Awakening (Telindell Book 1) (17 page)

Teelia gasped, holding her stomach.  “Is he… Is he a danger?”

“No,” said Elinar.  “My father has sent us reinforcements in case of discovery due to the unrest in Kynlynn.  They are set to arrive by dawn tomorrow.  I will give Lian the sword then, and we shall all leave for Alinshahar.”

Teelia shook her head quickly.  “All of us?  The entire outpost?”

Elinar nodded his head.

“Are you going to inform your father?” said Teelia.

Elinar shook his head.  “No.  I respect my father, but he values diplomacy and may consult the council.  Two members would be opposed.  It’s best I give the order, and I shall deal with the consequences.”

Teelia shook her head and chuckled.  “Why?  Just because of Lian nearly doing what he is supposed to do?”

Elinar glared.  “I do not make this decision lightly.  You aren’t a sorceress and I am no mage, but you understand magic.  When he nearly transformed, he released enough energy to knock me from my feet.”

Teelia’s mouth dropped open.  She stared in silence before speaking.  “Then… Then that means--”

“Yes,” said Elinar.  “The Dalronians may have felt it.  They could be on their way here as we speak.”

Teelia nodded.  “We must leave.”

Elinar nodded.  “I’ll give the order at dawn.  We take only what we can carry.”

Night had fallen upon the outpost.  Lian sat with Kane outside of their home.  He stared up at the twinkling stars.  Lian looked at his hands, then rubbed his arms.  He looked to Kane.  “I’m not even sore anymore.”  Kane nodded his furry head at Lian.  Lian smiled slightly.  “Let’s go for a walk.”  Kane nodded his head again and stood.  They walked around the ramparts slowly, taking in the cool night air.  Kane’s ears twitched.  He turned and ran alongside the rampart wall.

Lian turned and watched Kane.  “What is it?”  Lian ran after him.  He came upon Kane sniffing a corpse.  “It’s one of the rampart guards… he’s dead…”  Lian looked up to see an arrow pierce another rampart guard and watched that one fall from the ramparts as well.  Lian looked down to Kane.  “Kane, go to my mother.  Protect her!”  Kane nodded and took off as fast as his paws could carry him.  Lian stood, he looked along the ramparts.  No other guards were present.  “They must all be dead,” Lian said to himself.  “We must be under attack…”  Lian looked around and screamed, “Attack!  We’re under attack!”

Flaming arrows began to shower down upon the many buildings within the outpost.  Lian looked to the ramparts, seeing soldiers scaling down the walls.  Elves emerged from their burning homes.  In the distance, Lian saw Elinar charge with Elven soldiers.  Lian could see the sword slung across Elinar’s back as the Elves clashed with the soldiers.  Fire spread throughout the outpost, lighting it up brightly.

Lian shook his head.  “Elinar will have to handle this.  I gotta get to my mother.”  He quickly turned toward his home.  A soldier lunged at Kane in the distance.  Lian watched with great focus while he quickly approached the conflict.  Kane swiftly dodged the lunge and leapt onto the soldier.  Kane dragged the soldier to the ground and ripped his throat out. 

Lian’s eyes widened as he saw flames erupt from the roof of his home.  “Mother!” Lian shouted, finally reaching the door.  Kane looked to Lian.

“Stand guard,” said Lian.  “I’ll get her out.” 

Kane nodded and crouched down next to the door, watching soldiers climb down from the ramparts.  Lian kicked in the door.  Thick smoke emerged from the house.  Lian tucked his head and ventured in.  He struggled to see through the suffocating smoke.

Lian called out, “Mother!”  He stumbled through the house frantically looking for Lyssa.  “Mother!” He heard her faint cough.  Lian followed the sound and found her lying on the floor.  He scooped her up and quickly carried her outside, laying her down gently next to Kane.  Lian looked to the distance.  Elinar was driving the soldiers back.  Teelia and the other Elves were surrounded by Elinar’s forces, being protected.

Lian looked down to Lyssa.  “Mother!  Wake up!”  Lyssa lay still, unresponsive.  Lian lightly slapped her cheeks.  “Wake up!  We have to go!”

Lyssa’s eyes opened slowly and she gasped and coughed.  She looked around to see the deadly flames and conflict.  “What’s going on?”

“We’re under attack,” said Lian.  “I’ve got to get you to Teelia and the others.”

Lyssa nodded and stood.  The trio set off towards Elinar’s forces.

Lyssa’s eyes widened at the soldiers attacking the outpost.  “Those are Kynlynn forces!”

“Are you certain?” Lian asked as they drew closer to Elinar’s forces.  “Why are they here?”

“I could never forget that horrid armor,” said Lyssa.  “I don’t know.  Nobody knows that anything exists this far north--”

Lyssa’s words were interrupted by an arrow.  She let out a cry of pain as she fell to the ground.  The arrow had pierced her back. 

Lian turned to see his mother’s blood dampen her garments.  He shook his head and screamed, “No!”

Elinar heard Lian cry out.  He quickly countered a soldier’s attack and decapitated him.  Elinar looked to Lian, who wasn’t very far away.  He saw Lyssa face down on the ground.  Elinar called to Lian, drawing the sword from its sheath at his back and flinging it through the air toward Lian.

Lian looked to Elinar to see the sword twirling through the air toward him.  He felt the sensation tingle through his body.  He reached his hand out and grabbed the hilt.  Wind began to gust around Lian.  A vortex rose from the ground and surrounded him.  He let out a scream that shook the ground itself.  The soldiers and Elves paused and looked to Lian.

Elinar looked at Lian with wide eyes.  “It’s happening.”

The vortex subsided as Kane backed away from Lian.  Lian stood still, gripping the sword tightly in his right hand.  The edge of the sword was glowing crimson once again.  Lian looked to Kane, the red specks in his blue eyes glowing brightly.  Lian spoke with a calm voice, “Stay with my mother.  I’m going to kill them all.”

Kane nodded and crouched next to Lyssa.  Lian turned to see a group of archers standing in the distance.

Elinar watched in amazement.  “He’s not cringing in pain…”  Elinar looked to his forces, then back to the paused enemy combatants. Elinar screamed, “For Alinshahar!”  His Elves screamed in response, and together they re-engaged the enemy.

Lian walked toward the archers.  They quickly drew arrows and began to fire at Lian.  Arrows whooshed by him, but he continued unfazed.  Lian broke into a run.  His feet left the ground, and he took flight across the dirt, dust rising in his wake.  Arrows flew at Lian, and he raised his sword, deflecting each one.  Lian closed in on the archers.  He pulled the sword to his side and swung it with great force at an archer.  The sword cut through the archer’s armor and sliced the flesh underneath.  Lian’s feet returned to the ground while the archer collapsed, dead.  The remaining archers began to draw their swords.  Lian gave them no time.  They watched as Lian drew his sword back and vanished.  Before they could look for Lian, blood gushed from each archer, saturating the ground while they fell to their deaths.

Lian turned to see Elinar’s forces fighting for their lives.  Lian ran towards the battle, taking flight across the ground once again.  Lian’s boots touched the ground once he drew close to the conflict.  He leapt into the air, soaring over the enemy and landed next to Elinar, quickly killing his attacker.  Lian looked to Elinar and spoke calmly, “We kill them all.”

Elinar looked upon Lian, who was covered in the blood of his enemies.  “They will pay!”

The duo engaged the enemy.  Blood splattered while Lian and Elinar quickly cut through soldier after soldier.  The enemy attacks were futile against Lian.  He was much faster, much stronger, and far more deadly.  Lian watched each soldier close in to attack him.  He toyed with them, allowing them to make contact with their blades just before he struck them down.  Within minutes, the last enemy soldier fell to the ground.

Lian looked to Kane, who was watching over Lyssa’s still form.  “Mother,” Lian said to himself.  He dropped the sword, and the crimson glow of the blade’s edge faded.  Lian ran toward his mother while the red glowing specks faded from his eyes.  Kane stepped away from Lyssa.

Lian dropped to his knees next to Lyssa.  “Mother, no!”  Lyssa gasped for air.  Lian’s eyes widened.  He quickly pulled the arrow from her back, and Lyssa let out a cry of pain.  Lian rolled her over.  He looked on in horror as she coughed up mouthfuls of blood.  “Mother, you’re going to be ok.  Just hang on!” said Lian, with tears welling win his eyes.

Lyssa smiled through her excruciating pain and muttered, “Don’t be afraid, Lian.  You have made me so proud.”

“Don’t say that,” said Lian.  He shook his head and shouted, “Not yet.  I’m not losing you!”

“I’m afraid we have no choice,” said Lyssa.  “Be thankful for the years we did have.”

Lyssa coughed and spat up more blood just as Elinar approached the two.  Elinar quickly gauged her condition and dropped his head as he turned away.

“We do have a choice,” said Lian while tears erupted from his eyes.  “Hang on!”

“I wish that were so,” said Lyssa.  She shifted her eyes to Kane.  “Kane, keep your promise.  Stand by Lian no matter what.”

Kane whimpered and nodded his head.

“No, Mother,” said Lian.  “No!  This isn’t goodbye!”

Lyssa smiled slightly and whispered, “I’m sorry Lian.  You’ve made me so proud… I love… I love… I lo--” Lyssa’s words were interrupted by a violent gasp.  Her eyes grew still as her last breath left her body.

Lian closed his eyes tightly.  “I… I love you too.  Goodbye, Mother.”

Elinar looked to Teelia and motioned her over.  Teelia took in the sight of Lyssa’s body with Lian on his knees next to her.  Teelia slowly shook her head and spoke softly, “No, Lyssa, no.”

Teelia and Elinar approached Lian.  “I’m sorry, Lian,” said Elinar.

“She will be greatly missed,” said Teelia.

Lian remained quiet as he looked to Elinar and Teelia.  Anger and sorrow burned within his heart.  “I will make whoever ordered this pay,” said Lian.

“We will, I promise,” said Elinar.  “We must leave here at once.  We must return to Alinshahar.”

Lian shook his head.  “No.  I will make them pay myself.”

Teelia knelt down to Lian and placed her hand on his shoulder.  “Lian, I know you’re hurting, but don’t be a fool.  We have lost so many.  Neither Elinar nor I could bear to lose you as well!”

Elinar nodded.  “She’s right, Lian.  Those were Kynlynn soldiers.  It will be you against an army.”

“I fear no army,” said Lian.  “I will kill whoever ordered this.”

“We don’t know who ordered this,” said Elinar.  “The last information that my scouts reported before I recalled them was that the Kynlynn King had been killed by the dragon.  I beg you to reconsider.  Return with us.”

Lian gently scooped his mother’s body up into his arms.  “I must bury my mother.”

“We understand,” said Teelia.  “Don’t we, Eli?”

Elinar nodded.  “Of course.”

Teelia wiped a tear from her eye.  “Would you like us to accompany you?”

Lian shook his head.  “No.  Kane and I will tend to this matter alone.”  Lian turned away, holding his mother tightly.  “I’m sorry.  I would just prefer to be alone for now.”

Teelia nodded slowly.

“We shall wait for your return,” said Elinar.

Lian nodded as he looked to Kane.  “Come, Kane.”  Kane nodded and the two began to walk toward the front gates of the outpost.  A sinister black crow was perched on the rampart watching Lian.

The crow took flight, soaring through the sky.  Its eyes glowed red as it morphed into the dreaded black dragon.

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”
thought Roxees. 
“The Lord Commander may kill me for this…”

Roxees flew swiftly into the valley and landed upon Dreath-hold.  She morphed back into her true form while Dreathous approached her.  He observed her closely.  Dreathous snarled and drew the back of his hand sharply across her face.  Roxees slammed against the ground.  She looked up at Dreathous, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

Dreathous snarled, “You have failed me!”

Roxees quickly shook her head.  “No, no, my Lord Commander.

“The boy lives,” said Dreathous.  “He still has the sword, and I felt his power from here.”  Dreathous pointed at Roxees.  “You have failed me!”

“No… not entirely,” said Roxees.

“Explain,” said Dreathous.

Roxees took a breath.  Her body trembled with fear before her Lord Commander.  “My soldiers managed to kill his mother.  He swore revenge at any cost.  Most importantly, he knows the soldiers were from Kynlynn.  His lust for vengeance will bring him to me.”

Dreathous snorted.  “And you think you can defeat him?”

“He has become powerful, but--” said Roxees.

“But what?” said Dreathous

“He has not mastered his abilities,” said Roxees.  “I feel he is a mere shadow of his ancestor.”

“Very well,” said Dreathous.  “Return to Kynlynn.  Wait for him.  Then, kill him.”

The forest was gripped in darkness.  Very little starlight from the night sky pierced its canopy.  The sound of snapping twigs and slow footsteps echoed through the silence.  Lian carried his mother’s body, seeking a final resting place for her.  Kane walked closely beside him.  Lian remained quiet as they went.  He had no conscious thoughts, only the dull ache of anger and sorrow in his heart.  Kane looked up to Lian.  The wolf no longer saw the strong, honorable man that Lian had grown into.  Only the scorned and lost child he had helped save all those years ago.  Kane shook his head, knowing that once again Lian’s entire world had been destroyed in front of him.  Lian and Kane emerged into a small clearing.  Lian looked around.  A small stream passed through the clearing.  It glistened with the starlight that illuminated the area.  Across the stream, Lian viewed a large tree standing apart from the rest of the forest.  In full bloom, the tree emitted a sense of elegance and beauty.  Paired with the small tranquil stream and the starlight, Lian felt a sense of serenity there.  A fitting place for his mother.  Lian crossed the stream and approached the base of the tree.

He looked to Kane and spoke in a calm, numb voice, “Here.”

Kane nodded to Lian and sat next to the tree.  Lian softly laid Lyssa’s body next to the tree.  Lian began to dig with his hands.  Kane approached Lian and attempted to dig alongside him.

Before Kane’s paws could pierce the dirt, Lian pushed him away.  “No.”

Kane whined and resumed sitting next to the tree.  He watched Lian closely.  Lian’s hands dug through the dirt.  He grunted and dug faster and faster.  Tears streamed from Lian’s eyes, and he let out a sorrowful scream that echoed through the forest.  Lian fell backward and sat with his head bowed while he cried.  The black wolf approached him and pushed his furry head against Lian’s cheek.

Lian wrapped his arm around Kane.  “Why, Kane?” he said while sobbing.  “Why did it have to be her?”  Lian closed his eyes tightly.  “Why would anyone order that attack?  We never harmed anyone…”  Lian paused and gritted his teeth.  “Nobody even knew we were there!”

Lian started to dig once again.  Tears dripped from his face and dampened the soil.  Kane grabbed Lian’s shirt and pulled him back.  Kane jumped in front of Lian and the grave, shaking his head at Lian.  Then, he turned and began to dig.

“Thank you, Kane,” Lian said.

Kane looked back to Lian and nodded.  Lian pulled his knees to his chest, lowered his head against them, and closed his eyes.  Kane dug feverishly.  Once the grave was adequate, Kane tugged at Lian’s pant leg.  Lian looked up and nodded to Kane.  He stood and scooped up Lyssa’s body.  He looked at Lyssa’s cold lifeless face.  Lian closed his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth.  He softly placed Lyssa into her final resting place and crossed her arms against her chest.  Finally, he pulled a blue ribbon from her hair, the same one he had given her when they were reunited.

“I promise, this crime will be avenged,” he said softly.  He placed the ribbon in his pocket.  “You will always be with me, mother.”  A tear dripped from Lian’s face and softly landed upon Lyssa’s.

Lian stood and looked to Kane.  Kane looked at him and then to Lyssa.  Then, he sat and let out a long, mournful howl.  The two then began to cover Lyssa with the cold excavated dirt.

Lian looked at the unmarked grave of his mother.  He turned to face the stream.  Growing next to the stream’s edge was a single blue rose.  Lian approached the rose and gently plucked it from the ground.  He stared at the rose for a few moments.  He then turned and planted it at the head of Lyssa’s grave.

“Come, Kane.  Time to go,” he said.

Lian and Kane walked toward the stream.  Suddenly, a violent wind began to gust throughout the clearing.  Lian looked around quickly.  A bolt of lightning struck the stream in front of them.  Blinding green light overtook Lian’s and Kane’s vision.  Lian covered his face and turned his head away.  When the blinding light faded, Lian looked toward the steam to see a glowing green figure levitating just above the water’s surface.

Lian took a slow step back just as a soft, soothing feminine voice spoke, “Do not be afraid.”

Lian trembled at the figure’s words.  “What are you?”

The figure hovered toward Lian and Kane.  The green glow subsided just as the figure touched ground.  It revealed a woman with long, flowing black hair.  She looked upon Lian with her piercing dark brown eyes.  Lian stared at the woman before him.   She had light brown skin and green clothing.  Green silk wrapped across her breasts and left the rest of her upper body exposed.  She wore a transparent, flowing green skirt that was short in the front but draped to the ground in the rear.  Underneath, silk undergarments could just barely be seen.

The woman smiled.  “I am Elintae, Goddess of Dusk.”

Kane immediately leapt towards Elintae and lowered his head in respect at her feet.

Elintae smiled at Kane.  “It is good to see you again, my friend.”

Lian looked at Elintae and chucked a bit to himself.  He snorted and glared towards the Goddess.  Lian slowly shook his head and shouted, “You?  You are Elintae?”  He pointed toward the goddess.  “All these years, and now you show yourself?  You allowed my village to be slaughtered, and now you have allowed my mother to be killed?”

Elintae knelt down to pet Kane.  “I understand you are angry with me.  I understand if you distrust me.”

Lian clinched his fists.  “Anger and distrust are not strong enough words.”

“You feel I have forsaken you and those around you,” she said.  Elintae stood and smiled at Lian.  “I assure you, that is not the case.  I have watched over your ancestors for generations, including you and your mother.”

Lian gritted his teeth, then shouted, “Bullshit! Where were you when those monsters killed everyone?”  Lian closed his eyes tightly.  “You let my mother die!  You were never there!”

Elintae smiled again and spoke with a long absent voice from Lian’s past, “Yes, Lian, I was there.”

Lian’s eyes widened in disbelief.  “No,” he said, shaking his head.  “It’s not possible.”

Elintae nodded.  “It is possible.”

Lian shook his head once again.  “You’re dead.  Eva is dead.  I watched it happen.”

Elintae nodded.  “Indeed that body is dead.  I am not.”

Tears swelled in Lian’s eyes.  “I… I...”

Elintae smiled.  “I have missed you as well.”

Lian backed away from her.  “How can you be Eva?”

“I can manifest my essence into a mortal’s body whose soul has already been released,” she said.  “That is how I protected your bloodline through the centuries without drawing attention.  When the Dalronians emerged, that body had to die in order to release me.”

Lian remained silent for a few moments.  He took a deep breath.  “You lied to me!  You said you were the one who told my mother about Dawn’s Grasp and that she left me with you, not someone named Lana.”

Elintae smiled.  “I was Lana as well.  Something required my attention.  I had Kane and his pack kill that body in order to release me.”

Lian quickly looked to Kane.  “Is that true?”

Kane nodded.

Lian turned away and took a deep breath.  “This makes no sense.”

Eva slowly shook her head.  “It doesn’t have to.”

Lian turned and glared at Elintae.  “If you are Eva and the Goddess of Dusk, why didn’t you stop those monsters six years ago?”

Elintae sighed.  “I was bound by the limits of a mortal body.  Even if I was not, I still could not have truly defeated Dreathous.”

Lian sighed.  “I suppose the stories are true,” he said, giving her a disappointed look.  “Not even the gods can stand against them.”

Elintae nodded.  “We were not enough.  That is why you came to be.”

Lian crossed his arms.  “Who is Dreathous?”

“The Dalronian’s Lord Commander,” she said.  “A man twisted by the consumption and corruption of magic.”

Lian quickly shook his head.  “Those were not men.  Not even close.”

Elintae turned from Lian.  “They were indeed once human.”

Lian’s mouth dropped.  “How?  What happened to them?”

“In a lust for power,” said Elintae, “Dreathous and the sages at his command devised a way to not only manipulate magic, but consume the very life force and power of Dalron.  Its magic.”

Lian shook his head.  “How do you know this?  How do you know of this other world?”

Elintae glared at Lian, her eyes glowing green.  “Do not question me about such things.”  The glow faded from Elintae’s eyes.  “I do not wish to speak of it.”

Lian gasped and nodded.  “I won’t.”  Lian ran his hands down his face in an attempt to compose himself.  “They consumed the power of Dalron?”

“Yes,” said Elintae.  “The power of Zaneen courses through your veins, but it is still the power of Zaneen.  They took the power of Dalron as their own and left their world nearly lifeless.  Dreathous used the remaining power to force open the gate between our worlds.”

Lian snarled.  “Are you saying I’m like them?”  Lian shook his head.  “I am nothing like them!”

Elintae smiled.  “You are nothing like them.  The only similarity is that you, like them, wield the power of an entire world.”

Lian dropped his arms and turned away.  “Then why am I still human?”

“We desired you to be human,” said Elintae.  “It is why you have the sword.  You are human, enhanced, but human nonetheless.”

Lian glanced back to Elintae.  “The sword?  Enhanced?”

Elintae smiled.  “Surely you have noticed abnormalities.  Your hair.  A blend of colors that no other human alive possesses.  Your strength.  Your speed.  The rate at which your wounds heal.”

Lian faced Elintae and crossed his arms.  “What caused it?  I wasn’t always like this.”

Elintae chuckled.  “Ebon.”

Lian laughed.  “The boy I almost killed?  How did he cause it?”

“He triggered the need,” she said.

Lian snorted.  “What need?  To not get killed?”

“The need to fight,” she said, smiling.  “The need for the power within you.”

Lian laughed again.  “I found a rock.”

Elintae glared towards Lian.  “You survived longer than any human would have.  Anybody else would not have had the strength to swing that rock.  After that, the power grew within you with each passing day.  Your training has only furthered it.”

Lian shook his head.  “Then tell me, what about my body is enhanced?”

Elintae shook her head.  “I know you have heard the stories, the legends, the myths.”

“I have,” said Lian.  “You are the one responsible for this power.  I want to hear it from you.”

“Understandable,” she said, nodding.  “Your blood.  Olbien, and I altered your ancestor’s blood.  We forged a direct connection between his blood and Zaneen’s life force.  We did not anticipate the duplication of the connection within descendants.  I have noticed through the centuries that only one connection may be active.  When you accessed your connection that day six years ago, your mother was rendered unable to access hers.”

Lian sighed.  “Better that way.  I would rather her not bear this burden.”

Elintae approached Lian and placed her hand upon his shoulder.  “I am glad to see your purity is untouched by the horrors you have endured.”

Lian pushed her hand away.  “Tell me of the sword.”

Elintae turned from Lian.  “Very well.  I hope you will come to trust me in time.”

Lian took a deep breath.  “The sword.”

“As you wish,” she said.  “It was forged and tempered with the blood of your ancestor.  It enables you to harness the power of Zaneen.

Lian shook his head.  “I don’t need the sword.  I can harness the power without it.”

Elintae turned to Lian and glared.  “Tell me, what did it feel like without the sword?”

“Excruciating,” said Lian.  “It felt as if my body was being torn apart from the inside.” 

Elintae nodded.  “Your human body cannot withstand the power for long.  The more power you wield, the more damage it will do to you.  Eventually, it will consume and destroy you, along with everything around you, without that sword.”

Lian’s eyes widened.  “Why?  What does the sword do?”

“It focuses the energy when you harness it,” she said.  “Like a lightning rod, it attracts the power to one point instead of letting it be unpredictable and untamed.  Elintae pointed at Lian and spoke sternly, “The sword is part of you now, and you must never cast it aside.”

Lian nodded.  “Alright.”  Lian sighed.  “You spoke of Olbien.  Has he returned as well?

Elintae turned away from Lian as a single tear escaped from her eyes.  “Olbien has not returned.  I have lost someone very dear to me, just as you have.”

Lian’s mouth dropped open in confusion.  “Gods can be killed?”

“Yes, indeed we can,” said Elintae.  “I am free from the constraints of time, age, sickness, and hunger.  This is my true manifestation, my true form.  If I am struck down in this form, I will simply cease to be.  Then, the lost souls of the world, the magic that is released when life passes will wander hopelessly.  Over time, the souls will warp and twist, leaving them damned and malice-filled specters that exist only to torment those who failed them.”