“As you know SeanMarkus, I am the adopted niece of the King. My father was his best friend and adviser.” She started to tell him as she led the way out of the alley. “As I am sure you know my father’s line passes along the green eyes. My brother and my sister had the green eyes as well but I didn’t. I had the brown eyes of my mother’s line.”
“But your eyes are green.” He interrupted her.
“The fire gods changed them when they gave me the flaming vengeance.”
“Then does it mean that you are the…”
“No,” She said cutting him off. “I am not the protector, I just told you I was born with brown eyes. The one that should have been the protector was killed. I don’t know why they gave me the flaming vengeance. I guess I was the only choice they had left.”
“Well if you are not the protector then what are they Gods going to do about a protector to rid our planet of the wraith?”
“I don’t know SeanMarkus, maybe there is another green eyes somewhere on the planet, but until the FireLords find one I am going to take out as many wraith as I can.”
“Well then maybe you and I should work together.” He suggested.
“No,” she said decisively. “You could get hurt and I don’t want to be responsible for that.”
SeanMarkus stopped walking and began to laugh, TanyaLynn turned to him with an angry look on her face. “What are you laughing at?”
“You! Your Grace!” He said still laughing.
“I told you not to call me that!” She said getting really angry. “What is so funny?”
“I have trained all my life to fight the wraith.” He told her suddenly serious. “I know everything about them, where they live, when they breed, how they eat. Everything, and you a little duchess girl thinks she needs to protect me.” Even though his voice was serious his dark eyes still danced with mirth.
“Look here, these creatures are after me just as much as I am after them for killing my family, and I just can’t have you getting in the way. You will just get hurt.”
“Hang on TanyaLynn,” He said putting a firm hand on her shoulder and turning her toward him again. “I can help you, like I said I have been training all my life to take out the wraith.”
“I said don’t touch me.” She warned him shaking his hand off her shoulder.
“Answer me this how were you planning on taking then out? Did you have any kind of plan?” He asked looking intently in her eyes for a moment until she shifted her eyes away.
“I didn’t think so.” He said. “I have an idea, a way that we can take out a whole clan.”
“If you have this great plan for killing the wraith clan in our area, then why haven’t you done it already?” She asked him a little snidely.
“Well Duchess I need someone with a little…umm…fire power.” He said gesturing to her hands.
“All right SeanMarkus,” She said through clinched teeth at the sound of her official title. “Tell me your plan.”
Chapter 5
After months of SeanMarkus and TanyaLynn working together and planning their attack on the local wraith clan home, the day had finally come. It was a hot day without a cloud in the sky to interrupt the flow of the large yellow suns waves of high temperature. The heat baked the ground, made every human on the planet beg the Fire Gods for mercy.
The heat was more of a blessing than the people knew. The heat protected them from wraith attacks. The wraith cannot stand the heat. It saps them of their strength, making them sluggish as well as the light of the sun its self, easily burns their grey skin. This is why their clan homes are always deep underground caves that are cold and dark.
The two of them worked together pursuing the wraith to find out where the cave was for sure and only killing a wraith when another person’s life was at stake. Then they spent time and money tracking down the local alchemist. A woman named SandraKay. She was a tall woman from the north who had bright yellow hair and a friendly smile, but knew her business when it came to the elements that they needed to bring about their plan. Although SandraKay wanted the wraith in their area gone as much as they did her price was still steep for her alchemy services.
TanyaLynn crouched in the pathetic shade of a boulder near the entrance to the wraiths clan home. She pushed her growing dark hair out of her eyes and wished she was down there with SeanMarkus in the nice cool cave. But instead she stayed out keeping watch waiting until the sun just touched the western horizon.
“Come on SeanMarkus.” She whispered with more irritation in her voice than she felt. She closed her eyes remembering his beautiful face as he told her to ignite the trail of God-powder the alchemist had given them as soon as the sun sunk beneath the horizon, whether or not he was out.
TanyaLynn opened her eyes and looked up again. The sun was half way down, and she knew he has only moments to get out. “Fire and ashes!” She swore as she pushed herself away from the rock and ran toward the cave entrance. She stripped off her gloves, called the fire to her left hand and crouched down to light the black trail of God-powder.
She closed her eyes and lowered her hand but all she could see in her mind was his beautiful eyes that were the same color as the chocolates the King had always given her. “Fiery ashes SeanMarkus!” She swore again, standing up and hurried into the dark mouth of the wraiths cave.
Careful to keep her green and yellow flaming hand away from the black powdered trail she followed it closely knowing that it would lead her to her friend. TanyaLynn held her hand up high now that she saw the direction that the trail leads.
The floor of the cave was a dark smooth rock that was dry and slanting gently downward. The narrow walls of the cave were also smooth dark rock but widened steadily as the channel descended deeper into the ground. Although the air grew steadily cooler, TanyaLynn was surprised that the air and the cave was still dry.
The channel took a steep dip downward as the walls seem to fall away into a large chamber with stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites pointing sharply upwards. A wonderful sight that no humans have ever lived to tell about, she was mesmerized as she walked through the cave until she heard a deep huffing sound that caused her to freeze in fear.
She looked down to see dozens of sleeping wraith lying curled up all over the cave floor, and she was standing in the middle of this sleeping hoard. Not sure what to do she looked up and saw at the back of the chamber standing next to the sleeping queen wraith was SeanMarkus looking as though he was straining to either hold something up or put it down.
TanyaLynn carefully made her way to where he was and could see right away what the problem was and why he was delayed in leaving the cave.
He was just about to set the last sack of explosive God-powder next to the queen wraith. While trying to avoid stepping on the sleeping male wraith next to her SeanMarkus bumped into a fragile stalagmite, but managed to catch it just before it fell to the rock floor waking an angry throng that would rip him to pieces.
“What are you doing in here Duchess? Why didn’t you light the powder?” He said in an angry whisper, even though she saw relief in his eyes when he spotted her.
“Did you really think that I was going to blow this cave with you still in it?” She retorted as she helped him to lower the heavy chunk of rock to the cave floor. “Hurry up chocolate eyes let’s get out of here before they wake up.”
“Hold up a moment Duchess I have to set the last bag.”
“Don’t call me duchess.” She snapped.
“Well then don’t call me chocolate eyes.” He retorted pulling the sack of powder from his pocket. He turned to face the large, angry and very much awake queen's wraith.
“Hello tasty snacks.” She growled making a swipe for SeanMarkus as he dodged and she only managed to tear open the sack of black powder.
“Run TanyaLynn!” He yelled as he snagged her right hand dragging her stumbling along with him.
She looked over her shoulder as saw the queen wraith extend her wings and lift into
the air and begin to fly after them at an alarming rate.
“We aren’t going to make it out before she catches us.” TanyaLynn puffed as she dodged mounds of waking wraith.
“Just keep running.”
“I have an idea SeanMarkus, drop to the floor when I tell you.”
“What?”
“Trust me.” She begged him as they neared the narrow channel that lead to the surface.
She knew the queen was right behind them when she felt the wind that was stirred up by the strong beat of her wings.
“Now!” TanyaLynn yelled just before they entered the channel and they both dropped to the floor of the cave, causing the queen wraith to shoot past them up the channel and into the night as TanyaLynn’s flaming left hand fell into the trail of black powder igniting it in an array of yellow sparks.
“Run!” He yelled desperately as they both got to their feet and dashed through the channel. They fled out of the mouth of the cave just as the first of several explosions rocked the ground under their feet, killing everything that was left down in the cave.
Chapter 6
SeanMarkus stood with his arms protectively around TanyaLynn as the dust and rubble began to settle after the last explosion.
“Duchess? Are you alright?” He said with a scared look in his eyes.
“Yes” she coughed and lifted her head off his shoulder. “But she got away.”
“I know what are we going to do?” He asked sounding panicked. “She will be back for us.”
“No” she told him vaguely as she looked over her shoulder at the volcano.
“What do you mean no?” He asked her confused.
“I mean that she is not going to come back for us, it’s me.” She told him taking a step back. “I will give her what she wants.”
“Are you saying that you are going to sacrifice yourself?” He asked her with a panicked look on his face. “I will not let you do that.”
“No I am not going to sacrifice myself I am just going to draw her off lead her to the volcano then push her in. Then I will come back here for you.”
“No TanyaLynn, if we do this we do it together. I will not just sit here wondering if you lived or died.” He told her with a firm note in his voice but fear in his eyes. “You have to know I am not just being the wraith hunter here, I love you.”
Tanya closed her eyes for a moment when she heard this. She had tried from the time she first saw him not to love him. She had lost so many people that she loved that she could not stand to love and lose anyone else, so she tried so hard not to love him. But she did love him.
“I love you too SeanMarkus.” She said when she opened her eyes again. “We will do it together then.”
“If we do this together then we truly do it together.” He said looking deeply in her eyes and took her right hand in his. “Duchess TanyaLynn before the witness of the mountain of the FireLords I ask you to be my wife.”
“Yes!” she said her voice filled with emotion as she let go of his and reached up taking off her necklace and putting it on him. “Let this gift seal our marriage as I am no longer known as Lynn.”
Tanya let her hands linger on the back of his neck after placing her royal necklace on him. He took a step forward placing his hands on her hips and drew her close, winding his arms around her small frame. He ever so gently covered her lips with his in a long sweet caress.
Tanya had not felt loved like this before. She felt like she would melt into him. She kissed him back enthusiastically not wanting it to end, but she knew it had to. Gently she pulled back breathing hard, “We have to get moving, the wraith queen will be heading back anytime now.”
“I know,” He said regrettably but didn’t let go of her. “What is the plan?”
“I will need you to cut me, we leave a trail of my blood for her to follow to the mouth of the volcano. You will have to find a place to hide within a few paces…”
“No.” He said quickly interrupting her as he let go and turned around for a moment, then turned back. “I will not wound my new wife. Besides the wraith are not blood drinkers.”
“Please listen to me Sean.” She said desperately. “The wraith may not be blood drinkers but they are after me, they are drawn to my bloodline so the scent of it in the air will draw the queen to where ever I am.”
“I don’t like this Tanya.” He told her with dread in his voice.
“I know but it will work. As soon she shows up I will fight her. Once her attention is fully on me you get her with your blades and then I will push her in the volcano.”
He looked intently in her face but remained silent not liking the feeling he had in his gut, “Please Sean, it will work.” She begged and held up her right hand.
Without taking his eyes from her face he deftly reached down and drew his dagger from his right hip with his left hand and quickly slashed her right palm, cutting her deeply.
She drew as sharp breath in at the feel of the blade cutting her but held his loving gaze, and then curled her bleeding hand into a fist squeezing more blood from the cut. “I love you Sean.” She said and leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips.
As she kissed the man she loved she call only the power of the flames but not the flame its self to her bleeding hand that she had curled into a fist.
Tanya pulled back and smiled at him and without any further warning she smashed her flame powered fist on the side of his head knocking Sean off his feet as well as knocking him unconscious.
She burst into tears at the sight of her beautiful new husband lying on the ground. “I am so sorry Sean.” She said as she knelt on the ground next to him. “I love you so much, that I would die if anything happened to you, I have to protect you.”
She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead and her tears fell on a bruise that had already began to stain his skin. She sat up straight and grabbed the front of his shirt with her uninjured left hand and ripped it open. She then placed her left palm on his chest and once again called to the power of the flames with in her and controlled the flow from her hand allowing a soft green flame to encircle him like a green shield. “No wraith will ever touch you.” She pronounced and lifted her hand from him leaving the same swirling green mark on his chest.
Tanya got quickly to her feet and without looking back she ran as fast as she could toward the volcano. She opened her fist letting the blood fall freely from the wound. She began to ascend the low side of the volcano when she heard the beat of wings. She pushed her tired legs faster, she needed to be at the opening before the wraith queen over took her.
The glowing mouth of the volcano was in sight when she felt the air begin to be stirred up by the powerful beat of the queen’s wings and she dove for the ground but just a split second too late as she felt the claws of the wraith slice through her shirt and rake the skin on her back.
Tanya landed hard on her stomach and tried not to cry out in pain from the deep gashes in her back. She looked up and saw the queen standing eagerly by the mouth of the volcano, “Come little green eyes, let’s end this.” The queen wraith growled.
Tanya fully surrendered to the flames in her soul and pushed ever bit of the power to her hands and jumped to her feet and walked calmly to where the wraith stood. “Yes let’s be done with this!”
The wraith growled and swung a powerfully clawed fist at Tanya but she ducked quickly and lunged forward and placed her burning hands on the wraith’s belly.
Squealing in pain the queen wraith shoved Tanya hard causing her to stumble backward. Not deterred from her goal, Tanya lunged forward again but this time the queen wraith was able to land a solid hit on the side of her head causing her to stumble dazed closer to the edge of the volcano.
The wraith seized the opportunity and jumped on the Tanya sinking her needle like teeth into the young woman’s neck relishing the taste of her flesh and blood.
Tanya knew she hand just mere seconds to do something before the wraith killed her, pushing past the pain in her neck sh
e wrapped her arms around the queen wraith in a tight embrace and whispered, “I’m sorry Sean.” As she took a large step back pulling the queen wraith with her into the powerful heat of the volcano.
Even though she was in excruciating pain from where the wraith had bit her she held on tightly being sure to keep the queen wraiths powerful wings pinned so she could not fly out. The beast screamed and writhed as its skin began to burn, but Tanya held on until the wraiths screams stopped and its body turned to ash.
“Let go child.”
“Let go of what?” She asked the voices of the FireLords. “How come I don’t feel the heat, Why am I not dead? I was not the one.”
“Let go of your fear, you are worthy. That is why we chose you.”
“But I was not a green eyes until you changed them. It should have been Gretah.”
“Gretah rests as she should among the rings, you are our chosen one. Let go of Gretah and let go of your fears and fly child. You are the protector.”
Tanya saw amongst the flames the image of her sister’s soul happily dancing along the particle rings, then she was finally able to release her fears and let go.
She looked at her arms and saw flames emerge from the scars on her arms, and the flames turned into beautiful yellow and red feathers as her arms became wings. She completely surrendered her being to the flames and her body transformed and became powerful.
“Fly child,” The FireLords told her. “You can fly!”
Tanya pushed her new and powerful wings against the hot air and quickly rose bursting free of the mouth of the volcano. She finally knew who she was. She was the promised protector of the world of the ring. She was the Phoenix.
Epilogue
Sean groaned as he began to regain his senses. “Why did you hit me?” He put his hand to where she hit him expecting to feel a painful bruise and swelling but there was nothing, no pain. He opened his eyes and jumped up looking toward the volcano just in time to see the Phoenix rise powerfully.
He saw the Phoenix toss back her head and raise her voice in a song that meant death to all wraiths on their planet, but Sean knew that it was the beautiful voice of his beloved wife.
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