“I just wanted to see you before you left,” he said, his voice rough and dry. “You make me proud, you know that.” My lips quivered, trying to hold back the tears that were sure to fall.
Astral reached over and patted him on the back. “You should come out of your hole, Myrdinn. It’s not doing you any good.” His tone was nurturing.
Myrdinn looked up at him and smiled, but sadness flashed behind his eyes. He gave a negative shrug. “It’s hard.”
That was all he said. He had lost the love of his life. Astral didn’t press the subject.
He let me go and then headed back to his room. I wanted to go after him but knew there was no point. Nothing could fix the hole in his heart. I knew this because I felt the same when I thought about my mother.
“He will come around,” Astral said to me as we watched Mrydinn’s hunched form walk across the pavilion.
“I hope so” was the best I could manage without breaking down.
Kaede came down the Lyceum’s steps a moment later with a torch in his hand. Black fur lined the outside of his robe, tucked neatly under his neck. Underneath his furry goatee was a huge smile. His council followed behind. All except Albert and Ghandus.
We bowed to each other. A cool breeze carrying more snow drifted around us. I wanted to shift to my dragon form for warmth, but I didn’t have my armor on yet.
“Where are Albert and Ghandus?” I asked, shivering inside my jacket.
“They left with Lev,” Astral said. “They were his advisors when he was Liege.”
“Makes sense,” I said, leaning into Fenn for shared warmth.
“But never mind that,” Kaede chimed in with a small smile playing on his lips. “We have gifts for you to take on your journey.”
Banjamin held a small white box in the palms of his well-worn hands. His intuitive eyes smiled down at me as he handed me his gift.
“You don’t have to give me anything,” I said as I looked down at the box. My feet twisted in awkwardness, but they all continued smiling, their thin lips cracked and pale blue. I wished I could offer them some of my flame for warmth.
“Don’t be silly,” Kaede said with a hearty chuckle. His breath puffed out in small white clouds. “This is an honored tradition of ours when one goes on a quest. We would have done this earlier…had we known.”
My cheeks reddened. I looked over at Adam who kept his eyes to the ground, and wondered if Kaede had reprimanded Adam for not informing him of our quest. Snow dusted the tip of his mohawk, a shocking contrast against his black hair.
“Well, thank you all,” I said, uncertainty choking my words as I forced my attention back to the gift in my hands. Inside rested a small necklace. I carefully lifted it out. The golden light from the torch hit the tiny beads of jade, enhancing the beautiful, pale green color. I rubbed it between my fingers, enjoying the smoothness of the gems.
“It is for wisdom and protection.” Banjamin’s smile was large and filled with pride. What a fitting gift coming from him.
I handed it to Fenn and lifted my unruly hair off of my shoulders. He laid it against my chest and then clasped it around my neck, next to my amulet. Double the protection.
“It’s very beautiful,” I expressed, leaning in to give Banjamin a hug. He stiffened, but I hugged him any way. “Thank you. I have no doubt that this will come in handy,” I admitted with a grateful smile.
Mizu’s ebony eyes twinkled below his bushy white brows as he stepped towards me, but there was nothing inside of his wrinkled hands. He stopped directly in front of me, and then reached out, placing his left hand over my family crest.
I looked down, a confused expression spreading on my face. When I looked back up at him, his eyes were pressed closed. “I will gift the Progeny using my natural element, Mother Earth. But keep in mind, this blessing can be called upon only once.” The palm of his hand began to glow a light green color. Comforting heat radiated against my skin as he hummed to himself. The green surrounded my entire body, wrapping me in warmth and energy that looked like thriving vines of ivy.
I looked over at Fenn who was also covered in glowing vines. The energy had spread from me to him. “Now you both shall be protected under the watch of the earth,” Mizu said, his voice sounding deep.
“Thank you,” Fenn and I said in unison. We smiled at each other.
“You two younglings have a heavy future ahead of you,” Kaede said with caution. “For that, I present you with this.” He pulled a small white crystal from inside his furred robe. “It is enchanted and will communicate with this,” he said, pulling out another white crystal. “I will keep this one. If you two are ever in trouble, use the crystal by saying the code words ‘new dawn’ into it. It will automatically link to my crystal, enabling us to communicate right away with each other.”
I took the crystal and hung it on my jade necklace. “I thought we had to do this on our own. Now I see that we don’t. You have all been so kind to us. I don’t know how we will ever repay you,” I said with a bow.
“You could start by telling us what exactly you are questing for,” Kaede said with an awkward laugh.
I felt surprise trying to take over my expression, but instead I smiled broadly, quickly recovering. I put my hand on his shoulder and leaned in so that only he could hear. “Let’s just say the legends you’ve heard are true.” I squeezed his shoulder and then let go.
He looked dumbstruck.
After a short moment of shock, he shook his head, his face slowly returning to its normal demeanor. “If that is true, then you will repay us by ridding our realm of Zordon,” he said seriously. There was no amusement in his eyes.
“I fully intend to,” I said solemnly.
Astral cleared his throat, toying with his beard. We all looked at him. “After the task is complete, use the crystal at once to let us know. Then we will join you to begin our attack against Zordon’s army. To begin the final battle.”
“I will,” I said, feeling the weight of my mission settle on my shoulders.
“We will continue to gather men and alliances,” Kaede added. “Now that Lev has returned, I am confident he will be able to secure more help.” He looked over at Astral.
Astral’s features grew dark before he turned back to face me. “You will not be able to come back here until this war is over,” he concluded.
I froze in place.
“If you and Fenn succeed, Zordon will know. You will have to find him and end it or else he will.” The weight in his eyes told me that this was the root of why he had been so upset when I told him about my plan to bring Zordon down earlier.
Because once the bond was broken, I would no longer be protected. One of us would die by the other’s hand.
I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, waiting for my reaction, as if they needed to feel comforted in their preparation. I bit the inside of my cheek, pulling strength from the fear that lounged in the depth of my heart.
“Everything will play out as it should. As Iliana has planned,” I said, smiling sadly. A lot had to happen before even I would feel secure in this final battle.
Kaede straightened up and resumed his playful smile. “Well, good, now that that is settled, we can send you off in the appropriate manner.”
Lexi came over with Zane and extended her hand, ready to port us to the Temple. “Is everyone ready this time?” She received a collective nod from everyone but me.
I looked over her shoulder and caught Astral’s eyes. He looked like he was trying to be brave. When he noticed me staring, his face changed into a confident smile. He winked at me.
“We’re ready,” I said, swallowing what felt like crushed glass in my throat. Fenn, Zane, Adam, and I latched on to her arm. The world spun on its axis and then steadied itself. We stood directly outside of the Temple.
A flash of a wooden table with copper shackles crossed through my mind, followed by someone shouting, “Intruders!”
I turned just in time to catch the tail end of a wooden staff with my hand. The bald Priest’s eyes flashed with fear as they examined my shifted form.
“The-the Progeny?” he stuttered, dropping his staff. A hoard of Priests rushed out of the entrance, all bearing staves pointed in our direction. The man in front of me waved his hands in the air, trying to ward them off. “Stop!” he shouted. “The Progeny has returned. Stop, I say!”
The angry mob of Priests slowed as their faces filled with a mixture of confusion and fear. They parted down the center. One rounder Priest emerged from the middle of the group, wearing more markings on his bald head than the others.
His hands were clasped together at his waist, his protruding belly hidden beneath a beige robe tethered together by a piece of frayed rope. His eyes were black, as if there was no soul inside of him.
I gulped.
“Brothers,” he said through plump, moist lips, “we knew this day would come. Gather the rest and meet in the main laboratory.” He rocked on his heels, staring down the bridge of his nose at us.
The Priests surrounding us disappeared back into the Temple, murmuring to each other.
“Who are you?” I asked, brushing aside my fear with a confident tone.
His brows scrunched. “I am one of the five remaining Elder Priests and the only one who can help you with what you seek. That is, if you are willing.”
“Willing?”
Fenn moved next to me.
The Elder Priest watched us with curiosity, analyzing our every move. An abrupt bout of laughter rang through the air. He was laughing at me.
“You didn’t think you would show up and be handed the elixir, did you?”
I leveled my gaze on him, growing irritated. “It would be in your best interest to assist me,” I said through tight lips. I took a step in his direction. “Zordon did, after all, steal from the Pool of Virtue.”
The Elder Priest’s darkened gaze churned with power as a bright light in the shape of teardrops formed in his eyes. He was pulling power from the Pool.
“I will only say this once,” the Elder Priest said directly to me, the storm above us swirling inside his black eyes. “We do not choose sides. We experiment for the greater advancement of our kind. You have trespassed onto holy ground and, according to our ways, should be sentenced to death. I am making an exception due to last year’s circumstances surrounding the missing drop from the Pool of Virtue. I understand now that you were trying to stop Zordon, not aid him in his quest to becoming a Fate.”
Fenn stood in front of me, his chest puffed out, veins bulging along his neck. Zane took my left side, crouched just enough to be prepared for an attack. Adam took the right, his hand wrapped firmly around the hilt of his dagger. Lexi was next to Fenn, ready for whatever the Elder had to throw.
The storm that rolled in opened, rain plummeting in a sharp angle towards us.
“Are you threatening us?” Fenn asked in a low growl. His tone was deep and full of strength. I twisted the crystal on my necklace in my hand, ready to whisper the words should we need help.
“Only if you need to be threatened,” the Elder Priest sneered, revealing crooked front teeth. He looked us over as if waiting to see if we would try anything.
“If the Progeny passes the test, we will make an exception as far as the elixir is concerned.” The expression on his face told me that he thought I wasn’t up for it. I was about to prove him wrong.
I straightened my posture and moved between Fenn and Lexi, stopping in front of the Elder Priest. “I will do whatever it is you need to prove that choosing my side is the right thing to do.”
What seemed like a smile lifted the side of his mouth at a peculiar angle. “We shall see,” he said dryly. He looked down on Fenn and Zane, commanding with his gaze for them to back off.
Lexi stepped around me, tapping the Elder Priest on the shoulder before he could walk away. “Now that introductions have been made, can we get back to the small matter at hand? You know, the one concerning the well-being of this realm.” She raised her brow at him.
A shade of red spread across his face in an angered wave. After a second, he seemed to have composed himself and said, “Remove your hand and follow me, Celestian. You would make an even better bargaining tool seeing as we’ve never had the opportunity to experiment on one of your kind before.”
The greed dripping from his words made my stomach turn. Lexi jerked her hand back. Satisfied, the Elder Priest headed back into the Temple, gesturing for us to follow.
“I sure hope you know what we are walking into,” Adam said out of the side of his mouth.
“Either a trap, or our destiny,” Lexi said over her shoulder as soon as we stepped through the Temple doors. I kept my eyes forward, not wanting to see the tables with chains and blood behind each door. Not wanting to see the fruits of their labors.
We made a sharp left and came into a large, open room with sparkling purple walls where all of the Priests had gathered.
“Brothers,” the Elder Priest called out, “the Progeny has agreed to take the test.” The excitement in his voice brought a fresh dose of fear. My ears rang, and my mind spun with images filled with blood and pain.
“Rory?” Fenn nudged me, concern written in the lines of his face. He fed off of my emotions, emotions I needed to get a grip on if I was going to make it through this.
I looked up at him and tried to focus on the charming features of his face. His pleasant eyes took the edge off of my fear. I forced a smile and stepped forward as the Priest turned and extended his arm to me.
A chilling silence fell over the room as the Priests’ greedy eyes took in my dragon form. I had never felt so naked in my life, even behind my armor and scales. I jutted my chin out, refusing to allow them to see my fear. I had to be strong.
“The Progeny has come as we have foreseen. She will take the test in exchange for the elixir.”
The crowd of men clapped high above their heads; smiles spread across the room. Fenn and Zane did not look pleased. I could feel Fenn restraining himself from pulling me away from the Elder.
“Where are my brothers?” the Elder Priest asked, glancing around the room. He sucked his teeth, his belly bouncing as he straightened his pants.
“Calm down,” a tired voice said. Another Priest, whose markings helped identify him as an Elder Priest, came into the room. “The others are waiting in the prep room. They didn’t feel that taking part in the pre-show was necessary.”
The Elder Priest next to me swallowed. “How thoughtful of them,” he forced out.
The second Elder Priest introduced himself to us as Elder Lighthorn. He was small-framed and short like the rest of his brothers. His weathered skin was pale from lack of sun. His eyes were barely visible underneath the wrinkles that crinkled deeper when he spoke.
He pointed to the Elder Priest who found us and said, “And this delightful fellow is Elder Terron.”
Terron rolled his eyes, shifting the belt around his waist. “As I was saying.” He side-eyed Lighthorn. “We will begin the test as soon as our other brothers meet for meditation. That is when I will be able to pull the most power.”
“What do you need to do that for?” Fenn asked in alarm.
Terron didn't acknowledge Fenn. Instead, he looked right at me. “You must do this alone.” His underlying message was set in stone when he glanced over at Fenn and then threw me a questioning look.
“Absolutely not!” Fenn shouted, throwing his arm over my chest to protect me.
Terron did not take his eyes off of me, waiting for my answer. I didn’t trust myself to speak so I nodded my approval.
It was time for my inner strength to emerge.<
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Chapter 19
The Torture Test
I FACED MY FRIENDS WITH my bravest face, but avoided eye contact with Zane and Fenn. I didn’t want to give away the doubts I felt. I needed the elixir if I was ever going to defeat Zordon and this was the only way to do it.
I had to be brave.
Fenn grabbed my forearms. “Rory, I don’t like this one bit. You know what they are capable of.” His grip was dangerously tight as his eyes searched mine, pleading for me to stay.
“What else can we do?” It was all I needed to say. His mouth moved as if to speak and then stopped, his gaze falling to the floor.
“Brothers, please head to the prayer room and begin meditation at once,” Terron advised. He looked back at me. “Follow me.” He made his way through the dispersing crowd.
“You don’t have to do this,” Zane said to both Fenn and me.
“Don’t I?”
He looked away without an answer.
“If it makes you feel any better, I will stay connected to her energy. Celestians can track anyone with a magical scent. If she is in danger, I will port in and grab her,” Lexi offered.
“You can do that?” Fenn asked, his tone rich with gratitude. She nodded.
Terron stopped on the other side of the room. With a deep breath, I followed him into the crowd, leaving the safety of my friends behind.
The hushed murmurs of the Priests made the hair stand on the back of my neck. I tried not to imagine what was coming. I didn’t tap into my dragon Foresight for fear of what I would see. I couldn’t give myself a reason to turn back now.
We exited through a small wooden door on the other side of the room. I could feel Fenn sending me reassuring vibes. It helped ease the need to vomit my fear from the inside out.
From the Embers (The Born in Flames Trilogy) Page 22