Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend

by Dreagen

  The look of pride faded from EeNox’s face, prompting AnaSaya to pat him on the back sympathetically. “It’s all right, I still think you’ve down a wonderful job.”

  “Thanks,” EeNox replied with a forced smile.

  LyCora cleared her throat loudly, causing everyone to return their attention to her. “As I was saying, the green flame works much in the same way as the red; more is better, push, push, push. However, unlike the green, the red is tied in directly with emotion and sheer force of will.”

  “Yes, but that’s true of all flames,” countered Rex. “They’re not just igniting randomly, or else every time someone pops out from around a corner and surprises you, you’d be going up like a torch. You’re making a conscious decision to ignite and use them.”

  “Very true, indeed,” ShinGaru interjected while casting an apologetic look towards LyCora, who was about to reply. “I think, however, what LyCora here means is that while we can all choose to draw out our flames, their level of power is determined by how hard we train them.”

  “Again, just like mine.”

  ShinGaru stroked his chin with his fingers as he contemplated what might serve as a better way to approach the explanation. “I think I’m beginning to see what the problem is here.”

  “Oh, really?” LyCora replied. “Mind clueing me in, because I don’t think I can make it any clearer for him.”

  “The issue is not one of clarity but relation.”

  “Okay, now you’ve lost me.”

  “Welcome to my world,” Rex replied with a wry smile.

  “What I mean is that Rex can easily understand if we simply put it in terms he can relate to.”

  “I’m listening,” Rex said, crossing his arms.

  “You see, unlike you, Rex, we have to train our flames the way we would train a muscle. If you want it to grow stronger, you need to make it grow larger, and the only way to do that is through rigorous physical exercise. You, on the other hand, are not held back by such burdens. Your flame feeds off your desire for more power, meaning you have an extraordinary ability to push yourself to new plateaus of power in the face of adversity.”

  “Then why am I having so much trouble? I should be all-powerful based on that logic.”

  “Because like with most things in nature, Rex,” came a deep voice from behind, “your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness.” Everyone turned and saw KyGahl standing like a great stone relief in the swaying grass, his eyes burning a golden radiance. Stepping towards them, he continued, “Unlike the rest of us who must train to push our flames, you must learn to rein yours in.” He stopped just short of Rex, who craned his neck back to peer up at the immense man’s face. “A better analogy would be that of a wildfire. Easy to start but incredibly difficult to put out.”

  Rex looked down for a moment in quiet contemplation before returning to meet KyGahl’s gaze. “So if it’s that dangerous, then what makes it better than any of the others?”

  “My dear boy,” KyGahl said, placing a hand on Rex’s shoulder, “whoever said it was better? It is merely different, just like all the other flame types. Each one of them has strengths and weaknesses inherent to them. It’s how they are used that determines the true measure of their worth. For instance, take a shot at me.”

  “Huh?”

  “Go ahead. Fire a blast directly at me.” He dropped his hands to his sides and stared directly into Rex’s eyes.

  “Are you crazy? I’m not going to shoot you!”

  “Why not?” KyGahl asked as if he did not understand why anyone would find the idea bizarre or even crazy.

  “Because I could hurt you! Hell, I may even kill you!”

  “Why don’t you let me worry about that,” he said with a smile.

  Rex frantically looked at the others for any kind of support. To his surprise, he saw DiNiya and EeNox with ear-to-ear grins, nodding vigorously.

  “You wouldn’t be scared by any chance now, would you?” KyGahl asked.

  Rex whipped back around and locked eyes with him before relaxing slightly. “I know what you’re trying to do and it won’t work.”

  “And what exactly am I trying to do?”

  “Get me all riled up so I lose my temper and go off like a hothead.”

  “Quite the contrary. I want you to stop allowing yourself to be ruled by your apprehension and live freely. Until you do so, you will never be able to control the immense power within you. Now fire!”

  “Fine,” Rex said as he ignited his flame. “But I’m not taking the blame if we have to carry what’s left of you back in a bag.”

  “So noted. Ready?”

  “Are you?”

  “Do it!” EeNox cheered from behind.

  “Go ahead, Rex,” DiNiya encouraged. “Trust me, it’ll be fine.”

  Rex took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and then with a low grunt, fired a large ball of flame directly at KyGahl. Before any of them could have a chance to react, there was a brilliant flash of golden light as the fireball vanished two meters in front of its target.

  “What happened?” Rex asked with a look of astonishment.

  “Wow,” AnaSaya exclaimed. “Did you see that?”

  “No. No, I did not. Someone want to fill me in on what just happened?”

  “He neutralized it,” LyCora said, sounding unimpressed.

  “Precisely,” KyGahl replied.

  “What does that mean?” Rex asked.

  “It means I was able to raise the level of positively charged particles in my flame to match that of the ones in yours, thus canceling both out.”

  “Oh. So…is that why it all happened so fast?”

  “Yes, indeed. However, if it is a more impressive display of physics you wish to see, then I will be more than happy to accommodate you. Catch your breath and prepare to fire again.”

  Rex did not hesitate this time. Doing as he was instructed, he took several deep inhalations of air, exhaling each loudly, before adopting a wider stance and powering his flame back up again.

  “When you feel ready, fire away.”

  With a quick nod, Rex unleashed an even larger fireball, which traveled at a rate nearly twice as fast as the first. There was a split second where he feared that his drive to prove himself had made him overdo it. Then his fear turned to awe as KyGahl was engulfed in a massive torrent of golden flame, causing the red ball of fire to explode on contact.

  Rex stood dumbfounded as he tried to make sense out of what he had just seen. Up until now, he had been secretly feeling a small sense of superiority in terms of raw power. He knew from all that he had been told that the red flame was the mightiest of all, and that its power was legendary, but KyGahl, who wielded a golden flame, had done away with it as if it had required no effort whatsoever. The most unsettling part for him was that it was probably the case.

  “Well?” KyGahl asked.

  “Well what?” Rex replied, still getting over the shock.

  “Do you understand now?”

  “That if anyone was going home in a bag it would be me? Then yes, that reality is starting to set in.”

  KyGahl laughed as he shook his head. “I was able to overpower your flame by raising the power of my own. I, however, was only able to do so because I have trained for many years to become as strong as I am. Truth be told, with proper training and focus, your flame will surpass mine in power one day. Such is the nature of the red flame: destined to be more powerful than all others. Still, it is that very training that will determine whether you will harness its power or allow it to consume you along with all you hold dear.”

  KyGahl’s words sank to Rex’s very core like stones in a lake. Never before had it been made so clear just what was at stake for him if he did not take seriously what EeNox and the others had been stressing upon him this entire time. For them, this was simply a means to better themselves. For him, however, it was the only way to keep the monster in him at bay.

  Eight days passed, and Rex had been training with the
others now for what seemed like a round-the-clock schedule. He would rise before the sun, meet the other five downstairs for breakfast, then head out into the fields at first light and be put through the various phases of harnessing his flame.

  AnaSaya would start things out with quiet meditation, allowing him to commune in order to steady his thoughts and emotions—a crucial component to the training process, considering they were what fueled his power. Next EeNox would drill him on raising and lowering his power level so he could get used to increasing and decreasing at a moment’s notice, almost by reflex. Afterwards, it was LyCora’s turn; she taught him possibly the most important part of his training: control.

  “Raise your flame to the highest point where you feel in control of it,” she instructed. “But make sure you stop just short of going over the edge.”

  Rex nodded and did as he was instructed. Spreading his legs and clenching his fists, he slowly raised his flame. Brighter and brighter it grew as it increased in intensity, until he felt himself losing his grip on it. Immediately, he held its power where it was, doing his best not to let it decrease while also not letting it escape his grasp. “Okay, I’m there.”

  “Good. Now I want you to close your eyes and focus exclusively on your flame. Push everything else out of your mind.” Rex shut his eyes and furrowed his brow in intense concentration. “Now put all your focus on raising your flame’s power up a notch.”

  “I can’t,” he protested while keeping his eyes closed.

  “Yes, you can. Try to envision it as a series of tiers or rungs in a ladder that you must climb, but don’t look at them all. Just focus on the one directly above you.”

  Rex’s breathing grew heavy as sweat began to pour from his brow. It was not the effort itself that was proving difficult but rather overcoming his fear of what might happen if he failed and his flame got away from him again. Still, he feared the prospect of living in fear more, and so, with silent resolution, he climbed the next rung of the ladder.

  Everyone watched as his flame pulsed and grew a little larger. Each one of them could feel the power flowing from Rex into them.

  “He’s doing it,” said EeNox.

  “But can he stabilize it?” asked ShinGaru.

  “Well done,” said LyCora. “Now, hold it there for a moment so you get used to the feeling. Make a note of what it feels like so both your mind and body remember being in control at this state.”

  “This isn’t so bad,” Rex commented. “It’s starting to feel…normal.”

  “Don’t get overconfident,” LyCora said. “You’re still in danger of losing control if you relinquish your focus even for an instant.”

  “I want to try taking it up another notch.”

  “No. It’s too soon. Just focus on remaining where you are at now.”

  “I think I can do it safely.”

  “Rex, I said no.”

  “I’m going for it.”

  “Don’t!”

  Rex pushed his flame to the next level and felt his control holding steady for a moment before suddenly starting to waver. It all happened so fast; one minute he was holding his power in check like something small in the grip of his hand, and the next thing he knew he felt a sudden surge rising up too fast and aggressively for him to stop, like trying to stop the onslaught of water from a broken dam with just his bare hands. Then, just as he thought he would explode with burning fury, he felt something wash over him, sapping the energy right out of his body. He dropped to his knees, feeling the wind had been knocked out of him as he desperately tried to catch his breath. Looking up, he saw KyGahl standing slightly behind LyCora and off to the side, lowering an outstretched hand. In the past several days he had become perhaps the most integral part of the training, for without him there to neutralize Rex if things got out of hand, he was unsure if he would have the confidence to continue.

  “That was a bit of a close one,” he said in a less-than-happy tone.

  “Close?” LyCora repeated, sounding shocked. “That could have been a disaster! Rex, you damn thickheaded brute! Are you trying to kill all of us, or just yourself?”

  “LyCora, enough,” DiNiya interjected.

  “Stop defending him!” she replied angrily, spinning around and pointing furiously. “You should know better than any of us here what could happen if he’s not careful, if he unleashes more power than he’s learned to control! Someone as powerful as KyGahl won’t always be there to neutralize him before he goes off like a bomb!”

  DiNiya slunk back, unsure as to what to say. Meanwhile, LyCora turned back around and marched over to Rex, stopping just short of him. “I want you to listen to me very carefully. If you pull another stunt like that ever again, if you go against my instruction, which is born of better judgment than the kind you have floating in that dense skull of yours, I’ll stop helping you. Do you understand me?”

  “Why are you helping me?” Rex asked, realizing that he himself did not know the answer to that particular question.

  “Because I figure that if I can at least help teach you how to control your power, my greatest fear of you might never come to pass.” She glanced back at DiNiya, who in turn lowered her head, unwilling to meet her scrutinizing gaze.

  “Hey,” Rex said in a commanding voice, prompting LyCora to snap her head back around to face him. “Your issue is with me! Leave her out of it!”

  “Chivalry doesn’t suit you, Rex,” LyCora said in a detached tone.

  “You probably just have never been on the receiving end of it,” he replied with a mean-spirited smirk.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Imagine that, the ice queen here never knowing what it’s like to be on the receiving end of someone else’s favor. Big fucking surprise!”

  “Now, now,” ShinGaru interjected. “Let’s not say anything we’ll regret later, all right?”

  “No, ShinGaru, it’s fine,” LyCora countered. “I think it’s best that we drop all pretenses here and just say what we’re really thinking.”

  “And here I thought I would never agree with anything that came out of your mouth,” Rex stated. “You know what your problem is?”

  “Oh, do tell.”

  “You’re afraid of everyone around you. You put up this act of being too refined and superior to associate yourself with the likes of us, but in truth you want to be part of something so badly!”

  “Is that right?”

  “Indeed. It’s written all over your face; your whole sad little life story. Let me guess, your mother kept you just beyond arm’s reach of everyone your entire life, taught you that you had to be disciplined above all else and that mundane things like having friends and enjoying what it means to be a child was nothing more than a distraction from what really mattered: hard work and nothing else. How am I doing so far?”

  “You think you know me,” she replied with what was clearly indignation in her voice. “You think it’s even possible for you to know me or what my life has been like?”

  “Oh, yes,” he replied with an air of resolution. “You see, I come from a place that isn’t so warm and friendly. Where a child being excluded and left feeling disconnected from everyone around them isn’t so uncommon. You may stand out in this world for that, but you would fit right in with the lot of us back on Earth. So to answer your question, yes. Yes, I do think it’s not only possible for me to know what your life has been like, but that I in fact do. Then again, I don’t blame you for staying tight-lipped about it. After all, talking about it would mean you would have to acknowledge that someone you care about robbed you of happiness.”

  LyCora struck him in the jaw with a right hook, causing everyone to gasp in horror for fear of what Rex might do next. Even LyCora appeared to immediately regret her choice of action, looking as if she was preparing for another firefight with Rex. Much to everyone’s surprise and great relief, however, his flame did not ignite. Rather, he simply rubbed his jaw and spit a small amount of blood on the ground before looking her in the eyes.<
br />
  “Trust me…I know,” he said with what almost sounded like sympathy.

  LyCora’s eyes began to fill with tears before she pushed past him and took off across the field, back in the direction of the main gates. Above, dark clouds began to roll in, heralded by the sound of deep ominous thunder, while the others found themselves standing in stunned silence.

  “Come everyone,” KyGahl said at last. “Let’s head back before the rain comes.”

  Everyone filed in behind him. Everyone except Rex, who just stood there, head slightly lowered with his eyes looking at nothing in particular.

  Noticing he was not following them, DiNiya turned and asked in a soft voice, “Rex? Are you coming?” She knew that he had once again slipped into a state of deep thought, quiet contemplation. When he would come out of it, only he knew.

  Looking up, Rex proceeded forward to where DiNiya was waiting patiently before rejoining the others, who had now stopped to look back to see what was keeping them.

  When they got back to town, KyGahl kindly suggested that they give Rex some space, but added to DiNiya in private, “You should stay with him. You know better than anyone what he’s feeling right now.”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to,” she said, “but I don’t want to be a burden to him, to be in his way.”

  “Though he may not come right out and say it, he takes great comfort in always having you nearby. Trust me.” With that, KyGahl bid them farewell and took his leave with AnaSaya and ShinGaru. “ShinGaru, why don’t we swap stories of some of our latest scientific endeavors?”

  “Certainly,” the boy replied. “It would be an honor and a pleasure.”

  “Could I join you as well?” AnaSaya asked.

  “But of course,” KyGahl replied with a broad and friendly smile. “We would love the company of a lovely young woman such as yourself.” AnaSaya blushed and looked down at the ground, a sheepish grin adorning her face. “Besides, it has been some time since I’ve had the opportunity to travel east. You can regale me with the latest discoveries made in that region.”