a couple of seconds.

"What do you mean by that? We would be gambling our lives if we stay unconcerned about this..." I berated as I didn't think with all I have been through, I would still fear death to the core when the time comes.

{As I was saying, the phoenix is always associated with royalty and often is reborn from their own funeral phire. It's are also famous for its immortality and some legends even claim it's been alive long enough to see the destruction of the world three times over... Isn't that just enough to make the world tremble...}

Cerberus seemed to be idolizing the bird as he further elaborates its uniqueness. It was just absurd but I had no other way of shutting him up.

With my eyes trained on the serpent that had now covered half the distance, my heart trembled and my knees shook as the thought of being consumed in a single bite enveloped my mind.

The thought of flying up popped out of nowhere as I thought it was better to try my chances with the bird as I thought I could outrun it with the lance's speed but something warned me for it was the most stupid thing to do.

{The bird alone is more than enough to lay waste to the world in just a few hours. Shouldn't that be enough to make all creatures prostrate themselves before it? But the fact that it just doesn't make a fuss out of everything is the reason that even I, Cerberus bow my head in its presence.}

Just as the dog was about to continue explaining, the serpent was only a few yards away with its mouth opening as it advanced.

But at that moment, the screeching sound of an angry bird resonated across the whole stadium and even the nearest parts to it.

In just a fraction of a second, everyone covered their ears as they couldn't take much more as their eardrums would shatter if the sound continued. The odd thing is that I wasn't even in the slightest affected to any extent.

Painful groans were heard across the stadium as everyone fell to their knees with blood trails on their ears and noses. In this, no one was spared except for Cerberus and me.

Gazing at the massive wide-open mouth that was adorned with oversize fangs, I was still in shock as I saw the serpent stop in its trucks momentarily and turning its face to look at the phoenix who was much unconcerned about anything else.

In the blink of an eye, it vanished into a raging burst of flames before appearing just above us while it gazed at the serpent.

The bird opened its slender golden beak and spoke in a high-pitched voice that was clear as a bell.

'Did I command you to move?.. And in that chose to attack the only creatures that I know.'

I blinked and looked at the bird, anyone else might have thought they were going mad but I had witnessed enough incredible things to believe just about anything.

From a flying lance to a talking dog. And now, a talking bird, it just seemed like to be the norm of things in my circle of life and I even had the thought that it wasn't my last encounter into something like this. I had to be ready if I wanted to continue being sane, that is... If I can survive this.

Hiisss!

The serpent was clearly enraged as it lounged itself to the phoenix with its mouth open. It was at most absurd but thinking about it made me chuckle. How can it just swallow a bird that controlled fire like the air that I was breathing?

But in a second, my eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets as my ears registered the sounds of chomping.

The serpent had already consumed the bird but I was still in a daze as this nothing of what I thought of happened. Nothing at all.

Changing its head back to us, my heart rose to my throat threatening to choke me in the process.

Revealing its razor-sharp fangs to me, Cerberus shook its heads as it said that the serpent did the most dangerous thing that it shouldn't have.

Up to this moment, I thought maybe Cerberus was still scared after the first beating as it hadn't done anything since it came back to my side rather than talk. I just couldn't believe it that the mighty beast that made me piss myself earlier was actually acting chickeny right now when our lives were on the line.

I thought that maybe he suffered from a brain injury but I didn't get far in thinking as I saw puffs of smoke being emitted from the serpent's mouth.

At first, I thought it to be its own warm breath but in just a couple of seconds, I was sure that something was burning as a wave of smelly roasted meat with some cinnamon washed by me.

Cough! Cough!

I coughed as I felt my air duct burning just by breathing the air. Something wasn't right.

Cough! Cough!

This time around, the serpent was the one coughing and I wasn't shocked at all as a furry lump of drenching fire was spat to the sands.

Before it touched the ground, the burning bird flapped its wings once more and stayed afloat while dust particles flying all around us.

'Stay where you are beast...' The phoenix ordered in a smooth voice before it turned its focus onto us.

'Cerberus, It's been a long time since I saw you... How are you old friend?'

{It's indeed been a long time, Phoenix... What a coincidence for us to meet again in a place where we don't belong?}

"What? You two know each other?" I asked puzzled from the exchange the two beasts were having.

'Lucifer... It's good seeing you too after a thousand years... It's been a long time indeed for you but for me, it's just a speck.'

Hhiiissss!

The sea serpent was again enraged after it was told to stay put. Different questions erupted in my mind at once as I looked at the slim golden beak as it slowly opened.

I watched the bird's luminous green golden eyes closely as they shone brightly for a moment before the screeching sound erupted once again.

The people who had just recollected themselves from the first attack were again subjected to a second one which made their eyes moisten. Even for Nevaeh who had claimed to have the third beast under her fingers wasn't spared even in the slightest bit.

'Is this how you show respect to your elder young serpent?'

Looking at the birds' feathers which were shining bright, I caught sight of the serpent opening its mouth. I knew for a fact that if it achieved its goal this time around, I would be added to its stomach as I was just behind the phoenix.

But this time around, a brewing black flame came out threatening to turn us into dust.

The heat was so intense that I felt like my skin would peel off in an instance.

The phoenix was the first one to experience the flames as it busted into bright golden flames the moment the black flames touched it, and it was nowhere to be seen.

I feared for the worst but a layer of the golden flames covered me like an overcoat while at the same time providing me with warmth.

What I was looking at now impossible but the bird just turned into ashes the next moment. After the barrier of golden flames collapsed, I felt a cool sensation as the black ones came into contact with my skin.

At that moment was when Cerberus reacted.

Rrooooaaaarrr!

Rrooooaaaarrr!

Rrooooaaaarrr!

Swat!