Born In Flames (24 page)

Chapter 28
The Cave
WITH A GASP I WOKE from my vision clutching my throat. I frantically felt myself all over, making sure everything was still intact. The book was burning against my lap, a pain that I

welcomed.
“Aurora, Aurora,” Lexi said, shaking my
shoulders. “Are you okay? I tried to break the energy, but it was too strong. Then you disappeared, but I could faintly hear you screaming.”
The words hurried out of her as she stared into
my eyes.
I took a calming breath, overwhelmed with
gratitude to see her friendly face. I had come so
close to losing my life. And now Zordon knew
who I was.
“He knows my name,” I said, eyes focused
on the rotting forest ground. I was still trying to
grasp everything that had just happened, my
mind scanning through a million mental images. “Who?” she asked.
“Zordon…he saw me. He wasn’t supposed
to, but Zane went back and-” I felt panic rising
up once again at the pained memory. “And Lexi,
he tortured him and it was so much power that it
consumed me, and then I fell, and then they both
saw me. Lexi, Zane is coming. I don’t think he
will fail this time.”
Her face went white.
“That shouldn’t have happened. You should
have been protected. Aurora, if something had
happened… You should have said something.
Your life is my responsibility,” she scolded, turning her face away from me.
“Lexi, I’m sorry. It all happened so fast.” I
stood, brushing the leaves from my pants, not
knowing what else to say. The sun was already
gone, the moon rising off in the distance. How
long had I been gone?
“I know,” she said. Her voice was full of regret. “I saw you disappear and had to do a little
magic of my own so no one else would notice.
You were gone forever. It was the worst few hours of my life,” she broke off, staring ahead to where the group was. “And there was nothing I could do to help besides hope that you’d find
your way back.”
“Why was I gone for so long? It didn’t feel
that long,” I said.
“I don’t know, Rory. I guess time runs differently between realms.” She looked vacantly
around, seeming lost in thought.
“The Dark Saar was with Zordon and
someone by the name of Kaede? Do you know
him?”
She nodded. “He’s one of the four Lieges,
like Zordon, but over in the Orient part of the Rebell Islands. They must be planning the war
together.”
“I’m so sorry, Lexi.” We started to move
forward. I didn’t know what else I could have
done to prevent the war.
“It’s not your fault. We just really need to
find the last key in time for the full moon. I
thought we’d have more time than this. And since they know where we’re headed…who’s to
say Zordon won’t want to come himself?” I shook my head confidently. “He won’t
come. I heard him tell Zane it was his last
chance. Besides, he has more important things to
worry about.”
“Either way, we need to be even more cautious now.”
We caught up to the group. Everyone was
happily talking in front of a campfire that was
close to where we had met Soothe the day before.
There were only a few hours left until the full
moon.
The forest was lined with many types of
trees, the rising moon’s glow filtering through. I
almost felt protected by the coverage and prayed
that it would keep us out of sight.
Lexi and I couldn’t help anxiously looking
around every few minutes, searching for Zane. “We have to look relaxed,” Lexi said, interrupting the quiet of the forest.
“I’m trying, Lexi,” I replied, rolling my eyes
in the process. The strain on time was too much. “Look,” she said, holding my arm. “I don’t
blame you. I blame myself. And you coming face
to face with Zordon…” She bit her lip. “That
never should have happened, but you got away.
You escaped his wrath. You’re our only hope.” “I appreciate the pep talk, really, but I don’t
know what you’re hoping for. The only reason
why Zordon didn’t kill me was because of some
mysterious beam of white light,” I amended
quietly. “The chances of me stopping him are
getting slimmer by the minute. His power is too
strong.” I pulled my arm out of her grip. “A beam of light? That’s odd. And you
didn’t produce it?”
“No, I didn’t. I was preparing for my death,”
I pointed out bitterly.
She let out a small huff. “Sounds like
someone helped you,” she said thoughtfully, ignoring my attitude. “Someone extremely powerful and all knowing…” she trailed off.
“Lucky me. If only they had shown up sooner. If only someone would just get me to the damn cave so I can at least have my full powers and make it back. And…” I said, trying to level my heightening voice, “if only this whole wild goose chase—finding all the keys before the full moon—weren’t wouldn’t be in wouldn’t know my face or my name.” I let out a
pent-up sigh.
Lexi frowned. “Look, dwelling on the past
won’t change anything,” she said, her tone reproachful. “We have a mission and we need to
succeed. Right now we need to get away from
this group and get to the cave.” She lifted a brow
and then moved away from the fire towards the
waterfall.
“…Ready to roast marshmallows for the full
moon tonight?” Matt congenially chatted with the
group. “The waterfall provides a perfect clearing
to see the sky away from all the light pollution.” happening, then maybe we this predicament and Zordon I quickly followed Lexi as we tip-toed away
from them, anxious to get this part over with. We
stripped down to our underwear, and I shoved
our clothes into my backpack, thankful that it
was waterproof. I would not be leaving it on the
bank, and the only way to the cave was swimming and then climbing up the algae-covered
rocks that were continually sprayed from the oncoming rush of water. Could they have made this
any more difficult?
I glanced up at the moss-green rocks and
winced as a vision of me slipping paraded
through my mind. But not even fear could keep
the shadow of the cave behind the falls from calling my name. I ran towards the water and dove
in.
After the initial gnawing chill of the water,
tiny voices sprang to life underneath, humming
something that I couldn’t quite understand. I
looked for Lexi and found her to my right. I motioned to my ear, asking her if she could hear it
too. She shook her head no.
I hesitated, listening more closely, and then
surfaced for air. She popped up next to me,
shouting above the waterfall, “What’d you hear?” “A humming sound but not from the waterfall. More like a choir?” I shouted back, treading
water.
“Could be the spirit of the Natives, follow
it.” She went back under. I took a deep breath
and followed her, swimming towards the rocks
that would lead us to the cave.
Moments later I swam up to the surface near
a rock and took in a huge gulp of air. Lexi surfaced as well.
“This is it,” I shouted, ready for the next
step, trying to find a grip against the slime on the
rocks.
I noticed her face tilt up, sniffing the air as
her eyes moved back and forth, scanning the
area.
“He’s here, isn’t he?” I stated more than
asked.
“It’s only a matter of time until he finds us,”
she answered. “His energy is strong, like he’s
laced with something.”
“Drugs?” I asked, not sure what he could be
laced with.
“A potion,” she replied. She quickly found
her grip and pulled up, extending her hand for
me.
“Oh right, a potion,” I muttered darkly as
she pulled me up and helped me find my footing.
Being so close made it real. I definitely did not
want to die before my time.
The humming picked up as we carefully
climbed each rock, in constant danger of slipping
from the heavy spray of water.
I could now make out what was being said.
“Come, Aurora. Your fate awaits you.”
We were as high up as we could go, pulling
ourselves up onto a thin ledge. “We have to scoot
towards the cave. Be careful,” Lexi stressed.
“Pay attention, and do not lose your footing. My
magic can only do so much.”
I nodded and kept my back as far against the
rock wall as possible, gripping the sides with my
hands. Inch by inch we made our way until we
were behind the falls, the water plummeting serenely away.
“Wow,” my voice echoed off the cave walls
as we came around the corner. It was full of giant
sparkling crystals that hung from the ceiling. I
had never seen anything like it, besides in my
dreams.
“Keep moving,” commanded Lexi as she
came up beside me. “The key is in here
somewhere.”
It was so enchanting, like a small piece of
heaven. The distant drips of water, falling from
the ceiling, played like an orchestra.
There was a hole somewhere near the back
where a small beam of the moon’s light shined
through, illuminating the crystals into millions of
tiny jeweled stars.
I moved closer to the middle where Lexi
stood. I couldn’t feel the vibration like I had with the other two keys. The annoying humming
sound was missing.
“What?” she asked, noticing the puzzled
look on my face.
“Are you sure it’s supposed to be in here?” I
asked, moving slowly about the cave.
“Yes, Rory, you saw the map. This was the
last marked spot,” she replied.
“But I don’t feel it,” I admitted, trying to
push down the dread. “Lexi,” I began, turning to
face her, “there is another map out there…what
if…” I broke off.
“No. Don’t think like that. It’s here. It has to
be,” she went on, but her tone was skeptical. I wasn’t convinced. I knew that it was gone.
I slowly slunk to my knees, sitting in a heap on
the damp floor.
“That’s it, Lex, no going back for me,” I
said ruefully. I reached into my bag to pull out
my clothes. Suddenly I felt cold with despair. “Here,” I said, tossing Lexi her clothes as
well. She was still walking around, searching for
the key.
“Aurora, just take a deep breath. We have at
least an hour until the full moon is at its peak.
That gives us plenty of time,” she tried to encourage, but there was a transparent sadness in her
voice.
“You know you’re just as annoyingly optimistic as Fenn was,” I said, feeling a tantrum come
on. “This whole thing was a joke. To think that I,
Aurora, could actually be useful…what was I
thinking? You know I might as well…” I broke
off as footsteps echoed off the walls.
“Hide,” Lexi whispered, shoving me behind
a crystal. Her hands instantly lit up. “Who’s
there?” she called out. “Show yourself.” We both waited, my mind racing with possibilities. I peeked around the crystal, anxious to
know who was in here with us.
Soothe stepped out. Lexi and I both exhaled
at the same time.
“Soothe, what are you doing? Are you
crazy?” asked Lexi in a weak voice. “Don’t answer that, we all know you are,” she threw in
with a wink in my direction.
“Troubled?” he asked, staring directly at me. My head dropped in defeat. “The key is
gone,” I admitted.
“Is it?” he asked dubiously.
“Umm…yeah…that’s what I said. I don’t
feel it here. Now we’re screwed,” I replied
harshly.
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” he countered.
“Your Oraculus?”
“In my bag.” I pulled it out and noticed the
quiet hum it was giving off. To my left, a reflection of light caught my eye.
“What was that?” asked Lexi, noticing it as
well.
“Maybe a doorway or something,” said
Soothe, casually resting against a crystal. “But we need the keys to unlock it, Sea
Brain,” said Lexi.
“Yes, but there may be something more for
our savior to find besides her way back home,”
he sneered. “I am after all the one who foresaw
her future.”
I glanced back down at my Oraculus and
suddenly knew what he was talking about, as if
he had planted the very thought in my mind. I
smiled back at him and stepped towards the
answer.
“Fire,” I whispered.
Chapter 29
The Shift
THE TIPS OF MY FINGERS lit up with the heavenly flame, energy pulsing out of me. I held my hand out towards the cave wall where I had seen the glint of a reflection. The flames jumped off my fingers and onto the wall, instantly en
gulfing the surface.
My fingertips sizzled, purple sparks shooting off as lettering inscribed itself into the wall.
Lexi came up beside me, her face flickering in
the firelight, her amazement mirroring my own. “Good job,” said Soothe from behind us,
clapping sarcastically. “So the Progeny isn’t such
a disappointment after all.”
I ignored his criticism as the flames died off,
leaving tiny trails of smoke and a glowing
message.
“I smell it,” I said looking back to Lexi. “The magic?” she asked. I nodded. “Everyone’s magic has a different scent,” she explained. “It smells like pine needles and a cold
winter’s day if that makes any sense.” I leaned in
and took a deep whiff, scrunching my nose at the
dust.
Then I stepped back to read.
My Little Flame,
I’m so proud that you’ve made it this far. Life, I’m sure, hasn’t been easy for you but has strengthened and protected you. By now you should have all the keys and will seal your fate inside this cave. This must be your choice. That is all I have wanted and now ask from you—that you choose your own destiny. I have planted all these steps to give you ample time to decide if this is what you really want.
To cross back over, the keys must be placed inside the port key which is in the doorway below. But in order to do that you must first reunite with your powers.
Great pain will come with this. Be brave.
I stammered back a step before plopping onto the ground.
Great pain?
Lexi walked up behind me, reading the words on the wall, and then sat down next to me.
“That’s the only thing Astral wanted.”
“What’s that?” I asked blankly.
“For this all to be your choice. He made it very clear that you need to choose and not be forced into anything…no matter what.” She turned and stared at the side of my face.
It was the only way back to Fenn. But great pain? I took in a brave breath. It didn’t matter. I would suffer anything if it meant I would have the chance to tell Fenn my true feelings.
“Take a chance,” said Soothe, still standing off in the distance. “What have you got to lose?”
“But we
don’t
have all the keys and barely any time to find the last one,” I reminded. “Do you think I would have come here if I
thought you wouldn’t make it? The key will
come,” he said certainly.
“Our people are waiting for you, Aurora,
waiting for liberation,” Lexi added, trying to take
the edge off.