by Tripp Ellis
The two sprang apart and scrambled to their feet, trying to play the moment off casually.
Master Tong didn't say anything, but he was well aware of the connection brewing between them.
"We were just… sparring," Mia stammered, her face flush with embarrassment.
"I see," Master Tong said with a knowing grin.
"I'd say he's got his full strength back,” Mia said, trying to sound professional. “But he could still use a little improvement on swordsmanship."
Nolan arched an eyebrow at her.
"Yes. An improvement on his swordsmanship," Master Tong said, wryly. "That's exactly what he needs."
"If you'll excuse me," Mia said. "I've got business to attend to." She spun around and slipped out of the room as fast as humanly possible.
Master Tong gave Nolan a knowing glance.
"She's very… skilled,” Nolan said, fumbling for words.
Master Tong said nothing and strolled out of the chamber.
Nolan wasn't exactly sure how to read him. Knowing Master Tong, he neither approved nor disapproved of their budding attraction. Things would unfold as they were meant.
Nolan sheathed his sword and left the chamber. He stepped onto the terrace for some fresh air. He gazed out over the majestic mountainside, the clear sky allowing for a seemingly infinite view. He liked it here. And he couldn't deny his attraction toward Mia. But he couldn't stay here forever. There was the business of revenge to attend to.
Nolan's thoughts were distracted by dark specks on the horizon. His eyes narrowed and focused at the distant sky.
Master Tong made his way through the hallways to Mia’s chamber. She was tidying up her room, mainly to vent nervous energy. Her mind still on the close encounter in the Great Hall.
Master Tong stood in the doorway and said nothing.
Mia assumed he was there to chastise her. "I apologize. I think I've gotten too close to our guest. Perhaps I will spend less time with him.”
"Only you can decide best how to spend your time."
Mia was silent for a long moment. "Do you think he's the one?"
"Only your heart can tell you that."
"No. That's not what I mean. Do you think is the one of the prophecy?"
"I believe so, yes."
"Have you seen it?"
"Nothing is certain, but what I have seen leads me to believe he is the one.” Tong paused. “Has the Font revealed a truth to you?"
"Yes," she stammered. "Though it is different than what I had anticipated."
"The future often is."
"I had always thought my place was to stay here and to…” She couldn't finish the sentence.
Tong finished for her. “Continue after I'm gone?"
Mia nodded. "But it seems my destiny is to make a great sacrifice. And I'm not sure if I will rise to the challenge when the time comes.”
“Perhaps you should have more faith in yourself."
"Perhaps."
The conversation was interrupted by the sound of Nolan's voice echoing down the hall. He was yelling some type of warning.
It didn't take long for Nolan to discern the shapes on the horizon—they were Imperial dropships. Valdovar's Soturi were returning. Nolan warned Mia and Master Tong, then rushed through the corridors to his chamber. He discarded his temple robe and suited up in his battle armor. He drew his sword and raced back through the passageways. He met up with Mia and Master Tong.
The stone warriors came to life, preparing for battle.
Nolan started to follow them, fully intending to fight alongside them to defend the temple.
Master Tong grabbed his arm “No. This is not your battle."
Nolan's face twisted up, full of disappointment. "I'm ready to fight. I'm fully healed."
"There’s no sense in getting re-injured,” Tong said.
"You saved my life. Let me repay the favor."
“Valdovar returns to acquire the real medallion.” Master Tong reached into his pocket and pulled out a vile of pearlescent liquid that had a slight glow to it. He handed it to Nolan.
Nolan surveyed the sparkling vial with curiosity. “What is this?”
“The Elixir of Life. It will give you the power to breathe life into another. But it comes at a great cost. Use it wisely, If you must use it at all.”
“What cost?”
“Death, of course.”
Nolan didn’t like the sound of that.
"You must go to Mazarak. Find the sword of Destiny in the Tomb of Eldür. Defeat Valdovar. End his reign of tyranny. It is your fate.”
Nolan stuttered, wanting to tell him the truth. He wasn’t the one of the prophecy. “But…"
"Have faith. You have been shown the truth."
Nolan couldn't bring himself to tell Master Tong that the Font had shown him his own death.
“Mia will show you the secret passageway. It leads under the mountains. The two of you will travel to Solanavi. There you can find transport. Hurry."
Mia protested. "I'm not leaving you."
My spirit will always be with you,” Master Tong said. "Go!”
Mia’s eyes welled with tears, and her lip quivered. There was no arguing with Master Tong. She knew he was right.
She grabbed Nolan's hand and pulled him through the corridor. They plunged down a staircase descending into the depths of the temple. The steps seemed to spiral downward to eternity.
Nolan's boots clinked against the stone steps, echoing through the well. As they reached the bottom, Mia raced through the subterranean levels of the temple. She twisted one of the wall sconces which opened a secret passageway in the rock. The two ducked inside and the stone slab shut behind them.
The tunnel was pitch black. Mia held out her hand and generated a small ball of energy. Its blue glow illuminated the passageway.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. The dull rumble of the attack filtered into the passageway from above. The ground quaked from explosions. Dust and debris rained down from the top of the passageway
“Come on. Let's keep moving," Nolan said. The temple that had stood for thousands of years was going to be reduced to rubble.
Mia was heartbroken.
33
Black smoke billowed into the sky, cresting over the mountain range. The secret passageway had led Nolan and Mia underneath the craggy peaks. They emerged on the other side, and could only imagine the devastation inflicted upon the temple.
Mia's eyes were still red and puffy. She wiped the tears away. Her throat was tight with anger, and she could barely swallow. Her once peaceful, calm exterior had vanished. Her face was tense and her brow was now knitted with rage.
"I should've stayed and fought," Mia said, wracked with guilt.
"We'd most likely have been killed.” Nolan remembered what Caleb had said to him when they first met: live to fight another day.
It was of little consolation to Mia.
"Where's the city?"
Mia pointed to the horizon. "It's a little over a day’s journey on foot. The terrain is rugged, and the path is treacherous. The dramoks hunt in packs."
Nolan lifted a curious eyebrow. “Dramoks?”
"Vicious predators. They usually stay away from large gatherings of people, but two people in the wilderness will become prime targets. Keep your eyes open."
Mia and Nolan marched west into the barren rocky landscape. They had no food or water, and were most likely going to become the main course for ravenous predators.
The two twisted their way through a narrow ravine. Jagged peaks stabbed at the sky. The sun cast a glorious mix of colors, creating brilliant hues of pink and blue and orange against the clouds. As the glowing orb dipped below the peaks, the brilliant colors faded to gray, then the sky turned black.
Nolan lowered his helmet visor, and his night vision illuminated the path.
Mia had a solution of her own. Once again she formed a ball of energy in her palm which cast a flickering light in the valley. She hoped it would also serve
to keep the dramoks at bay.
They marched well into the night without incident. But Nolan had the dreaded sense that something was following them. Circling high above, the dramoks could swoop down out of the blackness at any moment and snatch their prey.
Nolan noticed a small alcove in the rock. It would provide decent cover. "Maybe we should camp here for the evening?"
Mia nodded.
The temperature had dropped rapidly after dusk. Before the night was over, the temperature would plummet even further.
Mia unsheathed her sword and proceeded to hack down several small, thorny shrubs. Nolan helped her gather them and bring them to the shelter. With the wave of her hand, Mia ignited the tangled shrubs. Flames flickered, filling the alcove with amber light. It would provide them with enough warmth to keep them comfortable through the night.
"You're pretty handy with that," Nolan said. He took a seat leaning against the stone wall of the alcove.
Mia sat beside him. "It definitely has its uses."
Nolan gazed at her crestfallen face. There was nothing he could say to make her pain go away.
Mia tried to accept what had happened. There was nothing she could do to change it, and fretting over it wasn't going to do any good. She felt physically ill from the loss. Her stomach twisted in knots, like someone had punched her in the gut. Her whole body was vibrating. Master Tong had been like a father to her. He had raised her since she was an infant. He was the only family she'd ever known.
They sat a long moment in silence.
"I'm going to help you defeat Valdovar." Mia said, steeling her resolve.
Nolan sighed. The insurmountable task weighed heavily on his mind, and knowing the outcome, he wanted to spare Mia. "When we get to the city, you should find transport to the Lodani sector. It's safer there."
Mia's face twisted up. "You don't think I can handle it?"
"No, I just… It's going to be dangerous. And I don't want to see you get hurt."
"I'll take my chances." Her cheeks flushed red with anger. "Nowhere in the galaxy is safe. Valdovar will continue to move through the planetary systems, conquering them one by one until he controls the entire galaxy. Sooner or later, every system will suffer his wrath."
Nolan knew she was right. The was no place safe.
"Besides. You're going to be victorious. If I fight alongside you, we cannot fail." She attempted to smile, but her face refused to accommodate the gesture.
Nolan felt like a fraud. He bit his tongue, not wanting to give her more bad news. Tonight, they both needed hope that Valdovar could be defeated.
“You should get some sleep," Mia said. "I'll stand watch. We’ve got a long journey ahead of us. I'm too keyed up to sleep right now."
"I don't know if I can sleep either, to tell you the truth."
Nolan gazed at the flickering flames and lost himself in thought about the future. The fire popped and crackled. Embers floated into the air. Black smoke covered the roof of the alcove as he stared for hours, until the mesmerizing flames finally put him to sleep.
The heat from the fire was soothing. But the flames faded during the night, and Nolan woke to a bitter chill. The once roaring fire was reduced to a few glowing coals.
Nolan's eyes stared out into the darkness with a feeling of dread. He could sense that something was out there.
He slowly reached for his helmet beside him and slipped it on his head. He pulled the visor down and activated the night vision. There were no less than a dozen dramoks in the valley, preparing to attack.
Nolan tapped Mia on the shoulder. Her eyes flicked open, startled. “What is it?”
Nolan shushed her. He pointed to the darkness and whispered, "We've got company."
Mia couldn't see into the darkness, but the low rumbling breaths of the creatures filled the air. She knew instantly what was out there——dramoks—winged demons that breathed fire and had teeth like razors. Their sharp talons could rip through flesh with ease. They were the size of lions, with thick armor plating and powerful wings. They had an insatiable appetite for flesh. Once they got a taste of the sweet delicacy of human meat, nothing else would do.
Nolan and Mia drew their swords and slowly rose to their feet, preparing for battle.
The creatures inched forward, their demonic eyes reflecting the glow of the hot coals. It was only a matter of moments before the beasts would pounce.
34
A blur of fangs. Breaths of fire. Snarls and growls and slashing talons filled the night. Wings flapping as the dramok dragons launched toward their prey. A stream of blazing fire rocketed toward Nolan and Mia from multiple directions. It was like hell had opened, spewing molten lava, spraying pain. The walking blowtorches were going to sizzle them to a crisp, then gnaw on their tasty barbecued flesh.
Nolan cowered down, attempting to shield himself from the fire. He knew his armor would protect him to some degree, but the protection would be short-lived under the attack of the ferocious dragons.
Mia waved her hand and created a spell shield in the nick of time. It blocked the blistering flames, shielding the two of them from a scalding death. The searing flames bounced off the shield which glowed blue with each impact.
Nolan's eyes widened in amazement. He didn’t know she wielded that much power. But there was no telling how long Mia could sustain the spell shield. Her face strained and the veins in her neck bulged. The shield was taking all of her focus and attention.
Nolan transferred his sword to his left hand. He cupped the palm of his right hand and tried to summon a ball of energy. Maybe it was the fear and adrenaline. Perhaps the do-or-die nature of the moment. But several sparks of energy flickered. He focused all of his energy. Slowly, a glowing ball of energy formed. It was about the size of a softball. Nolan wound up and pitched it at one of the dragons.
The ball of energy streaked through the air, much like an enchanted arrow. It smacked one of the encroaching dramoks in the face. It staggered the beast, forcing him several steps back. But it didn't seem to do any lasting damage.
The energy was weak.
Emboldened by the failed attack, the dragon shook it off, then charged Nolan. It leapt into the air, attempting to pounce.
Nolan tossed the sword back into his right hand, then stabbed the beast as it lunged for him. Nolan's sword penetrated the spell shield, and the blade skewered the beast through its mouth. The heavy creature’s momentum carried him through the spell shield, toppling Nolan to the ground. Its chest heaved for breath and the beast blew out a burst of flame.
Nolan withdrew his sword as his hand and armor were engulfed in the dramok’s scalding breath. The steel of Nolan's blade glowed red from the fire. Nolan could feel his armor heat up.
The dragon attempted to stagger to its feet, but it just flopped back down to the ground. Nolan plunged his blade into the beast's heart, finishing him off. The last spark of flame and steam fluttered from the dragon's mouth.
Nolan turned his attention back to the attacking creatures. The death of their leader had spooked the pack. They inched back from Nolan and Mia, their confidence shaken. A moment later, they sprang into the air, flapping their wings as they bolted into the sky. It was time for them to reassess and regroup. There was no doubt they would attack again later, perhaps with a better game plan.
Mia nearly collapsed as she released the spell shield. Nolan caught her before she hit the ground. Maintaining the shield had drained all of her energy. Nolan helped her sit down and leaned her against the wall of the alcove.
Nolan lifted the visor of his helmet. He gazed at her weary face with affection. "Impressive."
Mia wasn't satisfied with her performance. "I'm not strong enough."
"You're stronger than me."
She shook her head. "You just haven't tapped into your potential yet."
"Did you see my pathetic attempt? Might as well have been throwing marshmallows at them."
Mia chuckled. "You killed one of them, didn't you?"
; Nolan's eyes flicked to the fallen beast. He shrugged, proud of his accomplishment.
"I think you solved our dinner problem. They make good barbecue."
Nolan grinned. "I'll go grab some more shrubs. Think you've got enough spark left in you to start another fire?"
Mia scowled at him playfully. "I can start another fire. Trust me."
Nolan stood up and headed into the darkness.
"Be careful out there."
Nolan drew his sword and disappeared into the inky blackness. She listened as his footsteps faded into the distance.
Being alone in the dark was terrifying. Every sound that echoed in the blackness rattled Mia’s nerves. It was spooky. She felt like a child left alone. In the distance she could hear the hacking and slashing of shrubs. It was comforting, but the dead silence afterwards filled her heart with dread. She wasn't sure if it was real or her imagination, but she thought she heard the flapping of dramoks’ wings circling high above. Adrenaline spiked her veins, sending her heart racing. She wanted to call out for Nolan, but she stifled her fear. She could only suppress the urge for a few more moments, then she cried out, "Nolan?"
There was no response.
Her pulse elevated. Her nerves tingled. "Nolan? Are you okay?"
35
The air was still and silent. Panic washed over Mia’s body. She began to fear the worst. "Nolan? Are you okay?" She shouted again.
Still nothing.
She was about to get up and go looking for him when she heard his boots crunch against the gravel. His voice filtered out of the darkness and a wave of relief washed over her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Nolan returned with an armful of twigs and dried thorny shrubbery. He piled it on top of what remained of the coals. "You didn't get scared, did you?"
Mia sneered at him. “Of course not. I was just, mildly, worried about you." With a small gesture from her hand, the kindling erupted in flames.
Nolan grabbed the dramok by its haunches and dragged it away from the campsite. He unsheathed his dagger and gutted the reptile, just like he had done with the vygars back home. The creature's internal anatomy wasn't all that different. The armor plating was a little tougher and thicker.