Phoenix

    The crackling of fire and the insufferable heat was what woke me up. I inhaled the intense scent of the inferno, but with a hint of something else. Death. My eyes shot open. I was laying in the center of what seemed to be a battlefield, or at least what used to be one. I coughed as I sat up, my eyes stinging from the smoke in the air. Bodies. They were everywhere. Young ones, old ones, both men and women. The corpses that lay nearest to me were blackened by the fire, half burnt by the dying sparks. The last remnants of fire licked up at any sign of life still left in the earth. I watched as a young sapling exploded into flames, letting off multicolored sparks that spread to what was left of the ground.
    I didn't like this place. The air felt angry, vicious, and sad, all at the same time. I slowly got up, praying that no bodies would suddenly rise up from the dead along with me. Fear crept into my heart as I slowly backed away from the desolate land that lay before me. 
    Something caught my eye as I slowly moved away from the barren ground. It was a small, lustrous rock that shone though the smoke and flames. Intrigued, I grabbed it as I walked away from the horrible death scene. As much as I tried to block it from my mind, the faces remained. Some were confused, some were scared, and others were resigned to their fate. 
    It was almost midday when I reached the end of the inferno's reach. I stopped, and turned. The land took on the appearance of a black scar, cutting across the land like an ocean separating two worlds. Convinced I was safe, I took out the rock I had picked up. It was an aquamarine blue, and cool to the touch, despite having sat in the fire. The stone resembled a small rectangle that was as thick as a pencil, and somewhat reminded me of a dog tag. Examining it, I noticed some crude scratchings on the surface. As I squinted at its reflective surface, I could make out one word: Remember   
    Suddenly, it all came back. My memories flooded back into my head as I remembered the war, the fight, the fire. The fire I had caused. I was protecting my friend, who had been hit in the leg by a silver bullet. I told him to get away, and he gave me the stone in case we never met up again. I drew all of the enemy attention towards me as my only friend crawled away from the battlefield.
    I took my backpack and pulled out pieces of wood, a can of lighter fluid, and one match. As my enemies closed in on me, I arranged the wood in a pyre and drenched it in fluid. I took a quick glance around me; my enemies had stopped, confused as to what I did. My eyes stopped at one spot, way beyond the soldiers that had surrounded me. I screamed, and the enemy soldiers charged towards me. It was too late. I closed my eyes and lit the match. 

    They say that a Phoenix has the power of the sun, the indestructible flame. Its inner fire will never go out, due to its immense power of fire, being able to summon a firestorm with a single flame. Its power is magnified when using external fire, using the perpetual energy to strengthen what spark it has. 
    
    My eyes closed as I had absorbed the energy into my body, and with a piercing screech, I released the potential energy into the air.



    I remember. I know what I had done.


    I burned them all.