From the Embers (The Born in Flames Trilogy)

by Candace Knoebel

  Everyone cheered and ran forth into the rift, singing songs of battle and chanting cries of war. The thunderous sound of their weapons clanging against shields shook the ground below us.

  “You ready?” Fenn asked me, his sword at the ready. War churned in his eyes. His firm jaw was set. He had waited for this moment for as long as I had.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said, pulling my daggers out. I flipped them in my hands, catching the hilt while grinning at him.

  “We stick together, okay?” Fenn said, not just to me, but to Zane, Lexi, and Soothe as well.

  Soothe snorted. “Stick together? In war?” There was a maddening thrill in his eyes that I had never seen before as his grip tightened around the large oak staff he held. “Whatever you say.” He walked past us and ported down to the rift below, never looking back.

  “Let’s do this!” I shouted, porting to the rift and then crossing over. Zordon’s army was yards away, waiting patiently at the bottom of a lone hill where the ruins once sat. The dark hooded men covered the expanse like a sweeping lurid fog. Warlocks, Harpys, creatures from the Swamp…every evil being stood waiting for the fight we would bring.

  Na’shir was out in front, gripping a staff with a shrunken head on top. He looked weaker than the image I had seen in my head when he helped me with his magic, like he had been punished for his assistance.

  His glowing eyes connected with mine. This was going to happen whether he wanted it or not. This was only going to end in one way—death.

  Adrenaline shot throughout my limbs. I gripped both of my daggers, using the hilts to steady my shaking hands.

  I stopped running about a yard away from Na’shir, searching his face for any form of give while trying to maintain a cool composure. There was nothing there but emptiness and pain.

  Irisi came up beside me, her hands pressed against her sides. She wore black leather that conformed to her curves. Waves of sadness and betrayal rolled off her as she looked upon Na’shir. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She pulled the sheer piece of black fabric away from her mouth.

  “Na’shir?” Her voice trembled.

  He stirred for a moment, his eyes widening with horror as they fell over her. He took a step in her direction, his hand reaching out to caress her face, but then he caught himself. Pain crippled his movements as he fell to a knee, his fingers clutching the ground for support. Irisi’s breath caught as she hesitantly took a step towards him.

  When he looked back at us, a newfound hate boiled in his eyes. He bared his teeth at me, and then slammed his staff into the ground. Thousands of Necromancers appeared from out of green fire directly behind him, all drooling with the need for a fight.

  “No!” Irisi cried out, reaching for him. She slammed into an unseen barrier that prevented her from touching him. She jumped back, hugging herself as more tears fell.

  Na’shir dropped to his knees, this time on his own free will, and dug his hands into the earth as green energy poured out of him. His head jerked back to the skies, his mouth moving furiously with chants. Only the whites of his eyes were visible inside of the green fire that rose up around him.

  The ground in front of us began to shake. I put my arms out, guiding everyone a few steps back while adjusting my weight to balance on the shifting earth beneath us.

  “He is raising the army,” Irisi said vacantly. Her voice was so soft, I barely heard her.

  “I don’t understand. Zordon’s magic should have released all of you the moment he turned mortal. That’s what Gwen said.”

  “This wasn’t the magic of a Fate, Aurora. This was the curse of death. The others were released because they were not bound to the death curse, but he bound Na’shir to it to ensure his allegiance. The only way to undo it is for Zordon or Na’shir to die.” She turned away from Na’shir.

  My jaw hurt from clenching so hard for so long. “I will break this curse with Zordon’s death,” I vowed vehemently. This was the end game. All that mattered was finding and killing Zordon before he had the chance to kill me.

  Irisi’s hand slid onto my shoulder, her palm quivering. I turned to look at her. “All of my hope rests in you.” She forced herself to look at Na’shir who continued to chant into the earth.

  Thousands of bodies thick with muscle crawled out of the ground, flesh hanging from their soil-covered bodies. Their eyes were completely black. When the spell was complete and the indestructible army stood before us, Na’shir leveled his eyes on mine.

  My fingers tightened around the handles of my daggers as I silently prayed for help to whoever would listen. Na’shir’s mouth opened wide, and he shouted in his ancient tongue, commanding his army forward with a slamming of his cane.

  The risen ran towards us, one purpose clearly etched on their faces. I turned back to Kaede and Lev. Our army held strong, waiting for something.

  “When they are close, go for Na’shir and keep your eye out for Zordon,” Astral spoke in my mind. “Try to avoid the main fight.”

  “Why?”

  “You will see.” And then the connection was gone. I quickly relayed the orders to the others and told Zane, Lexi, and Irisi to get back with Kaede.

  “Stay with me,” I said to Fenn, knowing I couldn’t do this without him at my side.

  “Always.”

  The risen were close now, their evil grunts staying in time with the beating of the war drums. I waited until the last possible second and then grabbed Fenn’s hand, porting us behind enemy lines.

  I ran straight for Na’shir, but he vanished inside green fire. I spun in a circle, searching for him, but he was nowhere to be found. I turned back in time to watch the initial attack begin.

  Lev had been right. The risen were mindless, unable to sense a trap. At the last possible second, our men ported the entire formation back onto a hill, uncovering a large hole that opened up to the center of the earth. The earth spell I had smelled earlier.

  A staggering amount of risen plummeted to their second death before Na’shir reappeared in front of them, commanding them to stop.

  That’s when Zordon’s men stepped in. They rushed forward, their magic closing the hole so the risen could continue forward. Our men tried to target them as they ported closer and closer, but it seemed the Necros had encased them in some form of protection. I had to stop Na’shir.

  Fenn and I half-ran, half-ported our way towards Na’shir. It took all of my force to stab through the thick skin of the risen so I took to the sky and spread my flames where I could, taking precautions to ensure that the fire didn’t spread to our army.

  Fenn stayed below me, fighting his way through a mess of Warlocks and rogue Mages. But with Necromancers on Zordon’s side, we were at a loss. Our magic couldn’t touch them, but they could touch us. The protective bubble around them left my men unable to even strike them.

  My soldiers fell left and right to Necromancer’s touch of death. Rage ate away at me as I watched them fall, always a moment too late to save them. I had to do something.

  “Fenn!” I shouted, pointing ahead. “I’m taking the shield down.” He nodded and continued forward, dodging hits left and right.

  I unleashed a fury of flames on the Necromancers’ protective shield. The large protective bubble caught on fire, the flames eating away at the dark magic. It sizzled out moments later, leaving the Necros venerable to physical attack.

  My triumphant smile didn’t last long. Na’shir’s magic caught me off guard, an invisible force slamming me into the ground. His vice-like grip of power clenched around my throat, squeezing every last breath out of me.

  Fenn dropped to his knees not far from me, his hands around his own neck. Na’shir’s grip tightened and a searing pain entered my chest. He was using his magic on my heart, to slow its beating.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I ca
ught Lexi and Zane sprinting in our direction, screaming something I couldn’t hear behind the dull thumping of my heart slowly giving out. She skidded to a halt and dropped down in front of us, her hands already a brilliant white color. “Hang on.”

  I looked for Fenn, but couldn’t see him anymore. My vision was too blurry. Like a rapid spreading virus, panic set in. My hands frantically wrapped around my neck, trying to pry the invisible fingers away.

  I felt Lexi’s hands press on my chest just as my vision went completely black. This couldn’t be the end. Fenn couldn’t die like this.

  Like a beacon of hope, bright light filled my mind. She fought the hands around my throat and heart and pushed Na’shir’s magic away.

  The moment I was released, I gasped for air, feeling around my neck just to be sure. He was gone. I threw my arms around Lexi, pulling her into me. Fenn was already on his feet, running a shaky hand around his throat.

  “Thank you,” I said as we both stood.

  Fenn spun and decapitated one of the risen, using his foot to kick him away from us. Two more approached us, but Zane took them both out with his staves.

  “Don’t mention it,” Lexi said, standing and scanning the area. Chaos was everywhere, unavoidable. We had to bring down the Necros, at least until I could find Na’shir or Zordon.

  I grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at me. “Your magic, it healed me. It was able to fight back against the Necromancers, something none of us can do.”

  She stared at me expectantly, waiting for me to explain my point.

  “We need the Celestians,” I explained.

  A light went off in her eyes. She nodded and then disappeared.

  I fought off a Warlock, and made my way to Fenn. He was hit in the stomach, knocking the air from my lungs. “Oblitero Mortifico,” Fenn shouted. His energy hit the rogue Mage he fought in the chest, killing him on spot.

  He turned back to me. “You okay?” he asked as a matter of habit. He looked to my stomach where I had felt the blow he had taken.

  I nodded. “We have to find Irisi and take her to Na’shir,” I said, using my fire to shield us from the dead. “She has to try to bring him back. She’s the only that can.”

  “She’s over there,” Zane pointed. She was using her death touch against the Mage’s in Zordon’s army.

  “Irisi,” I shouted out to her. Her piercing silver eyes shot over to mine, brimming with anguish. “We have to stop him.”

  She jerked her head back to the fight in front of her. “He is lost to me now,” she stated, sounding distraught as she worked her magic on one of Zordon’s men.

  We ported over to her, taking down a Mage who ran for us, shouting a spell off. “You have to try,” I pleaded, grabbing her arm when I got close. I snatched my hand away, regretting the action. She was too hot to touch. Fenn rubbed his hand next to me, flicking his gaze between us.

  “He will not come,” she said imperviously.

  “He will if you believe in him,” I coaxed, my eyes finding Fenn’s. I would always fight for him.

  Her magic faltered and then vanished. “Where is he?”

  “I last saw him at the mouth of the hole,” I said. “We need you to stall him, or even better, bring him back to our side. If Lexi can’t bring the Celestians, I fear this war will be over before it even begins.” I bit my lip.

  She didn’t respond immediately. “Fine. I can find him.” She started forward, slashing out with dark magic whenever a risen approached. They fell into ash the moment her magic touched them.

  She took us around the horde of men and dead, where we spotted Na’shir up on a hill. He must have sensed her because his eyes shot over to us.

  “He is mine to deal with,” she growled, pushing me to stand behind her. Her hands flew out to her sides, palms facing Na’shir as dark magic gushed out and crept up the hillside.

  I thought I saw a smirk appear on his face, and then he vanished in thin air, reappearing only mere inches from Irisi’s face.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked flatly, his lips near her cheek.

  Irisi constructed a dark green shield of power around us, preventing any from crossing. “You know what you are doing is wrong,” she snapped. “Stop this madness. Come back to me.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  It happened so fast, I barely had time to digest it. Her hands shot up to his throat, lifting him in the air, and then slammed him into the ground.

  His hand wrapped around hers and shoved her off, and then appeared around her neck. I moved to pounce but was stopped by Irisi’s blaring gaze.

  She allowed him to choke her as he yelled and cursed, his body vibrating in anger. “You shouldn’t be here!” he shouted in her face. “You know the price!”

  Her hands slowly found his, her eyes set with courage. He flinched when she touched him, but he didn’t let go of her neck. I don’t know if she used magic or if it was her loving touch that stopped him, but he slowly relinquished his hold on her, his body hunched and heaving with sobs.

  They spoke to each other in a language I couldn’t understand while she caressed his back. I was so relieved.

  Until he spoke in English.

  “I can’t not fight for him,” he said to her, brushing her cheek.

  “You have to try,” she urged.

  “You don’t understand. Your life was his bargain. He cursed you. He made me place the curse on you, not me.”

  I felt the blood drain from my face.

  “What?” she asked, pulling away from him.

  He looked at her with sorrow and pain. “The risen must win or your life will be taken from me forever.”

  She absently shook her head, her eyes scanning the ruined ground, searching for a solution. She finally stopped and looked up at him. “Do the right thing,” she said plainly.

  His eyes widened in horror. “Never,” he spat. “I love you.”

  “Do the right thing,” she said again, “or I will never forgive you. I will not love you.” She waited for his answer. I felt so torn. She would sacrifice herself? I couldn’t let her do it.

  “Irisi, maybe there is some other way,” I said awkwardly.

  She didn’t face me when she said, “There is no other way. I will find him once more in death.” She looked down at him. “If he does the right thing.”

  “I can’t,” he said to the ground.

  She got to her feet without looking at him and walked up to me. “Let’s go,” she said bitterly, and then she walked deep into Na’shir’s raised army.

  “Irisi!” he shouted after her, his head falling into his hands. She kept fighting full force, taking on two and three dead at a time.

  “I can’t kill her,” he admitted as he rose. “She is my one and only. It’s shaming enough what I have done to her.”

  “You have to do what’s right, even if it hurts,” Zane said, looking directly at me. Was he trying to tell me something? Like go back on my word to Irisi? It was the right thing to do. Na’shir was here before me, weak and wounded.

  Now was the time to take him down.

  Without thinking, I lunged for Na’shir. He fell back, my hand clenched around his throat. There was nothing in his eyes when I reared my flaming hand back, ready to strike him. It was like he wanted me to do it. He wanted me to kill him.

  “Ahhhh!” I screamed as Fenn pulled me off him. “Why can’t you do the right thing?” I yelled. I turned from him, following Fenn and Zane back into battle.

  AS THE BATTLE CARRIED ON, Zordon was nowhere to be found. I knew the sun was beginning to rise, but still could not see it. Not behind the stormy mess Zordon had created.

  I turned back around to see Na’shir disband his men, sending them cascading into the fight with fresh adrenaline and will. Our army faltered with
fear. We were being pushed back into our realm, and whoever fought back was slain with a touch of the hand. If only we had the Priests with us to help heal.

  Fenn was beside me the whole time, fighting with his crazed strength and occasionally using my power over fire. “I didn’t know you could do that,” I said, amazed.

  “Me either,” he admitted as he plunged his sword into a Necromancer behind me.

  The Ancients used the magic in their eyes and the force in their giant hands to fight against Zordon’s Cyclopes who stomped through my army like humans stepping on an ant pile.

  “We are losing badly and Zordon hasn’t even shown his face,” I said as I punched and then stabbed a dirty looking Necromancer who ran up to me with his dagger at the ready.

  “He’ll show,” Fenn said, taking a hit to his back that I felt all the way to my core. He spun, sending a flame from the palm of his hand into the Warlock who attacked him.

  “Look!” Zane said from the other side of Fenn.

  Kaede had unleashed a fresh wave of men and Nymphs from the rift. But that wasn’t where our eyes focused. The dreary sky was filled with what was left of the Imperials. Only a handful. My heart leapt while my stomach lurched with pain. They came to fight, despite the greater odds. I had to protect what was left of my heritage.

  The heads in the chaos below turned up, watching as the dragons swooped in, dispensing their elemental magic over our enemies. They flew straight towards Zordon’s army, pelting them with sheets of rain that hardened into ice. Flurries of wind and dirt picked up around Zordon’s army, sending them into a total panic.

  “NOW!” I heard Sayer shout from behind Zordon’s army. The Dark Saar appeared from out of nowhere, surging forward on the tail of the Shadows. Some opened portals into the sky and latched on to the backs of the Imperials.