Once We Were Kings (Young Adult Fantasy) (The Sojourner Saga) (43 page)

From every direction in the sky, a lattice of blue and white lightning converged on his hands.  A terrible humming and sizzling sound ensued.   Ashtoreth's entire form glowed brightly.

She let out a horrid shriek, released Render's arm and tumbled tail over head into the valley.  Trails of flickering lightning webbed around her body.

But she was not dead.

Before hitting the ground, she straightened out, and at low altitude flew straight at the entire army of Sojourners, humans, and demons.  Her wings beat angrily through the air, sending percussive shock waves that rippled in the sand and carved a visible wake.

The phoenix flew after Ashtoreth and hurled several fireballs at her.  Each exploded on her back, charred the scales and burned for a moment, but ultimately became extinguished.

From Ashtoreth's bleeding jaws, she launched a horizontal column of fire straight at the demon horde standing in surprise.  They evaporated into wisps of black smoke as she flew through the ranks of those that had not gotten out of her way.  Like a swarm of black pestilence, the remaining demon horde followed.

The horrendous sound that arose from the demon dragon resembled the growl of a lion and the wicked laughter of a woman.   Render flew after Ashtoreth.  Clearly, she no longer concerned herself with her physical body.  Only one thing mattered to her now.

// SHE'S CLAIMING THE TROOPS TO SACRIFICE TO MALAKANDOR //

Thousands of arrows and spears flew at the dark dragon, whose shadow covered the ground like a cloud.  But they merely bounced off her iron scales.  Even the blasts of energy and fire from the hands of the Sojourners seemed to have no effect. 

If Render did not overtake her soon, she would complete the task of which Mooregaard and Volfoncé had failed.

To his amazement, even before he reached the Sojourners and humans, a great column of fire shot out of the ground a few hundred feet in front of the troops. 

Ashtoreth dug her hind claws into the ground and stopped, just as the Phoenix burst into full form.  Her fire burned away many more of the demon horde that had not stopped in time to avoid it.  Ahndien was now mostly fire now, with a reminiscence of a bird's form within.  From the tips of her flaming wings, golden fire shot forth and wrapped itself around Ashtoreth like a rope.  First around her legs, then her wings.  As though solid, the fire cords tightened around her and she fell to her side as she tried to wrestle them away.

She parted her jaws preparing to blast fire at the troops.  But Render landed, his dragon-clawed foot stepped down and shut her mouth.  Thrashing ferociously, Ashtoreth freed her jaws and snapped at Render's leg.  But as soon as her fangs touched it, lightning burst around her jaws, sending her head snapping back and convulsing.

// YOU CANNOT TRULY KILL ME, LITTLE MINION OF VALHANDRA //

Ashtoreth snarled. 

// I WILL CONSUME THE ENTIRE SACRIFICE WITH ONE BREATH //

Ahndien's fire cords continued to stretch out and bind her limbs, her neck and tail.  But before they reached her jaws, Ashtoreth leaned her head over, got a clear view of the Sojourners and human soldiers, all standing outside of Ahndien's protective fire.

The demon dragon scoffed.  Her eyes glowed.  A verdant hue emanated from her open jaws.  The familiar sound of sizzling foretold the imminent blast of fire, aimed straight at the sacrifice to be offered to Malakandor.

Reacting quicker than he could have in his human form, Render, as the Cobalt Dragon, sent a wave of lightning at the sand in Ashtoreth's trajectory.  It burned so intensely that a molten substance rose up, glowing.  In just moments, a wall of solid glass stood in the way and deflected Ashtoreth's blast, sending fire out in every direction.  None of it reached its intended target.

Ashtoreth had been subdued.

For the moment.

How could they stop her completely?

Could he actually kill a demon dragon, a being that was every bit spirit as it was physical?

In the instant he considered this, Ashtoreth sprung up, knocked him over and launched her entire body headfirst at Ahndien.  The surprise caused Ahndien to release her fiery bonds.  As the demon dragon leapt up and fell upon her, all the flames around the phoenix winked out, leaving her vulnerable.

Ashtoreth pinned the phoenix under her talons and coiled back her neck to deliver a deadly strike.

// I SHALL TEAR YOUR THROAT OUT AND THEN FEAST UPON YOUR ENTRAILS! //

Render got up, but it took longer than expected because of the unfamiliar mass of his dragon body.  Ashtoreth's jaws were descending quickly at Ahndien's neck.  Her entire phoenix form began to shrink.  She was transforming back into a human!

A tiny flame smoldered from the tips of her wings, pinned to the ground by Ashtoreth's four feet.  But that flame stretched upwards, hovering just over the demon dragon's head.

Even as Render lunged forward, from his foreclaws he sent a thin string of lightning not at Ashtoreth, but at that singular plume that burned from Ahndien's fading phoenix claw.

When the lightning touched the fire, it was as though he touched her hand.

Simultaneously, an unimaginable surge of power flowed from and into his entire being.  He sensed her presence, her being, her fears and determination.  And he knew that she sensed his as well.

// ACCURSED FOOL!  THE ONE YOU SERVE IS DEAD! //

Even as Ashtoreth's words reached them, she drove her fangs down at Ahndien's throat.

Render and Ahndien pulled the connected energy line straight up.

In a flash, accompanied by the sound of flesh and bone severing, the fire and lightning cord of the dragon and the phoenix cut through Ashtoreth's neck.  The black demon's head fell off and tumbled into the dust.

Its body convulsed as it rolled over next to Ahndien.

Black blood that at first oozed like a viscous tar evaporated into a mist which drew the remaining demon horde, howling like the wind back into the open neck of Ashtoreth's dying body.

The head snapped its jaws vindictively, its eyes defiant, until they too were extinguished like the last bit of fire from its jaws.

And then, silence fell over the valley.

The dark cloud, which had actually been smoke from the demon horde blanketing the sky, yielded to the sun.

When the dust cleared, Render had returned to his human state.

Hundreds of yards away, he barely heard the cheers and shouts of triumph from the troops as he took several solemn steps towards the firebird, which stood regal, its head high and wings unfurled.

Glorious flames danced around her frame and warmed Render's face as he came as close as he could without getting burned.

He reached up to touch its feathers.  "Ahndien?"

The Phoenix turned its head sideways and gazed at him with one eye. 

// SHE IS NOT HERE //

His heart sank.  A pang of regret impaled his chest.  "Were you not—?"

// THOU STANDETH BEFORE THE FORM OF THE PHOENIX SPIRIT, A SERVANT OF VALHANDRA.  AND WITHIN THYSELF RESIDETH THE SPIRIT OF THE COBALT DRAGON.  THIS IS THY SPIRIT-POTENTIAL, DEAR RENDER //

"But what of Ahndien?"

// UNTO HER, HAD VALHANDRA GIVEN THE CHOICE.  SHE CHOSE TO SACRIFICE ALL FOR HER PEOPLE, AS DID OTHER PRINCESSES OF HER KINGDOM BEFORE HER.  IN DOING SO, SHE HAsSAVED HER PEOPLE AND FULFILLED HER DESTINY //

Tears welled up in his eyes.  He hadn't expected to lose Ahndien like this.

// BUT REJOICE.  THOU TOO HAST FULFILLED THY CALLING //

  There was nothing for which to rejoice.  Ahndien was gone.  And he had only just begun to understand that he loved her.  Loved her more than anything or anyone.

Before he knew it, tens of thousands of Torians, Tianese, Sojourner humans and spirit beings stood before him.  Row after row, they knelt in the fiery glow of the great firebird.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Render looked up at the Phoenix.  "I would give anything to be with her again.  Even for a moment."

// MY SPIRIT ARISES ONCE EVERY MILLENNIUM.  YET FOR THE FAITHFULNESS OF ONE, HAVE I RETURNED AFTER FIVE HUNDRED YEARS.  FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.  AND THIS, TO HELP YOU DEFEAT THE PLANS OF MALAKANDOR.  TO BRING THESE TWO GREAT NATIONS TOGETHER.  AS ONE //

"Yes, I...I understand."  Valhandra never promised him happiness, nor long life with Ahndien.  Render knelt down from fatigue, shut his eyes and bowed his head. "I shall honor and submit to the wisdom and authority of The Almighty."

Penetrating warmth enveloped him.  Through his eyelids he sensed a glow above.  The sound of fire grew as though fanned by the wind.

And then, something alighted upon his shoulder.

At first when Render looked up, the brilliance of the phoenix's blazing wings and glowing plumage blinded him.  He blinked and reached for that which had touched him.  It was the soft hand of the one who now stood before him, rimmed by golden light, her head haloed.

His vision cleared and there she stood, adorned in a gown white as snow, her body whole and unbroken.  She smiled even as every inch of her body's outline shone.  Filled with awe and wonder, he nearly forgot about the joy he felt at seeing her alive, standing before his very eyes. 

"Ahndien?" 

"It is I."  Her voice took an otherworldly quality that resembled music and glory and light all at the same time.  "Thou hast proven worthy, my friend, O companion of mine heart.  Unto thee hast Valhandra bestowed the following honors."    

For as long as he could recall, he'd yearned to come to the valley, to the Handaras.  For such a time as this.  Valhandra had placed that desire within his heart.

"Because thou hast submitted to the path set before thee, the Spirit of Valhandra has inhabited thy life.  His hand is upon thee. Thou shalt live to see the manifestation of the Cobalt Dragon Spirit in thy being yet once more."

"And now..." From her side, she drew a flaming sword and touched his shoulders, first the right, then the left.  It sent a thrill through his entire being, reaching past bone and marrow straight into his spirit.  He knelt and bowed his head.  "Arise, Sir Render the Dragon-Hearted!"

The entire host let out an awesome cheer that went on without end.  At the very moment Render stood, a stream of lightning leapt from his chest straight into the air.  There it formed the ethereal outline of the Cobalt Dragon, the form of which Render had occupied not ten minutes ago.

A collective gasp went up into the valley.

At the same time, a column of fire stretched up from Ahndien's form, reaching up to the Phoenix.  First the Phoenix alighted upon the ledge of a hill where a lone tree stood, then out of its blazing form walked what appeared to be a lady of great nobility, young with flowing ebony hair, attired in the clothing of royalty.

At least that was what it appeared to be, for in the moment that Render blinked, she stepped out of view, leaving nothing but the tree.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED

The sound of thousands shouting for joy.

What better way to be ushered though the veil?

Lao-Ying had wondered many times what this moment would be like and now it had come.  He could no longer feel his hands or feet or any part of his body.  An incredible lightness came over him as he lifted off the ground while his expired body lay still on the ground by the foot of the tree.

And then, a flourish of white flashed before him and consumed his mortal body with light.  From that light, a figure emerged.  Even before he could utter the name, his spirit leapt for joy.

// MEI-LIANG!  MY SPRING BLOSSOM! //

There she stood, more beautiful than he'd ever remembered.  Her ebony mane shone with glory, the train of her white robe emanated heavenly splendor, and her gentle eyes, full of love, met his. 

// MY PRINCE //

Prince?  He'd lived as a hermit for five centuries, but hearing her address him so was as fresh as the days when he'd competed for her hand and affection.  Lao-Ying flexed his fingers and looked at them, then his arms.  He too was aglow.  But he felt as strong as the day she gave her life for her people, and became the Millennial Phoenix. 

In this state of existence, words seemed almost superfluous.  He stepped over his expired physical body as though it were a tattered garment, rushed over to Mei-Liang, took her in his arms, kissed her without thought of when he would let her go.

In an instant, five hundred years evaporated like the morning mist that blankets verdant fields with dew.  It was like awakening from a dream.  Suddenly, physical life as he'd known it was but a distant memory, an echo of this reality.

His journey was complete.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ONE

As the Cobalt Dragon and the Phoenix Spirit flew into the sky, a blanket of white clouds drew over the valley offering a refreshing shade from the otherwise oppressive heat from the sun.  Thousands of soldiers and Sojourners in various states of physical form stood and watched.

But to Render, only one thing in the crowd mattered.

As soon as the light withdrew completely from her body, Ahndien slumped into his arms like a cloth doll. "Oh!  Where—?"

"Are you all right?" Render smiled, delighted to find her fully restored to her body.

"I think so."  She stood, gazed in wonder at her legs which were no longer broken, her dazzling robe and then at the great throngs gathered about them.

Render wrapped his arms around her and held her so tight he didn't want to let go.  "Valhandra be praised!"

She seemed slightly confused.

Render suddenly remembered.  He was probably too late.  He released Ahndien.  "Wait here, I've got to find Greifer." 

She nodded.  "Hurry."

He strode forth, pushed past the warriors and quickened his pace.  As he made his way back to the place where he'd left Greifer and The Prophet—his mother and father—many hands reached out to shake his, or to pat him on the back.  But in his rush, he ignored them.

Someone grasped his arm.  It was Branson.  His eyes were red, but his countenance bright.  "I saw him, Rend.  I saw him taken up!"  A brave smile stretched across his face.