Trail of Flames

by Marlow York

  Dirt and scratches covered our bodies. Our bags were filthy and a little torn up, but they were still intact. I checked for my weapons and canteen. Everything appeared to be where I had left it.

  “We need to get that bleeding stopped.” Cypress looked at my face.

  I touched my right cheek. Blood and dirt covered my fingers. My shoulder burned with stinging pain, and when I glanced down, I stifled a gasp. My clothes were darkened with blood. Cypress pulled a clean cloth from his bag and handed it to me. I pressed it to my face and stood up. “Let’s just get away from here.”

  “Agreed,” Cypress said, and Saven nodded.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  “I guess that explains what happened to Breen,” Cypress mumbled.

  We’d set up camp a few miles away from the cave, far enough into the forest that we found decent foliage cover. We washed away the dirt and grime at a trickling stream, and then dressed our wounds.

  Cypress and Saven both had many minor scratches. The claw marks on my cheek and shoulder were deep, but the Warrior’s Shield had protected my throat from more serious wounds. Cypress attached a thick gauze to my face, then expertly stitched the cuts in my shoulder while I dug my fingernails into Saven’s tail. By the time he wrapped the wound in bandages I was completely exhausted.

  “I’m not sure if that’s better or worse than being attacked by thieves,” I muttered. I leaned heavily against Saven. Expending that much Ancient Fire energy had depleted my body. It was like running for miles when you had only been on long walks.

  “The end result is the same, so I don’t think it matters.” Cypress brushed dirt from his bag.

  “What were those things, anyway?” I asked. “A City creation?” Besides the City’s airships, I had never seen anything like that before.

  Cypress looked pensive. “That’s what I’m thinking, but…something about the technology seems off.”

  “What do you mean? I thought only the City was capable of making things like that?”

  “That’s what I assumed, but didn’t the design look different from the airships?” Cypress asked.

  “I’ve never really thought about the airships’ designs.”

  Cypress stared at the ground for a long moment. “Think about it. The airships tend to be more squared off, bulky in appearance, made of dark metal. Even the small Scouting Ships aren’t exactly pretty. I haven’t had much experience looking at their ships, but the designs seem very…old-fashioned.”

  “My village used cows and horses to pull wooden carts,” I said bluntly. “I don’t think anything the City uses for transportation could be considered ‘old-fashioned’ to me.”

  Cypress chuckled. “My village is by no means ‘technologically advanced’ either.” He frowned, his face serious. “But those spiders. Their design was so sleek, and they behaved intelligently. Almost like real, living creatures.”

  I swallowed hard and Saven shifted uncomfortably behind me. “Maybe they have more advanced technology than we realized.”

  “Or maybe it wasn’t the City’s technology,” Saven chimed in.

  I looked up at him. “If it wasn’t the City’s technology, then whose was it?” I shifted my gaze to Cypress. “Do you know of any other village that can be capable of creating something like that?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’ve never run into another society powerful enough to compete with the City.”

  I wished Sarrenke was with us. She was born a City Dweller. If there had ever been another city developed enough to create those spiders, she might know.

  “I may have an idea about some people who would know,” Cypress said suddenly. “But they aren’t exactly the friendly type.”

  “Anything is worth a shot,” I said. “If there are two cities after us, we need to understand what we’re up against.”

  Chapter 8

  How long have you been using your powers?” Cypress asked me. It was the next day, and though I hadn’t slept well, I was eager to get through the forest and away from the cave as fast as possible.

  “I’ve known about them since I was very young.” I stepped over a tree branch. “But I hadn’t used them much until the last year or so.”

  “That would explain why you get so tired if you use them too long,” Cypress said.

  “Our powers are like a muscle, right?” I asked. “The more we work the muscle, the stronger it becomes. If we don’t use them, they become weak.”

  “Exactly,” Cypress said.

  “And they could disappear,” Saven added, thinking of the Fiero.

  “I definitely won’t make that mistake,” I told him. “When did you know you had powers?” I asked Cypress.

  “From the time I was born.” He shrugged. “My parents told me that when I was an infant, I used to make patches of grass and flowers grow unusually tall just for my own amusement.”

  “So, you were raised by both your parents?” I asked, remembering that his father, Bersi, never came to the house.

  “Yes.” Cypress paused, perhaps sensing the question I was going to ask. “They’re…married but separated right now.”

  “Separated? Married couples can do that?”

  Cypress gave me a quizzical look. “Of course. I’m not saying it’s a good thing, but it’s allowed, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  I felt embarrassed and naïve. “It isn’t allowed in the Fiero village or in the City. They taught us that we all had to work together in order to survive, and that meant keeping families together and preventing conflict.”

  “Huh,” Cypress said. “Who knew the City could come up with one good law?”

  “I hate them now, but they took care of us. Whether we wanted them to or not.” I paused. “It doesn’t mean arguments don’t happen and that families don’t have problems. If your parents are happier apart, then maybe it’s for the best?”

  Saven gave a slow warning hiss. I glanced up at him, then at Cypress, who became silent.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t assume.”

  Cypress quickly waved it off, but his tone was harsh. “My parents are two very prideful people. They think they’re happier apart, but they aren’t. I’d rather they work things out like adults than wait for the other one to admit they were wrong.”

  Given my lack of experience on the subject, I didn’t know what to say. An awkward silence fell over us. My parents had their share of arguments, but they always managed to work things out. I missed them deeply. My mother’s stern face and my father’s twinkling blue eyes filled my vision.

  Saven nudged my shoulder, pushing away the memories overcoming me.

  “Your powers,” I broke the silence. “Did you need to be taught how to use them?”

  “No, not really. It’s just something you get good at. Like crawling, then standing, then walking, then running.” He stopped to hold a tree branch as I passed. “It starts small, like making a wilting flower come back to life. With practice, we all learned more difficult and tiring things, like making the trees move.”

  I thought about the first time I realized I was different. “We—my family and I, that is—found out about my powers when my hand accidentally caught on fire as a child.”

  Cypress raised his eyebrows in surprise and laughed. “That must have been a shock!”

  “It was,” I said. “So shocking that I was told never to use my powers or tell anyone about them.”

  Cypress frowned. “You were the only one in your village that had the Ancient Fire?”

  “As far as I know, yes.”

  Cypress hummed thoughtfully. “It must have been difficult to keep it secret for so long. I can’t image not being able to use my powers freely.”

  I gave a humorless chuckle. “And I can’t imagine growing up in a village full of people who get to use their powers freely. It must have been nice to be surrounded by people just like you, rather than having to hide and avoid people so you wouldn’t be taken away by the City.”

  Bitterness filled my voice. I envie
d Cypress and his clan. In his village, no one was a freak for being able to manipulate plants. It was normal. In my village, I was the weird one. Not only that, I was dangerous. If anyone had found out about me, they would have been terrified. Now it was clear to me why I’d had to keep my powers a secret. I wasn’t just a potential danger; I had single-handedly caused the destruction of my entire village. It was my fault everyone was dead.

  Saven hissed. “There may be survivors. Like your sister.”

  I hoped he was right, but my faith faded with each passing day. We hadn’t seen another Fiero in over a year. It was also clear the City had greater technology than I realized, or a powerful ally. How could anyone survive? Darkness gripped me and I closed my eyes.

  “There it is,” Cypress said suddenly.

  I snapped to attention and looked up. We had finally reached the edge of the Northern Forest.

  I stood beside him and gazed outward. No trees blocked the brightly shining sun. A field stretched out before us, littered with stones of varying sizes. Far on the horizon I saw rocky hills and mountains, though they didn’t seem nearly as daunting as Snowy Mountain and her children.

  “Are we going over those mountains?” I pointed.

  Cypress nodded. “That’s where the sea is.” He turned to me and smiled. Despite my feelings of futility and hopelessness, I managed to smile back.

  “There isn’t much cover,” Saven observed.

  “You’re right,” I said aloud. “We’re going to be exposed when we walk out there.”

  “The field doesn’t stretch very far,” Cypress said. “We can follow a path up into the hills. There are smaller trees and bushes there, but also huge boulders to hide behind if we need to.”

  I suddenly had a flashback of our trek up Snowy Mountain, and how difficult it had been to avoid the drone that chased us. I cringed.

  “Worst case scenario,” Cypress added, “we may be able to find a cave to duck into.”

  I shivered at the thought of entering another cave. “Let’s just get moving.”

  The field stretched only a couple miles wide, and soon the ground tilted upward. I felt my calves working harder as the elevation increased. We found a small path, perhaps once used by traders. I still felt uneasy in the unfamiliar territory.

  “This trail is convenient,” I panted, “but if it has been well traveled before, I don’t think it would be smart to keep following it.”

  “I agree,” Cypress said. “But we won’t stay on it for too long. Look up there.”

  He pointed, and I followed his gaze. All I saw were huge boulders littering the side of the hill. “What are we looking at?”

  “The path is a straight shot east, but if we keep going north up the hill, we will be in the middle of the Boulder Fields. No one in their right minds would ever go there.”

  “But we will?” Saven was concerned.

  “Why is that?” I asked.

  “Because the Nordahl rule this mountain. They don’t take kindly to intruders.”

  “Well, we need to talk to them anyway. You don’t think they’ll just attack us, do you?”

  Cypress looked grim. “I certainly hope not.”

  Saven and I exchanged worried glances, but we followed him anyway. Cypress veered off the trail, heading straight up the steep side of the mountain.

  “How do you know so much about this area if you’ve never been here?” I asked.

  “Breen, mostly.” Cypress’s voice caught and he cleared his throat. “Secaran traders openly talk about trade routes with each other, even if we never go into that territory. We always keep tabs on each other, and traders love sharing stories from the road. I stayed on the western side of the mountain, trading only with the Grakkir since I’m one of the youngest and least experienced.” He chuckled softly. “And my mother would never let me go this far from home.”

  “If the Nordahl control rocks and dirt, wouldn’t they make compatible allies for the Secara?” I asked.

  “We were allies, many centuries ago. But then again, all our ancestors were allies to some degree. The Fiero, the Grakkir, and every clan that had powers over the elements. Until the Great Wars happened.”

  I had read a little about the Great Wars in history books the Grakkir salvaged from the City’s book burnings. “From what I’ve read, it all started when the City Dwellers tried to wipe out people like us.”

  “That’s what they say.” Cypress assessed our surroundings and readjusted our path around the boulders. “But it wasn’t just that. There was unrest between the clans with Ancient Powers. They say the clans ruled equally, with representatives from each group coming together to make laws. There were some, however, who believed certain powers should have more authority. The Fiero, for instance, possess a highly destructive element—fire—which can easily burn through plants.”

  “But can be extinguished by water,” I said.

  “And fed by air.” Cypress glanced over his shoulder at me. “Do you see how alliances and disagreements form when people think their power should be more important than someone else’s?”

  I nodded. “It sounds like an elaborate game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.”

  Cypress laughed. “True. We talk about it so simply now. I mean, all the elements have their strengths and weaknesses, and that’s why they worked well together. It was best for the sake of everyone not to fight. But, with power comes power-hungry people. Some more hungry than others.”

  “You mean the City?” I asked.

  “Not just the City.”

  I stopped to catch my breath. I looked behind us and realized how far up the mountain we’d come. Shrubs and boulders surrounded us. I understood why Cypress called this place the Boulder Fields. Some of the rocks were small, but others were nearly as big as a house and balanced precariously on their edges, or on top of other boulders. It was a strange and beautiful phenomenon.

  “Beautiful and dangerous.” Saven looked up at a massive boulder looming over us. One small earthquake could send it crashing down the hill, destroying anything in its path.

  “I wonder how they balance like that?” I asked. “Or how they got there in the first place?”

  “The City would tell you gravity is the culprit.” Cypress stood a few yards ahead of us. “But I know they were placed there by the Nordahl.”

  “As a defense mechanism?” I asked.

  Cypress nodded. “Exactly. Why they haven’t used them yet, I’m not entirely sure.”

  “Maybe they don’t know we’re here.” I caught up to him.

  Cypress glanced around. “No, they know we’re here. They’ve been watching us from the moment we stepped off that trail.”

  An uncomfortable tingle ran down my spine. “How do you know?”

  “I don’t smell anything,” Saven flicked his tongue.

  “They think they’re clever, but I know the signs. My people still trade with them from time to time, though they always try to shortchange us.” He took a deep breath and shouted, “Isn’t that right, Atlas?”

  My eyes darted around, but I didn’t see anyone. Suddenly, the ground beneath us trembled. I looked at Saven.

  “I sense something, but I can’t tell where it’s coming from,” he said.

  I turned to Cypress and his eyes went wide. “Look out!”

  He grabbed my arm and pulled me away just as a rock fell from the top of the boulder behind us. We both crashed to the ground and Saven whipped his tail, smashing the rock into tiny pieces before it reached the earth.

  We jumped to our feet. “Do you need to antagonize them?” I hissed at Cypress.

  “Sometimes it’s the only way to get their leader’s attention.”

  “Great,” I muttered. “Next time clue us in on your plan before rocks attack us.”

  The ground beneath us shook violently. “Move!” Saven hissed.

  I grabbed Cypress, pulling him away as the ground opened beneath us. A large brown shape burst out of the earth, showering dirt and rocks all around us. Th
e earth opened in four other places. Creatures with shaggy brown fur and what looked like skulls for faces surrounded us.

  I drew my axe and whirled around, trying to keep each creature in my line of vision. They stood on legs like men, but their clothes and masks gave them the appearance of otherworldly monsters. What I initially thought were skulls on their heads were actually masks carved out of stone. I barely saw their eyes through the slits in the masks.

  “Who are you?” one of them demanded. He lifted a club and pointed it at us.

  “Cypress.” He raised his hands, palms outward. “Of the Secara clan.”

  The figure turned to look at me.

  “Valieri,” I said simply. “This is Saven. We come from the Grakkir clan.”

  Everyone looked at Saven as he hissed defensively, swishing his massive tail.

  The man seemed disinterested in the snake god. “What are a Secara and a Grakkir doing in Nordahl territory?”

  “We must speak to your leader,” Cypress said. “There has been an incident, and we need to know the truth of its cause.”

  “You are accusing our leader of a crime?” the man’s voice roared from behind the mask.

  “We only wish to know the truth,” Cypress said. “A Secaran trader was killed in the cave on the eastern side of the forest. Only the Secara and the Nordahl know it exists.”

  “We tapped that mine clean years ago. We don’t use it for anything,” the man said. “If your trader died, it is because he was a fool.”

  “Or because your people knew he was coming to trade with you, but rather than give your fair share, you chose to take it all for yourselves!”

  I looked at Cypress suddenly. These accusations not only put us in danger, but they seemed out of character for him. I sensed there was a greater animosity between these two clans than I realized, but he was digging us deeper into a grave.