They Were Born Upon Ashes (14 page)

***

The sun was up but not much of it made it to the ground of the campsite. They were essentially living in the mountain’s shadow. It was silent and calm as Nick opened his eyes. The king’s men were nearby sitting along the wall of the mountain. Nick walked over towards them as Penny continued to sleep peacefully.

“I say we just find Vicon and kill him,” said Tyler.

“It’s not that simple. He is well protected and he has a dragon. Need I remind you?” said Ron.

“Our first priority is to keep these men, women, and children safe,” said Jeffrey. “These next few months will be harsh but as long as we can hunt, gather water and fire wood, and keep morale up we should be able to make it.”

“Then after winter, what will be the plan?” asked Dani.

“During winter we must make every capable body into a soldier,” said Jeffrey. “After winter we make for Genold City. We have one thing that their army will never have and that is the heart of battle. We will have a small army that is fighting for a single cause. Fighting for one goal. We will be a united force and that is something the six could never devise. Their plan is to create an army to defeat us off of a stunt they pulled which killed innocent lives. That is the only means they have to unite an army. We train this army to be as good as we are, then we will be victorious.”

“Food will be scarce, though, boss,” said Tyler. “Hunting in the north during winter is like gambling in a game of cards. Only we will be gambling with our lives. We will need a good caloric intake to maintain the rigorous training it takes to turn this bunch into fighters like Tyler.”

“We want them to be the best of the king’s men, Tyler,” said Ron. “You are simply the first step.”

“You will be the first step considering how short and tiny you are,” said Tyler.

A few of the men laughed at the comments, the first smiles Nick had seen in a while.

“We should count on more men joining us soon,” said Nick. “If they plan on taking each city we should expect to see our numbers grow exponentially so long as word travels of where we are and what our cause is.”

“I agree,” said Jeffrey. “Word will travel and our numbers will most definitely grow. I just hope that those men who join our camp do not have sinister intentions. We really do not know who these people are. As long as their hearts are pure then we will have an army that can contend against theirs. The only problem deals with their dragons.”

“The dragons are one thing,” said Dani. “They are basically immune to our attacks. The other problem lies in the fact that their army will be full of supreme Rezas. One supreme can take on a dozen Paplon and Reza. So with our small numbers, lack of dragons, and minuscule powers, I fail to see how we can contend against their army. A united army can only do so much.”

“So what do you think we should do, Dani?” asked Ron. “Simply live out here for the rest of our lives while they destroy Hentrio? I’d rather die fighting for what’s right with the odds stacked against me than hide in the shadows of some mountain.”

“Could we let more Rezas become supreme?” asked Nick.

“It is a possibility,” said Jeffrey. “However, I don’t think you understand how risky it would be. For every five Rezas who go through it I estimate one will die. The question lies in whether their deaths pay for the slight increase in power that supremes possess. Needless to say, that would also defeat the purpose of a united army. Innocent lives should not be lost during training or before a war.”

After the speech the crew went quiet. There were still options to weigh but Jeffrey’s seemed to be the most realistic for the time being.

Jeffrey instructed the king’s men on how he wanted them to coordinate the group setting up camp. The width of the canyon was about thirty feet wide. Jeffrey wanted twenty-five feet of rocks across the canyon stacked about eight feet high. One wall on the south end would be made and then two hundred feet north up the canyon a second wall would be made. This would help alleviate the cold breeze that would normally flow through the north bend. The large boulder that was stuck above the camp site stretched about the whole two hundred feet that the camp needed.

The thousands went to work. Some walked around and gathered up all the good sized rocks that were scattered along the ground everywhere while the rest stacked the rocks at the wall.

The camp was made within three hours. The days were no longer as hot as they once were thankfully. Everyone had put in a good amount of work.

The rest of the day consisted of relaxing and regaining strength as instructed by Jeffrey. He knew that food was scarce but that hunting should be done tomorrow. He did not wish to see anyone collapse out of exhaustion.

***

The next day Nick woke up to Jeffrey, Dani, Ron, Tyler, and Jacob walking into camp with an array of rabbits, deer, and even a wolf. Hunting was still sufficient as the days to winter came nearer. The wildlife was on the prowl themselves in search of big meals before hibernation.

Another man came from the southern wall of rock. As Nick fixated his eyes upon the man he immediately recognized him. It was Phillip Denize.

“Phillip!” screamed Nick as he ran over to his friend.

Nick hugged his friend with a big smile across his face.

“My friend, how are you?” asked Phillip.

“I am good, my friend, and you?”

“Ah, you take me as a friend now,” said Phillip with a chuckle. “I am better than I have ever been, Nick. How did you get me out of that forsaken prison?”

“I had met new friends with the ability to do so,” said Nick. “You saved my life when I was in the arena. You taught me how to survive. I had to repay you somehow.”

Phillip hugged his friend once more. Tears ran down his face as he thanked the young man for the gift of life.

“I must thank your friends as well,” said Phillip. “Where are they?”

“They are right over there,” said Nick as he pointed at the king’s men and the Tarrax brothers. “You can thank them, but do you know what has happened in the past week?”

“I had first heard the rumors within the cells of the Vincot Arena, and when I got out I learned that the rumors were unfortunately true. Our king is dead and a new king has risen in his place. One who thinks a proper rule consists of letting the worst kinds of murderers walk the streets. Genold City is under his rule.”

“Genold City is and now Ralton is,” said Nick. “I am working with the king’s men. If you wish and if you prove yourself, you can work with them, too. If you do not wish, that it is quite alright. I did not free you to ask you to be a part of our army. I helped to free you because you deserved to live and die as a free man, not on the sands of the arena.”

“I wish to do whatever I can to help,” said Phillip. “First I must thank your friends, then I will do whatever they need.”

Nick walked Phillip over to the king’s men. He introduced Phillip to them and explained how important he was to the very fact that Nick was standing in front of them alive. Phillip went around the circle thanking them for his freedom. Their expressions were less than savory. They had all had so much on their minds and a depressing week. They did not care to show too much excitement in greeting Nick’s friend. Nonetheless, Phillip did not take offense and only offered his help in any way he could. Jeffrey took his offer well and had him and Nick go to gather wood up north at the forest near the edge of the mountain. It was a mile hike both ways to get through the north bend from where the camp was set up.

There was no chaining Phillip like an animal or taking his weapon from him. Nick was pleased with how the group reacted to the arrival of his friend. Every capable hand was needed in the dire times ahead.

Andrew took the opportunity to offer to help Nick practice his last power of being a supreme Reza. Nick graciously accepted the offer. The three men each put on a large sack made of intertwining leaves for gathering wood and they began the hike to the forest.

The north bend wound left and right while the canyon grew smaller then larger in width in various spots. Nick could not help but appreciate the beauty he found within the north bend. Just the thousands of year old majestic mountain. The walls of the canyon were sculpted by the wind in wavy and circular lines. When he looked up the walls of the mountain reached an incredible height. He felt it was truly beautiful. He was thankful that his friend was by his side and had made it to camp safely.

During the walk Andrew took the time to explain to Phillip what a supreme Reza was. Phillip was completely unaware of the hidden powers a Reza possessed. Nick told Phillip of his experiences thus far, which included his dream-like transformation and the actual physical steps it took to hone in on the power within.

Finally, the canyon gave way to the land of the north; Terrel was a land that was twice as big as all of Hentrio was. The two major differences between the two lands was that there was only one city in Terrel, and that city housed humans as the majority while Rezas and Paplon were a very insignificant minority. Terrel was much less green than Hentrio was. It was a mixture of a bone dry desert with numerous rocky mountains that sprouted in every direction. The landscape was less forgiving than that of Hentrio. The only green type of landscape in Terrel was found where the three men traveled. The Alton Forest was at the base of the mountain fed with the running water from the top of the mountain. Beyond the Alton Forest there was nothing but the harsh landscape where hunting and survival in general were slim to none.

The three men walked down a rocky path that sprouted from the canyon and walked into the green lively forest. Nick had become accustomed to bugs buzzing, birds singing, animals roaring, and leaves being rustled by the wind in the distance. Phillip, on the other hand, was not in a comfortable state as he walked into the forest with the two men. He was on edge with his hand placed by his side ready to unsheathe his sword. Phillip had heard the tales of the massive beasts that roamed the forests near the mountains. The people of Hentrio were not at the top of the food chain.

Andrew picked a spot where Nick could finally learn the last ability given to a supreme Reza. A giant tree had fallen to the ground and given way to an open area where Nick could practice.

“This is my favorite one,” said Andrew.

“Do I simply place my hands on the earth like I did when I experienced the three tests?”

“That is the fist step, yes,” said Andrew. “Do you know what lies beneath our feet?”

“Dirt,” said Nick.

“And you, Phillip?” asked Andrew.

“Rock,” replied Phillip.

“Incorrect,” said Andrew. “Fire lies beneath us. It is not directly beneath us. A ball of fire bigger than you could imagine rests a good way down through the ground and is the final piece to a supreme Reza.”

“I thought the fire I released through the land in my test was from my hands,” said Nick.

“The fire is what holds this land together,” replied Andrew. “As a supreme we are able to connect with the land. Connect with nature. The land allows us to use its most delicate and deadly force in order to aid us in battle. The fire is conjured and directed from the very heart of everything we know and love. It’s a power that should never be taken for granted or taken advantage of.”

“That is truly beautiful,” said Nick as he lowered himself down into a crouched position and placed his hands on the ground. “What do I do now?”

“Close your eyes and connect with Mother Nature.”

Nick closed his eyes. He saw nothing but blackness.

“Wait and feel the heat,” said Andrew. “See the fire. Create a path from the fire like a vein from the heart. See it weave and wind as it comes towards you. Once it is close enough, direct it towards your target. Use your eyes and the power of your mind to launch the fire wherever you so desire.”

Nick did every step as Andrew said it. He saw beauty. It was darkness that a ball of flames lit up. The tiniest of cracks was unleashed and created by Nick as he directed the flame towards his feet. He could see himself as he became the tip of the flame. He was like a worm flowing through the ground finding its way to fresh air. Within seconds the flame was ready to be directed. Nick opened his eyes and kept them concentrated on the barren empty patch of dirt a mere twenty feet from the men. The ground roared and trembled as a tower of fire shot up some thirty feet in the air. The flame danced and spouted through the ground for fifteen seconds before subsiding.

“You are the fastest learner, my friend,” said Andrew with a large smile on his face. “Come, let’s see what you created.”

The three men walked over to the newly formed crevice in the land. It was still blazing hot with flames dancing around it. The hole was about five feet in diameter and went down into a dark abyss to the center of the land.

“If you ever want to hide something forever, this is the place,” said Phillip.

“That felt incredible,” said Nick. “It was as if I became a part of the fire for a few seconds. In fact, it was as if I became a part of the amazing land we live on.”

“It is special,” said Andrew. “However, it is devastatingly destructive as well. A well timed and targeted attack like that could easily take out ten good men. The heat surrounding the blast would catch men five feet away on fire.”

“It takes a minute to conjure as well so you would have to be out of sight,” said Nick.

“Well, the better you get at it the faster it can be done,” said Andrew. “The fastest I’ve seen was done by our friend Jeffrey. He could do the attack in about ten seconds. It took you nearly two minutes. Practice all of your attacks consistently and in a safe environment, of course. Then you, too, can become one of the greats. I see it in you, Nick.”

“I’ve been telling Nick that I’ve seen something in him for a while now,” said Phillip. “I think he is finally coming to accept the idea. One day he may accept the fact.”

“How far can the attack reach?” asked Nick.

“As far as your eyes and mind will let you,” said Andrew. “It is the invisible bow and arrow conjured upon unsuspecting enemies.”

“Have you ever had to use this power against enemies?” asked Nick.