Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend (68 page)

“I cannot.”

“Why not?”

“Because this is a memory whose significance rests entirely on your recollection of it.”

“What does that even mean?” he demanded furiously. “You keep talking in riddles, but you’re not actually saying anything! I can’t take this anymore!” Rex dropped to his knees, holding the sides of his head. “Why can’t I remember? Why is this so damned hard?”

“Rex, have you ever stopped to think that maybe you made yourself forget in the first place?”

“What?” he asked with a look that said he had just been hit with a notion that never once crossed his mind. “You’re saying this is my fault?”

“That is your problem, Rex; you only view things in terms of blame. Sometimes things that you do not like happen to you because of reasons other than being caused by an aggressor! Sometimes things that we think are bad happen because they are really meant to protect us from something even more difficult.”

“Something? Something like what?”

“The truth.”

AnaSaya could feel her power working over Rex. She watched with her mind’s eye as ribs fused back together and locked back into place. The gashes in his lungs began to suture and seal as blood that had leaked throughout his chest cavity began to bubble from his mouth. He coughed and hacked as it rolled over his bottom lip and chin. Despite this, he remained unconscious. AnaSaya continued to push but found herself beginning to tire after having already used up so much energy.

LyCora also sensed that Rex was at a point where he indeed now stood a chance of living, but he was still not out of danger. She could also feel that DiNiya was on the verge of losing consciousness. She had pushed herself to such a degree that she was now having to divert some of her energy just to keep from passing out.
Once again I find myself having had to rely on her. I alone probably wouldn’t have been enough to help Rex. What would it mean if she had her full flame back?

DiNiya could feel pain rising through her entire body, and her head felt like it was detaching from the rest of her. It was as if she was now floating off the ground. Turning, she looked down at the tiny remnant of her flame, which was now a faint red glow that faded into nothing right before she felt herself slip into the dark blur of unconsciousness.
Come back, Rex…

Rex saw torrents of red flame shooting straight into the air, causing a sudden rush within him. “These are mine, aren’t they?” he asked EliCia.

“Yes,” she said, closing into the center next to him as more of the flaming pillars rocketed up past them. “Your strength is returning. Your friends were successful. How do you feel?”

Rex glanced down as he tried to assess his current physical state. When he had first arrived, he had felt very little trace of his flame, almost as if it had faded to practically nothing. Now, however, he could feel it erupting inside of him just as it was doing all around. “I feel good…really good!” He clenched his hands into tight fists, and with a powerful roar, was surrounded by churning red fire. “This means I can go back and fight now!”

“Rex, wait! Perhaps you should not be so quick to return to battle.”

“Why not? Look at me—I’m as good as new.”

“You were practically dead only moments ago! Just because you have been brought back from the threshold of oblivion does not mean you are in any condition to put yourself foolishly back in harm’s way. Especially when it cost DiNiya so much to get you back.”

“DiNiya?” Rex said with a look of sudden concern. “What do you mean? Did something happen to her?”

“I thought you would have at least sensed it,” EliCia replied, cocking her head.

“Sensed what?”

“Have you not felt a red flame here that was not your own?”

Rex thought for a moment then realized that she was right. “That red mist that I saw when I first arrived. I could sense it was a weak flame, but I could feel it inside me like I always did my own. DiNiya…it was her all along.”

“She pulled from what little power she had to help save your life, Rex. Do you really want to make her efforts all for nothing by actually getting killed this time?”

“Wait a minute—shouldn’t it be AnaSaya or even LyCora that’s doing most of the healing?”

“Yes, if it was not for them, DiNiya’s efforts would have been in vain.”

“So why am I not seeing any sign of them or even feeling them? Why only DiNiya?”

“I cannot answer that question, Rex.”

“That’s a first. Usually you’re full of cryptic reasons why I can or can’t do something.”

“And that has not changed, but the reason resides with her not you. Somehow she has created a direct link with you on a wavelength that only you two can connect to.”

“So besides that strange mist, why couldn’t I see any other sign of her?”

“I cannot be certain, but I imagine it is because of her inability to tap into the full power of her flame. It’s incredible that she was even able to do this much. Either way, she has reached out and made a connection with you, and that is indeed significant.”

Rex was straining to find the meaning in all of this. If DiNiya really had somehow managed to tap into her flame, even a little bit, and somehow made her presence felt here in the darkened expanse of his mind, then could she come here, too?

He shook his head and decided to focus all his energy on his own flame. Pulse after pulse it grew until it lit up the void forty meters in all directions. He turned to get what he hoped would finally be his first clear look at the monster, only to find himself alone with EliCia. The two looked at each other for a moment in silence, when suddenly they both felt an impact tremor rattle beneath them. Rex was surprised to feel a jolt in power with each massive footfall, his flame growing in size and power each time it hit. Rex could feel fear rising inside, but also something else…power.

Closer and closer the monstrous beast came until at last the two giant glowing red orbs appeared out of the dark just at the edge of the light.

“You weren’t there for me before,” he called up to the now faint outline of the immense creature. “Why help me now? Why help me at all? Who are you?”

The beast remained silent, barely even moving. It just stood there, looking down at Rex with eyes he could not read.

Rex was feeling more frustrated than ever. He knew that somehow he had derived a power from this unseen monster before that had indeed saved his life, but why? “Are you the reason why I can’t remember everything about my life before I came to EeNara? Please, you have to tell me!” The beast tilted its huge head down, which was still concealed in darkness, and the ball of red flame appeared in front of Rex just as before. “You want me to fight? But how is this going to help me remember? I need answers, please!”

The ball of flame suddenly pulsed and grew twice its size. Rex felt anger rising within him as he watched the orb burn more furiously. He was growing tired of this place being simply a call to arms. He wanted to know the truth of what happened to him back on Earth and what his connection was to EliCia. Somehow he believed this thing, whoever or whatever it was, had to be at the center of all of it.
He has to be because if he’s not, and I don’t get some answers soon, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle much more of this
.

Rex looked around for EliCia and saw that she was now far off in the distance, her cold pale eyes fading into the shadows. “Wait,” he cried out, but she was already gone, leaving him with the last thing he wanted to be alone with.

Slowly he turned to face the ball of burning red fire, which despite seeming to grow more had stabilized for the moment. He stared deep within it, as if trying to find some hidden answer inside. Just as before, he could feel a natural pull towards it, as if his mind was slipping away, and his body began moving closer without even being aware. This time, however, he made himself very much aware of this sensation and focused on the pull itself. Strong was its power, but there was something familiar once he acknowledged it. It was as if staring into it, even just being near it, drew out memories he had long since forgotten. He remembered an afternoon in a park in a stroller, where he was frightened of a large machine, while another was of a toy sword colliding with another, being wielded by a boy his age. Other memories were filled with anger, as he saw children lashing out violently towards him. He cringed as he could almost feel the bony knuckles colliding with the side of his head and face, while others struck him in the ribs and stomach.

He could see and almost feel every detail of those moments: the sounds around him, the clouds in the sky, even the heat coming off those who had been his attackers. He also remembered the devastating fury he felt early on, when people he had thought he could trust turned against him, and the punishment they received for it. It was a bittersweet emotion, for no sooner did the pain of betrayal set in than did the deep and visceral satisfaction of feeling their bones crack and break under the unrelenting force of his fists as he would hammer them down hard and fast.

Still, this had always been the start of more problems, and soon all he was seeing were the battles he waged day in and day out with what seemed like everyone around him. However, not all were physical. Indeed, many, if not the worst, were those where he was screaming madly at people who he could remember feeling like they were closing in on him, suffocating him, trying to infiltrate his mind and change who he was fundamentally inside. Nothing scared him more than the idea of not being himself anymore, but who was he to begin with? Was that really what scared him most, or was there something else? Something he was not admitting to himself?

He continued to stare at the ominous beast that he had surprisingly grown a little accustomed to by now, almost like a shadow. He felt heat on his back and he turned to see faint lavender and blue flames growing brighter. He watched them as they began to take form, and soon he saw them to be AnaSaya and LyCora, the latter of which was further back, while AnaSaya shown brilliantly in front with waves of glorious lavender fire flowing off her.

Rex turned back to face the beast that he sensed was waiting for him to make a decision. Suddenly he could feel his strength begin rapidly slipping away. It was as if the life was being pulled right out of him, and he now felt a sense of urgency coming from the great beast that he had never before. Up until now he had not been able to truly read its intentions, only a vague sense of fury burning just beyond its eyes. Now, however, he could tell it desperately wanted him to grab hold of the flame that was still burning in front of him, which was beginning to diminish in intensity. What was he trying to get him to do? Why was this particular flame so important? He felt its power fading fast, just as he could feel his own disappearing.
I’m…dying
. He knew he had to choose quickly or else he really would die, but in whom could he trust? He looked back to AnaSaya, then to the red flame. He was torn for a while; he knew that what was behind him should be the obvious choice; the alluring pull of the red flame’s power could not be ignored. More so it felt right to him somehow, as if it was not something he should be threatened by but rather embrace.

He took one final glance at her, when he noticed a very faint red glow behind both girls. Peering past them, he saw the outline of yet another person with long flowing fur. Rex strained to see, and then DiNiya came into focus, a faint red glow surrounding her. Just as before, he could sense they were trying to save him, to pull him free of this dark place. He decided he would not let them down a second time.

Feeling a sense of guilt for wanting to turn his back on those who had made him feel a little less alone in his life, he turned back to face the beast, feeling like he was going to drop at any moment. “I’ll do this my way,” he said, turning away.

“Rex,” came the echoing voice of AnaSaya. “Rex, take my hand, please. We haven’t much time.”

Rex grabbed hold of her outstretched hand and immediately found himself being effortlessly pulled off the ground as if he were suddenly weightless. He looked back to see the red flame fading, and then back to AnaSaya, who was passing him up higher to LyCora, who took him by both hands and pulled him close. He could feel an incredible and almost invigorating heat from each of them on the moment of contact, as if they were their flames themselves having taken form. LyCora brought him close enough to her face that it felt almost intimate in a way before gently pushing him beyond her to where he glided to the last pair of outstretched arms above.

He gazed wide-eyed as DiNiya appeared above him with her arms spread out to receive him. Rex felt a powerful pull, as if he belonged in her embrace. It was like a hunger that now drove him towards her, and he felt himself moving more quickly, now partially under his own power. He reached out with both hands, and their fingers interlocked with their palms pressing together soon after. It was at that exact moment that Rex suddenly sensed a swell of intensity from within and felt himself dive into and through DiNiya, where he suddenly found himself leaning forward, coughing violently.

His lungs gasped for air and were rewarded with the sweet sensation of life passing through, filling them, then being pushed back out in rapid succession. At first he felt numb to everything other than his intense lust to continue pouring air into his lungs, but soon he felt gentle yet insistent hands on his back and shoulders, followed by a pair of arms forcefully wrapping themselves around him. His vision came into focus and he could see LyCora staring down at him with a look of concern that he was unaccustomed to seeing on her.

“Are…you all right?” she asked as if afraid of what he might say.

“Ask me again in two seconds when I move,” he replied, knowing that he probably came off sarcastic even though he was dead serious.

LyCora’s face, to his surprise, transformed from one of uncertainty to one of subtle relief.

Rex was about to say something else when a pair of lavender eyes thrust themselves in front of his face from off to the right, studying him inquisitively. He lurched back slightly but found himself unable to move freely, as if he was being weighed down. It was then that he heard what he was surprised to have not heard this whole time—DiNiya crying. He glanced down and over; he saw that she was hugging him tightly while pouring her eyes out. Her tears ran down the bare skin of his back under his torn and tattered shirt.