Born Of Fire

Born Of Fire Chapter 24

“I am your father!”

“Not anymore,” Phoenix said.

Doritan set his foot and reached back, then brought his fist forward quickly, the skin on his fingers tinging red with the fire about to explode from his knuckles. A splash of water, and Doritan froze where he was. Lindani lowered her hands and Doritan groaned in pain. His entire arm from the shoulder down was frozen in thick ice.

Phoenix smirked. “Goodbye Doritan. We shall return when the threat has been thwarted.”

Digging his heels into the sides of the horse, Phoenix held on tightly as the inevitable happened. Blaze reared up, kicking his forelegs with a loud neigh. The other three followed suit, all but Ember’s calm mare kicking mightily. With the thunder of hooves, the four galloped out of Yaag, heading west.

The four stopped a few hours later, watering the horses by a cool stream.

Phoenix dismounted and led Blaze to the bank of the quiet stream, patting the horses neck as it drank. Lindani was sitting in the shade of a tree with Spedro while Ember refilled their water skins.

“So where to, oh mighty leader?” asked Lindani.

“Darval is but a days ride away,” Phoenix replied. “It is a larger village with friendly Yaagalay. We will try to find news of Demetrius’ armies' movements. Maybe we can catch up with a contingent of them.”

“Hoping they have a Bachtalo or Bahdvalo with them?” Spedro asked.

Phoenix nodded, then turned his attention to Ember, who was kneeling by the stream, singing an old lullaby.

Lay your head down to rest my child, as the spirits of fire burn brighter. May the gods hold you forever tighter.

For in the darkness you shall find your peace, and your mind the slumber does tease.

No more day, only night, and the call of sleep you cannot fight.

Lay your head down to rest my child, as the spirits of fire burn brighter. May the gods hold you forever tighter.

 

Her song finished, Ember rose and saw the three staring at her, enraptured. “What?”

Spedro was the first to find his voice. “That was beautiful, Ember.”

Blushing, Ember wrung her hands, her eyes downcast. “Thank you Spedro.”

Lindani broke in. “That song was a lullaby?”

“Yes. Our mother used to sing it for us,” Ember said, a tear springing to her eye.

“I have wondered. What happened to your mother Phoenix?” Lindani inquired.

Phoenix’s countenance darkened, and he rose to stand beside Blaze. “Night is coming. We must keep moving.”

Lindani raised an eyebrow, and mounted her own horse, shooting Ember a look. Ember shook her head, and mounted her mare, stowing her water skin in the saddlebags, then securing her dagger. Phoenix galloped off, leaving the three staring at his back.

Darval appeared on the  horizon around noon the next day, and the four rode a bit harder. Phoenix had not spoken a word since Lindani asked about his mother, content to sit in the saddle brooding. The ground beneath the horses hooves started becoming harder, until the hoof beats echoed on the stone roads of Darval’s outer walls. The walls rose thirty feet into the air, with small slits present all the way to the top. A Yaagalo could place a hand though this and fire at incoming enemies, which is why Darval had never been overrun in wars past. The grey rock rose in front of them until they were almost at the lattice gate, and Phoenix suddenly stopped his horse. The three followed suit and look questioningly at his back.

Phoenix cocked his head to the side, as though he were listening to something only he could hear. Lindani drew breathe to speak and Phoenix raised a hand. “Do nothing. Something is not right here.”

After a moment, he pulled on Blaze’s reins, causing the horse to back up quickly. A fire orb splashed on the stones where he had been a second earlier, blackening them with its heat. Another flew toward him, and Phoenix raised a hand, catching it in mid-air. “We come as friends!” he yelled, dropping the orb to the ground. “I am Phoenix, son of Doritan of Yaag!”

Another orb flew through the air toward Lindani, who simply moved her horse out of harms way, watching as the orb flew past. Phoenix growled, then turned his attention back to the wall. “Cease your fire, damn you! We are only four and no threat to an entire city!”

No more orbs came, and after a moment the lattice gate began to raise slowly.