pure note comes from the sword, defying the howling around me. Faster and faster and the sword’s song rises, rises. The wall of howling falters, shatters into silence, leaves the sword song unchallenged.
And my heart beats with the song of the sword. I lower the sword and the forest is still. I speak to the silence.
"Know this Beast, Gyllen was brave and you did not defeat him. As to my worthiness - I am here, I hold the sword and that is enough. I will not be judged by you. I feel your presence all around me, all rage and despair and darkness, and I am afraid. But I own my fear and it will not stop me. And know this Beast, I am what you fear most for I am Hope. Now come to me and we will see which is stronger, my hope or your rage and despair."
Howls of dark rage surround me. I close my eyes, breath deeply and reach out. There! To my left and behind me, the Beast comes in fury. I kiss the blade and hold my sword out and ready. It is on me, hot rancid breath, slashing claws, savage teeth. I strike, feel my sword bite deep and cry out as the Beast’s jaws close on my shoulder. It shrieks and whirls round, too quick, too quick and its claws rip into my side. Pain explodes as I hit the ground and darkness takes me.
I smell damp earth, I breathe, I live and my heart beats with the life of Rianth. I hear the Beast as it circles me. It is hurt and I feel its pain. Get up. Get up, must get up. Slowly, I push myself to my feet. Blood flows and I fight waves of blackness. I stand and face the Beast. It is still now, eyes fixed on me. One arm hangs limp and useless at its side, mirroring my own. Silently I bless the impact armour – ‘"It is designed to reflect most of any impact back onto whatever hits you" – my Mother’s words.
The smell of blood, mine and the Beast’s, fills the air. It has tasted my blood and wants more but it has been hurt and is wary now. I hold its gaze and slowly raise my sword to shoulder height at my side, showing the Beast its own blood as it drips from my blade. I close my eyes and reach out. I feel Rianth beneath my feet, feel the forest around me, feel the Beast hissing and snarling its frustrated rage, feel a fresh breeze flowing through the forest.
"Do you feel that Beast? The forest is coming back to life. It knows your time here is nearly at an end. Rianth knows this, I know this and" I bring my blade round to point directly at the Beast’s heart "you know this."
Raging, snarling, clawing, the Beast charges. I see gaping jaws, spittle flying, insanity behind the eyes. Slip to the side and strike, one motion. The Beast’s fall shakes the forest – silence returns.
Blood in my mouth, my wounds are deep. Darkness beckons me – "Just close your eyes and sleep and the pain will be over" it whispers to me. But there is one more thing for me to do. I feel it in the silence, Rianth is waiting for me to end this. I limp to the Beast, every step, every breath an agony. Its eyes flicker open and it speaks to me.
"You cannot kill me, I am part of you and will always be part of you. Wherever you go I will be with you, in the darkest corners of your soul, waiting, waiting for my time. I can never die."
Weariness and pain hits like a wave. I nearly, so nearly, waver and fall. Then, a wonder, the light of Mirath and Arat breaks through the trees and surrounds me. Bathed in light I raise my sword and my heart beats with the fire of Rianth’s suns.
"No Beast, you are not part of me or of my people. We created you to fill the emptiness in our hearts, but now we have Hope and it is time to let you go. Rest in light Beast."
My sword blade glitters with the fire of Mirath and Arat as it plunges into the heart of the Beast and the world explodes in light and fire.
Phoenix
Floating, I am floating in a river of light. Slowly, slowly the world comes back. I feel the life around me, the life within me and my heart beats. Wonder of wonders – I am alive, I am healed, I am whole. The joy of life, of being alive fills me and I give grateful thanks to Rianth. Eyes closed, I listen to the sounds of the forest around me and hear…….an infant’s cry. A child, new-born, lies on the ashen remains of the Beast, skin as dark as my own, shock of bright red hair, rainbow eyes. She smiles as I bend down to her and gently pick her up. She reaches out and touches my nose and bursts into giggles.
"Hello Phoenix child, welcome to the universe, welcome to Rianth."
I gaze into her rainbow eyes and feel a deep peace.
"You need a name I think. How about Sethemba, do you like that?"
She beams and claps her hands.
"Well then, let’s go home Sethemba."
And my heart beats with the fire of the Phoenix.
###
Thank you for reading my book (this is the first story I have had published). If you enjoyed it please take a moment to leave me a review at your favourite retailer.
Live in light.
Blair
Acknowledgements
Heartfelt thanks go to:
My wife Manda - my constant inspiration and support and my literary editor.
To Tatiana Vila for bringing my vision for the cover art to life in such a beautiful way. Please check out her artwork at https://www.viladesign.net/ .
FutureLearn for running the inspirational creative writing course that got me started.
And, of course, to my literary muse Henley Bear, who is indeed a bear of some brain (and will be dead chuffed to read any comments or reviews you might like to make).
About Blair MacKinnon
I live with my wife Manda and my literary muse Henley Bear in a quiet village in rural South Norfolk, England. I've only recently started writing stories seriously following an online Creative Writing course I completed at FutureLearn. The course was brilliant and a lot of fun (I highly recommend it) and during it I discovered my literary muse Henley Bear. Since the course Henley has been helping to unlock my creative genius (ahem). My interests include cosmology, chaos theory, quantum physics, spirituality and spiritual places, the tao of physics, SETI, cultural history & mythology, citizen science and photography, so I expect these themes will appear in my future stories (one of them is Henley's story which he is rather chuffed about).
I am currently working on the novel that tells the story that goes before, during and after Nireti's encounter with the Beast. It is titled Phoenix Rising and I'm aiming to finish it early in 2016, so watch this space!
Connect with Blair MacKinnon
If you would like to follow my musings on writing (how the stories are progressing, what's coming next, inspirations etc.) and Henley's words of wisdom, you can find us at these places. If you like what you find there, please like and/or follow. Henley and I will do our absolute best to respond to any comments or questions. Thank you.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlairMackinnonPhoenix
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blairmackinnon9
Blog: https://blairmackinnon.wordpress.com/
And My Heart Beats Page 2