Immortal Darkness: Shadow Across the Land (50 page)

With a moment’s glance did Pesstian realize
Neionmt was heading toward what looked like a tree—a plant of which
he had not seen since he was with the humans.

Piercing red eyes sticking out of Neionmt’s
head, he orbited around and around the wood-based plant. All the
while did he take a deep breath in, his chest expanding all the
while.

“What’s that?” a young female called from the
tree.

What?
Pesstian suddenly panicked.
There’s somebody in there?
Without any warning did images of
Leyai’s presence float about in the little owl’s mind. He
remembered laughing with her, having fun with her, going through
tough times with her, and even fighting with her—all of which made
him yearn to wrap his wings around her.

With just enough volume in his voice for
Neionmt to hear, Pesstian growled, “You leave those owls
alone!”

“Leave me alone, you tiny fool!” Neionmt
called out.

“
No
!” One word and one word alone sent
Pesstian skyrocketing up toward the black menace’s side. While
flying did he turn his gaze on Neionmt and commanded “Leave them
be!”

“Do you wish to join them, my little friend?”
he responded without a wince in Pesstian’s direction. A great flap
of his wings sent the black, destructive blaze far from Pesstian’s
presence in a heartbeat.

Now with enough power in his body, Neionmt
released a ball of fire toward the tree.

“
No
!” Pesstian cried. A heartbeat
seemed like generations of flight, the fireball like a spike to his
chest. Whomever remain captive in that tree was sure to savor their
last breath now; such a thought literally brought Pesstian to
tears.

Fire crashed into bark with the power of a
thousand stampeding feet and the spark of a million whips to
Pesstian’s body. Such a sight made Pesstian wish he were in that
tree rather than those who had just suffered the sheer intensity of
Neionmt’s fire.

A scar glowing red, Pesstian rushed up in
front of the huge owl’s face. Not even hiding back his tears, he
shrieked in front of him, “You’re a monster! You’re—without a
doubt—the most wretched person I have ever met! How could you kill
that family? What did they do to you? I bet you killed Leyai, too!
Is that what you did; did you ki—”

In the midst of his question, Neionmt rested
his huge left talon upon Pesstian’s chest. He picked up the little
owls, squeezed them until his wings were broken, and then threw him
as if he were nothing but a little pebble. The direction in which
Neionmt threw him was in the direction of the blazing tree.

The injured little owl wished for nothing but
to simply lay where he was. There was only one good thing that
would come out of this: if he died, this pain would end.
Unfortunately, if he survived, he would have never been able to fly
again in his short life. Either way he would die alone—without
Leyai at his side.

Epilogue

Nothing stood at his side now—not Leyai, not
his family, or even Molar. Even with Molar’s advice, however,
Pesstian still couldn’t understand the story behind Leyoht. Who was
Leyoht—and why did such a name bring such wonder into Pesstian’s
mind?

He knew he had to follow this beast, but he
was unsure of how he would do so. Disabled beyond all belief, he
knew not of any sure way to save himself or any of the people
Neionmt wished to hurt. He knew he was powerless as a result.

As of right now his enemies had all the power
as Pesstian was left powerless under a burning tree. He wanted
nothing more than to be the final nail in Neionmt’s coffin; but how
he would do so was beyond his knowledge.