Phoenix of Hope: Complete Series — Books 1-4

by Zora Marie

  She shook herself from her dark thoughts as she looked to Alrindel. Even in the darkness he still glowed, his spirit still held strong even in the face of almost certain death.

  Almost. She thought. Not once had Alrindel lived through the battle, nor had they won the battle in any of her dreams.

  She glanced over to see a screaming man get knocked from the wall by a spiraling swarm of beetles.

  The griffins dropped Eragon and Saria off, and they scrambled to Zelia’s side.

  “Did you know about the beetles?”

  Just as the griffins took off into the swarm, the griffin Zelia and Skylar had ridden fell out of the sky. He took as many beetles and Darkans with him as he could, holding some in his claws and beak as he plummeted.

  “You knew that would happen?” Saria asked.

  She nodded and pulled her staff back out.

  “Sacrifices had to be made. They knew they wouldn’t come away from this alive.” The other two griffins fell out of the sky, one after the other. “From here I don’t know what happens. My dreams didn’t go any farther than this, other than to show me that everyone had died.”

  “One thing’s for certain.” She watched Alrindel shove a wooden ladder from the wall. “We’re on a different path than any of my dreams have shown.”

  “We need light,” Alrindel said it as he struck the Darkan that clung to the wall.

  Zelia searched inside herself for an ember to light the skies with as she stepped away from her friends, but the loud bang and screech of metal against stone stopped her dead in her tracks. In that still moment before the second bang of the battering ram, a red and yellow feather fluttered to her feet. She scooped it from the floor and a loud caw rang out as beetles fell from the sky.

  She looked up to see three huge birds flying through the storm of beetles.

  Men cheered as the sky lit ablaze with the passing of the three fiery-winged creatures. Giant flickering shadows moved across the ground as the birds glided through the swarm.

  Giant beetles rained down in every direction and took many Darkans with them as they hit the ground.

  The fiery birds made another pass through the beetles, then dove into the Darkans with one last screech that chilled her to the bone.

  Thank you, may we meet someday. She kissed the feather, and it blazed in her hand. As the ashes blew from her fingers, she whispered to the wind. “May rebirth be swift for you and your sacrifice not be in vain.”

  “Brace the gate!” A voice yelled above the others and Zelia raced for the stairs, Skylar on her heels. They shot Darkans as he descended.

  “Did you know they were coming?” Skylar asked.

  “No, I’ve never even met a phoenix.” She spun around and slid her sword beneath a Darkan’s armor. “I only heard tales of them and have no idea who sent them.”

  Men screamed as the door cracked and splintered open. A stream of Darkans flooded the gap between walls.

  “Retreat!” King Gregory called out.

  What men remained at the gate or were not yet caught in the wave of Darkans looked to her as Skylar and Alrindel came to her side.

  “Go! We’ll hold them off. Skylar, Alrindel, keep them off me.”

  She pulled her staff, but this time the staff glowed blue as cracks grew up her fingertips and the air around her chilled. She shuddered as the ice smothered the last few embers of fire in her veins. Even with changing to her ice powers, the well of energy she pulled from was almost empty and she scrambled for a way to stop the Darkans, to buy them time to regroup. The cracked pedestal on Hyperia came to mind, and she slammed her staff on the stone, willing her powers to focus on the seams in the stone above the gate. There was a groan and a crack, then the wall crumbled, crashing down on the Darkans.

  Alrindel caught her as she swayed. He scooped her up and ran through the inner gate with Skylar on his heels. The gate drew closed with arrows whizzing by in either direction.

  “I’m glad you’re on our side,” Gregory said as she wilted against the wall.

  “I just hope it’s enough.”

  She shook and watched the cracks recede down her arms, leaving trails of blood where they had been. She grasped her side as a spike of pain emanated from her wound. When did I get shot?

  Alrindel killed the last of the Darkans that had made it through the inner gate and froze when he saw her slumped against the wall. “Zelia.” He knelt beside her.

  “I’m fine. This happens every time I use that power,” she lied and dragged herself to her feet, knowing if she told him the truth, he would lock her away from the fight. “I’ll be back in a few, help the others.” She headed deeper into the hold while the others fortified the inner gate.

  She slipped around a corner into a room that had been full of weapons but was now empty. The wall felt cool against her clammy skin as she leaned against it. It’s not that bad, you can get it on your own. She shoved two fingers through a gap in her armor and into her side. She wrapped her fingers around the splintered shaft of an arrow and gasped as she pulled it from her side.

  Something moved in the corner of her vision as she dropped the bloody arrow shaft with a shaky hand and slid down the wall, her eyes closed.

  “Do any of the others know?” Koin’s concern bled through his every word.

  She shook her head, and looked down at her hand covered in warm, crimson blood.

  “It didn’t hit anything important. Would you help me stop the bleeding?”

  He started to rip a strip of cloth from his tunic, but Zelia shook her head.

  “I need you to seal it.”

  She pulled a dagger from her belt and his eyes grew wide as she heated its tip.

  “Are you sure?”

  She nodded, and put the handle of the dagger in his hand.

  “It’s the fastest way. Trust me, I can handle it.”

  Koin pressed her shoulder against the wall, pinned her legs to the ground with his knee, and put the hot dagger against her skin.

  She forced her body to let the dagger burn her and stifled a scream with clenched teeth. As soon as he pulled the knife away, she fell forward into his arms as her body shook with the first signs of shock.

  Koin held her against him as if comforting a small child.

  When the shaking turned to more of a shiver, she leaned back against the cold wall with closed eyes. The smell of burnt flesh permeated the air.

  “Thank you, Koin.” Her voice shook. “Please don’t mention this to the others, at least not yet. They still need my help, but they wouldn’t take it if they knew.”

  “Why are you doing all of this?”

  “Alrindel is supposed to die, everyone is supposed to die here.”

  “How?”

  “I’ve been having dreams. It’s not the first time.”

  He offered her a hand to her feet.

  “Just stay close,” Koin said. “The arrow might have been laced with poison and I’m certain the arrowhead is still in you.”

  When they returned to the inner wall, they found Alrindel, Skylar, and Gregory arguing about what to do.

  “That’s enough! Arguing amongst ourselves will do us no good. We have lost far too many to hold,” Koin took charge.

  She came up beside him as the unforgettable sound of cracking wood came from the inner gate. “Koin is right, and I don’t have the strength to pull off another blast like that. Even if I gave it everything.”

  She turned to Gregory. “Arm your women. Weapons lay idle in the chambers, don’t let them go down without a fight. I’ll ride out and take as many down with me as I can. You’re all more than welcome to join me, but I would not ask it of you.” She glanced to Alrindel. Maybe I can’t save you, but you wouldn’t stay even if I begged.

  “Zelia, you know we stand with you, no matter what.” Eragon rested a hand on her shoulder, and all the others nodded in agreement.

  “Father! The gates are about to give way!” a man yelled up from the bottom of the stairs.

  G
regory mumbled under his breath, then nodded.

  “Fine, we’ll arm the women and take as many Darkans with us as we can.”

  Kafthry ran up as Gregory walked off, he frantically searched everyone’s face. “Has anyone seen Keller?”

  No. I never should have allowed them to come. She glanced to the others and Skylar put his hand on Kafthry’s shoulder.

  “I’m sorry, but if Keller is out there, then he is gone.”

  Guilt washed over her and she turned away. You can’t snap, not now. You can’t change what has happened, but maybe you can change what happens next.

  After a moment, she turned back to Kafthry.

  “I want you to go with the women and children as the last line of defense. The younger boys we’re sending with them need someone to lead them. Will you do this for me?”

  Kafthry wiped a tear from his eye with a nod and took off after Gregory.

  Skylar turned to her as she watched Kafthry disappear into The Hold’s innermost chambers. “I’m sorry about your friend. But you were right to send Kafthry off with the women and children.”

  She put on a brave face and headed for the horses near the front gate.

  “Let’s make it worth all the sacrifices.”

  She winced as she climbed onto a horse. Part of her wanted to ask her name, but she knew she was only going out there to die and she didn’t want another name to haunt her sleep.

  Gregory soon rejoined them. “They know what to do, now let’s give them a fighting chance.”

  He climbed on his horse and rallied his men.

  “We no longer fight for a kingdom, land, or wealth. No, we don’t even fight for our own lives any longer. Now we fight for the lives of our women and children! Will you stand and fight with me one last time?”

  Men yelled all around the room as their battle horn blew with a long deep call that vibrated into their very cores.

  The broken inner gates swung open, and they charged into the ranks of the enemy. They slashed and cut through Darkans left and right as they charged out.

  Most of their horses made it past the haphazard climb across the outer wall, then succumbed to the enemies’ spears and swords.

  Eragon and Saria fought side by side some little ways ahead while Zelia, Skylar, and Alrindel stood with their backs to each other as they cut through Darkans. They were slowing, but none of them were willing to give up just yet.

  She turned towards Eragon just in time to see a sword driven into his chest and she froze. No!

  Saria slashed at the Darkans and caught Eragon as he let out his last breath. His eyes stood open as his face relaxed from the expression of pain and surprise to the blank stare of the dead.

  Eragon. Zelia’s sword chattered to the ground and her vision narrowed until all she could see was Saria holding their fallen friend.

  A mix of emotion fell over her and she clenched her fists. In the end, anger and rage won. Darkans and beetles all around crumbled to ash, burning from the inside out just as rage burned through her. Blood streamed down her face, sticky and warm on her cheeks. She had never used her powers this way before and she knew it was tearing her apart, but she didn’t care as a numb feeling fell over her.

  “That’s enough!” Skylar snatched her into a hug and shook her back to reality.

  She took a couple ragged breaths and looked out at the eastern slope, where she could faintly see a wizard.

  There was a flash and the crackle of electricity as her eyes hazed over with a red hue from the blood and she blacked out.

  37

  She was numb and couldn’t move, but she knew she wasn’t dead as air whispered in and out of her lungs. Voices bounced off stone walls, and she strained to listen.

  “She’s been running from who she is, from her past,” Skylar said.

  “How do you know?” the voice was strangely familiar, but she couldn’t place it.

  “Because I’ve been there. Well, go on, I’ll watch over her for a while.”

  She listened as footsteps left the room and echoed down the barren hallway.

  Once the echoes had faded, Skylar spoke again, “When are you going to wake up already?”

  She pried her eyes open and her voice cracked as she tried to reply, but nothing else escaped her lips.

  “Easy there, you’ve been out for a while. We were beginning to think you weren’t going to make it.”

  She tried to speak again, but he shushed her.

  “Shh, no need to speak.”

  When she regained feeling in her arms, she rested her hand on Skylar’s and forced her voice to work.

  “Alrindel?”

  Skylar swept a single strand of hair from her face.

  “He’s no worse for wear than the rest of us. I can go get him if you like.”

  Hearing that Alrindel was alive staved off the last of the numbness, and a smile crept across her face.

  “I’ll be right back.” He squeezed her clammy hand and left in search of Alrindel.

  How am I alive? The armor... She sat up and pulled her cleaned armor from the bedside table. She ignored the sharp pain from her side where the arrow had struck her. It was minor in the scheme of things.

  It seemed like it took an eternity to put the armor on, but with every piece she felt her strength return. This is why I was able to fight so long, but what was that I did there at the last? I’ve never done that before, and I didn’t use the staff. Wait, where am I?

  She cinched down the last tie for her armor and headed down the hallway. The sound of footsteps and voices guided her until she walked out onto a balcony. The Kingdom of The Mountains? How long was I unconscious? What did they do with the bodies of all those lost?

  “She’s alive,” the crowd below murmured over and over again.

  “See, told you she lives!” Skylar patted Alrindel on the shoulder.

  Alrindel cringed with every pat until he turned and returned the favor with gritted teeth. “Thanks, brother.”

  Boys just have to antagonize. She glanced around at the mismatched group of friends before her. Wait, where are Saria and Kafthry? Her smile faded, but before she could ask about them, the crowd fell silent as Gregory walked out with a wizard close behind.

  “Vainoff?”

  She breathed the wizard’s name as he gave her a sad glance.

  “Zelia, he’s not one of them,” Koin whispered in her ear.

  For a moment, she thought back to the few times she saw the wizards gathered in the mouth of the cave. Not once did she see him there. Still, her stomach twisted in his presence.

  Gregory turned to address the people, “Today we no longer mourn those lost in battle. Instead, we celebrate those they left to carry on their memories! Though there are many to thank for success against the darkness, I believe we can all agree on one above the others. There’s one among us who is a god among the living. One who is a flame shining ever bright on the darkest of nights, it is to her we owe the lives of our children, friends, and family! May we all bow to Zelia, god among men!”

  He turned and got down on both knees as he bowed to her. Everyone in the crowd did the same, and she couldn’t help but back away. Only those who knew her stayed standing.

  “Get up. I’m not a god. Nor do I wish to be called your savior,” her voice carried across the crowd as King Gregory met her gaze with wide eyes. “I’m a product of my creation, an abomination. Having power doesn’t make you a god. It only makes you a tool.”

  Her footsteps against the stone walkway rang out as she disappeared into the castle. Behind her all was silent, and she didn’t dare cry, not here. Zelia didn’t stop until she reached a balcony a few meters off the ground at the other end of the castle.

  She sat against a cold stone pillar and looked across the fields of grass to the sun setting over the snow tipped mountains.

  She could feel Lumid’s gaze upon her.

  “How I sometimes wish I was back there with you. But even Rogath hates me now, he thinks of me as an abomination
. Incapable of control.”

  “You are not an abomination.” The low voice of Vainoff stated behind her, and she flinched. “Different, misunderstood, and a tortured soul, maybe, but you are no abomination. Now come, no being, god or no god, should speak to a King in front of his people such as you have.”

  She shot to her feet, her back to the un-railed edge of the balcony.

  “You may have helped create me. But you have no right to tell me what to do. The others kept me locked up most of my life, but I know well what most think of me. Even now I see it in your eyes. I’m not what you intended me to be. The all mighty wizard fears his own creation.”

  A dark shadow fell over them, and Vainoff’s face seemed to glow as if lit in the shadows of a cave.

  “Enough! You do not know what I think!”

  For a moment, Asenten’s face replaced Vainoff’s and she shrank back to the edge of the balcony. Her heart shot to her throat, racing as she found herself trapped back in the first years of her imprisonment.

  Vainoff took a forceful step closer, and without a second thought, she jumped from the balcony. She stumbled when she hit the ground, but regained her footing and ran off towards a small patch of trees to the north.

  In a split second, Vainoff realized what he had done and called after her. “Zelia! I didn’t mea—” The thundering of her heart drowned out his words as she ran past Bête Noire, to a clump of trees.

  She collapsed against a trunk, shaking, gasping for breath. Bête Noire nuzzled her as she sat curled up against a tree, but then she heard leaves crunch behind her and Bête Noire charged off.

  “Zelia! A little help here!?!” Alrindel jumped between trees to avoid the thundering hooves of the black horse.

  “That’s enough Bête Noire, thank you,” her voice cracked, and she lowered her head.

  “Hey, boy, I won’t hurt her,” Alrindel assured. “I just want to check on her.”

  Leaves crunched as Bête Noire backed away and Alrindel eased forward.

  She flinched at his touch, and there was a long pause before he pulled her to him.

  “I don’t care what you or anyone else says. You’ll always be my little sister.”