Fenix

UNSTABLE. TALKS TO HIMSELF AND HIS RODENTS ONLY.

---

Mad Scientist. man of few words. Sad sad little spiral.

---

"Spice. Spice. I know Spice. He's efficient. Efficient. Able to function. Able to...to uh...share information...share information with.... Intelligent.....smart...but- but weak...weak..."

His rat tilts their head, curious about his words.

"He- He feels...too often....too too.... often. He's blinded...by..his .. adoration."

The spiral giggles.

"I don't feel...feel...adoration.... I..feel...the hunger ..for knowledge. Knowledge! Wouldn't-Wouldn't.. you agree...."

The rat tries their best to answer.

"I knew we...we were on..the same wavelength..."

---

I stare into the swirling cauldron, full of every spare bauble and knickknack I could find lying around. It produces a soothing deep purple haze around me. I smile to myself, and as my lips curl I feel the shadow of another around me.

"Please-please don't," I say, almost at a whisper. I feel my eyes slant and my jaw tightens. "You know, I'm not much of, umm, much of... an extrovert."

The figure behind me leaves and my mind clears. I turn back to the cauldron. I can almost see my own eyes glittering in its reflection. What would happen if I added just one more drop of beetle's blood? I drop it, the scarlet liquid immediately mixing with the foamy purple galaxy beneath me. The smoke rapidly changes to a lime green fog. Fizzing. Smoke. Whirlwinds. pop.

Suddenly, somehow, the cauldron lay in pieces and I lay laughing. It worked just as I had hoped. I stare down at my claws. They radiate a purple glow from the quick to the tip. A toothy smile erupts from my narrow face. I didn't quite expect that side effect, but I'm not much of one to complain.

Now, I stare to the real beauty. From the ashes of my destroyed cauldron rises a purple nymph. An ichor nymph, to be exact. A collector of the blood of gods. I did not create this creature, merely brought it to me. I feel an instant connection, one I have never felt with a dragon before. Something like love, or maybe just the ability to understand somebody other than myself. After all, I am called Fenix for a reason. I too love to rise from the ashes in search of something new.

Blink. Apparently this nymph doesn't speak so much. It's okay, I don't either. I decide to call them Neil, after the Gaelic term for Champion. They fought with the galaxies and won.

"You are...a friend," I say slowly. "I like you," I stutter, gaining confidence. "You should stay."

Blink. Neil says nothing. My stomach drops as I realize that even bringing a friend to me from across galaxies does not determine their loyalty to me.

"You don't have to stay... unl-unless you want... to." Blink. Interesting.

The nymph silently shakes their wings, ruffling its tail as they stand. I watch them with tentative eyes, expecting them to run. Instead, they make their way quickly towards me. I recoil, landing in a pathetic heap of scales. Fear washes over me. But Neil only sits on my tail and smiles. I never said another word to Neil. Only to my rats, who enjoy words much more than I. Words are dead but actions are very, very alive.

(Written by Ambervale)
╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮
" If I make it through tonight everybody's gonna hear me out. "
╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯