It only took him one gaze to be fazed by its beauty His frigid body shivers in a passionate rush He charged upwards, yet way before he reaches that all-consuming heat, his fragile wings surrendered.
The saltwater he choked on chilled his tongue The harsh tide he swallowed froze his lungs The ocean was more unforgiving than where he fled from, colder than the tower, the stones, and the metal chains around his bones He thought he was free, but heaven never lets you atone.
As the water consumed him, he thought perhaps the sun is for no one after all Still, he caught a glimpse of the golden chariot, which sat Clymene and Rhode and Gaia, Selene and Perse and Athena, cheering, unharmed by the glorious fire.
He was the only one who fell like a fool for seeking what he was not qualified for But how could it be false, when the scorching light tints his cheek red, and the tingling heat stirs his breath heavy How could one resist the desire for owning the blasting blaze, the eternal euphoria even if you are not great enough to win one moment?
Author Bio: To die in Venice in the classic Mann manner is Emilia's current greatest aspiration. As an English major in CUHK, Emilia writes sparsely, mostly poems and short stories, and she also paints in her free time. She loves fantasy novels and mythologies, and frequently references them in her works. If you are interested in sinister, stark writing and illustrations, you might want to check out her Instagram page @paper_caged_birds for her creations.