A GOD OF DARK AND SORROW by Beasley Nester

Author:Beasley Nester [Nester, Beasley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bee Publishing
Published: 2023-06-26T16:00:00+00:00

20

Aurora felt the fire before she saw it.

Her eyes opened to a hazy, smoke-filled forest. The raging flames poured from every part of the Mulga Woods. Bright and blue. Inextinguishable.

Fire Saints.

Alfonso slept next to her, unaware of anything happening. She shook him violently. Alfonso did not only sleep loud; Alfonso slept, and he slept hard. She finally had to take a hand to his cheek.

“Al––fonso!”

“I’m up!” He looked around. “Really? A fire?”

They scattered the camp for their supplies and friends. Alfonso went for his bag and Baer, but the sleeping beast had already taken off. Madness was also gone.

“Where did they go?” she noted his panic.

“I’m sure they went on to find the others.” Aurora released ice to cool the blue flames, hoping to relieve some of the flames, but they did not go out. There was only one reason.

“Al, we need to run.”

“Why?”

“It’s as a feared.” She grabbed his arm, Madness’ pack of tobacco beside them, and sprinted as fast as her legs would carry her. “These flames are the works of Fire Saints.”

As they ran, Aurora felt the animals’ pain and panic. They fled as their world was annihilated. Aurora saved what little she could. In Aurora’s current condition, her strength and powers matched the Fire Saints’, and she was in no state to protect Alfonso and the other mortals. They would fall to the smoke and ash before they fell to the power of the Fire Saints.

Aurora halted their escape and focused for the souls of the mortals. On their shapes. Their familiarity. If they did not find them . . .

Gods, help them all.

She listened for the sound of their feet under the chaos. For their voices among the embers. Alfonso clung as close to Aurora as possible as the flames narrowed closer. Sheets of ice extended from Aurora’s feet as she searched—

“Gods!” She ran her fingers through her scalp. “I can’t find them!”

“Then we need to keep moving!” Alfonso took her hand and ran. “We’ve survived worse.”

Through the forest, Aurora felt Alfonso grow heavier. He weakened the longer they stayed in the burning woods, so Aurora tried again to find the mortals.

There

“Left,” she said, and Alfonso understood.

“Right.”

“Straight—”

But a body, with a fast, painful force, slammed them against the earth.

Aurora shook, anticipating a Fire Saints.

“What in God’s Realm”—Alfonso held his breath—“Alexen?”

Alexen scurried before them to something—rather the someone—he had thrown in their collision.

“They wouldn’t back down!” Alexen coughed, his eyes clouded with worry. “They kept sending hottest flames I’ve ever felt—the thickest of smoke.”

Tobias lay unmoving and in bad shape. Endless questions raced through Aurora’s mind. Alfonso scratched his head, as confused as she, but it was not the time to ask questions. Alexen’s breath went ragged as he struggled to lift Tobias. Carrying the weight of Tobias alone would kill them.

“Hey, let us help,” Aurora offered.

“No!” Alexen shouted. “If we die, it’s on my watch. Not yours.”

Reluctantly, they let Alexen push forward with Tobias. Aurora extinguished as much of the fire as she could, but Alexen moved so slow the flames caught up.

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