Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend

by Dreagen

  “Enough!”

  “DiNiya, listen!”

  “No, you listen,” she said dominantly, so much so that Rex leaned back from the door before quickly pressing his ear back to it. “I don’t care what people are saying about him! I am not turning my back on him or tossing him out. Besides, it’s Father’s decision, and he agrees with me. So you’re just going to have to get over it and stop being so scared of him!” She slammed her fist against the door so hard that Rex jumped back. “Now, out of my way, I have chores to do!” She pushed past her brother and marched herself downstairs.

  EeNox watched her disappear down the stairs as he blinked feebly. He turned and looked at the door, scowled, and walked off.

  Inside, Rex was wondering what that had been about. Had she known he was listening? If so, then how, exactly? He decided not to worry about it for the time being, and lay down in bed. He must have dozed off for he awoke and saw that the light coming through the partition in the window was brighter.

  I didn’t mean to fall back asleep, he thought as he rose up and out of bed. He stretched his back and cracked his neck before looking out into the hall. It was deserted, but he could clearly hear voices coming from downstairs. Something delicious filled his nose and he immediately found himself being drawn out. He made his way down, not sure what he would find. When he reached the first landing, he could clearly hear two voices arguing. He listened closely before continuing down, and recognized them as DiNiya and EeNox. “Wonder if they’re arguing about me again?” he said to himself before sighing and heading down the rest of the way.

  He entered the large dining room and was surprised to see that joining DiNiya and EeNox was their father and three dinosaurs. The one closest to him was an orange, yellow, and beige Ceratosaurus with beautiful bright green eyes. He was the largest of the three, being about the size of a small elephant. A large and impressive crest-like horn rose up just behind his snout, while spiky feathers ran down the back of his head, neck, and terminated at the tip of his tail. The other two were a pair of auburn and white-feathered dromaeosaurs that were a little larger than a man. He was still unaccustomed to seeing dinosaurs and could not help but just stand and stare when in their presence. He must have fallen into a trance, for he did not notice the three dinosaurs glancing at each other awkwardly. DiNiya and EeNox had stopped arguing and were now staring at Rex, who was still staring at the dinosaurs, when BaRone’s voice quickly snapped him out of his trance.

  “Good morning, Rex,” he said, raising his mug to him slightly with a smile. “Sleep well?”

  Rex nodded before speaking up, “Yes.”

  “Good,” he replied, taking a drink. “Here, have a seat. You’re just in time for breakfast.” BaRone pulled out a chair and motioned for Rex to come over and join them. Rex walked over and sat down, his eyes shifting back and forth to and from each dinosaur. “Oh, I’m sorry,” BaRone said, slapping his forehead. “Where are my manners? I haven’t introduced you. This is CaLar,” he said, pointing to the Ceratosaurus, “and that lovely couple over there are RenTia and FenMor.”

  “Hello, Rex,” CaLar said, bowing his head. “Pleasure to meet you.”

  “The four of us have been friends since we were younger than you,” BaRone said happily.

  “BaRone was just telling us about how VayRonx found you in the forest and brought you here,” said FenMor.

  “I actually don’t remember,” replied Rex, feeling somewhat ashamed.

  “Yes, we hear you were unconscious when you arrived,” said RenTia. “Do you have any recollection of what happened to you prior?”

  “How did you come to be all alone in the forest?” asked FenMor.

  “Come now, everyone,” said DiNiya as she brought over a plate of flame-roasted fish and a loaf of bread, placing it in front of Rex. “Let’s not turn breakfast into an inquisition. Eat up, Rex,” she said with a smile and went back to the kitchen to clear up.

  “Rex,” EeNox interjected. “What were you doing in the forest? What tribe are you from?”

  “Tribe?” asked Rex, confused. “I’m not from any tribe.”

  “But where did you come from?” EeNox pushed.

  “Merced,” Rex replied bluntly, a strange sense of anxiety building inside as the pain in his head returned.

  “Merced,” EeNox repeated, trying to surmise the meaning of the name. “I’ve never heard of such a place. Where is this Merced?”

  “I’m …I’m not sure,” Rex replied, clearly frustrated as he brought his open hand down on the table, causing his section to break off. Everyone looked stunned at the broken table, then at Rex, who was equally shocked by what had just happened. Looking down at his hand he immediately felt the onslaught of a panic attack, something he had not had since he was seven.

  “What happened?” DiNiya asked as she came running over.

  “Seems Rex here is a bit of a heavy hitter,” said BaRone with a hint of amusement in his voice. “I’d think twice about getting on his bad side, EeNox.”

  His son looked at him but did not say anything. Rather, he seemed to be rethinking much of what he had surmised about Rex.

  “I see now why he gave TyRoas so much trouble,” FenMor said with a laugh.

  “Indeed,” added BaRone.

  “EeNox, you insensitive ass,” DiNiya scolded as she smacked him over the head with a heavy wooden spoon. “What is your problem? You know he’s been through something traumatic, and yet you still insist on picking a fight with him! What are you trying to prove?”

  EeNox stood up forcefully and looked into his sister’s eyes. “You all may be too afraid to say it—”

  “EeNox,” his father interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

  “No,” replied EeNox. “Why should I keep quiet? Why should any of us keep quiet? You all know he might be dangerous!”

  “Me?” asked Rex innocently as he took a bite of one of the fish.

  DiNiya looked at her brother and scowled. “This isn’t helping.”

  “I’m not saying it’s his fault,” EeNox tried to explain. “But you know as well as I do that he…”

  “That he what?” DiNiya asked, once again deciphering the true meaning of his words.

  “That he may not be able to control himself,” he replied simply.

  DiNiya stared at her brother for a good long moment, so long that everyone in the room began to feel more than a little uncomfortable. At last she let out a sigh and looked at Rex before turning back to her brother. “I know why you’re afraid, and I know you are only so out of concern for him as well as the rest of us.”

  “All I was saying—”

  “However,” she interrupted, “That does not mean he should be held responsible for someone else’s mistake.”

  “She’s right, son,” BaRone interjected. “Everyone is an individual unto themselves, and thus deserving of an opportunity to prove who they are.”

  EeNox had fallen silent as he took in the words of his sister and father. At last, he looked at Rex and bowed his head. “I’m sorry,” he said with what actually sounded like sincerity, something of a rare thing for Rex. “You have come here as a stranger with no memory of what happened to you, and I just made you feel angry and unwanted. I can only imagine how that must feel. My apologies for being the reason you were made to feel that way in our home.”

  DiNiya noticeably relaxed while BaRone smiled approvingly.

  “Maybe when you’re feeling a little more adjusted, EeNox can join you back in his room, and the two of you can make it yours.”

  “Wait, you mean I’ve been staying in your room this whole time?” Rex asked in surprise.

  EeNox nodded. “We had no place else to put you while you recovered,” he explained calmly.

  Rex now felt guilty for having put the other boy out. He had never liked being an imposition to anyone, primarily because it put unwanted attention on him. Still, there was some part of him that felt legitimately guilty for being the reason he was driven out of his own bed. “I’
m sorry,” he said, looking EeNox in the eye. “I did not realize it was your room. I’m out of there starting now.”

  EeNox waved his hand dismissively. “No worries, I like sleeping out under the stars.”

  “You’ve been sleeping outside?” Rex asked, surprised.

  “Think nothing of it,” BaRone said, placing a hand on his back. “EeNox spends many a night out in KaNar’s inner forest. I have to beg him to actually come home sometimes. Ever since he could walk, he’s been running around in that forest, happy and content as can be.”

  “I like the peace and tranquility,” EeNox said, shrugging his shoulders. “Besides, the fishing spots are less crowded than the ones closer to town.”

  EeNox, now feeling surprisingly more at ease with Rex’s presence, was about to ask him if he would ever be interested in coming along with him on one of his excursions, when he saw him fighting to get a whole fish down his throat.

  Rex, after a minute of wrestling with it, managed to get the whole thing down when he suddenly leaped to his feet while pointing to EeNox and yelled, “You’ve got to be kidding!”

  DiNiya looked at Rex, then at her brother, who she scowled and smacked over the head with the wooden spoon again. “Owww!” cried EeNox as he rubbed his head. “I didn’t say anything this time”

  “Damn cat,” Rex said, this time more angrily as he continued to point. They looked at each other then realized he was in fact pointing behind them to the window. They both turned and saw a large saber-tooth resting his head on his forepaws, comfortably watching the drama unfold.

  “Good morning,” he said casually.

  Rex could instantly tell that he was not the same one he had fought in the forest, for he was over three times the size and had long tufts of fur hanging from his cheeks. Furthermore, his two upper canines were significantly longer, running well past his lower jaw.

  “Good morning, NyRo,” said BaRone. “What brings you into town this morning?”

  “A curious tale,” the cat replied cheerfully.

  “Oooh, do tell!”

  “I was out with several others the other morning, when to my great amusement and surprise, who do I see skulking back from the forest with his pride dragging far behind?” Everyone looked at him expectantly, everyone except Rex, who already knew where this was going. “Why, my baby brother of course,” NyRo said as he reached out of sight with his other paw and pulled TyRoas into view.

  “You!” Rex roared angrily.

  “Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” TyRoas said, clearly underwhelmed.

  “Rex, do you know him?” asked DiNiya.

  “Yeah,” replied Rex furiously, “that asshole tried to eat me!”

  “We’ve been over this already, remember?” the young saber-tooth replied, raising his voice in turn. “I mistook you for somebody else? Simple case of mistaken identity.”

  “Mistaken identity,” Rex repeated as red flame suddenly shot out and engulfed his body. Everyone jumped back in surprise while both cats’ eyes went wide. “You call trying to rip my throat out a simple case of mistaken identity?”

  “I’d been tracking a foreign predator through the forest for three days when I came across you, someone I had never seen in the forest before. What was I to think?”

  Rex could feel his anger trying to push its way out but managed to hold it back for the time being as he took in TyRoas’s words. He knew that in light of the situation, his very presence in this land might be more bizarre to others even than it was to him. For that reason, he decided to do something he almost never did: go against his desire to lash out and give someone else the benefit of the doubt.

  “When he told me what had happened, I immediately went to VayRonx, who told me that KaNar had just acquired a new kinsman,” NyRo explained. “A rather special one at that.”

  “Well, you’re right about that,” agreed BaRone. “Still, I hope he didn’t rough up your little brother too much.”

  “I held my own!” TyRoas interjected angrily. “Besides, as far as I’m concerned, there’s still nothing conclusive that says he’s not the killer we’ve been after!”

  With that, Rex felt something snap inside of him and he charged forward. Before anyone could even so much as move to intercept, he had crashed through the open window and into TyRoas. The two rolled backwards several meters before splitting and landing on their feet, where they faced off.

  “What is the matter with you?” roared TyRoas. “I came here to apologize!”

  “You were dragged here by your brother, and even then all you do is accuse me of being a murderer,” Rex said angrily.

  “Look at you! Can you blame me?”

  Rex stopped and thought for a moment. Can I really blame him? I am probably overacting right now. Then again, if I start letting people here push me around now without making an example of them, I know exactly what life will be like here. “Hey, TyRoas, you really want me to play the role of villain that badly?”

  “That’s not what I sai—”

  “Then so be it.” Rex suddenly rushed forward, landing a powerful blow to the side of TyRoas’s face, who was sent sprawling to the ground where he groaned and rubbed his jaw with a paw. Looking up, he saw Rex bearing down on him, fury burning in his eyes.

  “Rex, stop this, please,” DiNiya yelled as she ran out of the newly made hole in the wall. Everyone was already gathering to watch the fight.

  “No, no, it’s fine, DiNiya,” TyRoas said as he stood back up and spit blood. “He wants to fight, that’s fine with me. I’ve got a score to settle with him anyway.” The young saber-tooth suddenly unleashed a roar that echoed throughout as his brilliant green flame ignited. Rex’s flame in turn grew as his eyes continued to burn fiery red. “All right, Rex. Time to teach you some manners.”

  The two charged forward and slammed into each other, causing a brilliant flash of light and a deafening crack that sounded like thunder. They battled furiously, with TyRoas bringing his huge saber teeth down on Rex, who in turn grabbed them and flipped him over onto his back, where he then leaped onto the cat’s chest and began driving his fists into his face before being swiped off with a big paw.

  “Ha,” cried TyRoas. “How do you like that?”

  Rex rose up on his hands and knees and wiped blood from his mouth. Then rearing up, he cracked his neck and charged once again.

  “You idiot,” TyRoas scoffed. “You’re outclassed!”

  He ran forward to intercept, when Rex suddenly leaped into the air and brought his head down hard onto his nose.

  TyRoas roared in pain. “Damn it, not my nose again!”

  “Look alive,” Rex said savagely before slamming into him at full force, sending them both rolling down the hill locked in combat.

  “NyRo, can’t you stop them?” DiNiya asked the other saber-tooth, who seemed to be watching the fight with great amusement.

  “You know, I think we should let them work it out for themselves,” he replied.

  Scowling, she turned to her father and gave him an expectant look.

  “Wow, that flying head butt was impressive,” BaRone said as he stroked his beard.

  “Father!”

  “What?” he replied innocently. “It was.”

  “Do something, please,” she insisted.

  “DiNiya, you are descended from warriors,” said her father. “Can you not feel it?”

  “Feel it?”

  “Their power. They’re almost evenly matched, which means this will be little more than a sparring session for them both. Besides, sometimes it’s best to blow off steam like this to prevent a more serious altercation later on.”

  “But what if Rex gets hurt again?” she asked worriedly.

  “Gets hurt?” said NyRo. “Are we watching the same fight?”

  Rex grabbed TyRoas by one of his back legs and swung him in circles before letting go and sending him skidding into the ground.

  TyRoas groaned as he rose to his feet dizzily and shook his head. “Little bastard,” he
said to himself as he looked back to see Rex standing, ready for more. He charged his flame to match his opponent’s, and the two began circling each other. TyRoas bared his teeth and growled menacingly, while Rex pointed to him defiantly, mouthing, You’re mine.

  “You’re pretty good for a SaVarian,” said TyRoas. “I’ve never met one at your age that could hold his own against an OroGon of my size.”

  “A what?”

  “An OroGon. You know…what I am? You know what, never mind. All you need to know is that I’m not about to roll over and give up, either, so what’s your plan?”

  “No plan,” replied Rex, grinning. “I’m just going to keep hitting you until you stop getting back up.”

  “Well, I’m still standing,” TyRoas said as his flame intensified. “Try hitting harder!”

  “Have it your way,” Rex replied, leaping forward and meeting TyRoas in midair, where they collided in an explosion of fire that sent them both flying in opposite directions.

  “Rex, TyRoas,” DiNiya yelled as she came running down the hill. “Are you two all right?” She ran up to Rex and knelt over him, checking his vitals to make sure he was at least alive, immediately exhaling in relief when she felt a strong pulse. Rex’s eyes shot open and he jumped to his feet just in time to see his adversary do the same. TyRoas looked up at Rex and growled from deep within his throat.

  “You want more?” Rex exclaimed as he clenched his fists and prepared to strike, but he suddenly cried out in pain as DiNiya grabbed him by the ear and pulled him back forcefully. “Wha…what are you doing? OOWW!”

  “What am I doing?” she repeated angrily. “What are you doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed? You’re not fully healed yet! This kind of ‘activity’ will only slow your recovery!”

  “But I’m fine…OW!” he tried to explain, but it resulted in her only pulling him along harder.

  TyRoas laughed heartily as he taunted Rex. “That’s it, run home with mamma! And don’t you forget who won here today!”

  “Why?” came an all-too-familiar voice that made TyRoas’s eyes go wide and his fur stand on end. “Did he hit you so hard that you forgot already?”