The HaRT Knight Decaverse

Heir of Magic

Chapter 24

The Midnight Sun

“This prophecy is why I chose the Tale of the Twin Chieftains. Because we believe it refers to you, Alexander,” Dieba said.
The only sound came from the crackling of the fire and the chirp of crickets as the entire village stared at the man, they believed was the Phoenix King. Alexander shook his head. “No. No, I’m sorry, but I’ve heard enough so-called prophecies concerning me for a lifetime. This is getting ridiculous. It's like the entire world expects me to be their savior, to live up to the criteria in their own personal prophecies. I am not the Phoenix King, I’m not the heir of magic, and I am not some puppet of fate.”
“Please, Alexander, calm down,” Chaka said in a soothing voice. There was silence for a moment as Alexander, who had stood up without realizing it, sat back down. “Please understand, we do not expect you to do anything more for us than you have already promised. None of us know what the twin chieftains did with the knowledge of their pyroturgy, but if you are The Phoenix King, then you will find the ancient magic and use it to save us all from the dark prince.”
Alexander bit back a retort as he thought, No matter what I say these people will believe what they want to believe.
“And now that the telling is over, we can get to the feast!” The Chief boomed out as if no argument had taken place.
As the rest of the Pride around the fire started to converse in hushed whispers, Alexander sat in silence, contemplating what he had just heard. Why was it that wherever he went someone insisted on trying to force him to fit the criteria of a prophecy?
“And what would the guests of honor like?” A plump man asked with a merry voice and a smile on his face. Behind him, two female pride members were carrying a table without legs, laden with all sorts of meat. Merrick stared at some strange mushy, yellow meat and asked, “What’s that from, a snot-cow?”
“Ah, that is fresh scorpenox meat, just killed this morning,” The plump pride male said.
“Scorpenox? Those buggy bastards that kept trying to kill us?” Merrick asked Alexander with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
“Yes,” Alexander said cautiously, knowing the expression on Merrick’s face all too well.
“Oh, I’ll take a big piece of that then,” Merrick said, smiling as he grabbed the piece of meat from the table and began tearing at it with his teeth.
“What are you doing?” Alexander asked disgustedly.
“Well, the ruddy things have been trying to eat us ever since we set foot in the desert. I think it’s only fair we repay the favor,” Merrick said with a mouth full of yellow meat. “It’s not too bad, mind you—it tastes better than a well-cooked rat.”
“And how do you know what rat tastes like?” Alexander asked as he took a piece of chicken from the table.
“I’ve been around for a while, mate. If it’s made of meat, I’ve likely had a bite. Believe me when I say there are a lot of worse things than rat. If you cook it right, it tastes just like chicken,” Merrick said, tearing another piece of meat off with his teeth.
At this, Alexander spat out the piece of chicken he had just placed in his mouth and stared ruefully at the rest of the drumstick.
Merrick finished his scorpenox meat fixed his eyes on the drumstick and asked, “You going to finish that?”
“Here,” Alexander said, handing the chicken to the other man who almost swallowed it whole, bone and all.
“Training you will certainly be interesting,” Geteye said, taking two pieces of what seemed to be antelope meat from the table and handing one piece to Alexander, who thanked him.
Alexander spent the rest of the night in silence, listening to Merrick’s conversation with Geteye and thinking about the prophecy that everyone in this village seemed to think pointed to him. He didn’t know how much time had elapsed when Dieba got his feet again and said, “Now that we are all well-fed, I think it is time to begin with the coming of age ceremony that will welcome Alexander and Merrick as members of the pride.”
Chaka and Geteye got up and stood in the middle of the square with two other pride members carrying jugs of what looked like blue and orange paint.
“Step forward, Alexander Angelus,” Chaka called.
“Step forward, Merrick the Wolf,” Geteye said.
When the two of them came to stand before their future teachers, Chaka whispered, “Kneel.”
The two of them obeyed and sank to their knees. Chaka then placed two of his fingers inside the blue paint and removed his painted fingers, moving to Alexander’s side. “On this day you, Alexander Angelus, become pride,” Chaka said loud enough for all to hear. “Do you promise to honor our customs and rituals as you start your training?”
“I swear,” Alexander said with a loud voice.
Chaka placed his fingers on Alexander’s right cheek and painted a blue line under his eye. “Do you promise to always conduct yourself in such a way as to bring honor to the pride?” Chaka asked.
“I do,” Alexander said, and Chaka painted another blue line, this time on his left cheek.
“Then rise as a member of the pride, Alexander Angelus,” Chaka finished.
As Alexander got to his feet, tumultuous applause greeted him.
Chaka nodded at him with a smile then Geteye repeated the process with Merrick. When he rose as a member of the pride, an equal amount of enthusiasm greeted him.
Raising his hands in the air, Dieba called out, “Our cubs are now grown, but not yet warriors. Who here will shape Alexander Angelus into a warrior of the pride?”
“I will,” said Chaka.
“Alexander, will you accept Chaka as your teacher?” Dieba asked.
“I will,” Alexander answered.
“Then so be it,” Dieba said and circles of fire formed around the two men.
“Our cubs are now grown, but not yet warriors. Who here will shape Merrick the Wolf into a warrior of the pride?”
“I will,” Geteye answered in a raspy voice.
“Merrick, will you accept Geteye as your master and teacher?”
“I will,” Merrick mumbled, inclining his head, and once again the fiery circle extended to include the master.
“The relationship of master and student is a combination of the relationship between father and son, brother and brother, and companions in war. Alexander and Merrick, will you accept your teachers as your fathers, your brothers, your comrades in war?” Dieba asked.
“I do,” Alexander and Merrick chimed together.
“Chaka and Geteye, will you accept your students as your sons, your brothers, your comrades in war?”
“I do,” the other two roared in unison.
“Then you are bonded!” the Chief said, and the two circles of fire became flaming columns that rose high into the air.
“Take my forearm in greeting, Alexander,” Chaka shouted over the roar of fire around them, extending his right hand.
Alexander grabbed Chaka’s forearm in an embrace of brotherhood and the fiery walls around them fell away, leaving the two of them standing before Dieba in darkness. Once Alexander’s eyes had once again adjusted to the night, he saw Merrick and Geteye standing in the same position as him and Chaka.
“You are now bonded and can start your training as warriors of the pride,” Dieba called and the entire village roared in approval.
“Before the night ends, let us first see the potential of our new members,” Dieba said.
“Will you permit an old lion like me to go first, Chaka?” Geteye asked.
“Certainly, master,” Chaka said as he passed the jug of orange paint to Geteye.
“Stop calling me master, boy. I haven’t been your teacher for a long time now,” Geteye snapped.
“Sorry, but you’ll always be my master,” Chaka smiled.
“Touching,” Geteye said sardonically and with a roll of his eyes. “Come on, dog breath, get over here.”
“This part of the ceremony is the proving.” Chaka whispered to Alexander as they stood to one side to await their turn. “For a few seconds, the substance in that jug will awaken your dormant potential so we can see what we have to work with. Depending on what happens next, we will know what you are capable of and what heights we are to train you too.”
Geteye placed his fingers into the orange substance and started a musical chant before placing two fingers on Merrick’s forehead. Slowly the dark-furred chief of the pride dragged his fingers down Merrick’s face, leaving two orange stripes behind. Only when Geteye’s fingers reached his student’s heart did something happen.
Merrick fell to his knees and began to shift into his werewolf form. It only took a few seconds for the gigantic wolf creature to form before them, its sharp talons and teeth bared. But something was different from the last time Alexander had seen this transformation.
The giant werewolf’s mouth opened and in a rough, feral voice said, “I’ve transformed, yet, I’m in control.”
That was all Merrick could manage before he gave another scream of pain and turned back into his human form, the torn remnants of his chiton lying around him.
“I was in control—” he said before dropping passing out.
“Don’t worry, he’s okay,” Chaka said as Geteye caught his student’s limp form. “The proving is often taxing on the body because it forces it to do something it’s not ready for. Merrick just needs some sleep.”
“Will I pass out?” Alexander asked, staring at the limp form of his friend being carried away by Geteye.
“Possibly. Let’s see, shall we?” Chaka said and moved forward to pick up the strange orange substance. The musical chanting started up again from behind him as Chaka moved around to come and stand before him, placing his fingers on Alexander’s forehead. He closed his eyes as the pride warrior’s fingers moved down his face towards his heart. A strange warm feeling emanated from his’s stomach and spread upwards through his body. It started as a pleasant warmth that filled him but it turned into a searing pain.
Alexander’s eyes snapped open as he felt himself lose control. His ruby and azure aura raced out of him and through the entire pride village, extinguishing every flame in the Palace of the Pride. The darkness of the night dominated everything due to the sudden absence of light, but the next second, fire surrounded Alexander. It roared as the flames raced around and around, growing larger and hotter with ever revolution.
Its growing to large, I’m going to burn the entire village down, Alexander thought hysterically. I need to get it away from here. I’ll send it into the sky.
The thought had barely taken form in his mind when the column of spinning flame retracked into an area the size of an apple and launched into the sky with a crack like thunder. The small ball of flame gave a high-pitched whistle as it rose, ever higher into the sky. Just as everyone thought it was over, the ball of fire exploded, taking the form of a giant golden bird. It was so large and bright that for a single second, before the fire died out, night was turned to day throughout the Sand Region of Primoris.
The last thing Alexander remembered was the near solid wall of scorching air hitting the pride village like a hurricane. Like Merrick, he passed out and fell limply to the ground.