Champion Complete Series

by Francheska Fifield

  "Where are they?"

  From behind the statue rises a bird on fire. The bird itself is multiple hues of orange and red with yellow plumage sticking up from its head. Flames dance across its feathers in waves. Like the ones I had traversed through they are warm and comforting giving off a soft glow. Like a candle in the night.

  I curtsy. I hadn't for all the ancients, but the Firebirds are much like dragons. Part of the world, their flesh, their magic, they are connected to the world in ways others are not.

  "Welcome Queen of the World."

  I rise up and keep myself from flinching. I hate those words but I know they don’t mean it disrespectfully.

  "Thank you for inviting me."

  "You come to ask us to join your world."

  "Yes."

  "I wish my brethren had lived to see the day we would once again be welcome in the outside world."

  "Are you the last?"

  He looks me in the eye and I feel dizzy. Avren holds me up. My body stays still but my mind is transported elsewhere.

  I open my eyes and I see apple trees, thick berry bushes, and the bright blue sky. In the air flies Firebirds, dozens of them. None are on fire but on the ground are some that are. Humans roamed around and as they come across the birds, they give a bow some even stop to talk. The birds hunker down like a mama bird on a nest. The humans sit and their eyes roll back leaving only the whites. The bird's eyes close and I feel more than see a connection occur.

  Humans are consulting the birds. They asked them about things. Paths to hopes and dreams. Help to make tough decisions. In return, they live side by side peacefully. It is a beautiful relationship.

  The humans help the birds by staying out of their breeding grounds and the humans get warnings if the Firebirds see disaster coming. A truly symbiotic relationship.

  The Firebirds use their fire control to keep the village safe from wildfires when lightning strikes. The humans bring food to the mothers that cannot leave the nest while awaiting the hatching of their young.

  It is such a wonderful feeling. Full of love and respect. Kids play with newly hatched birds that still have no flame. They flap around and squawk and the children talk. They are not magical so they shouldn’t understand what the baby birds say but they do. They grow together, learn together, and have a peaceful existence.

  As fewer and fewer Firebirds are born, the world changes and with it the creatures in control of the world. The Firebirds are pulling back, resting, waiting for their time to rise once again. They will no longer be able to watch over their human friends. So, they do the only thing they can think of. They share some of their powers so their human friends can stay safe and warm even without them present.

  Fast forward a few hundred years and the Firebirds have shared their power with their human friends. And the descendants of those that were given power are not as kind as the originals. War rages and the Firebirds refuse to take a life. They cannot kill the descendants of those they loved so. They can’t take a life because their role is to bring life to the world.

  After much death and destruction and attempts to reason with humanity they flee to this location. Where they keep from the magic of the world, keep from using their gifts the way they are meant to, they slowly die off.

  I trip and come back to the present. It no longer looks beautiful. A gilded cage is still a cage. "That's horrible…"

  "I made my peace with it long ago. No species lives forever. We knew that and still, we shared our gifts."

  "Why?"

  "There would be no magic in humans or elves today if we hadn't."

  They literally made it possible for our world to evolve and grow and humanity turned on them. It is terrible. And exactly the kind of thing my reign will prevent.

  "I won't let it happen again."

  "I know. That is why I am gifting you this egg. It is the last."

  The egg shrinks and goes from flaming to glowing orange and yellow while keeping its red shell. He creates a chain and attaches the egg. Avren takes it in his claws and puts it around my neck. I feel the pulse inside. The heartbeat of an unborn Firebird, the last of them. Their only hope for carrying on.

  "What do I do with it?"

  The bird looks at Avren and something silent passes between them.

  "You give him a name and he will be born. You will be connected after that. After that, he will know where you are and you him forever. Can you handle this task?"

  "Yes of course. How will I know when to bring him into the world?"

  He looks back at Avren.

  "You will know the right time. Phoenixes represent rebirth, new beginnings, and moving on. You will reach a time in your life when it will be something you want, something you need. You will know."

  "I promise I will take good care of him."

  "Name him carefully it will determine his personality and you will be together forever."

  I look down at the egg and clasp it in one hand. I am glad for the warning. This is a great honor and responsibility. I want to do it right. This will honor an entire species. I want him to have a name that reflects that. I will do some digging in the Elvin library. Perhaps I can find the perfect name for our new beginning.

  "Thank you for this honor. Is there anything I can do? To ease your passing? If you wish to stay with us until you go, so you can be near the egg, we will find a way to make you comfortable."

  "I will go like ashes in the wind spreading my magic throughout the world. I hope it will find its new homes in those that wish to serve your cause."

  I bow clutching the egg in my hand letting the warmth soothe me. I fight the tears in my eyes. I don’t want to disrespect this last brave bird handing over and unborn to me. I hope I can raise it as well as he would have.

  "Very well. May your passing be peaceful and painless."

  I stand and the tears fall. A fiery wing brush them away.

  "You will be everything my species wished for."

  I nod unable to speak. So far, my crying is silent; if I open my mouth to speak that will change. I can’t bear the thought then when this baby is born it will ask about its ancestors and I can only tell him that he is the last. That the others died trying to bring magic to the world. That I have sworn to protect him from anyone and everything forever.

  Avren plucks me off the ground and puts me on his head. I stand there holding his horn as the bird's flame breaks off and flitters in the air like feathers. An unnatural wind blows the pieces of fire in multiple directions shooting out to whoever their new owners will be.

  When the bird remains, no fire just a brightly colored orange bird, he too dissipates. It is not like the flames. He turns to ash and the wind, natural this time, scatters them. I cling to the horn and sob. Such a beautiful creature, such a sad ending. A little bit of the world's warmth is leached away by the wind and I have a feeling it will never come back.

  Chapter seventeen

  Avren doesn’t take me straight back. Instead, we fly around a bit. I assume he wants my tears to be gone before we go home. Home. I have seen so little of it. I am not even the pale little princess I’d been. I have been exposed to so much sun that I have tanned… like a human. No more pearly glowing Elvin skin. Some of the Elvin people have started turning their nose up at the reminder of my human half. I don't care a bit.

  I have no more baby fat on me. I have muscles now, real fighting, working muscles. I have calluses. I am by no definition a pampered individual. The council lives in my palace more than I do.

  "You did the right thing."

  "Taking the egg or watching him die?"

  I am less used to speaking only telepathically with Avren than he is to me but I cannot open my mouth while we fly this fast. The tears are being whipped from my face and the view is un-seeable. We just fly, to release stress, to release pent-up emotions.

  "Both Elainne."

  Avren only uses my name when it is something personal and very important. He is not mad I cried. I am glad he is not goin
g to scold me for letting my emotions get the best of me. He often does. This time it is okay. It is basically the end of a species. I hadn't taken control soon enough to save them and I will never forgive myself.

  "You couldn’t have saved them. They started disappearing before you were born."

  "I could have done something! Anything!" Avren can hear my thoughts if he wants. Usually, he stays out of them but up here I am not shielding even a little.

  Just like I can hear him mentally sighing wondering if it had been a good idea to send me to the Firebirds. Wondering if he had made a mistake if he could have done something different.

  I keep one hand holding the scales, but the other I use to brush his neck. "I am sorry for worrying you Avren."

  "I am sorry I am making you go through all of this. I know you do not believe me but I do wish for your happiness and I do believe once you rule everything you will find it."

  "What would I ever do without you Avren?"

  "You will survive the loss of many. It will make you stronger."

  "I hope I never stop crying over loss." No one wants to be a cold heartless person. Avren is right I will know loss my entire life. Everyone will die before me. Even my children will go before me. Talon and Viktor will be my only forever companions. And Aiden if things go as planned.

  "You will always be kind Elainne. I know you will be a wonderful Empress."

  He cannot see me nod but we are so connected he will feel I am doing it. He says nothing more just flies. When the sky starts to turn gray, he starts for home. I stop him and have him make one little stop. I want to talk to my aunt. I want to know how bad it will be when I come back for the kingdom.

  He lands and shrinks down. No one is on patrol anymore. The outside of the castle has scorch marks. The castle has been under siege. Broken catapults litter the outside of the walls. The now blackened soon to crumble walls. My uncle had no idea what his death would do to this country. I wonder if he had if he would have been happy to hand over the kingdom to me.

  Avren drapes over my shoulder and puts his nose in the fabric of my shirt. He wraps his tail around my nose. It blocks out the scent of rotting bodies and old blood. The smell of death. The physical evidence is not just on the walls and catapults. Bodies, or pieces of bodies, litter the courtyard.

  I walk on wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. Also, to start a campaign to help those starving as soon as I am home. Military homing might have to wait. The humans will die at this rate. All of them.

  "Where is aunt?"

  Avren huffs but says nothing. I can sense only death. I know some have to have survived. No human could have broken through my aunt’s magic…unless they wait her out and starve her replacing each person she kills with a new one immediately. She is a powerhouse so I don’t think she would sit around and let it happen.

  "Aunt!"

  I listen for a response and hear only the scuttling of animals. I search the castle then the grounds. I find no traces of human or Elvin life. No food sits in the pantry. Whoever laid siege to the castle while I was away has raided it as well. The treasury hasn't been touched. I will have to raid that and give it out to the people so they can buy what they need over the winter. Next spring the land will have to be worked again or they will starve regardless of money and any aide I can give them.

  "Avren I don't like this."

  "It does not bode well. Is there an escape passage your aunt would know that we can check?"

  "Not one that I also know of."

  "We should return home. You can send people to search for her."

  "Yes."

  We return to the outside where Avren grows and I climb aboard. We quickly return home. There is so much to deal with and not nearly enough time.

  "Elainne you have returned. Does this mean you will be attending the council meeting today?"

  I turn to Aiden who is basically stalking me on my way to my room.

  "I will bathe and join you in the meeting room. Please make sure Viktor, Cullen, and the unicorn representative are there. Also, the leader of the healers' guild. It is imperative they all attend this meeting."

  "The healer's guild has no representation today…"

  "While I bathe send for one. I am making it a royal order."

  Aiden bows and turns to send someone for the guilds rep. I quickly bathe and change. I put on a gown and do my hair up covering my spy earring. I cast the spells to ensure privacy; Avren is in the council chambers making sure everyone stays civil until everyone is present. Patience is not their virtue. He will ensure they keep grumbling to a minimum.

  "Aldamon are you safe?"

  "You have heard of the siege?"

  "I saw the destruction. I went to get a feel for my aunt and the likelihood of taking the kingdom without a fight."

  "She escaped the massacre but barely."

  I pause not wanting to ask but wanting to at the same time. "Do you know if my father…"

  "No…he was strung over the wall. Vultures got to him and once the body fell some other creatures. He is just one of the many now. They hated him…and your aunt. Thought the elves were trying to invade them. Taking this country will not be easy. You have a rough path ahead of you."

  "What is the status of the people?"

  "The nobles have basically all killed each other in their quest for power. Those closest to the capital suffered more. Further out the people know of the turbulence but have no part in it. The town leaders are making a pretty penny collecting taxes they no longer have to pay."

  A power vacuum always exposes the worst in people. Greed will run rampant. I have to step in before it gets too much worse.

  "Are you safe where you are?"

  "Yes."

  "Good. Do you have enough money to live?"

  "Plenty. When the battle started, I moved from the castle town to further out. Safer and cheaper."

  "Stay put unless I tell you otherwise. Try to help the locals out by spending a bit of extra money. No one was able to break the treasury in the castle. I will be pillaging it to hand out to people so they can buy what's needed to survive but I do not know how long it will take. Try to help out those that need it most until then. Your funds will be replenished."

  "Very well. I will try to town hop on the border of the battle."

  "Thank you Aldamon."

  I shut down communication and decide to forgo the crown jewels. I need to get to the meeting before Aiden has a meltdown.

  Announcements will be made. Lives will be changed. The world will erupt and be made anew. And I am going to do it.

  Chapter eighteen

  I enter the room and sit on the mini throne situated in there for myself or Aiden. He takes a seat to my right. Viktor looks a bit confused to be sitting at the table. As does the healers guild. I meet with them on an individual basis mostly. Everyone is taking this as a bad thing. I am demanding presences. It hasn't happened yet. I can see the squirming.

  "All are here. Wonderful. I have some announcements. The healer’s guild needs to gather half of the highest-ranking and three-quarters of the lower rank healers and prepare to provide relief and aid to the human kingdom which has suffered from a breakdown of leadership and fighting amongst the nobles for power. You will travel with soldiers, for safety, and help the kingdoms injured. I will be taking control of it. Any questions?"

  I pause but no one says a word…I don’t even think they are breathing.

  "Very well. Moving on. SnowDrift I will be taking Avren's cover and bringing it into the Elvin kingdom. It will be your home. The woods, the open spaces, they will belong to your herd."

  "It will also house the home of the Empress. She will use this palace for meetings and official gatherings but her home, her personal space, will be in unicorn territory."

  That is news to me but I am not upset by it.

  "I will likely spend very little time there so I am glad I will have the herd there to keep my home safe."

  "We look forward to livin
g together with your majesty."

  SnowDrift seems to accept Avren and my announcement with grace. If only the humanoids could behave so.

  "Next. I will be taking over the human kingdom. It must be done; if for no other reason than they will all die if left to fight amongst themselves. I do not even know where the current queen is. My father died in the struggle. I will hold a memorial for him, those that wish to attend may. No one is obligated to do so. But neither will you be judged if you do choose to go. Any questions?"

  Again no one says a word. Fidgeting increases. The interim general and the leader of the healer guild are communicating about the trip I am making them do. Good, that is on its way to being dealt with.

  "It is important that the human's first impression of us is one of goodwill. To that effect, I will also be pillaging the treasury left behind by the previous monarch. It will be passed out among the people that have too long been subjugated by terrible rulers. Their lands are not as bountiful as ours so it will be harder to stabilize. I will need a demolition crew to bring the walls of the treasury down. Aiden you will be in charge of that process as well as the distribution process. Choose those you trust to be honest and not pocket the money for themselves to help you."

  "Yes, your majesty."

  He almost looks relieved. This will take him from the palace and out in the fresh air. Best of all no dealing with the council. I am glad he is happy to take on this task. It makes me feel less guilty for throwing him in the thick of things once again.

  "General I will need you to find a place in the barracks for my Kemp. He went against my wishes and with the help of his grandfather tried to overthrow my steward's decision on a matter…a matter I had already closed once. His grandfather was banished, but I had yet to decide how to punish him. I have decided. Our Kemp bond will be severed and he will enter the military for ten years. He will start at the bottom and work towards promotion. If after ten years he wishes he may find another occupation or continue in the military…"