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Chapter Two: The Deal.



'All this happened and no one woke me?'

Neil turned to Jay and Archie as he shut his locker door.

'Herry tried to get you up but apparently he couldn't even make you roll over even when he pulled you off of your bed.'
'So that's why I found myself where I hadn't fallen asleep this morning.'

Jay chuckled slightly while leading the other two down the hall, they were to met Atlanta and Theresa just outside the main entrance to the school. Archie remained silent, not that anything was troubling him but he couldn't seem to shake the feeling that there was more to the appearance of the phoenix then anyone else seemed to notice.The three were just exiting the school when Jay turned to look back at Archie,noticing the expression on his face.

'Arch...'
'There they are!'
'About time!'

Atlanta and Theresa interrupted, both girls waved to their friends with bright smiles. Theresa was having a little more difficulty then Atlanta as she held a large tattered book in her arms.

'What's that book for?'

Theresa shifted the book in her arms so that the golden title was visible to the three guys, Jay furrowed his eyebrows. Atlanta had already been through this with her friend and found the reactions of the others amusing until she noticed that Archie was standing back.

'Theresa...Is that written in an ancient language?'
'Ew, that better not be our homework for the weekend.'
'heh...No Neil, its not homework.'
'phew.'

Neil instantly looked releived, then walked to the other side of Atlanta, pulling out his pocket mirror and ran his hand through his hair. Theresa smiled as she opened the book to the first page where there was more golden lettering but this time in English.

'According to this inscription this book was given to someone by the Name of Rei Byrd-its faded badly but I believe whoever wrote this translated the title here...'
'The Phoenix's Song'

Everyone looked from the book up to Archie who had seemed to have not been paying attention to the conversation. He moved foreward, taking the book from Theresa and pointing down to a faded golden word that was clearly not English. He was starring at the word quite intensly, as if it were speaking to him.

'This symbol means 'Song'...'
'And this' the symbol for 'Phoenix'.

Theresa declared excitedly taking the book back from Archie.

'I never knew you could read ancient whatever that is.'
'I can't.'

Archie replied his expression returning to normal-he felt like a little of what was on his mind had been lifted. Jay shifted his weight as he too tried to think of what the book could reveal.

'Where did you find this book?'
'She found it in the library.'
'This Library!?'
'Yea, it literally fell off of a shelf at our feet.'

Theresa nodded as Atlanta explained. This however only seemed to deepen the growing concern in Jay-which the others seemed to pick up on as they all fell silent for a few moments. All seemed to just be starring at this opened book, their excitement and wonder melting away to suspesion and concern.

'Do you..think...'
'Cronus...'

Jay finished before looking around as if expecting to see the evil God lurking somewhere near. Neil finished inspecting himself, making sure he was perfect, before turning back to his friends.

'Why don't you just take the book to...'
'Neil! You're a Genius!'

Theresa declared with loud enthusiam-she then slammed the book shut before dashing off and leaving her friends to look at each other in utter confusion.

'What I say?'
'I'm not sure, but we should follow Theresa to find out. Archie, Atlanta go find Odie and Herry and tell them to meet us back at the dorms.'
'right.'

Archie and Atlanta nodded in unison before dashing away, Jay turned to Neil who seemed to already know what was coming next as he rolled his eyes.

'Let me guess I get to go with you after Theresa.?'
'Exactly. Let's go before we lose her.'
'But Jay...'

He began to complain but Jay wasn't about to let him go on and grabbing him by the arm forced him to move at a rather quick pace, much to Neil's dismay.

'Hey- careful This shirt's real Egyptian cotton....'
'NEIL!!!'
'Alright-Alright...sheeesh.'

Well hidden within the branches of a tall tree a large figure watched as Jay and Neil dashed out of sight after their friend. Moving deeper back against the tree the figure allowed a small sigh excape from them. Below, none of the passer-byers had taken any note of the lack of birds singing at the moment. In fact it was rather quiet and only the sounds of the human world could be heard. Suddenly the figure's attention was diverted away from its thoughts to the presence approaching the tree-and for a few moments wondered if it had been noticed-it soon got the answer to its question.

" Are you really going to lurk in that Tree all day?"

came the man's deep voice as he came to a stop almost directly under the hidden figure. Moving to the lowest branch but still concealed the figure looked down at this visiter with fire flickering behind its golden eyes.

''I'd join you up there but that would just be foolish.''

Again the figure remained silent, obviously unamused by this man's presence.

"But not as foolish as me appearing to be talking to a tree. So why don't you come down here and join me? or...do I intimidate you?'"

At this the figure moved with such a swiftness that the man barely kept up with it, landing sofly at the base of the tree stood a young man. He was tall and in his lavish coloured clothes was attractive to look at-many couldn't help themselves but to stare at the man. It was not his odd clothing that gave the feeling that he was no normal man but the colour of his hair and eyes. With sparkling reds,oranges,and yellow hair that seemed to change shade in different lights-the only thing stranger was his unnatural golden eyes-they looked as if they burned the colour of the sun.

'What do you want Cronus...'

The man hissed quietly, his expression growing darker the longer he stood in the other man's presence.

"What makes you think I want anything..."
'Because, YOU don't go out of your way just to have a friendly chat with someone.'
"Why must you be so stand-offish."
'Good-bye Cronus."

The man turned his back and began to walk away, no longer willing to waste any more time with the God. Unfortunatly Cronus was not done with him and with one hand pulled the man back as he brought his other hand, now holding one of his magical scythes, around the man's throat.

"I thought you knew better..."
'You going to kill me?'
"Ha! No, I just want to talk."
'About...'

glancing over his shoulder to Cronus, this man knew that even if he refused comply with the God he would have to listen to some long winded speech about something anyways.

"I want to make you an offer..."

Cronus began but stopped apprubtly as he noticed the subtle change in the man he was holding captive-he instantly began to feel warmer to the point that it was growing uncomfertable.

'Cronus...Do you think I'm stupid, just because I'm not like you!?'
"No, What would make you think that"
'Then why would you ever believe that I would actually agree to be part of your plot.'
"Oh, I never believed it...I know you will..."
'Fool...'

The man growled as a flare of heat suddenly hit Cronus, causing him to release his grip enough for the man to twist free and to face the God.

'Have you forgotten...'
'What...'

Cronus smirked while glancing past the man, standing there were several people who had been drawn into gawking at the man. Turning back to Cronus the man frowned darkly and returned to normal, releasing a sigh of frusteration along with it.

'What's on your mind..'
"I think its time for some guidance from our dear friend Phoenix...."