Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend (9 page)

Rex, despite having been strangely drawn to this place, was still conflicted by two different sets of feelings. One was telling him to be cautions of this strange girl because his encounters with most strangers usually resulted in conflict. However, the other was telling him to stop doubting everything and just sit next to the pretty girl who seemed to be showing slightly more than a passing interest in him. That is when he heard it, a whisper on the wind saying,
Do not be afraid
. There was sudden gust just behind him that forced him to take a few steps forward. DiNiya smiled a little as Rex closed the rest of the distance between them on his own. Slowly, he sat down next to her with a light grunt, and remained still for a moment, clearly unsure what to do now that he was next to her. DiNiya must have felt the same way, for she was in no hurry to strike up a conversation, either. Rex turned to say something, just as she did. They both laughed, which to their silent relief eased some of the tension.

“You go first,” said Rex.

“It’s all right, you go ahead,” DiNiya replied, smiling again. “You must have many questions.”

Had it been ten minutes ago, Rex would have had more than he could probably remember, but looking at her now, he strangely could not think of one.
What are you doing, stupid?
he thought to himself.
Say something before you look like an even bigger idiot
. He looked down at her hands, which clutched the blanket tighter every time a breeze glided over them. “Cold,” he asked at last. She nodded and smiled. “Hmm,” he replied, looking up at the moons. “Feels warm out tonight to me.”

“That’s because of your flame,” she said, not taking her eyes off the moons either. “You’re instinctively using it to keep yourself warm.”

“My flame?”

“Yes,” she replied as she took his hand into hers. “It is the power that flows within all things great and small, the very essence of all that makes up the stars in the night sky itself. The cosmic fire which burns within us.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I understand.”

“Your flame is what you are, what we all are, each one a descendent of the first that served as the initial grand spark that eventually became the cosmos. It is all that we are.”

“Uh huh,” Rex replied. “So why are you cold?”

DiNiya laughed. “Your flame enhances your body’s strengths and defenses. So in the case of a chilly autumn night like this one, it keeps you nice and warm.”

“Is yours broken?” he asked, motioning to the blanket that she held tightly around herself.

“This belonged to my mother,” she replied, looking off into space, smiling. “She would wrap me in it when I was a baby.”

“You mean you can actually remember that far back?” Rex asked in surprise.

“Well, of course. Can’t you?”

Rex shook his head, slightly bewildered by the concept of having a memory of being an infant.

“I had thought it was lost, until one morning when I was three, I woke up and found my father crying in the kitchen, holding this blanket. I stood in the doorway just watching him. It’s a scary thing for someone when they are that young to see one of their parents crying. They are supposed to be the strong ones, after all, and my father is as strong as they come. But to see him like that…well…that was something I will never forget.” Rex regarded her silently as she spoke. “When he finally saw me standing there, he stopped crying, walked over to me, knelt down, and wrapped this blanket around me. Then he hugged me harder than he ever had before. I asked him where my mother had gone, why she had just disappeared, and he told me that she loved me very much, but there was somebody that needed her help more and that she had to go. So on cool nights like this, I like to come up here with the blanket she used to hold me in, and allow the cool air to pass right through me, and remember…remember her scent and her warmth.” She pulled the blanket up to her face and breathed deep, closing her eyes as she did so.

“That must be nice,” said Rex, finally turning away from her. “I don’t remember my mother at all.”

“Not at all?” she asked.

“No,” he replied, looking back at her to see her staring at him with her big red eyes.

“Not even her scent?”

“No, I mean there is something, but I don’t know what it is. It’s like an old dream that I had once but can barely remember now. In any case, nothing that has stirred any long-lost memories of motherly love.”

“What about your father?” she asked curiously. “Do you remember anything about him?”

“My father?” Rex replied curiously. “Well…I, um…I…can’t remember,” he replied as a familiar sharp pain rose in the back of his head, causing him to wince and lean forward to the point where he almost went right over the edge.

DiNiya quickly stopped him from falling and eased him back. “Are you all right?” she asked urgently. “Here, let’s get you back into bed!”

“No, I’m fine,” Rex quickly protested as he pulled his hand away from his head. “I want to stay up here a little while longer.” DiNiya looked at him uncertainly at first, as if judging whether she should insist on him getting more bed rest. “Sit up here with me for a bit?” She conceded and smiled. The two turned and stared up at the moons until they both drifted off to sleep. Just as the final moment of consciousness slipped away, Rex heard one final whisper in the wind.
Sweet dreams
.

Rex’s eyes slowly opened to the dawn light. Unlike before, he remembered where he was this time, and could feel a warmer breeze lightly washing over him. He also sensed that he was not alone and felt gentle breathing against his left arm. Looking over, he saw DiNiya curled up next to him, her face buried against his arm with the blanket over them both. Rex looked down at her with a curious silence. He had never really been this physically close to any girl before. Then again, he had never really been this close to anyone, period.
She seems so peaceful,
he thought as he took note of the slight smile on her face. Rex wondered what dreams filled her head that could allow her to seem so serene while she slept. He was sure he did not look the same. Not with his dreams, his nightmares. As he slowly reached out with his hand to touch her face, her eyes opened. He pulled his hand back quickly, feeling awkward.

DiNiya blinked then turned her head and looked up at him. “Oh, no,” she said, suddenly realizing where they were. “We fell asleep! Quick, come with me!” She jumped up and grabbed him by the arm she led him to a large pair of wooden doors in the rock wall. Pulling them open, she revealed a long dark tunnel that spiraled down sharply. They made their way down the winding passage until they reached another pair of large doors. “Is this the way you used to get up there?” Rex asked, even though he was sure he knew the answer.

“Yes,” she replied. “Why, how did you get up?”

“Climbed,” Rex said flatly, feeling a bit foolish.

DiNiya chuckled and smiled, “Nothing stops you, Rex.”

Rex felt a bit of pride swell inside him before it was interrupted. “Come on this way,” she said as she pulled open the doors and led them through. They walked briskly down a short and level passage, which opened into a storeroom filled with smoked meats and an assortment of strange fruits and vegetables. They made their way out, and Rex immediately recognized the interior of the house.

DiNiya peered around a corner before waving him forward, “All clear.” They made their way to his room, where they stopped just outside the door. “All right, quickly now, get in.”

“What about you?” he asked.

“I normally get up in about an hour from now, so it won’t look too out of place for me to be up and dressed this early, but if I get caught leading you around out of bed, my father will not be pleased. Now hurry and get in before someone sees you.”

Rex opened the door to the room, and was heading in when DiNiya said, “By the way, Rex…thank you.”

“For what?”

“For listening to me last night,” she replied, looking down at her feet as she played with a strand of her fur.

Rex looked at her, not fully understanding what she was thanking him for, but decided it was best to not over think it for the time being. “Don’t mention it,” he replied, then turned, went in, and closed the door behind him. Leaning against it, he let out a heavy sigh.

Outside, DiNiya unknowingly mirrored his actions while twirling her fur more energetically around her index finger, smiling.

“What are you doing there?” a voice called, snapping Rex and DiNiya back to reality.

DiNiya looked up in surprise and saw her brother standing by the second door a few meters down the hall. “Huh?”

“I asked what are you doing there?” EeNox repeated. “Outside his room just standing there like that?”

Rex had his ear pressed against the door as he listened intently.

“I was just coming from checking on him,” she replied innocently.

“Mm hmm,” EeNox said sarcastically, crossing his arms.

“Oh, shut up, EeNox, you’re just jealous that you’re not the only boy in the house anymore!”

“That’s not true,” he countered with a look of shock that she could not help but feel was partially forced.

“What’s wrong, brother?” she teased. “Afraid Father likes him better than you?”

“No!” he exclaimed, quickly lowering his voice after realizing how loud his outburst was and walking up to DiNiya, where he continued in a hushed tone. “I know you know what everyone has been saying.”

“Saying?” she replied curiously.

“About him, about his flame. It’s red, like yours.”

The fur on the back of Rex’s neck stood on end, and he found himself hearing them clearly despite their lowered voices.

“
Was
like mine,” she corrected. “And I fail to see the relevance. Besides, what would you have Father do, send him away just because he’s a little different?”

“I’m not saying we should toss him out, and I’m more than a little offended that you would accuse me of ever being so cruel.” DiNiya’s expression softened somewhat. “Still, we can’t be too careless when it comes to someone like him.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, glaring.

EeNox, feeling somewhat cornered, searched for the right words. “I’m just saying, well…we don’t really have any experience with…you know…someone like him.”

“No, I don’t know,” she replied, crossing her arms. “Why don’t you explain it to me?”

EeNox began to sweat. He knew that she was well aware of what he was alluding to, but dared not come right out and say it. Still, he was certain she would continue to press him until he did, thus backing him into a corner that he could not get out of. “DiNiya, do I really have to say it?”

She did not respond but continued to back him against a wall with an unwavering glare.

With a heavy sigh, he yielded, knowing full well he was sealing his fate as he did so. “It’s just that the last time someone had an active red flame…someone was—”

“Enough!”

“DiNiya, listen!”

“No, you listen,” she said dominantly, so much so that Rex leaned back from the door before quickly pressing his ear back to it. “I don’t care what people are saying about him! I am not turning my back on him or tossing him out. Besides, it’s Father’s decision, and he agrees with me. So you’re just going to have to get over it and stop being so scared of him!” She slammed her fist against the door so hard that Rex jumped back. “Now, out of my way, I have chores to do!” She pushed past her brother and marched herself downstairs.

EeNox watched her disappear down the stairs as he blinked feebly. He turned and looked at the door, scowled, and walked off.

Inside, Rex was wondering what that had been about. Had she known he was listening? If so, then how, exactly? He decided not to worry about it for the time being, and lay down in bed. He must have dozed off for he awoke and saw that the light coming through the partition in the window was brighter.

I didn’t mean to fall back asleep
, he thought as he rose up and out of bed. He stretched his back and cracked his neck before looking out into the hall. It was deserted, but he could clearly hear voices coming from downstairs. Something delicious filled his nose and he immediately found himself being drawn out. He made his way down, not sure what he would find. When he reached the first landing, he could clearly hear two voices arguing. He listened closely before continuing down, and recognized them as DiNiya and EeNox. “Wonder if they’re arguing about me again?” he said to himself before sighing and heading down the rest of the way.

He entered the large dining room and was surprised to see that joining DiNiya and EeNox was their father and three dinosaurs. The one closest to him was an orange, yellow, and beige Ceratosaurus with beautiful bright green eyes. He was the largest of the three, being about the size of a small elephant. A large and impressive crest-like horn rose up just behind his snout, while spiky feathers ran down the back of his head, neck, and terminated at the tip of his tail. The other two were a pair of auburn and white-feathered dromaeosaurs that were a little larger than a man. He was still unaccustomed to seeing dinosaurs and could not help but just stand and stare when in their presence. He must have fallen into a trance, for he did not notice the three dinosaurs glancing at each other awkwardly. DiNiya and EeNox had stopped arguing and were now staring at Rex, who was still staring at the dinosaurs, when BaRone’s voice quickly snapped him out of his trance.

“Good morning, Rex,” he said, raising his mug to him slightly with a smile. “Sleep well?”

Rex nodded before speaking up, “Yes.”

“Good,” he replied, taking a drink. “Here, have a seat. You’re just in time for breakfast.” BaRone pulled out a chair and motioned for Rex to come over and join them. Rex walked over and sat down, his eyes shifting back and forth to and from each dinosaur. “Oh, I’m sorry,” BaRone said, slapping his forehead. “Where are my manners? I haven’t introduced you. This is CaLar,” he said, pointing to the Ceratosaurus, “and that lovely couple over there are RenTia and FenMor.”

“Hello, Rex,” CaLar said, bowing his head. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“The four of us have been friends since we were younger than you,” BaRone said happily.

“BaRone was just telling us about how VayRonx found you in the forest and brought you here,” said FenMor.

“I actually don’t remember,” replied Rex, feeling somewhat ashamed.

“Yes, we hear you were unconscious when you arrived,” said RenTia. “Do you have any recollection of what happened to you prior?”

“How did you come to be all alone in the forest?” asked FenMor.

“Come now, everyone,” said DiNiya as she brought over a plate of flame-roasted fish and a loaf of bread, placing it in front of Rex. “Let’s not turn breakfast into an inquisition. Eat up, Rex,” she said with a smile and went back to the kitchen to clear up.

“Rex,” EeNox interjected. “What were you doing in the forest? What tribe are you from?”

“Tribe?” asked Rex, confused. “I’m not from any tribe.”

“But where did you come from?” EeNox pushed.

“Merced,” Rex replied bluntly, a strange sense of anxiety building inside as the pain in his head returned.

“Merced,” EeNox repeated, trying to surmise the meaning of the name. “I’ve never heard of such a place. Where is this Merced?”

“I’m …I’m not sure,” Rex replied, clearly frustrated as he brought his open hand down on the table, causing his section to break off. Everyone looked stunned at the broken table, then at Rex, who was equally shocked by what had just happened. Looking down at his hand he immediately felt the onslaught of a panic attack, something he had not had since he was seven.

“What happened?” DiNiya asked as she came running over.

“Seems Rex here is a bit of a heavy hitter,” said BaRone with a hint of amusement in his voice. “I’d think twice about getting on his bad side, EeNox.”

His son looked at him but did not say anything. Rather, he seemed to be rethinking much of what he had surmised about Rex.

“I see now why he gave TyRoas so much trouble,” FenMor said with a laugh.

“Indeed,” added BaRone.

“EeNox, you insensitive ass,” DiNiya scolded as she smacked him over the head with a heavy wooden spoon. “What is your problem? You know he’s been through something traumatic, and yet you still insist on picking a fight with him! What are you trying to prove?”

EeNox stood up forcefully and looked into his sister’s eyes. “You all may be too afraid to say it—”

“EeNox,” his father interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” replied EeNox. “Why should I keep quiet? Why should any of us keep quiet? You all know he might be dangerous!”

“Me?” asked Rex innocently as he took a bite of one of the fish.

DiNiya looked at her brother and scowled. “This isn’t helping.”

“I’m not saying it’s his fault,” EeNox tried to explain. “But you know as well as I do that he…”

“That he what?” DiNiya asked, once again deciphering the true meaning of his words.

“That he may not be able to control himself,” he replied simply.

DiNiya stared at her brother for a good long moment, so long that everyone in the room began to feel more than a little uncomfortable. At last she let out a sigh and looked at Rex before turning back to her brother. “I know why you’re afraid, and I know you are only so out of concern for him as well as the rest of us.”

“All I was saying—”

“However,” she interrupted, “That does not mean he should be held responsible for someone else’s mistake.”

“She’s right, son,” BaRone interjected. “Everyone is an individual unto themselves, and thus deserving of an opportunity to prove who they are.”

EeNox had fallen silent as he took in the words of his sister and father. At last, he looked at Rex and bowed his head. “I’m sorry,” he said with what actually sounded like sincerity, something of a rare thing for Rex. “You have come here as a stranger with no memory of what happened to you, and I just made you feel angry and unwanted. I can only imagine how that must feel. My apologies for being the reason you were made to feel that way in our home.”

DiNiya noticeably relaxed while BaRone smiled approvingly.

“Maybe when you’re feeling a little more adjusted, EeNox can join you back in his room, and the two of you can make it yours.”

“Wait, you mean I’ve been staying in your room this whole time?” Rex asked in surprise.

EeNox nodded. “We had no place else to put you while you recovered,” he explained calmly.

Rex now felt guilty for having put the other boy out. He had never liked being an imposition to anyone, primarily because it put unwanted attention on him. Still, there was some part of him that felt legitimately guilty for being the reason he was driven out of his own bed. “I’m sorry,” he said, looking EeNox in the eye. “I did not realize it was your room. I’m out of there starting now.”

EeNox waved his hand dismissively. “No worries, I like sleeping out under the stars.”

“You’ve been sleeping outside?” Rex asked, surprised.

“Think nothing of it,” BaRone said, placing a hand on his back. “EeNox spends many a night out in KaNar’s inner forest. I have to beg him to actually come home sometimes. Ever since he could walk, he’s been running around in that forest, happy and content as can be.”

“I like the peace and tranquility,” EeNox said, shrugging his shoulders. “Besides, the fishing spots are less crowded than the ones closer to town.”

EeNox, now feeling surprisingly more at ease with Rex’s presence, was about to ask him if he would ever be interested in coming along with him on one of his excursions, when he saw him fighting to get a whole fish down his throat.