by Lana Axe
“Please,” Pia said, pleading. “We have to go back.”
Nodding, the elf said, “Let’s go.”
Pia forced herself to breathe at a steady rate. Her steps quickened, hoping that when they reached the gate, Taren and Embyr would be waiting. A low raspy moan sounded, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Fear set her hands to trembling.
“Something’s there,” she whispered.
Chapter 17
Frozen with fear, Pia tried to run, but her feet would not obey. She threw her hands in front of her as a wraith rushed toward her. The air around her grew putrid, the stench burning her eyes. Death was upon her.
The shadow advanced, skeletal arms stretching from beneath a tattered black robe. Gliding effortlessly above the ground, it opened its mouth, a wail of despair shattering the silence. Pia wanted to cover her ears, but she held her hands outstretched. Grasping desperately at the energy around her, she tried to form a barrier between herself and the wraith.
It worked. She cried out in disbelief as the wraith was turned, forced away by the power of her shield. Holding it steady, she prepared herself for a second attack. More shadows joined the wraith, her confidence waning. She needed help. Where was Taren?
A shout of defiance startled her, and she caught sight of Leko as he ran for her. Without slowing, he plunged into the madness, slashing at a wraith with his knife. To Pia’s amazement, the knife severed the wraith’s arm, and the creature crumbled to dust.
With renewed confidence, she pulled at the energy, preparing to join the attack. A wraith broke from the others and rushed toward her, howling on a gust of fetid wind. Blasting with all her strength, she shoved it backward, but only by a small amount. It recovered easily and advanced again. Panicking, she backed away, nervously searching for more energy. She wished for night and the power of the stars.
Summoning light in her hand, she hoped to repel the darkness. As the light grew more intense, the wraith turned its face away, raising its arm to shield its hidden face. It was working! Pressing forward, she sent the ball of light directly at the beast. In one swish of its robe, it consumed the light, extinguishing all to darkness.
Stunned, Pia lost her grip on the energy force and stumbled sideways. Catching herself, she frantically tried to regain her connection, but her mind was in a panic. She couldn’t find the energy. A skeletal hand reached for her and she backed away, tripping on fallen lumber. Her stumble was all the time the wraith needed to lay its hand on her wrist. She tried to pull away, a searing cold spreading through her arm. Its grip was too tight.
Searching for heat in the wraith’s body, she found none. It was a creature of the void, soulless, bloodless. There was nothing but hate to be found in it. She cried out in terror. “Help! Taren!”
Still her instructor did not come. The wraith advanced, bearing down on the girl and knocking her to the ground. Closing her eyes, she resigned herself to her fate. The wraith would consume her. Tears flooded her eyes as she thought of her companions. They were probably overwhelmed by the wraith horde, falling one by one. She would join them in the life to come.
Heat left her body, the wraith pressing itself against her. She felt her energy escaping, her life essence draining. Her thoughts drifted back to the stars. In an instant, her will to fight returned. The sun! Focusing her mind to its massive store of energy, she blasted through the darkened veil and channeled the heat toward her. It was excruciating, burning. The fumes of it choked her, sending her into a fit of coughing. Still she held fast. Pulling heat toward her, as much as she could stand, she blasted it at the wraith. The black robe caught fire, a shriek of terror erupting from the creature’s throat.
Dropping her link with the sun, she blasted the wraith with energy, forcing it back toward the others. Before it could reach them, it dissipated into a black mist. The flash of a dagger proved Leko was still alive, and she rushed to his aid as he struggled against the attacking wraiths.
Her body shook with rage as she fought, her clothing soaked with sweat. The sun’s energy had been too intense for her, but she had survived it. Energy swirled around her as she sent a barrage toward the wraiths, knocking three back at once.
Leko turned to look at her, his white teeth flashing in the dim light. Pia was relieved to see he wasn’t hurt. When the smile fell from his lips, she turned around. Behind her was a second wave of wraiths.
Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to steady her hands. They trembled uncontrollably, but she stood her ground. Reaching for the energy, she let it wash over her, renewing her zeal for the fight. Sparks danced on her fingertips, and she projected the light at her attackers.
The illumination revealed a face among the sea of black, its presence sending a chill up her spine. She dropped the spell, all her energy fading away. Her mother’s face stared back at her, looking through cold, black eyes. Pia gasped, her knees buckling. The wraith rushed her, knocking her to the ground.
Pia could not blink. Her eyes could not look away from the face of her most beloved mother. Was this really her? Had she been taken by a wraith? Consumed? She wept, pressing her face to the ground. She had failed. Her absence had not protected her mother.
Leko cried out as he leapt for the wraith, pulling it away from Pia. Stabbing his dagger through its center, he released it back to the void. A low moan escaped its throat, the image of Pia’s mother was no more.
Pia struggled back to her feet, her eyes still focused where her mother had been. Shadows descended on Leko, overwhelming the elf. He dropped both daggers as a dozen hands clasped him, their skeletal fingers still covered with bits of rotten flesh.
“No!” Pia shouted as she charged toward them, her hands outstretched. Reaching again for the sun, she pleaded for it to share its energy. The heat of it made her sick, her stomach twisting into a knot. Sweat poured from her skin, her throat clenching. Gasping for breath, she found none. Her head spun as she faded in and out of consciousness. She couldn’t hold the link. Dropping to her knees, she toppled over to the side.
Flames. Through half-open eyes Pia witnessed a sudden burst of orange light, encompassing the wraiths. The orange intensified to red. Every wraith in its path shrieked with pain; the rest fled in terror. Blackness descended, then faded away.
“Taren,” she whispered. It was not her magic that had called down the flames. It was dragon fire. “Leko.”
Embyr rushed to Pia, helping her to sit up. “Are you hurt?” she asked.
Pia shook her head. “Leko?”
“Taren’s with him,” she said.
On unsteady legs, Pia tried to stand. With Embyr’s support, she staggered toward Leko. An incantation, soft and soothing, sounded from the sorcerer as he placed his hands on Leko’s head. He repeated the phrase for what seemed an eternity. Pia and Embyr waited in silence.
Taren’s shoulders slumped, his head hung over. Placing his fingers over Leko’s eyes, he slid them closed. “He’s gone,” he whispered.
“No!” Pia shouted.
Embyr released her grasp on the girl and dropped to her knees next to Leko’s lifeless form. “He can’t be gone,” she repeated, her voice trembling. “Please,” she said. “You have to save him.”
“I’ve done all I can do,” Taren said, his voice thin.
Pia buried her face in her hands and wept. Embyr cried out, turning her face to the darkened sky. Taren tried to comfort Embyr, but she shoved him away. He moved to Pia and wrapped an arm around her.
“Are you injured?” he asked
“No,” she managed to say. “I...I couldn’t save him. I wasn’t strong enough.”
“There were too many for you,” he said.
“I should have been stronger.”
He cradled her in his arms and allowed her to weep. She wasn’t sure how long they stayed there before Taren released her.
“We need to get moving,” he said.
Embyr shot him a hateful look.
“The wraiths will return,” he said. “They’ve made a home
of this place.”
Gathering Leko’s daggers, Embyr tucked them into her pack. “We can’t leave him here,” she said.
“We can’t carry him,” he replied.
“Burn the body with dragon fire,” Embyr said.
Taren nodded and began his transformation. Embyr moved to Pia’s side, clasping the girl’s hand. They stood straight, fighting their tears as Leko’s body was reduced to ashes. Taren returned to his human form.
“No wraith can harm him now,” Embyr said. “Let’s go.”
It was hours before any of them spoke again. They returned to the woods determined to put as much distance between themselves and Tegea as possible. Pia hoped never to see that city again. She wished Taren had burned the entire place to the ground.
They journeyed on, not stopping until nightfall. Without saying a word, Embyr prepared her pallet and went to sleep, turning on her side away from her companions.
Pia wanted to go to her, but Taren stopped her. “Let her be alone,” he said. “Sit with me.”
Though reluctant to follow his advice, Pia obeyed. She looked over her shoulder, longing to comfort Embyr. She could use some comfort herself. At the very least, they could share stories about Leko and why they both loved him. He was the brother Pia had never had, and she suspected Embyr felt the same way. The two had journeyed together for years before Pia came along. That could only make Embyr’s pain worse.
“Time will dull your pain,” he said. “Hers too.”
Pia didn’t see how. “How do you deal with it?” she asked. “You’ve lived so many years. You must have lost many loved ones.”
She was correct. “I’ve dealt with the pain in various ways. Anger, vengeance, denial,” he said. “As time goes on, it separates you from the pain, but it never goes away.”
Sensing a deep hurt inside him, she decided not to pry. His grief was his own. “I saw my mother,” she said. “That’s why I couldn’t save Leko. I was afraid it was really her.” She paused. “Is she alive?”
Taren didn’t answer right away, heightening the young woman’s anxiety. Finally, he spoke. “I can’t say for certain,” he began. “But the void knows your fears, your weaknesses. The wraith might have taken that form because it knew it would affect you. They needed a diversion, something to break your spirit.”
“They succeeded,” she said, her mouth dry. “I want to merge with the symbol.”
“You aren’t ready,” he replied.
“I am,” she protested. “If I’d had it tonight, I could have saved Leko. I know it.”
Taren remained silent, studying her face in the darkness.
“I reached for the void,” she said. “When I couldn’t find the stars, I reached for the sun.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Go on,” he said.
“It was so much heat, but I focused my mind to the spell. I incinerated a wraith.” She paused, looking into the darkness. “I tried to do it a second time and failed.”
“Most master sorcerers could not do what you have done,” he said. “To reach into the sun is no small achievement. You have survived where a fully trained sorceress might have killed herself.”
“Then I’m ready for the symbol,” she said. “I’ve proved myself worthy.”
“There was never a need to prove your worth,” he said. “Only your mental and physical strength.”
“I won’t allow another friend to die,” she said. “Not when I could save them. The symbol will grant me the power I lack. I can’t continue to grow without it.”
“Then you shall have it,” he said.
Tears came into her eyes, but she fought them back. “Thank you,” she said.
“I must retrieve it,” he said. “It will be morning before I can return. Remain here with Embyr. Take care of her.”
“I will,” she replied.
* * * * *
The onyx dragon soared over the treetops, navigating through the darkened sky. His amber eyes gleamed, mirroring the moonlight above. He’d always enjoyed flying at night. The only thing missing was the ocean. Flying between the sea and sky, the stars reflecting beneath him, he felt as if he were flying through eternity. That was freedom.
In the forest he felt trapped. Wraiths could appear from behind any tree, leaving him constantly on edge. This journey couldn’t end soon enough. Then he might put his weariness behind him. He had lived far too long.
There was still much to accomplish before he could rest. He stowed those thoughts away, choosing not to dwell there. Soon.
From high above, the clay soil of the wastelands came into view. At night all of its colors diminished, leaving it a barren, ugly land. Turning away from it, he headed toward the highlands. Lifting higher, he caught the wind and accelerated toward the distant mountains. Speed was crucial. He couldn’t stay away too long.
The smell of the sea found its way to his nostrils as he approached the mountains. On the far side was the ocean, its never-ending waves echoing as they crashed against the base of the cliff. Trying to force himself not to look upon it was useless. He craved the open ocean, where a dragon could soar uninterrupted.
Lifting himself over the mountaintop, he spotted a hint of light in the east. The sun was rising. Its pale purple light signified the start of a beautiful day in the lands where darkness had yet to descend. May the inhabitants of that land never know this evil.
Pia would succeed. She had to. Taren could not accomplish what was needed, despite his considerable powers. The symbol had granted him many things, but it refused to enter the void. That was forbidden.
But its twin was granted access to that vast emptiness. He could not guess what its limitations might be. Only its true wielder could know that.
On the far side of the mountains, the land came to a sharp edge overlooking the sea. Along that cliffside he entered a cave. Gold glimmered inside, jewels of every color sparkling in the morning light that filtered inside the cave.
Returning to human form, he made his way through the cave, following a narrow path into the darkness. Along a wall of white minerals, he grabbed hold of a rock ledge and pulled himself up. Hidden inside a golden coffer, he retrieved his former master’s symbol. The artifact shone in his hand, its intersecting lines of gold forming a pattern of great beauty. His heart filled with sadness for the master he had lost.
Upon Imrit’s death, Taren had taken the symbol for safekeeping. Imrit trusted him to find the true owner and make sure she received it when she was ready. The old sorcerer had had no idea how dire the need for it would be. He had anticipated a moment of great joy when the rightful wielder merged with her symbol. “You will help her adjust to her new powers as I have done for you,” he had said. Taren smiled. The old man had indeed helped him adjust. Taren couldn’t have done it without his guiding hand.
Memories flooded his mind, but he refused to dwell on them. Now was not the time. So many friends gone, lost to the endless progression of time. Were it possible to return to his youth, he would in an instant. He would live an average life among those he had loved, and gladly lay down his life at the appropriate end. The symbol had granted him many gifts, but life unending was akin to a curse.
Finish this one task, he told himself. Rest will come soon.
Taren tucked the symbol safely inside his robe and made his way back through the cave. Emerging into the light, he stared out the cave’s entrance, observing the seabirds and listening to their song. They knew no evil. Life for them was unchanged.
On dragon’s wings he exited the cave, glancing only once at the ocean.
Chapter 18
Near sunset Taren returned with the symbol. A low pass over the land they were heading toward seemed in order, so he had spent a few hours searching the land for any dangers they might encounter. To his surprise, there was little of note. Perhaps the sight of a dragon’s shadow had scared everything away.
Pia was glad to see him when he arrived. Having him gone for so long worried her. What chance would they have if he didn’
t return? Such thoughts found their way into her mind, no matter how she tried to quiet them. She was turning into a worrier, like her mother.
Embyr barely responded to Taren’s arrival. She had been cold and distant all day. Pia tried to make tea, searching Leko’s remaining herbs for the proper mixture. She failed. The flavor was awful, and she hadn’t properly strained the leaves, resulting in a mouthful of debris with each sip. Joking about it hadn’t helped. Where Leko would have laughed, Embyr responded with silence. It was too soon for laughter, Pia decided.
Though she doubted Leko would have agreed with that. He was an easy-going elf who loved to laugh. So full of life. She would never forget him. Determined that his death would be a turning point in her own young life, she readied herself to bond with the symbol. It was the only way to prevent more suffering. Darkness would spread throughout the world if she wasn’t able to stop it. For Leko, her mother, and everyone else Pia would come to love, she had to succeed.
“Have you brought the symbol?” she asked.
Taren nodded. “I have it,” he said. Removing it from his pocket, he held it out for her to see. Lying flat in the palm of his hand, it radiated energy. A flash of gold shone on its surface, despite the lack of light. Power deep inside it was waiting to be unleashed.
“It’s beautiful,” she said.
“Take it in your hand,” he said.
Holding it in her right hand, she closed her fingers around it, feeling its warmth. A sense of belonging came over her, not from her own thoughts but the symbol’s. It was glad to have found her. It had waited a long time. Memories came into her mind, strange lands and people she had never seen before. These were images the symbol had witnessed. More than an artifact, it was an ancient traveler who had witnessed millennia of changes. She could experience them all with it, and the future beyond.
“How do I begin the bonding?” she asked.
“For me it was simple,” he replied. “I accepted the symbol and it merged with me.” He pointed to the dragon-shaped lines on his arm. “This is where it entered. The lines changed after the symbol became activated.”