Born of Fire: The Dawn of Legend (44 page)

Rex stood dumbfounded as he tried to make sense out of what he had just seen. Up until now, he had been secretly feeling a small sense of superiority in terms of raw power. He knew from all that he had been told that the red flame was the mightiest of all, and that its power was legendary, but KyGahl, who wielded a golden flame, had done away with it as if it had required no effort whatsoever. The most unsettling part for him was that it was probably the case.

“Well?” KyGahl asked.

“Well what?” Rex replied, still getting over the shock.

“Do you understand now?”

“That if anyone was going home in a bag it would be me? Then yes, that reality is starting to set in.”

KyGahl laughed as he shook his head. “I was able to overpower your flame by raising the power of my own. I, however, was only able to do so because I have trained for many years to become as strong as I am. Truth be told, with proper training and focus, your flame will surpass mine in power one day. Such is the nature of the red flame: destined to be more powerful than all others. Still, it is that very training that will determine whether you will harness its power or allow it to consume you along with all you hold dear.”

KyGahl’s words sank to Rex’s very core like stones in a lake. Never before had it been made so clear just what was at stake for him if he did not take seriously what EeNox and the others had been stressing upon him this entire time. For them, this was simply a means to better themselves. For him, however, it was the only way to keep the monster in him at bay.

Eight days passed, and Rex had been training with the others now for what seemed like a round-the-clock schedule. He would rise before the sun, meet the other five downstairs for breakfast, then head out into the fields at first light and be put through the various phases of harnessing his flame.

AnaSaya would start things out with quiet meditation, allowing him to commune in order to steady his thoughts and emotions—a crucial component to the training process, considering they were what fueled his power. Next EeNox would drill him on raising and lowering his power level so he could get used to increasing and decreasing at a moment’s notice, almost by reflex. Afterwards, it was LyCora’s turn; she taught him possibly the most important part of his training: control.

“Raise your flame to the highest point where you feel in control of it,” she instructed. “But make sure you stop just short of going over the edge.”

Rex nodded and did as he was instructed. Spreading his legs and clenching his fists, he slowly raised his flame. Brighter and brighter it grew as it increased in intensity, until he felt himself losing his grip on it. Immediately, he held its power where it was, doing his best not to let it decrease while also not letting it escape his grasp. “Okay, I’m there.”

“Good. Now I want you to close your eyes and focus exclusively on your flame. Push everything else out of your mind.” Rex shut his eyes and furrowed his brow in intense concentration. “Now put all your focus on raising your flame’s power up a notch.”

“I can’t,” he protested while keeping his eyes closed.

“Yes, you can. Try to envision it as a series of tiers or rungs in a ladder that you must climb, but don’t look at them all. Just focus on the one directly above you.”

Rex’s breathing grew heavy as sweat began to pour from his brow. It was not the effort itself that was proving difficult but rather overcoming his fear of what might happen if he failed and his flame got away from him again. Still, he feared the prospect of living in fear more, and so, with silent resolution, he climbed the next rung of the ladder.

Everyone watched as his flame pulsed and grew a little larger. Each one of them could feel the power flowing from Rex into them.

“He’s doing it,” said EeNox.

“But can he stabilize it?” asked ShinGaru.

“Well done,” said LyCora. “Now, hold it there for a moment so you get used to the feeling. Make a note of what it feels like so both your mind and body remember being in control at this state.”

“This isn’t so bad,” Rex commented. “It’s starting to feel…normal.”

“Don’t get overconfident,” LyCora said. “You’re still in danger of losing control if you relinquish your focus even for an instant.”

“I want to try taking it up another notch.”

“No. It’s too soon. Just focus on remaining where you are at now.”

“I think I can do it safely.”

“Rex, I said no.”

“I’m going for it.”

“Don’t!”

Rex pushed his flame to the next level and felt his control holding steady for a moment before suddenly starting to waver. It all happened so fast; one minute he was holding his power in check like something small in the grip of his hand, and the next thing he knew he felt a sudden surge rising up too fast and aggressively for him to stop, like trying to stop the onslaught of water from a broken dam with just his bare hands. Then, just as he thought he would explode with burning fury, he felt something wash over him, sapping the energy right out of his body. He dropped to his knees, feeling the wind had been knocked out of him as he desperately tried to catch his breath. Looking up, he saw KyGahl standing slightly behind LyCora and off to the side, lowering an outstretched hand. In the past several days he had become perhaps the most integral part of the training, for without him there to neutralize Rex if things got out of hand, he was unsure if he would have the confidence to continue.

“That was a bit of a close one,” he said in a less-than-happy tone.

“Close?” LyCora repeated, sounding shocked. “That could have been a disaster! Rex, you damn thickheaded brute! Are you trying to kill all of us, or just yourself?”

“LyCora, enough,” DiNiya interjected.

“Stop defending him!” she replied angrily, spinning around and pointing furiously. “You should know better than any of us here what could happen if he’s not careful, if he unleashes more power than he’s learned to control! Someone as powerful as KyGahl won’t always be there to neutralize him before he goes off like a bomb!”

DiNiya slunk back, unsure as to what to say. Meanwhile, LyCora turned back around and marched over to Rex, stopping just short of him. “I want you to listen to me very carefully. If you pull another stunt like that ever again, if you go against my instruction, which is born of better judgment than the kind you have floating in that dense skull of yours, I’ll stop helping you. Do you understand me?”

“Why
are
you helping me?” Rex asked, realizing that he himself did not know the answer to that particular question.

“Because I figure that if I can at least help teach you how to control your power, my greatest fear of you might never come to pass.” She glanced back at DiNiya, who in turn lowered her head, unwilling to meet her scrutinizing gaze.

“Hey,” Rex said in a commanding voice, prompting LyCora to snap her head back around to face him. “Your issue is with me! Leave her out of it!”

“Chivalry doesn’t suit you, Rex,” LyCora said in a detached tone.

“You probably just have never been on the receiving end of it,” he replied with a mean-spirited smirk.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Imagine that, the ice queen here never knowing what it’s like to be on the receiving end of someone else’s favor. Big fucking surprise!”

“Now, now,” ShinGaru interjected. “Let’s not say anything we’ll regret later, all right?”

“No, ShinGaru, it’s fine,” LyCora countered. “I think it’s best that we drop all pretenses here and just say what we’re really thinking.”

“And here I thought I would never agree with anything that came out of your mouth,” Rex stated. “You know what your problem is?”

“Oh, do tell.”

“You’re afraid of everyone around you. You put up this act of being too refined and superior to associate yourself with the likes of us, but in truth you want to be part of something so badly!”

“Is that right?”

“Indeed. It’s written all over your face; your whole sad little life story. Let me guess, your mother kept you just beyond arm’s reach of everyone your entire life, taught you that you had to be disciplined above all else and that mundane things like having friends and enjoying what it means to be a child was nothing more than a distraction from what really mattered: hard work and nothing else. How am I doing so far?”

“You think you know me,” she replied with what was clearly indignation in her voice. “You think it’s even possible for you to know me or what my life has been like?”

“Oh, yes,” he replied with an air of resolution. “You see, I come from a place that isn’t so warm and friendly. Where a child being excluded and left feeling disconnected from everyone around them isn’t so uncommon. You may stand out in this world for that, but you would fit right in with the lot of us back on Earth. So to answer your question, yes. Yes, I do think it’s not only possible for me to know what your life has been like, but that I in fact do. Then again, I don’t blame you for staying tight-lipped about it. After all, talking about it would mean you would have to acknowledge that someone you care about robbed you of happiness.”

LyCora struck him in the jaw with a right hook, causing everyone to gasp in horror for fear of what Rex might do next. Even LyCora appeared to immediately regret her choice of action, looking as if she was preparing for another firefight with Rex. Much to everyone’s surprise and great relief, however, his flame did not ignite. Rather, he simply rubbed his jaw and spit a small amount of blood on the ground before looking her in the eyes.

“Trust me…I know,” he said with what almost sounded like sympathy.

LyCora’s eyes began to fill with tears before she pushed past him and took off across the field, back in the direction of the main gates. Above, dark clouds began to roll in, heralded by the sound of deep ominous thunder, while the others found themselves standing in stunned silence.

“Come everyone,” KyGahl said at last. “Let’s head back before the rain comes.”

Everyone filed in behind him. Everyone except Rex, who just stood there, head slightly lowered with his eyes looking at nothing in particular.

Noticing he was not following them, DiNiya turned and asked in a soft voice, “Rex? Are you coming?” She knew that he had once again slipped into a state of deep thought, quiet contemplation. When he would come out of it, only he knew.

Looking up, Rex proceeded forward to where DiNiya was waiting patiently before rejoining the others, who had now stopped to look back to see what was keeping them.

When they got back to town, KyGahl kindly suggested that they give Rex some space, but added to DiNiya in private, “You should stay with him. You know better than anyone what he’s feeling right now.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” she said, “but I don’t want to be a burden to him, to be in his way.”

“Though he may not come right out and say it, he takes great comfort in always having you nearby. Trust me.” With that, KyGahl bid them farewell and took his leave with AnaSaya and ShinGaru. “ShinGaru, why don’t we swap stories of some of our latest scientific endeavors?”

“Certainly,” the boy replied. “It would be an honor and a pleasure.”

“Could I join you as well?” AnaSaya asked.

“But of course,” KyGahl replied with a broad and friendly smile. “We would love the company of a lovely young woman such as yourself.” AnaSaya blushed and looked down at the ground, a sheepish grin adorning her face. “Besides, it has been some time since I’ve had the opportunity to travel east. You can regale me with the latest discoveries made in that region.”

DiNiya watched the three walk down the street, chatting happily, before turning back and seeing Rex still looking down with a furrowed brow and solemn expression. “Come on,” she said, taking his arm. “Let’s go home for a bit and get something to eat.” She hoped the prospect of food would have breathed some hint of life or enthusiasm back into him, but he remained stone-faced.

Things were no better back in the kitchen, where she found herself sitting across from a silent Rex, who had barely even touched his food. “Rex, please, why don’t you try taking a few more bites? I’m sure you’ll feel better with a full stomach.” DiNiya hated herself for speaking words she herself did not believe, for she had come to know Rex well enough to know that he was a far more complex individual than he let on.

“Not much of an appetite,” he replied, speaking for the first since the fight with LyCora.

“That’s cause for alarm,” she mused, trying to lighten the mood. “Rex, not being hungry.” Rex did not react, instead remaining silent with his eyes looking down at the table. “You know…I was very proud of you today…I mean, the way you handled things with LyCora when she…” DiNiya trailed off, not knowing if it was wise to bring up the matter after all.

“You mean when she cracked me in the jaw,” Rex replied, finishing her thought.

“Yes.”

“I guess I did handle that part well. I didn’t get angry and lose control again. That is what you meant, isn’t it?”

DiNiya looked taken aback at first, not wanting to sound like she was condemning him for past transgressions. There was also the matter of TyRoas, however, that had at least not been without provocation on the part of the latter. “I just meant that it’s not always easy for a person to change, but when they do…it’s a sign of how strong they are.”

“In other words, you’re glad I didn’t turn the ground you were standing on into a charred circle as big as LyVera.”

“Crossed my mind.”

Rex smiled briefly before allowing it to fade. “How can I hate her when I’m probably guiltier of what I’m mad at her for? That, and what makes me think everything is suddenly going to be so much better now, just because I’m here in this world?”

“Well, you have me for starters, and now my brother, plus ShinGaru and AnaSaya. They’ve all taken a real liking to you.”

“We’ll see how much they like me once they get to know the real me.”

“And who is the real you? Quiet, brooding, and always angry just beneath the surface? Rex, you’re not keeping any secrets from us if you think that is what will make us break from you.”

Rex stared at her for a moment, unsure what to say. Was there really more to him? Or did he simply want to convince himself there was so he would have an excuse to keep people at arm’s length, to convince himself that there was still something unseen that, if discovered, would drive them all away?