"The Obsidian Phoenix Chapters 6-10" by Ann Baker

THE OBSIDIAN PHOENIX

By Ann Baker

CHAPTER 6

Trevin’s spell of haste and endurance had me at the edge of the village in a few short hours.

 I caught wind of the smell before sighting anything out of the ordinary.  I walked closer and saw smoke fill the air.  There was something familiar about the odor.  A brief memory of my childhood surfaced.  People were screaming and homes were burning.  The smell was the same, burning flesh and blood.  I had vague flashes of a man and woman clad in white.  Our home was burning and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.  I couldn’t let it happen again.

I ran faster through the torched and smoldering forest.  Smoke from burning homes and trees filled the air.  I hid in the shadows of a mighty tree and gave thanks for the cover the forest provided.  Dark robed figures walked through the village.  Bodies littered the ground.  Nobody had been spared.  The outskirts of the village had been decimated.  My home was at the center of the village, which was still almost an hour away. 

You’re running out of time, a voice in my head yelled.

I ran.  If they wanted me, they would have to catch me. 

I approached the center of the village and hid in the shadows.  I knew I had been followed by the shadow dragon, but my only goal was to find my family.

“Alyssanna No!  Please, no, don’t hurt my daughter!”

My heart sank at the sound of my father’s plea.  I peeked around the tree and whished I had never been born into this cruel world.  The horror of what I saw would haunt me forever.

  The lich leaned over my sister with his blade at her throat.  His black robes hung on his skeletal body like a ragged death shroud.  Bits of flesh were stretched across his skull and hands, barely holding his bones together.  The stench of dark magic emanated from his rancid corpse.  She spat in his hideous face but he did not flinch.  He seemed to enjoy Alyssanna struggling under him.

  My father was restrained by four undead, black-robed fiends.  “Alyssanna close your eyes honey.”  I had never seen my father cry before this day.  My heart ached at the anguish in his voice.

“Stop!”  I rushed the lich with my sword drawn.

“Crimson, No!” my father yelled.  “Crimson, Sweetheart you were supposed to be gone!”

“Run!” my father and sister yelled as one.

I was a second from the lich’s throat when pain surged through my body.  I lost my sword and fell to my knees.

Dark magic, I thought to myself. 

I grabbed my chest and gasped for air.  I was in too much pain to respond.  My body wouldn’t react to the urgency of my thoughts.  I opened my eyes.  I knew my father was yelling but I couldn’t hear what he was saying.  The pain was deafening and blinding...all went black.

I woke a minute later, magically, and painfully restrained by a woman with long black hair.  I looked up at her.  The stench of the lich was on her body and in her clothes.  She reeked of death.  I memorized all I could about her.  She wore a sheer robe and underneath only enough to cover her breast and groin.  Her long black boots went past her knees.  Dark magical energy radiated from her.

I looked around and marked the scene in my minds eye so any transition into Shadow would be seamless.  My weapons lay next to the lich on a bench.  Alyssanna was still restrained on the table and father was yelling again.

“No, please spare my daughters!  Please!” 

The evil lich slowly lumbered toward me.  I felt a cold chill wash over my body.  Not an elemental cold, but pure total evil.  The pain in my body abated slightly and I stood.  It took all my will to get to my feet.  He would have to look into my eyes if he wanted to kill me.  

Pain surged through my body again and I fell to one knee.  The woman was enjoying her power over me.  She laughed at the imitation act of obeisance.  The lich moved behind me and pulled my jerkin away with his dirty twisted hand.  With a single bony finger, he lifted my tunic and inspected the birthmark on my back.

“Get your hands…off of me,” I said in a painfully calm voice.

He kicked me hard and I fell to my stomach.  The woman grabbed my hair and held me down as he raked his sharpened nails down my spine.  I was no stranger to pain, but there was no way to describe the agony inflicted by this grotesque monster.  Blood flowed freely down my back.  I yelled, screamed, and cursed the Dark One in silence.  I would not feed his lust for pain or power.  This rage would be stored for later.  I would keep it in a special place just for him and his woman.

“You’re a child, a helpless little child.  You’ll all die.”

The woman was angry and lashed out at the lich. “We came here for nothing?  You know how many we lost penetrating this forest?” 

“Not nearly enough.”  I clenched my jaw as I spoke.  I was approaching my threshold of pain.  I knew I could not take much more.  I could not even use my fire.  I had no focus.

The lich laughed at my response to the woman.  “Your will is strong.  We can use these two for our rituals.  We will gain strength through their defilement.  These two have an amazing will,” he said pointing at Alyssanna and me.

The woman had her foot on my back.  I looked back at her to burn her face into my mind.  I would have my settling of scores.  There was a brand on her thigh.  It was of a crown and two daggers.  She started grinding hard with her spiked boots on my wounds as her dark magic coursed through my body.  Pain coursed through me and I was unconscious again. 

“No!  Not my daughters.  Crimson, Alyssanna!  Please have mercy on my daughters.”

“They’ll make me stronger and satiate my hunger,” he said approaching Alyssanna again.

I knew what he was talking about as much as my father knew.

The lich looked at my father and then to his woman.  “When I’m done with these two, you can take him.  He’s a handsome specimen.  He should last for months, maybe even years if you’re gentle.  He’ll be my bridal gift to you, my love,” he said to her.

She walked over to my father and bent over.  He struggled and tried to get to her but the undead that held him were too strong.  She bent over and kissed him hard, biting his lip.  He spat blood into her face and she licked her lips. 

“Oh yes, he’ll do nicely,” she moaned.  “Take him away.”  She pointed at a nearby house.

I tried to get up but I was still restrained by her magic.  She would pay for her treatment of my father. 

The four monsters pulled my father away.

“No, spare them, take me instead.”  His voice was almost gone.  Quietly he made one last plea, one I wish I had never heard.  “Please let it be quick.” 

I was at the tipping point.  A split second was all I needed for the evil woman to lose focus and release me from my bonds.  I knew I would be able to slip into Shadow if I wasn’t in her death grip. 

Still on my stomach, the woman turned my head and forced me to see Alyssanna.  I did not want to look.

“No!”  I yelled as she forced my eyes open.  Her putrid breath stung my eyes.

 The Dark One had finished raping my sister and his dagger was held high in the air.

“No!”  I screamed as he came down with his blade. 

Alyssanna never woke.  She shut herself down and moved on before her life was taken.  My sister was gone, and at that moment, all mercy and compassion left my soul.  I had only one goal in life.  To see this monster and his dark bride sticking from the end of my sword. 

The lich walked over to me and wiped his bloody blade on my tunic.  I felt the woman’s concentration falter for a split second in some twisted sense of jealousy, and I was gone.

The dragon hovered in Shadow and pulled through the undead as he soared.  I got to my feet and ran to the place where the bench sat in the Prime.  In a split second, I left Shadow, grabbed my blade, bow, and was gone again.  I ran to the house where my father had been dragged. 

The dark magic was deep here.  I felt myself drowning in its putrid air.  The woman had arrived before me.  She had another companion, a mage, waiting in the shadows.  I stood in the in-between where I knew I could not be seen.  I could not touch her here and I knew if I were to step through one of them would have me in a hold before I could take them all out.  I watched the woman approach my father and take a spiked blade from her side.  He was still being held by the four robed figures.  She motioned to the black hooded mage in the corner of the room.  I couldn’t watch this happen.  I stepped out of the in-between and thrust with my sword as woman came down with her blade and the hooded man touched his ring. 

They were gone. 

“Father!”  I yelled and slipped back into Shadow and through the in-between.  They were nowhere.

Teleport, I said to myself.  My father and sister were gone.  I fell to my knees and slammed my fists into the ground. 

I yelled so all could hear, “I will never stop until you are avenged, Father…Alyssanna.”  They would all die, every one of them.

CHAPTER 7

I ran.  I knew I was outnumbered but I also knew I had to find a way to elude the shadow dragon that stalked me.  I had to stay in cover.  If he were in Shadow, I would need to be in the Prime.  I ran until my chest burned and my legs were numb.  My back ached but not as much as my heart.

I ran until I found the place where we had camped the night before.  I fell out of Shadow at Jerrik’s feet.

“Crimson, what happened to you?”  He got to his knees and helped me sit up.  My once white tunic was deep red with my blood. 

I held onto Jerrik and slipped into Shadow. 

“Jerrik.”  I was crying.  He pulled me into his lap.

“Crimson, what happened?”

“The Dark One has destroyed the village.  Alyssanna and my father are dead.” 

He let me go and got to his feet.  “My mother and father!”

“No, Jerrik, all the houses on the outskirts were ransacked and put to the torch.”  I knew he lived there.

“Where were the mages?  How could this happen?”  he exclaimed.

“Dark magic.  He’s a lich Jerrik; the Dark One is a damned lich!  He has a sorceress and mages on his side and teeming numbers of undead and ghouls.  I have a shadow dragon chasing me; we have to get out of here.”

“We have to fight!”  Jerrik answered.

“We’re outnumbered.  We’ll live to fight another day Jerrik, and we will be victorious.  Even the forest has stopped fighting for now.”

He listened and heard nothing.  “Come with me, there’s a small well about five miles to the east.  We can hide out there.”  He helped me up.

I was weak, but steady on my feet for now.

“Can you make it?  Maybe I should carry you.” 

“I’m alright, let’s go.”

I ran the first three miles before passing out.  I woke to almost total darkness; there was a glint of moonlight streaming in from above.  For a moment, I forgot where I was and what I was doing.  Someone was touching my back.  Remembering the lich, I reached for my sword and bow but they were gone.  I sat up too quickly and had to hold onto the cold stone walls to keep from passing out again.    

“Calm down Crimson,” Jerrik whispered in a tired voice.

“Jerrik?”

“Are you alright, I bandaged your wounds as best as I could?”

“No, I don’t think I’ll ever be alright again,” I cried.

 Enough.  I thought to myself.

I took a deep breath and spoke with new resolve.  “Can you see anything?”  The well seemed more like an old mineshaft.  The way in was steep but Jerrik had been able to carry me down. 

“I can see pretty well.  How about you?” he asked.

“My eyesight isn’t as good as yours.  I can make out your silhouette and the whites of your eyes.”

“I’m sorry, Crimson…about Arridor and Alyssanna.”

I closed my eyes.  I would not cry again.  I would not grieve until the Dark One was brought to justice.

“I don’t know if your family lives Jerrik, but I swear to you, I’ll do all I can to help you find them and if necessary exact vengeance upon those who deserve it.”

“I’ll stand by your side,” he said reaching out to me.

“We can’t stay here.  The shadow dragon was following me and it’s only a matter of time before he finds us.  I’m injured but even if I weren’t, I would never face a dragon alone.”

“You aren’t alone.”  I felt his hand touch my shoulder.

“I didn’t mean it that way.  When I mean alone, I mean without a small army.” 

“We have to cross the Northern Plains.  How do we get across without being noticed?”  Jerrik asked.

“In and out of Shadow.”

“We’re going to run across the plains holding hands?”

“If need be.  He passes in or out of Shadow about every hour or so.  If we time it just right we can be out of sight before he even notices we’re gone.”

“Sounds like a plan, our only plan.  We should head for the mountains.  There are caves and crags all over them.  We will have plenty of places to hide there,” Jerrik said.

“I agree.  Are you ready to travel?”

He put his hand on my shoulder.  “Yes, but you aren’t.”

I brushed his hand away.  “I’m fine.”

“Did you forget who tended your wounds?”
“  No, I’ll never forget such kindness.”

“You won’t be able to travel for another day or two.  I don’t see how you made it from the village.”

“I heal fast.”

“Turn around,” he demanded.

I turned around and he lifted my tunic.

“You’re right your wounds have stopped bleeding, but you must still be in terrible pain.”

“I only feel the pain here, Jerrik.”  I put my hand on my heart.  “All the other pain can be blocked out.”  I knew he could see my gesture in the dark.

He took my hand from my heart.  “You saved my life Crimson.”

“We saved each other, no debt is owed.”  I knew he wanted to make a blood oath to me, but it was not necessary.  “Come on, let’s get out of here.”  I pulled him toward the moonlight.

CHAPTER 8

We hid in the forest’s shadows until we reached the edge of the plains.

“We’re out of places to hide.”  Jerrik said.

“Do you need to rest?  The next few hours will probably be spent running,” I asked as I stretched my muscles.  My back is stiff and would slow me down.

“I was going to ask you the same question.” 

“I’ve got a second wind.  I’m good for now.”

We could see the dragon as he made wide circles over the edge of the forest. 

“Go!”  I yelled as the dragon slipped into Shadow.  

We ran as fast as our legs could carry us.  I remembered running with Jerrik two days before.  He was fast and I had a hard time keeping up with him when I wasn’t injured.  Fortunately, he knew my limits and kept pace with me.  We didn’t slow until the ghoul jumped from the tall grass an hour later.

“Jerrik!”  I yelled.  He reached out and grabbed my hand and I pulled him into Shadow.  The terrain was different here and we lost our footing and fell hard.  I felt my wounds reopen as I hit the ground and rolled.

“Jerrik, stay down,” I whispered.  The grass was tall but the dragon was still circling.

He crawled over and lay behind me.  I closed my eyes and focused the pain away. 

“Your wounds have opened up.”

“I know.”  I could feel the blood running down by back. 

“Let me see.”  I let him lift my tunic.

“The scabs have torn open.  I can bandage them again, but you need to rest.  You’ve already lost too much blood.”

“We can’t stop, not for this.  We have to keep going, the dragon is too close.  You’re more camouflaged than I am, peek out and see where he is.”

He nodded and looked through the grass.  “He’s close but we’re not in his circle,” he said as he lay back down behind me.

“He’ll probably be going back into the Prime soon.  When he does, we have to go,” I said.

“I agree, but I’m not sure you’ll make it.  Just keep to the tall grass in case you pass out again.”  I could hear the worry and concern in his voice. 

“He’s gone, let’s go,” I yelled.

We ran for hours before we came to the base of the Red Mountains.  The small valley that led up the mountains was familiar to me.  I would often come to meditate here and I knew we would be safe.

“There’s a small cave just through the pass.  The dragon will not be able to reach us there.  The entrance is narrow,” I said.

CHAPTER 9

We reached the cave as the sun came up.  I crawled through the opening and Jerrik followed.  The small passage opened up and became a large cavern.  I didn’t bother getting to my feet; I knew I had no strength left.  I fell onto my stomach and passed out from exhaustion.

I woke in the rear of the cavern lying next to a small fire.  Jerrik was poking the fire with a stick.

“You’re too heavy to be hauling around you know,” he said.

“Not the best thing to say to a girl you have an eye for Jerrik.”

He looked at me, downhearted and depressed.  “I think that part of my life is over for now.”

I let the subject drop.

“I see you tended to my wounds again.”

“Yes, they’re looking nice,” he paused, “…well, as nice as twelve inch gashes can look on a woman’s back.”

“How are you?”  I wasn’t concerned with myself.

He ignored the question.  “Are you hungry?” 

“Starving.”  Our emotions were frayed; there would be time to talk later.

“I found a couple of rabbits huddled under some rocks.”  He handed me some cooked meat.

“I see you found the firewood and the bedroll.”

“Yeah, did you put them here?”

I nodded.  “I used to come here to meditate.  I always kept some supplies here, but I haven’t been here for a few years.”

“This is yours then?”  He held up a silver necklace.  The pendant was of two hearts, one held the other as it dangled freely.

“I lost that a long time ago.  It was a gift from Alyssanna.”  I closed my eyes as reality slammed into my heart.

Jerrik came closer to me and sat down.  He put the necklace around my neck.  “It’s alright to cry,” he said.

“No, all my tears and anger will stay inside until I can unleash it all upon the evil bastard that killed my family.” 

He started to pull away but I grabbed his arm and looked into his eyes.

“Jerrik.”  I was alone and insecure, I needed him to stay close.  

He tried looking into my eyes.  “I’m sorry.”  He averted his gaze.

“It’s alright.  It took Alyssanna twenty years.”
“  How about Arridor?  How long did it take him?”

“Only a day or two.”

“I know you can see my thoughts and feelings and make me see what my heart really desires, but I can’t look into that place right now.  I’m just not ready, please Crimson.”

“I understand.  At least you realize there will be a day when you should look.  Most walk around their entire lives lying to themselves.  The only way to know who you want to be is to know who you are now.”  I was still holding his arm.  I let go and he relaxed.

“You speak the truth Crimson.”  He paused for a moment.  “Do you mean to tell me that only Arridor and Alyssanna have looked into your eyes?”

“For more than a few seconds, yes, and if nobody ever looks into your eyes you can never have a connection with them.  I have spent the last hundred years with only my father and sister to love me.  A hundred years Jerrik, with nobody but family, and now…now even that’s gone.”

“I would like to someday, but not now, not today.  I can’t deal with this now.”

“I know,” I said lying down on the bedroll.  I held the necklace in my hand.  I had forgotten about this place when I started my sword training years ago.  I scooted over to give Jerrik room.

 “What?”  He moved back.  “You want me to lay down with you?”

 “If it’ll make you feel better, you can have the front.”  

He smiled a little but I didn’t reciprocate. 

He stared at me for a while before getting too tired and giving in.  He lay in front of me and I put my arm around him as he snuggled closer.  We faded off to sleep and my new nightmares took hold.  I feared they would never let go.

CHAPTER 10

I woke up enraged and ready to kill someone for what happened to my family, having relived the nightmare in my dreams.  I felt Jerrik close to me and I started pushing him away.

 He put his hand on my face.  “Crimson it’s me, it’s Jerrik.  Everything’s alright now, it was a dream.  You’re ok.”  His reassurance was not enough.

“You’re hot, do you have a fever?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“It’s alright.”  He was still trying to reassure me.

“No, it’s not.  Not yet, but it will be.  One day….”

He put his arm around me and hugged me, reminding me of the pain in my back as he touched my wounds. 

“Jerrik, don’t.” 

He pulled away.  “I was just trying to comfort you.” 

“No, I’m sore.  My back hurts a little.”

“So you wouldn’t mind if I put my arm around you?  Just for a hug.”

“Maybe later, I need to cool off.  I need to meditate.”

He got up and sat on his knees.  “Roll over onto your stomach.”

“Excuse me?”

“I just want to see your wounds.”  He seemed pleased that I thought he wanted more.

“For future reference, roll over onto your stomach is not a good thing to say to me when I’m angry.”  I rolled over and lifted my tunic.

“You’re almost healed.  Will there be scars?” he asked touching the wounds lightly.

“No.”

“I didn’t think so.  I remember you getting a nasty wound here a few years ago.”  He touched my lower ribs right above the rise of my hip.  “There’s nothing to show for it now.”  He pulled my tunic down and I rolled over.

“I carry my wounds elsewhere.”

“Where would that be?” he asked.

“In here and here.”  I said pointing at my head and heart.  “If you can’t take your hard earned lessons to heart and learn from them, you will repeat them.”

“Do you always talk this way?”

“What way?”
“  With symbolism and metaphor.”

“Only with those who are wise enough to understand.”

“Thank you Master Crimson,” he said. Even thought I carried the title of Master he never used it with me.  I knew what he was thinking.

“I’m not your teacher and you’re not my student.”

“Then whose am I to be?  Until we get back and a new teacher is established, am I to remain untrained?  It could take years to find another teacher half as good as your father.”

“Stop Jerrik, just stop!  Do you think we can talk about something else rather than dwelling on my fathers’ death?  You may be lacking a teacher but my father is gone and I’ll never be able to replace him as you seem so eager to!”  I regretted my outburst immediately.

We sat in silence for a minute before Jerrik could speak.  I am sure if he could have walked away, he would have.

“You should meditate.”  He started packing up some gear to take with us and would not look my way.