DAWN OF THE PHOENIX

by A. J. STRICKLER

  “It took a week to return home. I was near frozen to death and half-starved. I wanted desperately to find my mother and tell her what had happened and find comfort from her for all that I had lost, but that was not to be.”

  “My village had been burned to the ground and everyone in it put to the sword or burned alive. The men, the women, and children all dead, even our animals had been killed. The only tracks I found were from a horse and the snow was melted around them. It was him; he had come to my village and killed everyone. I was crazed with grief. I sat in the ruins of the village for two days before I could think again.”

  “I took what food and supplies I could find and headed south. I vowed I would find a way to take revenge on the dark rider.”

  K’xarr was on one knee, leaning on his sword and staring into the fire. He looked up at the woman, his thoughts a secret. “Where did the children come from? Or need I ask?”

  Endra had not wanted to relive this part of her life, it had been terrible and had almost killed her, but the tale just flowed from her like water from a burst dam. For so long she had held it inside, trying to make it go away because there was no one to give it to. Now she had to let it all go.

  “I walked south to the sea then followed the coast west. Through the cold and snow, I wept for my lost life. I was just a girl. I had no one and nowhere to go. I was not the warrior you see before you now, I was just a young girl lost and alone.”

  “It was not many weeks until I knew I was with child. The thought scared me, I knew nothing of children. I was in a hostile land, hardly keeping myself alive. I had no idea how I would keep a child from dying in that cold wasteland. Still, I moved on. I thought I had plenty of time until the child was to be born and I could decide what I should do. Maybe I could find someone to help me. I was wrong.”

  She looked at the children. They had fallen asleep near the fire. “I gave birth to all three of them alone in an abandoned fishing hut three months after the man had lain with me.”

  “It was a very dark night, a cold rain fell, and the pain…” Endra paused and looked into the fire. “I will never forget it.”

  She met K’xarr’s eyes. “That was when I found my blood had turned black. I thought I was diseased and going to die. I stayed in that stinking hut until I saw that the babes were going to survive and I realized I was not sick. Then I packed the three of them up and continued west along the coast.”

  Endra’s eyes glistened with tears in the firelight. She told herself she would not let herself cry in front of these men. “I was little more than a girl and alone with three babies to protect, and as you know, the Harsh Coast is a hard place for a warrior, let alone my tiny new family.”

  “The weather, the land, day after day, night after night, I just kept moving on. I thought for sure we would be killed or die of starvation. There were so many nights when I fell asleep that I didn’t think I would wake the next morning, but I was a mother. If I died, the children would have died too.”

  “It took me almost a year to reach Tara. A priest took us in and we stayed at the church. We were fed and cared for until I cut my hand one night at dinner and a priest saw my blood. I was imprisoned and the children taken from me with no explanation.”

  “I rotted in that filthy cell for almost two years, not even getting to see my children. Not knowing if they were dead or alive.”

  “Then one day, the priest came and I was taken in chains to a ship. The children were already on board. The ship sailed to the south. They said we were to be taken to the Kingdom of Tyro to see their pope that lived in a great church in the city of Asqutania.”

  “We landed in the Celonian port of Inargo for supplies. With a bit of luck, I escaped, killed the priest, and took my children. I fought my way off the docks and ran.”

  “We have been running ever since, and you should know this is not the first time I have been attacked by Hands. They have been hunting me for a long time now. It’s hard not to be seen when you travel with three small children. I have had to become good with a sword just to survive.”

  Siro held his chin in his hand. “I don’t understand something. How did the children survive when born at only three months? Nine is what it takes to give birth to a healthy babe.”

  Endra shrugged. “I do not know, perhaps it’s the blood.”

  “They have the black blood too, then?” the healer asked.

  “All I know is they were full grown and healthy when they came out. They have never been sick and have always seemed very smart for their age.” Endra looked at K’xarr. “And they have been black-blooded since the day they were born.”

  Her insinuation was not lost on the Camiran. “The man that raped you, have you seen him again?” K’xarr asked.

  “Never again. If I do, I will do my best to kill him.”

  Cromwell chuckled. “I think that a man that choked a dragon to death would be a little hard for a girly like you to kill.”

  “I said I would try to kill him, you Toran. I know he will kill me, but it’s the principle of the thing.”

  Cromwell nodded his agreement, understanding exactly what she meant. Torans knew a lot about the principle of a thing.

  K’xarr saw the lost girl was gone now and the warrior had returned. “It is quite a story. I salute you, you’re a strong woman, Endra Korlest, and you were right, your story didn’t help us much but I thank you for telling the tale. We will return to our camp now as I promised. We have much to discuss among ourselves. I wish you luck on your quest. If you are attacked again, we are camped not far to the west.”

  K’xarr turned to leave. Kian grabbed him by the arm. “We can’t just leave her alone tonight, what if there are other assassins out there?”

  Endra’s brows furrowed. “I don’t need any help from you or anyone else, half-breed.”

  “Don’t take offense woman, he can’t help himself. He likes to see to the safety of anyone he comes across,” Cromwell said and grinned at the half-elf.

  K’xarr tapped the hilt of his sword. “Maybe we should leave someone, there could be more of these priests in the woods tonight. Endra, it wouldn’t hurt to have another sword in your camp.”

  “Fine… K’xarr, is it? I’m too tired to argue over it. If you have to leave someone, leave the half-elf. I don’t think he would try to slide under my blankets in the night.”

  “You don’t trust us, woman?” Cromwell said like it was a great insult.

  “No, you Toran pig, I have been watching you and the others look at me all evening, and I think I prefer the half-breed. I don’t think he would know what to do if I did let him under my blankets.”

  Kian flushed and started acting like he was looking for something on the ground.

  K’xarr had to laugh, he could see that the woman was joking. He knew Kian didn’t get the jest, he never did. He decided then and there that half-elves must have no sense of humor.

  K’xarr and the rest of the men mounted their horses and rode away. Cromwell lingered. “We will see you in the morning, Arradar. If you need help with the Sorrackan wench in the night, just come and get me.”

  Laughing, Cromwell turned his horse and followed the others back to camp.

  Kian pulled his hood up and started looking for more fire wood. Now he almost wished he had gone back to camp with the others.

  When they returned to their own camp and unsaddled the horses, everyone stood waiting. They all knew what was in the wind. K’xarr still dreaded asking the question, but he was a man who was direct and to the point. “I want to know now, is anyone leaving?”

  They all shook their heads no. Rufio unstrapped his Dragitan breast plate and placed it with care against his saddle. “I think I can speak for the three of us, blood counts for little. It’s what a man does that matters. I see no sense in getting all worked up about it. In the time I have known you, I haven’t seen any ill effects from this so-called curse. I will stay.”

  “Aye, me too, K’xarr. Kian has more of a curse than yo
u or Cromwell do,” Vandarus said.

  “I agree with you, Bandaran, the half-elf has a hard way to go of it, and he can’t hide his affliction,” Cromwell said.

  “What about you, Siro?” K’xarr looked to the healer.

  “Oh, don’t worry about me. I have seen many strange things in my line of work, a little discolored blood doesn’t bother me.”

  K’xarr sighed heavily “That’s settled then. We should try to get some sleep. I want to put some miles behind us tomorrow.”

  “What about the woman?” Cromwell asked.

  “What about her? She has her own troubles and we don’t need them. Besides, Kian’s staying with her tonight.”

  “I’m not talking about just tonight, K’xarr. She is the same as we are, at least we should see she gets to a town or something, and what if it’s true the Church is hunting people with black blood?”

  “You’ve been listening to Kian’s sermons too much. That woman is not our problem, blood or no blood. If she was a bit friendlier and did not have the children, things might be different. As far as the Church goes, we will deal with that like we deal with everything else.”

  “Did you believe her story?” Cromwell asked.

  “Hell no, men choking dragons, having a litter of brats alone, and walking hundreds of miles down the Harsh Coast, never happened. She is trouble, my friend, and maybe crazy too. I want no part of her. I left Kian with her, that’s as much help as she will get from me.”

  Cromwell sat down and blew on their fire, sparking it back to life. “I don’t know, K’xarr, her story has a ring of truth to it.”

  K’xarr put his head on his saddle and tried to get comfortable. “Maybe the part where she’s from Sorrack might be true. Go to sleep, your dreams will be more real than that story.”

  Kian had propped himself against a tree and pulled his hood up. He watched Endra bed down her children. She seemed very loving and caring towards them, unlike the woman he saw killing the priests. After she was sure they had fallen to sleep, she joined him. “Do you sleep, half-elf?”

  “I do, and my name is Kian.”

  “Well then, Kian, you can take first watch and I will relieve you later.”

  She started to walk back to the children.

  “Your life has been hard, Endra, and I am sorry for that.”

  She turned and looked at him. Kian could tell she wanted to speak but changed her mind. She just gave him a slight nod. “I also believe your story is true and as fantastic as it sounds.”

  She smiled. It was so beautiful that it made Kian’s throat tighten.

  “Then you would be the first, sometimes I don’t even believe it myself. Wake me if there is trouble.”

  Endra walked away and began to take off her armor. In the dying firelight, the half-elf got a good look at her physique before she lay down near her children. For the first time in Kian’s life, he wished Gildor would have taught him more about women.

  Siro had been woken by Rufio for his watch. He had waited an hour until he thought the Dragitan was asleep. He had heard the call in his mind and knew one of them was near.

  The ugly little healer quietly walked away from the camp. Up near the road, he saw a figure waiting.

  Even in a robe with a deep cowl over the head, he could tell it was a woman. It was too bad she wasn’t his type.

  “Why are you still waiting, Siro? Your master said you would be finished with your task by now.”

  He smiled. The sorceress’s voice was intoxicating. Most likely a spell, but he still liked it. “I am waiting for the right time, these things must be done very delicately. The Dark One will not tolerate any mistakes.”

  The woman giggled. “The Dark One, that always makes me laugh. Your master is powerful, but he knows nothing of true darkness. We had a deal, necromancer. Your master has been paid, finish your job and leave. We will not allow this to go on much longer. My sisters and I have our own agenda.”

  “You must understand, timing is everything. If I don’t time this right and his plan runs afoul, my master will destroy me or worse.”

  “That, you nasty little creature, is your problem,” she said.

  The sorceress vanished and Siro was left standing by the road alone. They would not rush him. He had put too much work into this and he would not fail his master. He stealthily made his way back to the camp. He had a lot of planning to do.

  The morning was beautiful, the sun was warm and the sky cloudless. Kian loved these kinds of days.

  Endra was up and getting her children ready to go. She had them prepare their meager belongings with practiced precision. Kian didn’t want to leave the woman and her children to travel alone with the Church looking for them. It would be just a matter of time before they would be caught.

  He had tried to tell himself that it had nothing to do with the fact that he was attracted to the woman. The truth was her looks did play a part in his wanting to help them. He had very little experience with women. The only women he had ever been around were back at the Heavenly Hole. Give them a little coin and you could purchase their undivided attention. He knew he had no chance with Endra anyway. Thinking about it was a waste of time. She was very beautiful and a human. She would never take an interest in him, but he still wanted to help her. The very least he could do was find them a safe place to stay before leaving them on their own.

  “I would like to know what the children’s names are,” Kian said.

  Endra looked at him strangely. “The taller light-haired boy is Vinsant, the stocky one is named Payton, and the girl is Tressa.” She bent down and started tying the little girl’s shoes.

  “I will travel with you until you find a safe place to go, if you wish.”

  Endra stopped helping her daughter with her shoes. “Why would you want to travel with me? I am hunted, have three young children, and I am not looking for a man, or a half-elf for that matter. What would be your gain?”

  “Nothing, it is what any man should do, that’s all.”

  “I doubt your companions would feel the same way,” the woman said coolly.

  “No one knows how another person feels unless they ask. You are most likely right, though. I have been told I can be too helpful. Often they don’t agree with what I think should be done. If they won’t let you travel along with us then I will go with you on my own and find them later after we have gotten you and the children to safety.”

  Endra tilted her head and squinted her eyes. “You are an odd one, Kian… Do you have a last name?”

  “Cardan.”

  “Well, Kian Cardan, let us see what your friends have to say. I am sorry if I have seemed less than hospitable, but I have to keep my guard up, we have been tricked before. I don’t know why but your eyes speak the truth to me, and I believe you mean what you say. I will accept your help.”

  Kian tried to keep from smiling but did a poor job of it. “Let’s go ask K’xarr what he thinks and if he says no, then we will travel on alone.”

  “Agreed, but I don’t want to cause trouble between you and your friends.”

  “It’s okay, they’re used to me causing trouble.”

  Endra stood a few yards away with one arm around each son’s shoulder and the little girl clinging to her leg. K’xarr looked at them. The little family was trying to look pleasant.

  “I should have known you would pull something like this. I should have made you come back with us last night. They are hunted by the Church, we don’t need that kind of trouble. Kian, you can’t help everyone we come across.”

  “Let them come with us, just until we find them a place for them to stay. Please, K’xarr, they won’t be any trouble and Endra has a good sword arm, she might be of use if we run into any trouble ourselves.”

  “The only use she would be is if she was on her back with her legs spread.”

  Kian’s lips tightened and he looked K’xarr in the eye. “I don’t think you should talk that way about her.”

  “Oh, by the gods of horse s
hit, I see now, you are smitten with her! Why didn’t you say so, that I understand.”

  Kian looked to see if Endra had heard K’xarr. “Please keep your voice down. I’m not smitten, I just can’t leave a woman and children alone and in danger.”

  “I won’t argue with you, Kian, I know you well enough now that it’s a waste of time. Here is what I’m willing to do. They can travel along with us until they find a safe place, then we cut them loose and it’s over. I won’t take on the might of the Church for anyone and they are your responsibility until we get them where they’re going.”

  Kian nodded. “I understand and don’t worry, I think she can handle herself, and I will help her with any problem that might arise.” Kian looked over his shoulder at Endra and her children. “Thank you, K’xarr, I won’t forget this.”

  “Don’t thank me. I just don’t want to listen to you complain and I don’t want to lose your sword arm either. If it takes hauling a woman and her brats a few miles down the road, so be it.”

  The companions mounted their horses. The children rode with Cromwell, Vandarus, and Rufio. Kian gave his horse to Endra and he trotted alongside her.

  Kian looked up to find Endra staring down at him. “Is something wrong?”

  She shook her head. “I wanted to say thank you for the kindness you have shown me and my children. It’s been a long time since I had reason to give anyone my thanks.”

  Embarrassed, Kian smiled at the woman. When he looked into her eyes, he found it hard to speak. The sun climbed higher in the sky as the small band rode on to the southeast.

  It was the end of spring in Bandara. The cool nights and warm days of spring were changing to warm nights and hot days of summer. The farmer’s crops had been planted. The fishing boats were full with the sea’s hard-won bounty when the summer breeze brought them back into Fair Wind Harbor. It had also come time for the sheep to be shorn throughout the kingdom. The days were growing longer in Bandara and the army was preparing to march.