Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend (60 page)

“But it’s made of pure blue flame,” her daughter said with a look of surprise. “Won’t it be too powerful?”

“Probably, but we have to try. I’ll only be able to restrain it for a few seconds so you’ll have to act fast. I doubt we will get a second chance at this. Get ready.”

LyCora nodded and ignited her flame. She then thrust both hands out in front of her with her fingers spread wide apart. “Ready!”

Every muscle in VoRenna’s body suddenly flexed and burst into a brilliant blue torrent of fire that shot skyward, split into six tendrils, and ensnared the creature, catching it by surprise. The beast let out a rage-filled howl, which echoed throughout the land and sky.

“Now, LyCora!”

With several quick motions of her hands, LyCora formed a concentrated ball of flame and fired it upward into the creature’s neck. Everyone watched in surprise as the flaming beast lost form as its center of mass was pulled into the blue ball of flame LyCora buried into its long, serpent-like neck.

“It’s working!” EeNox said.

“What about DiNiya and Rex?” BaRone asked worriedly.

“He’s right, VoRenna,” VyKia said. “A fall from that height will—”

“Trust me, I know,” she replied, showing the strain of having to concentrate so hard on holding the writhing behemoth in midair. “As soon as it is completely absorbed, I will have to catch them before they fall.”

“Hey, look,” EeNox cried out as he pointed upwards. “Something’s happening!”

The rest followed his finger and saw red pulsating from within the center of the beast, growing brighter with each pulse.

“That’s Rex,” AnaSaya said.

“How is he able to ignite his flame when surrounded by so much of another’s?” BaRone gasped.

“No clue,” his son replied. “But he’s doing it somehow.”

LyCora was still struggling to hold the absorbing ball of her own flame together, but she felt herself quickly losing control. This creature, whatever it was, was made of a more powerful blue flame than her own. She felt lightheaded and all her joints felt as if they were going to fail her at any moment. Her body was also weakening, and if she was not careful, the force of the power she was trying to control could even kill her.
I wonder if I’ll even get a thank you from her?
She felt the beast begin to win out and retake some of its energy and form. LyCora felt as if she would pass out any moment.
I can’t let go. I can’t fail
. Gritting her teeth, she used her last ounce of energy before finally collapsing.

“LyCora,” her mother cried out as she cleared the distance between the two of them in a single bound. “LyCora, can you hear me? Please, wake up! My baby, please open your eyes!”

“Let me see her,” AnaSaya said, appearing next to them both like a phantom.

“She will take care of LyCora,” said VyKia before pointing to the now clearly enraged monster in the sky. “You, however, need to try to regain control of that thing!”

High above, DiNiya could see the red glowing silhouette of Rex from inside the creature. “Rex,” she called. “Can you hear me? Please say something to me!” The figure inside turned their head towards her. “Did you hear me?”

Deep inside, Rex could feel his entire body supercharged with a power he had only tasted before. It was as if his rage was being given a constant stream of energy that kept growing inside him. With every passing moment, he could feel it rising in power. He could once again sense the presence within pushing to keep drinking in more of the seemingly endless amount of power that was flowing into him, or rather from him.

“Enough,” Rex yelled as he unleashed an explosion of red flame, destroying the blue-flamed creature entirely.

DiNiya barely had enough time to shield her eyes before she felt the grip around her suddenly disappear and her body begin to fall. It was then that she felt someone’s hands grab hold of her waist.

Below, everyone watched in surprise and horror as the great flaming monstrosity vanished in a torrent of brilliant red fire.

“DiNiya!” BaRone cried out.

“Look,” VayRonx exclaimed. “I see them!”

They all focused as hard as they could and saw a single tiny ball of red fire falling to the ground. They watched as it closer and closer until it crashed down into the ground, creating an impact so great that it released a brilliant red light. Everyone shielded their eyes as the shockwave whipped up dust and small amounts of debris. Finally it subsided, and everyone was surprised to see Rex standing in a small crater with fearsome glowing red eyes, holding DiNiya in his arms.

“Whoa,” EeNox said, standing up straight.

“He looks different from before,” AnaSaya added. “His flame…it’s so strong!”

“DiNiya, Rex,” BaRone cried out as he ran towards them. He stopped at the edge of the crater when he got a better look at Rex. The boy’s face looked rigid and stern, his jaw held tight and his eyes burning with an intensity the likes of which he had never before seen. A sudden memory clawed its way to the forefront of his mind. He knew this scene all too well.

Running up from behind and stopping next to him came VyKia. “Are they all right?” she asked worriedly.

“Yes,” he replied, still breathing a little heavily and not taking his eyes off the two of them. “But did any of that seem disturbingly familiar?”

VyKia nodded while the others just exchanged nervous glances.

“What do they mean, ‘familiar’?” AnaSaya asked EeNox.

EeNox, of course, knew what they were referring to. “It’s not something that’s easy to get into,” he said, looking at the two in the crater, when the fire in Rex’s eyes suddenly extinguished and he collapsed.

Everyone ran over to them at once. The two of them were lying awkwardly in the pit, with DiNiya sprawled out on her back with Rex underneath. They were both lying so still that some of the others began to fear the worst until VayRonx stomped his foot on the ground, shaking it thunderously and jolting the two awake. They both stood straight up for a moment before their eyes glanced over at one another.

“Ahh…oh…um…what happened?” DiNiya stammered, looking around at everyone, and then back down at Rex, who was struggling to sit up.

“I have no idea,” he said as he placed a hand on his throbbing head. “Feels like my skull is splitting in half, though.”

BaRone jumped down and extended a hand, helping him to his feet. “You were…well, you were something else.”

“Wha…why? What
did
happen?”

“You don’t remember?” he asked, sounding astonished.

“No,” Rex replied, looking around at all the concerned and even nervous faces. “I mean…I remember that damn thing grabbing DiNiya, but after that…blank slate. Someone want to fill me in?”

Everyone looked at each other before VayRonx stepped forward to speak, but there was a sudden rush of energy that tore through them.

“What was that?” EeNox asked.

“A massive release of energy,” VyKia answered.

“Energy release from what, though?”

“A powerful flame.”

“That, or many of them,” VayRonx said, craning up to his full standing height and gazing out in the direction of town.

Everyone turned and saw the glow in the distance. The realization of what they were seeing and feeling was a terrible one. Their home was under siege.

Rex and the others raced back to town as fast as their legs could run and flames could push them, across the rocky expanse, over the mountain pass and to the eastern cliff face overlooking KaNar, where they beheld a horrific sight.

Rex gasped as he felt a rise of panic stab through the pit of his gut. Below, the whole of KaNar was under attack from above by creatures like the one they had just witnessed, only made of flesh and blood, which unleashed torrents of green, gold, lavender, and blue fire. He could not believe what he was seeing—something that came as a surprise even to him, given all the wonders he had witnessed since he arrived in EeNara. These were beings not of some bygone era but those out of the pages of legend. “DraGons,” he spoke aloud.

They watched as the people below fought fiercely against the aerial assailants who seemed to be reveling in the destruction and mayhem. The DraGons seemed to be of seven species, which while varying in size and appearance all seemed to have the classic look of those of Earth’s Western mythology: large yet lightly built quadruped forms with two sets of enormous wings growing out of their backs. All of which carried long and deadly looking lances and were clad in elaborate suits of armor that were unique in design to each.

“Oh, no,” DiNiya gasped in horror.

“What’s happening down there?” asked EeNox. “What are those things?”

Rex knew the answer but could not remember why. The image of two large lavender eyes burned in his mind, spurring on a terrible pain. The difference, though, was rather than burrowing deep in the back of his skull, it spread across his entire head. He squeezed his eyes shut and tilted his head up, baring his teeth as the pain felt as if it was literally spilling into his veins and coursing through his entire body. Hearing cries of anguish above, he opened his eyes and saw six CyTorians attacking the DraGons in the air, one of which drove his entire beak through the neck of a grey DraGon that had been spewing blue fire down on the populace below, while another did so to the back of another’s head, who was preparing to drop down on a small girl.

Recognizing the first as KySer, a young, brash CyTorian, BaRone called to him. KySer banked over in their direction and landed on the ledge with them. “KySer, what’s happening?”

“There was an attack,” the CyTorian replied in an exasperated voice. “Just beyond the gates in the fields. Sentinel clones, dozens of them! Most of the people went out to face them head on!”

“What about KyVina?” VayRonx asked with obvious anxiety in his voice. “Where is she now?”

“She was the one leading the charge! She ordered the gates to be sealed behind them until she gave the all clear, but…” He was momentarily distracted by a huge fireball that cast a bright glow on them.

“KySer,” VayRonx called to him to regain his attention. “What happened to those who went beyond the gates?”

“We don’t know. They attacked us inside shortly after the gates were sealed. They managed to cut us off from everything beyond them, and we haven’t been able to receive any word on the status of others. I’m sorry, VayRonx…I don’t know what happened to them.”

VayRonx rose to his full height and looked out at the burning scene below, watching the invaders swoop down and ravage his home. “This will not stand,” he said in a low, anger-laden voice. “VyKia, you stay with the children and get them deeper into the mountains. BaRone, I want you to go with KySer and round up all the young you can find and lead them down into the hot springs and seal it. VoRenna, you come with me.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, stepping up next to him.

“To the gates. We need to get them open.”

“VayRonx, I understand KyVina is out there, but shouldn’t we concentrate our efforts on the enemy within the village?”

“Do not mistake the love I have for my mate as something that blinds me to my responsibilities as alpha of my tribe. She and those she led out to fight the clones are amongst the strongest we have and could turn the tides of this fight in our favor.”

“VayRonx, I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to—”

“Furthermore, I do not believe the strength of our forces being divided in more than half was a coincidence. The attack beyond the gate was a distraction to lure most of our defense away from the real battle, which is what we are witnessing now. We need them,” VoRenna nodded. “Is everyone clear as to what it is they must do?”

“Don’t worry about us,” said BaRone. “VyKia can take care of the children, and KySer and I will make sure to get those left down there to safety. You two just focus on getting the others back here.”

“We will. Good luck, old friend.”

“You too.”

VoRenna looked down at her daughter and regarded her with eyes that only LyCora could recognize as filled with emotion. “Do as VyKia tells you, and keep your wits about you.”

“Yes, mother,” LyCora replied.

“Ready?” asked VayRonx as she stepped up on the ledge next to him.

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go.” The two erupted in green and blue and took off down the steep incline.

“We should be off, too,” KySer said to BaRone as he spread his wings and faced away from him.

“Much appreciated,” BaRone said as he prepared to climb onto his back, but he felt someone take hold of his arm. He turned and saw DiNiya looking up at him with her big red eyes. “Please, Father,” she said.

“My precious, I know, but I have to,” he said gently, pulling away from her. He mounted KySer, and the two pushed off the edge where they swooped in low over the chaos. DiNiya stood there, fearful that she might have said goodbye to her father for the last time.

Meanwhile, Rex looked down intently at the battle raging below. Something inside him began to stir. The pain normalized in his body, and felt more like a part of him rather than an affliction. It was as if the cries of the scared, the angry, and the dying were calling up to him…pulling him off the edge and down into the madness. He began to feel the now all-too-familiar presence beckoning him to the battle below. He placed one foot on the edge, but then felt a hand on his shoulder. Glancing back, he saw DiNiya staring at him with a look that he knew meant she wanted to go down there with him. Rex shook his head and just said, “You can’t and you know it.”

“I’ll go with you, Rex,” EeNox said as he stepped up to him before VyKia grabbed him by the arm.

“Damn it, EeNox, you heard VayRonx and your father!”

“How can they just expect us to run away while everyone else stands their ground and fights?” EeNox demanded angrily.

“I understand and respect your desire to defend your home, but none of you are strong enough to face what’s down there.”

“Liar, you’re just scared!”

“EeNox,” DiNiya exclaimed, forcing him to stop immediately.

EeNox gave her a look that she understood all too well. It was the look of feeling helpless. Her brother was starting to understand how she felt all the time, and like with her, it was tearing him apart. “VyKia…I’m sorry,” he said, looking down at the ground.

“It’s all right,” VyKia said, placing a hand on his shoulder and tilting his head up. “The day will come when you will prove yourself as a man of this tribe, but that time is not now.”

“Live to fight another day, is that the plan?” came Rex’s low throaty voice as he slowly turned to reveal a face that seemed to carry anger beyond its years with burning embers rising in the sky behind him.

“The plan is to see that you six do not die, boy,” the older woman replied sternly.

Rex knew she had his and the others’ best interests at heart, but he could not shake the feeling that he should be down there. Suddenly, something caught his eye below: a large ceratopsian-like DyVorian rearing his head up in an attempt to gore a DraGon that kept swooping down on him. “Hey, look, it’s TemBol,” he said, pointing down.

“He’s in trouble,” EeNox exclaimed.

They all watched as TemBol burst into green flame and charged up and off the ground, trying to strike his attacker, who seemed to have no trouble evading.

“I’m going down there,” Rex said.

“No, Rex,” KyVina protested. “It’s far too dangerous. As it is, we should already be moving away from this area.”

“But—”

“Those were VayRonx’s orders!”

“Not a fan of taking orders, lady!” Rex said, pointing to her defiantly and taking her by surprise before suddenly leaping over the edge.

“Rex!” DiNiya cried out after him as she attempted to follow, but VyKia reached out and grabbed her arm.

“What are you doing?” DiNiya shouted.

“I could ask you the same thing,” VyKia fired back. “It’s suicide for you if you go down there!”

“I have to help him!”

“And how are you planning to do that exactly? DiNiya, you know you can’t draw out your flame like he can! If anything, you would just be in the way!” DiNiya looked as if someone had ripped the fight out of her. “I’m sorry, but you know as well as I that it’s true. Rex made his choice, and it pains me to say that I was unable to stop him, but I can still save the rest of you and that’s exactly what I intend to do. Now let’s go!”

There was a sudden flash of green and VyKia collapsed to the ground, unconscious. DiNiya looked up in surprise and saw EeNox standing behind where she had been with a glow of green vanishing from his hand.

“EeNox, what did you do?”

“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine,” he said, scooping her up in his arms and propping her against a rock. “She’s just unconscious.”

“This is serious! What if you had killed her?”

“Damn it, DiNiya, give me some credit. Besides, she wasn’t about to let you or me go willingly, and this way we won’t have to worry about making her follow us into harm’s way. For all we know I could have just saved her life.” LyCora smacked him up side the back of his head. “Oww!”

“You make it sound like you did us a favor! She’s stronger than all of us, which means she would have been the only one who could have kept us alive down there, you idiot!”

“Stop arguing,” AnaSaya exclaimed, causing everyone to stop and turn. “There are people dying down there and you’re up here bickering! We need to help them…please!”

“She’s right,” DiNiya said. “This isn’t the time to be fighting amongst ourselves. If we’re going to do this, we need to go now!”

“Agreed,” EeNox said as he scooped up his sister in his arms. “Let’s go find Rex.” He took off down the mountain with LyCora close behind. AnaSaya was preparing to follow when she heard the labored voice of her mother call her name from behind. She turned and saw her reaching up to her with a shaky, outstretched hand.

“Please,” she spoke. “Don’t go. I…can’t bear…to lose you.” AnaSaya reached down and took her mother’s hand into hers. “Please,” VyKia urged, trying to force herself up, but to no avail.

“I’m sorry,” AnaSaya said before letting go of her mother’s hand and taking off after the others.

“AnaSaya,” VyKia called out after her with her hand still outstretched before succumbing to unconsciousness once more.

The scene below was one of chaos, born of a nightmare. Burning winged monsters filled the sky and swooped down like flaming kamikazes. DiNiya and EeNox reached the bottom and were quickly entrenched in the scene of battle. All around them DyVorians and SaVarians were locked in combat with DraGons, who continued to drop down out of the sky.

“EeNox, over there,” DiNiya shouted in panic as she pointed to three young children and their mother who was doing their best to fend off a green DraGon with a large fan-shaped fin at the end of its tail.

EeNox furrowed his brow and held out his left hand, unleashing a blast and striking the DraGon in the back of the head. The beast let out a cry that was more of surprise than pain, and quickly turned around to face his attacker.

“Run,” DiNiya cried to the mother, who obeyed and rushed her children towards the huge tavern doors that were being guarded by three large BorMax. The DraGon, meanwhile, fixed them with a predatory gaze and let out a piercing cry. “Well, I think you’ve got his attention,” she said without turning her eyes away from the angry beast. “What now?”

“Funny, I was just about to ask you that,” EeNox replied, feeling his courage fading fast.

The DraGon was preparing to charge when out of nowhere Rex rammed into its side in an impressive display of strength, sending the beast staggering back and crashing into one of the nearby ships in the harbor.

“Rex?” DiNiya blurted out in surprise.

“Stole my thunder,” EeNox said, trying to hide his relief.

DiNiya glanced over at him skeptically before returning her attention back to Rex, who had already rushed up to them. “So you two decided to fight after all,” he said, glancing behind and all around them before adding, “but only the two of you?”

Suddenly there was a flash of blue above them and they leaped out of the way just as a small, seven-meter DraGon fell dead at their feet, its neck broken. They looked up to see LyCora running down the mountain with ShinGaru and AnaSaya behind her. DiNiya looked down at the dead DraGon, then back to LyCora.

“Nice of you to join us,” EeNox said. “You might want to get out of my way, though, when I really start to fight.”

“Hope you find time to do that between Rex and me saving your ass,” LyCora retorted without skipping a beat.

“Enough,” DiNiya said. “We need to regroup with VayRonx and the others.”

“She’s right,” ShinGaru said. “We’ll need their help if we hope to drive these things out. Have you three seen them?”

“No, not yet,” DiNiya replied before looking to Rex, who just shook his head.

“Damn,” EeNox cursed.

“Finding them in the middle of all of this might not be the easiest thing to do,” ShinGaru said.

“Incoming,” Rex shouted when he noticed that four DraGons had spotted them and were quickly swooping in for the kill.

Rex moved to EeNox’s side, and the two charged their flames and fired at the enemy, one of which was hit directly in the face and fell to the ground while a second was wounded in the upper shoulder, but still continued forward with the others. “Again,” Rex yelled.

They both fired off another pair of blasts, which both missed, just before the DraGons breathed a torrent of fire, giving them a mere second to leap out of the way as the ground they were standing on exploded with a deafening blast. The DraGons swooped over then back up and prepared for another pass. The two boys, now flushed with adrenaline, quickly got back up on their feet and looked back at the others, who were readying themselves for another go. Suddenly, the DraGons dive-bombed them from a point directly above, bursting into flame as they raced to the ground.