Rise of a Legend

by C.L. Mozena

Chapter 56

  Finally, after months of preparation, the big day arrived. Orion hardly dared to believe that it was really happening. Standing in front of a full length mirror, Orion checked every inch of his clothes for wrinkles. Quite different from his usual loose silk pants, leather boots, and open-fronted shirt, he now wore a more traditional white suit with gold trim and lace sticking out of the cuffs and shirtfront. Following tradition, the wedding took place on his twentieth birthday, and he would be crowned king as well. Orion was so nervous, he could hardly stand up. Walking up to the alter was a blur for Orion. The entire kingdom was packed into the great hall, which was the largest room in the palace, but it seemed small with the enormous crowd stuffed inside, telblec and lunimorf alike. Orion was breathing fast, and his heart was beating so hard it threatened to burst from his chest.

  He didn’t calm down until he seen his beautiful bride walking down the isle with her father. Her hair was all done up with a sparkling barrette, and her long, lacy wedding gown flowed behind her. Her face was partially hidden by a long veil, but Orion could still see her lovely smile and twinkling pink eyes underneath. Orion’s mind was racing as the preacher began speaking. After they both said their ‘I do’s,’ and before they had a chance to seal their marriage with a kiss, King Frederic, who was standing next to the preacher, spoke up.

  “Kneel, Prince Orion,” he said in his most regal voice. Orion knelt, removing his top hat and bowing his head. King Frederic lifted a golden crown studded with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, off of a purple velvet and gold cushion that a servant was holding. Raising the crown up so that everyone could see, he declared, “This crown is both the telblec crown as well as the lunimorf crown, joined together so that they may never be separated again. It symbolizes the power and authority of both kingdoms come together. May you wear it with honor, justice, and mercy.” He placed the crown on Orion’s head. “Arise, King Orion, ruler of telblecs, lunimorves, and jisbae.” King Frederic stepped back as Orion stood up. Orion locked eyes with his father for a moment, longing to say something, but remained silent. He glanced at his mother, who was standing next to his father, tears falling silently down her cheeks.

  “You may kiss the bride,” the preacher’s voice caught Orion’s attention. Orion turned to Tanya, lifted the veil, and hesitated for a moment before pressing his mouth to hers, and wrapping her in his warm embrace. Cheering and clapping erupted throughout the hall as telblec and lunimorf alike stood up. Encouraged by the celebration, Orion turned to the people with one hand on Tanya’s waist and the other in the air.

  “My people,” Orion spoke aloud and ninmisned so that he could be heard, “my first order of business as king is to officially proclaim the end of the telblec-lunimorf war! We are now one!” The cheers and clapping grew louder at Orion’s announcement.

  A strange whistling began somewhere among the crowd and caught up to Orion fast. He turned towards the sound, barely catching a small arrow that had been aimed at his good eye in time, by the wooden shaft. Gasps and screams erupted all over the great hall as lunimorves, former ATA members, began shape shifting into the ugly, gargoyle creatures, and jumping out of the crowd. Orion watched as the rest of the crowd, telblec and lunimorf alike, scattered in all directions, away from the remaining ATA members. Warriors too, both telblec and lunimorf, jumped into battle.

  Tanya screamed as an arrow raced only inches away. Orion grabbed her arm and threw her down behind him as he pulled both of his daggers and spread his wings. He was the king now. He had to protect his people. He took off for the nearest ATA member, lifting the weight on his wristbands and anklets, cutting him down easily. An arrow grazed his shoulder as he let the man fall, causing Orion to turn, spotting a small group of ATA. They were fighting warriors and trying to get to Orion, so Orion ran up to them, dodging their arrows and stabbing the nearest enemy. Pain burst in his shoulder as another ATA plunged an arrow into Orion’s flesh.

  “There he is! Kill him!” A voice shouted. Orion thought he recognized the voice, but didn’t have time to ponder it as more ATA members flew over to where Orion was fighting and joined into the fray. Orion was doing his best to fight them all off, but every time he cut a foe down, five more took his place. Orion felt hands grabbing at his wings, pulling his hair, and hitting him everywhere. Blades; daggers, arrows, swords, knives, and weapons Orion had never seen before, cut him all over. He heard his warriors shouting and fighting to get to him, but there were too many ATA members in the way. Orion began to feel lightheaded. More whistling, this time from above him, fell all around, hitting the crowd of enemies gathered around Orion. He looked up and saw Alex, along with several shape shifted lunimorf warriors, shooting the people who were attacking Orion. Orion managed to free himself from the crowd of ATA as an exceptionally large lunimorf ran over, flexing it’s gray, leathery wings. It twisted it’s ugly face in a cruel smile.

  “You!” Orion cried, shock and dread rushing through him as the walls of the palace melted away. Darkness descended as turrets rose up and the rain poured down. Orion saw the monster’s face as it was lit by a flash of lightning. The sword it held changed into a flaming spear. Orion heard it’s deep, raspy voice in his ear.

  Orion shook the memory away and the palace walls replaced the rainy turrets. He took a step back as he looked into the same face he had seen the day he lost his right eye. Horrified, he opened and closed his mouth, but no words came out. The monster laughed.

  “You remember me, don’tcha?” it sneered. “I took your eye all those years ago, and I know your only weakness.” A spear appeared in it’s hands, “Now allow me to finish the job!” It lunged at Orion, flames erupting from the spear. Pyrophobia came rushing back to him as Orion dodged and stumbled, unable to control his levitation properly. He fell, his crown clattering on the floor. The monster stood over him and raised the flaming spear, preparing to plunge it into Orion’s heart.

  “Orion! Get up!” King Frederic called from across the room. His father’s voice brought Orion back to his senses, and he rolled out of the way as the spear came down. He got back up on his feet as the monster turned around.

  “You foolish child! I’ll kill you!” The monster rushed forward, but Orion had found his courage.

  “I’m not a child,” Orion said calmly, although he was still shaking, and grabbed the burning wood of the spear before it could pierce his flesh. The monster stood there in shock, trying to pull the spear out of Orion’s strong grip. “And you’re not going to kill me!” Orion pulled the spear out of the monster’s hands, causing the monster to fall. Before he knew it, Orion had one foot on the monster’s chest and was aiming the flaming spear at it’s eye.

  “You owe me an eye, you filthy beast!” Orion yelled furiously as he raised the spear, his hands burning. The pain only added to Orion’s anger.

  “Orion, stop!” King Frederic called out, making his way through the fighting to Orion. His shirt had been ripped, revealing a large cut across his chest. One eye was bruised so badly he couldn’t open it. “Don’t do it.”

  “Why not?!” Orion cried, his tears spilling over, “He ruined my life! He deserves to die!”

  “I’m not disagreeing with you,” King Frederic said calmly, “but think about it for a minute. Do you really want to sink to his level?” Orion stared at his father angrily. The rest of the battle seemed far away as Orion thought it over. “Killing him will not give you your eye back, or replace all those years you spent battling pyrophobia. It will do nothing but make you the same as him,” King Frederic nodded at the monster on the floor, frozen from fear. Coming to a decision, Orion raised the flaming spear again and plunged down as hard as he could. Shaken, and overcome with fear and anger, Orion turned around.

  “Go,” he said to the monster. “Go, and may I never see you again!” The monster opened it’s eyes and sat up. The spear was still engulfed with flames, and sticking out of the floor
beside where the monster sat. It looked fearfully at Orion and got up. Without saying anything, it took off through a window, spraying broken glass everywhere. Orion watched it go, then turned to his father and hung his head.

  “I wanted to kill him,” Orion said, sobbing, “I wanted to take his eye like he took mine!”

  “Then I’m glad you didn’t,” King Frederic said, lifting Orion’s head and placing the crown on his hair. “I’m proud of you, Orion.” He smiled. Sniffing, Orion smiled back. He wiped his eyes and turned around to face the rest of the battle.

  “Orion!” He heard someone scream his name somewhere off in the distance. Tanya, Orion thought, I have to protect her! He fought through his attackers with renewed strength, losing his father amidst the fighting, and becoming surrounded. As the ATA crowd around Orion thinned and Orion thought that he just might make it through, a body fell on top of him, causing him to fall, too, losing his crown off his head again. Regaining his senses, Orion pushed black feathers off of him and realized that the body was Alex.

  “I’m sorry, Orion,” Alex whispered once Orion had laid him on his back. Alex had several arrows sticking out of him, and cuts everywhere else.

  “Alex, don’t give up on me now,” Orion said, desperate for his friend, “You’re going to make it. Don’t give up on me.” Alex smiled softly up at Orion, then went limp. Orion stared at his friend for what seemed like an eternity.

  “Tough luck, eh, bro?” A familiar, emotionless voice said over Orion, “He was your friend, wasn’t he?” Orion looked up. He just noticed that the circle of ATA had grown large, giving him and this other person plenty of room. His gaze traveled up the person who was standing over him with a sword drawn. Orion’s eyes went large when he seen his older brother standing there, looking down at him.

  “Rick!” Orion breathed, holding Alex’s body, “You have to help me. We have to heal him before he dies!”

  “I’m afraid I can’t do that, bro,” Rick said calmly. Orion opened his mouth, but no words came out. He just missed the tip of Rick’s sword as it came crashing down where Orion had been sitting, cracking the stone floor.

  “Rick, what are you doing?” Orion cried, standing up and facing his brother.

  “Isn’t it obvious, Orion?” Rick sneered at Orion as he stepped over Alex’s limp form, “I hate you. I’ve hated you since Mother decided to give you the empire, my empire, four years ago!” Rick rushed toward Orion, brandishing his sword, and swinging it in a wide arc. The tip swept in front of Orion, catching his shirt and causing Orion to stumble. Orion’s arms flew wide as he fell, searching for anything to keep Orion from falling, but found nothing. He heard a sickening crack as he went down, and pain flooded his right arm. Rick’s cruel laughter flooded Orion’s ears as he swung the sword around, preparing for another attack.

  A brown streak zoomed down in front of Orion, separating him form Rick. Orion heard steel crash against steel as Lee took up Orion’s defense. Orion tried desperately to stand up, but found that he was too weak. He lay there helplessly, watching as his rival fought his brother on his behalf. As the fight raged on, it was obvious to Orion that Lee was no match for Rick’s deadly skill with a sword. That fact was proven in a heart-stopping moment as Rick plunged his sword deep into Lee’s chest. Lee fell back, next to where Orion watched in horror.

  “I’m s-sorry, my Prince,” Lee whispered, turning his head to face Orion, “Take care of Tanya.” Lee’s final breath ran out. Orion reached over with his left arm and closed Lee’s dead eyes. Orion was shaking so badly at what he had just witnessed, Rick’s voice made him jump.

  “Too bad. He didn’t have to die, either. He could have let me kill you, and he’d have his dream girl,” Rick shook his head, “Oh, well. Back to business. Some warrior you tuned out to be, bro,” Rick glared down at Orion, who was still lying on the floor, cradling his broken arm. “Although, I have to admit, you’ve been pretty lucky. Really,” Rick raised his eyebrows as if he was telling Orion an amusing story. “You should have been killed when Bryan shot at you at the harvest festival years ago. Lucky for you he wasn’t that good of a shot. Lucky for him, you believed him when he spouted that garbage about having a weak ankle,” Rick chuckled, “And then when my followers attacked you in the park? It was amazing you got away. And, lucky you, that chef stopped you from eating the majaka sauce I put over your food that one day.” Rick sniffed, thinking back, “but I got lucky when I slipped those majaka leaves into your beestripe tea, and no one thought I was actually trying to kill you.” Everyone thought it was an accident.”

  “Father knew you were after me,” Orion said, defensivly.

  “Yes, he did,” Rick smiled wickedly, “But he wasn’t able to prove anything, was he? All he could do was have some dumb guards follow me. Unfortunately, you survived,” Rick glared at Orion. “Even that time I broke your wing and threw you over the edge of the balcony. You were lucky that stupid Joshua was teaching you levitation. But now things are different, Rick lifted the sword over his head with both hands, aiming the tip at Orion’s heart, “You won’t be so lucky this time!” With a yell of fury, he forced the sword down with all his might. Orion closed his eyes and prepared for the final blow.

  It never came. Orion opened his good eye slowly to see Rick standing over him, as still as a statue. The sword’s point was only inches away from Orion’s chest. Orion’s gaze proceeded up the sword, and settled on Rick’s face. Rick’s eyes were as big as saucers, the pupils had almost disappeared. His mouth was hanging open in a look of utter shock. Orion wondered what had stopped Rick, but a small movement behind his brother gave Orion the answer. Orion glanced beyond Rick to see Alex, injured, and with arrows sticking out of him, standing behind Rick. Alex looked like it took all he had just to stand up. He was leaning on Rick. No, not on Rick, Orion thought as he lay there, trying to support himself with his unbroken, left arm, On something sticking out of Rick’s back.

  Rick began shaking slightly, dropping the sword. It clattered harmlessly on the stone floor. Once the sword was out of the way, Orion saw the shiny, blood soaked tip of a blade protruding from Rick’s abdomen. Rick, unable to hold himself up any longer, dropped to the floor and didn’t move. Alex stood there, unsteady, gazing at Orion. Neither of them spoke. Finally, all his energy drained, Alex fell on top of Rick. Orion made his way over to his friend, dragging himself due to his broken arm and paralysis.

  “Alex!” Orion cried frantically, pushing his friend off of Rick and turning him over on his back, “Alex, speak to me!” Alex opened his eyes halfway and smiled weakly at Orion.

  “We did it,” he whispered, “Didn’t we, buddy?”

  “Yes, Alex,” Orion said softly, “We did it. Don’t worry, you’ll be just fine.”

  “Yea,” Alex seemed to be seeing something that wasn’t there, “We didn’t have your reception, yet,” Alex fixed his eyes on Orion, “I didn’t get a chance to dance with your bride, yet.” He smiled wider. Orion tried to chuckle at his friend’s joke, but it came out as a sniffle.

  “Orion! There you are,” King Frederic bounded over to where Orion and Alex lay, breathing a sigh of relief. “I had lost you in the fray. Are you alright?” He knelt down.

  “I think so,” Orion said, grimacing as he tried to move his broken arm, “but Alex...” Orion hadn’t taken his eyes off of his friend. Alex lay there, struggling to keep his eyes open.

  “I’m okay, buddy,” Alex coughed, “I just can’t get up right now.”

  “We’d better get you both up to the hospital wing right away.” King Frederic, bigger than both of them, easily lifted Orion with one arm, and Alex with the other. If he had been injured at all in the battle, he didn’t show it, except for the large cut on his chest and the bruised eye, which he ignored as he carried Orion and Alex off. Orion glanced back to his brother one last time. Rick’s dead eyes stared back at him, wide open and glassy. Orion shivered and clos
ed his eyes, wrapping his left arm around his father’s neck and allowing himself to be dragged away.