"The Obsidian Phoenix Chapters 21-24" by Ann Baker

CHAPTER 21

 

 

 

I set out an hour before sunup.  I knew Jerrik would be asleep or too busy to hear me leave.  I put my armor on and equipped myself.  If the Dark One was still around and the ‘prophecy’ was still being spoken of, I was still a target.

                I knew I could use the ring Avery had given me and I would be back immediately, but I wanted to give Miranda time to catch up. 

                I walked for six hours before stopping to rest.  I sat under a tree and dozed off.  The midday sun was hot but no bother.  I started to dream.

                “Where is she?  I should never have let her escape!” 

                “How many pieces does she have my lord?” 

                “I don’t know, find out, and come back immediately.”

                “Do you want me to bring her?”

                “Do you think you can?”
                “I can try my lord.”

                “Get out!”

                “Yes my lord.”
                I woke abruptly and knew it was not a dream.  He knew I was back looking for him.  I can’t wait; I have to get back now,   I said to myself.

                “Why the urgency?”  Miranda said walking up to me.

                I picked up my things.  “He knows I’m here.  We have to go.”

                “Use the teleport,” she said.

                She walked over to me and put her hand on my shoulder.  In a flash of light and a deafening snap, we were in my room.  I put my things down but kept my armor and sword.

                “Just leave your things here and come with me.”

                She kept her armor and weapons and followed me to Dannik’s room.

                “Wait here,” I ordered.

                She seemed irritated at me for ordering her around.  She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.

                I entered Dannik’s room and found him in meditation.  Sensing my presence immediately, he spoke.

                “Crimson, you’re home early.”

                “I brought someone with me.  Can she come in?”

                “Any young lady in your company would be a pleasure to meet.” 

I grumbled and cursed under my breath.  Miranda did not deserve such politeness.
                I walked back to the door and let her in.

                “Miranda, meet Master Dannik, Dannik this is Master Miranda.”  They bowed to one another.  I was hurt that she had not treated me with such honor. 

                “Dannik the Dark One is aware of my presence again and seeks me out.  I must finish my training.  I’ll need to leave as soon as my lessons are finished.”

                “Your body is ready Crimson.  You require no more training, although your focus is a little off lately.  Why is that?” he asked.

                I spoke quietly, not wanting Miranda to hear.  “I don’t know.  Something about me is changing but I can’t figure it out.” 

                “Well, you must learn to focus on your own.  I have taught you all I can.  You have mastered the blade, child.  Your mind is the tool you must master next, and that could take a lifetime.”  He pointed at Miranda.  “This one is almost as old as you and she also has yet to master her mind.”

                “I enjoy the lack of focus.  It frees me to be ruthless with my attack,” she said.

                Dannik shook his head.

                “Dannik, you couldn’t have told me all this before I left?”  I asked.

                “Would you have returned?”
                I shrugged.  “Maybe, maybe not.”
                Miranda watched and listened, learning all she could about Dannik and me.

                “Anyway, my focus was elsewhere when you left,” he said, rubbing his abdomen.

                “How are you healing?”  I asked.

                He lifted his head proudly.  “I’ve had worse.”

                “Is that a challenge old man?”  I asked.

                He laughed at me.  “Not today, Crimson, and not ever again with that sword.”  He shivered.

                “I don’t blame you,” I said remembering the wound I had inflicted upon myself years ago.

                “Miranda you don’t look happy to be here,” Dannik said.

                “She doesn’t appreciate being told what to do Dannik.  She fancies herself a free spirit.”  I knew my words would irritate her.  She did not like me in the slightest.

                “Well, why don’t you take our lovely guest to her room and show her around a bit.”

                I gave Dannik an ‘I’ll get you later’ look and bid him farewell.

                “Oh by the way, dinner tonight.  Don’t miss it,” he ordered.

                I nodded and walked out with Miranda on my tail, following through darkened halls.

                “Ouch, Damnit.  I can’t see in the dark you know.  Slow down a little.”

                I let my hand glow to brighten the halls slightly.

                “Thanks a lot; you could have done that sooner.”

                “You didn’t ask.”  I was irritating her, pushing her to tempt me.  I could not explain why, but I knew we would be enemies one day. 

                We came to the rooms.  “Wait here,” I said, and walked into Jerrik’s room.  All his things were gone.  He knew he would not be returning.  I stuck my head out and motioned for Miranda to enter.

                “Come, bring your things.  You can stay here while you’re visiting.”

                “Is this Jerrik’s room?” she asked.

                “It was, yes.  Now it’s just an empty room.”

                She smiled.  “Maybe I should stay somewhere else.”

                “Why?”

                “We already don’t get along.  I don’t want to add more fuel to the fire.  I know you had feelings for each other.  I may be a bitch but I don’t interfere with relationships.”

                “Why would it bother me?  We were friends.  If I’d wanted more from him I would never have left the two of you alone last night.”

                “All the good that did.”

                I had assumed they had slept together.  Jerrik had been attracted to her and he had a way with persuasion.  I shook my head.

                “If it makes you uncomfortable you’ll just have to deal with it.”  I said adding fuel to the fire.  She was getting angry.  I was irritated about the Dark One hunting me again.  I was losing focus.  I did not have time to deal with Jerrik’s jilted lover.  “Get settled in and relax.  I will be back in awhile.  I am in the room across the hall.”

                “I see,” she said noting the distance between my and Jerrik’s rooms.

                I held my tongue and walked away.

                I sat at the foot of my bed where I had spent the last fifteen years meditating.  I refocused my fire and channeled the loose energy back to its proper place.  It did not feel right.  I had not lost control, but I knew I had come close.  I wondered what would happen if I did lose all control.  I took a deep breath.  “Focus,” I said aloud.

                I felt a kick on my leg and I opened my eyes.

                “Dannik says its dinner time.  Get your ass to the dining hall.”

                I stood up and adjusted my armor; my obsidian sword was faithfully at my side.

                I looked at Miranda.  I wanted to punch the dark archer in the face.  I looked down, noticed my hand was on fire, and quickly put it behind my back.  Control, I thought to myself.

                “You know there’s a proper way to approach a meditating person.”

                “Yes.”  She walked out and waited in the hall.  I watched her from my room.  She was not graceful but carried herself with confidence.  She would be deadly with the bow she carried on her back.  Her movements and mannerisms told me as much.  She sensed me watching her but did not turn to confront me.  I wondered what she was thinking.

                I went to the hall and pushed past her.  “Follow me,” I ordered.

                She grumbled a curse at me.  I would not let her intimidate me.  I wouldn’t mind trading insults with her, but we could not afford to be enemies, not when we had foes in common.

                We entered the dining hall and found a seat.  Dinner was exceptionally good.  I wondered why we were being treated so well.

                Dannik answered my question as he stood at the front of the grand hall.  He pounded on the table with his tankard and got everyone’s attention. 

                “Fifteen years ago we were fortunate to have Crimson come into our lives.  She didn’t know us but put her life on the line to protect us from a horrible beast.” 

There was a roar of voices and clashing tankards, then silence as Dannik continued.  “She opted to stay and make us her new family and we have come to love her as our own.”

                More deafening roars.

                “She’s spent the last fifteen years under my tutelage and has finally come to master her sword.”  The cheers renewed and became a victory chant. 

                I approached Dannik.  “What are you doing?”

                “Giving you the honor you deserve.  Pull your sword Crimson.  Present it to your family.”

                I did as the Sword Master requested.  Traditions were different here.  I knew that, but I was uncomfortable with all the fanfare.  I pulled my sword and held it up.  I let the flames totally engulf the obsidian blade.

                “I present to you Sword Master Crimson Steel and the Blade of the Obsidian Phoenix.”  Dannik’s voice filled the room.

                Everyone stood.  A thousand dwarves and they all bowed in respect.  I noticed Miranda remained seated but I was not overly bothered by her lack of respect.

                I went back and sat down as the festivities got underway.  Dannik came and sat with Miranda and me.

                I tried to feel Miranda out through questions.  “So Miranda, what do you know about the sword you carry?” 

                “It does a lot of damage.  It kills.”  She was harsh.

                “Where did you get it?”

                “A few years ago off of an undead rider.  A dead undead rider.”

                This was not good.  I shook my head.  It was not going to be easy.  The Dark One had set up camp in Shadow and there was no way to transport armies into Shadow, not without a shadow dragon.  Only they were capable of mass movements.

                Dannik put his arm around me.  “What’s on your mind Sweetheart?” 

                Miranda scoffed at the overt show of affection, as if it were a sign of weakness.

                “Miranda, the blade you carry was forged in Shadow.”             

                “So.”  She was a smartass.

                “I suspected the Dark One was hiding in Shadow, but wasn’t completely sure till now.  Do Siralla and Avery have ways to get from here to there?”

                “No, there are only a few among us that can walk in shadow and I don’t trust any of them.  You can never fully trust one with such evil in their blood.”

                I looked at Dannik and he elbowed me in the ribs.  I winced at the pain.  He deliberately hit me in a sore spot.

                “What?”  Miranda asked.

                “Nothing, just an old injury acting up.”

                “How old?”

                I shrugged.  “A week.”

                “What happened?”

                I was about to tell her to mind her own business when Dannik spoke up.  “I ran her through and pinned her to the stone floor.”

                She looked at him with anger and disbelief.  “And you still gave her title?” she exclaimed.

“She also ran me through with that damned sword of hers.  I have trained a few in my lifetime and nobody has bested me, until Crimson.  I wouldn’t be wrong to give her Grand Master title but I fear none would take her seriously, she’s just too young.”
                Miranda pushed her plate away and leaned back in her chair.  “Oh really, and how many have you trained?”

I had never asked him that question.  I never felt it necessary to ask about his credentials.  I knew a master when I fought one.

“Five hundred and one.”  He emphasized the one as he pointed to me.

She raised her eyebrows and laughed.  “And she was the only one to best you?”

“In over five thousand years.”

I had never even asked how old he was.  It seemed inappropriate.  He never volunteered the information to me; I knew he was old though.  I had guessed about right from the conversations we had had in the past.  I was shocked to hear the truth of my training though and apparently so was Miranda.

“Impossible,” she said smugly.

“Do you wish to try your hand at her?” he asked, volunteering me for a sparring session.

“Dannik, I don’t think that will be necessary.”

“She’s called me a liar Crimson; will you not defend your Master’s honor and your own?”

“With all I have,” I said to him.  I looked to Miranda.  “Miranda, do you wish to challenge me?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”  She stood.  “Lead the way Master Crimson,” she said with contempt.

Why me, I thought to myself.

We arrived at the training room and I started removing my armor.

“What are you doing?”  Miranda asked.

“We should even the odds.  No armor, no rings, or devices of any sort.  Only raw skills, talents, and magic, if you have it.”

She started removing her armor and other weapons and I started stretching.  Other spectators started filing into the room.

Miranda met me in the middle and bowed.

What am I doing?  I asked myself.  She had death in her eyes.  She wanted me dead and she wanted my blade.

Her intentions were clear.  “So you finally show yourself to me Miranda.”

I’ll have your blade and bow and the Dark One’s head will be mine.”

“If I best you, will you honor me and my right to his head?”  I asked.

“Yes, but that won’t happen.”  She took a step back and pulled the evil sword.  There were gasps among the spectators.  I pulled mine and pointed it in her direction.

Her blade was dark gray and longer than mine.  She required two hands to use the broadsword but it was no hindrance to her.  I knew she was going to play dirty.  A shield went up around her.  It glimmered and rippled with energy.  I formed a ball of fire and we began our deadly dance.

                I could feel her mind trying to pry the sword from my hand and I used the momentum she was creating against her.  I slashed at the shield she had erected and she put her sword up to parry but our blades did not make contact.  I had to wear down her shield before I could make contact with her.  I threw a barrage of fireballs at the shield and wore it down.  She was still attempting to take my sword with her spells.  I let the obsidian blade flame and started hacking at what remained of her shield.  The fire was getting hotter with time, I did not understand why, but I wasn’t complaining.  Miranda intensified her magical attack and I was forced to take my blade into both hands. 

                I hate magic,” I said to myself as she prepared herself for the shield to drop.  I backed off.  She would drop it any second.  She rushed me and knocked me to the floor.  She dropped the shield and came down hard.  I slipped into the in-between and watched her blade hit the stone floor.  I got to my feet.  She was angry and surveyed the room looking for me.  Her mind grip on my sword had been relinquished.  She would have to recast her spells if she wanted to use them on me and she was no mage.  Her magical energy was dwindling.  She would be forced to fight.

                I stepped behind her and came through.  With a kick to her back, I pushed her away.  Humiliated, her fight was renewed.

                “You’re a shadow walker,” she said, as if accusing me of some great evil.

                “And you’re a pain in the ass,” I replied.

                She came at me and slashed with the dark blade.  First blood was drawn.  She smiled.  It was only a flesh wound but it stung.  My tunic was ripped right below my collarbone.

                “Are you trying to take my head?”  I laughed in surprise.

                She shrugged.

                I came at her and slashed toward her neck, she put her sword up to parry as I passed into Shadow.  I walked through her and turned, completing my attack and removing the beautiful black braid she wore.  It fell from her back and I caught it and tucked it into my belt.  It probably meant a lot to her as mine did to me.  She turned around to face me, knowing I could have taken her head if I had wanted to.  She was incensed and came at me in a flurry of blows.  Her speed was unnatural.

                 Magic again, I thought as I parried and dodged.  I let the flame on my sword intensify.  It was too hot and she backed off.  I thought I had a reprieve as she backed off but instead she rushed me and slashed low penetrating my thigh muscle.  I was angry.  If my blade had been steel, it would have melted.  I built a lava hot fireball and she backed off.  I was seeing red.

                Focus Sweetheart, I heard my father’s voice and Dannik’s. 

                I threw the molten fireball at her feet as I leaped into the air and brought my sword down.  She parried the blow with two hands and the flat of her sword.  She closed her eyes as her sword shattered into a thousand pieces and she fell to the floor.  Flat on her back, she quickly reached for the dagger in her belt.  I took my sword and held it high.  She dropped her dagger as I ran my burning blade through her heart.  I felt her heart beating around my sword.  I gave my blade a slow twist and let the fire burn.  I saw agony and anger in her eyes.  I quenched the flames in the room and pulled my blade from her chest. 

                “That really hurts a lot, damn it,” she said taking quick shallow breaths.

                “Doesn’t it?”  I asked.  “You don’t die easily.” 

                She was on her hands and knees holding her chest.  She coughed up blood and spat it on the ground.  She looked up at me.  I still stood over her with my sword at her throat.

                “Do you yield to me Miranda?”

                I was amazed to see her slowly stand.  Her hand still over her heart she bowed to me.  “I yield to you Master Crimson and to your blade.”

                I put my sword away and offered her my assistance. 

                “No, stay back.  Let me have some dignity.”

                I stepped back and bowed to the Sword Master.”

                “Master Miranda, it was an honor.”  I walked over to Dannik.

                “She’s immortal.  I sensed something earlier but was not sure.  I have not seen one of her kind in centuries.  I thought they’d all killed each other.”

                “Dead immortals,” I said giving voice to the paradox. 

                “She tried to take your head and she guarded hers.  You could have killed her from behind when you took her braid.”  He pulled the braid from my waist and smiled.

                “I would never have taken her life without looking her in the eyes.”

                “That’s morbid,” she said.  She had been listening to our conversation.

                “Your wound is healed then?”  I noticed she still held her chest.

                “Yes.”

                “It’ll burn like that for a week, maybe more,”   Dannik said.

                “What kind of magic is in that thing?”  She seemed appalled.

                “None, the fire is here.”  I held up my hand.  “The sword is magical only in that it’s capable of channeling my fire, but it is only a vessel.”

                “So it wouldn’t do that for me?” 

                “I think not, and neither would the other pieces.” 

                “Come you two, get cleaned up.”  Dannik took us to his room. 

                My tunic had been torn and my cleavage was exposed.  He handed us fresh tunics and excused himself.

                Dannik’s healers’ kit was on the table and I walked over to find something to clean my wounds.”

                “You’re walking well.  That wound should have hobbled you.”

                “I’m a quick healer,” I said pulling off my tunic.

                “Hey, who’s the artist?” she asked.

                “What?”

                She pointed at my back.  “The tattoo?”

                Damn, I thought to myself.  “It’s not a tattoo, I was born with it.”

                “And I thought I was a freak,” she said bluntly. 

                “You are, don’t let my strangeness make you feel less of an egotistical deviant,” I said.

                “What are you?”

                “I claim no race as my own.”

                Her mocking laugh filled the room.  “Or they don’t claim you.” 

                She had a point.  “Do you even have a heart Miranda?  Is that why you can’t die?”

                “I have a heart.”

                “I know you have a physical heart; I felt it beating around my sword.  What would have happened if I had let my sword explode in your chest?  Can you die by fire?”
                I was making her angry again.

“What the hell kind of question is that?”

                “Are you going to answer my questions with more questions?”

                “I suppose if I lost my head in the process.”

                I nodded.  “I’ll remember that next time.”

                “There won’t be a next time.”

                “That’s good to know,” I said honestly.  I did not want to fight possible allies.

                “Why do you want my sword Miranda?”

                “There are thousands out there just like you and me.  They’ve lost much to the Dark One and would do anything to be the one to end his reign.”

                “You lost someone close?”

                “Friends, lots of friends, but I see that sword belongs to you.  It only speaks for you Crimson and I acknowledge your right to be the one to destroy him.”

                I walked up to Miranda and faced her.  “I realize you have the right to want to kill him yourself.  We’ve both lost loved ones, but mine are dead because of me.  He came looking for me.  I’m responsible for too many lives.  I don’t care if my life is lost in the process, I’ll see it to the end, and he’ll die.”

                “I know.”  She shook her head and walked out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 22

 

 

 

Two days passed before Miranda spoke to me again.

                “It’s time to go.  Avery and Siralla are waiting for us at the hospital.”

                “I’ll meet you in your room in a little bit.”  She walked out.

                I was sitting on the rug at the foot of my bed.  Dannik faced me.

                “You seem to be struggling, child.  Your focus is loose and weak.  What’s wrong?”  There was strong concern in his voice.

                “I don’t know.  I haven’t been able to control my emotions as well as I used to, and the fire inside of me wants out.  You know how it’s intensified by my anger or other strong emotions, it’s probably a good thing I don’t have a man in my life right now.”  I gave Dannik a weak smile.

                “He’d have to be fireproof,” he said.

                “Do you really think when I fought Miranda that I would deliberately try to put my sword through her heart?  I lost control, I was so angry.  I had no focus.  All I could see was an enemy who needed to die.  I even let my sword flame inside of her heart as I twisted it.”

                He laughed.  My lack of mercy did not bother him.  “In your defense, she did try to kill you.”

                I shook my head.  “I’ll work on my focus, but I don’t think it’ll help right now.” 

                “Just keep trying; all will become evident sooner or later.  Go now, and be careful Sweetheart.  I want to see you back here after the monster is dead, and I want to see you smile for the first time.”

                “Goodbye Dannik.”  I hugged him and went to see Miranda.

 

                “Are you ready?”  Miranda asked.

                “Yes.”  I grabbed Miranda’s shoulder and we were back at the hospital.  Avery and Siralla approached. 

                “Nice armor Crimson, shadow dragon?” she asked.

                “Yes, it was.”  I did not want to make small talk.

                “Wow, that’s sexy armor.”  Avery said as he approached.  He got a look from Siralla and turned his attention to Miranda.

“What happened to you?” he said, pointing at Miranda’s hair.

                She touched her newly arranged spiked hair.  “I needed a change.”

                I held my tongue but not my grin. 

                “Let’s get out of here.”  Avery reached out and grabbed my hand, Miranda took the other, and we formed a circle.  Someone used a teleport and we were somewhere else in a split second.

                I looked around but did not recognize the buildings or landscape.  “Where are we?”  I asked Siralla.

                “We’re at my hospital.”

                “I thought we were at your hospital before.”

                Siralla took a deep breath and lowered her head.  “That was a hospital for the dying.  Most of the people here will live.”  I could see in her eyes that she felt like a failure for not being able to save the others.

                “Where are we exactly?”  I asked.

                “About a thousand miles east of the White Forest.  This land belongs to me.  Come to my private quarters and we’ll talk.”

                I looked around as we walked through the open halls outside.  The grounds were large and meticulously cared for.

                “What is that?”  I said, pointing to a building with a tree protruding from the top.

                “That’s a temple, and that over there is the main hospital.”  Siralla pointed out the buildings as we walked.

                “Over there are my greenhouses and storage warehouses and over there is my birdfeeder,” she said, pointing at an ornate fountain-like structure, which was over twenty feet long.

                “What kind of birds?”  I raised my eyebrows

                “Big ones,” Avery said.

                Her main quarters were in the hospital.  We all sat down.  Siralla looked at Avery and nodded.

                “We’ve found the lich’s main fortress.  He returns there occasionally after raids on villages.  We can get you close but he hides in Shadow,” he said.

                “That won’t be a problem,” Miranda said.

                “You’re a shadow walker?”  Avery asked, surprised.

                “Yes.”

                They both looked at Miranda.  They must know about her distrust of shadow walkers.

                “Please continue Avery,” I said to the grinning elf.  He seemed to find everything I did amusing.

                “Do you have the four pieces of the Obsidian Phoenix?” he asked.

                “I don’t know.”  I was honest.

                He shrugged.  “What do you have then?” 

                “Bow, blade, and ring,”  I said.

                He nodded. 

“The drakes never mentioned what the fourth piece would be?”  I asked

                “I think I know,” Miranda chimed in.

                We looked at her.  “Well?” we all said at the same time.

                “She’s the fourth piece.  If she fails, we are all dead.  How did they put it; that little rhyme they were quoting?” she asked.

                “Four pieces become one

                By the ring the bow will sing

                By the bow all will see

                The darkness becomes light

                By the blade end to night,” I said, “and I’m really tired of hearing it.”

                “How does the ring work?”  Avery asked.

                I pulled my bow and drew back on the string letting the ring form an arrow of fire.  I carefully let the string loose and held the arrow in my hand.  They didn’t try to take it; I absorbed it back into my body.

                “And the sword?”  Siralla asked.

                I demonstrated the sword to Siralla and Avery, Miranda would not look at it, she held her chest.  The fire still burned inside of her, I could tell.  I could feel it inside of her.  I thought I might even be able to call on it if I wanted to, and make it burn.  I wondered if she felt it too.

                “Do you believe what Miranda says?”  Siralla asked

                “It’s a possibility; I do possess a fourth phoenix.  The bow was not the first.”        

                “Can we see it?”  Avery asked, excited.

                “No,” I stated firmly.

                He looked confused.

Miranda spoke up.  “It’s her birthmark.  She is the Obsidian Phoenix.  Don’t you get it?” 

                She spoke words that I had only recently begun to think of. 

                “You’re a phoenix?”  Avery asked.

                “No, I’m not a phoenix.  I just have a birthmark that looks like one.”

                “Come on, let us see it.”  Avery begged.

                I walked over to the table.  “I think we should just continue with the specifics and quit dwelling on my anatomy.” 

                “They’re in a place called Traitor’s Hollow.  This is a map of the area.”  Siralla laid out a map on the large table.

                “Has anyone scouted the Shadow?”  I asked.

                “No but we feel most of his force is concentrated in the Prime.  That’s what you call it right?” he asked.

                I nodded.  “How close can you get me?  Who’s been closest?”

                Siralla nodded to Avery.  There was a knock at the door. 

                “Come in Steen.”

                We all stood as a man entered the room.  He was as tall as I was, human, with dark skin and wavy black hair.

                He bowed deeply.  “Avatar Dearborn, Avery, Miranda.”

Avatar, I thought to myself.  That explains a lot.  An Avatar was a holy warrior, usually a paladin who becomes completely evil or good.  Some say they are blessed by the Light or Darkness.  It explains the temple in the courtyard.  The embodiment of all that is pure and good had been standing in front of me and I had not even noticed.

 She observed the look I gave her and smiled slightly.

                “Steen this is Master Crimson Steele.”  Siralla introduced us.

                “Master Crimson.”  He bowed as he said my name in a deep voice.  He placed his to his forehead and then to his heart.  I was not familiar with the foreign gesture, but I sensed respect from him.

                “Steen can take you close to the Dark One’s chambers, he’s been there.  The Dark One isn’t there right now, but we think he’ll show up in a day or two.” 

                “You want us to go in alone, just me and her?”  Steen pointed at me.

Siralla ignored his question.

                “Crimson, there’s an inn and tavern here on the property.  Why don’t you take Steen over and catch him up on the plan,” Siralla said.

                I looked at Steen.  “I guess it’s just you and me.”  I took the map off the table and rolled it up.

                “Yeah, you, me and an army of the undead, you must be good,” he said, looking at me and then glancing at Miranda. 

                The seemed to have a history.

                “You two get going.  You might need to go at any moment.”  Siralla seemed a little distracted. 

                Steen and I talked as he led the way to the inn.  “So where are you from?” he asked.

“The White Forest.” 

                He reached out and brushed my white hair away from my ear.  “You aren’t an elf.”

                “Neither are you, imagine that.” 

                He laughed at my attempt at humor.

                “What do you do Steen?”

                “I’m Captain of the Guard here at the hospital.”

                “And why would a hospital need a Captain of the Guard?” 

                “This hospital is a fortress.  Avatar Dearborn has many enemies who would love to see this place destroyed and her hanging from that tree.”  He pointed at the tree sticking out of the temple roof.

                “She’s really an Avatar?” 

                “Yes, it seems so.  If you knew her better, you wouldn’t have any doubts.  She’s amazing.”  I could see he admired Siralla as he spoke about her. 

                “What did you do before you came here?”  I changed the subject.  I did not know much about Siralla’s kind, but I knew she probably knew we were talking about her.  It was making me uncomfortable.

                “Mercenary, what about you?”

                “I trained with the elves for a long time.  I spent the last fifteen years teaching and completing my sword training.  My only goal for the past fifteen years has been this moment.  We can’t mess this up; I have to be able to trust you.”  I stopped walking to face him. 

                He thought about what I said for a moment and then spoke up, completely ignoring my comment.

                “You’re older than you look.”

                “A hundred and sixteen.”

                “You’re one of Miranda’s kind then?”

                “No, definitely not, no.  I want to keep my head, thank you.”  I put my hands up in protest.  I hated being compared to her in any way.  We continued walking.

                “It’s a lovely head.  I see why you want to keep it.”  He held the tavern door open for me.

                “I’ve become attached to it,” I said as I entered the tavern.

                He laughed.  “Are you hungry?”

                “Not really, but I could use a tankard of ale.”

                “Have a seat; I’ll see what I can do for you.”

                He walked up to the Halfling at the bar.  I could hear his booming voice from across the room. 

                “My friend would like a room for a night or two, your best room.  It’s on Siralla.  And give us a couple of ales too.”              

                The innkeeper walked away for a minute and Steen waited at the bar.  He looked over, smiled at me, and looked away.  He had a lot on his mind.  I could tell he was wondering about me.  I was sure he doubted my ability, most sane people did, and he didn’t seem any different than most.  The innkeeper came back and handed a key to Steen.  I watched as he tucked it into the waist of his breeches.  I noticed he only wore a light tunic and loose breeches.  He was obviously off duty.  He walked back to the table and handed me a tankard of ale.

                I drank down my ale and took Steen’s.  He waved over to the innkeeper to bring more. 

                “So where are you from Steen?”

                “The south, far southern desert.”

                “Do you have family there?”

                He nodded.  “Father, sister, aunts, and uncles.”

                “Do you see them much?  You all seem to teleport around a lot.”

                “I haven’t been home for five years.  My mother was killed by the lich and I swore not to return till he was dead.”

                “I’m sorry.”  I drank down my second ale as the barkeep brought two more.

                “It’s been a long time, I don’t know if I’ll ever go back.”

                “I’ll try to help you with the first part; once he’s dead you may want to return.”

                “Did he hurt you too?”  I shook my head.  I could not think about this.  I took my third ale and emptied it.

                “Slow down or I’ll be carrying you up to your room.”

                “I can hold my liquor, as long as you don’t give me Elven wine.”

                “I warned you.”  He motioned for another.

                “So how do we get to the Dark One since he hides in Shadow?”
                “Just teleport me in as close as you can.  I’ll take care of the rest.”

                He laughed.  “You’re a shadow walker?  I bet you and Miranda got along well,” he said.

                “You have no idea.”  I rolled my eyes.

                “Did you do that to her hair?”  He was laughing again. 

                I nodded; he nearly fell off his chair he was laughing so hard.

                His hysterics were contagious.  I started laughing.

                “You aren’t like them are you?  No mind reading or magic, no special abilities?”  I asked, smiling.

                “Well no, I can’t read your mind, but I don’t know you well enough to discuss my special abilities.”

                I shook my head.  “Are you sure you can handle your liquor?  You seem a little too happy,” I asked.

“I can handle it quite well, thank you.  I’m just in a good mood.”

“Why?”

“The company is wonderful, the beast will die soon, and the company is wonderful.”  He smiled as he repeated himself.

                “You said that already.”

                “I know.  I just wanted to emphasize a point.  Come on; let’s get your things up to your room.”  He grabbed my bag and I followed him up to my room.

                He stood in the hall with my bag in one hand and two ales in the other.  “Could you grab the key?”

                I raised my brow.  “I’m not sure I know you well enough.” 

                “I promise not to enjoy it too much,” he replied.

                He held his arms up as I reached into his waistband and searched for the key.  It was not where I saw him put it.  I had my arms around him and he was breathing on my neck.  He was enjoying my search of his breeches.

                “You can’t blame me, you know,” he said quietly as I pulled the key out.

I unlocked the door and let myself in.  Steen laid my things in the corner and plopped down on the bed.  He watched as I pulled my armor off. 

                “If you aren’t going to leave could you turn around?  I’d like to change.”

                He put a pillow over his head while I undressed and put on fresh clothes.  I knew he was peeking but didn’t care. 

                “Alright you can quit pretending not to look now,” I said sitting down into a stuffed chair.

                “You can’t blame a guy for looking, although I didn’t know what I was in for did I?” 

                “I’m sure you’re making reference to my birthmark.” 

                “It’s not your most impressive feature, but I like it.  Can I get a closer look?”

                “I’m not going to sleep with you Steen.”

                “You’re attached then?”

                I laughed at the thought.  “No, not even close.” 

                “We might be dead tomorrow so we might as well enjoy ourselves, right?”

                “What makes you think I’d enjoy myself?” 

                “If I was not so sure of myself, that may have offended me.  You have a terrible sense of humor.”

                “So I’ve been told.”

                “What can I say to change your mind?”  He sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed.

                I got up and walked over to him.  “If you can look into my eyes for more than twenty seconds.”  I sat down and he moved closer.  I knew he could not do it, but I felt like letting him think he had a chance.  I closed my eyes and he came closer.  I could feel his breath on my lips.

                “Open your eyes Phoenix,” he whispered.

                I opened my eyes and looked into his heart.  I saw desire and lust on the top, no surprise, but deeper down I could see old sorrows.  Everyone had them, but he had put his away.  He seemed to have accepted it.  He closed his eyes but did not move away.

                He sighed and then asked, “What do I get for five seconds?”  He put his arm around my waist and kissed me.  He let his hands wander up my back and his kiss down my neck.  I had not kissed a man in fifteen years and I wanted more.  I had forgotten what it felt like to feel somebody’s lips on mine and their warm hands on my skin.  I was feeling warm and knew my fire was rising.  I gently pulled away.  

                “That was at least ten seconds worth,” I whispered. 

                He ran his hand under my tunic and across my stomach.  “Can I try again?” 

                I looked away from his eyes as I spoke.  “No, you don’t want to put yourself through that.  I saw what was there and you’re better off without me prying into your soul.”            

I stood up and went over to the table.  “Let’s make a plan so we don’t get ourselves killed.  Maybe when we get back we’ll have something to celebrate.”  I laid the map out and looked over at him still sitting on the bed.

                “How close can you get us?”  I asked.

                He stood and walked over to the table and leaned in over my shoulder.  “I can get us here or here.”  He pointed out two very good vantage points.

                “This spot here, are those boulders?”

                He nodded.  “Yes.”

                “How tall are they?”  I asked.

                “Maybe three feet.  Tall enough to conceal us.  That’s where I came in before.”

                “That’s where we’ll teleport in.”

                He moved around the table and looked at me.  “Are you as good as they think you are?”

                “Perhaps better than Avery and Siralla think, but Miranda knows how good I am.” 

                “She’s good, did you really best her?” 

                “She should be dead.  I don’t know what she has against me.”  I picked up the map and rolled it up.

                “She sees you as a threat.  You’re beautiful.”  He paused to see my reaction.  “She’s one of the best among us with her sword and bow; I think you probably just destroyed her image of herself.  She’s an egotistical bitch.”

                “You two seem to have a history,” I said.

                “She wanted me, but I couldn’t be with a woman like that.  She’s let too much evil touch her soul and it’s darkened her heart.” 

                “You don’t seem the type to care too much about the relationship part of being with a woman.”  I hoped that didn’t sound as rude to him as it did to me.

                “I don’t want to become like her.  The only thing she does well is fight.”

                “You fight well don’t you?  What else do you do?”

                “I am the Captain of the Guard here; it’s more than just fighting, but knowing when not to fight.  I enjoy life, Crimson.  I don’t want to die.  I don’t go rushing into a fight without planning and focus.”  He was worked up.

                “I see why they put you with me.  We have the same philosophy about fighting, we think alike.”

                “Apparently not completely alike.”  He walked to the door and I followed.

                “I’ll see you in the morning,” I said as he opened the door. 

                Deciding to give it one last try he put his arms around my waist and kissed me again.  He ran his hands down my back and pulled me in at the hips.  I was losing it fast; the fire was on the surface ready to burst forth.  It took all my focus to keep from bursting into flames.  I pushed him away and opened the door.  I knew that I could not be with him, and if I didn’t get my focus back, I wouldn’t be able to be with anyone. 

                “I’m sorry.  If I didn’t think I would kill you, things might be different, but I can’t.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

                He laughed.  “Can you explain what you just said, because I haven’t found a woman yet who could kill me in bed?” 

                I let my hands flame up.  “Sometimes I can’t control it Steen.  Are you fireproof?”

                “You don’t know how much I wish I were.”  I let the flames subside and he kissed my hand.  He was flirting with danger.  “If you need me I’ll be in the room at the end of the hall.”  He pointed and took a deep breath as he walked away.

                I lay down on the bed and screamed into the pillow.  Why can’t I find the right guy, I thought.

                I had let Jerrik’s hopefulness get to me.  I had begun to think there might be someone out there for me, but now I had my doubts.  I was getting out of control and if I did not get my focus back there would never be anyone for me.  I fell asleep frustrated and ill tempered and woke the same way. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 23

 

 

 

Someone was knocking at the door.

                “What?”  I yelled.

                “It’s Steen, may I enter.”

                I grumbled.  “Come in.” 

                He stepped in and stood next to the door.  “I wanted to apologize for my forward attitude last night.  I don’t know what got into me.”

                “You’ve nothing to apologize for.  I should be thanking you for not pushing the matter.  You have no idea what could have happened last night.  I’ve started losing control and you would have probably got hurt.”

                “It might have been worth it,” he said.

                “No Steen, I’m serious.” 

                He changed the subject.  “Do you think you’re up to the battle ahead?”

                I picked up my armor and put it on.  “Is it time then?”

                “Yes the lich is on his way back to Traitor’s Hollow.”

                “When do we go?”

                “One hour.”

                “I need to be alone, could you come back later?” 

                “I’ll be back soon.”  He walked out and shut the door behind him.

                I sat on the floor at the foot of the bed and started my focusing exercises.  My father had taught me and Dannik had continued my training, but they’d taught me to control a trickle of fire, what I felt coming forth was a river so large, sooner or later it would burst forth.  I had to learn to control it or people would get hurt.  I wish I knew why I was becoming so unstable.

                Almost an hour later, I opened my eyes to Steen sitting across from me.  I had sensed him there.  He knew the proper way to wake a meditating person.  To let them sense your presence.

                “Miranda could take a lesson from you; she wakes me like a charging bull.”

                “She knows.  She just doesn’t like you.” 

                “Good to know, time to go then?”

                “Yes.”  He stood up and put his hand out.  I took it and he helped me to my feet.  He put his hand on the small of my back and considered kissing me again.

                “Steen, I can’t, not now.”  I pushed him away.

                He walked over to my bed, picked up his plain grey breastplate, and strapped it on.  He was imposing in the dark gray plate.

                He watched as I adjusted my armor and equipped my weapons.  I put a small pack on my belt in the rear.  I smiled at Steen as he stood and watched me. 

                “Lead the way, Steen,” I said as I finished up.

                We met in Siralla’s office.  Miranda and Avery stood behind Siralla and let her speak. 

                “Are you ready?”

                “Yes.”  I nodded.

                “Alright, you and Steen go, be careful and don’t get caught.  Teleport out if you need to, understand?” 

                “Yes.”  We said as one.

                “Crimson, you have the only teleport ring.  Give it to Steen, only he can get you there,” Siralla said.

                I handed him the ring and he put it on.

                “We’d send more but being covert is easier to accomplish in small numbers.  If we were able to move the masses, we would send an army.  Remember stealth is the key, you can get closer if they don’t detect you.”

                I nodded and took a deep breath.  “Steen are you ready?”  

                “Yes.”  He came closer and put his hand on my waist.  Miranda looked a little jealous. 

                “Any last requests?”  I smiled a little, knowing what he would do.

                “Can I have another kiss?” he half-whispered.

                They all looked at him and then to me. 

                “You’re insatiable Steen,” I said, for Miranda’s irritation. 

I put my arms around his neck and kissed him.  His hands slid down my back and paused on my ass.  He grabbed it and pulled me in.  I leaned in and whispered in his ear.  “If we make it back, you’re going to have to find a way to fireproof yourself.”  Fifteen years was too long.

I watched Miranda plop down into a chair and throw her arms up.   

Steen still held me close as we teleported away.  We came through in deep shadows and I immediately moved us into the in-between where only shadow walkers could detect us.  We knew that probably only a few existed. 

I looked around and saw that we were not noticed. 

“Are you focused Steen?” 

“Yes, and remind me to show you how insatiable I really am.”  He laughed.

I held his hand and moved to the place shown on the map where the boulders and the wall met.  It would be a good place to sit and assess the situation.  Steen was not able to see through to the Prime as I was so I drew out a map in the dirt.

“There are fifteen undead, probably elite guards, the best the lich has.  In addition to whomever he has in there at his side.  When he came to the forest, he had a few mages and a sorceress.  Plus these guys here.”  I pointed at the undead in the courtyard.  Four of these had held my father down while Alyssanna was tortured and killed.  I wondered if they were the same ones.

  I looked at the crossbow on his hip.  “How fast are you with that?”  I pointed at it.

“Very, are we going to try and take all of them alone?” he asked.

“If we come through and fire a few rounds then go back to the in-between, it will call out his shadow walkers and separate them from the lich.  It will make him more vulnerable.”
                “  I like that plan.”

“We keep on the undead here till the walkers come, ready?”  I pulled my bow and prepared an arrow.  Steen loaded his crossbow as I set my leg to touch his so we could travel together in and out of the shadow.

“On three, one…two…three.”  We were in the shadow firing at the undead.  Steen was the fastest crossbowman I had ever seen.  His crossbow was enchanted, which he had failed to tell me.  Five of the fifteen fell before I pulled us back to the in-between.  I could see the chaos in the courtyard.  They did not know where to look for us.  They must have assumed that we would not stay where we were.  I described all I saw to Steen and continued to mark their position on the dirt map.  Five of the remaining ones moved to the front gate and the other five were at the doors that presumably held the lich’s chambers.

My attention was drawn to the main gates as they burst open. 

“Shadow walker,” Steen yelled as the gruesome fiend stepped into the in-between.  The dark knight looked straight at me and stepped back into shadow.  He lumbered toward us as he pulled his sword.  The broadsword was the same as the one Miranda used.  He pulled three of the undead into the in-between with him as he walked toward us.

“I’ll take the knight, you take the undead,” I yelled.

He looked at me to argue but I was already leaping onto the rocks and firing arrows at the knight.  Two arrows struck his armor.  He was getting closer.  I jumped and switched weapons in mid air, a tactic my father taught me decades ago.  I had practiced the maneuver until I was able to do it perfectly.  Flames engulfed my sword and empty hand.  I launched the fireball and formed another before landing in front of the undead knight.  The arrows burned hotter than I had ever seen but had not penetrated past his armor.  He pulled off the flaming chest piece.  The sight made me nauseous.  Underneath the armor was thick rotting flesh and gnarled bones.  He slammed into me with the broadsword but my armor held, but my ribs protested.  I heard one or two of them crack under protest, as I went to my knees.  The view was not pleasant.  The knight’s disgusting insides were three feet from my face. 

Perfect distance for a fireball, I thought to myself as I launched one into his open chest.  He came down on my shoulder as I pushed him back with the fireball.

                He screamed in horror as he realized his last death was imminent.  I got to my feet and stepped back.  I felt the fire in him and encouraged it to burst forth as I took another step back.  He exploded with fire.  I leaped back onto the boulders as Steen was dropping the last of the undead.

                “There are seven left, do you think we can take them?”

                “Yes,” he said as he loaded his crossbow.

                His once silvery gray armor was glowing blood red.  He was worked up.

                “Bloodlust?”  I asked.

                “Just a little.”  He had a look of invincibility about him.  His armor was feeding his lust for death.  I wondered where this group of adventurers got all of their enchanted things.  They were hard to come by where I was from.

                “Let’s go,” I yelled as I pulled Steen back into Shadow.

                We put down five more before the last two were on top of us.  We pulled our swords in a bizarre tandem battle ballet and rushed the last two.  The flames on my sword did more damage than the sword itself.  Fire was the greatest foe of the undead; you cannot bring anything back from ash.  No third lives or fourth lives, this was it.

                I threw fireballs at all the undead bodies in the courtyard as we walked to the lich’s chamber doors. 

“Let them all burn,” I said to Steen.  I reached down and took the knight’s broadsword.

                There was no more resistance in Shadow.  I wondered if the lich thought that his knight was that good or if he had been careless. 

“There’s nobody else here.  I know he has a team out looking for me, maybe we got lucky,” I said to Steen. 

                “They’re probably with the lich or out on patrols.  Rest assured though, he knows we’re here now, we’ll have a fight on our hands.”

                “You’re right about that,” I agreed as we entered the final set of double doors and saw the lich with his best at his side.  I grabbed Steen and went into half shadow.  The lich stood in the center of the room with a mage on his right and another dark knight on his left.              

                “There are only three of them,” Steen said.

                “There might as well be a hundred.  Two mages and a death knight?  The lich is a necromancer, I don’t know about the mage but---

                “Crimson Steele!  It’s been a long time.  Come out and let me gaze upon your beautiful form.”

                I shuddered at the sound of the lich’s voice.

                “What’s wrong?”  Steen put his hand on my shoulder and I winced at the pain.

                I pushed his hand off my shoulder and stretched it.  I healed fast but it still hurt pretty badly. 

“He is asking me to come out.”

                “Sorry about the shoulder, can he see us?” 

                “No, he’s as blind to us as you are to him.  The knight isn’t a shadow walker; would have been on us already if he were.”  I led Steen to a corner. 

                “The mage just cast a shield around the lich and he’s casting darkness around them.  I can’t see anything.”

                “We have to take them before another shadow walker comes.”  Steen was getting impatient.  “How do we kill him?”

                “Did you see that giant sphere behind him?”

                “Yes, what about it?” 

                “It holds his essence.  His life is linked to it, if we destroy it, he’ll die.”  The giant sphere was three feet across and solid black.  It radiated with ancient death magic.

  “If we don’t discharge it first, it’ll destroy everything within fifty miles or more.  We can’t release all that magic at once without killing ourselves.”  Steen was right but I ignored the warning.  I knew the dangers, and I knew I would probably die here today.

“Do you still have the ring?”

                He held his hand out.

                “I’m taking you back to the Prime.  You’ll only have a split second to use it,” I said taking his hand.

                He reached out and touched my hair.  “No Crimson, don’t do this.”

                “I hope we meet again some day Steen, give this to Miranda.”  I handed him the broadsword and sent him back into the Prime without a second thought.

                I could hear the lich laughing in the darkness.  I set an arrow in the in-between and slipped in and out of the Prime, releasing my arrow toward the laughing lich.  I was back in the in-between before my arrow struck the mage.  He screamed in agony. 

                Damnit I missed, I said to myself.

                “Find her!” the lich yelled.

The mage lit the area around him by a few feet.  The magical darkness was dense.  I could not see anything.

                He laughed.  “Crimson, come to me.  Take my hand and be my lover.  I promise not to be gentle.” 

I almost threw up at the mental picture he had painted.

“We could become invincible together.” 

I listened to him talk but tried not to hear the words.  I circled around the back of the lich and stayed close to the wall.  I was not completely sure I was in place.  The darkness was disorienting. 

“Crimson, join me or join your sister.”  He paused for a moment.  “Ahh, your sister, she was lovely.  I can still taste her blood on my lips.  I can still feel her writhe under me.”  He laughed.  “The choice is yours, join her in her grave, or join me in my bed.”

Fire moved from my sword and up my arm.  I did not do it on purpose.  I couldn’t control it.  I was losing control.  The anger was taking over.  “Focus Crimson, don’t listen to the bastard,” I whispered aloud.

“Crimson I want you.  I should have had you fifteen years ago.  Why did you go?”

Focus, I heard my father’s voice, focus the energy, take the fire, and store it in that place I told you about.  Keep it locked up tight until you need it.

Well, I think I need it now, and it knows.  It was struggling to get out.  I backed up to the wall.  I thought I was in place.  The mage was on the floor writhing in pain.  The lich obviously didn’t care enough to put out the fire.  I sheathed my sword, pulled my bow, set an arrow, and let it sing.  The knight lit up.  He pulled his bastard sword and moved around to fight.  I had my bow away and sword out in one fluid movement.

“I want her alive!” yelled the lich.

First mistake, I thought to myself. 

I felt the flat of the knight’s blade hit my temple.  I fell into the in-between holding my head.  Blood flowed from the wound.  I got to my feet and shook off a dizzy spell.  The flame on the knight was almost out.  He was faster than the first; I saw why the lich had him at his side.  I readied my sword and came back through to Shadow.  I swung my blade and hit the knight in the shoulder as he swiped at my leg.  He hit the same spot Miranda had opened up a couple of days earlier.  He noticed me wince.  The sword he carried was big and bulky but he was strong enough to wield it one handed.

“Crimson yield and I’ll have my knight spare your life,” the lich said from the darkness. 

“Do you think I care about my life?  You took all I loved and I demand justice!”  I yelled.

The knight swung his blade overhead.  I pushed my hand into his chest as I formed an arrow.  The flaming rod imbedded itself halfway into his chest.  He gasped.  His sword didn’t follow through.  At that moment, I realized I was not dealing with an undead knight.  This man was as real as I was.  I took my burning sword and found a chink in his armor.  I knew how it would burn.  I‘d felt it inside of myself once before.  I was angry and had no mercy left in my soul.  I pushed the blade into him, slowly.  I reached up and pulled his helmet off so I could see his eyes.  I wanted to see him suffer.  His long white hair trailed down over his black armor.  He was handsome and his amber eyes caught me off guard.  They were beautiful.  Curious, I thought to myself.  They contained evil but it was only superficial.  I could not look deeper; I had no mercy for him, no compassion.  I slowly pushed my sword deeper into the knight; I could see his pain and took pleasure in it.  He dropped the useless blade; he had no strength left to wield it.  He gripped the edge of my armor and tried to speak.

“Forgive…me,” he whispered as he fell to his knees, taking me with him.  I dared to look deeper into his eyes.  Repentance, penance, fear.  He wanted absolution.  I pulled my blade and quenched its flames.  Something about him seemed familiar.  I had met this man before, I was sure of it, but I would have remembered such evil.

“If you live, I’ll see you again knight.”  I guess there was mercy in my heart after all.  I could not kill a person begging for forgiveness.  I pulled him into the Prime.  It was crawling with undead.  He let go of my armor as a hundred undead charged me.

He put his bloodied hand on my face.  “I am Morbius…we’ll meet again…Phoenix.” 

                I was back in Shadow before the undead reached me. 

                The lich knew I was near.  I needed to get him talking.  I was out of time and was only going to get one shot.  My head was spinning from the head blow and was not sure where the sphere was.  I pulled my bow making sure he heard me.

                “Ahh your back, did you have fun with my dark Avatar?”

                Great, an Avatar, what did I just get myself into, I thought.

                “Your father’s pain was exquisite.  I enjoyed hearing him scream for his daughters as we tortured him.”

                He knew how to pick his words, how to hurt me and draw me out.

                “Where are you?”  I yelled as I pulled my string back.  Keep talking, I said to myself.

                “You’ll learn to love me.  You’ll scream in pain every night and enjoy every second of it.”

                I let my arrow form and let go.  The lich lit the room up like a thousand candles.

I underestimated my distance and was too far from the artifact.  He stood between it and me.  I rushed the monster before he had a chance to attack.  I switched weapons and thrust with my sword.  The flaming lich moved aside without effort and pushed me aside.  I landed next to the glowing artifact. 

                “Mistake number two,” I said getting to my feet and coming down on the artifact like a hammer on glass.

                “No!” he yelled as I swung again.

                I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but darkness.  Cracks started to form in the sphere and I raised my sword a third time.  He reached out, formed a handful of magical darts, and threw them as I came down with all my force, all my fire, and all my hate.  Retribution and vengeance was mine.  The globe shattered into a million slivers of glass.  The shards reminded me of my Obsidian blade as they tore through my armor.  Total bright light engulfed me as I released all my stored up energy. 

                Pain surged through me as the darts penetrated my armor.  I had a sense of motion as if I were being thrown down, falling.  I was blinded by light and pain.  I must be dying, I thought.  I felt strange.  My head was spinning. 

Solid ground finally beneath me, I got to my feet.

 

“Huh, what am I doing?  Where am I?”  I said aloud.  I could not remember anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 24

 

 

 

“What did I do now?”  I thought to myself.  I do not make it a habit of waking up in strange places I have never seen before.  I checked my pack and found the old bottle of Elven wine.  The bottle was still sealed. 

                My memory is fuzzy, but I know I have never been to this place before.    

I‘m not lost; I’ve just misplaced myself, I thought.

                Just focus and think about it, I closed my eyes.

How do I get myself into these situations?  I asked myself.     

This place was revolting.  This was nothing like the White Forest.  The forest was beautiful.  The leaves looked like glimmering silver coins.  Each branch reaching out to welcome me.  When the breeze gently crept through the towering trees, they would sing to me.

                No, this place was not my home.  I looked around and surveyed my surroundings.

The ground was solid where I stood, although a little soggy.  The trees were old and diseased.  They did not sing but I could feel their sorrow.  They wept at their condition.  Parasitic vines and poisonous thorns choked the once beautiful trees.

“This place is disgusting,” I said aloud.  I need to remember how I got here.  Maybe it will shed some light on where ‘here’ is, I thought.

Just close your eyes and focus, I said.  Focus, concentrate.

I vaguely recall fighting something, someone.  My sword was engulfed in flames.  I was hammering on something.

 “The artifact!”  I yelled aloud.  It was all coming back to me.  The artifact shattered.  The Dark One was dead.  I remembered thinking that I was going to die if I struck the sphere.  It held too much ancient magic.  It was too powerful.  To release it all at once would mean certain death for both of us.  It’s worth the risk, I had thought to myself.  His hundred year reign of terror was about to be brought to a finish.  He had destroyed all I loved.

                I fell to my knees as the memories flooded back to me. 

“Father!  Alyssanna!  No!”  I yelled. 

They were gone, all gone.  My family was not coming back.

I don’t want these memories.  Take them away, please, I cried.

My father called out for us, and begged the Dark One to spare his daughters as he was dragged away.  When he knew the monster was not going to show mercy to us, he begged for our quick merciful death. 

His voice is still clear in my mind.  “NO!  Alyssanna!  Crimson!  Please no!” he cried. 

I can’t bear these memories.  The pain in my heart would lessen in time but the wound would never heal. 

I remember now.  I remember everything, and I wished to forget it all again.

Focus Crimson…focus.  I am Master Crimson Steele…daughter of…Arridor Steele of the White Forest, I tried to say between sobs.

I was grieving for my loss as if it had been yesterday.  Over fifteen years had passed since that heartbreaking day.  How could I forget something so important?  It’s all I have thought about for so many years.

The artifact, I said.  It must have hurt my head, and Morbius’ sword did not help either. 

I reached up and touched a sore spot on my temple where the dark Avatar had slammed his blade.  I could feel dried blood and a large wound covered in swamp muck.  It had stopped bleeding but it hurt like hell. 

More old memories came rushing to me.  Memories of my father brushing my hair.  He said it looked like doves feathers.  He called me Crimson, the color of fire.  He said I was just as untamable and unyielding. 

It was not long after my arrival in the White Forest that I discovered my ability to control fire.  It was second nature to me.  My Father had named me well.

Oh, Father, I whispered.  I longed for his loving embrace.

The rage started to renew itself.  The rage my Father had taught me to control.  It started to build with the onslaught of old memories renewed in my mind.

Control Crimson, control.  Draw in the rage and put it away, I thought to myself.

I took control over the rage for now.

I took a deep breath and pushed it all back.  I knew it would revisit itself upon me in my dreams.  Every night for fifteen years, I have had nightmares of that day.  It would take a lifetime to erase them.  I feared that lifetime would never end.  I put the sorrow away and came back to the present.

Alright, I’m alive, and I have lost my mind, slightly, I said, touching the wound on my temple.

I reached back and touched the familiar form on my back.  I pulled the bow and looked at it.  Still with us, I see, I said with a sigh of relief.

It glimmered with the ever-present red glow.  I ran my hand over the sleek black obsidian.  It was smooth and lustrous.  Do you have any idea where we are?  I asked the bow.  I didn’t expect an answer.  I just needed to hear a familiar voice, even if it was my own.

This place is disgusting, I spoke to the bow again.  I have never been in a swamp, but this is what I imagined one would look like.  Pools of disgusting stagnant water stretched as far as I could see.

  I sensed movement and looked over my right shoulder.  A large ugly frog stared back at me with its bulging eyes.  His skin, gnarled, rough and the palest shade of green.

“Keep staring at me and you just might become dinner.  Although I might not want to taste you the second time,” I said realizing I had not eaten in over two days and my stomach was in knots.  When you pack for battle, you don’t have a lot of room for rations.  I looked through my pack.

I had two strips of something-jerky and a few sips of water.  I needed to find somewhere to restock.  I knew which way to go to get home, but had no idea where I was.  No idea where the nearest town was.

I need to get out of here, I said aloud, scaring the unsightly frog from its tree.  It jumped and landed in a pool of mucky water and splashed all over me.  I looked down at my once sleek black leather armor.  It was covered in swamp sludge and crusty blood. 

Disgusting!  Frog, you’re dinner!  I yelled.

I set an arrow and aimed at the frog but something caught my eye.

It can’t be, I whispered to myself.

I knew the artifact had been destroyed and my sword with it.

I waded into the muck up to my knees and slowly reached into the swamp sewage.  I grasped the cold obsidian and pulled it from its would-be watery grave.

Yes!  I held it up in a victory pose.

It was long, slick, and deadly.  Beautifully deadly, just like its sister the obsidian bow.  I held the Sword of the Obsidian Phoenix.

 I should have had more faith in you, I spoke to the sword.

 I need to get back home.  I need to start to rebuild my life, I thought to myself.  What kind of life would I live without my family?  I thought of my father and Alyssanna and the last time I saw them both under more pleasant circumstances.

Father was sending me away with Trevin.  He wanted to protect me from the Dark One.  He knew I was not ready to face the monster.  He told me he loved me and sent me away.  Alyssanna had told me she would be getting married when I returned.  I remember the love in her eyes when she hugged me goodbye.

That was the last hug I would ever get from my sister.  I left that day not knowing what pain and heartache our next reunion would bring.