by Bri Sailor
“The priestess…” he said quietly. “…the flames…”
“I’m well aware!” exploded Nya.
She took a step back and her eyes returned to normal. She took a shaky breath.
“It’s gone.” She said simply.
Shocked cried came from the priests behind her.
“Gone?” exclaimed on.
“How?”
“What now?”
“What about the witch?”
“All is lost!”
“Goddess save us all!”
Vex and Riker were thoroughly confused. Taryn marched up to Nya and spun her around.
“Spill it!” her dark eyes flashed blue. “I know you’re hiding something! You have been ever since we left the palace. We have a right to know! The people have a right to know! Our fates are not sealed!” she shouted angrily.
All eyes were on the queen. She stood her ground and eyed the priests.
“As you know the Priestess Cora has absorbed the power of the Tear.” Her voice boomed. “Which means you all were also granted a vision as well. You saw the lightning and flames. You felt what I felt. You know that this is the beginning of the end.”
Nya looked Taryn straight in the eye with a hard gaze. “I don’t know everything, nor do I know what all has transpired up north, but one thing is for sure…” she looked back at the priests. “Cora is coming back here, and here is where we will make our last stand against the witch. We will finished what they started!”
The cavern was deathly silent. Vex stepped up. “Wait. Are you saying they fought Lusha and lost? What of Ky and Atreyis? What of everyone else?”
“I don’t know.” Said Nya simply. “I spent every moment since that vision trying to search out what happened. I am being prevented from seeing it. I know it was a battle I saw, I could feel it. There’s nothing more we can do. It’s already long passed. We must prepare for what’s ahead. Pray to the Goddess that Cora gets here before Lusha does. At this point, she is our only hope, I believe. I don’t know what Atreyis or Ky could even do now. Claws are nothing against magic and demons.”
#
Taryn paced angrily outside of the temple. Vex sat lost in thought and Riker gazed from her perch in the trees above. Nya had sent messengers out in all directions, begging all of the priests in the world to come to the Temple to defend the Seal.
“We could have helped!” bit Taryn as she turned on her heel. “I knew we shouldn’t have split up. I should have gone with them. We could have sent for Toran or Joslette or…or anyone. But we just let them fight HER alone.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it now.” Said Vex solemnly. “We just have to wait for Cora’s arrival. Having faith in our friends is all we have right now. I know Ky. I saw the way she is around all of you, especially Atreyis. She would lay down her own life before letting any harm come to the princess and she would fight to the end for everyone.”
Taryn whirled around and yelled at him. “That doesn’t give Nya justification for lying to us about it! She doesn’t know everything! We could have made it there in time. With your army we could have made a difference!”
“I hate to agree with Vex and the queen, but they are right.” Sighed Riker from the tree. “The queen may not know everything, and for all we know it could have been a premonition of things to come rather than happening in that moment. However, we can be certain of two things. Ky is a warrior of profound skills and abilities. And second, as a recently converted believer, I believe the Goddess is in complete control of everything whether we can see it or not.”
Taryn stopped dead in her tracks. “Since when did you finally start believing in all of this? I thought none of it was real?”
Riker shrugged and scratched his fiery red beard. “When you are consumed by magical invisible flames you start to question things. But when two of your friends are being controlled through their dream and you best friend has to go into these dreams to free them…you tend to have a change of heart and mind. Also the whole claws thing, but that’s neither here nor there.”
The ranger casually threw up his hands as they morphed into blue claws.
“Priests healing people and creating balls of light is one thing.” He said simply as he studied his claws. “But when a skeptic such as myself is confronted with indisputable truth.” He waved his hands. “To deny it is pure lunacy.”
Vex cracked a half-grin. “I wish we could have met sooner, Riker. You strike me as a supremely fascinating fellow.”
“You don’t know the half of it.” Mumbled Taryn as she rolled her eyes and resumed her furious pacing, albeit, slower this time. “Regardless of all of this, it still doesn’t make me feel any less useless.”
Vex stood up and stretched. “I spent a lot of time feeling useless myself. That doesn’t mean it’s over. If my queen is correct, and I believe she is, we will soon have our hands plenty full. We should start making preparation now. The witch won’t go down without a fight. At this juncture I’d say defense is our only option until Cora gets here. She will have a far better offensive plan at this point, assuming having fought the witch. Swords and shields can only do so much.”
“Agreed” said Riker as he fell gracefully from his perch.
Taryn crossed her arms, unwilling to let go of her anger for now. “Fine. Give me a few days and I will have these guards ready. I am my mother’s daughter after all.”
#
Every day more and more priests arrived at the Temple, and every day they continued to build up a powerful magical barrier. Nya sat under the largest tree in the temple quietly mediating. Throughout the temple some of her fellow priests were doing the same as they had been instructed. The Keeper prayed to the Goddess that her subordinates truly grasped the true severity of what had happened and what was to come. Every waking moment was to be spent grounding themselves and gathering protective energies and spells. Nya took a deep cleansing breath and opened her eyes. The gently floating orbs that had been present in the lush temple were now gone. She calmly stood up and walked towards the temple doors, eyeing the statuesque priests as she did. The sweet scent of the cool night air immediately washed over her as she pushed open the large doors. Bright stars twinkled in the patches of night sky that peaked through the evergreen canopy. The Keeper quietly padded down the steps in her bare feet and walked some distance away from the temple before turning around. The dewy cool of the grass felt wonderful against her hot feet. The entire temple had an ethereal glow and the familiar orbs danced around it. Nya held her head high, satisfied with her work. She continued deeper into the woods and stopped just before the protective barrier that hid the entire temple ground. Closing her eyes she placed a hand on the bubble-like surface and concentrated a moment. Her entire arm soon tingled with electricity and she smiled softly.
“It will have to do.” She half-prayed to the Goddess.
She walked solemnly back to the temple. Taryn and Vex had been working with the temple guard and imparting their battle-born wisdom and experience with the witch. On the surface Nya felt that they would have a slim chance if Lusha attacked before Cora and reinforcements arrived. But deep down she knew that even then it wouldn’t be enough. The vision of flames and lightning haunted her dreams and plagues her waking mind. The emotions that Cora had sent out didn’t lie. Someone was dead and she could feel the Goddess’ power dwindle severely. The Keeper fought to keep her faith in the Goddess, but none of the ancient texts or prophecies ever spoke of the events currently unfolding. She clenched her jaw. Light should win against the Darkness. It had to. But would it?
Chapter 9
Ehren stood in the underground library staring at his hands. Cora was already lost amongst the ancient tomes and his parents were studying his sister’s transformations. The prince was lost in thought as he changed his hands back and forth, the dark blue scale only ever creeping just past his forearms and never any father. Was it only his sister and Ky that were capable of such monstrous transformations or were al
l Descended equally capable? He looked over at Arainya and Toran and back at his hands. Both of them were covered in blue-hued scale similar to his own. He gazed in wonder at his sister’s black scales.
“Just like Ky.” He mumble to himself.
He turned and jumped onto the rope and began climbing. In no time he was back at the surface and climbed out. People were gathered in a crowd nearby and were eerily silent. The prince strode over and slipped through the people. His heart skipped a beat as he came to a small clearing. Bloody, dirty, tired and wounded soldiers stood in reverence. Kova was knelt before a massive bear covered in cuts. Usariel’s head was bowed and touched foreheads with the Wildling queen as she gently stroked his matted fur.
“Thank you for your bravery, old friend.” Kova said to the bear with a sense of honor and pride.
Next to her stood a stoic and unmoving Drax reverently holding some armor and shattered sword. On Usariel’s back lay an all-too still body with a dark green and brown banner covering it. Ehren’s mouth went dry and he could feel his body shake. He walked over to the body and lifted the banner. The pale, bloody face of the fallen Ky was beneath. The stark whiteness of her skin nearly matching the silvery tattooed lines on her body. Her blonde hair blew gently over her face. The prince’s ears perked up as he heard movement behind him and he dropped the cloth. Kova stood up. The sea of Firancans, Xaemoans, Aznurro, and Quinmorian peoples had parted.
Atreyis stood as still as stone. Out of curiosity she had followed her brother, but now her feet refused to move. Her heart and her mind were at war. She knew she had seen the warrior in the realm of the gods, there was no mistaking those red eyes. But the story her eyes were telling her…there was no ignoring the harsh reality before her. Ky was gone from this world and wasn’t coming back. The warrior’s spirit was all that remained. The princess blinked and found herself beside the massive bear and staring at the silken green and brown banner fluttering in the breeze. Clenching her jaw she reached a shaky hand out and lifted the material back. Tears stung her eyes and all of the breath in her lungs was gone. Ky’s beautiful face seemed snow white in the dazzling sunlight. Hot tears ran down Atreyis’ dirt and blood streaked face. She choked back her sobs as she traced the silver tattooing along the warrior’s forehead and jaw. Atreyis shook her head and wiped her eyes. That wasn’t Ky, she had to keep telling herself. The warrior’s spirit was out there. She pulled the banner off and gently lifted the warrior off of the bear. All of the strength leeched from her body and she dropped to a knee holding the warrior close. The princess sat on the ground and cradled Ky’s head. She touched her forehead to her own as the damn burst and she gave in to the sorrow, relenting all control. All of the warmth left her body and her stomach felt like it was made of lead. Her heart was an empty cavern sucking the life out of her. The princess’ body shook as it was wracked with grief.
Kova and Ehren stood in silent reverence. Doan had quietly remained some distance away. A single tear fell down his grungy and bloody face. He sent a silent prayer to the Goddess that she would see that his friend would finally find peace. The princess took a shaky breath and looked around at everyone.
“She didn’t deserve this.” She wept as she searched their solemn and somber faces. “None of us deserved any of this!”
Atreyis’ voice was rising. She looked at Ehren and Kova. By now the king and queen and Joslette and Cora were present.
“There is so much wrong with this world. How did we let it get this bad? Why did we let it get this bad?” she looked back at the fallen warrior. “She was living proof that light can come from even the darkest places. She gave her life trying to rid this world of the darkest void since Béloneras himself. But with her last breath she witnessed the failure of the Light.”
The princess wiped her face and sniffed. “And I was no more use to any of you brave souls who fought and died today than a sword with no edge.”
She looked around at everyone. “I failed you all. I failed her. I was supposed to be your prophetic weapon but I am not. At least, not yet. But I promise to all of you. To your fallen friends, brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. I will find a way to end this once and for all. This war will end. The witch will pay. And our peoples will finally know what true peace, true justice, really is.”
The emboldened princess stood up and gathered the warrior’s body in her arms. She looked at Kova.
“We will fight again. For your people. For mine. But for now we rest and allow time for grief and mourning. Depriving ourselves of our humanity only serves to give more power over us to the witch. That time is now over.”
Kova nodded curtly. “We will gather the fallen and give the proper funerals. And for such a warrior we shall give her the grand rites owed to her.”
The princess bowed her head to the Wildling queen and carried Ky’s body to the nearby wooden palace. The crowd dispersed and Ehren grabbed Kova’s arm and pulled her aside.
“I know this is out of place, but can I see your claws?” he asked quietly as he looked around.
Kova scrunched her face in confusion. “Why?”
“I just want to check a theory I’m working on.”
The queen looked him over a second before brandishing her scaly green claws. Ehren produced his own blue claws.
“Exactly as I thought.” He confirmed.
“What?” asked Kova with genuine curiosity.
“My eyes glow blue, I have blue scales. Same with my parents. You have green eyes and green scales.”
“And that means…” she questioned.
Ehren shook his head in frustration. “Ky and Atreyis both had black scales. But red and blue eyes. I just wonder if it is related to their shared ability to completely transform. Or is the transformation a trait that all Descended share and that it means something else? I don’t know. It just has me worried for some reason. Something isn’t quite right. I can feel it.”
Before Kova could say anything her turned and left to go check on his sister. Kova stood staring at her hands admiring the almost iridescent green scales. She could feel the fixation taking root. They were Descended. She was Descended. They started with claws. She now had claws. Cora had said something about dragon essence or something thereabouts. The queen gave Usariel a final pat on the head and turned to Drax.
“Begin retrieving the fallen. We will honor them all.” She said solemnly as she quickly stripped out of her armor.
Drax nodded and began recruiting volunteers to help. Kova went in the opposite direction towards the very distant mountains, away from everyone. Her curiosity was piqued. What if she were capable of the same transformation? If it were possible the possibilities of what she would be able to accomplish were endless. She continued her determined march into the jungle. The first order of business would be to lay siege to Carmona and rid it of Philgen and his ilk. She clenched her fists. Her father’s throne would be rightfully restored to her and her people would be whole again. When she felt she was far enough away to not be disturbed she stopped. Still covered with the blood and dirt from battle she stood amongst the trees, the sounds of the jungle slowly fading into silence. No bullshit mediation. No prayers. No incantations of spells. This would be from her own willpower. No more leaning on others. This was her journey now. She would fight her demons face to face once and for all.
Her heart rate slowed and her breathing was even and deep. She concentrated on her hands, paying close attention to the sensations as her claws took shape. A warm tingling started at the tips of her fingers and slowly creeped up her arms, stopping just at her elbows. She looked down in frustration. Why did it stop there? Why was she unable to continue the change? She stared a moment and tried to imagine the sensations into reality. Nothing happened. Her eyes turned bright green and she slammed her fists onto the ground in a fit of rage and let out a yell.
“I can do this!” she shouted to the trees. “There is no difference! I am powerful! Unrivaled! Prophecies be damned!”
She slammed her fis
ts again. Real or not, she forced her mind to believe that the warmth and tingling was spreading throughout her body. She focused on the tingling and forced it to the center of her body. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Heat began to build up in her belly. It was becoming real.
“Come on.” She grunted.
A small voice spoke in her head.
“It’s not time. Maybe it isn’t time yet…”
Kova shook her head.
“No. It is time. I can feel it. You aren’t real. I am. No more planning. No more plotting.” She panted. “Lusha will meet her end and so will her boot-licking servant!”
Pressure built behind her face and skill. She forced it outwards as the fire in her abdomen intensified. The queen suddenly dropped on all fours. Her shoulder blades ached and she felt like they were stretching out of her back. The heat became nearly unbearable. She let out a vicious roar that echoed in the trees. Birds and other animals fled in fear. White-hot flames then spewed out of her mouth, scorching and singeing the wet jungle vegetation. Her skull elongated and changed into a narrow snout with razor sharp teeth. Wings protruded and unfolded from her back. Her arms and legs elongated and became inhumanly muscular. Deep green scales covered every inch of her body. Her eyes could seemingly see for miles and her ears picked up the sounds of Dragonhearth.
