by A D Lombardo
Kai used his own dagger to block her blade. The creeping plant coiled around his leg and climbed to his torso. Sucking power from the vine, he felt the Kodama’s magic pour into him. It felt awful to think he was fighting Rayna’s parents while she lay dead only a few yards away. Drained of all they had to give, the spent plants fell to the ground.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kai saw Keegan charge Lucca. Kai feared the man’s grip; he knew his father’s touch could paralyze his grandfather. No sooner did Keegan’s fingertips touch Lucca than his grandfather's arms went limp. Kai had to save him. Instead of using his own energy, Kai used the power he’d collected and transformed into a dragon.
Unable to spray fire for fear he’d hurt Lucca, Kai struck them both with his wing. Both men flew into the air in opposite directions. Lucca hopped to his feet first, hands at the ready, bloomed with light.
Keegan pulled the crossbow from his back and aimed it at Kai. A blinding light exploded from Lucca. The heat was palpable to Kai even in his dragon form. Screams rang in Kai’s ears. Helpless, Keegan recoiled several feet back, shielding his face. Again, Kai smelled burning flesh.
Magic poured from Lucca. Bright white light consumed his grandfather’s body. Kai watched in awe at his grandfather’s might. The sound of his magic hummed and began to expand. Everyone stopped to behold the sight. It was like looking at the sun. Lucca’s power thrust Keegan across the ground.
Behind the raw display of power, Kai could actually feel Lucca’s rage. A wave of light poured over Keegan, burning away his clothes and hair. Keegan's skin tried to heal but the new flesh burned away. Curled into a ball, Keegan tried to shield his face and core.
Kai couldn’t help to feel sorry for his father. He shook off his dragon transformation. “Lucca, stop, that’s enough,” he shouted over and over.
Lucca dropped his arms and the light sucked back into his body. In shock, his grandfather dropped to his knees. Kai looked at what was left of his father. He lay barely breathing, his charred form gasping in agony. The red and black burned flesh left little of Keegan. Smoke rose from the ground around him and glowed red hot. It was astonishing that his father survived. Kai wondered if Keegan’s Kodama powers could reverse so much damage.
Haunted by what he’d done, Lucca wept. “I promised never to use my powers to hurt another.” Unable to look Kai in the eyes, he covered his horrified face. “I am so sorry. I never wanted this.”
They all gazed at the ground. Kai almost felt bad, but then two eagles swopped in and carried Keegan’s body away. Basil and Ryker released their enemies, and they too fled into the night. Rayna’s parents darted into the jungle.
A renewed sadness washed over Kai as he beheld Rayna’s split tree. The realization of what he’d lost crippled him. Rayna was gone, and it was his fault. He should not have circled back to attack Keegan and his men. They could have flown to freedom. His arrogance put her in harm’s way.
Kai wept at the scorched remains of her hollow tree. Smoke twirled over her charred remains. The loss of Rayna was more than he could bear. Their time together had been too short. He screamed at the sky and grabbed the broken earth, his tears melted into the soil. He wanted her back. “Why is there no body?” Kai wept. “I thought Katori return to our true form when they die?”
Yulia came to his side. “We do.” She crawled up the dirt mound to gaze inside the hollow tree trunk.
Lucca joined them. “Kai, I am so sorry for your loss. Let me help you recover, Rayna.” He reached the base of the split tree, but he too found it empty.
Kai grabbed at the dirt, begging it to return Rayna to him. “Where can she be?” He connected to his sight and gleaned the area. Hoping maybe she had crawled away during the fight. She was nowhere. Then he looked down at the knoll on which he knelt. Below the dirt, he saw her body curled in a ball cocooned by twisted roots and vines. “Hurry everyone. DIG!” he shouted.
Unsure why, everyone began to dig away the earth below Rayna’s tree. Lucca ripped roots from the ground. Kai clawed like his life depended on it. Basil pulled dirt away and snapped several large roots. Ryker dug and then stopped. “I feel her,” he announced.
Together they removed the dirt from Rayna’s burned body. Her shirt and pants scorched black, the entire right side of her body was seared black. Kai pulled her from the shallow grave and held her to his chest. Tears streamed down his face. The smell of her burned flesh made him feel sick.
Lucca reached for Kai. “I am so sorry for your loss, grandson.”
Then Rayna inhaled a tiny breath. Kai lowered her fragile frame and looked at the crumpled form. “She is alive!” he gasped.
Lucca tugged at Kai. “Bring her over to fresh soil. Hurry, Kai. There is no life to give in this burned ground.”
Unable to comprehend, Kai looked from Rayna to Lucca. Ryker lifted Kai to his feet, and they carried Rayna to the spot where Lucca pointed. “How can I save her, none of us are Kodama?” Kai watched her lungs lift in her chest once more, and he looked to Lucca for his wisdom.
“She is still alive. We can save her. Glean, Kai, and know my purpose.” Lucca knelt at her side, his hands pressed into her burnt skin. Kai gleaned and saw the truth of his grandfather’s words. Magic began to flow through Lucca. He could see the power his grandfather pulled from the ground.
Yulia and Basil joined them, both touching Rayna’s body. Yulia pulled from the sky, and Basil grabbed a nearby tree. Kai did the same taking from the earth beneath his knees.
“She is Kodama,” Lucca whispered. “Give her life. Push your energy and the lifeforce within the world into her. Pray to Alenga to save her life.”
The power flowed through Kai’s hands. In the far reaches of his soul, he spoke to Alenga. “Please save my love. Give her my life and all that I am so she may live.”
“Dearest Rayna,” Lucca whispered. “Hear us now. We call to you. Use the magic from each of us. Heal thyself. Pull from nature herself.”
A tinge of green light bloomed within Rayna’s crystal. Then it beamed, bright and magnificent. Rayna’s body glowed. The burned skin began to turn pink and healthy. Her shallow breathing improved. Tears fell from Lucca. White light sparked within and sank into the remaining holes in her skin, healing almost completely. To Kai’s relief, she opened her eyes. He scooped her into his arms and kissed her dirty face. “Promise me, we will never separate again. Never one without the other.”
She wept in his arms. “I promise.”
Caught between joy and agony, Kai shuttered to think of a life without her. He thanked Alenga for her gift and squeezed Rayna. She held on tight weeping. Everyone stepped away to give them space.
When she was able, Rayna looked at her hollow tree and the earthy grave she’d survived in. “Keegan’s touch was powerful, he tried to make me turn back, but I held firm.” Through wet tears, Rayna spoke. “The first lightning strike hurt, but the leaves and branches took the blow. The second strike hit my trunk, and I felt my skin burn. There was nothing I could do. Keegan’s eyes pierced through the heart of my tree. He is Kodama, his whispers trilled down my spine—commanding me to come out. Keegan wanted to kill me.” Her eyes welled with new tears. She curled into Kai’s arms.
“I saw the lightning strike you again and again,” he held her tight. “I am sorry I could not stop him. How did you survive?” Kai wiped mud and tears from her face.
“When I heaved to raise you to the ledge, my roots created a ball within the ground to push me up. The only thing I could think to do was hide in the cavity below my trunk. My burns were severe, and I felt the final strike split my tree as I slid into the knoll of dirt and roots. They kept me hidden as I passed out. All the pain was too much and I don’t remember anything until now.”
She wrapped her arms around Kai and sobbed anew.
Holding her close, Kai watched Lucca, his expression that of a broken man. Uncomfortable with asking his grandfather, he turned to Yulia. “Why is Lucca upset about stopping Keegan?” he whispered. “Bas
il told me about what happened when he was young, and the girl who died, and how he hurt my mother, but Keegan deserved what he got.”
Yulia knelt next to the couple and stroked Rayna's hair. “All life is precious, Kai. Even Keegan’s. There is always another way.”
With new eyes, Kai looked to his grandfather. He remembered Dresnor’s words about the burdens of war and the invisible scars they leave behind. Kai knew all too well the faces he carried around in his heart of the men he’d dispatched.
Ryker stepped into his view. “Where is Liam?” Ryker asked Lucca.
Lucca’s gaze recalled the moment. “We separated after finding the spot where Kai crashed into the island. After hours of tracking the Beastmasters, I came upon the black ridge, and I found Yulia, then Basil found us. When we saw the blaze…” he swallowed hard, looking at Rayna.
“We ran to the fire,” Yulia continued for him. “I have no idea what happened to Liam.”
Ryker stepped forward. “Take me to the place you last saw him. I will find him.”
Basil and Ryker disappeared into the forest.
The sorrow in Lucca’s expression weighed heavy on Kai’s soul. No words passed between them. Yulia took Rayna by the hand and covered the girl’s bare shoulder. “Let us find you some clothes and water, my dear.”
Lucca and Kai sat in silence, left with years of bitterness to unravel. The weeds of unresolved anger caught in Kai’s throat. What could he say to this man? He wanted to forgive and let go of the emotional pain. There were no words he could utter to start the conversation.
Lucca went first. “I am sorry I hurt your mother, Kai. I forced her into a relationship she did not want, and Keegan turned on us all. When I learned of her choice to live in Diu, I didn’t even visit, not even when I heard of your birth. My pride kept me away. Her death shocked us all, and I tried to discover the truth. Honestly, I blamed Iver for being away. I blamed you for being born. I was foolish.”
Lucca hunched with guilt. His shoulders curved inward, and he wrapped his arms around himself. “When you displayed magic, I shunned you. Fear of what you might become kept me locked in battle with you all these years. The more I gave into my fear and anger, the more it took over. There was no room in my life for anything else.”
Listening to his grandfather, Kai watched the man change. His demeanor softened; his shoulders relaxed. He released a deep breath and his burden with it. “When I learned you plan to recover Mariana, I knew I had to stop you. When she was forced out of her dragon form when you lit up the world, her first instinct was to select another creature, the manta ray. Her connection to life as a person was gone.”
The road to forgiveness went both ways. For years Kai wrestled with angry emotions, but this new clarity helped Kai see he had been just as stubborn. “Forgiveness will heal us both. My own pride kept me from seeking you out when I reached Katori. I am sorry, grandfather.” Kai extended his hand.
Lucca pulled them together. “Grandson.”
“What about my mother?” Kai asked, stepping back.
“There is no use now.” Lucca shook his head low. “The manta rays are gone. Mariana is gone. I am sorry, but that is how it must be.”
Something nagged at Kai. He did not come all this way to give up. He was meant to save her; he knew it with all his heart.
Over Lucca’s shoulder, Kai saw Liam and the others return. “Liam, you made it.” He shouted. Their reunion brought them closer. In Kai’s mind, they were forever friends. This man had risked his life twice for someone he hardly knew. That said a lot about Liam’s character.
Liam looked relieved. “They had no Stonekings.” A smirk tugged at his lip. “And—I can walk through mountains and leave no way to follow. The only thing is, I could not find the others after I managed to lose the Caroco warriors. I did, however, manage to trap a fair amount of them in stone.” He motioned to an unknown prison.
The rest of his friend’s story faded into the background as Kai thought of his mother. Although Lucca wanted to give up, Kai refused to let his mother go. He knew Keegan was still out there. The man would never give up. And now he also knew Mariana was alive. Kai pulled the necklace from his pocket and secured it around his neck beside his own chain.
Lucca looked at Kai. “You must destroy her crystal to prevent Keegan from finding her.”
“I am going to save my mother,” Kai countered. “You can either come with me or be left behind.” Kai approached the others. “I mean to save my mother tonight. I feel Alenga in the air, she pulls at my soul. The sea calls my name. Who is with me?”
The white crystal around Kai’s neck bloomed bright enough to cause the others to shield their eyes. Confidence filled his soul and he took hold of his stone. The golden thread of creation floated in his mind and he felt his Beastmaster magic flow through his veins. With ease, he transformed into his silver dragon.
Ryker and Rayna stepped up first, climbing his wing. Lucca stepped forward but paused. “I disagree with this, but I do not want to be left behind.”
He can come. Kai spoke to Ryker.
“Kai said you can come. But know this, chief or not, I will not allow you to stop him.”
Lucca nodded in agreement.
Yulia waved them on. “You cannot carry all of us, and you will need a ship to get Mariana home. We will bring Lucca’s boat to Dragon Spine Island.”
In agreement, Basil and Liam stepped next to her.
Kai flew into the starry night.
Chapter 30
Mariana
Dawn’s early rays burned across the horizon. The majestic red and yellow pushed back the night and filled the sky with promise. Ripples of light floated over the ocean. Dragon Spine Island curved out before Kai, beckoning him. Gliding over the sea, he sailed lower and skimmed the water with his claws before landing in the wet sand.
Ryker, Rayna, and Lucca slipped from his back. The thought of changing did not worry Kai; he felt a peace in the balance between his Beastmaster form and his natural body. Letting go of the golden thread, he reached for the light and eased out of his dragon. The change felt natural and did not drain him of his strength. Instead, he let the energy around him feed his change.
Nobody said a word as they peered over shallow waters. Dark forms fluttered in the shallow water around the beach. The manta rays were still here. Kai touched his mother’s stone hanging from his neck. The blue crystal glowed in his hand. He called to her with his soul. It warmed in his palm. Again, he reached out to his mother. The gem glowed through his fingers.
Ryker shouted. “I thought they would be gone already.”
Thankful, Kai clenched the crystal tighter and begged. Mother come back to me. I need you. The school of manta rays turned away from the rocks. Ryker’s finger followed them around the shallow water. “They are coming. Are you ready?”
“Please, Kai,” Lucca shouted. “Don’t do this. Consider what she might want. Her mind is gone. You will only bring back a hollow shell.”
Kai squeezed his crystal against his mothers. The ocean called to him. His heart swelled with magic and he dove into the sea. Below the surface, he swam into the deeper water. He stretched out his hand and touched the wing of one of the passing manta rays. Peace and intelligence reverberated through his arm. In his mind, he searched for the golden braid that would allow him to change his form. A spark illuminated his soul. The sequence coalesced into a chain. He understood their structure—he felt their grace.
Arms outstretched, he stopped kicking his legs. Light burst from both crystals around his neck. Enveloped in the glow, his body morphed. His skin darkened. Wing-like fins developed from his shoulders to his feet. His face changed. A tail grew.
Wings stretched out wide, he flapped them up and down. His body moved through the water. He opened his wide mouth, and a gulp of water passed through. He closed his mouth and felt the water wash over his new gills. Exhilarated by his new form, he felt the urge to swim faster.
The more he moved, the more eup
horic he felt. Faster and faster he went. He caught up with the school of manta rays. Kai surged into the group. Harmony emanated within the cluster. The group turned, and he followed. In the dark water, he saw the giant manta ray leading them. He rushed forward to hover beside her. His right eye looked at her graceful movements. He called to her in his mind—Mother. His wing dipped down and brushed her back.
Their touch was electric. He saw her face. Her trapped life as the dragon. Years of torment at the hands of her captors. Freedom in the arms of the sea. He swam with her. He knew how easy one could get lost in the desires of a wild animal. The power behind the transformation and enjoyment in the sensation of his new body. He had always loved the ocean. It called to him.
Drawn into the mesmerizing rhythms of the group, Kai lost himself. The majestic nature of their swim lulled his heart. The wild rhythmic feelings flooded his mind. The dark blue waters of the open sea surrounded him. Consumed by the peace, he followed. Thoughts of his mother faded. He felt at peace here. He could disappear into the deep. Quiet and free.
The giant manta ray surged forward. Kai pursued. It advanced ahead of the group and turned. He regained his place with her. Their eyes met. Elated, he angled upward. The manta matched his movements. Thrilled by the exhilarating freedom, he went faster. Angled toward the surface, he flapped his massive wings harder. His speed increased. The giant manta kept pace. They burst above the surface of the water. Caught by the flash of sunlight, one eye saw the flying manta ray, his other eye beheld Rayna standing in the distance. RAYNA. His mind slapped back at him, and he remembered why he was here. I must save Mariana…my mother.
They dove back below the surface. He chased after his mother. He had to focus on why he was here, lest he get lost in the ocean. She darted through the water. He followed and pushed his intentions to his mother. Remember, he begged with his mind. Come back to me. The more he chased, the more she darted away. She left the others and swam alone.