Everflame: The Complete Series

by Dylan Lee Peters

  “These events are unfortunate,” interjected Andor. “But there is still much that needs to be done if we are to stop the Tyrant. If it was your charge to protect her, young man, it is now your charge to honor her memory.”

  Tomas nodded his head slowly and furrowed his brow. “We must help Evercloud and Densa now,” said Tomas resolutely. “They can defeat him. We must help them.”

  “We will,” said Annie. “But first, there is something else we have to do.”

  “What?”

  “Tomas, I only knew where you were because I saw you in a vision.”

  “The Eversense?” asked Tomas.

  “Yes,” said Annie. “Sometimes I can tap into it at will, and sometimes it comes unexpectedly, but mostly it gives me vision in my dreams. That is when it is most clear. I recently had a dream of a war. When your cousin, Terrence, and I were in the Kingdom of Chreos, the king was preparing for a great war. This is part of the reason why we escaped. Terrence and Jared would have been enslaved and made to fight in this war. Foolishly, I had forgotten all about Chreos because of our mission. But in my dream, in my vision, I saw them marching to Nefas, the kingdom in the south. Then, in my dream, I saw you. In the vision, I found you and we were fighting to stop the war.”

  “You saw us fighting a war? Annie, that might be something you can do, but… my legs are still not strong enough for me to fight in a battle. I can barely stand for more than three minutes without rest. Are you sure this vision was the Eversense and not just a dream?”

  “Yes, Tomas. Andor and I flew over the army of Chreos, on its march to Nefas, during our journey to this forest. And how can you explain that I found you here if the vision was not true? Besides, my visions are never wrong, Tomas.”

  “But I can’t fight, Annie.”

  “You don’t have to, Tomas. We weren’t amidst a battle in my vision. We were enlisting help to stop the battle.”

  “Help? From who?”

  “The spirits, the daughters of Earth and Sun. My vision, the Eversense, led me to you so that we can gain their help to stop the impending war in Nefas.”

  Tomas turned to look at Dendrata and was shocked to find that she was not there. He slowly got to his feet, wobbling slightly and grimacing from pain.

  “Dendrata!” he called into the night air.

  “She wandered away some time ago, young man,” said the great eagle. “The spirit woman seems saddened by our arrival. I have met her some few times before now, this time feels very different.”

  Tomas shook his head in confusion. “I’d better go find her. I thought she was acting odd as well.”

  “Do you want us to come?” asked Annie.

  “No, I’d better go alone. I think I know how to find her.”

  “But you just said it’s hard for you to stand for long periods of time, Tomas. What if you fall?”

  “I’m sort of counting on the fact that I will.” Annie looked confused but Tomas nodded in assurance. “Wait here.”

  Tomas left the light of the fire and wandered into the dark forest. It was very slow going, his legs hurt him, but he didn’t let it show until he was far from the clearing. Once he had made it out of eyesight and earshot, he allowed a small grunt of pain to escape his lips and leaned upon a tree for a moment. Sweat was beading on his forehead, but he forced himself back off of the tree and continued his walk in the dark. This is a suicide mission, after all, he reminded himself.

  Tomas took a deep breath and continued to march into the forest. Another hundred yards and he tripped over a tree root. Pain shot up through Tomas’ right leg and he grit his teeth. Miraculously, he regained his balance, but he was now blanketed in sweat and breathing quite heavily. Yet he continued to walk, despite burning in his legs, despite all the scolding he knew Dendrata would give him.

  He managed another fifty yards, then one hundred, then two hundred, then his left leg gave out and he tumbled into the moss, leaves and dirt with a howl. He couldn’t stop his eyes from tearing up; the pain was intense. If I broke my leg again, I’ll be lucky to survive her wrath, Tomas thought. But despite the impending doom he knew Dendrata would bring, he called out to her, like an invalid, like a child, like a fool.

  “Dendrata! Please, help me.”

  Faster than he had thought possible, she was near him, he could see her light and smell her sweet scent.

  “Tomas,” she said with undeniable concern. But the steel in her voice returned sharply as if she had only momentarily forgotten it. “What are you doing? Why would you do this?”

  “I needed to find you,” said Tomas truthfully. “Why did you leave?”

  Dendrata folded her arms as she looked down at Tomas, lying upon the ground. “You didn’t seem as if you needed me.”

  That was all Tomas needed to hear to realize exactly why Dendrata had left. She’s jealous, he realized.

  “Why do you think I walked out here without any help?” asked Tomas.

  “Oh, I see. I see what I’ve become to you. Well here,” she said, tossing a staff down at Tomas. “Now you don’t need me at all. You’ve gotten what you need out of me, haven’t you? You can go now. You can leave me now.”

  Dendrata flew away from Tomas and the darkness returned, but for the first time, Tomas realized it was not only outside of his body that had been left in darkness by Dendrata’s absence, it was also inside. He ran his hands over the staff she had left him. It was the staff he had whittled down from a dead tree branch with a sharpened rock, so many days ago. It was the staff he had first raised himself up off of the ground with. It was the staff he had held in his hand, as he had held her in his other and kissed her. He remembered that kiss now, he remembered how the spirit woman had blushed after he had done it. He also remembered her words.

  You’ll be leaving me, Tomas Floyd.

  The words were so few, yet betrayed so much. Tomas’ heart ached and it made him forget the pain in his leg as he lifted himself up with the staff. He knew exactly where to find Dendrata, and this time, it would be he that came to her.

  The spirit woman sat upon the mossy stone slab and stared up into the starry night sky. She had allowed herself a few silent tears, but as she heard Tomas’ labored steps coming closer and closer she dried her eyes. She was too proud to let him know of her sadness.

  “This is where you saved me,” Tomas said, still ten yards away from Dendrata. “This is where you gave my life back to me. I don’t know if I’ve ever thanked you for that.” Dendrata said nothing. “Annie is a friend. That is all. I want nothing more from her than friendship.”

  Still, Dendrata said nothing.

  Tomas breathed deeply, released his hold on the staff, stood for a moment before the pain in his newly injured leg overcame him and then he fell to the ground with a thud and a grunt.

  “It’s insulting that you think I would fall for that trick a second time!” shouted Dendrata, anger being the emotion that pulled her from her silence.

  “No trick this time,” grumbled Tomas. “I reinjured my leg, but I don’t want you to come to me this time. I will come to you.”

  “You’re being foolish, Tomas.”

  “I once dragged my body upon the ground to prove to you I was fine, so that you would leave me and help my brother. It hurt, but it didn’t matter. I love my brother and that’s why I did it.” Tomas grasped at sticks, dirt and roots, and pulled his body closer to Dendrata.

  “Don’t do this,” said Dendrata quietly, never turning toward Tomas as he crawled.

  “I crawl upon the ground now, for the very same reason, Dendrata. To prove to you that I don’t need you.” Tomas pulled himself in front of Dendrata as she sat upon the rock, panting and sweaty. “But I don’t want you to leave me. I don’t ever want you to leave me.”

  Dendrata’s pride was not strong enough to overcome her sadness. Tears fell from her eyes. “Don’t say what you intend to say, Tomas Floyd.”

  “I love you,” said Tomas, pulling himself up to a sitting position. “You have
done more for me than any other woman I have known. You care more for me and you have made me better. I am stronger with you than I could ever be without you.”

  Against all of her better judgment, Dendrata threw herself at Tomas and kissed him deeply. Light enveloped the two of them as they sat in each other’s arms and Tomas felt a warmth he had never known. Suddenly, he realized that the pain in his leg was gone. He moved back slightly from Dendrata, just enough to break their kiss. Tomas’ eyes grew wide and he slowly stood up to his full height. The pain and discomfort in his legs was gone completely.

  “Dendrata, my legs. They are healed. How? I thought you couldn’t?”

  “It would seem, Tomas Floyd,” began Dendrata with renewed melody in her voice, “that I am stronger with you than I am without you.”

  Tomas smiled and kissed the spirit woman again. They floated just off of the forest floor as they embraced and their light grew so bright that the trees twinkled like the stars.

  • • •

  Annie slept, tucked neatly under one of Andor’s massive wings, as Tomas came running into the clearing. The eagle nudged Annie awake, gently with his beak, and Tomas came to a panting halt next to the fire.

  “Your legs,” said Annie absently, blinking away the sleep.

  “I know, I feel amazing,” said an excited Tomas. “She’s willing to help us. Dendrata is with us.”

  As light as a feather falling from the heavens, the spirit of the woods fell lightly to the earth.

  “What can I do to help?” asked Dendrata, a seemingly different spirit than Andor and Annie had met not long ago.

  Annie stood, still gathering her wits, and so did Andor, shaking his feathers out.

  “I-I’m not sure,” said Annie hesitantly. “My visions took me no further than this point. I suppose I was hoping you might know what to do next, Dendrata. I suppose I could try to tap into the Eversense again. Maybe it will reveal a clearer answer.”

  “No,” said Dendrata. “I think you should proceed to Nivalia. She was always the most knowledgeable of us. She will know how we can help you.”

  “I’ve been to Nivalia. She helped us find that we had the Skyfather’s gifts and helped us to find Tallulah, but I don’t think that she knew any more.”

  “Annie,” said Dendrata. “Sometimes our abilities can be much greater than we think they can, when we have others to help us become stronger. Maybe you can help Nivalia see further.”

  “You mean the Eversense. I never thought of that. Of course she would be able to use the Eversense better than anyone.”

  “You should go to her,” said Dendrata. “I know she will help.”

  “Don’t you mean we?” asked Tomas.

  “I need to stay with the forest for now, Tomas. You do not need me to find Nivalia.”

  “But I don’t want to be without you,” said Tomas. “I want you to come with me.”

  Dendrata blushed and kissed her Tomas. “I will see you soon. Don’t disappoint me.”

  With that, Dendrata fluttered her translucent wings and faded into the night.

  Chapter 17: The Thread of the Bombyx Mori

  They saw them upon the horizon and knew their trek was about to become more difficult. The mountains stood in their way like a row of jagged teeth. But Eveneye led the bears onward, undaunted. He stared at the mountains upon the horizon and in his mind’s eye saw the snarl of the old king, Irontooth. I was strong enough once, I can be that strong again.

  A new home is what the bears searched for. No one expected that they would walk forever, even though they had no idea for how long they would be forced to search. The plains of Ephanlarea couldn’t serve as a home to bears. It heartened some to see the mountains, but as they entered their shadow, departing from the windswept plains, they realized how far this range was from the splendor that was Gray Mountain.

  There was no forest surrounding this range. It was stark and harsh in comparison to the lush land they had grown accustomed to. No streams or rivers, no growth and no shelter. They were as exposed by the mountain range as they had been in the wide-open grasslands. But Eveneye thought he remembered something from his regal education. It was expected of him to know more of the land of Ephanlarea than other bears. A king must be aware of the terrain to which he dispatches scouts and things of that nature. I know this range is not deep, thought Eveneye, if I could only remember what lies on the other side. I should have paid greater attention to those maps.

  The bears that followed Eveneye on this quest were some of the most loyal to him in all the Kingdom. They would have to be in order to believe the seemingly far-fetched tale that their king had told them. These bears would have followed Eveneye off of the edge of the earth and he loved each one of them for that. But amid the rock and shadow, their fears took hold and the mutterings of doubt reached even the King’s ears. Eveneye’s character told him to press on and ignore the pessimism, but his wife’s opinion was different.

  “Do you know where we are?” she asked in tones quiet enough to only be heard by her husband.

  “Yes,” replied Eveneye quickly. “Well, sort of. I’ve seen this range upon a map, Goldie, I know I have. It’s not a very deep range and I don’t think that it will take us long to pass through.”

  “What’s on the other side?” asked Goldenheart.

  “I don’t know,” admitted Eveneye reluctantly.

  “You have to be honest with them, Even. They are scared. They follow you because they believe in you, but…”

  “But what, Goldie?”

  “There’s no Kingdom anymore, Even… and you’re not a king anymore. I’m sorry, but these bears will only continue to follow you as long as they still believe in you. You have to treat them like your equals. You have to continue to earn their respect.”

  “What would you have me do? Admit that I don’t really know what I’m doing? I need to remain strong. I need to continue moving forward… for all of us.”

  “Tell them what you know and why you’ve decided to do this, and expect them to respect you for that. Give them the chance to be strong as well. You never know, Even. Maybe some of them could help.”

  “If I do what you ask, I could lose them.”

  “You’re already losing them, Even. They respect you, but you have to show them that you respect them too.”

  So Eveneye took his wife’s advice, and in the waning hours of the day, as the shadows of the mountains began to consume all, he gathered the bears together and told them the truth.

  “I know that many of you are doubtful about our current course,” began Eveneye. “I know that I have not been as forthcoming as I could be. However, I’ve been keeping to myself, mostly because I am afraid to admit that I am searching as much as I am leading. I know that you trust me and I promise I will never let you down… but I am only half sure of where we are.” The bears grumbled to each other and uncertainty scrawled its way over Eveneye’s face. “I have studied, to some degree, the layout of Ephanlarea. However, I admit there were others more adept at map reading than I was. When I ruled the Kingdom, I leaned upon the knowledge of others at times. I am sorry that I didn’t educate myself more fully, but I promise you that I am doing my best to lead you. I believe I know where we are, and if I am correct, we should pass through these mountains quickly.”

  “And find what?” asked a young bear that was almost reaching adulthood. His mother looked at him scornfully and his father chided him.

  “Cedarstream! Don’t speak to the King that way.”

  “I’m not your king,” said Eveneye softly. The bears looked at him in confusion and Eveneye repeated himself more clearly. “I’m not your king. That boy is within his right to question me. I will lead you if you wish for me to. I will always be here to lead and to help all of you. But I do so as your equal, and I only do so by your will.”

  “We’re all behind you,” said one of the bears. The other bears nodded and voiced their agreement.

  “Thank you,” said Eveneye bashfully.
Goldenheart walked over to her husband and nestled herself close to him. Eveneye looked at his wife with a smile and then back at the other bears, knowing what he had to say. “I need all of your help.”

  “Bombyx Mori,” said one bear toward the back of the crowd. The other bears parted and circled around her so that all could see. “We are in the Mountains of Bombyx Mori,” she repeated.

  “Yes,” said Eveneye. “I remember now. Your name is Gentlerain, you worked for the Department of Information, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, my King, I did,” answered Gentlerain.

  “Please, call me Eveneye,” said the former king of the bears and then, turning to the group. “That goes for all of you. My name is Eveneye and my wife is Goldenheart. Please, call us by our names now.” Eveneye then turned back to Gentlerain. “You know more of these mountains, don’t you?”

  “Yes, my… Yes, Eveneye.”

  “Please, tell us what you know.”

  The crowd of bears listened to Gentlerain intently as she began to relay what she knew about the Mountains of Bombyx Mori. It was in the ancient tongue that the mountains had been named, but what those words meant she did not know. She verified what Eveneye had thought about the range. The mountains were not deep, and she added that the forest of Elderton lied on the other side. The bears were quite happy to hear that there was a forest on the other side of the mountains and it motivated most of them to keep travelling rather than to rest.

  “There’s likely to be better shelter in the forest,” said one bear.

  “And it should be much easier to find food,” added another.

  “I don’t mind walking through the darkness,” said yet another. “The sooner we leave these barren cliffs, the better.”

  “No,” Eveneye spoke up. “I don’t think we should make our way through these mountains at night. “These mountains are not our home. We do not know them well and we do not know of all the dangers there could be.”