Descent Into Darkness

Descent Into Darkness Chapter 45

Welcome back, ladies and gents. 1,600 brand new words for you all, and I do sincerely hope you enjoy them!

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to continue. “I tried, for months, to save you. We followed you, pleaded with you, begged you, and many other things, but nothing swayed you. How did she do what I, your sister, Spedro, your best friend, and Lindani, your wife could not?”

“She tried to kill me.”

Ember simply stared, and Phoenix chuckled. “Allow me to explain. She tried to change me, tried to make me remember who I was the nice way, and I tried to kill her. She fought me, and almost killed me. It was her teacher who cured me, at Lian's insistence. You tried to convince me to return to this, but what I needed was someone to hurt me back to myself, if that makes sense.”

Ember nodded. “I think I understand. What we were doing was too soft. You needed someone to force you to change.”

“Exactly,” Phoenix said with a nod. “She took the stone from me, and in my weakened state was able to subdue me, tying me to a horse. It was rather uncomfortable.”

Ember smiled and stood, brushing her backside free of the leaves and dirt that clung to her dress. “Then I am sorry I stayed my hand when we last met. If I had tried killing you then, I may have been able to get you back sooner.”

“I do doubt it, little one. There was much more involved than just trying to kill me,” he laughed.

Spedro and Lian came from the trail at that moment, and Ember smiled at her husband, going to the tips of her toes to kiss his lips. She was still too short, so Spedro leaned down and pecked her lips, then lumbered off to the other side of the clearing to sit on the stump and watch their day's training. Lian nodded to him and he raised an eyebrow in return. She shook her head, and he smiled softly, nodding once in thanks.

“What does that mean?” Ember asked, crouching down low, stretching before beginning their training.

“What?”

“Every morning, when Lian, Spedro, and I join you here in the clearing, there is a silent conversation that passes between you and her. I have tried many times to figure out what you are talking about.”

“Lindani,” he answered, lifting his leg into the air behind him and grasping the ankle, pulling his muscles taught. “Every morning I ask Lian if she will be coming, and each day she tells me no.”

“And how would Lian know whether or not Lindani would come later?”

“If Lindani ever comes, we shall see,” he answered, and her eyes narrowed.

“I do not like being oblivious to a silent conversation that I have no clue is going on.”

“Too bad,” he chuckled, standing straight and falling into a defensive stance. “You are lucky we only speak of Lindani, and not you, dear one.”

Ember dropped into her stance, giving him barely a moment to prepare before she sent an orb of compressed air at him, one that would break ribs if it impacted his chest. He flipped nimbly from its path and conjured his own, hurling it at his sister across the swath of lush green grass. She caught it and squeezed, the orb dissipating in her hand.

He readied himself for the onslaught he knew was coming, and waited for Ember to sprint forward. She did, fashioning a blunted air blade and coming for him. Phoenix simply leaned backward, the blade passing harmlessly above his throat, mere inches from the short stubble on his neck. He saw Lian nod approvingly, but he had no time to waste, as Ember was following up with another strike, her blade having reversed direction and now coming for his ribs. He whipped his arm around his body instead of straining to right himself, using the limb's momentum to turn him over in his lean, away from the non-lethal blade.