The Bones of Makaidos

by Bryan Davis

  “Like I said …” Elam’s brow dipped low. “Say what you’ve come to say, and leave out the venom.”

  “Very well.” She pointed at Mardon. “Bring the Oracle of Fire forward. I want to speak to her.”

  Elam looked back at Acacia. “Just to talk. Nothing more.”

  “Just to talk?” Semiramis repeated. “We shall see.”

  Holding Acacia’s hand tenderly, Mardon guided her to the front of their company. Acacia glanced at Sapphira, who was still on her knees next to Barlow.

  The line of fire drew closer, but since the flames were only inches tall, they seemed to pose no danger. Anyone could easily step over them.

  Thigocia lay on top of Clefspeare, her scales reddened by the flames of other dragons. Motionless and quiet, she waited for the healing to take effect.

  Semiramis’s eyes narrowed. “Which one are you, Sapphira or Acacia?”

  Elam gave everyone a firm shake of his head. Obviously he didn’t want anyone to answer.

  Billy glared at Mardon. If this creep really wanted to help Acacia, now was the time to prove it. Obviously Semiramis asked this question for a reason, so giving away Acacia’s identity wouldn’t be a good idea.

  Acacia pulled free from Mardon and dipped into a curtsy. “If you please, my lady, kindly tell me why you wish to know my name.”

  Her eyes narrowing further, Semiramis glanced between Acacia and Sapphira. “It is my understanding that one of you is ill. I selected you because you appear malnourished, and I wish to make an exchange. Once we learn the secrets behind your DNA structure, we will gladly restore your health. Yet, if I choose the wrong Oracle, everything we worked for will be lost.”

  “Begging your pardon,” Acacia said, “but I do not wish to aid whatever ends you have worked so hard to achieve, so I will maintain my silence regarding my identity.”

  Sapphira shuffled over to Mardon’s other side, adding a pronounced limp to her gait. “We will never help you. We are Oracles of Fire, and we were created to serve God alone.”

  “Fools! I need no help from you.” Semiramis glared at Mardon. “Which one is Acacia?”

  Mardon took Acacia’s hand and caressed it, then did the same to Sapphira. Keeping his head low, he said, “Even if I told you which one is Acacia, you would not be able to use her genetic changes for your purposes without my expertise.”

  “Mardon! We are moments from our final triumph. Your father dreamed about this day, the day we would rise up to Heaven, assault its very gates, and demand an audience with the Almighty. You know as well as I do that we cannot complete the assault unless we equip our army with angelic invincibility. Are you now going to forsake that dream, that passion born in his heart millennia ago? Are you going to throw away your place at the throne of the universe because of a foolish infatuation with a pair of pretty pets? Have you gone mad?”

  Mardon looked up at her. “They are not pets. Each one sprouted from embryonic cells I put together with my own two hands. If I turned Acacia over to you now, it would be as if God himself turned his back on his own daughter.”

  Semiramis reached out her hand. “You are my son, and my loyalty is to you. If we can extract this knowledge from Acacia, not only can we become like gods ourselves, your own face will be healed, and we can exact revenge upon the monster who maimed you.” Her voice transformed to a tone of entreaty. “Don’t you see, my son? If we get Arramos to kill Acacia, he will die because of the Oracle’s curse, and then we will be free to harvest her ova for our purposes. You will be whole, and revenge will be yours, delivered in a package of bloody red and snowy white prepared by your own hands.”

  Mardon touched the scars on his face. His ears flushed red. As new beads of perspiration gathered on his forehead, he grasped Acacia’s arm and strode toward Semiramis. “This one is Acacia.” Acacia stumbled along with him, apparently too weak to resist.

  “No!” Billy lunged toward Mardon and swung Excalibur, aiming for his neck. Devin thrust his own sword in between and blocked the stroke.

  As they pushed against each other’s blades, glaring eye to eye, Walter charged and stabbed at Devin’s side, but his sword merely bent and sprang back. Walter lost his balance, stumbled several steps backwards, and fell to his seat. Billy leaped away from Devin and ran with Bonnie to Walter’s side.

  Still holding Acacia’s hand, Mardon passed Devin and joined Semiramis.

  Yereq bellowed from Heaven’s Gate, his sword drawn. “Say the word, Warrior Chief, and I will kill all three of these villains.”

  “And I will join him,” Valiant said. “They cannot stand against us.”

  Gabriel flew over and landed next to Valiant. “Count me in.”

  Elam held up his hand. “You might hurt Acacia.”

  Billy and Bonnie helped Walter up. “Let’s go after Mardon and Semiramis together,” Bonnie whispered. “They won’t hurt Acacia on purpose, and if we’re quick enough, one of us can snatch her away.”

  “I’ll push Devin to the side,” Billy whispered back. “You and Walter can take care of the rest.”

  When all three rose, Devin rushed toward them. He kicked Billy in the groin, knocked Excalibur away, and set the tip of his own sword against Billy’s throat. “I see no one has trained you for a dirty, underhanded attack.”

  In spite of the pain, Billy refused to double over. He wanted to swallow, but the blade was already cutting into his skin. He growled without moving his throat. “We fight like knights here.”

  “As if I care.” Pulling back the blade slightly, Devin turned toward Elam. “Now you will leave Mardon and Acacia with Semiramis, or I will skewer this mongrel where he stands. If you acquiesce, Semiramis will signal our troops, and at least he will have a fighting chance to survive.”

  Billy glared at Devin. “My friends will likely want to save my life, but it’s not their choice. Whether your troops come or not, you will take Acacia over my dead body.”

  Devin laughed. “Your demon witch girlfriend complains about my theatrics, yet you drool that pathetic cliché.”

  “Take it or leave it, you cowardly sycophant. You were under the thumb of a sorceress for centuries, and you still cower behind the skirts of one now. If you weren’t covered by her dark magic, you would be tucking your tail and running like a terrified puppy.”

  “Her dark magic?” Devin laughed again. “How little you know!”

  Semiramis took a step closer to Billy and crooned. “Do you want to know how Devin was able to gain his invincible shell?”

  Billy finally swallowed, brushing his throat against the sharp blade. “Why should I care?”

  “Because it was by your hand. Fool that you were, you added Shiloh’s blood to the plant, exactly as I requested, and her blood, which carried an extraordinary immunity, added the precise element we needed to provide our seedling a cloak of invulnerability. And all this time, you thought we wanted Bonnie, when we really needed Shiloh. You were such a fool.”

  “Am I?” Billy knitted his brow. He had to figure out a way to rile Devin, somehow get him to rebel against Semiramis, or at least get him angry enough to make a mistake. “Devin is the real fool. He’s still just your toady, nothing more than a fat lapdog that you pet with your bloody fingers. What bone did you toss to get him to lick your filthy boots?”

  “You have your Oracle,” Devin growled at Semiramis. “Signal our people, and let me kill this rodent.”

  Semiramis let out a shrill whistle and waved her hand. “Very well. Feel free to take his head. You have earned that reward.”

  “With pleasure. First a stab through his heart.” As Devin pulled back the hilt, Acacia jerked away from Mardon and leaped in front of Billy. Devin thrust his sword. The blade punctured her chest, ran through her body, and slid out her back, pricking Billy’s skin.

  Devin yanked it out. “Stupid girl.”

  Acacia slumped. Blood poured from her wound. Billy slid his arms around her chest and lowered her gently to the ground and himself to his knees. Heat
blazing in his cheeks, he shouted, “You … you …” He couldn’t think of a word vile enough to describe the slayer. As he stared at the foul beast, the aura surrounding his skin and black chain mail fizzled and disappeared.

  “Sister!” Sapphira screamed as she ran to Acacia.

  “No!” Bonnie raised her sword and charged.

  As Devin stared at her, a cocky smile bent his lips. “The demon witch comes again—”

  “Shut up!” With a mighty swing, Bonnie swept her sword at his neck. The blade struck bare flesh and sliced cleanly through. Devin’s head toppled over and dropped to the ground, his eyes wide as it rolled. The mail-clad body crumbled in a heap of black.

  Pointing her sword at his eyes, Bonnie added, “Forever.”

  “We can still use Acacia!” Semiramis shouted. “Get her body!”

  Bonnie aimed her sword at Mardon, her arms and voice shaking. “Make one move, and you’re dead!”

  Mardon backed away a step, then turned and ran toward the village, leaping over the low fire. Semiramis raised her hood and followed. She seemed in no hurry, likely realizing that no one would attack an unarmed, retreating woman.

  Flint rose to his feet and hobbled toward Devin’s body. He picked up the slayer’s fallen sword and propped it against his shoulder as he faced Elam. “Allow me to fight for you.”

  “You’re too sick,” Elam said. “You can’t possibly survive.”

  His eyes glistening, he managed to straighten his body admirably. “After all I have seen here, I must demonstrate my repentance. Whether I live or die is of no consequence.”

  Elam nodded. “Let it be so.” He stooped close to Sapphira and touched the white rubellite ring on her finger. “During the four years of waiting here, I think I figured out a prophecy. You’ll probably have to use that gem to resurrect Makaidos, but I’ll get you another.” As he rose, he pointed at Ember. “Take Listener to the far side of the field.”

  Walter boosted Listener onto Ember’s back. As she settled in place, she said, “Sapphira, please tell Acacia that I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I was too slow to take her place as the sacrifice.”

  Her face twisting in grief, Sapphira nodded. “I … I will tell her.”

  Gabriel wrapped his arms around Shiloh. “I’ll take her to safety with Listener, but I’ll be back to join the battle.”

  As he lifted into the air, Ember followed his path toward the field’s western boundary.

  Walter shouted, “Get ready! Here they come!”

  At the eastern wall, invaders climbed over the top and, one by one, then two by two, dropped to the ground, their weapons drawn for battle.

  Thigocia lifted her body off Clefspeare and tugged on his wing with a clawed hand. “Are you able to rise?”

  With a lurch, Clefspeare rose to his haunches. For a moment, his neck wavered, but he quickly steadied it and roared. “Follow me!” He vaulted into the air, beating his wings with all his might.

  Thigocia followed. Hartanna and Legossi struggled to their feet and flew after them, but much more slowly. Firedda and Sorentine stayed on the ground. They seemed to be trying to get up, but their wings flailed helplessly.

  Elam waved his arm toward the eastern boundary. “Defend the garden!”

  “Let’s do it!” Walter said as he leaped after him. Valiant broke into a full sprint and kept pace at Walter’s side.

  Yereq shouted from Heaven’s Gate. “Take courage, my friends. If any of the snakes slip through your fingers, I will be here to relieve them of their heads.”

  Dikaios ran to Barlow and lowered his body. “Come, valiant warrior. If you are strong enough to ride, let us go to battle like the knights of old.”

  “By all means!” Barlow climbed to his feet and crawled over the horse’s back.

  Dikaios shot up to his full height and jumped into a gallop, Barlow shouting a battle cry as he waved his sword.

  Clefspeare stormed toward the garden’s boundary. Fire shot from his mouth and nostrils and blasted the invaders as they trickled over the top. Like a dragonfly, Thigocia flew from place to place, seemingly pausing in midair to cook the invaders who had already dropped onto the field.

  Merlin the airplane buzzed overhead. A fuel bomb dropped on the opposite side of the wall and raised a fiery explosion. The stream of invaders slowed, but only for a moment.

  As Merlin flew away, Billy watched the action, dazed as he held Acacia’s body. Was that the last of Windor’s bombs? Would Candle land somewhere and try to make more? He ached to join his fellow warriors, but holding the sacrificial Oracle seemed far more important. He had to guard her body until Sapphira did what she had to do.

  Sapphira pulled Acacia into her arms, weeping. “Oh, my dear sister! Oh, my sweet, wonderful sister!”

  Ashley laid her hand over the wound, but it did no good. Blood continued to pour from Acacia’s twitching body.

  His heart pounding, Billy looked at his blood-covered hands. Acacia’s blood. The sacrificial lamb’s blood. She had completed her purpose, her millennia-long journey. For this death she had been born, and for this saving sacrifice she had been waiting all her life.

  His hands trembling, Billy rolled his fingers into fists. He couldn’t fight. He couldn’t even speak. His arms felt like rubber, and his legs were numb.

  Groping fingers ran along his arm and found his fist. He loosened his fingers and let the weak hand slip into his.

  “Billy?” Acacia whispered.

  He leaned close to her as she lay cradled in Sapphira’s arms. He had to swallow before he could answer. “Yes. … Yes, I’m here.”

  Her lips, now light blue, trembled as she spoke. “I gave my life to save yours.”

  “Yes.” He folded her hand into both of his and forced his body to stop shaking. “Thank you.”

  Her voice weakened. “It was the greatest thing I have ever done.”

  He pressed his lips together. As tears dripped, the lump in his throat swelled. He couldn’t answer.

  “I never had a man in my life,” she continued as she raised a hand to his cheek. “But after our talk in the mines, I knew that if I were ever to choose, I would want someone like you at my side.”

  Her eyelids closed. After a final heave, her chest became still. Acacia, the great Oracle of Fire, had died.

  Billy raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. His tears flowing freely, he whispered, “Good-bye, Acacia. Thank you for saving my life. I will be forever grateful.” Then, his voice strengthening as new energy flowed through his body, he added, “I will fight in your name.”

  “Can we try a healing?” Ashley asked.

  Her face stained with tears, Sapphira shook her head. “This is what she wanted. I have to use her blood now to resurrect Makaidos.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Bonnie said. “You apply the blood, and I’ll guard your back.”

  As Sapphira lowered Acacia to the ground and rose to her feet, Bonnie touched Billy’s arm. “The rain washed the rust off. You need to get to work.”

  “Right.” He scanned the ground and spotted Excalibur a few feet away. Rising on his wobbly legs, he stumbled toward it and snatched it off the ground. He summoned the beam and looked at the battle near the eastern wall.

  Goliath had flown in, and as he and Clefspeare fought once again, more invaders and their horses spilled over the top, like rats crawling out of a flooded sewer. Five armor-clad horsemen kept Thigocia at bay with thick spears while fending off her flames with shields. The weaker dragons continued spewing fire at the arriving troops, but they were unable to keep up with the flow.

  The battleground resembled a sea—waves of slashing swords, roars of battling men and dragons, and a tidal surge that pushed the entire group toward the middle of the burning field.

  He let the beam die away. With everyone fighting in close quarters, using Excalibur would be dangerous. He would have to save it until he met the invaders face to face.

  Ashley strode to his side, her sword drawn. “Mind if
I join you? I have to keep my fiancé in one piece.”

  “By all means.”

  She set a hand on his shoulder and lifted her sword. “For Acacia?”

  Tightening his jaw, he nodded. “For Acacia.”

  Chapter 18

  When Death Brings Life

  Cradling Acacia’s body in her arms, Bonnie pulled the dead Oracle’s blood-soaked tunic up just past her ribcage and held it there. Blood oozed from under the material, and when it reached the end of her ribs, it dripped down to her scant waist.

  Sapphira cupped her hands and collected it drop by drop. Her arms trembled, but she kept them in place. She had to angle her head away to keep her tears from spilling in.

  As the blood filled Sapphira’s hands, Bonnie wept. This portrait of one sister gathering the blood of another was too much to bear. They had loved each other for thousands of years. They longed to be together, but calamity after calamity had kept them apart. And now, when they finally met again, they were torn asunder only moments later.

  “Do you think I have enough?” Sapphira asked.

  Bonnie took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. “I don’t know, but since her heart’s not beating, I don’t think you’ll get much more.” She lowered the tunic and mopped Acacia’s waist with the hem. The red liquid against her pale skin painted a stark contrast. Although both colors signified death, maybe one would soon bring life.

  With the sounds of a raging battle behind her, Bonnie slid both arms fully under Acacia’s body and rose to her feet. The little Oracle was so thin, she seemed no heavier than a bag of bones. Heaving a sigh, she nodded at Sapphira. “We’d better hurry.”

  Sapphira padded toward Heaven’s Gate, glancing back and forth between the plant and her cupped hands. When they arrived, she knelt in front of the plant, while Bonnie set Acacia next to the transparent energy field. Although the wall cast a sharp tingle across her skin, it seemed appropriate to lay Acacia as close to Heaven as possible.