The truth was, I was flightless, and on top of this, a bit chicken-like. In comparison to the kind blue bird who directed me, I was much bigger and.. well... (thicker), I do not posses the same slim build he had. Even now, in the midst of a fight with an unidentified grey thing, these thoughts are weighing on my mind, always whispering in my ears.

Here it comes again!

The grey thing zooms in from ahead with glistening fangs bared at my neck, tiny sparks of electricity surging from it's skin.

"Cinders" I say with a monstrous flap of my wings that pushes me back a bit. A spray of fire gushes forth and briefly coats the forest, and the grey thing, in bright orange flames.

7 Fire Damage

The thing yelps in surprise, more shock value than actual pain and it's body twists ever so slightly while mid-air. Instead of biting right into my neck, it sinks it's fangs into my undamaged right wing and pulls me along as it rolls to the ground.

Suffered 4 Piercing Damage Suffered 2 Lightning Damage Suffered 5 Tearing Damage

I scream out as the grey thing's momentum dislocates my wing and tiny sparks of lightning arch at my feathers.

Suffered 2 Lightning Damage

The good thing is, we're both on the ground and it's no longer dashing in the treeline. It's utterly impossible to match this foe in speed so sacrificing a single wing is worthwhile. I waste no time in using my left wing to shower the grey creature in hot flames as it recovers it's footing. "Cinders! Cinders!" I blurt out frantically.

6 Fire Damage Suffered 2 Lightning Damage 7 Fire Damage Jinrai Fox is Burned

Using only the one wing is less powerful, but the point-blank range makes up for the lack of firepower.

Now that we're so close to one another I can make out it's features much better. It looks similar to the Big Fluffer, long legs, big bushy tail, even bigger than Fluffer's, but the biggest difference is the mouth. This grey thing has a long snout with two menacing fangs protruding from it's upper jaw. Speaking of fangs, those fangs are currently being shaken side to side as it tries to rip apart my wing.

Suffered 4 Tearing Damage Suffered 2 Lightning Damage Suffered Bleeding Suffered 4 Blood Loss

I can feel my vision blackening as my blood leaves my body and the grey, electric monster's onslaught continues to ravage my mangled wing. I'm going to die again.

Will I turn to dust? or will I die for real this time?

The first time I died these thoughts weren't present, but now my mind is plagued by the thought of being trapped in endless nothingness. What changed since last time? Why am I so scared?

There's no way I can win this fight. I'm already on death's door, maybe only seconds away from becoming a high-class tasty meal. The damage I've done is pathetic in comparison, I've only burned the left side of it's body and maybe singed it's eyebrows, if I'm lucky.

I might as well give it everything I've got while I still can.

"Cinders! Cinders cinders... cinders" I weakly call out as my body gets thrashed side to side.

Suffered 2 Tearing Damage 8 Fire Damage Suffered 2 Lightning Damage 9 Fire Damage Suffered 3 Tearing Damage 9 Fire Damage

Each Cinders burns deeper in the already gruesome burns, but my vision has gone fully black and the pain has subsided to nothing, I can no longer resist. The grey thing is forced to abandon it's hold on my wing to avoid receiving any more devastating fire attacks, but it already knows that they have won the fight and has no qualms in watching me bleed out.

The only thing I can feel is a icy cold spreading across my body.

Suffered 3 Blood Loss You have died Fire to Fire: Time until rebirth: 5 hours, 59 minutes, 57 seconds

My body gradually crumbles to ashes and lands neatly on the ground in a tidy pile. My bird flesh in the grey thing's mouth also turns to ashes and I can only imagine the difficulty it's having to breathe properly right now.

It's great news that I'm still alive! In a sense.

"I'm nothing more than a sentient pile of ashes, still alive tho~" I say to the grey thing while poking out my imaginary tongue.

The grey thing in question is shuffling backwards and whipping it's head side to side as the hot ashes fall deeper in it's throat. Ouch.

11 Fire Damage

The thrashing intensifies as the ashes settle deeper inside it's body, not to mention the huge fresh burns on it's side that are being bashed against trees, plants and the ground alike.

"Serves you right!" I jeer.

19 Fire Damage

Ohh this feels good.

Watching your murderer suffering in agony as it burns from the inside out has a certain catharsis to it. I'm pretty sure I even warned it that I wasn't very tasty! Should've listened to me.

16 Fire Damage Jinrai Fox Slain, 118 exp gained Level Up! You've reached Level 2 + 1 Strength, + 1 Endurance, + 1 Dexterity, + 1 Intelligence, + 1 Affinity

Maybe this unintentional suicide attack was a bit underhanded, maybe it was just the perks of being me. Whatever the case, I've just discovered another amazing head squiggly, 'Level Up'.