Earthborn Awakening

by Matthew DeVore

“I’m not sure anyone should look up to you, Zav.”

  “True,” Zavier conceded.

  They made their way to the lobby where they found Wren and Alex waiting. “So Kalma’s not here?” Traven asked.

  “No,” Wren replied. “He called in the intel this morning. Said he’d meet us.”

  “Where’s he been?”

  “Don’t know. He didn’t say. Quite frankly, if his intel pans out, I don’t care. Denetaa’s been breathing fire at me, and we need to shut her up—for Malik.” Wren saw the same satisfaction on their faces as he felt for that comment. “Skimmer’s ready. I’ll explain everything we know on the way.” The four of them loaded up and drove toward the forest.

  At the tree line, they met up with a company of soldiers totaling about two hundred and fifty. Wren, being the ranking officer, took charge. “All right,” he called out. “This is Zavier, Alex, and Traven. Each of us will take a platoon. You report to them, and they report to me. Now let’s go kill somebody!”

  The men cheered and moved to take up positions across the tree line. Wren turned toward the Guard.

  “Inspiring speech, sir,” Zavier said with a wry smile.

  “Shut up, Zavier.” Wren’s stern demeanor was betrayed by the slight tug at the corner of his lips. “Tell me as soon as you find anything.”

  The Guard nodded, then went to take command of their men. Altogether, the company pushed into the forest, traveling much slower than Traven liked. He preferred working in the small team format typical of Guard operations. It took nearly half the day to close in on the coordinates Kalma sent.

  On the way, Traven and his team passed through an odd clearing in the woods. It reminded him of an explosives crater, except that it was covered with lush green grass. Traven looked around, sensing something strange in the air. Something deep inside tugged at him, the feeling intensifying as he passed an old, oddly shaped tree trunk. He had to stop for a moment to refocus his thoughts.

  “You all right, sir?” one of the soldiers asked.

  “You don’t feel that?”

  “Feel what, sir?”

  Traven waved the soldier off. “Never mind, let’s keep moving.” Looking at the trunk, he wondered what caused it to split so cleanly as he reached out to brush the bark.

  The moment his skin touched the smooth surface, his troops were gone and his hand was resting on a large, intact tree. A small wisp of wind pressed on him as the same blonde Elf he’d seen too many times before dove straight through his body. A blast of energy that had clearly been directed at her sliced through the tree, which trembled ominously. Traven turned to see that the blast had come from a Council Guard, but the uniform was far outdated.

  Looking back toward the Elf, he saw the girl climb to her feet and run at the tree. Just before reaching it, she jumped into the air and slammed into it with her shoulder. In the same instant, a brilliant flash of light emanated between them. The tree and the girl were thrown in opposite directions, the tree smashing to the ground on top of the Guard and exploding. The force threw dirt into the air in all directions, creating a crater in the ground.

  As abruptly as the vision had started, it ended, and Traven was standing amongst his men with his hand resting on the old sheared trunk.

  “Sir?” the platoon leader standing next to him asked. “Sir, are you okay?” He looked worried.

  “I’m fine,” Traven said, shaking his head.

  “Are you sure, sir?” the soldier asked again. “As soon as you touched that tree, your eyes started to glow, sir.”

  “Glow?”

  “Yes, sir. They were glowing yellow. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “I’m all right,” Traven said, though he was quite shaken. Guard don’t show weakness, he reminded himself. He narrowed his eyes just a bit and set his jaw. “I’m fine. Let’s keep moving. Spread the word. Don’t touch the tree.”

  Traven looked at the stump. She was here. She was here a long time ago. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but it was as clear as the sun on a cloudless day. She was in the Great War. She is Earthborn.

  “We’ve got a trail,” Wren’s voice came through Traven’s multiband. “They’re moving west up the mountain. Spread out and keep your eyes peeled.” A map of the surrounding area jumped to life from his multiband. Four paths, each a different color, wound through the forest. “Traven, take the green path. Zavier, blue, and Alex, red. I’ll take the purple one.”

  “Yes, sir,” Traven replied.

  “Everyone, follow me,” Traven told the men behind him. “The commander’s picked up the scent.” Acknowledgments came from the troops, and Traven began leading them along the green path.

  Several minutes later, Traven heard the unmistakable whine of Urlowen space fighters approaching overhead. “Commander,” Traven called through the multiband, “we’ve got fast movers inbound.”

  “I’m working on it,” Wren responded.

  The tree canopy was too thick to see the crafts pass, but Traven looked to the sky and followed the sound anyway. “Let’s pick up the pace,” he told his men.

  They sped up as much as possible, but the thick underbrush made it hard to move faster than a brisk walk. Seconds later, the sky was split with the sound of rapid plasma cannon fire.

  “We’ve got aerial Alliance contacts,” Wren transmitted. “Our fliers have engaged. They’re reporting signs of movement on the ground in a clearing ahead. I’m relaying the coordinates to your multibands. We’ll engage the ground targets. Get to your positions as quickly as you can.”

  “It’s about time we had something fun to do,” Zavier’s voice came through the band.

  “Hell, yeah,” Alex said.

  That time, Traven didn’t share the sentiments of his friends. “We’ll be there as fast as we can,” he replied. He’d been dreading the prospect of fighting in the forest ever since the Elf disappeared from her cell with a flash of blonde. Until then, he’d hoped his recurring vision had just been a warning or a glimpse of one possible future. A future that could be avoided. But now, hiking in the forest with a platoon of soldiers and the knowledge that the girl was real and very dangerous, his hands began to tremble.

  He looked to the platoon leader at his left. “We have enemy contacts in a clearing up ahead.” The map on his multiband was now displaying the attack formation Wren wanted at the edge of the clearing. “Our orders are to take position on the commander’s far flank and engage the enemy.”

  Chapter 30

  A phoenix fighter screamed overhead as Aleena and the others ran toward the sound of gunfire penetrating the dense forest. They wound around trees and bushes, the sound of the fighting ahead drowning out their approach. A second and third fighter shot overhead, barely visible through the thick tree coverage. The unmistakable sounds and smell of rapid plasma weapon fire filled the air as the phoenix squadron engaged the Urlowen fighters in the skies above. Whiffs of ozone from the energy ripping through the air made breathing slightly uncomfortable.

  The team made it to the edge of a large jagged clearing filled with knee-high grass. Huge boulders, some as tall as a person, were haphazardly scattered through the field. A few trees broke into the expanse, standing like lone sentinels in a sea of grass and rock.

  Weapon fire rained through the trees on the opposite side of the clearing toward the western resistance, who were pinned down near the center. The children were corralled near the boulders for cover, each flanked by adults firing back at the Urlowen troops hiding in the brush. Spots of fire erupted out of the tall grass where Leon and Micah’s men were hiding.

  “Where’s the transport?” Grant yelled to be heard over the commotion.

  “There must be too much rifle fire for it to land,” Allison called back.

  “We have to push the Urlowens back to give the Alliance time to pick everyone up,” Ethan said.

  Aleena was watching the ensuing battle closely. Every now and then she could see motion from the Urlowens across the field. “There!” she
yelled to Valaan, who was next to her.

  Valaan inspected the left side of the battle, where Aleena was pointing.

  “We could follow the forest’s edge around the clearing and try flanking them,” Ethan called out.

  “There isn’t time,” Valaan said evenly, the urgency of the battle not evident from his intonation.

  Everyone but Aleena was startled by this input. Valaan had only spoken a few times since his rescue. For the first time, it looked like he’d become fully aware of his surroundings.

  “He’s right,” Aleena said. “This fight isn’t going to last much longer. The Council Guard is here. I don’t know how many, but there’s always more than one.”

  “Then we’ll just have to risk using the grass to hide our approach,” Grant said.

  Aleena shook her head. “That’ll only work if you have a distraction. Otherwise you’ll be spotted long before you can make it to the others in the center, let alone get to the other side.” She was still looking across the clearing at the left-hand side of the Urlowen line. The Guard she’d spotted a few minutes before hadn’t moved. She couldn’t see him now, but no movement had occurred in the brush where he was hiding. He was still there. Aleena wasn’t sure why he wasn’t firing yet, but figured he was waiting for the rest of his team to get into position. Once that happens, the battle will be over. She looked over at Valaan. Or rather, it would’ve been over if Valaan wasn’t here.

  Aleena turned to the others, “We only have one option.” Valaan gave her a knowing nod. “Valaan and I will distract them and lead them deeper into the woods. Once we’re clear, you run to the others using the grass for cover and help get them on the transport when it lands.”

  “No!” Ethan replied. “That’s suicide. We should all attack together.”

  That time Valaan cut in. “Aleena and I can take care of ourselves. With a team of Guard out there, your losses would be too great.”

  “This isn’t a request,” Aleena added. “I’m telling you what we’re going to do. You need to get to the transport. Wait for us as long as you can.”

  Ethan gritted his teeth, looking to Allison and Grant for backup, but neither gave any indication they would contradict the two Elves. “Fine,” he responded curtly.

  Grant jumped to his feet and ran to Aleena. Before she could say anything, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a passionate kiss. When they separated, he looked a little sheepish. “In case I don’t get another chance.”

  He stared lovestruck into Aleena’s eyes until she turned back to face the clearing. She didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure what to say, or how she felt for that matter.

  Grant crouched back down next to Ethan.

  “Bold move,” Ethan said.

  Grant didn’t reply. He just smiled, staring at Aleena.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Valaan said.

  Aleena grinned. “He’s not entirely wrong. We might die.”

  Valaan snorted, a wry excitement creeping onto his face. “Unlikely, child.” He motioned toward the other side of the clearing. “They aren’t expecting both of us.”

  Together, Valaan and Aleena emerged from the edge of the forest, standing tall and unafraid in open sight of everyone in the clearing and the Urlowens hiding on the far side. Sunlight danced off Aleena’s dark green armor, making it sparkle as her blonde hair fluttered to the side in the wind. Valaan stood by her, nearly a foot taller, his purple robe rippling with the breeze. The gunfire from the clearing subsided as the fighters began to notice the odd-looking newcomers.

  “What do you say we make sure we have the Urlowen’s attention,” Valaan said. He waved his arm in a large arc above his head, and a piercing light shot out above them, dwarfing the daylight. The flash was only momentary, but its intensity was so great the remaining plasma fire immediately ceased.

  There was silence from the battlefield. Even the ships flying above were distracted from their assault and circled back to see what had temporarily scrambled their sensors. Every eye was focused on the two figures standing at the edge of the forest.

  Aleena and Valaan began walking toward the center of the clearing, watching for any movement or sign of attack. For the moment, it seemed everyone was in a state of shock from the appearance of the two Elves in the midst of the battle.

  Traven lay perfectly still in the underbrush on the left side of the Urlowen flank, watching the two figures in the distance. They were too far away to make out their faces, but the gleam of dark green armor, the waving blonde hair, and the billowing purple robes were more than enough to bring back every detail of his recurring vision.

  The time had come.

  Wren had nearly reached his attack position on the far-right side of the Urlowen line when the piercing light grabbed his attention. After a few moments of surprise that came from watching two Elves walking brazenly into the clearing, he pulled up the communications channel on his multiband. He, like the rest of the Urlowens, had heard stories of the old battles with the Elves. From them, he had the impression that the best way to defeat them was with a swift, strong attack from an unexpected location. “Wing leader, strafe the two targets nearing the center of the clearing,” he commanded the lead Urlowen fighter ship.

  “Acknowledged, Guard Commander.”

  “Hold your positions and wait to fire,” Wren told his team. “We’ll let our air support take care of this.”

  Traven was getting more uncomfortable watching the Elves move ever closer to the center of the field, walking as if nothing in the battle posed a significant threat to them. Normally he’d have brushed this demeanor off as stupidity on their part, but his visions had already warned him about those two. A small queasiness began to grow in his stomach.

  Aleena marched forward with Valaan by her side, mustering every shred of courage she could find. Even with the legendary Councilor of Magic beside her, she couldn’t help but wonder if they’d overestimated their abilities. They’d drawn the attention of the entire Urlowen force and were asking them to attack. Regardless of her fears, however, she knew it was far too late to turn back now. The silence had lasted too long, and it was only a matter of time before the real fight began.

  The whine of the approaching Urlowen ship above didn’t seem to faze Valaan even a little. He pushed his hands forward, then swiped them both apart, bringing a spherical energy barrier into existence around Aleena and himself. Plasma bolts from the ship ripped through the ground behind them as the fighter approached, showering Aleena and Valaan with fire. The shots were dissipated with flashes of light as they struck the energy shield, not a single bolt passing through.

  As the ship roared past overhead, Valaan turned sideways and planted both feet firmly on the ground, legs spread for support. He reached out toward the fighter and closed his hands as if grasping it, letting out a large groan as the invisible threads of magic connected him to the fighter above. The ship lurched abruptly, stopping in midair as if it hit a solid, unbreakable wall. Valaan pulled his arms across his body until his hands were pointed to the ground. In the same instant, the fighter was ripped from the sky, following the same general path swept out by Valaan’s arms until it careened into the ground, exploding into an enormous fireball.

  With the destruction of the fighter, the silence ended, and rifle fire erupted from the Urlowen line. All were aimed at Valaan and Aleena, the rest of the resistance fighters in the clearing forgotten in light of the threat posed by the Elves. Unbidden, the resistance began volleying shots back toward the Urlowens, that time taking down their distracted targets.

  Traven fired his weapon repeatedly at the Elves, but each shot disappeared against the barrier. Realizing the futility, he stopped and waited. In his vision, the two hadn’t been completely encased in a barrier. Other than the impressive display of pulling the ship from the sky, Traven noted that neither of the Elves had tried to fire back. They must not be able to shoot through the shield. They’ll have to abandon it at some point. He pulled up his multiban
d and sent a message to Alex, Zavier, and Wren with his thoughts.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Zavier responded. He and Alex were positioned in the center of the Urlowen lines.

  “As soon as they bring down the barrier, we all fire at once,” Wren commanded. “They may have trouble blocking all our shots.”

  Traven doubted it but responded with an acknowledgment of the order, as did Alex and Zavier.

  Valaan kept walking forward but was beginning to feel the strain on his body from maintaining the energy shield against so much fire. “I’m going to have to bring down the barrier soon. As soon as it’s down, I want you to focus on shielding us. I’ll press our attack.”

  “Okay, we need to make it past the lines and draw them away from the clearing. Get them to follow us.”

  “I will,” Valaan said. “Are you ready to run? The faster we get into the trees, the easier this will be.”

  “I’m ready.”

  “Then run!” The shield dissolved, and they sprinted toward the Urlowens.

  The second the barrier disappeared, Traven heard Wren shout through the multiband. “Fire!” He unleashed volley after volley, aimed first at the man and then at the girl, but nothing hit. The small energy shields he’d seen her create in his vision shot out from her hands, blocking everything. In the meantime, the man began sending blue-white spheres of energy from his hands toward the Urlowen troops, and just as in the vision, every single sphere found its target. Traven watched as the fire from the center of the Urlowen line began to dwindle.

  Aleena ran as fast as she could, conjuring small translucent shields to block each shot. She nearly missed one that would’ve hit Valaan’s thigh but got the shield in place just inches in front of his leg.

  “That was a little close, Aleena!”

  “Sorry,” she yelled back, trying not to be distracted.

  They were almost to the tree line, running at full speed, when she missed one. The plasma bolt had come from the side. Realizing she couldn’t stop it, she dove forward into a roll. It was barely enough, the energy grazing her side. She could feel the heat through her armor, but the armor did its job perfectly, protecting her from the brunt of the shot.