Rise of the Flame

by K.N. Lee

  “Liam,” Nani called again.

  “Liam?” He heard Rowe’s voice and it seemed to be growing farther and farther away.

  Liam looked down and gasped, seeing his feet were still, but the ground passed by steadily beneath him. Liam looked up, dumbfounded.

  “What are you?”

  The being’s face moved closer to Liam and he couldn’t help moving his head away. He smelled burnt flesh and sulfur and it made his stomach twist.

  “Elder Drefen.” The being spoke in a low voice that sounded hollow and distant. “I would have been your guide, if your mother hadn’t petitioned for your caretaking. It seems you are still ill-equipped for the task. Still, I have watched over you, from a distance.”

  Liam felt his voice catch in his throat. Drefen’s face was like a nightmare, with the faces of spirits shifting and looking back at him. He took a step back.

  A real Elder. In its true form.

  “We are death collectors. And soon there will be much death. We will separate the dead from the living as best we can. But the Elders are few now, and the dead are many. We fill this land now, for it is dying, along with everything in it.”

  The other Elders sniffed him and he felt their hands touch him curiously. Their whispers to each other were too low to be understood, but filled his ears. Their hands felt cold and sent violent shivers through his entire body.

  “Not even the Ancients could have seen what is coming. Wexcyn has a great many weapons. One of his most sinister is upon us. She won’t be easy to defeat.”

  “I don’t understand,” Liam hugged his arms, to keep warm as the other Elders started to back off. He still shivered despite the warm night air. He wanted their hands off of him. “Who are you talking about?”

  Silence.

  “I already have to worry about Wexcyn, and Inora. How can I face another enemy right now?”

  “Do you think the Elders are the only beings free of the Underworld? The Underworld is open, and rising to this world. Remember that whatever you face, it is because Wexcyn has put it there, to slow you down. Make it to The Barriers. Now.”

  Before Liam could ask more questions, the Elders faded into the darkness. He was left with a lot to think about as he walked back to the others.

  Chapter 32

  “What are we going to do now?” Nani flew around in erratic circles, throwing her hands around as she spoke. “They’re dead! We cannot bring them back. Do you know what shame this will bring me?” Tears fell from her face. She was too distraught to even pause to heal herself.

  Liam slunk down to his knees and buried his face in his hands. Not only were the soldiers of the Order burnt to ashes, but so were the healing fairies. The stench of death had welcomed him as he stalked back from his discussion with Elder Drefen.

  His cheeks were reddened, as were his eyes. Rowe sat silently at the edge of the clearing, glaring into the darkness of the jungle.

  Wilem and Jorge stood near him, too afraid to relax.

  Sona put a hand on his shoulder. “Liam.”

  He shrugged her hand off and came to his feet. He wiped his face of the wetness and looked up into the sky.

  “Which way did they go?”

  Sona frowned. “You don’t mean to follow them?”

  He gave her a look that made the color drain from her already pale face. “Who is going to stop me?”

  Sona stepped back. “That’s not the plan. Let’s be reasonable. Nothing good will come of you following those Shadow Elves.”

  “That is the point. I want to punish them for what they’ve done. I want to teach them, that nothing good will come to those who harm the people I care about.”

  Sona put her hands on her hips. “You’re not thinking clearly Liam.”

  He brushed past her. “I am thinking more clearly than I have in long time. Stay with the children if you are afraid.”

  Rowe came to his feet. He held his ax at his side. Liam watched him walk over and nodded in approval.

  “Are you sure?” Liam asked.

  “Let do this Liam. Let’s show those bastards who they are dealing with.” His grip on his ax tightened. His eyes darkened. “I know what I have to do. Forget vows.”

  Liam looked into Rowe’s face. He knew that look. He had seen that look in Rowe’s eyes the night they were attacked years ago. The night Liam had seen Rowe do something…extraordinary.

  All humor had drained from Rowe’s eyes. The Order was his family. And they were just murdered. Liam clicked his tongue and Midnight strutted over.

  Nani flew over as well. “What are you doing?”

  Liam met her eyes. It made his stomach twist into knots to see her in such grief. “Stay here. We will be right back.”

  Sona frowned at them. “They went east. Follow them if you are so anxious to get yourselves killed.”

  Liam ignored her.

  Rowe did as well. He rolled his shoulders. “Ready Liam?”

  Liam nodded and stood before Rowe. “Ready.”

  With a flick of his wrist, Liam brought up his Shield. It enclosed Liam and Rowe into its protective bubble and he waited.

  Rowe’s Tryan glow brightened. It multiplied so much that rings of light began to run up and down his body. The light was so bright that Liam closed his eyes.

  Rowe was a brute. He was extremely good at killing people with his bare hands and his ax. He was not one for flash, or bragging, always hesitant to use more than necessary.

  Rowe was proud to be a brute. However, Rowe was also a Legacy. His entire clan had died years ago, passing centuries of Tryan abilities down to him.

  Rowe was not one to be reckoned with.

  Even behind his eyelids, Liam could see the light grow and grow, and braced himself. And in an instant, their bodies were catapulted east by Rowe’s light. Like lightning they cut through the trees. Liam opened his eyes to see the landscape flash past him at such a speed that all he could really decipher were colors.

  Green. Brown. Black. The dark jungle passed by as they sped miles ahead. He glanced back at Rowe to see him completely focused.

  Liam looked ahead and readied himself. His jaw was set. He would make those elves pay for what they did. Perhaps now would be the time when he could finally see who was behind their plots. Who led them? Was their Chosen one in Kyril? He hoped it was so. He could already taste the satisfaction of killing the Shadow Elf named the Seer by prophecy.

  His eyes widened when he saw light up ahead. Fire. Campfires.

  “Slow down,” Liam said quietly and Rowe did just that.

  Rowe’s eyes opened and with a final burst of speed he landed them right in the center of the Shadow Elf camp. They hadn’t the time for Liam’s usual meticulous planning. Liam had one thing on his mind. Liam wanted their blood.

  Chaos and commotion rose to his ears as the Shadow Elves emerged from their tents in surprise.

  Liam let the bubble dissolve and his eyes went black. His sword glowed red. Rowe waited patiently behind him. He knew what Liam was doing, and he waited.

  Liam called forth the lightning and grabbed it with his sword. A rope of currents extended from his sword like a terrifying whip. He swung it at them with a cry of rage and the electricity shocked anyone in its path. Once he was done with the first round of elves Rowe tightened his grip on his ax. His hawk-like glare caused the remaining elves to stumble if for but a second.

  They tore through the camp like death itself. They were untouchable. Liam had lost all caution. Is grief and rage fueled him as he swept through the hordes of elves with electric fury.

  Bodies burned and convulsed beneath him. He stepped over corpses towards the command tent. Who is behind this? Liam wondered.

  “You shall see,” The Winds chimed.

  Liam nearly stumbled at hearing the voices again. It had been so long. There was a quiet sense of relief to have them return.

  The tent was close and Liam felt the tension steadily rise. He heard the screams behind him as Rowe ripped through scores of
elves with his enchanted ax. Liam knew Rowe could handle himself. His eyes were fixed on that canvas tent. The glow from inside promised him that he was finally about to find out who was sending those Shadow Elves to his realm.

  What he saw when he stepped through the tent flaps made him stop mid-step.

  “Oh,” a woman said. “It’s you.”

  Liam’s jaw hung. He knew that woman. He had seen her before. In Oren. In the temples. She was a Sister.

  She made a face. “Why aren’t you dead yet?”

  “Sister Eloni,” he said in disbelief.

  Sister Eloni smiled. He knew that smile. He had always thought that it was creepy. How right he was.

  “The one and only,” she curtsied. “At your service, dear prince.” She stood to her full height, which wasn’t much taller. She always wore those platform shoes. “Come to pledge your allegiance to Wexcyn, have you?”

  Liam lifted his brow. “What are you doing here?”

  She shook her head, that phony smile plastered to her face. “I’m not really here dear prince. That would be most unwise.”

  He tensed as her image flickered. She stepped closer to him. Her purple robes shimmered in the dim light cast by the torches of the tent.

  “I finished my work in Kyril years ago. I’m afraid that realm is doomed.”

  Liam couldn’t help the bewildered look on his face.

  “Has no one told you? Raeden…gone. Versan…gone. Holden…gone. And yes, Oren will die as well.” Sister Eloni folded her hands before her. “It seems to me that you are chasing a victory that has already been claimed.”

  Liam narrowed his eyes. “You’re lying.”

  She shrugged and turned away. “Believe what you want. Oren will be no more in a few days’ time.” She wiped her hand across a map that was stretched across a round table in the center of the tent. It glowed and the drawn rivers trembled. The pictures of trees rustled and the mountains became clouded with falling snow.

  “What have you done?”

  She didn’t turn to him. “I have made the world as it should be. Soon, the races will be forced to deal with one another. In one land.” She held up a single finger. “Under one god.”

  “Why?” Liam eyed the Shadow Elf soldiers that waited in each corner. Their thin eyes never left him. “What do you have to do with anything?”

  Sister Eloni glanced over her shoulder. She no longer smiled. “To let the strong rise, and the weak fall.” She turned away. “I thought that was obvious. I thought you were the smart one. You have already lost. I have the Flame. She is mine to use as I please. The Seer is mine. The Steel-well, he is unimportant since the Silver Elves will all be destroyed shortly. The Inquisitor shall be mine one way or another. Which side do you choose? You can fight for me against the humans or, you can die with the rest of your people.”

  Was Sona right? Should he have stayed back? He wouldn’t have known what he was up against otherwise. He felt worried. She had Lilae. His fists clenched at the thought of what that woman had done to her.

  “Who are you?”

  Sister Eloni turned back to him then. Her smile was wider than ever. White teeth flashed before him. “I am the bringer of change. I am the destroyer of worlds. Soon Eura will fall beneath my feet, just as Kyril already has.”

  Liam’s mind raced. He had heard the name before. Liam readied himself. He could sense that something was about to happen.

  “You must kill her…” the Winds whispered.

  She isn’t really here. How? Liam asked them.

  “Can’t you see that soon, you and your friend will be the only Tryans left? Who will you lead in this war if you are the last? It makes sense to come and fight for me. I would be glad to use you. What do you say? The emperor wants you dead. But I see the good in all. I would keep you alive and fighting for us. Come Liam.” She reached out towards him.

  Liam pulled away. He watched her long arm distastefully. She was evil and he now knew who he was up against. The knowledge didn’t comfort him. Instead, it made his stomach knot. Many people were going to die.

  “Take my hand and I promise you all of the glory that comes from serving Wexcyn. Come with me back to Avia’Torena.”

  Liam closed his eyes. He took a breath, and with a powerful surge of energy, he shot electric currents to all four Shadow Elf soldiers. They fell to the ground a zapping sound. Their bodies were burnt from the inside out so quickly that they hadn’t the chance to scream. When he opened his eyes, Sister Eloni was glaring at him. Her face was red with anger.

  “You have my answer?” Liam glared back at her. He lifted his swords tip to her image.

  She ignored it. “I’m coming for you.”

  He didn’t wait for a response. Instead he left the tent.

  “And I’m coming for your mother. How does that sound?” she shouted back at him. “You will regret this. That was your final warning!”

  He ignored her. He was focused. He had seen his enemy and he had confronted her. He stalked through mounds of dead bodies to find Rowe in a bloody battle with the remaining Shadow Elves.

  “Rowe, let’s go.”

  Rowe looked up. Blood and sweat trailed down his face. “What? But I’m not done yet.” He caught two rushing Shadow Elves by their hair with his large hands. He slammed their faces together so hard that their teeth crushed with the impact.

  “We need to go. Now.”

  Rowe growled with frustration. “Not until they are all dead.”

  Liam nodded. “You’ll get your wish. But we must leave now.”

  Rowe used the momentum of his swirl out of the center, to slash straight through the bellies of three elves. He gave Liam a dangerous look. “You better keep your word Liam.” Liam nodded. Sister Eloni needed to die. He had to find a way.

  Bringer of change. Destroyer of worlds. He wracked his brain thinking about those terms, when it came to him. Years of study had filled his mind with many prophecies. He never expected to come face to face with the Ancient of the Bellen race.

  Liam stood there as Rowe catapulted them through the forest. The world had no idea what was coming. They spent their days preparing for what the prophecies promised would be times of darkness and destruction.

  Liam did not really seeing the trees and mountains flash by. Liam knew what no one else could have ever expected. Their worst nightmare was already there.

  Chapter 33

  Sona, Nani, and the boys all watched in silence as Liam and Rowe returned. Liam couldn’t look Sona in the face. It was surprising that she didn’t look disappointed as he had expected. She looked angry. Her eyes cut holes into him.

  Liam nuzzled Midnight and felt slightly more at ease.

  Wilem walked over to Liam. “What happened?”

  “Are you all right?” Jorge asked quietly.

  Liam tried to force a smile, but whenever he looked at them, he only felt more worried. His plans were crumbling. He no longer knew which direction to go, and to make things more complicated, he was responsible for two children.

  He put a hand on their shoulders and knelt down to their height.

  Both of their innocent faces were frightened, and concerned. He couldn’t believe that after everything that had happened, that they were worried about him. It made him want to protect them even more. He sighed and looked into their eyes.

  “I need you boys to be brave right now,” Liam told them.

  Wilem nodded. Surprisingly, Jorge did as well. He didn’t question Liam like he normally did. “We can be brave,” Wilem said.

  Liam gave a side smile. “Good.” His smile faded. He tried to think of how to say what he had planned without frightening the boys too much. He felt even more pressure when Nani buzzed over. She looked over curiously. Her eyes were red from crying.

  Sona still waited over by a tree with her arms folded. She made it clear that she didn’t want to hear anything Liam had to say. He knew he’d eventually have to make things right with her.

  Rowe stood beside Liam. E
veryone waited.

  Liam looked up at Nani. His face was serious. “In the Great War, the fairies did something very important, something that united them with the Tryans. They eliminated a race that sought to suck the sacred power out of all fairies. This race kidnapped fairies for years, and stealing their life force, using it to fuel their own power, to make them live longer.”

  Nani landed on her feet and pulled her legs into her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and shook her head. “No Liam. Please tell me you’re mistaken.”

  Liam swallowed the lump in his throat. Wexcyn had returned with a vengeance. He would not leave anything to chance. The Mithrani were back. The Shadow Elves were on his side. Now, he had brought back another fallen race. The odds were no longer in their favor.

  Rowe lifted a brow. “What did you see Liam? I only saw elves. What are you talking about?”

  Liam looked up. “I’m talking about a powerful race that uses the dark arts. Like we use the gifts of the Overworld, these women utilize the power of the Underworld. They have no men, and they have no need for any. They replenish their ranks by turning other women.”

  Rowe gave an exasperated sigh. “Great. Just great.” He paced back and forth.

  Wilem moved closer. His blue eyes were wide with wonder. “What are they, Liam?”

  Liam looked through the trees, to the moon. “Bellens.” He looked back to Nani whose eyes were filled with tears of horror.

  Chapter 34

  After only a night of her tiny prison, Lilae became enraged. She tried to sleep. She longed to see the man from her dreams. Maybe he would be there waiting for her, to comfort her. Sleep never came. Only quiet tears.

  She wondered when Emperor Kavien would return. She hadn’t heard him enter the room all night. She had kept quiet for long enough. She had waited. Somehow she didn’t care anymore. She was tired of being trapped in there.

  There was a simple cushion along the base of the chest. The chest was barely long enough for her to stretch out her legs. She beat the walls with her hands and feet.