by A. R. Crebs
She was suffering, gasping for air, trying to send a healing light his way. It pained him to see her this way. Grimacing, Rhondin reached toward the woman, hoping to at least grasp her hand so they could both move outside time together.
"Your light," he groaned, "it's gone. Your light is gone."
If he could touch her, he could heal her just enough where she could survive at least long enough to get to Sir Gaius.
A choking noise followed; the woman's mouth moved, but no words came. He could tell what she wanted to say, a single word, a single name—Dovian. A surge of red seeped past her lips. Rhondin dropped to the sand, entangled in his charred robes. He eyed the beautiful woman with wine-colored hair and emerald eyes, eyes that no longer held any light. He croaked back a cry of frustration, not being able to do anything. Instead, he watched as Elysia's fingers slowly stopped twitching and her breaths abruptly halted into one last quaking exhale. She didn't have the power to heal herself. She had nothing left. How had she lost her energy so quickly?
"Elys...." Rhondin hissed, his face wrinkling in pain. He had known her for over one thousand years, and now her life-force was gone.
Another explosion sounded. Rhondin twisted his head. The vehicle housing the cannon shuddered as it built up too much energy. It was about to blow. An alarm on his armband went off. Rhondin looked behind him. His severed limb sat across the street, his hologram revealing that a blast of nuclear proportions was about to go off. Without another thought, Rhondin rolled to the side and slammed his palm against his chest. He immediately sank outside time, reappearing on a dune a safe distance away. From where he sat on his knees, he watched a beam of light shoot up and out. The destruction plumed upwards, curling on itself over and over again. The wave of light annihilated the entire city, decimating it to nothing more than an ashen, dusty landscape.
Rhondin sat back on his heels, his mouth hanging open. His hair stuck to his forehead and cheeks, his decorative pins missing and his braids unwinding. He remained frozen, his wide-eyed stare locked on the cloud of destruction that ate away his entire line of sight. They had known this war was going to be bad, but none of them could've guessed it would end like this.
"I...I wasn't fast enough. I...I could've stopped it." Rhondin groaned, tugging his hair. "GAIUS! Where?! Where were you?!"
Another boom erupted, and Rhondin fell back down the hill. The shockwave had finally reached him. The man lay in the sand, his gaze locked on the darkening sky. Was it possible he had cast a spell on himself? It had to have been that he made some mistake. With over eight million deaths, Rhondin was living in a complete nightmare.
Slowly, with quivering fingers, he grasped his shoulder where his arm was missing. Why? Why hadn't he stayed behind and allowed the light to engulf him? He had left Elysia behind. Even as a corpse, she deserved better. Tears stung Rhondin's eyes as he healed his wound the best he could. He lost an arm. He would never have it back. He didn't know what was worse—living with the vivid memories of this terrible war, or having to relay the devastating news to Sir Gaius, news that he most likely already knew, and telling one of his best friends that his wonderful wife was dead.
"Oh, Lord. What has happened today? How have we managed to fail so badly?" he whispered.
***
"Euclid! Over here!" Orin shouted as he waved. Twisting, Dovian repeated the action.
They sat upon a boulder beside the lake behind Dovian's home. Long fishing poles made from tree branches rested in their hands. Euclid hopped, snatching and twisting off a thin limb from a tree beside him. Smirking, he ran his fingers down the length of the stem, carving off the twigs and knots. He whispered a spell, a long line of light trailing from his fingertips. From there, he tied the line to the end of his makeshift pole.
"Catch anything yet?" he asked.
Orin shook his head. "Naw. We've not been at it long."
Just then, Dovian's pole twitched. "Ha! Speak for yourself!" The silver-haired boy stood, tugging on the stick.
Euclid darted to his side, gazing into the water. "Looks like a big one! You'd have dinner and leftovers with that!"
Orin laughed, his sight catching the life energy of the fish. "It may just feed the three of us!"
Dovian scoffed behind a crooked smile. With a swift yank, he pulled a large flopping bass into the air. "Naw! It's a good size, but I don't plan on eating it!"
Euclid helped Dovian steady the line. He eyed the fish. The sun beamed against its iridescent scales. "Looks rather tasty, Dovian."
"I'm not a huge fan of fish.” Dovian shrugged.
"More for us!" Orin lightly punched Euclid in the arm. The two young men laughed.
Dovian leaned forward, unhooking the fish. He calmed the squirming creature as he ran his fingers down its side.
"Don't know what's crueler, you killing it outright or calming it beforehand," Euclid murmured.
Dovian rolled his eyes. "I'm not killing it."
Before either Euclid or Orin could say another word, Dovian tossed the large bass back into the lake.
"Aw! No! Wait!" Orin reached out.
"What? Gah. Wasteful." Euclid sighed.
Dovian wiped his hands on his robes. "What's wasteful is eating fish when I've got plenty of food in my kitchen."
Orin shook Euclid's shoulder. "It's okay. Whatever we catch, we can eat. Let Dovian eat his boring stew."
"I just don't feel right killing something when I have no need for it."
Euclid cast his line. "But that's part of the fun, the adventure. You hunt, you kill, you taste your glory!" He and Orin laughed as Dovian twisted his mouth into a frown.
"I'm not much for hunting." Dovian cast his line once again.
"Suit yourself. You may need to do it someday. For your survival." Euclid eyed him from his peripheral.
Dovian grinned. "I'll worry about that when it happens."
An ominous alarm sounded, scaring the three boys. Dovian spun, peering up at the blaring horns atop his cathedral. Next, the giant bells gonged back and forth. He looked to his friends. They all simultaneously dropped their poles and dashed toward his home.
"What do you think it is?" Euclid shouted.
"I don't know! I've never heard alarms like that!" Dovian yelled over the loud bangs.
Orin stumbled, his eyes enlarging as he gaped through the walls. "Looks like trouble, Dovian."
Dovian slammed against the side door of his home, rushing into the cathedral near the kitchen area. As he turned, Orin caught him by the collar of his robes.
"Whoa, wait!" Orin's eyes swirled.
"I'm not waiting for anything!" Dovian stammered with panic as he pulled away.
"Shit." Orin reached for Euclid, but Euclid brushed him off, trudging toward the center of the room. "Euclid! Wait!" He chased after them.
There was shouting. The room filled with a dense air. Dovian nearly choked on the uneasy feeling he had. As he rounded a pillar, he could see his father in the center of the cathedral. Gaius III was irate, shouting and throwing his arms in the air. His hair was a mess. He was covered in grime, still wearing his armor. His staff remained secure in a fist, the orb shimmering with vibrant light. It shocked Dovian to see his father yelling at Sir Gaius. The Elder along with Gaius II tried desperately to calm the enraged man. Azera remained composed but had a watchful golden glare fixed on him. To the side stood Rhondin. He looked sickly pale; his hair and robes were both tousled. Rhondin clenched a hand tightly over his shoulder. That's when Dovian noticed that the man’s right arm was missing. The boy's blood ran cold.
"You knew! You knew! And yet you still let her go out there!" Gaius III snarled.
"It's my fault; I should have tried," Rhondin stammered.
"It isn't your fault! It is his! Sir Gaius! You knew; you know everything, and Elysia..." he slammed his staff into the marble flooring, "YOU LED HER TO HER DEATH!"
Sir Gaius' eyes widened as he held up a hand, halting the argument. It was too late, however.
"What
?!" Dovian screamed. Gaius III moved his attention to his son. His face immediately shifted from an expression of murderous rage to dread.
"We've got visitors," Sir Gaius grumbled.
"What did you say?! Ma? Where's ma?" Dovian stomped forward.
Euclid ran toward Rhondin. "Father!" He stumbled to a halt, gasping in shock at the man's wound. "Your...your arm."
"Dovian! You shouldn't be in here!" his father shouted.
"The hell I shouldn't! This is my home! Why did the alarms sound on my house?" Dovian turned to his great-grandfather. "Sir Gaius! What's happening?"
Sir Gaius stared at Dovian. His solemn expression only made the boy more uneasy. Dovian looked to the side at Gaius II. The larger man covered his face with a hand, avoiding the young man's stare. Not much liking the sudden silence, Dovian gaped at Orin. Orin's eyes swirled much faster than usual. He stared at nothing in particular. He was working his sight, gathering information for himself. With a jolt, his eyes slowed to a halt, and his face fell. Orin's expression told Dovian everything.
With tears welling in his eyes, Dovian's face crinkled. "Oh, God! Ma!" He gave a short sob. "What happened?"
Sir Gaius took a deep breath. Calmly, he placed a hand on Dovian's shoulder. "Great-grandson, your mother has died."
Before Sir Gaius could say anything more, Dovian turned to the side, his hands on his knees. "NO! No! She hasn't! I...I just saw her! Just an hour ago!"
"Dovian," Rhondin spoke up. "It was a weapon, unlike anything we had ever seen. Neither of our shields could withstand its power."
Dovian's eyes were void of light, streaks of tears staining his cheeks. His mouth hung open as he listened to Rhondin's words, yet he didn't seem to understand what was said.
"She hadn't the power to even try!" Dovian's father shouted once more.
Dovian lowered his head as his father stepped toward him and Sir Gaius.
"You knew she hadn't the strength for a battle like this. You knew!" He tightened his grip on the staff.
"She wouldn't have it any other way," Sir Gaius responded.
"The worst of excuses! You knew the day the boy was born that she had bound her life-force to him! We had no idea the damage it had done to her, but you did! You still let her out there! You still...." He halted his yelling and slowly slid to his knees. Gaius III grabbed a fistful of his hair. "You let her die."
"Dovian," Orin whispered.
His eyes swirled again as he read the boy's energy.
"What would you have me do? Lock her in her room?" Sir Gaius asked.
"If it would save her life, then YES!" Gaius III crashed his fist into the marble floor.
"Ma..." Dovian gave a hoarse whisper. "She...she's gone. Because, because of me?"
Azera's deep voice cut in, "Perhaps we should continue this discussion without an audience."
Just then, the doors to the front of the cathedral opened. The Elders all hurriedly filed in, their robes and capes flurrying behind them. Fardon was at the front.
"I've seen the devastating news! I had no idea the damage that machine could inflict would wipe out the entire city!" Fardon exclaimed.
"Elysia?" Narita spoke up.
Upon seeing the dismal faces of all those around, the Elders came to an abrupt halt.
Narita's violet eyes darted between the men and boys. She gave a quiet gasp, her delicate fingers lightly touching her lips. "Oh, my dear, young Gaius...I'm so sorry."
The silence that followed was overwhelming. Dovian twitched. He didn't know what to feel. How to think. How to react. He made a quiet groan, his stomach suddenly aching with a fire he hadn't felt before. Fardon's eyes shimmered and churned as he read Dovian.
"Sir Gaius, we may have a problem at hand," Fardon spoke up.
Euclid and Orin both looked upon the hunched boy with concern. Dovian’s eyes shifted from side to side. The glowing irises of those surrounding him only made him more anxious. He could still hear Narita's raspy voice echoing in his mind.
"Ma," the sound barely slipped past Dovian's lips.
"Dovian." His father lightly touched his shoulders.
His father’s touch set him off like a stick of dynamite.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he shrieked.
A violent wave burst from Dovian's body, sending his father and all the surrounding men tumbling to the ground. With a loud crack, his wings burst from his shoulder blades, the feathers scorching to black scales.
"You're telling me that ma is dead?! She's never coming home?! Where is her body?!" Dovian screamed, light emitting from his form.
Rhondin sat forward, his cerulean eyes wide. "I'm sorry. There isn’t…there's nothing left. I tried! I tried, boy. Believe me!"
Dovian turned his sight to the grown man. Rhondin had to shield his eyes from the piercing glow emanating from Dovian's own. "Nothing...left?" the boy asked.
"Dust!" Rhondin's lower lip trembled. He opened his mouth, trying to form words but found none.
"DUST!" Dovian screamed.
Another shockwave smashed against the Sorcēarians. The Elders, despite their powers, were sent soaring back. Some smashed against the pillars. One slammed into the front doors of the cathedral. Only one man remained standing, and that was Sir Gaius. He gaped at Dovian with a look of awe. As the young man screamed, light ruptured from his body. Soon, the entire cathedral started quaking. A crack splintered up one side of a marble pillar. The roof groaned, threatening to cave-in.
Gaius III, sprawled upon the floor, watched his son in wonder.
"Young Gaius! Your staff!" Sir Gaius shouted, reaching out.
Dovian's father shook his head, recognizing his grandfather's orders. With a flick, he tossed the staff to the Elder.
"Everybody, shield yourselves!" Sir Gaius screamed.
At his request, a multitude of blue spheres lit up. Chunks of the roof fell, crashing into the barriers. One pillar crumbled, the mass tilting toward the group in the center. Orin quickly threw up a shield, covering himself with his arms as the pillar fell toward him. Sir Gaius spun, sending a violent force of energy toward the giant marble beam. The energy impacted hard enough against the side of the surface that it sent the pillar spinning to the side, barely missing Orin's body. The young man gawked at the rolling cylinder as it crumbled a row of pews. Sir Gaius turned his attention back to Dovian. The young man shouted incoherently, screamed in rage. Dovian barely moved, yet each stumble he made, another burst of energy erupted from him.
"He's unstable," Sir Gaius said with unease.
Hearing his great-grandfather's voice, Dovian glared at the Elder.
"You knew?!" Dovian growled, his voice sinking.
"I had no way of knowing her powers had grown so weak. I had trusted what she told me. I've seen her heal. I've seen her work her spells. If I had known the full severity of her weakness, I would not have allowed her out there. It pains me as it pains you," Sir Gaius calmly spoke. He held out a hand toward Dovian, trying to steady him. His eyes shifted over the Sorcēarians in the room. All their lives were in danger.
"You lie!" Dovian screamed. A beam of electric-blue soared toward the domed ceiling. With a tremendous crash, the roof crumbled to pieces, destroying the sculptures and frescos that decorated the surface.
Sir Gaius tossed up a barrier of his own, filling the entire cathedral. "Azera!"
Azera moved without hesitation. With a leap, the giant tackled Dovian and pinned him to the ground. Gaius II and Gaius III both moved to help, each grabbing an arm and a leg.
"No!" Dovian screamed.
"Hold him!" Sir Gaius commanded.
With a tug, the Elder removed the metallic wings that sat at the top of the staff. Not speaking another word, he smashed and morphed the metal in his hands like putty. Quickly, he created a new device. It resembled a spinal cord. On either side of the strand were miniature wings. Pulling light from the staff's orb, Sir Gaius completed the mold. Kneeling, he tore Dovian's robes off his back.
"Hold still for one moment, you
stubborn boy!" Sir Gaius hollered.
Azera firmly gripped the back of Dovian's neck, pressing the boy's face against the marble floor. This only angered Dovian more, but before he could release another violent wave of energy, Sir Gaius slapped the metallic spinal cord against his back. The boy screamed in pain as the nodules of the artificial spine burrowed into him with a quick series of clicks. With a hiss, the item locked into place, the metallic wings clamping onto the boy's shoulder blades, sending his unfurled wings into a charcoal dust. A quiet beep chimed, and a series of red and blue lights blinked at the top of the device as it filtered his energy. Dovian's blazing eyes quickly dimmed to near white. He exhaled deeply, his body going limp.
After a few more series of crashes from the falling debris, the cathedral soon fell into complete silence.
"You can release him now," Sir Gaius quietly spoke.
Azera immediately released. Gaius II and Gaius III, however, remained timid and only let go of Dovian after they nodded to one another. Dovian remained motionless, breathing slowly.
"What is it?" Gaius III asked, gaping at Dovian’s back.
The Elder Gaius stood. He eyed everyone in the room. For the most part, they were all unharmed outside of a few cuts and bruises that they could easily mend. Orin's eyes were wide. He seemed shocked by his near-death experience. Euclid stood by his father's side, staring in awe at Dovian. Finally, Gaius looked to Dovian's father. The man appeared exhausted and haunted.
"It's a back apparatus...to filter his energies," Sir Gaius explained. “It connects to his neurological system.”
"Filter his energies?"
"Dovian has a tremendous amount of power. In his state of rage, he couldn't control it. Without that apparatus, he could've destroyed this entire cathedral...and all of us with it, himself included." The Elder watched over Dovian. "He's exerted an exuberant amount of energy. He may need to rest a few days, but he'll be alright."
"My boy. His rage is unlike anything I've seen." Gaius III sat back and watched his unconscious son. "Will he wear it for long?"
Sir Gaius cocked his head to the side. "He will wear it for the rest of his life."