The Fire Within

by Nicholas Clausen

  “Kurt.” He almost growled at Kirin, like a dog.

  “Kurt,” Kirin said, putting the name to memory. “You have downed several dragons by firing aimlessly into the sky. A crime in itself.” Kirin said. “But, you purposely fired upon and killed an elf dragon rider and her dragon. Both of whom are under my rule. Both of whom thought you were on their side. Both of whom were my friends.” Kirin’s tone never changed as she spoke.

  Hayden felt his insides flinch with her words, it somehow made it more real saying that Raena was gone aloud.

  “Let me guess you are going to hand me over to this one?” Kurt said, pointing to Hayden. “He is in charge of the humans, right?”

  “No,” Kirin said. A flash of arrogance mixed with false confidence was painted across his face. Hayden couldn’t tell if he was putting on a show, or if he really thought somehow he was going to come away from his crimes unscathed.

  “Since you helped the Metallic Nation, I will give you back to the Metallic Nation.” Kirin looked past the man at those standing around him.

  “I do not blame you for following orders,” Kirin said. “If you choose to make up for what you have done, then stay and fight with us. If you choose to go with this man, then you will be turned over to the Metallic Nation.” Kurt smiled at her words, but no one stepped up to join him.

  Kurt turned and finally saw that he stood alone, none of the other men and women would meet his gaze. He shook his head in disgrace at them. The fire around them had died away, but still, no one dared flee. Draek and Nignra made sure of that.

  “Fine, you can all stay here and die with the rest of them,” Kurt said. “You are all a bunch of cowards anyways.”

  “You have chosen to stay with us, a wise choice.” Kirin looked back to Nignra, and the dragons quit pacing. Kurt followed her gaze and watched as the dragons stopped walking.

  “I won’t ride a dragon,” Kurt said, looking at the two dragons.

  “Excuse me?” Kirin asked, turning to face him again.

  “I will take a horse to Celestial City, but I will not ride a dragon over there.” He shook his head like a stubborn child.

  “You will not need a horse or a dragon. I know of a faster way.” Kirin said with a smile.

  “You that have chosen to stay behind and fight, seize this traitor and load him into one of the catapults.” Kurt’s eyes grew wide, and he stopped trying to hide his fear. Hands fell on him as he shouted, screamed, cried, and begged Kirin.

  Kirin turned her back to the squabbling man and faced the city. She did not speak again until she heard the catapult fire and his scream grow distant until finally, they couldn’t hear him any longer.

  “I am sorry,” Hayden said, feeling awkward about it. “We tried to get over here. We thought the Metallic Nation had gotten in behind us and had taken over our war machines.” Hayden explained.

  “It’s ok, Hayden. We will mourn Raena when this is done. Not now. Not here.” Kirin walked back over to Nignra and climbed into the saddle. “I will take charge of the archers and bring them into the fight. You need to get back into the air and lead them.” Kirin explained, pointing at the dragons fighting in the darkening clouds.

  She did not order him, but she did not ask either. Hayden looked up to the chaos that was in the sky. It looked like a swarm of bees with a few stone dragons falling out of the mess. There was no way to tell which side was winning as the small copper dragons darted around.

  Look. Draek averted Hayden’s attention to the north where sheets of rain could already be seen. There was smoke still rising from the city but once it mixed with the storm, seeing anything was going to be nearly impossible.

  “Let's go,” Hayden said and climbed onto Draek’s back. Kirin didn’t say anything else as she flew off to where Raena had been waiting with the archers.

  “Sir, what… what do we need to do?” One of the men that had been with Kurt asked.

  “Where are the Sea Serpents that were in charge here?” Hayden asked, knowing that Rimney had picked some of her deck hands to head this part of the army.

  “Kurt had them tied up, we can release them.” The man said, with a little doubt as to if it was a good idea or not.

  “Release them at once,” Hayden said, rethinking Kirin letting them get off with nothing more than a talking too. “There is no need for the war machines at this moment. Have them all loaded in case we need them again but in the meantime.” Hayden thought about how they could be most useful.

  “Try to get to any wounded on the field and bring them back to where the healers are, save as many as you can.” Hayden grabbed onto the front of the saddle and prepared for Draek to take off.

  “Save our own, right?” The man asked, stepping back away from Draek.

  “Save anyone you can.” Hayden corrected.

  Draek ran a few steps and then jumped into the air.

  ~

  Bruen screamed, but his war cry quickly died down as he swung at the closest enemy to him, the one he had claimed in the begging of their charge. He was out of breath and needed to conserve his energy for his swing.

  The Metallic Nation troops hadn't moved since they filled out of the city. They let Bruen’s forces come to them.

  His sword, which could barely be called a sword, slammed into the shield of the man he had claimed. Bruen’s size and brute force threw the man back into the rows of soldiers behind, but it did no damage to his shield.

  Bruen took a second and watched as the waves of his soldiers crashed on top of the Metallic Nation’s and pushed the first rows back.

  He tried to catch his breath and started hacking and slashing at the people in front of him. He shouted and yelled as his crude sword bounced and slid off the shields and armor of his enemies.

  The soldiers around him were fairing about the same. They fought with everything they had, and they pushed the enemies back. Bruen laughed between breaths as he continued to slash in his frenzy of attacks. The enemies continued to fall back, but none fell.

  Bruen took a step back and realized that the shiny soldiers had formed a wall with their shields and all they were doing was hacking away at the wall. They were shouting and cheering, egging each other on to fight harder and faster. Swords slammed into shields and spears were stabbed wherever they could. Bruen smiled until he realized that the enemies weren’t fighting back.

  They weren’t even falling back anymore.

  “What do we do?” Someone asked him. Bruen shook his head as he looked at the wall before him. He didn’t know what to do. He raised his sword and went back to hacking, sure that if they kept up the assault, they would break through.

  ~

  Shane moved through the dimly lit corridor; the sword was glowing in front of him as he walked. He still had his bull helmet on his head, and he wasn’t sure if it was the helmet or the sword that made everyone he walked past step aside away from him.

  One of the first things he had found out when Elizabeth had released him was where they had his family locked up. He had hoped that it had been in an unused rider’s room, but Elizabeth had put them in the dungeons. She didn’t want to take any chances of Shane breaking them out. A wise decision considering what he was doing now.

  Shane turned down the hallway that led to the dungeons. Are you there yet? Rilora’s voice broke in for the second time. Rilora was waiting in one of the ground level rooms of the Metallic Pyramid. Had she been able to force her way in with Shane, she would not have stayed behind.

  No, I am close. Stop worrying, or you will make me nervous. Shane replied. He tried to walk through the halls like he was supposed to be there, but every part of him told him to stay hidden and try to sneak his way to the dungeons.

  He could feel Rilora’s anxiousness seeping through their connection, and it was making his heart beat faster.

  I am not nervous, that is you. Rilora said. Shane did not respond and turned the last corner before the entrance to the dungeon. There was a single guard watching the door as Shane w
alked up to him. The guard was small, and probably young based on the size of him.

  “Sir?” The guard asked as he nervously stepped in Shane’s way. Shane was significantly taller and broader than the guard. That matched with a copper bull helmet and a sword made of lava made him a thing out of nightmares.

  “I need to get through,” Shane said. He slowed down but did not stop walking. He pushed past the guard and reached for the door, but it was locked.

  Shane thought he heard a slight whimper from the guard as he turned his gaze back to him. The hall was dark, only a handful of torches were burning on the walls. Shane’s sword might have been the brightest thing in the dark hallway, and he could tell it held the guard’s gaze.

  “Unlock it.” He commanded.

  “Sir, I can’t.” He stuttered. He was almost pleading with Shane, being torn between not wanting to fight the copper rider and not wanting to disobey his orders.

  “You can, and you will.” Shane interrupted him.

  “Elizabeth herself ordered me not to.” He was almost begging.

  Shane was about to say something else, something to convince him to let him through but the guard spoke first.

  “Sir, you are a copper rider, why aren’t you fighting with the others?” Shane’s shoulder’s rose and fell as he took a breath and slashed out with the glowing blade. He slammed the hilt of it on top of the guard’s head and knocked him out.

  With his other hand, Shane quickly found the keys and unlocked the door to the dungeon. The hall beyond the door was dark, and the air was foul. There was no light, and everything smelled of rot and decay. A place where hope died and turned into dismay.

  Shane held the sword before him and walked into the darkness without hesitation. He had to fight back the horrible feeling of dread, realizing his family had been forced to live here since his arrival. Every step on the filth-covered floor, every odor stemming from unknown horrors, every groan of pain and suffering he heard would be paid for by Elizabeth. Paid for in blood.

  All the cage doors were opened on both sides of the hall except the one on the end. Shane shined his light over the cage and saw two small figures huddled together in the corner.

  “Ansila, Curtis?” Shane whispered. The two figures looked up at his words. “Mom, dad?” Shane asked.

  His parents stood up carefully, obviously in pain, but got to the cage door as quickly as they could.

  “Shane, Shane, is that you?” Ansila asked. She reached through the bars and lightly touched the side of his helmet.

  “It’s me, I need to get you both out of here. Quickly. It’s not safe here.” Shane fumbled with the keys until he found one that fit and opened the cage door.

  “You are right Shane.” A voice sprang out of the darkness behind him. “It is not safe for any of you here.”

  Shane spun around with the sword held before him. He couldn’t find the source of the voice in the darkness and all he could hear was water continuously dripping somewhere in the dungeon. He used his free hand to pull his parents out of their cell and heard them shuffle their feet nervously through the grime on the floor. He watched the darkness before him, looking for the speaker, but no one came forward.

  Shane! Rilora roared in his head. He knew she was moving but didn’t know where she was going.

  Shane took a few steps forward until the light from Hayden’s sword fell upon Elizabeth and two silver riders. Shane’s heart almost stopped in his chest as he saw who it was.

  “Oh no, it seems we have a problem here,” Elizabeth said.

  “I brought you back into our loving arms, made sure your parents were safe during this horrible battle, and this is how you repay me?” Elizabeth asked. The two silver riders stepped slightly in front of her as she spoke.

  “Elizabeth, it's not that.” Shane started. “I, I fought Hayden, just like you told me too. I fought him, and I beat him.” Shane stammered. It was his turn to sound like he was the guard he had just knocked out. He left the keys in the lock, forgotten and no longer of use. He used his free hand to make sure his parents stayed behind him.

  “You beat him? Then why is he flying back into the fight as we speak?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I, uh, I did beat him.” Shane tried to explain.

  “Ah, you must have misunderstood me. I told you to kill him. Not beat him. I want him dead.” Elizabeth smiled as she spoke.

  “I am sorry, Elizabeth. If you give me another chance, I know this time I can.” Shane continued talking. The entire time he spoke, he held the sword in front of him and pushed his parents closer to the wall.

  “I am sorry, Shane, I don’t think there are any more chances for you,” Elizabeth said.

  The two silver riders stepped forward and drew their own blades. The light from Shane’s flickered off their silver steel.

  “Shane?” His mom whimpered behind him.

  “I am sorry,” Shane said.

  “I don’t want to hear it.” Elizabeth spat back.

  “I wasn’t talking to you,” Shane growled. All fear and nervousness were pushed out of his voice, his charade no longer needed. He slashed out with the flaming sword and in one swipe, turned both of the silver riders to stone. One had been able to raise his sword to block the blade, but it hadn’t been enough.

  Elizabeth disappeared into the darkness before Shane could try to strike again. He held the glowing sword up in front of him, using it as a torch to see where she was hiding but no matter where he looked, he couldn’t find her. She had fled in the darkness.

  “Come on, we need to move quickly,” Shane said. He was sure that she had run and wouldn’t come back on her own, so they had to move quickly. Shane wanted to be gone when the did return. He reached behind him and led them out of the dungeon.

  Where are you? I have them. Shane told Rilora.

  I ripped open the door closest to the dungeon. I killed the dragon and rider inside. There was no bragging or pride in her words, which was a first for Rilora. Go through the first door on your right, it should be this room.

  Shane stepped over the guard that was still knocked out on the floor and saw the door Rilora was talking about. He turned to guide his parents back into the lit hallway when he saw the darkness move behind them.

  Shane jumped past his parents and held up the lava blade as it collided with Elizabeth’s thin golden blade. Shane was shocked to see that her blade did not break against his but actually held.

  “Go, now,” Shane yelled as he pushed Elizabeth off of him. “The first door on the right, go through it,” Shane commanded. His dad pulled his mom away from the fighting and forced her to walk to the door as quickly as they could.

  Elizabeth tried to push past Shane and went straight for his parents. Shane spun around and slammed her into the wall.

  “You will not harm them anymore.” Shane roared. He watched them reach the door and pull it open, his mom looked back one last time before disappearing inside. Shane was torn between focusing on his fight and making sure his parents escaped.

  “I promise you, Shane,” Elizabeth said calmly. “I am just getting started.” She slashed through the darkness at Shane and struck him in the side of his bull helmet. Shane’s head rung like a bell, and he fell to one knee. He could hardly see her in the darkness, but she seemed to be able to see him fine.

  He looked at the glowing sword and realized why.

  Elizabeth stepped past him. “I will kill you, but not until I kill your parents,” Elizabeth said.

  Did you get them? Shane asked Rilora.

  Yes. Rilora answered shortly.

  Get them away but don’t fly. Stay on the ground. Rilora did not have to ask why. Shane knew she would listen and she would flee, even if it broke her heart to do so.

  Shane stood up and had to use his right arm to lean against the door frame of the dungeon. The glowing sword was still in his grasp, but the hall was still spinning. There was still ringing in his ears.

  “You.” Elizabeth stopped talking as Shane spo
ke. “You will not harm them again.”

  Shane lifted the sword up and started walking to Elizabeth. The hall stopped spinning, and he regained control of his body. Elizabeth did not move until the last second, and she dodged out of the way, faster then Shane could move.

  Shane stopped when there was searing pain, a pain, unlike anything he had felt before, in his right arm. He looked down and saw the glowing sword laying on the floor.

  The sword had a stone arm holding it. Shane looked to where his arm used to be and all went black.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Buren said the words that he had thought he would have rather died than ever say.

  As he looked out over the waves of his army, jumping and shouting, slamming their weapons into the shields of those that stood before them, he saw that they were not making any progress.

  The Metallic Nation was not fighting back, but they were no longer losing ground either. Buren, and his soldiers were unable to kill a single one of them.

  “Fall back,” Buren said, realizing his failure.

  “What?” Someone near him asked. Buren had said the words but not loud enough for anyone to hear them. He had hoped that someone else would take up the call, but this was going to be his last and final act as a leader. This was his failure and shame to take.

  “Fall back!” He shouted. The troops around him stopped fighting and looked to the Frost Fang to make sure they had heard him right.

  “Fall back!” He grabbed the nearest man and yanked him off the front line, pushing him back the way they had come.

  “Back, you fools! Fall back.” He kept shouting even as others added their voice to his. Soon their entire line was fleeing. The Metallic Nation stayed rooted where they were. No one tried to lash out or follow them. They didn’t even move back to where they had started out.

  Buren was the last to leave, making sure everyone was running back before he turned to join them. He heard the gates rattle open again behind them and turned.

  The soldiers were standing still. They seemed to be unmoved by the sudden change of events.