Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend (75 page)

“Where are they?” EeNox asked.

“Spread out all over KaNar,” DiNiya replied. “But I know VayRonx is helping with the tavern’s repairs this morning.”

“Then that’s where we’re headed,” Rex declared.

They all got up and proceeded on down to the tavern, all the while taking in the terrible sight of destruction all around them. Still, seeing everyone work together to put their home back together was a comforting sight to behold. Most of the rubble had now been cleared, and workers communed with massive trees were busying themselves with reconstructing many of the domiciles that had been smashed during the battle.

At last they reached the tavern doors, which were open to allow for the free flow of traffic as workers of all sizes moved in and out. They could not help but notice, however, that as they moved through the busy streets, people would stop and stare, all the while commenting under their breath.

“Everyone is looking at us,” AnaSaya said as she moved closer to LyCora’s side.

“Can you blame them?” she replied. “Don’t forget we did turn into DyVorians in front of them.”

“I wonder what’s more shocking to them,” ShinGaru asked, “the DraGons returning, or us?”

“Good question,” Rex replied.

They proceed on in, and were immediately greeted by a bustling scene of enormous tendril-like roots stretched out all over the massive space, clearing and moving workers quickly from one end to the other.

“Wow,” said Rex, “I didn’t realize just how useful your communing technology was until now.”

“Well, of course,” replied ShinGaru. “A reconstruction of this magnitude would take the better part of a year without it. Did you not have a similar form of technology back on Earth?”

“Not like this.”

“Interesting.”

At last they saw VayRonx hooked up to a large root system, which he was using to lift four women who were using their flames to mend a wide fissure that had opened in the ceiling of the cave by melting the rock around it.

“I’ll be right with you six,” VayRonx said without so much as stealing a glance in their general direction.

“There’s that nose of his,” EeNox said.

“Well, of course,” DiNiya replied. “Have you ever heard of anyone sneaking up on a TarBoranx?”

“Why would you want to?” he replied grimly.

They stood by and waited for him to be done with what he was doing, which fortunately did not take very long. After slowly bringing the workers down, the long spindly tendrils that were linking to his mind pulled free and disappeared beneath the ground. The alpha shook his feathers free of soot before turning his attention to the six teenagers at his feet.

“So the time has come, has it?” he said, eyeing them reflectively. “So be it, but not here.”

“I think we’ve waited long enough,” replied Rex.

“That you have. Still, it is not for me alone to tell. All parties involved should be present.”

“All parties?” he asked quizzically.

“I knew it,” AnaSaya declared with such enthusiasm that it took them all, including VayRonx, by surprise. “Our mothers and DiNiya and EeNox’s father do know!”

“Yes,” VayRonx replied with a deep sigh. “It is they you should learn the truth of your origins from.”

“All right,” Rex said. “When and where?”

“At midday, in the fields where you have been training. I give you my word that I and the others will be there and will give you the answers you seek.” They looked at each other before turning back to him and nodding. “Very well. Until then, you would all do well to rest at home. People are still rattled by what happened with you lot during the attack. However, I do not foresee any concern coming from you moving about freely, DiNiya.”

“Thank you,” she said. “But my place is by their side.”
Is it really though
?

“Very well.”

DiNiya did not know why, but VayRonx’s comments made her feel surprisingly unhappy, like she was being excluded from something. It was ridiculous, she knew. What happened to Rex and the others was not some sort of game, but she still could not help but feel that once again she was on the outside looking in, and try as she might, she would never be able to understand or be of any real help to them.
Damn it, girl, this isn’t the time for you to go feeling sorry for yourself. There are more important things at stake here
.

“So, what do we do now?” LyCora asked.

“I don’t know about all of you,” Rex said, “but I’m tired of just sitting around and hiding from the world.”

“All right, but again, what do we do now?”

Rex scanned their faces quickly before replying, “I’m going for a walk.” He turned and walked back from whence they had come. The others simply looked at one another and shrugged before joining him.

They spent the morning moving silently through town, which had an almost ghostly gloom hanging over it. The full extent of the damage was now becoming clear, and yet they were struck by the sense of community being displayed all around them. Everywhere they looked, they saw the tribe working together to put their homes, and by and large their lives, back together.

Rex marveled at the massive plants being controlled by the SaVarians and smaller DyVorians, who lifted huge chunks of rock and debris clear from the streets, while the larger inhabitants of KaNar managed to do so through impressive displays of physical strength. It was a scene that spoke not of a broken or conquered people, but rather of those who were unwilling to go quietly into oblivion, and whose greatest strength came not from their own individual prowess, but their ability to work together when a unified front was needed most.

The morning stretched on, and soon the sun was at its highest point, beaming down through the sepia-tinted sky. As was agreed, the six of them made their way out into the fields near the rock formations that had served as Rex and LyCora’s battleground and more recently as his training space. To their surprise, VayRonx, KyVina, BaRone, TarFor, VyKia, and VoRenna were already present.

“Ah, there you are,” VayRonx said as he turned his head in their direction.

“Sorry if we kept you waiting,” EeNox said.

“No, no. It’s quite all right. In truth we arrived early to discuss how we would proceed.”

“How about just giving it to us straight?” Rex said as he crossed his arms.

“Spoken like a true TyRanx,” he said as he regarded him with what, for the first time, could be considered awe.

Rex furrowed his brow and dropped his arms to his side. “About that…”

“Mother, what’s going on?” LyCora asked. “Am I to understand that you know something about this and that you’ve kept it from me all these years?”

“Yes, LyCora,” VoRenna replied solemnly. “You would be correct indeed.”

“All right,” said Rex. “So the secret’s out that you have a secret. Now it’s time to tell us what that is, and more importantly, what are we?”

“It has to do with your parents,” VoRenna began. “Or rather, the ones who are not present here today.”

“Go on,” Rex urged.

“Twenty years ago, a relic from the war was found deep in the mountains of ClyVen, buried within EeNara. As best we could tell it was some sort of facility created by the DraGons.”

“Really?” ShinGaru said with a look of intense curiosity. “What kind of facility?”

“A laboratory of some sort. We stumbled upon it when the tribes in that region reported a strange energy signature being put out from this one section of the mountain.”

“Wait. So they contacted the outside for help?” LyCora said, sounding more than a little surprised. “I’ve never heard of anyone from ClyVen doing that.”

“Nor had many others,” BaRone said, finally speaking up. “So the capital dispatched a scientific team to ClyVen to investigate. The expedition was being led by a botanist named SeroFiya, who had been studying the organic communing technology left behind by the DraGons from the war, which KaNar now uses.”

“Wait a minute,” DiNiya suddenly exclaimed. “SeroFiya?”

“You mean…” EeNox added.

“Yes,” BaRone replied with a nod. “Your mother.”

The two of them looked at one another with shocked expressions and almost desperation. This was the first they had heard any of this.

“She and two other botanists named MeNoris and VyNasia had been leaders in their field and felt that they could push the interface technology to a level equal to the DraGons themselves. They were convinced that if they could find one of their facilities still intact that they would have the breakthrough they had been searching for.”

“So my parents were indeed involved,” ShinGaru said with a smile as he wiped a tear from his eye.

“ShinGaru,” DiNiya said as she gently placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I’m all right,” he said, patting it gently. “It’s just good to hear something of them outside of official reports. Please continue.”

“Very well,” BaRone said with a gentle nod in his direction. “With the help of a biologist named TorKross—your father, AnaSaya—they made their way north, eventually stopping here in KaNar for provisions.” BaRone paused and looked at his two children. “That was when I first saw her, your mother. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I convinced VayRonx to let me suggest to them they needed a guide, someone who had been to ClyVen.”

EeNox could not help but smile. “So you managed to sly your way into their party?”

“Hardly,” said VayRonx. “SeroFiya told him point blank that one of the tribes had already delegated the task to one of their own upon their arrival.”

“So you were shot down?” EeNox asked, sounding almost disappointed.

“Well, when you put it that way…” BaRone began but quickly trailed off.

Deciding to step in, VayRonx said, “In the end, I explained to them that I could not in good conscience allow them to continue on to ClyVen without at least loaning them one of my best trackers to ensure their trip there went smoothly, and that they were free to discard him should they choose upon arrival.”

“That’s a bit harsh,” EeNox said with a frown.

“It was all I needed,” his father replied with a broad smile. “By the time we arrived in ClyVen, I had successfully charmed my way onto your mother’s team as a permanent member. Still, it was nothing compared to how she worked her way into my heart. She was unlike anyone I had ever met. Kind, funny, a brilliant mind—which she underscored every chance she got—and a fearsome resolve that I have not seen since. She was truly one of a kind. By the time we reached the summit of the ClyVen Mountains…I knew I was in love with her.”

Now DiNiya and EeNox both felt tears falling from their eyes as they drew close to one another, their bond forged ever stronger with the now more complete image of the woman who brought them into the world.

“You said one of the tribes from the region had sent someone to guide them once there,” LyCora said, stepping forward. “Which tribe?”

“The Black Frost Tribe,” VoRenna answered. “My tribe.”

LyCora sighed as a suspicion that had long since troubled her was confirmed. “So it was you then.”

“Correct,” she replied with a nod.

“And that’s why you never went back. Raising a SaVarian child meant turning your back on your tribe.”

“It was my decision to make and no one else’s,” she said with resolute authority before casting a more sympathetic gaze to the blue-eyed girl. “And one I have never regretted.” LyCora smiled.

“But what of her real parents?” AnaSaya asked, prompting LyCora to give her a wicked glare. “I’m sorry, I meant her biological parents.”

“It’s all right, child,” VoRenna assured her. “No offense was taken. LyCora, your SaVarian mother and father were RyNevia and WesNor of the RoVak Tribe. RyNevia was its alpha, and upon hearing of their purpose in ClyVen, insisted that she and her mate go with them to assess any possible danger to their tribe. Reluctantly, the research team agreed, and they joined their ranks.”

“So…my mother, I mean, RyNevia,” LyCora quickly corrected, “was an alpha.”

“Indeed, and do not feel ashamed to call her you mother. She was very brave, just like your father. They would be so proud if they could see the talented and strong young woman you have grown into.”

“But they didn’t,” Rex chimed in after having chosen to remain silent for a time. He had learned some time ago that the best way to acquire information from others was to simply let them talk. People were always more forthcoming when they felt in control of the conversation. Still, it was often necessary to steer it in the direction he wanted from time to time.

“No, they did not,” VoRenna replied, looking in his direction. “They…I’m sorry to say, but they met with an unfortunate end.”

“What do you mean?” DiNiya asked.

“Before she can answer that question,” BaRone interjected. “Before any of us can, you first need to know what they found in ClyVen.”

“And that would be?” Rex asked.

The adults all looked at one another before BaRone continued. “There was indeed something held over from the war deep inside one of the mountains.” He shook his head as he recalled the day. “Just as they had hoped, it was a laboratory of some kind. They were beside themselves with excitement. Especially SeroFiya. I had no idea what I was seeing, but they explained it as some sort of conversion facility.”

“Conversion?” ShinGaru asked. “What kind of conversion?”

With a smile he said, “She could have explained it to you far better, but as I can remember, it was something to do with taking a living thing’s flame and transferring it into the body of another.”

“Flame transference?” ShinGaru exclaimed with a wide-eyed expression. “But that’s only a theory! It’s never been done, not even attempted! The physics of it alone are damn near beyond comprehension!”

“Funny, she said something similar upon discovering this. In any case, the DraGons seemed to have figured it out. On top of that, the lab was still functioning—at a minimum capacity, of course—but running nonetheless.”

“That’s incredible. Actual DraGon tech in the world today. The things we could learn from it.”

“And learn we did,” VoRenna said. “Not only had the entire facility been created for the purpose of flame transference, but whoever created it had gone forward with the experiment, yet failed to complete it.”