Element Wielder (The Void Wielder Trilogy Book 1) (22 page)

“I must say, this is the last place I expected to find you, young holy wielder,” said a male voice Aya had never heard before. The voice sounded calm, too calm.

Faith lips trembled as she whimpered something. Aya was too far away to hear the words, not that she needed to do so. No other being could possibly instill so much fear.

It was Shal-Volcseck.

Chapter 36

Falcon sprinted toward the bright light that had appeared and disappeared in the distance.

His nostrils filled with smoke as he rushed past dozens of burned-out cabins. Flames engulfed some. Others lay in heaps of charred wood.

“Mom!” came a shout from behind.

Falcon turned just as a small girl stumbled out of a burning cabin. Her face was streaked with black ash and her dress torn.

She lifted a thin hand out to him. “Please, help me.”

Falcon ran back, unable to ignore her. “What is it?”

Through tears, the girl struggled to speak. “My…mom…mom is….”

“Calm down,” said Falcon, bending down to meet the girl’s gaze. “What’s your name?”

“B-Bianca, Bianca Alvord.”

“Where’s your mom?”

“She’s trapped in the upstairs room with my sister.” Bianca’s eyes drifted to the emblem on Falcon’s glove. “You’re a void wielder. You can wield water. Please, can you put out the fire?”

Falcon spread his arms. “I had something a little different in mind.”

“Hey, your emblem is turning red, not blue. Why are you wielding more fire?”

“I’m not wielding fire,” said Falcon, attempting to concentrate. He smacked his hands together. The fire that engulfed the home disappeared. Moments later a red-haired woman stumbled out of the house. In her arms she carried a baby girl. They both appeared unharmed.

Satisfied, Falcon took off toward where the light had glimmered.

“Thanks,” he heard Bianca say as he turned the corner onto a long brick road.

He ran until he reached the golden-colored gate to a garden. He searched for signs of Lao or the light, but saw neither.

An unexpected male voice pierced the silence, and a cold chill ran down Falcon’s spine as he realized it was the same voice that had plagued his nightmares since he was a child.

~ ~ ~

Aya’s warmth returned to her neck.
Maybe the poison is wearing off.
She twisted her head, braving a look at the infamous Shal-Volcseck. A black-and-white cloak encased his entire body. Even in person, he remained an enigma.

Volcseck took a step forward. “Fortunately for you, holy wielder, today I’m not here for you. No, taking two elements in such close proximity would prove rather inefficient. I’m here for another element that has eluded my grasp for some time now, but no more.” Volcseck moved to Cidralic’s hollow armor and took it in his grasp. “Today, my ultimate goal takes one more step toward becoming an actuality.”

What use could he possibly have with broken armor?
Just then she remembered the stories. Stories that told of Volcseck’s quest to re-unite all the elements into one essence.
He doesn’t want the armor.

Volsceck ripped the oversized emblem out of the armor. Once in his hands, the emblem shrunk down to a standard size. He walked over to Faith, who had not once let her sight stray from him.

He gripped her right arm. “Don’t think you get off that easy, holy wielder. I
will
come back for you.”

“Get it over with,” said Faith, the fear in her eyes now gone. “Kill me and take the emblem. That is what you want, isn’t it?”

“All in due time, my dear. All in due time.”

“Move away from her!”

Aya turned toward the shout. She found herself staring at her best friend, who was trembling from top to bottom.

~ ~ ~

Falcon’s nostrils flared. He had pictured this day in his mind for half a lifetime. Now it was finally here.

He pulled out his broadsword and lunged. It cut only air.

Volcseck had teleported. He reappeared behind Falcon. “Good form, young warrior. But you pose no threat to me.”

“Shut up! You’re not getting away this time.” Volcseck’s calm demeanor infuriated Falcon
. Does he really think so little of me?

“I’m afraid I have no time to entertain myself with your trivial games. As for you,” said Volcseck, pointing at Faith. “We shall meet again soon.” He waved his hand and disappeared.

“Come back here, you coward!” cried Falcon, swinging his sword at the spot where Volcseck had stood seconds ago. “I’ll get you one day!”

A surge of anger coursed through him. He felt himself changing, transforming into that monster he had become during the trials.

He closed his eyes and tried to think of the only memory that could make him regain control, the face of his mother. But that only served to send him into a deeper rage. The anger of seeing Volcseck, and remembering how he had taken her from him, was overpowering.
Destroy!

A sudden ray of light overwhelmed him.

“Stay away from him!” he heard Aya’s muffled shouts. “He can’t control himself in that state. He doesn’t know who you are.”

Faith wrapped her hands around him nonetheless. A white glow encased her body. “Don’t let the darkness take you,” she whispered in his ear, bringing him closer to her. “You are stronger than this. I know you are. Come back.”

The rage and anger that had consumed him dissolved, replaced by a feeling of serenity.

“Thank you,” he whispered to Faith. “Thanks for everything.”

While still in Falcon’s arms, Faith’s glow began to fade. Then the light died out and her body went limp. He caught her before she fell.

“Are you okay?” he asked, setting her down.

A weak smile formed on her lips. “Yes, I’ll be fine. I just overextended myself, that’s all.”

“Are you sure?”

“You’re sweet, Falcon, but don’t worry about me. We have more important matters to address.”

That’s right, Lao
. As much as he wanted to find his parents’ killer, he knew this wasn’t the time.

“Where’s Lao?” he asked.

“He took the emperor and headed that way,” said Aya, pointing to the back alleys of the city.

Falcon nodded. “Both of you return to the infirmary and tend to your wounds. I’ll put a stop to him.”

“Take care,” were the last words he heard from both girls as he rushed into the darkness.

Chapter 37

Falcon had just passed the rear gates of Sandoria when he saw movement in the distance. A lone figure, illuminated by the moonlight, trudged across the field.

That must be him.

He quickened his pace. With Lao encumbered by the emperor’s weight, Falcon quickly caught up with him.

“Good to see you finally came to your senses and decided to join me,” said Lao, still continuing forward.

Falcon stopped. “It’s over. Release the emperor now.”

“Or what? You’re going to stop me?” Lao turned to face him. “Please, we both know that you won’t be doing that. I’m better than you, always have been.”

“I’m not the same person you betrayed back at Ciompi. Stop this. Don’t force me to do something I don’t want to do.”

“You’re weak and blind, just like Aya,” said Lao, setting the unconscious emperor down on the grass. “You see opportunity staring at you, but are too afraid to grasp it. That is why you both will live out your miserable lives answering to someone else. I, on the other hand, am destined for things far greater.”

“Like what? Being a servant of the Suteckh?”

“The Blood Empress and Draknorr are but mere stepping stones in my ascension to power. They will soon answer to me, just like everyone else in Va’siel. You should count yourself lucky to have a front row view to the beginning of my era.” He unsheathed his broadsword. “Now, I will show you what happens to those who attempt to impede my rise to power.”

Lao pounced. Falcon drew both his broadsword and katana. The three weapons collided.

Lao spun while shooting his sword forward. Falcon parried then swung his sword. Lao countered with a perfect parry of his own. The swords locked.

A wave of nostalgia washed over Falcon. He saw those practice sessions they’d had as children. Their swords had met and locked like this. Except this time there would be no pats on the back after their battle had come to a close. No words of encouragement or tips on improvement to share.

Lao delivered a hard kick to Falcon’s ribs. He quickly recovered, but a volley of fireballs forced him on the defensive.

Falcon attempted a push forward. He moved a few inches before a barrage of fireballs forced him back.
Time for a heat exchange
. He inhaled the hot air. His cheeks warmed. He then blew out all the air, making sure to give it extra strength and velocity with his wind wielding. Simultaneously, he fire-wielded the air with blue fire.

The giant gust of fire roared toward Lao, obliterating all the fireballs Lao had launched. At the last minute Lao threw himself down. The attack whizzed past his head.

Lao’s eyes bulged. “Blue fire, huh? Well, you’re not the only one who has new toys to play with.” Lassos of fire extended from Lao’s fingertips to the grass at his feet. He dragged them over the lush green expanse, leaving two charred lines in their wake. With each step he took, he increased his speed, until his walk turned into a sprint. He swung the lassos.

Falcon wielded lassos of his own, except his consisted of the blue fire. He brought them up to meet Lao’s attack. The fire lassos clashed, creating a spectacle of blue and red sparks. With each clash Lao’s lassos thinned.

“You think you got me beat?” snarled Lao. “Think again. I am a true fire wielder, not a void poser like you.” His projection of the lassos received renewed vigor as Lao turned them into black fire. “Let’s see you block this!”

Lao whipped his lassos. Falcon attempted a block with his own whips. But the black fire ripped through Falcon’s defense. The dark attack slammed hard across his chest. Falcon rolled across the ground. The second lasso cut into his right side. He screamed in agony.

Lao grinned. “That’s right. Let it all out.”

Falcon gritted his teeth as he clutched his stomach. Using his katana as leverage, he pushed himself up. He swung his sword in a half-circle. Red lightning bolts shot from the tip of the metal. The lightning and fire met with a bang, destroying each other in the process. Falcon used the shock of the explosion to close the gap between them. He brought the katana down where Lao had been standing a second ago. The sword whipped through the air. He scanned his surroundings, but only saw dark smoke. 

“Behind you.”

Falcon turned but saw nothing.
He’s toying with me.

He sensed an attack coming from his rear and quickly hopped back. Simultaneously he infused his katana with lightning. The broadsword, he infused with water.

Thunder cracked in the air. Fire blazed around him. And water splattered everywhere as both wielders’ elemental weapons clashed time and time again.

Both moved side to side, parrying and dodging attacks.

Then Lao dropped back. He brought his hands together and released a mass of fire. But not at Falcon. In fact, the fire attack wasn’t anywhere near Falcon. Instead Lao directed his attack at the grounds.

What is he doing?

The grass and shrubbery in the field quickly caught fire. Black smoke rose in plumes. Lao’s intentions now became clear. Lao, a more advanced fire wielder than Falcon, could breathe through the suffocating smoke. 

Falcon wielded a gust of wind and blew the smoke away. But it was too late. His chest burned from within. He rubbed his eyes to get rid of the sting, but it remained. Unable to take another breath, he collapsed.

“What’s the matter?” mocked Lao. His face, distorted by the thick dark smoke, appeared monstrous. “Having a hard time breathing?” He delivered kick after kick to Falcon’s stomach, ribs, and chest.

It’s over. I failed.
As he lay prone he took one last look at the stars. He made out the gold wielder constellation through the thick smoke. Blood trickled from his mouth. He blocked out Lao’s voice and closed his eyes. He saw his mom and dad by the lake enjoying a picnic. Albert was there too. A flash forward later he saw himself in one of his many training sessions with Albert, one of his fondest memories. Everything went dark. Then he saw them, Aya and Faith. A translucent blue light illuminated Aya as she smiled back at him. A white aura surrounded Faith. Seeing the girls made him feel happy and angry at the same time. Happy for the moments he had shared with them. Angry that he would never see them again.

The Ghost Knight’s words came back to him.
When I feel like I might be losing myself, I think back to my most precious memories. You could try the same. Allow your dearest memories to become your barriers.

Thoughts of Aya and Faith raced through his head. He forced himself to his feet.

A geyser of water burst from under him, picking him ten feet into the air. A ball of wind encircled him. Two elemental tornados revolved around him, one of fire, the other of earth. From atop the geyser, Falcon gazed down on Lao.

Lao shrugged with apparent indifference and shot a burst of fire. The flame attack slammed into the elementals and dissolved with a whimper.

“Quit hiding behind those tornados,” snapped Lao. His eyes turned black as he held up his hands. “Come to me, dark phoenix.”

Out of the sky emerged a flaming bird. It was large with majestic black-flamed plumage. The tips of its wings emitted the red and yellow colors of a turbulent flame. The bird circled around Falcon and dove down for an attack. It wailed loudly as it slammed into the ball of wind that surrounded Falcon. The elemental tornados ripped the black fire creature to shreds.

“How?” asked Lao, gaping. “That was the Onyx Pheonix…there is no way…there is just no way….”

“Give it up, Lao. It’s over. You’ve lost.”

Lao had the frantic look of a madman in his eyes. “Give up? You are nothing more than a worthless nobody. I’m above you. I’ve always been above you!”

Falcon ordered the water forward. With him still standing atop of it, the geyser raced toward Lao.

The tornados slammed into Lao, sending him down.

Before he could get up, Falcon shot a burst of water from atop the geyser. Lao tried to crawl out of its way. But Falcon wielded wind to push him back down. The water attack found its mark. Lao’s shirt ripped to pieces, exposing him to the full impact of the blast.

“Please, no more,” pleaded Lao, holding both his hands up to cover his face. Falcon halted his attack. No matter what Lao had done, he could not bring himself to kill him.

Falcon sighed and released his hold on the elements. “For the memory of the friendship that we once shared, I will let you go this time. But I warn you, if I hear you are oppressing the people of Va’siel again, I will find you and put your attacks to an end.”

“Y-y-yes, of course…I understand,” stuttered Lao, while still on his knees. Without looking up at Falcon, he turned and limped away from the city.

“
Goodbye…brother
,” whispered Falcon as Lao disappeared in the distance. “I hope you find peace.”

~ ~ ~

Lao dragged himself inside the cave. His ribs were broken. Blood poured from a gash on his forehead. And his legs had just enough strength to sustain him. Regardless, he straightened himself and changed his pained expression to one of calm. He had to show the dark knight that he was still in control of the situation.

“Weren’t you supposed to bring someone back with you?” asked Draknorr. Lao could hear the anger in the general’s voice. “I’ve been waiting for far too long.”

“There was an unexpected…um…factor.”

Draknorr’s head tilted. “Unexpected factor?”

“Yes, I had the emperor with me, but Falcon…Falcon has him now.” Getting those words out of his mouth were the hardest thing he had ever done. He still couldn’t believe he begged for mercy like a coward. Thinking of the future, however, eased his pain. He had a new goal in life, to destroy Falcon. First he would take everything he held dear. He would kill Aya, K'ran, even that new friend of his, Faith. Then, and only then, would he slaughter Falcon.  

“Lao, Lao, Lao,” hissed Draknorr, gazing down at his long claws. “You said you could handle him, that he would pose no problem.”

Lao nodded nervously. “He is still not worthy of concern; if we hurry, we can—”

“Don’t you understand? The Blood Empress put a lot on the line for your plan. My army and I were to keep the Sandorian forces occupied while you captured the emperor. I did not order a retreat until I was certain you had ample time to accomplish your task. A simple kidnapping that apparently proved too daunting for you.”

“But,” Lao forced the knot in his throat down, “there is still time. If we head back now, we can find Falcon. Together we can
——
”

“No, there is not enough time, not for you. The empress does not tolerate failure.” Draknorr embraced Lao. Slowly, he drove his clawed fist into Lao’s stomach. “And neither do I.”

Lao dropped face up on the cold rock. His breathing accelerated. He looked around at the cavern walls, trying to make sense of this. Images flashed before him.

He saw it all: his father’s struggle to feed his growing family, his first day at Rohad, the day he met Falcon and Aya, the day he became a traitor. A tear crept down his cold cheek. Then his breathing slowed. Three breaths a second. Two breaths a second. One breath a second. And then, nothing.