From the Embers (The Born in Flames Trilogy)

by Candace Knoebel

  Gwenevere’s head was thrown back from the force of Na’shir’s magic as it entered her through her mouth. Irisi kept her hand locked with Gwenevere’s, untouched by Na’shir’s magic.

  A stream of darkness rose up from the floor around Gwenevere, swallowing her inside black smoke and acid green flames. Her body writhed under his command, luring her to succumb to his death touch.

  Billows of wisped smoke streamed out in swirls from the force of her movements. A small puff touched the hem of Zordon’s robe. Green flames sprouted from the contact. Zordon quickly stomped it out with his foot.

  Na’shir leaned over Gwenevere, the marks on his bald head glowing to match the power in his eyes.

  “I call upon death’s black hole,

  Where power comes to cease,

  Break this woman’s tainted soul,

  For only him to release.”

  The flames rose up to the ceiling with a blast of magical force and then all at once died off into a mere memory. Na’shir stepped back, the green in his eyes receding to their normal black color. “The transition will take a few weeks, but is done, now let my wife go,” he said, his breath rushing out of him, sweat beading on his forehead.

  “Get up,” Zordon said to Gwenevere, testing her out. She rose stoically at his command. When she spun to face him, there was nothing in her eyes. Life had left her. She was an empty, wasted shell. “Leave,” he rushed out.

  She stiffly walked away, all emotion gone with the magic of Na’shir. Zordon let his staff fall to the ground. “You are free,” he said to Irisi. This time she didn’t run for Na’shir. She didn’t even look at him.

  Na’shir’s head fell in shame as he waited to be shackled. “Are you with me now?” Zordon asked.

  Na’shir watched his wife leave the cellar. “I have nothing left,” he said solemnly, his words dripping with anguish.

  Chapter 13

  The Beginning of the End

  WHEN I WOKE IN FENN’S arms the next morning, I sat straight up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My heart pounded against my chest as soon as I remembered the nightmare of what we had seen the night before.

  Zordon.

  I leaned over and shook Fenn, needing to hear his voice and see his eyes. He stirred as I shook him and then opened one eye. “What’s wrong?” His voice was hoarse and groggy.

  “I had a nightmare about what we saw last night,” I said quickly, moving to sit on my knees beside him. The bed dipped a little when he propped up on an elbow, his eyes still trying to adjust to the soft light streaming in through the window.

  “What was it about?” He ran a hand through his bedhead, my eyes involuntarily following the movement of his shirtless chest. He paused, grinning like a fool when he caught me staring at him. His sleep-warmed chest brushed up against me as he pulled me down to settle against him.

  “Yes, no, I don’t know,” I said, frazzled. “It was about Zordon. He was standing in a field of dead bodies. Blood was everywhere. When I realized where I was, I couldn’t move and then everything changed. I was lost in the sea of dead bodies, covered in blood-like I had killed them. Then something appeared with glowing green eyes. I knew it was Na’shir. I can’t believe he really joined Zordon.”

  He placed his hand on my knee, rubbing it soothingly. “It was just a nightmare. What we saw last night…,” he paused. I knew he was thinking of his mother. I reached out and ran my fingers through his hair, helping him through the thought. “It doesn’t mean the end of us. We can still win this, Rory. You have to believe.”

  I looked down at him, trying to slow the rhythm of my heart as his hand reached my cheek. “How can you be so sure?” I felt the panic rising again and leaned into his hand, closing my eyes. “I know our connection has been severed now that we each have our Oraculus, but we are still bound, Fenn. We are still connected by this invisible string of hell and the only way to undo it is to draw his blood.”

  I looked over at the spectol that rested on top of our clothes. What we had seen, we decided to keep to ourselves until after our attack on Pyre Island. We didn’t want everyone to go into battle feeling any more scared than they already were.

  Fenn sat all the way up and pulled me into a deep hug. His hand rubbed the back of my head as I pressed my ear against his chest, using the sound of his steadied heart as a guide back to calm.

  “I promise you, Rory. Everything will work out. We have a solution now. We will switch the bond. You will not be covered in blood. And Zordon and Na’shir will not win.”

  “And that could be our biggest problem.”

  “What’s that?” he asked, running his hand along my spine.

  “Assuming.”

  He smirked at me and then leaned over, licking his lips before giving me a soft good morning kiss.

  “Let’s suit up and see what’s in store for us today,” I said, the calm already setting in.

  “I’ll wait here and watch to make sure you dress right,” he said, laughing.

  I shook my head with a smile as I grabbed my armor and slid it on. I picked up his breastplate and tossed it to him. He huffed while smiling and then stood.

  We headed down to the throne room where we hoped we’d find Dagan. I kept telling myself not to worry, that he would be up and about and not hung over from the night before.

  When we rounded the corner of the courtyard, both on edge with worry, our fears were immediately relieved. Row upon row of suited Nymphs were lined up, listening to Dagan as he gave a speech about what he thought was to come.

  Lexi stood off to the side and looked up as soon as we entered. She threw her hands up, rolling her eyes at us for being tardy. I had to stifle a laugh because Dagan’s version of war made me think of Unicorns playing in a field of butterflies.

  Dagan’s eyes followed Lexi as she walked over to us. “The Progeny,” he said with his hands open in welcome. “So glad you have woken. We were just discussing our plan of attack.”

  Fenn walked up to Dagan and shook his hand. “You have quite an army,” he commented in surprise, slapping Dagan on the back with the other hand.

  “Oh, this,” Dagan said breezily, “this is only the beginning. My beautiful Naidia is gathering our woodland creatures as we speak.”

  “There’s more?” I asked, trying not to gape. I couldn’t even see where the army before me ended.

  Dagan laughed. “We are going to war, correct?”

  I quickly nodded.

  “We can’t very well go unprepared,” he finished, turning back to his army. They didn’t move underneath their silver-plated armor.

  “Kaede will be pleased,” Fenn said. “Heck, I am astounded and very grateful.”

  “Did you doubt me?” Dagan asked seriously, picking up a brow.

  Fenn faltered. “Of course not,” he said a little too hastily. I caught Lexi’s smirk and felt a bit embarrassed for jumping to conclusions the night before.

  “Good. This is my realm too, you know. We have to do everything in our power to keep it safe. Speaking of…” His voice trailed off as a giant form stepped from behind a column. “I’m glad you could make it, Astral.”

  “As am I,” Astral said, his eyes plastered on me.

  “Where were you?” I asked without conviction.

  “Head down to the portal and wait for us,” Dagan shouted out to his army as I walked towards Astral. They about-faced and snapped their feet together, and then disappeared through multiple portals.

  “Aside from asking a favor from some friends, I had something I needed to look into, something that I thought would help us,” Astral said to me as the last of the Nymphs disappeared.

  “Were you successful?” I asked.

  His finger rose up to his chin in thought. “A thought occurred to me before you left. A thought about Lev and his
whereabouts. About what happened to him before Zordon took over.”

  The way he looked at me, I knew that he had been in my thoughts, meddling for information. I bit my tongue.

  He smiled. “Yes, I heard your thoughts about Lev.” I rolled my eyes. “And he is still being held in that crystal inside of the Lyceum.”

  “You were right, Rory,” Fenn said to me, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He looked over at Astral. “Do you think Lev can help us?”

  “Lev is the key to all of our problems with recruiting members into our army. Aurora, you don’t have time to go from village to village, ensuring that you have returned. But if we free Lev, he can. If he returns to his throne, the rest will come crawling back. And when all is said and done, and the war of the New Dawn begins, we will be ready.” His eyes glowed with excitement.

  “Astral—” I started, but he cut me off.

  “You don’t understand, Aurora. When he was Liege, all other Lieges looked to him. Peace like you have never known filled the lands. He was praised. And if he returns, there is a chance that maybe even Zordon’s army will leave his side and return to Lev again.”

  I knew this was Astral’s way of contributing to a battle that he could really do nothing about. I didn’t want to tell him that I had already planned on saving Lev as barter with Dagan. I didn’t want to spoil his moment. But, of course, he could read my thoughts.

  “Yes, but you didn’t have this.” He turned around and whistled loudly. Portals opened up around us, and Ancients streamed in.

  I took a few steps back, overwhelmed by the sight. All I could think about was that day in front of the Council when Nexus attacked Fenn. “They are on our side?” I asked cautiously, reaching for my daggers, ready to shift.

  Fenn and Lexi were also in their fighting stance, eyeing everyone who entered.

  “Relax,” Astral said, “they are on our side. I have spent some time pulling favors with old friends.” He turned just enough to pat one of the giant Ancients on the back. “They all have a choice in who they will follow, and this is who followed me here.”

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. They were all here to fight with us and not against us. They took up the entire courtyard, still in their true forms. It was amazing to see how closely they all resembled one another.

  They towered over us in their long white robes with blue striping. Their skin was almost translucent, offsetting their glowing blue eyes. Different colored beards hung down their chests. They looked gloriously powerful.

  The Ancient Astral had patted stepped forward and knelt down on one knee, still looming above me. His black beard was braided and clasped with silver wire. His pale lips pulled into a smile as his guttural voice thundered out.

  “I have followed your fate ever since Astral was assigned to watch over you. You have impressed not only me but all of my brothers with all that you have overcome.” He turned just enough for me to see the many Ancients behind him nodding in agreement.

  “The day has come for us to choose our path of allegiance, and we gladly stand behind both you and our brother, Astral. Aside from The Fates, we are the oldest race in this realm.” He stood up, and his height seemed to grow with the depth of his words. “We hold the power to rewrite history, and I will be damned if I am going to stand by and let Zordon do it for us.”

  The Ancients behind him broke out in cheers that shook the Lyceum walls. Maybe we really did have a chance.

  “It seems you have outdone yourself, Astral,” Dagan said hesitantly as he eyed his rumbling castle.

  “There is nothing to fear here,” Astral said. He turned to the lot he brought, his voice resuming its ocean-deep tone. “I want you to head down and follow Dagan’s army. Wait for us there.”

  “We gladly fight today,” one of the red-haired Ancients called out as he followed the group downhill.

  It took a long time before the courtyard was finally empty, allowing Dagan and the rest of us to speak privately.

  “What exactly are your plans, Progeny?” Dagan asked.

  I didn’t really know what to say. Aside from needing to talk to Lexi, something I refused to think about in the presence of Astral, I hadn’t thought much about the actual attack. I wanted to get in, get Lev and any others who were being held captive, and then get out.

  “Find Lev and win the battle,” I said, trying to sound firm and certain.

  He smirked. “Of course. I should have known. Well then, I guess we shall meet on the other side?”

  I nodded.

  “Good.” He opened a port and waited for the rest of us to follow suit. Astral walked up behind him and they disappeared. Lexi started to follow, but Fenn held his hand out, preventing her from going any further.

  “What?” Lexi asked.

  “We need to talk,” Fenn whispered to her.

  “I’m all ears,” she whispered back.

  “We met with Iliana last night”.

  Her eyes widened. “You did what? How?”

  “She sent for us. Roan was the channel that led us to her. She said she knows how we can defeat Zordon.”

  “How?”

  Their words drifted away as a tingling feeling covered the back of my head. Zordon’s crest appeared in my mind, followed by a large explosion at the castle’s gates. My dragon Foresight. Something bad was about to happen.

  I grabbed Fenn’s arm, squeezing as bodies of Nymphs on fire raced through my mind, haunting my vision.

  “Rory? What is it? What are you seeing,” Fenn said, alarm in his tone.

  But before I could explain, a loud crashing scream came from somewhere behind the castle walls. We all turned in time to watch a fiery explosion at the castle gates.

  Fenn didn’t hesitate. He opened a portal to the bottom of the hill, and we all jumped through without a second thought. Frenzied chaos met us on the other side. The open portal had allowed Zordon’s men to push through and overthrow Dagan’s diminishing army.

  “There’s another portal down wind,” Dagan shouted into the crowd of fighting Nymphs, using his magic to heighten his voice. “Retreat and port through to the other side of the island.”

  He swung his sword as a Mage dressed in black, wearing Zordon’s crest struck him with a staff. They collided in the air, sending a metallic clang throughout the crowd of warriors. The staff broke Dagan’s sword in two, sending Dagan crashing down onto his back.

  Fenn’s magic swirled in the palm of his hands. “Turbularum Vortum!” he shouted, sending the Mage up into the air in a churning whirlwind of pain. The Mage cried out as Fenn sent the whirlwind flying out over the edge of the island.

  Dagan looked up at the three of us with shock on his face.

  “Lexi, head to the other portal and ensure everyone makes it through. Aurora, stay near me,” Fenn said, and then he ran forward, head first into the crowd. Lexi nodded and left, and I shifted under my armor, leaping into the sky.

  “Seal the portal,” I yelled to Dagan who kicked another Mage in the gut and then plunged a dagger through his throat. He looked up and nodded, running over to the portal. I flew past him and opened fire on Zordon’s men below me, hoping to lower their numbers.

  “Nebulum!” Fenn shouted, causing a foggy mist to rise up around everyone fighting. “Do it now!” he shouted out to Dagan, ushering the rest of the Nymphs to retreat using the fog as cover.

  A band of Harpys flew in through the portal before Dagan could close it. Their ear-piercing screeches filled the air around us as acid left their mouths. I turned and headed in their directions, my flames at the ready.

  “Retreat to the other portal,” I commanded to the remaining Nymphs below me who were still fighting. The Harpys screeched again, this time targeting the Nymphs trying to run. I unleashed my flames on them, watching as the fire encircled the group an
d sent them spiraling to their deaths below the fog.

  A group of Ancients used the power in their eyes to burn deep holes in the ground causing some of Zordon’s men to plummet to their deaths.

  Fenn unleashed another whirlwind, gathering a group of Zordon’s men into the air. He guided the whirlwind back towards the sealing portal and threw them into it before it closed.

  “We have to go NOW!” Dagan shouted as soon as the portal closed.

  “Fenn!” I shouted, halting him in his steps, “the Draconta. We have to clear these lands of Zordon’s men.”

  He nodded as I turned back. There were only a handful of Zordon’s men left. They were chasing after Dagan to the other portal. I opened my mouth, releasing every bit of anger and hatred clogging my soul, out onto them. Their bodies went up in flames, and I couldn’t help but feel relief.

  I was leaving my kind behind, safe and sound.

  We followed Dagan and his army the rest of the way towards the other portal where we hurried through together, leaving the island behind.

  We landed in the forest on the other side of Pyre Island. I scanned the area, expecting more of Zordon’s men, but the only sounds surrounding us were that of the island’s heavy storm. Dagan’s army headed through a woven portal. If they had been shaken from the attack, they were doing an excellent job at hiding it, all following Naidia’s lethal command.

  On the other side of the portal, Kaede’s men were already tending to the wounded. The explosion had taken out a large portion of the Nymphs and two Ancients. A few Sirens were covered in Harpy poison and fighting for their lives. Warlocks and Mages lay in pools of blood with burns and open wounds.

  “What happened?” Kaede and Astral asked in unison the moment I appeared near the cave that anchored both the realms together. It was hard to hear them amongst the angry pattering of rain.