The Phoenix Quandary

Chapter 15

Lucius rode his black steed in silence, the hood of his dark heavy cloak, covering his face, his features, making him unrecognizable, unapproachable to the few on lookers who stood under the roofs of the bar porches or store fronts while the soft drizzly rain covered everything evenly, leaving nothing unscathed. He could feel their cold, questioning accusing gaze on him and he realized because of his steed they knew who he was, what he was and what he's done. But he didn't care anymore all he cared about was getting his hands on that wretched Phoenix and getting her back. He swallowed slowly, realizing it was almost painful when she invaded his mind. He brushed her out of his mind and slowed his steed down in front of a bar, ignoring the few men that had visibly given him more than three feet personal space. He dismounted, tying the reins on a post before walking inside leaving a small trail of rainwater behind him all the way to the bar where he sat and waited for the bartender to take notice.

"What shall it be my lord?"

"Don't call me that and get me the strongest you've got." He growled angrily.

The bartender only nodded mutely and retrieved a black bottle with red liquid inside. Very few were strong enough to drink more than two shots of this. It was a mixture of what the humans called tequila, Scottish whiskey and dragon blood. He poured half a shot for Lucius, but when he heard his growl nervously proceeded in filling the shot glass. He would rather lose an expensive bottle of liquor than an eye or his life especially considering the rumors that surrounded his Lordship and what had really occurred at his castle and he personall was in absolutely no mood to find out if his Lordship truly was as ruthless and as evil as rumor had it. He watched cautiously as Lucius grabbed the glass and drank it down swiftly, before slamming the glass down as he waited for another. When the bartender didn't immediately react he slammed the glass down harder, it was a wonder how it had not shattered. The bottle trembled slightly as the bartender filled yet again and watched as Lucius drank it as if it were water. He continued drinking on until finally after the bottle was down to less than 1/4 empty did Lucius get up, lightly tipsy and began to slowly walk out leaving a trail of fire at his heels. Immediately the bar filled with screams of both male and female as they tried to escape the inferno but Lucius raised one wobbly hand and all the doors and the windows bolted shut as the inferno grew and so did the screams of anguish and pain. He stood in the center and watched in a half drunk daze as the flesh began to charr and the skin began to boil. As eyes bloated and popped, their whites and blacked and reds running sloppily down faces full of pain and terror. He sniffed, relishing in the smell of burning hair flesh and skin. He suddenly gazed down when something grabbed at his foot. He looked down as a dying whore burned, her naked once, surely beautiful body covered in boils, charred skin and flames. He smiled coldly before lifting his foot and slamming it down on her head, sending bits of flesh and brain matter spraying all over the floor, suddenly the smell of brains over easy filling the air. He laughed at the thought of having brains over easy instead of eggs, his deep deadly, maddening laugh sounding out over the dying screams of anguish and pain that surrounded him once he was done laughing he straightened up and snapped his fingers and suddenly the flames were extinguished, only the smell of charred skin, hair and wood remained, charred bodies scattered the building or what was left of it and he walked out to his calmly waiting steed. He mounted him, and waited, watching the building slightly. Then slowly from each charred remain, a soft grey, sometimes black mist appeared until it was a fog that hung over the remains. Lucius stretched out his left hand and the fog moved forward towards it. Slowly the mist seemed to evaporate into his skin, Lucius' face was held in a grimace until he had completely absorbed the mist and suddenly he lurched forward and retched. 'There has got to be an easier way for me to absorb these damn souls!' He thought suddenly very tired as he nudged his steed onto the main road once more, relieved it had stopped drizzling.