Born Of Fire

Born Of Fire Chapter 54

A flock of crows took off from a nearby tree, giving wing to bad wind that urged them away from their current roost. Phoenix’s laugh followed them in their mad rush to leave the clearing.

Spedro burst from the forest a few moments later, Lindani and Ember at his heels. Phoenix stood just outside the circle of scorched earth, stock still, with his back to them. They sidled up to him slowly, and Lindani breathed his name. He did not turn, so she reached out to grasp his shoulder. Before she touched him however, he simply disappeared. One moment she had been an inch away from grasping his tunic, and the next she was grabbing at empty air. Her eyes widened in surprise, while Spedro’s mouth fell open. Spedro cocked his head to one side, and whirled on the spot. Phoenix stood behind them, mouth turned upward in a crooked, devilish smile. Ember turned as well, and gasped, then fell back a step. Phoenix stood, smiling still, grasping the stone in his hand. The blue aura pushed out from between his tightly clenched fingers, then receded a second later. Lindani reached out once more, and Phoenix flashed again, once more directly behind them. Power like he had never felt coursed through his body, though it was vaguely familiar. When Secrat had lifted him from the ground, he had gotten a taste of it, but now it rushed through his veins like fire. Small facts, like the count of Lindani’s eyelashes, or the number of Ember’s freckles, two hundred and twenty seven, flashed through his mind faster than he should be able to form a coherent thought. Tactics, moves, and different ways to manipulate both his flame and stone ran through his mind, and he laughed again.

The three turned, and Ember chided him. “Phoenix, what in the gods names are you doing?”

He laughed again, a maniacal snicker. “I have found it. The source of Secrat’s power. It is mine, and now nothing can stand it my way.”

Spedro spoke, disapproval in his tone. “You mean our way.”

Phoenix nodded, speaking quickly. “Of course. Now all we have to do is march to the front door of Demetrius’ stronghold, if he has on that is, call on him to fight, and I shall take from him his head, to be burned in the eternal fire that burns in the square of Yaag.”

Lindani sighed. “Phoenix, no matter what powers the object you hold has given you, we still need to drive his forces back from this land. We cannot kill Demetrius and allow his forces to run rampant all over this land unchecked.”

Phoenix leveled a glare at his mate. “His forces already run rampant across the land. Killing with abandon, plundering, pillaging, raping, and murdering. Remove the head, and the body dies.”

Spedro joined in as soon as Phoenix finished. “This is not an animal we are dealing with Phoenix. This is a conquering force, thousands strong. If we attack Demetrius head on, we will lose, and lose quickly.”

“Leave the soldiers to the towns, let us assault the dragon!”

“The towns and cities will be undefended Phoenix,” said Lindani. “If we attack Demetrius, and he catches word of our plan, he will recall his forces. If all his forces are against us, your one stone will not be enough to defend all four of us. We. Will. Fall.”

“But with this stone, I can do it myself, with no need for you three to endanger yourselves!”

Ember, silent until then, spoke up, anger reverberating in her voice. “Tell me this Phoenix, if you have one stone, how many do you think Demetrius has?”

Phoenix’s eyes glazed over for a moment, the folly of his argument now apparent. His mind tried to work around the obvious logic in Ember’s argument, but to no avail. Demetrius could have hundreds of the stones, each layering upon his powers, making him nigh on invincible.

Phoenix realized Spedro was speaking again, saying they should return to camp. The three turned for the forest, and Phoenix followed slowly, gazing at the object of power in his palm, wondering just how he would utilize it.

Days passed slowly for Phoenix, as they trudged through the forest, over the hills, and between mountains. Aching to try his stone in battle was pulling at his soul, renting his will in two. He wanted to ride at full gallop to the next town, many leagues away, but the others would not consent. Seven days hard ride would not be easy, and they needed to be fresh when they arrived, in case of a meeting with Demetrius’ forces. Phoenix had stopped speaking to the others, only speaking when he was asked a question, and only answering monosyllabically or by way of an affirmative or negative grunt. When they turned it at night, Lindani would fawn over him, only to be rejected as he sat and stared at the stone, still with the swirling blue aura around it. She would go to sleep with a huff, but he paid no mind. What the three didn’t know, was that he no longer slept. He sat for the hours in which they did, staring at the stone, as though he could not pull his eyes from it. Indeed, he could not. Every time he tried, it would pull his attention with a new facet, or a new idea, or nothing at all. He never tired of searching its surface, and the day came that they arrived on the outskirts of Lanaro, a city in the north. They had been riding through thick forest for three days, and finally, the forest thinned, giving them a glimpse of black walls, and the black city beyond it.

Spedro turned in his saddle to eye Phoenix, staring at the stone with the same blank expression. “Phoenix, do you know of this city?”

Phoenix lifted an eye to see the walls, then dropped it back to the stone. “No.”

Spedro sighed, and whispered something to Ember, who rode beside him. She glanced back at Phoenix, and whispered back, then Spedro urged his horse onward, trotting toward the city. Phoenix and the women followed, and soon they arrived at the gates. The gates creaked open, and the four rode in, but Phoenix saw nothing but the stone. A cheer went up in the street. Word of them had already arrived, and people pressed in close to see the heroes who would save them from the tortures of siege. Phoenix simply sat in his saddle, oblivious to all going on around him. Spedro sidled up next to him, and nodded to Ember, who nodded back, ever so slightly.

“Phoenix! Demetrius is upon us!” Spedro shouted.

Phoenix’s eyes shot up, his anger blazing, and his palm opened for a fraction of a second. A fraction of a second is all she needed, as Ember conjured a gust of wind to blow the stone from Phoenix’s hand to hers, and she quickly wrapped it in a cloth, shoving it into her saddle bags.

Phoenix roared in anger, leaping from his horse with his body aflame.