7 PHOENIX'S FURY
CHAPTER : 7 PHOENIX'S FURY
The old man’s face twisted in terror as I advanced, my mind already plotting his downfall. The Phoenix within me roared in approval, ready to unleash its wrath on those who had wronged us.
As I moved to strike, I knew one thing for certain: this was the beginning of a new chapter, and I would rise from these ashes stronger than ever before.
I paused, recalibrating my mental fortress. The Phoenix wanted to burn everything, so I needed to extinguish the fire. I imagined enormous torrents of water shooting from my now-transformed cannons. I conjured hundreds of firefighters rushing to douse the flames, and even created a giant water golem like Aang from the Avatar state. The steam from the intense heat billowed around us as the water met the flames. Though the fire was being subdued, the bird itself remained relentless, cutting through everything in its path. My defenses crumbled one after another, each replacement insufficient to hold back the Phoenix’s fury. It was a relentless tug of war.
The bird's cries of anger echoed through my mind until I finally understood—I didn’t need to extinguish it. It was suffering, just like me. Forced into this situation against its will, subjected to the whims of one deranged old man and his obsession with Voldemort. It just wanted out, a chance to live freely.
In that moment of clarity, I decided to do the opposite of what I had been trying. Instead of resisting, I pulled back my defenses and opened myself to the Phoenix. I showed it everything I was—the pain I endured, the will that kept me going, my dreams, my ideals, even memories from my first life.
"I am Ares Bones, and if possible, I want to be friends with you who is suffering through the same pain as I have."
The Phoenix landed in front of me, its fiery form now calm. It looked into my eyes, understanding what I had shared, understanding me.
"Will you be my companion in this life, if I have any after this ordeal?" I asked, stretching out my hand.
The Phoenix stared into my eyes for a long moment before nodding and placing its head in my hand.
"Thank you."
While this profound connection was happening within my mind, the outside world was a different story.
The old man continued his chanting, oblivious to the bond forming within my mind. His eyes gleamed with fanatical devotion as he manipulated the blood and magic. The goon watched nervously, clutching his still-bleeding wound, glancing at the old man and the door.
"How much longer?" the goon asked, his voice strained.
"Patience," the old man snapped. "This is delicate work. The Dark Lord's rebirth depends on this."
The goon muttered something under his breath, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Meanwhile, the ritual's power surged, filling the room with a palpable tension. My body, strapped to the table, trembled as the magic coursed through me. But inside, I felt a growing strength, the Phoenix’s power merging with mine.
Suddenly, the room shook. The old man looked up in alarm as cracks formed in the walls and the floor. "What is happening?" he demanded.
The goon stepped back, eyes wide with fear. "Sir, the ritual—it's—"
Before he could finish, a wave of magical energy exploded from me, sending the old man and the goon flying. The straps holding me to the table disintegrated, and I stood up, feeling the Phoenix’s power radiating from within.
The old man scrambled to his feet, his face a mask of rage and fear. "No! This cannot be!"
I stepped forward, flames dancing around me, controlled and powerful. "You underestimated me," I said, my voice steady and commanding. "And now, you'll pay for everything you've done."
The goon tried to flee, but I raised my hand, and a wall of fire blocked his path. He turned back, trembling. "Please, don't—"
"Save your pleas," I replied coldly. "You made your choices."
The old man raised his wand, but I was faster. With a flick of my wrist, I disarmed him, the wand flying into my hand. I snapped it in two, tossing the pieces aside.
"This ends now," I said, advancing on him. He backed away, eyes wide with terror.
"You don't understand," he babbled. "The Dark Lord—"
"Is gone," I interrupted. "And so are you."
With a final surge of power, I unleashed the Phoenix’s flames, consuming the old man in a blaze of justice. His screams echoed briefly before being silenced forever.
The goon, witnessing the fate of his master, fell to his knees. "Please, mercy," he begged.
I looked at him, considering. "You have one chance. Leave this place and never return. If I ever see you again, there will be no mercy."
He nodded frantically, scrambling to his feet and running out the door, disappearing into the night.
As the flames died down, I stood amidst the ruins of the ritual chamber, feeling the Phoenix’s warmth within me. I was free, but my journey was far from over. With my new companion by my side, I would face whatever challenges lay ahead and bring justice to those who had wronged me.
As soon as the old demon finished putting the Phoenix egg in the stab wound he made, flames erupted in protest and surrounded Ares's body.
"No, no, no! Not this again! Why is it happening?! It should be perfect! How will I bring the Dark Lord back if I can't make it work?!" he shouted in a tone bordering on madness as the flames threatened to consume everything in the room.
"We have to leave now! He's going to die like the rest, and the Aurors are already taking down all the defenses and curses in the manor. It's only a matter of time before they find the entrance to this place!" yelled the Death Eater goon.
"I cannot leave until the egg kills him! Without it, the Dark Lord will not be able to return quickly!" hissed the old man in response.
"I'm leaving now! I'm not getting sent to Azkaban or given the Kiss just for your f.u.c.k.i.n.g experiment!" the goon shouted back as he stormed out of the room to escape.
"You traitor to the Dark Lord! Coward besmirching his great name! Flee while I earn his trust!" the old demon shouted in a frenzy.
He then observed the flames surrounding Ares with a determined madness in his eyes. The intensity of the fire grew by the minute until, suddenly, it began to quiet. The old man’s eyes widened in shock, and then his face filled with mad glee as he shouted, "Success! The Dark Lord shall return to us soon, with me at his side! Hahahahaha!"
Inside Ares's mind, the battle with the Phoenix continued. The flames were relentless, but he had an idea. He stopped resisting and instead imagined enormous amounts of water being shot from transformed cannons. He conjured hundreds of firefighters and even formed a giant water golem, like Aang in his Avatar state. Steam filled the air as the water met the fire, but the bird itself was nearly unstoppable, breaking through every defense.
The bird's cries of anger echoed until Ares had a revelation—he didn’t need to extinguish the Phoenix. It was suffering, just like him, forced into this situation by the old man’s twisted rituals. It just wanted to be free.
Ares decided to pull back his defenses and opened himself to the Phoenix. He shared everything—his pain, his will, his dreams, and even his first life.
"I am Ares Bones, and if possible, I want to be friends with you who is suffering through the same pain as I have."
The Phoenix landed in front of him, looking into his eyes and understanding what he had shared.
"Will you be my companion in this life, if I have any after this ordeal?" he asked, stretching out his hand.
The Phoenix stared into his eyes for a long moment before nodding and placing its head in his hand.
"Thank you."
Back in the physical world, the old man’s triumphant glee turned to horror as the flames around Ares intensified again, but this time, they were controlled. Ares stood up from the table, flames dancing around him with a newfound power. The old man’s eyes widened in terror as he realized something had gone horribly wrong.
"No, this isn't right! You should be dead!" he screamed.
Ares looked at him with a cold, determined gaze. "You underestimated me," he said, his voice steady. "And now, you will pay for everything you've done."
With a flick of his wrist, Ares summoned the Phoenix's power. Flames erupted around him, controlled and powerful. The old man raised his wand, but Ares was faster. He disarmed him effortlessly, the wand flying into Ares’s hand, and snapped it in two.
"This ends now," Ares said, advancing on the old man, who backed away in fear.
"You don't understand," the old man babbled. "The Dark Lord—"
"Is gone," Ares interrupted. "And so are you."
With a final surge of power, Ares unleashed the Phoenix’s flames, consuming the old man in a blaze of justice. His screams echoed briefly before being silenced forever.
The room fell silent, save for the crackling of the dying flames. Ares stood amidst the ruins of the ritual chamber, feeling the Phoenix’s warmth within him. He was free, but his journey was far from over. With his new companion by his side, he would face whatever challenges lay ahead and bring justice to those who had wronged him.
The flames then enveloped the boy's body, forming an egg-like cocoon. Just then, the door burst open behind the old man, and four men wearing a variety of damaged, bloody, and dusty robes entered. They froze at the sight of the egg made of fire, but the old man turned with a face twisted in utter madness and let out an otherworldly scream.
"Nooooo!!!! You shall not interfere with my work! Avada Kedavra!" he yelled, sending the deadly curse toward the Aurors, who dove out of the way with haste.
The old man began flinging every curse he knew to keep them away until the flames disappeared. Severing charms, exploding curses, and Unforgivables flew through the air as he tried to suppress the surprised Aurors. Unfortunately for him, his frenzied assault was his only advantage. One of the Aurors blocked the majority of his spell chain, while a second retaliated with a classic Expelliarmus-Impedimenta-Stupefy chain, forcing the old man on the defensive. A third Auror seized the opportunity to cast a Locomotor Mortis-Stupefy-Incarcerous chain, slightly slower than his colleague, catching the old man off guard.
The old man blocked the first chain and was about to counter-attack when he had to switch to defense again. He managed to block the first strike but was then struck by the stunner and bound immediately after.
After securely binding the old man, they finally turned their attention to the egg-shaped flame in the center of the room. They tried to figure out what was happening until hurried thumping footsteps echoed through the door. They turned to see the leader of the raid: Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody.
Mad-Eye looked as though his face was roughly carved from wood. Covered with scars from his long career as an Auror, a chunk of his nose was missing, replaced by his enchanted eye. He had dark grey, grizzled hair and a wooden leg, which gave him his characteristic walk.
"Hmmm, good job. Dangerous man this is. Specializes in dark rituals and a devoted follower of You-Know-Who," he said in his growling voice.
He turned his enchanted eye to the flame in the center. "Now, let's see what we were defending so desperately, Death Eater," he murmured to himself.
It didn’t take long for the fire to start shrinking, revealing what was inside: the body of a white-haired boy with a Phoenix on his chest.
"Well, I don't think that's what any of us were expecting," exclaimed one of the Aurors.
And that’s how Ares Bones, formerly Michael Folster, experienced a second rebirth.
The flames then enveloped the boy's body, forming an egg-like cocoon. Just then, the door burst open behind the old man, and four men wearing a variety of damaged, bloody, and dusty robes entered. They froze at the sight of the egg made of fire, but the old man turned with a face twisted in utter madness and let out an otherworldly scream.
"Nooooo!!!! You shall not interfere with my work! Avada Kedavra!" he yelled, sending the deadly curse toward the Aurors, who dove out of the way with haste.
The old man began flinging every curse he knew to keep them away until the flames disappeared. Severing charms, exploding curses, and Unforgivables flew through the air as he tried to suppress the surprised Aurors. Unfortunately for him, his frenzied assault was his only advantage. One of the Aurors blocked the majority of his spell chain, while a second retaliated with a classic Expelliarmus-Impedimenta-Stupefy chain, forcing the old man on the defensive. A third Auror seized the opportunity to cast a Locomotor Mortis-Stupefy-Incarcerous chain, slightly slower than his colleague, catching the old man off guard.
The old man blocked the first chain and was about to counter-attack when he had to switch to defense again. He managed to block the first strike but was then struck by the stunner and bound immediately after.
After securely binding the old man, they finally turned their attention to the egg-shaped flame in the center of the room. They tried to figure out what was happening until hurried thumping footsteps echoed through the door. They turned to see the leader of the raid: Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody.
Mad-Eye looked as though his face was roughly carved from wood. Covered with scars from his long career as an Auror, a chunk of his nose was missing, replaced by his enchanted eye. He had dark grey, grizzled hair and a wooden leg, which gave him his characteristic walk.
"Hmmm, good job. Dangerous man this is. Specializes in dark rituals and a devoted follower of You-Know-Who," he said in his growling voice.
He turned his enchanted eye to the flame in the center. "Now, let's see what we were defending so desperately, Death Eater," he murmured to himself.
It didn’t take long for the fire to start shrinking, revealing what was inside: the body of a white-haired boy with a Phoenix on his chest.
"Well, I don't think that's what any of us were expecting," exclaimed one of the Aurors.
And that’s how Ares Bones, formerly Michael Folster, experienced a second rebirth.
The Aurors stood in stunned silence, staring at the white-haired boy and the Phoenix on his chest. The flames had completely died down, leaving a faint glow around Ares's body. Mad-Eye Moody stepped forward cautiously, his magical eye whirring as it assessed the situation.
"Careful now," he growled. "We don't know what kind of magic we're dealing with here."
One of the younger Aurors, a woman with short-cropped blonde hair, moved to check Ares's pulse. "He's alive," she said, her voice filled with awe. "But his magic... it's off the charts. I've never felt anything like it."
Moody nodded, his expression serious. "Get him out of here. We need to get him to St. Mungo's and have the Healers take a look at him. And keep that Phoenix contained. It's likely tied to whatever ritual this madman was performing."
Two Aurors carefully lifted Ares, while another conjured a containment cage for the Phoenix, who watched the proceedings with intelligent, knowing eyes. The old man, still bound and gagged, glared at them with a mixture of rage and fear.
Moody leaned in close to the old man, his magical eye fixing him with an unnerving gaze. "You're coming with us, too. You'll have plenty of time to explain your dark rituals to the Wizengamot."
As they prepared to leave, the Auror who had initially checked Ares's pulse spoke up. "Sir, there's something else. Look at his chest where the Phoenix is resting. It's almost as if... as if they're bonded."
Moody frowned and looked closer. The Phoenix's feathers seemed to merge with Ares's skin, a faint glow pulsing between them. "Whatever this is, it's beyond anything I've seen. We need to move quickly."
They exited the dungeon, navigating the maze of dark corridors and traps they had disarmed on their way in. As they emerged into the light of dawn, the battered old manor stood ominously behind them, its defenses now in ruins.
In the daylight, Ares's condition seemed even more surreal. His white hair glinted in the morning sun, and the Phoenix on his chest radiated a soft, warm light. The Aurors moved swiftly, Apparating directly to St. Mungo's, where Healers were already on alert for their arrival.
The Healers took Ares into a secure ward, examining the magical bond between him and the Phoenix. Moody and his team waited outside, exchanging worried glances.
"What do you think happened to him?" asked the young blonde Auror, her voice tinged with concern.
Moody sighed, his grizzled features showing the strain of years of fighting dark magic. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it's powerful and dangerous. We need to find out exactly what that old bastard was trying to do."
Inside the ward, the Healers worked diligently, their wands casting diagnostic spells over Ares and the Phoenix. They could sense the immense magical energy coursing through him, unlike anything they had encountered before.
As Ares lay unconscious, his mind drifted in a haze. He felt the warmth of the Phoenix, its presence comforting and familiar. He knew they were connected now, their fates intertwined by the ritual.
Hours passed, and eventually, Ares stirred. He opened his eyes to find himself in a sterile, white room, the faces of concerned Healers hovering over him. The Phoenix remained on his chest, watching him with serene, golden eyes.
"Where... where am I?" Ares croaked, his voice weak.
"You're safe," one of the Healers said gently. "You're at St. Mungo's. Can you tell us your name?"
Ares took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Ares Bones," he replied, his voice growing stronger. "What happened to me?"
The Healer exchanged glances with her colleagues before responding. "That's what we're trying to understand. You were found in the middle of a dark ritual, but somehow... you survived. And it appears you've bonded with a Phoenix."
Ares looked down at the magnificent bird on his chest. The Phoenix gazed back at him with an understanding that transcended words. "I remember... I remember the flames, and the pain. But also... I remember the Phoenix. We connected."
The Healer nodded. "It seems that way. We'll need to run more tests, but for now, rest. You're safe here."
As Ares lay back, exhaustion overtaking him, he felt a sense of peace. He had survived the unimaginable and emerged stronger. With the Phoenix by his side, he knew he could face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Outside the ward, Moody and the Aurors continued their vigil, determined to uncover the truth behind the ritual and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice. The old man would face the full force of the law, and Ares would be given a chance to heal and rebuild his life.
For Ares Bones, formerly Michael Folster, this was not just a second rebirth. It was the beginning of a new chapter, one where he would forge his destiny with the power of the Phoenix within him.