Legends of the Saloli: Vengeance and Mercy (22 page)

“No!” Vengeance screamed in anguish and fury. Without thinking, he charged at Goliath. The giant saw him coming, and turned tail once again, running straight through a wall of fire to escape, but Vengeance wasn’t going to allow him to get away this time. He dove through the flames after Goliath, pursuing him with nothing less than death in mind for when he caught him. Though he didn’t turn around, he could tell that most, if not all, of Icefire was directly behind him.

In the distance, Vengeance could see smoke rising from other parts of the forest. So, Goliath had lit all the camps on fire. Good, that meant all the tribes would be after him now, and they could all watch as Vengeance tore his head off. Sure enough, once Goliath led them over the Icefire/Cyclone border, Cyclone caught sight of him and joined in the chase as well. Goliath then cut through Groundsky territory, and then Darkcover’s, enticing both tribes to give chase. It dimly occurred to Vengeance that it almost seemed as if Goliath wanted them to chase him. But why would he want that?

Goliath led all four tribes all the way through Darkcover’s territory, and out through the southern border. Vengeance now had no idea where they were going, and he doubted any other saloli did either. Except Goliath. He obviously knew where he was going. Suddenly, Goliath put on an extra burst of speed, and Vengeance lost sight of him and had to trail him by scent. He crested the top of a hill, and froze in horror. Before him, about a hundred feet away, stood the ugliest tree he had ever seen. It stood far taller than any other tree in the forest. Its bark was a blackish-gray color, and the trunk seemed to have been twisted around multiple times. The top of the tree did not taper out into branches, instead opening up like a well. There was only one thing this could possibly be. Goliath had led them to the Dragon Tree.

“Did you think it was over?” Goliath screamed in manic glee from the top of the tree, “It’s not even close to being over! It won’t be over until I’ve won! Forget the forest, I will rule the entire world! The full Black Legion is at my disposal, and I will use it! You will all die tonight! None of you will live to see my new empire!” With a laugh that sounded positively demonic, Goliath turned to stare into the dark abyss. He extended his paws, and nicked one of the pads with his claws. A single drop of blood fell down into pit.

At first nothing happened. Then a low rumbling gently shook the ground below them, gradually becoming more violent until it was almost impossible to stand up. A great green glow came from the tree, and a cacophony of unearthly screams, screeches, and roars drifted out. Then, like a volcano spurting lava, thousands upon thousands upon thousands of creatures erupted out of the tree. Their bodies glowed a sickly green color, and their eyes burned red like fire. They rose into the air, and then spiraled downwards until the air was teeming with them, their glow lighting the forest up like it was daytime. And still more of them continued to pour out of the tree. Vengeance felt his knees go weak.

The Black Legion had finally returned.

Fear not, for I am with you.

Vengeance heard these words in his head, and his fear immediately vanished. These monsters may be powerful, but they were no match for Valde Abbas. He could wipe them all out with a single thought. And he would, too. He would do it tonight, through Vengeance.

“Nobody be afraid!” Vengeance called out, “Remember, we have Valde Abbas on our side!” Even though the Legion was too far away to hear him, every one of them flinched visibly when he spoke the Creator’s name.

Goliath stood at the edge of the tree once again, looking down at them, “Do you see it?” he yelled at them, “Do you see my new army? I don’t need Darkcover! I have the Black Legion, and they will do so much more for me than Darkcover ever could! Remember what you see now, because you’ll never see anything again!” He cast his gaze at the Black Legion, and screamed, “Attack!”

“Wait!” Vengeance interrupted. Goliath held his paw out for the Legion to remain where they were.

“What is it, Sword?” He demanded, “Are you going to beg for your life? Save your breath! You’re going to need it!”

“Are you a coward, Goliath?” Vengeance demanded. This stopped the giant in his tracks. “Are you such a coward that you will destroy every one of us without even bloodying your claws? You’re brave enough when you have an entire army to back you up, but you’re nothing on your own!” Goliath’s eyes were wide with unimaginable fury now at being called a coward in the moment of his greatest triumph. “Come down here and fight me yourself, Goliath! Show us that you truly deserve the title of king!”

Without a word, Goliath leapt down from the tree, plummeted all two hundred feet, and landed neatly on his paws. Obviously, something had changed in him when he had summoned the Legion. Vengeance came forward as well. There was no fear in his heart. Only determination to do what he needed to do.

Goliath and Vengeance stood facing each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Goliath, Commander of the Black Legion, and Vengeance, the Sword. On one side, an army of saloli stood. On the other, a legion of demons.

Goliath roared his battle cry, and charged at Vengeance! Vengeance reacted quickly, and dodged to the right, lashing out and cutting Goliath on the shoulder. The giant whipped around and hit Vengeance with all his strength, sending the Sword flying over twenty feet before skidding to a stop on the rocky ground. Yes, something had definitely changed in him. Vengeance, disoriented by the blow, struggled to get back on his paws, but Goliath was already there, and struck him over the head, driving Vengeance’s chin into the ground, and then struck his side, sending him rolling another twenty feet away.

“You have the audacity to call me nothing?” Goliath screamed, “Look at you! You can’t even touch me! Now who’s nothing?” Vengeance tried to get back up, but Goliath cut a deep gash into his side with his claws and then swatted him back towards the Dragon Tree. “I will destroy you, and then I will destroy every saloli in this forest! And why stop there? I’ll destroy every saloli on earth, and I’ll be the only one left! Seems fitting, doesn’t it?” He sliced another wound into Vengeance’s back, and then hit him so hard that he flew backwards, straight into the Dragon Tree, and he felt something break within his body. He fell to the ground, unable to move. Goliath stood over him in triumph, his manic grin lighting his eyes up with green fire.

“I’m going to kill you,” he said. “But first I’m going to let you watch the Black Legion tear everyone you know and care about to pieces!” Turning, he walked back towards where all the other saloli stood, horrified that the legendary Sword had been defeated so easily.

No. Not now. I can’t fail now. I’ve come so far! Valde Abbas, please help me!

Immediately, Vengeance felt the power surge through his body once again. Whatever had been broken in his body mended itself, and white light began to shine forth from his fur. He stood up.

“Goliath!” he called out.

The giant turned just in time to see the shaft of light coming towards him. It struck him square in the chest, and he, too, began to glow. The giant let out an agonized scream, and then exploded in a burst of blinding light. Without thinking, Vengeance then turned around, and directed the light towards the Black Legion. The beam didn’t even have to touch them. They dissolved into nothing at the mere sight of it. The beam died, but the glow continued to come from Vengeance’s fur.

“I am the Vengeance of Valde Abbas!” He shouted to the heavens, “I am his holy wrath! I am the bane of evil! I am the Sword, and all who work against the Creator will fear me!”

A final blinding flash, this one greater then the others, and then the light was gone. The saloli stood there, staring at him in more than just awe and fascination. There was fear, there was respect, and there was disbelief. He slowly walked back over to stand before them.

“Look!” Someone exclaimed, “The tree is gone!”

And sure enough, the Dragon Tree had vanished. There was not even a crater where its roots had dug into the earth. The saloli turned to Vengeance, hoping for an answer.

“It is finished.” Was all he would say.

<><><><><>

The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon. Icefire was devastated, staring at the remains of their camp. There was no way they could live here now. It wasn’t so much that they couldn’t find another place to live so much as the shock of the place they had lived for so long being no more. Vengeance had nothing to say to them. He hadn’t spoken a word since the battle had ended. He simply stood and watched his tribe go about their lives, as if seeing them in a whole new way. An hour passed, and then Vengeance was approached by Gnaw.

“I think you should know,” the old trainer said, “Since Goliath killed Rust, and you killed Goliath, you now have the right of Blood Way. If you wish, you may become chief of Icefire.”

Vengeance had no interest in the offer. Instead, he finally spoke, “No, I’m not the one meant to rule this tribe. I’m its protector, not its leader. There is someone else more deserving of the title of chief than I am.”

“Who?” Gnaw asked, confused. He had never known a saloli to turn down the offer to become chief.

Vengeance raised his head and called out, “Icefire! Gather to the Speaking Stone!” He leapt on top of the stone as if he were chief, which, he supposed he was for the moment. “Gnaw has brought it to my attention that I am now eligible to become chief of Icefire. However, I must decline the offer. As I explained to him, Valde Abbas made me the Sword so that I would protect Icefire, not lead you. There is someone else among you who deserves the title far more than I ever will. He has sacrificed more than anyone else during this war, and I can think of no one else more entitled to be chief more than he is. Smallthorn, come here.” Surprised muttering broke out among Icefire’s ranks as Smallthorn made his way to the front to stand in front of the Speaking Stone. “Smallthorn, I have the right of Blood Way to become chief of Icefire. I now hereby pass that right to you. Do you accept?”

Smallthorn was speechless. He could only stare up at his best friend, the Sword, with his mouth hanging open. Vengeance, sensing his friend’s indecision, leaned down and whispered, “Please, it is the will of Valde Abbas that you lead this tribe.”

Not another word was needed. Smallthorn, standing taller than he ever had in his life, proclaimed to the entire tribe, “Yes! I accept!”

Icefire cheered for their new chief. Vengeance had been right, they realized. Nobody else had suffered as much as Smallthorn had during the war. It had made him strong. He would be a good leader. Vengeance stepped down from the Speaking Stone and allowed his friend and chief to take his place, “This area is no longer suitable for us to live in.” Smallthorn announced, “We will go to the Acorn Place and live there, where food is bountiful.”

Nobody argued, and Smallthorn leapt down from the Speaking Stone and took the lead, guiding his tribe to their new home. Vengeance sought out Mercy, and pressed his face to her’s and then turned and followed Smallthorn to their new home.

Epilogue

Rust gazed down upon his old tribe from the sky. He was happy, happier than he could ever remember being, and was satisfied that Icefire had been left in good hands. Between Smallthorn and Vengeance, nothing would threaten ever them again. He could sense the Creator approaching him from behind.

“This isn’t over for him.” Valde Abbas said, “He will face more trials, many of them even more difficult than this one.”

“He will have a hard life.” Rust agreed, “I don’t envy him for it.”

“You need not worry for him. He is the Sword.”

“Even the Sword has its limits, my king.”

“Indeed. And I will be there to guide him through those times.”

Rust looked up at his Creator, “What happened to the Dragon Tree?”

Valde Abbas looked out over his creation with solemn eyes, “It has ceased to be a tree. The Dragon has now returned to its true form, and travels the earth to destroy whatever is weak enough to be destroyed.

“And the Black Legion? I thought they might be a bit harder to defeat than they were.”

“They have been destroyed, but only physically. Their spirits still roam the earth, seeking to aid the Dragon in its pathetic mission wherever it goes.”

Rust paused, contemplating his Maker’s words, “And what will happen to Vengeance now?” he asked.

Valde Abbas smiled, “You will know soon enough. Just know it will be worth being there to see.”

Rust nodded, “You’re right. There’s nothing to worry about.”