Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend (36 page)

“Quickly—up the tree,” he said as he turned to reach out a hand to LyCora, who jumped up and grabbed it just in time, avoiding the pair of snapping jaws.

“Looks like I owe you,” she said.

“You’re welcome!”

Below, the predator roared up at them with a wild look in his eyes. Rex could see that it resembled a species from Earth called Ceratosaurus, but this one was slightly larger.

“DiNiya, you recognize him?” EeNox asked.

“No. He’s definitely not from around here.”

“Look at him,” said LyCora with a stunned expression. “He’s completely emaciated.” The others looked closer and saw that the hungry predator was all skin and bones, with his ribs and hips protruding prominently.

“It’s a wonder he can even move in that condition,” DiNiya said, feeling a great swell of pity for the poor creature.

“He’s being driven by his hunger, I bet,” EeNox said. “Still, it looks like he’s too weak to even climb up here, so at least we’re safe.”

“Famous last words,” Rex said.

“He’s a CeraVora,” DiNiya commented, eyeing him curiously.

“We can use the trees to go most of the way,” EeNox said as he turned to look up at Rex and his sister. “It should take us at least far enough away from him to—”

“Look out!” Rex shouted just as the DyVorian bared its teeth, squeezed his eyes shut, and used his green flame to launch himself up and onto the left root with them.

“Move up the tree!” cried DiNiya as they once again ran as fast as their legs could take them.

This time, Rex felt his flame coming to life on its own, as were those of the others. All except DiNiya, who Rex knew would instantly fall behind. Without so much as a nod in her direction, he scooped her up in his arms, much to her surprise, and shot forward at five times his original speed with the others at his side.

They leapt across the huge branches, some of which were wider than VayRonx. Faster and faster they ran, but their crazed pursuer managed to keep up, pushing himself forward. The CeraVora’s muscles felt like they were falling off and his heart was beating so hard that he feared it might literally burst in his chest. Starved to the point of collapse, it was now only his flame that kept him on his feet.
Stop…stop. I just want to stop
. He tried to keep one foot from going in front of the other, but each time a voice urged him forward, one that felt like teeth sinking into his mind.

He rushed up with his jaws open, only to have them once again come down on nothing but air.
So close
, came the voice in his head.
Do it
.
Push yourself. Let nothing stop you
.

EeNox glanced back and fired at their attacker. The DyVorian was struck in the chest and stumbled to the ground. “Got him,” he called back to the others, who stopped once they saw he was no longer running.

“Oh, no,” DiNiya said in a hushed tone. “Look at him.”

The CeraVora groaned loudly as he tried to stand up, but he kept falling back down.
Get up
, came the voice again.
Get up now!

“No!” he cried out.

“No, what?” EeNox asked, looking at the others.

Rex furrowed his brow and put DiNiya down. He watched the once mighty predator wince as he struggled desperately to get back on his feet. He had grown up with them being pillars of strength in his mind, but seeing one like this now reminded him that even they were mortal.

“This is wrong,” DiNiya said with a look of concern. “We can’t leave him like this.”

He needs your help
, came EliCia’s voice in Rex’s head.
He is in great pain. All he wants is to be released from it. Please Rex, do not let him die like this
.

“We can’t just leave him there,” Rex said.

“Got any suggestions?” replied EeNox.

“Yes, LyCora can heal him.”

“What do you mean I can heal him?” she interjected, unhappy that he presumed anything of her.

“A blue flame is supposed to be able to heal, too, right?” Rex asked insistently. “So heal.”

“It’s not that simple,” she said, turning away. “It’s never that simple.”

“Your mother would at least try,” DiNiya said.

“I’m not my mother!” LyCora shouted angrily before once again turning away. Her mother was well known throughout the Northern Continent as one skilled in all uses of the blue flame. LyCora had followed her throughout the continent as she traveled, performing services to help different people in different areas for all manner of reasons. In doing so, she was always met with acclaim and the utmost respect, much like an alpha. All marveled at her grace and beauty, and respected her power. LyCora, while having felt privileged to grow up under the tutelage of someone like her, had also always felt very much trapped in her shadow. Everywhere she went she was the daughter of VoRenna, always tagging along but never being recognized by anyone on her merit, as an individual.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by DiNiya, who said, “It doesn’t matter if you’re not, you’re still in the best position to do anything right now and you know it.”

LyCora turned and looked at DiNiya, who stared silently back, unflinching. “I bet you would just love to see me fail. Would that bring a smile to those two faces of yours?”

DiNiya knew that she was the last person LyCora wanted to hear any of this from, but the reality was that a life hung in the balance, and while she would delight in seeing her fail, seething with anger because she was not being perfect at something, this was one instance she would have to make an exception.

“Fine,” LyCora said. “But I’m not going down there by myself.”

“What do you mean?” EeNox asked, looking nervous.

“What do you mean, what do I mean? If I’m going down there, you’re all going with me!”

“Fine,” DiNiya said, jumping down to the branch below and looking back up at her. “Coming?”

LyCora gave her a sneer before joining her, leaving Rex and EeNox up top.

“After you,” said EeNox, grinning nervously.

Rex gave him a sarcastic smile before jumping down next to the girls, who in turn looked up at EeNox, who could almost feel their eyes burning into him.

“Maybe I’ll get lucky and die last,” he mumbled to himself before leaping down where he joined the others.

“All right, so how do we want to do this?” asked Rex, glancing over at the CeraVora. “LyCora, do you need to get close or can you just shoot him with your healing fire balls from here?”

“Shoot him with my healing fire balls?” she repeated, bewildered. “What are you, some sort of idiot?” Rex scowled. “Just stick close and follow me,” she said, turning and slowly making her way to her would-be patient. Although her outward demeanor was collected as usual, she was bombarded with anxiety on the inside. She had no idea if she really knew what she was doing. Her less-than-enthusiastic attitude aside, she did genuinely want to do everything she could to keep their attacker from dying. Those of the blue flame always seemed detached but felt everything, for they carried a burden that none of the others did: the power to manipulate the flames of others. It was a burden that only those of the lavender flame truly understood more deeply than them.

Glancing behind her, she saw the other three trailing farther back. She cleared her throat angrily, causing them to quickly clear the distance between them and her, before proceeding forward until they were just out of biting reach of the predator, who with the exception of the slow rising and falling of his sides, could have passed for a corpse.

LyCora knelt over him. His eye, now only half open, shifted upward laboriously to peer at her.

“Don’t move,” she said, holding her hands out over him. “Just try to hang onto your strength. Focus only on your flame.”

“Please…leave me…warn the alpha who rules this land,” the CeraVora said weakly.

“You mean VayRonx,” Rex asked.

“You must…you must tell him…” He trailed off as his eyes closed.

“LyCora,” Rex exclaimed.

“I know,” she replied.

“Whatever you’re doing, do it faster!”

“If you want to do this, be my guest, otherwise shut up and let me concentrate!” LyCora was now straining herself to try to link her flame with the dying DyVorian’s in an effort to boost its regenerative capabilities. Sweat ran down her face, which was now flushed red. “Something’s wrong.”

Rex was now pacing restlessly, the sight of a DyVorian suffering needlessly making him more and more angry. “What do you mean wrong?”

“He’s not too far gone, is he?” DiNiya asked with a look of worry.

“No. Well, maybe, but that’s not what I mean. There’s something else here.”

“Something else?”

“His body has been infused with blue flame,” LyCora explained while trying to maintain her concentration. “It’s keeping me from fully being able to use mine on him.”

“What does that even mean?” Rex asked.

“It means that someone with a flame like mine, but far more powerful, got a hold of him. They did something to him…I don’t know, this is really advanced stuff. More than I’ve learned.”

“So you’re saying he’s going to die anyway? You’re saying we should just leave him here?” Rex could feel his frustration turning into anger.

“Would you calm down? You’re acting like an ass!” Rex gave her the same scowl as he did before. “I may not be able to undo what’s been done to him, but I’m willing to bet my mother can.”

“Then it sounds like we need to bring him with us,” DiNiya said.

“Oh, sure,” her brother replied sarcastically. “You want to carry him or should I?”

“Not helping,” she replied, annoyed.

“If this is the center of town, then where is everyone?” asked Rex, looking down to the forest floor.

“Probably at the gates,” EeNox replied. “Why?”

“You seriously not following me here?”

“Oh,” he said as it dawned on him. “Good idea! You guys wait here! I’ll be back soon!”

He turned to head back the way they had come but was stopped by DiNiya, who called out to him, “Wait! Do you want me to help you?”

“No, you stay. I’ll be back soon with help.” With a burst of green, he ran back down the tree and into the forest, out of sight.

DiNiya sighed and slumped her shoulders, knowing full well why he did not want her to go with him.
I’d just slow him down
. She turned back around to see LyCora still struggling to keep a hold of her patient’s flame, while Rex watched anxiously. She suddenly felt guilty for once again allowing her mind to drift off to something other than what was happening right in front of her.
This isn’t the time to feel sorry for myself. LyCora may be a stuck up, self-important bitch, but at least she’s doing something. Can I say the same? Can I even do the same
? She found herself so deep in her own thoughts that she did not hear Rex calling her name.

“DiNiya!” he finally shouted, snapping her out of her trance.

“Huh…what?” she asked walking over.

“You still with us?”

“Yes,” she replied now, feeling a little embarrassed. “Sorry.”

“Where’d EeNox go?”

“To find someone who can carry him back to the gates,” she said, pointing down at the CeraVora.

“Think he’ll find somebody?”

“My brother practically spends all his time out here. Trust me, he’ll find someone. I only hope he does it in time.”

They both looked back down at LyCora, who was now clearly under a great deal of physical strain.

Twenty minutes passed, then thirty, which eventually grew into forty-five. LyCora was now pale and looked almost as drained as the CeraVora who, thanks to her, was now able to keep his eyes open and breathe more steadily.

“Hey, you don’t look so good,” Rex said, squatting down beside her.

“Really? Because I feel absolutely fantastic,” LyCora replied in her usual cynical tone, although now more fatigued. “DiNiya…where is that idiot brother of yours?”

“That idiot is out there getting help so you don’t kill yourself trying,” DiNiya replied back, clearly upset that no good deed was ever good enough for her. She would have loved to tell her more, but the reality was LyCora had done more than she had or even could have, so she was in no position to criticize her.
I’ll let her off the hook this time
.

Rex could almost see the tension between the two girls; still, he was impressed that they had been able to suppress their own seething hatred for one another for a greater good, thus giving him a reprieve from their normal exchange. He looked down at the CeraVora and the two locked eyes.
Keeping those two preoccupied so they don’t drag me in the middle of another fight I think is enough to make up for trying to kill me
.

Another ten minutes passed. DiNiya sat next to the CeraVora and tried to talk to him; he, in turn, could only say a few fractured words every few seconds. Seeing how much energy it was taking him just to do that much, she decided to save her questions for later.

Rex, meanwhile, was positioned on one of the higher branches, scanning for any sign of EeNox or anyone else for that matter. Suddenly he heard DiNiya cry out. “Rex, come quick!” He looked down and saw that LyCora had passed out, with most of her color now gone.

He rushed down and cradled her in his arms. “Wake up,” he said. “LyCora, come on, open your eyes!”

LyCora slowly opened her eyes and gazed up. The blurry image of Rex’s face came into focus, and she immediately found herself looking into his big red eyes. An image of an ever-expanding wall of red fire flashed through her mind before vanishing just as quickly as it came.

“Are you okay?” Rex asked insistently.

“Fine,” she answered, sitting up. “Just got a little tired.”

“A little tired? Shit, you look worse than him!”

“Thanks,” she replied sarcastically, and she suddenly realized she was lying in his arms. Some of the color immediately returned to her face as her cheeks turned a rosy hue.

Rex, noticing her embarrassment, immediately felt the same, and the two quickly separated.

DiNiya looked at them both with shifty eyes and frowned. “Well, you seem to be feeling better now. Rex, why don’t you give her a little breathing room?”

“Uh…sure,” he said, feeling the familiar tension between the two come rushing back like water from a dam that just broke. He stood back up and resumed looking for signs of help on the upper branch while the two girls sat with the CeraVora. LyCora, however, was now taking a break from healing, as she was not sure if she could push herself any further. Her patient seemed to be doing better on his own, at least for the time being.