Firefly

Here’s another little story for ya’ll. Today I reached 35,000 words on the book, so it’s getting closer and closer and closer and closer. So exciting. I woke up the other night with another idea for a book, but unfortunately it;s going to have to wait until after the God’s and Children series is complete. For now, here’s a little teaser.

As always, I didn’t do any spell checking, proofreading, or anything of the sort… lame, I know. I’ll try and come back later and make corrections, but for now this will just have to do. If you get the opportunity, make sure you get out and see the eclipse tonight. Supposed to be really neato super awesome cool.

Firefly

     Tilion knelt beside an outcropping of boulders to shield himself from the piercing cold sweeping alongside the mountain. Clutching the amulet around his neck with his left hand, the old sorcerer mumbled a few words as he closed his eyes to the howling wind. The ice clinging to the sides of his beard melted as the warm water trickled down the side of his neck.

His body warmed the air around him as blood flowed back into his fingers and toes. Looking towards the crest of the mountain, the lights of the Air Citadel flickering in the night sky blended into the blanket of stars lying far above.

Theron would have felt him use the Skivrim. It was just a matter of time now. Closing his mind, Tilion continued his lonely journey up the winding cliff side.

The Moon was sitting high in the sky, casting long shadows as Tilion crested the mountain. Steam rippled from his shoulders as he stared up at the Air Citadel floating hundreds of feat overhead.

Flames erupted from the palms of his hands, enveloping him in a blazing inferno. Basking in the heat for a moment, Tilion suddenly shot into the air like a fiery comet. Bright light filled the night sky as Tilion arced towards the Air Citadel. Aiming himself towards a patch of stone on the outer perimeter of the compound, Tilion slowed his descent. Red and orange flames lapped at the icy air around him as he gently landed in the clearing.

“Old friend.” Geman, clad in a white robe, stood before him as the flames died down. “I did not know you were coming. What brings you to these great heights?”

“Troubled times, I’m afraid.” Tilion felt the bone and corded muscle beneath the man’s robe as he took Geman in his arms. “Lorell is dead.”

Geman took a step back, his lips hanging open behind his great white beard. “How?”

“Theron killed him.” A flush of anger swept over Tilion as he said the words. “He has the Ganla and Leance, no. I didn’t dare use the Skivrim ‘til I was closer.”

Geman’s hand trembled as he clutched the white stoned amulet hanging from his neck. “So young,” Tears trickled down the side of Geman’s face as he looked to the stars. “So ambitious.”
“We don’t have much time.” Tilion looked over the edge of the floating compound. The white blanketed mountain swirled in the darkness below them. “He wants them all.”

“Come.” Geman said walking towards the pavilion. “You’ve had a long journey, and you must rest.”

On the far horizon, Tilion saw a blue and green ball streaking across the sky.

I see you, old friend. Tilion thought as he turned to follow Geman.

********

The fire cast long shadows on the ceiling. Tilion lay in the straw bed, watching the figures dance and sway to the crackle of the fire. It had been nearly two hundred years since the Ganla was passed down to Theron. Dominion over the Earth wasn’t enough for the selfish youth, it seemed. Now he sought the power of all the elements. With the Leance now in his possession, he was halfway there. Only the Skivrim and Malion stood between him and absolute domination.

Tilion took a deep breath, trying to relax the ball of knots in his stomach. I have failed my duties as protector and guardian of the four elements, but I will not allow him to have the Skivrim.

Sitting up, Tilion felt the familiar tingling sensation in the base of his skull.

 

He is here.

Rising from the bed, Tilion held a palm to the fire. The flames leapt into his hand, making his blood boil as the heat ran up his arm. The blood red jewel of the Skivrim grew warm as it drank in the flames.

Orange and pink light danced across the sky swirled with white clouds on the horizon. From his window in the tower that overlooked the world, Tilion could see the morning Sun cascading over the dark blue water of the ocean.

A green sphere trailed by a tail of blue came crashing down on the Air Citadel. Trees, thousands of years old, strained against the rush of air propelled in all directions from the force of the impact.

     He is here. Tilion sent the message in his mind to Geman, as he descended the narrow stairs of the tower.

***********

“Brothers,” Theron said holding his arms wide as Tilion and Geman emerged from the Air Citadel pavilion. “I did not realize we were convening.”

“You are no Brother of ours, Theron.” Tilion clenched his fists into tight balls as he saw the sparkling blue amulet of the Leance hanging loosely from the man’s neck. “You have betrayed everything you swore to protect.”

“Swore to who?” Theron’s long green cloak made the sound of leaves blowing in the breeze as it slid across the cold marble ground. “To the Gods?” his green eyes flashed in the early morning light. “No, my friends, I have not broken an oath to anything more than a dream, a wish. We are the God’s, and I tire of serving those who do not exist.”

“Spoken like a child.” Geman’s staff fell heavy like a hammer on an anvil as he stepped forward. “There is no forgiveness for what you have done.” He said pointing a finger gnarled with age.

Theron lifted his head to sky as he shook his dark black hair. “I did not come here for your forgiveness.” The air filled with the hiss of metal on leather as he pulled his sword from its sheath. The blade drank in the light around it like a forest with an impenetrable canopy as he pointed the blade at the Geman. “I’ve come for that.”

“I would die sooner than let you have the Malion.” Geman’s silver eyes flashed in defiance.

“That’s what I figured.” Theron dropped to his knee as he struck the ground with his blade. A tremor split through the marble stone as it streaked towards the old man. Geman planted his staff into the ground as he took a step forward; a rush of wind billowing under him propelled him into the air.

A surge of adrenaline shot through Tilion’s veins. Time seemed to slow as he watched a stream of water shoot from Theron’s hand as he leapt into the air to intercept Geman. Pulling the whip from his side, he swung it overhead as his body erupted in flames. Throwing his arm forward, the whip shattered the air with an explosion of thunder. The flames grabbed greedily at Theron’s leg, as Tilion yanked the man back to the ground.

The air filled with the scent of burning flesh as Theron let out a howl of pain. A spray of water from his palm extinguished the flame as he hacked through the whip with his blade. Theron twisted to the side as Geman brought his staff crashing down. A wall of earth rose in front of Tilion as Theron placed a palm against the ground.

Wind rushed past Tilion’s face as he took the air in a blaze. Arcing high above the wall, he saw Geman spinning and thrusting his staff towards Theron’s face. The morning air rang with the clash of metal as Theron deflected and parried the blows with his green blade.

Tilion’s sword burned blood red as he pulled it from its sheath. The air exploded behind him as he descended like a hawk upon its prey. Theron shot himself backwards with a spray of water from his palm as Tilion collided with the ground in a great burst of fire.

Thousands of feet of air pulled at Theron’s cape as he teetered on the edge of the floating compound. Geman cut through the flames licking at the sky above Tilion with a burst of air as hurtled towards Theron. A ring of ice spread as Theron placed a palm against the ground.

Geman’s feet skittered out from underneath him as he landed on the ice. A bolt of fear shot down Tilion’s spine as he launched himself across the compound in a fireball. Sliding towards the edge, Geman flailed uselessly against the frictionless surface.

A prison of roots ensnared Geman’s arms and legs as Theron slammed his green blade into the ground. The blast of heat Tilion sent towards the ice was too late as Geman slid, tangled in roots, off the edge.

“Let’s see if he can fly now.” Theron said as the man fell.

“NOOOOO!” Tilion screamed, the blood rushing to his face, as he watched his friend plummet helplessly towards the mountain. If Geman had made a sound as he fell, Tilion could not hear it over the sound of his own heart hammering in his chest.

“Hm… that’s too bad.” Theron lips parted to reveal a twisted smile as he walked casually to Tilion.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself to no avail. With a cry of frustration, the Master of Fire lunged towards Theron. Tilion’s red blade was a blur as he brought it crashing down again and again on Theron. Grinding his teeth together, Tilion ignored the spikes of pain numbing his arm as the swords met.

Breathing hard from his flurry of blows, Tilion’s attack slowed as Theron continued dancing and parrying.

“Not getting tired already are you, Old Man?” Theron mocked.

“You will not have the Skivrim.” he said through ragged breaths. The sword in his hand becoming heavier as his power drained.

“I believe Geman said something similar, Lorell too, for that matter.” Theron said seeing his opening. Bringing is blade around in a wide arc, Tilion turned to his right to block the attack. Theron lunged forward to Tilion’s undefended left side. The exhausted Master of Fire was too slow bringing his sword back around as Theron grabbed his shoulder.

Cold pierced through his cloak, cutting to the bone as, as ice encased Tillian’s shoulder.

“Almost burns as much as fire, huh?” Theron said ducking underneath Tilian’s sword to the right as he brought it back around lazily. Tilian let out a scream of pain as Theron sliced his green blade across the man’s stomach. Blood dripped from the edge of Theron’s green blade as Tilian collapsed to the ground.

Gasping for air as a fountain of blood poured from his abdomen, Tilian felt the warmth of the Sun, now fully in the sky, raining down on him.

I’ve failed. He thought as Theron knelt to wipe the blood from his blade on Tilian’s red cloak.

Boiling tears ran down his face, as his body began to smolder. Blinding pain seared through Tilian’s body as he clutched the Skivrim at his neck.

“What’s that? You’ll have to speak up.” Theron said kneeling in the pool of Tilian’s blood.

“You will walk this world forever cold.” Blood ran down the side of Tilian’s mouth. “You shall not have fire.”

Summoning the last ounce of his strength, flames enveloped Tilian’s body as a fountain of fire thrust him towards the sky. Streaking into the sky, Tilian fought to maintain consciousness. The air grew thinner as he rose higher, and higher. Struggling to breath, he saw the blackness of space rushing towards him.

Heaviness fell over Tilian’s eyelids as his wound ceased to hurt. His fingers loosened around the Skivrim as he broke free of the planet’s pull. Floating amongst the stars in his final moments of life, a smile parted his lips as he saw the Sun one last time.

*********

“Hurry! I think it’s over here!” the girl said out of breath as she weaved between the tightly knit trees.

“What’s over here?” the boy leaned against a tree as he struggled to regain his breath, his cheeks red from exertion.

The little girl grabbed his hand and pulled him along, “A comet, I think? Yeah, it must be a comet. It had a tail of fire and everything.”

“Arya, if it was a comet we’d all be dead.” The boy said resisting her pull.

“Maybe it was a small comet.” She said releasing her grip to go ahead.

Arya looked at the boy who wore an expression of doubt. It didn’t matter though. It didn’t matter if he believed her. He would have to once he saw it. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might pee her pants with excitement. She was swinging on the play-set her dad had built for her and her brother when they were still little, when she saw it, streaking across the sky… a little fireball… a little comet.

Leaping from the swing, she watched it go down in the woods behind their house. Running inside to grab Wilson, her little brother, she dragged him into the forest.

Now they were almost there, she could feel it. It couldn’t be much further now. As she ran up the side of a short hill, her heart leapt from her chest as she saw the burning trees and large crater in the ground where the object had struck. The hole itself was about twenty feet across she thought as she stepped into the fresh dark dirt that had been uprooted by the impact.

Something was burning in the center of the crater, something small, but something beautiful. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she edged closer to the object.

“Don’t go in there, Arya!” Wilson said standing at the edge of the crater. “It could be dangerous.”

“It’s fine.” She said never tearing her eyes away from the object. The object was burning white hot as she knelt down beside it. The air around her was hot, heavy, and hard to breath.

“What is it?” Wilson said in his high pitched way.

“I dunno.” She said leaning in closer. “It looks like a necklace.”

The End for now

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Anthony