Fate of the Fallen

by Darren Lewis

  “You promised me answers.” The rabbit nodded. “Who are you? Why are humans attacking my home?” Rox queried. Flare came to sit with his mother and laid his head upon her shoulder. Before the rabbit had a chance to speak Flare whispered to his mother.

  “She said her name is Storm, and she's my Grandmother.”

  Storm

  “Mummy! Where are you going? Daddy said it's still raining and horrid outside!”

  Storm chuckled and her daughter bounced around her feet. She reached out and stroked her daughter's ears.

  “It's been raining for three risings of the moon and I need some fresh air, my darling.” Storm's daughter huffed and wandered over to the entrance to their home where she sat down with an audible snort.

  “Well, it's not fair! I want to come, I don't mind the rain and I promise I'll be good and stay right by your side!” She protested, her eyes large and pleading. Storm moved forward until she was nose to nose with her daughter.

  “Don't make promises you can't keep.” Storm said affectionately. “And you're a little bit little, little one. But I promise you, one day soon we'll chase the sky together.” The small rabbit studied her mother's eyes in an attempt to find any evidence of falsehood. But her mother's eyes were as open, honest and warm as ever. She smiled shyly and jumped forward to embrace her mother.

  “You promise?” She asked.

  “Of course.” Storm answered.

  “Just you and me against the sky?”

  “Yes, Rox. You and me.”

  *

  Storm sat down in the wet grass, her rapid breath frosting in the air before her. She felt her heart thrum wildly. The vibration passing from her body to her paws and into the ground. She grinned and closed her eyes.

  Rox will love this, she thought, and so will I. Storm pictured the two of them racing side by side through the fields and woods of their home. As the fastest rabbit of the warren she would teach her daughter about speed, when to use it and when to sacrifice it, especially when dealing with those animals that wanted your blood. More than anything she wanted to share an experience so few of them would have when running. When acceleration came with no effort. Breath was taken in and out as easily as when standing still and your paws touched the ground so lightly you believed you were flying across the ground. Storm had experienced the delight of running that fast and easy only a few times, when she felt like no creature or man-made machine on this world could catch her. Storm called it 'chasing the sky' and the day was not far away when Rox would be able to try. Her daughter was small but incredibly fast for one her size, she ran rings around others her age.

  Storm raised her face to the sky and grinned proudly as she thought of her daughter. Raindrops plinked on her eyes and ears making her nose twitch, and she snorted a laugh. Storm opened her eyes into the rain and looked at the dull, grey sky. The way the wind was whipping up and down the coastline would've been a good day to try and chase that leaden sky but the grass was far too wet. Storm took one last long breath and looked down straight into the eyes of a fox.

  *

  Idiot! Idiot! Storm berated herself as she plunged through the woods. Reaching the trees hadn't been a problem for Storm, the fox was too dumb and Storm to quick and clever for it to fall for Storm feigning which direction she would be running off in. Unfortunately that meant running further away from home but it was best to lead this fox away here and now than have it roaming the fields around the warren looking for its next meal.

  Though the day was cloudy and miserable the woods were far brighter than in summer when the leaves of the trees made the woods dark and foreboding. Now it was cold and the leaves had fallen making the ground Storm was racing on slippery and dangerous. Storm couldn't push hard against the detritus of rotten leaves as it would invite a fall but she saw the fox was having the same problems and being cautious about where it placed its paws. This made things trickier for Storm as the fox wouldn't tire as quickly so she began looking around the woods for a possible hiding place but nothing that would fool a fox with a keen nose presented itself, the changing season once again playing a part in this chase by stripping the trees and bushes leaving the woods stark and naked.

  Resigning herself to a long chase and a longer chastisement from her partner when she returned to the warren, Storm altered her run slightly, creating an arc towards the area that humans used. It was cold and wet but plenty of humans still walked their dogs on days like these. Storm thought if she could lead the fox close enough to one of these areas the fox would become too spooked either by people or their animals and scamper off, Storm forgotten and its own safety the priority.

  Storm jumped through the branches of a rhododendron bush and onto the human's trail. As soon as her paws landed she knew she'd made a mistake. The trail was clear of humans and animals but that wasn't the problem. Humans had laid their own path here and the flat stone was now covered with debris from the surrounding trees. The leaves covered every part of the trail and after three days of rain it had left a treacherous path to travel for any animal or human.

  Storm sent The White and The Grey a quick prayer to help her through this situation but today they did not hear her. Storm's back legs went away from her first sliding sideways and causing her body to slam into the slippery mess on the ground. Her breath rushed out and she slid out of control to the opposite side of the trail. Storm screamed in defiance and terror as she crashed headlong into the skeletal remains of a bush. The sudden stop slammed out any breath Storm had managed to suck in and she heard a crack as her side hit the dirt floor. Her chest heaved and the world started to spin away into blackness.

  No! She shouted in her mind and she painstakingly rolled to her front and saw the fox cautiously poking its head through the barrier of branches on the opposite side of the trail. It was being extremely hesitant as the smell of humans and dogs was strong here. Storm whispered another prayer that something or someone would appear on the path but all she saw was the fox completely emerge and begin its advance on her. Storm inched backwards crying softly in pain from the broken rib she had sustained. She closed her eyes, not in fear, she wanted the last things she saw to be her loved ones. Cast, her wonderful partner and father to Rox. Rox, my darling, Rox. She would never see her grow up to chase the sky. Tears came quickly and mixed with the fresh fall of rain just starting. Storm's side was hit and she screamed in agony, and as she was carried off she slipped gratefully into the darkness all around her.

  *

  Rox watched her father enter the warren and shake his fur of water. He and others had searched day after day until they'd found Storm and the fox's trail and where it ended. Rox sat rigidly, almost regally, every bit the strong and independent daughter her mother had raised. But she was betrayed by the unstoppable flow of tears from her eyes. She didn't need her father to tell her what they'd found, she could read it from his face. But they were wrong surely, it cannot be true, my mother is not dead! The facade collapsed and the young rabbit flung herself into her father's arms, sobbing hard. Unable to see the future ahead without her beloved mother.

  Rox

  Rox jumped back from Ellie's sleeping form and tears spilled down her cheek.

  “What was that?” She gasped at the rabbit calling herself Storm. The black and white rabbit was similarly flustered, as if she had endured the same visions that Rox had.

  That was me. A soft, melodic voice came into Rox's head. Rox couldn't explain why but she could see the source of the speech. In Ellie's clenched fist was a bright orange ball. It flashed impatiently as Rox and then Storm studied it.

  Yes, yes, well done, you found me. I assume Ellie is alright after being shot up with rabbit tranquilliser?

  Rox gave a Storm a quick look before answering.

  “She's fine. What on this earth are you and what did you do to us?”

  Well, briefly then. I'm a magical orb designed and built by Eridan and Celestine, mother and father of Cole. I've been companion to Ellie for a very long time unt
il Isabelle captured me and then this younger Ellie got her hands on me after defeating Isabelle in a twisted mind game. Rather than have Storm convince you she's your mother I thought I'd draw on both your memories and show you. Saves a lot of time doesn't it? The orb finished rather smugly.

  Rox's mouth worked silently as she looked back and forth from the orb to a rabbit purporting to be her mother.

  “Confusing, I know.” Storm said softly. “And I wish we had time for me to explain properly about where I've been but time is our enemy.”

  As Rox opened her mouth to speak properly a loud hum emanated from a far wall. As Rox stared at it Malachite strode closer to the small group and very deftly retrieved the orb from Ellie's closed hand using the sharp points of two talons. Two panels parted and revealed a dark space beyond. Flare leaned in hard against his mother, he had also been part of the orb's dream and was feeling the need for comfort. Rox stared hard at the seemingly empty space and a shift in the black suddenly revealed an emerging figure. A young woman with flowing brown hair and dark eyes strode with the confidence borne of experience towards Rox. She was simply dressed in a shirt and trousers but it was the eyes that Rox could not stop staring at. The depth those eyes contained went beyond Rox's understanding of humans, they made her want to weep in fear and laugh with joy. The face though, there was no denying whose face this was and though Rox could not explain that either she looked from the sleeping girl on the ground to the woman now stopping in front of her.

  The woman crouched down and held a hand out, a shy smile turning those dark eyes beautiful.

  “Hi, Rox.” Ellie whispered.

  *

  By the time Malachite had removed the majority of the mud and grass from his skin Ellie was busy still speaking to Rox and Storm. Flare had given up trying to listen to the whole story and settled in close to his sleeping young human friend, the other Ellie, and feeling safe had promptly fallen asleep. Malachite wasn't really interested in all the how's and why's of their current situation. He understood it as best he could which he had to admit wasn't much. Malachite's brain had undergone a form of brain damage when his memories were wiped clean many years ago by the dragons, before they transformed themselves to pure energy and left this world. It had left him at a distinct disadvantage as dragons learned first and foremost from their ancestors. All the knowledge they had attained was transferred to their offspring on birth. All that knowledge was taken away from Malachite as every dragon who'd conspired to destroy mankind helped to create Malachite as an avatar for their revenge. It had driven him quite mad. He was okay now but he did have trouble learning new things.

  He wandered closer to the small group and wondered how they could keep on talking for so long.

  *

  One of the reasons Rox was leader of her race was her innate adaptability to any given situation. She had successfully saved the world using this quality. But what made her mind feel like it was running through clay was the fact that apparently she had done this twice. Once with her young friend, asleep next to her and then even before that with the woman sat in front of her. Added to the mix that apparently her mother, who was long dead, was sat three feet away from her. Rox to her credit had reserved judgement on that situation and waited for a chance to talk to Storm properly about it. The woman continued speaking but Rox felt like her head was deliberately rejecting the information. Rox turned and placed a paw onto Ellie's slowly rising chest and interrupted the flow of speech.

  “Wait, wait. This is you then, is that what you're saying?” Rox asked. Ellie screwed her face up and tilted her hand back and forth as she sought for an answer.

  “Sort of. Yes and no. She's me if I hadn't gone back in time.”

  Rox sighed.

  “I still don't understand this.” Rox said softly. “What do today's events have to do with you when you went back in time?”

  Ellie gave her friend a thoughtful look and considered explaining to her about space-time, multiple dimensions, wormholes, string theory and predestination paradoxes.

  Maybe I could help. The orb interjected.

  Ellie's eyes widened and her mouth dropped. Malachite opened his paw and showed Ellie the bright pulsing orb he had taken from the young Ellie.

  It's been too long, Ellie. Ellie rose and took the orb from Malachite's grasp tears filling her eyes in joy.

  “I've looked for you for so long.” She whispered.

  I know. Isabelle kept me locked away until Ellie freed me.

  Rox watched as Ellie's eyes went distant for a few seconds as she stared at the flashing light. Then Ellie's entire body jerked and she took a quick, panting breath.

  Isabelle's at peace now, Ellie. The orb comforted her, sensing her disquiet. Ellie closed her eyes a short while to hide her pain but when she opened them saw that she couldn't fool her friend Rox. A friend she had met as a young girl and now a woman, countless years old. Rox stepped forward and placed her paw upon Ellie's foot and looked over to the sleeping Ellie close by.

  “This might be easier if we wait until she's woken.” Rox advised, then she smiled slightly. “As it sounds like something too complicated to be repeated!”

  Ellie nodded, kneeled down and looked deep in Rox's eyes.

  “Do you trust me?” Ellie asked. Rox answered without hesitation, she could see the clear image of the young girl she knew as her human friend in this woman before her.

  “Yes.”

  *

  Rox, Storm, a now awake Flare and even Malachite all lay close together while the adult Ellie, picked up her younger self gently and laid her down next to Rox. Then holding the orb she grasped Ellie's hand and asked Rox to place a paw on the sleeping girl's hand and Storm to hold Rox's and so on. Ellie placed the orb upon her chest.

  “Okay, it's up to you now.”

  I'll do my best…anything you want me to leave out?

  Ellie rolled her eyes and glanced sideways at her friends, and decided not to answer.

  They say discretion is the better part of valour. I've shown Ellie a small portion of your past. I'll try and start a bit better this time.

  The orange glow intensified until the bright lights of the white room disappeared from view to be replaced by mountains and burnt grasslands.

  A New World

  Ellie and Cole walked together across the scorched grasslands of the dragons. The process of transforming from dragon kind to the beings the rabbits knew as The White and The Grey was astonishing and completely unexpected. Ellie was quite flummoxed by it and she struggled to think about the implications if she hadn't come back in time. When Ellie had travelled with Rox to the beginning of the world they discovered those two beings were responsible for making the world spin and they then took it upon themselves to create Rox's race of special rabbits. She shook her head and placed a hand on Cole's back as they walked.

  Are you okay? Cole asked.

  “Just a bit overwhelmed I guess.” Ellie said quietly.

  Cole glanced sideways at his young friend but kept silent. His young rider hadn't spoken a great deal since watching the disappearance of the two lights. They neared the centre of the burnt land, the epicentre of the incredible outburst of energy from the orb that was responsible for the transformation of the dragons. Ellie saw the grey, lifeless orb and for some reason felt slightly sad by it. Maybe it was because Celestine sacrificed her life to create it or perhaps the only power left in this world to send her home was empty. She bent down and picked it up. It might have been her imagination but it felt heavier.

  Don't be gone, she thought. There's not many of us here now. The thought hit Ellie hard and she dropped to her knees. What had she done? She'd lost her family and friends. Everything from her previous life was gone. There was nothing in this world she would recognise and call home. Cole rushed over, Ellie's emotions smashing through him and becoming his own. He encircled his rider with his body and wings for comfort.

  I'm so sorry, Ellie, and I know it's nothing compared to what you've lost, but
you have me and you'll always have me.

  Ellie sobbed into Cole's chest for a long time.

  *

  Night had fallen and neither Ellie nor Cole had moved from the centre of the burnt grass. Ellie's tears dried up but the sad thoughts remained and she knew they would do so for a long time. Both of the young friends were laid upon their backs gazing at the stars. The view was magnificent and if she wasn't becoming sleepy from the stresses and waves of emotion of the day, she could stay here and watch all night.

  Cole?

  Yes?

  Do you know how to hunt?

  Of course. Why?

  Just thinking that at least we won't die of starvation on our first day here. Ellie thought. Cole snorted.

  No, no chance. Might die of thirst though.

  Ellie laughed and Cole grinned in the dark. Ellie yawned and laid her head on Cole's foreleg. Cole sighed with relief when he heard the slow steady breathing from Ellie and he rested his head on the ground and dozed off.

  *

  Ellie dreamed of dragons and orange fire consuming the earth. She shivered and slowly woke from the strange dream. She was curled up and facing Cole's stomach that was radiating heat from the internal processes where a dragon makes its fire. Her back was freezing though. A low mist permeated the grasslands making Ellie think she was still dreaming it looked so unreal. She stood slowly to avoid waking her friend and rubbed her arms. In the distance she heard the soft roll of waves coming ashore, it was peaceful but Ellie wrinkled her nose as if made her want the toilet.

  No toilets anymore, she thought with a suffering sigh and walked away from Cole a short distance for a bit of privacy. Twenty paces on and Ellie saw a large rock hiding in the mist. She didn't recall it from the day before but concluded she wouldn't have noticed much else yesterday with the way she had felt. Thinking it was perfect for privacy she strode towards it. The rock was huge and seemed more like a small hill that had been carved into a smooth undulating shape, like a child's drawing of a hill. The sounds of the beach went away and Ellie heard a soft rumble from directly ahead. She stopped and cocked her head towards the sound, a small tingle of fear dancing up and down her spine at all the unknowns in this new land. The rumble was soft and constant and reminded her of Ginger, her cat that had introduced her to Cole, purring. A few more steps on and she saw the small hill had large roots protruding near the base and into the ground. Ellie wrinkled her nose and screwed up her eyes. What is that? She thought with some alarm and just as Ellie was about to return to Cole and bring him along, the dim light on the early morning was lit up as two fiery yellow eyes opened and focused on her.