The Divine Apprentice (The Divine Series) (9 page)

The creature was getting closer to them by the second.  Kade knew it was tracking them, and he knew it was going to find them if they did not get through the barrier soon, but what he could not understand was how.  The creature took several long strides in their direction, covering almost half the distance.  Just then, Kade heard the creature take several long, deep breaths and realization came crashing down on him.

“It smells us,” Kade whispered before he could help himself, on the verge of shrieking.

The creature jerked in the direction of the sound and snorted as if startled.  This close, Kade was able to just make out the creature through whatever calling was hiding it.  It was massive and muscles bulged on its huge arms.  It had a head like a hog with horns coming off the side where ears should have been.  But, what Kade saw that really caused his throat to constrict were the claws coming off of the end of each hand that had to be close to four feet long.  One swipe of those deadly weapons and they were done.  The creature roared in anticipation as it moved in for the kill, taking several more steps in their direction.  It stopped and smelled the air again.  It knew.

Kade could feel the dragon quivering, on the verge exploding into action.  The creature grunted and took a swipe in the clearing where the dragon had previously tried to get through the barrier.  The ground erupted as four deep gouges tore it apart only feet away.  The dragon was shaking as it fought its instinct for fight or flight.

I can’t believe I am going to die after surviving all that has happened
, Kade thought in despair.  He clenched his teeth and decided he was not going to go out without a fight.  He wished he had his master’s skill but at least he had something.  He could feel the dragon crouch slowly as if sensing Kade’s intent.  He was not sure if the dragon was getting ready to fight or run, but right then, he knew he had to focus.  He felt for the Divine and started to draw it into himself, binding it to his will.

The creature took several more deep breaths as it tried to find the man it was sent to kill.  Kade could swear he heard a grunt of satisfaction, and he was sure it was looking directly into his eyes.  At least he would go out fighting, but before he could mold the Divine into his desires, his master’s voice crashed into his nerves with a shout of, ”Now Kade!  Get this dragon moving!”
              “Run!” Kade yelled as he urged the dragon forward frantically. 

The dragon’s muscles exploded as it lunged through the barrier to safety.  Kade’s hopes soared.  He was ready to thank the Divine when he felt Zayle slam into his back with a force that sent him sprawling through the air.  The dragon cried out in pain as it, too, was sent tumbling.  The creature roared in anger and hatred.  Kade hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him.  After a moment, he dragged himself to his feet and took several steps away from the edge of the barrier.  The creature tried over and over to reach the man just barely out of its grasp, roaring in hatred louder and louder each time.  When Kade was satisfied the creature was indeed kept out, he turned his attention to his beloved teacher.

“Master Zayle, we made it,” Kade said as he stumbled around, trying to find his cherished teacher.  He ignored the blood dripping down his face from the gash on his forehead.  He staggered a little as he left the rock with his blood smeared on it.  It was hard for him to think as the world spun.  “Master, didn’t you hear me?  We made it.  Master?” Kade asked again, forcing his vision to clear as best as he could.  “Master?” he asked, trying to ignore the rocking motion of the ground.  “Master!” Kade yelled but was met with only the sound of his dragon’s labored breathing.  He knew this should matter, but thoughts were hard for him to form.  A faint sound reached his ears.

“Kade.”
“Master, is that you?” Kade asked, confused.

“Kade,” Zayle said as the breath hissed out of his body.

“Master, NO!” Kade screamed as he heard the life slipping from his cherished teacher.  “Hold on!  Master, HOLD ON!” Kade screamed in panic.

*CH3*

A jolt of adrenalin forced Kade’s mind to clear.  “I will remove the Transparency Calling.  You will be fine,” he said with urgency as he drew the Divine Power out of the calling.  Both the dragon and Zayle faded into view.  Kade saw the two long, deep gashes that ran from the tail of the dragon to between its wings, where just moments before, they had been sitting.  He panicked as his mind processed what he was seeing.  Then, Kade spotted his cherished master, lying in a pool of blood.

“Zayle!” Kade yelled as he ran up to his mentor and quickly dropped to his knees.  “NO!  This can’t happen,” he said as he brought the Divine Healing to life.  “No!” Kade said with determination.  The power flowed into his master over and over but seemed to sink right back out. 

“Master, get up.  We need to get back to the cabin,” Kade said, not accepting what his eyes were showing him.

Kade felt exhaustion threaten to overwhelm him as he tried to concentrate on performing the calling without stopping.  It was hard to focus on his beloved master’s face as the unbidden tears blurred his vision.  Desperation turned to despair as he cradled his teacher’s head in his lap and wept with uncontrollable sobs that racked his body.  He knew he could not heal a body that had no spark of life left.  With no spirit in the body, there was nothing for the healing to attach to.   He threw his head back and howled in pain, his heart threatening to burst.

Several long moments later, he slumped slightly and held his master as if to not let him go. “No,” he said weakly, as he looked down at his teacher and gently stroked a piece of hair out of his face.

He tried to pull Zayle to a sitting position and saw the deep slash marks on his back that had brutally ripped the life out of him.  He slowly lowered Zayle to the ground and slumped over the body, feeling himself start to fade from the intense mental fatigue.  It was then that he heard a sound that caused him to stop and listen.

With a start, he remembered his new found friend.  He sat bolt upright, and his head whipped around as his eyes locked onto the dragon.  His body was numb, but he forced his legs to move.  He stumbled over to his wounded companion and started the Healing Calling just as the dragon shuddered, taking an uneven breath.  He panicked as he realized the dragon was on the brink of death.

“No.  I will not let you die, too!” Kade said with conviction as he worked the Healing Calling over and over, ignoring the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him.  Sweat ran down his back, and he could feel his muscles start to shake and twitch from the exertion.  “Live!  By the great Divine, LIVE!” Kade yelled.  “I know you are still alive!  I can sense it in you!” he said, despair starting to work its way into his heart.  He felt that he was in a war with death itself, and the fear that he was losing lanced through his body.

Spots started to dance in his vision as he focused on completing the calling over and over.  The dragon was still not breathing.  Kade started working the calling as fast as he could, putting his hands on the wound and letting the Divine Power sink in.  Fatigue was starting to cause his hands to falter slightly, but he concentrated even harder and forced his protesting muscles to work.

New tears started to form, his motions slowing and then came to a stop, as he slumped to his knees in defeat.  The world spun and Kade put a hand on the ground to catch himself from falling.  His labored breaths came in rasps as he cried out, “No!  Not you, too!  You cannot die when you trusted your life to me and saved mine!  You cannot die, too!” Kade said as grief assaulted him anew.

He hung his head as the tears flowed unhindered, not noticing when the dragon took in a slow, very shallow breath.  Nor did he notice when the dragon let it out again.  Kade felt something drift through his thoughts but the thoughts were not his.  He stopped and tried to focus on the dragon.  He blinked the tears from his eyes and wiped them with the back of his hands, holding his breath as he waited.  He forced his shaking hands to perform the healing calling one last time and then watched…praying with all his might.

He looked at the dragon, and his breath caught in his throat. 
Could it be?
he thought, afraid to hope.  The wounds did not appear to be as bad as he remembered.  He shook his head and focused hard. 
The injuries definitely looked as if they have closed up slightly,
he thought again, as he moved closer.

Now, filled with determination, he completed the calling several more times, ignoring his protesting muscles.  His lungs were burning furiously and spots were dancing in front of his eyes.  With every move, he willed the dragon to heal.  He was sure he could sense life now.  He was rewarded with his next calling, as the wounds smoothly closed.  He looked at the gash running down the dragon’s back and knew if the claws had been just a hairs-breath either way, it would have ripped a wing right off.

The dragon took another breath and let it out.  Then it took a deeper breath that was closer to normal.  It relaxed its body as its breathing came more freely.  It opened its eyes, and with a look as though it were trying to drag itself from sleep, focused on Kade.  The dragon slowly labored to get to its feet but failed, falling back to the ground.  From where it lay, it nudged Kade with its muzzle.  The apprentice gave a weak smile through his exhaustion and patted the dragon on the side of its face.

Kade got an uneasy feeling and looked around the clearing.  Something still did not feel right.  Something was making him uncomfortable.  Then, his eyes fell on the spot where the creature had torn at the ground with its claws.  With a rush, he realized why he was feeling uncomfortable.  They were being watched.

Kade’s eyes slowly traveled up to where the creature’s face should be.  If he looked closely, he could just barely make out the monster.  He felt cold anger grow in his heart, and his lips curled into a snarl.   He looked the creature in the eye and felt a raging hate filling him.  He made a vow to himself that he would kill this evil thing, or give his life trying.  Kade felt true hate for the first time in his life.  Blackness covered his heart.  Vengeance!

“You may have won for now, but this is not over!” Kade yelled.  He heard what sounded like a low chuckle.  His anger flared as he conjured the Blue Fire of the Divine and threw it in the direction of the giant.  This effort was almost too much as it threatened to topple him, his legs wobbling horribly.  To Kade’s disappointment, the creature swatted it aside like it was nothing and taunted him with another laugh.  Kade’s hatred pulsed in him with every beat of his heart.  Never before had he ever wanted to take a life as he did right then.

His fists clenched so tightly his hands ached.  All he could do was watch as he saw the brush move, and he knew the creature was leaving.  But, he knew it was not gone for good.  He yelled one last time and then gathered his precious master in his arms and carried him to the cabin.

             
It had been two days since Kade buried his teacher by his favorite garden.  He performed the last rights, which if what he was told was true, allowed a Chosen to transition over to the other side smoothly with their abilities.  It was said that there were many hazards encountered when a Chosen died, and if one did not have the Divine Power, their chances of suffering were great.  Zayle had just recently taught this to him.  Kade pondered the timing of this many times as the days slipped by.

             
After a week, the crushing pain that gripped his heart eased just a little.  Once more at his teacher’s graveside, he tried to puzzle out what was happening.  The image of his mentor’s scared eyes flashed through his mind.

             
Unable to answer his own question, he left the grave and headed for the cabin while his mind continued to whirl as if it were out of control.  The events of the last several days made it virtually impossible to think clearly…until this moment.  As he was walking, an odd thought occurred to him.  He stopped and considered what Zayle had said just days before.  He was on the verge of recalling something important about death and crossing over, but he just could not bring it to the surface.  He shook his head and continued to walk and then abruptly stopped as it came to him.

             
“Master,” he said as he turned and looked back at the grave.  “When you talked about finding a way to cross over from the other side, were you expecting…?”  Kade let the sentence trail off.  He looked at the ground and his eyes narrowed as his thoughts went around and around with his small revelation.  This was just too much to contemplate this soon after Zayle’s death.  He shook his head and turned for the cabin once more.

             
Kade’s mind kept pulling up images of Zayle sitting at his desk with thick tomes laid out before him.  Every time he saw his master reading during the past year, Zayle would be deep in a book on the afterlife.  The more he thought about it, the more questions he had.