Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend (81 page)

“Maybe it’s more than one,” AnaSaya said. “Like a herd.”

“Maybe, but why did we start smelling it so strongly so far back? It was like we were right on top of whatever it was, but we’ve been running for half an hour and still nothing.”

“So what’s the big deal?” asked Rex.

“The big deal is that our noses aren’t that strong. I mean, it’s not like we’re…” EeNox suddenly stopped when the realty hit him like a mountain collapsing down on him. The memory of that night instantly passed through all of them, the feeling of their flames burning hotter than they ever had, and the call to awaken in their heads.

“You were saying?” Rex said, baring his toothy maul.

“So…what does this make us, exactly?” asked AnaSaya. “Are we SaVarians or DyVorians?”

“Well,” ShinGaru said thoughtfully. “Technically, both. Or least you four are. I’m still not sure what I would be classified as.”

“Hmm. I wonder if anyone has ever been two things at once.”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around how any of this is even possible,” said LyCora. “As best as I can remember, we didn’t actually transform. It was more like…waking up. Or at least that’s how it felt to me.”

“She’s right,” said EeNox. “I didn’t feel my body change or grow in some strange way. It was like coming out of a dream that you could have sworn was real, but once you wake from it, you can clearly see how…unreal it actually was. It sounds strange, I know, but that’s the only way I can describe it.”

The others nodded silently in agreement, all of them seemingly lost in their own memories for a moment, before the sound of Rex cracking his neck brought them back. He of course knew exactly how they felt, but unlike them had a clearer insight to what had happened. While the specifics still very much eluded him, he had a much more intimate connection with his own “other self.” Still, he had not heard from the two mystery figures inside his head for some time, not since the attack. He wondered if now that he had regained his memory, they had left him.
Yeah,
right. As soon as I think I get my mind all back to myself again, she’ll show up speaking cryptically right before the other one looms in and scares the shit out of me
.

“While I do believe this is something that should be addressed,” ShinGaru said, “perhaps we should do it when we stop for the night?”

Rex nodded. “Agreed. Come on, let’s keep moving.” With that, he turned and walked ten feet before tripping over something that sent him sprawling to the ground, where he received a face full of dirt.

“Rex, are you okay?” EeNox said, running up and helping him to his feet.

“What the hell did I trip on?” Rex asked, spitting out dirt. His eyes immediately fell on what appeared to be a dark reddish-brown shape partially concealed in fallen shrubbery. His eyes followed it up and saw that it grew into a larger mass that was concealed beneath five large broken trees.

“Someone’s under there!” AnaSaya exclaimed. No sooner had she said it than she instantly made out the broad side of a large ridged back. The thing Rex had tripped on was a tail.

“Whoa,” exclaimed EeNox, taking a step towards the motionless form. “It’s a Ridgeback!”

“A what?” Rex asked.

“Well, actually an AcaroVora, but most just call them Ridgebacks.”

“How can you tell that’s what it is?” LyCora asked

EeNox pointed to the thick ridge that ran down the length of its back and part of the tail. “See that? It’s their distinguishing characteristic, the ridge. AcaroVora are the biggest predators in this region, so we’ll definitely be seeing them while we’re here.”

“This one looks like it’s been through one hell of a fight,” said Rex, taking in the demolished foliage.

“No kidding,” said EeNox, leaning in close to it on its other side. “Take a look at these wounds!”

The other four joined him in front of the DyVorian’s chest, where they saw two large holes.

“Stab wounds,” ShinGaru said.

“Yeah, and bad ones, too,” EeNox added. “Look how deep they go.”

AnaSaya walked up towards the front of the body and removed some branches that were covering the head, revealing the ridgeback’s face. His eyes were tightly shut and his mouth partially opened, revealing deadly meat-shearing teeth. Slowly, she knelt down and reached out with her right hand to touch his face. The others were now leaning down for a closer look at the deadly wounds, and saw a faint green glow coming from deep within them.

“What is that?” Rex asked, peering past the others.

“It looks like…a flame,” EeNox said.

“But can he still have a flame if he’s…dead?”

The very tips of AnaSaya’s claws touched the closed eyelid of the fallen DyVorian, and it suddenly shot open, revealing a burning green eye. Startled, she screamed and fell back. Rex and the others did the same as green flame shot out from the open wounds before subsiding to a faint glow once more.

“He’s alive!” EeNox exclaimed.

“No shit!” Rex replied, getting to his feet.

They all stood for a moment and stared at the large form of the predator as it lay before them, breathing raggedly, seemingly oblivious to their presence. At last AnaSaya broke their stunned silence. “He’s been keeping himself alive by sealing his arteries with his flame so he doesn’t bleed out.”

“How do you know that?” LyCora asked.

“Look,” AnaSaya said, venturing another few steps towards him and pointing at the low green glow coming from within the gaping wounds on his chest. “That’s why you can see his flame. He’s concentrating all of it on these two spots. Problem is, he’s losing a lot of energy, and his flame is growing weaker because of it.” She closed her eyes and placed both hands on him. “At this rate, he’ll be dead by this time tomorrow.”

“That’s assuming someone doesn’t come along and eat him,” LyCora said, glancing around uneasily.

“She right,” ShinGaru said. “It’s unfortunate, but right now he’s a magnet for every carnivore in this forest.”

“I hope you’re not suggesting we just leave him to die?” AnaSaya asked with what sounded for the first time like an edge to her demeanor.

“No, I mean…well. Time is not exactly on our side. That, and he is of the wild.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“What it means is that this is part of their way of life,” he explained.

“What, waiting for someone to come and have them for lunch, while they lay face down in the dirt, bleeding to death?”

“Yes, exactly,” LyCora said. “I know it seems cruel, but the wild tribes made the choice long ago to live apart from the settlements and unified tribes in accordance with the old ways, which means inheriting all the risks and dangers that come with that life. I want him to live just as much as you, but we have to choose for ourselves what is the best use of our time. Staying here trying to figure out what we can do for him, or going after DiNiya. I think you know the right choice here.”

“What I know is that you came on this journey with all of us because you’re more scared than any of us about what has happened to us all. For the first time you don’t have all the answers, and you don’t know how to deal with it! That’s why you came; you don’t want to be alone!” LyCora looked stunned, like her deepest, most shameful secret had been ripped out of her and put on display for all to see.

AnaSaya turned her back to them and looked down at the dying Ridgeback. “Oh, and you forget that I’m a healer.” Kneeling down over his face, she watched as a large green eye slowly turned to look up at her. “Please,” she said in a calm and gentle voice. “Calm your mind and put your trust in me…I won’t abandon you.” She placed her hands on his upper jaw and closed her eyes. Immediately, she felt herself communing with him. His body had grown numb, cold and detached from the world around him, as his flame prepared to be free of it and his body return to it. She knew she may not have the power to do what needed to be done in order to save him, but was ready to try all the same. Like water flowing down an empty streambed, her flame flowed into the empty canals within him where his had previously. Her body trembled as her flame reached his injuries, and she felt for the first time the extent of their severity. Whatever had caused them had punctured his lungs and the edge of his heart.
It’s a wonder he’s been able to hang on this long, or at all, period.
With a steady push, she forced her flame into the damaged areas.

Feeling a sudden surge within him, the Ridgeback arched his head and tail upward, releasing a ragged, throaty roar.

“AnaSaya, watch out!” EeNox said, taking a step towards her before being stopped by Rex.

“Wait a minute,” he said. “Give her a chance.”

“A chance to do what?” LyCora asked. “You don’t actually think she can heal him, do you?”

“Hey! Over the past ten cycles, I learned that I’m from another world, that DraGons are real, and that I’m a fucking DyVorian! So don’t tell me this or anything is ever impossible!”

“Look, something’s happening!” ShinGaru exclaimed, pointing.

They all turned and were surprised to see AnaSaya aglow with her lavender flame wafting off her in gentle waves that began to make all the plants around her grow. Flowers sprouted from the ground beneath her and the branches of all the trees above grew and careened down towards her. It was like the forest itself was reaching out to her from all sides, drawn to her mysterious life-giving power. The others stood mesmerized as they bore witness to a wonder of evolution.

AnaSaya could feel the Ridgeback clinging to life with what little strength he had left, unwilling to let death’s icy grip take hold of him without a fight.
You’ve fought well, brave warrior
, she told him as her mind touched his.
Now let me carry you the rest of the way back
. With a final push, the severed and torn arteries began to heal over as the very cells they were comprised of began repairing themselves at lightning speed. The Ridgeback’s mind had been dawdling between wake and dream for hours, unsure of whether what he had heard or seen pass in front of his eyes was real or products of his mind slipping into madness. Now he felt something stir within him. Something he, despite still being alive, had left him: his flame. Louder and louder the sounds of its burning fury grew in his head, as he could feel it spread to every corner of his body, infusing him with precious life energy.
Live
, a gentle voice called to him, and he felt his eyes shoot open where he saw the world come into focus. The ground fell away from his head as it rose up and his jaws parted, unleashing a torrent of dazzling green fire.

Everyone took several steps back as he slowly rose to his full standing height. At first his stance seemed shaky, as if he did not yet feel comfortable back on two legs, but when he noticed the four of them staring, he immediately steadied himself and locked them in the kind of stare only a predator could transfix another living thing in.

“She did it!” EeNox said, stunned. “She actually did it!”

“Now we get to find out if that’s a good thing or not,” LyCora said uneasily, not taking her eyes off the large predator.

The Ridgeback regarded them all with stern silence before a weak moan carried his attention down to a small creature that lay motionless at his feet. Wincing in slight pain, he lowered his head down to the tiny still form of AnaSaya and gave it a gentle nudge with his snout. Nothing. The big Ridgeback, looking more frustrated, gave it another nudge, this time with a bit more emphasis; still no movement. Finally, he reared up and barked a loud bass call that made the other four jump, and the still girl sprang to life.

AnaSaya looked all around, unsure at first what had happened.

Glancing to her left she saw the other four staring up over her head. It was then that she noticed the large shadow cast over her, and peered up to see the face of the Ridgeback staring back down. Their eyes met, and for a moment it was as if they were two old friends reacquainting with one another. Without any fear or hesitation, AnaSaya got to her feet, dusted herself off, and gazed back up to the Ridgeback, who continued to regard her in silence.

With a smile, AnaSaya said, “I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better. I was worried I might not have been strong enough to give you the helping hand you needed. But I’m happy to see I was wrong. Thank you for trusting me.” She bowed in a courtly fashion to the Ridgeback, who cocked his head to the side.

“It is I who should be thanking you, little lavender flame,” he spoke at last. “I had been clinging to life all night, but found myself losing the fight by sunrise. I don’t know how you did it, but had you not come along, I would have been dead by midday. Thank you.”

AnaSaya blushed and drew circles in the dirt with the toe of her boot. “Oh…it’s all right. I mean, I just helped along what you had already been doing. It wasn’t as big of a deal as you make it out to be.”

“Nonsense,” he said stoically. “I owe you my life. My name is RemoKy, and I am in your debt. You may ask anything of me.”

“Wow,” said Rex, nodding his head approvingly.

“Looks like our little AnaSaya is just full of surprises,” EeNox said with a grin.

AnaSaya was proud of herself for having passed yet another test of her abilities, but mostly relieved. She had never lost someone, and was unsure if she would be able to deal with it. She knew it was something inevitable and that the day would come when she would be forced to look at herself in the mirror after failing to save someone’s life. However, today was thankfully not that day. “It is a pleasure to meet you, RemoKy. My name is AnaSaya, and these are my friends, Rex, EeNox, LyCora, and ShinGaru.” RemoKy bowed his head before something caught his eye. “We have traveled from KaNar to rescue our friend DiNiya, who was taken,” she continued, not yet noticing that he was not looking at her, but instead had fixed his gaze on to something behind her, something that was both a surprise and familiar to him.

Rex was already well aware of where his attention had come to rest. Whether it was from a human, SaVarian, DyVorian, or DraGon, Rex could always recognize the stare someone gave him when seeing his eyes for the first time.
You’d think I’d be used to this by now
.