Chapter 24

The Rescue

As the raging horde closed in on our position, I focused my attention on the one who had led us into this battle. Four-one-two-six stood unfazed by the approaching storm, his eyes fixed upward, a trace of a smile on his rugged face.

Who is this man? I wondered. So calm under pressure, so free of fear and worry. A master of faith, the very model of a true Codebearer.

In his eyes I noticed a spark of fire begin to grow. It was small at first, but it quickly brightened, a reflection of something overhead. I followed his gaze skyward and watched a blazing beam of light rip through the oppressive cloud cover, barreling down upon us. The pillar of fire touched down twenty feet in front of us, then drew a line of flames around our small gathering like one might circle something important on a page.

Looking back over my shoulder, I discovered Four-one-two-six had vanished once more. Where to, I couldn’t imagine.

As the first of the Scourge approached the firewall, they attempted to cross the flame but were immediately and completely devoured in its light. A plume of black smoke rose skyward from the battle line.

“Looks like you could use a little help!” a familiar voice shouted from above. I looked up in time to spot Philan flying low on the Bridesmaid. Behind him a dozen more Sky Ships followed—each ship filled with Torporian Codebearer warriors. He had done it. The remnant of Torpor had been roused at last by Philan’s leadership and they had come to our rescue.

The fleet began its assault on the Scourge, launching a barrage of arrows into the swirling mass of fog. Immediately, the fog thinned out from the onslaught, disintegrating into black dust. Lines were lowered from the Sky Ships and a new squadron of warriors dropped to the ground to join our number. Rushing headlong into the fray, they chased the Scourge out of the Crux and up the incline of Dolor.

The ground assault was reinforced by the ships overhead, which continued to follow the Scourge with a rainfall of arrows. Only one ship remained, lowering itself into the circle of flames. It was the Bridesmaid. A gangplank was lowered and we watched as Philan and Rob marched down to greet us.

“Rob?” I said in disbelief. “Is that really you?”

“Surprised?” he asked.

“Yes, I thought you would never fly again.”

“Well, I had to make an exception. My friends were in trouble,” he said, cracking a smile.

“Wait a minute. How did you know where to find us?” Trista asked.

“It was easy, really. Just had to follow the Flame!” He opened his hand and held Hope’s medallion out toward me. I couldn’t believe my eyes; Stoney had stolen the medallion from me the night we were betrayed. If he was a Shadow spy as I had suspected, how could it be here now?

Excited, I took back the medallion and immediately, the wall of flames that once surrounded us on the ground rose into the air, gathered together into a small powerful spark and returned to the medallion.

“Where was it?” I said, looking Rob in the eyes and trying to figure out what had happened.

Rob stepped aside. Behind him, standing at the top of the gang-plank was a tearful Stoney, who looked worse for the wear.

“Hello, Hunter,” Stoney said quietly. His usual boisterous personality had been dampened considerably.

I eyed the man suspiciously, unsure what to make of his presence here. He had betrayed us to the Shadow; because of him we had been sent to suffer on Dolor. How could I possibly trust someone who denied even being a Codebearer only a few days ago? He was a traitor.

“Now, before you say anything,” Stoney began, “I just want you to know how sorry I am for what I done to both of ya. I never meant to hurt you guys…honestly.”

“Then why did you do it?” I replied coldly, still unwilling to trust the man or even consider forgiveness.

Stoney started to choke up as he answered.

“There is no good reason for it. I was a coward. I didn’t know it was the Shadow behind it all. I thought it was only Zagzabarz who was after ya. When I got back to me ship, Zagzabarz’s men were already waiting to interrogate me about what I knew of the the three of you. They claimed you were a threat to the safety of the kingdom—plotting to overthrow the king’s power. I tried to set them right, but they wouldn’t listen. They gave me a choice. I could either help them identify you and be rewarded for it or else they would burn my ship and take me prisoner.”

“You traded our friendship for freedom,” I said angrily. “How could you when you knew how important our mission was?”

“I didn’t mean to turn you in; I wanted to find you first and warn you of the danger, but when you showed up at the docks I knew they were still watching me. At that point I knew you was as good as gone; they had their eyes on ya already. As crazy as it sounds it seemed like turning you in was the only way to protect the Flame. I thought that maybe I could find some way to save ya, or that maybe I’d be the one to continue the mission for you…that I would carry the Flame in your place.”

As his story unfolded, Stoney explained how, after he learned we would be taken away to Dolor, he felt unbearable remorse over what he had done. In his moment of weakness, he had betrayed his closest friends to a torturous fate and denied his own faith in the process. Driven by the grief, he tried desperately to gain an audience with King Zagzabarz for help, but his frantic story never got past the palace guardpost. No doubt, Stoney’s temper didn’t help avoid the scuffle that followed. Provoked to use force, the Torporian guards dragged Stoney outside town and left him severely beaten as punishment for his public insubordination. But more than his body, his spirit was wounded the deepest.

“Who had I been foolin’?” Stoney’s voice trembled. “What with sayin’ I was a Codebearer, but actin’ like a low-life scum—the way I was living when Petrov found me. I mean, it got me thinkin’ what good was I really to the Author? If there was one thing I’d proved to myself, it was that it didn’t take much for me to fall back to me old ways. It shames me now to say that all I could think of was somehow draggin’ my sorry self back into town and leavin’ it all in a bottle of burum…that is, until Rob here found me.”

Rob placed a comforting hand on the humbled man’s shoulders and softly offered, “There’s not one of us who could ever go too far from the Author’s reach.”

The rest of the story revealed how Rob had been anxiously searching the back alleys of the town for any sign of Trista or me, when he happened across the guilt-ridden Stoney. Eventually, Stoney made his way back to the Codebearer’s hideout. There, with Philan’s help, Rob nursed Stoney back to his senses and helped restore him to the fellowship.

There was only restoration left to be made. I found it hard to look at Stoney when he finally spoke into the awkward silence that had momentarily settled over our group. “I’m sorry for the things I’ve done to ya. I let you all down, I let the Author down and I even let me own self down. Can you…can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Trista didn’t hesitate to step forward, climbing the gangplank that separated Stoney from the rest of us, to embrace the humbled man in a hug.

“If the Author can forgive me for my doubts, I can forgive you for yours,” she said.

In that moment, I saw a glimmer of the forgiveness I had felt in the very presence of the Author when he rewrote my life. This truly was the way of truth and life. Climbing the gangplank, I left my grievances behind and joyously joined her in restoring Stoney as our friend.

“Thank you both,” the big man sniffed, drying his wet cheeks with his shirt sleeve. “I was so worried about you guys. I thought you’d be goners for sure.”

“As it turns out,” Philan said, “your being sent here was exactly what the Resistance of Torpor needed to reunite in our fight against the Shadow. When they heard of your mission and your faith in the Flame, they committed themselves to getting you back whatever the cost. The raid on Dolor has given us new strength in both heart and numbers. I wouldn’t be surprised if by the end of this day, we will have doubled the number of Resistance faithful.”

It was one of those rare moments when a glimpse of the Author’s hand could be seen clearly. By coming to Dolor not only had our fate helped to awaken the Codebearers in Torpor, but it had also provided a way of escape for those who had been held prisoner in Dolor for far too long.

“All things for a purpose,” Trista smiled at me, recognizing the truth in the words now.

The clouds of Dolor had all but vanished, revealing the full view of the sky for the first time since we had arrived. The sun was setting in a magnificent display of fiery reds and oranges throughout the atmosphere. The prisoners were freed, the Scourge were no more. It was a place of celebration.

Sam joined Trista and me aboard the Bridesmaid to share a meal of joyful fellowship with our reunited friends. We were famished from our stay in Dolor and the deckhouse table held a stack of thickly cut bread, strangely shaped potatoes and a variety of vegetables. There was also a portion of freshly caught sky serpent that was leftover from a previous meal. We ate it all without question, savoring every bite.

The other Codebearers had all been safely taken aboard other ships to be transported back to their home shards. Soon they would be strengthened and reunited with grateful family and friends. Only two ships remained: the Bridesmaid and the Koinos, a transport returning to Torpor. After supper Philan intended to head back home and finish his job of leading the faithful of Torpor in their new struggle against the Shadow. We would leave on the Bridesmaid and finish the quest before us.

Philan was especially pleased to see that Sam was alive and well. We both had been trained under Sam’s watchful eye and having him with us was like having a father figure in my life again—at least what I imagined a father to be like…strong, good, encouraging and selfless.

“What did I tell ya, Philan?” Sam boasted, “I always knew you’d be a leader one day. Look at you, all grown up now and a lot stronger, I might add.”

“Thanks,” Philan replied. “You were always a great teacher. From what I’ve heard you never stopped teaching others, even here on Dolor. There’s even some crazy rumor about you breaking Sceleris’ tower?”

At this Sam shook his head, “Bah, I didn’t do nothing, there was another man,” he explained. “I don’t know where he came from or where he went, but he was the one who inspired us to fight back.”

“I wish he were here now so we could all thank him,” Philan said with amazement. “He should be rewarded for his bravery.”

Suddenly stepping into the light, Four-one-two-six appeared before us. “I am here,” he said simply.

Somehow, in the time since his disappearance, he had managed to clean up. His face was no longer dirty, his clothes were unblemished and his beard neatly trimmed.

“There is no reward you can give. I did what I came to do,” he said mysteriously. “Only one thing remains yet to be done.”

No one said a word or even questioned what he meant. The man commanded both respect and awe as he stood before the table. The medallion on my neck began to warm and rise from my chest on its own. The spark within emerged once more and glided over to the mysterious prisoner, who held it in his outstretched palm.

“Two marks have been revealed in your quest for the seven,” he said, stating plainly our mission as if it were known fully to him. “Three more will be marked this night.”

A hush fell over the table.

“A heart of stone…” the man said casting his gaze over the gathering, pausing for a moment as he glanced at me. Was he talking about me? Something within his brilliant blue eyes reminded me of someone from my past…but who exactly it was I could not decide.

His gaze shifted away and fell on Stoney, who was sitting near the end of the table. “Stone-Eye Sterling.”

“Aye,” the large man answered reservedly.

“You have been given much by the Codebearers, but have not taken it to heart. Your actions have been noble at times, but your intentions do not always match your words. Do not let your sight be limited to the eyes of this world. You must look at life through the Author’s eyes.”

Stoney looked away from the man, ashamed of his own lack of vision when confronted with danger. Even as the words were said, I felt a twinge of shame. I had been guilty of the same crime on many occasions. The words easily could have been said of me.

“A precious seed…” he continued after a brief pause. “Trista Nicole Golden.”

At the sound of her name, Trista looked up with wide-eyed wonder.

“Today true faith was born in you. The seed is small, but growing strong. Keep the faith. Nourish it, and it will grow. Keep the memory of this day in your mind; let it anchor you for the trials ahead.”

“I’ll try to,” she said, respectfully bowing her head for good measure, unsure if the man was royalty. He nodded back with a smile, took a deep breath and looked over the gathering once more, capturing each of us in his gaze as it circled the table. At last his sight landed on Sam.

“A faithful captive…” he said at last. “Samryee Thordin.”

Rob, Trista and I all exchanged surprised looks upon hearing Sam’s familiar last name for the first time. Certainly, we all wanted to know if Sam was related to the brothers back on Galacia, but this solemn moment was not the time to ask.

“Sir?” Sam responded to his name, almost questioning the validity of the statement.

Four-one-two-six continued, “The trials you have endured have proven your faith to be true. Your strength amidst the suffering has inspired others to hold on when they might have otherwise given up. Even in the jaws of death itself, you showed no fear. Well done, my friend.”

Sam said nothing; he just looked at the man, hanging on his every word with eager anticipation of what was to come.

“The three of you are very different from each other in many ways, but in the most important of ways you are the same. You are part of the seven. You must go to Sanctuary, restore Hope and tell the Resistance that I…Aviad…am alive.”

As he spoke the last word, the Flame in his hand began to stir and grow. It became brighter and brighter, until the entire room was enveloped in a sea of light too bright for my eyes. I shut them tightly to shield them from the searing glare. Even with my eyes closed, the light of the blaze glowed through my eyelids with a pinkish hue. The voice of the Flame echoed the commission we had been given.

Go to Sanctuary. Restore Hope!

In an instant, it was over. When at last I could bear to open my eyes, I found the table and deckhouse to be exactly as they once were. But Aviad, Prisoner Four-one-two-six, was nowhere to be seen and our prisoner numbers had been erased.

“I’ve been marked,” Trista said excitedly, her right arm pressed against her left collarbone. Sure enough, at the base of her neck was a golden symbol, the gleaming mark of a three-tongued flame. Sam and Stoney had also received a mark and were examining theirs as well.

As exciting as the news of the marks was, however, the bigger news was the appearance of Aviad himself.

“I still can’t believe it was really him!” I said. “To think, all this time we were fighting beside Aviad and we didn’t even know it.”

“I should have known it was him,” Sam pointed out. “My heart was burning when he spoke.”

“Mine too,” Rob added.

“But he’s so young!” I blurted out. “The last time I met him, he looked old and frail. How is it possible?”

Sam explained, “You see him as he intends for you to see him. Aviad is no ordinary man.”

“True,” Philan added, “and even though he may appear in different forms to you and me, he is the same, of that you can be sure. His character never changes.”

We reveled in the joy of the moment. We had seen him with our own eyes. This was a great day for the Resistance.

“So, when do we leave?” I asked.

“At once,” Philan said. “I will go back to Torpor and spread the word about Aviad’s arrival among the Resistance. The five of you can finish the quest together.”

With that Philan shook our hands and waved goodbye as he carried the amazing news of Aviad to the other ship. In all of the excitement I hardly realized a change had come over me as well. Trista was the first to notice.

“Hunter, your arm!” she said. I looked down, half expecting to find the wound from Xaul’s sword had spread even further, but instead the blackened cut was gone. Not only was it healed, it was gone completely as if it never happened. I was amazed.

“Only the Author can heal the wound of a Veritas,” I recalled aloud. Aviad had healed me. The only question that remained was, would he choose to heal Hope as well?

“Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s fly!” Rob shouted, surprising us all with his eagerness to take to the air.

“Rob?” Trista questioned. “I thought you were afraid of flying.”

“Oh yeah, terrified. But I figure, what’s the worst that could happen? I’m with my friends and we have the Flame to lead us. What could be better?”

“So then,” Stoney said chuckling, “shall I be getting out the barf-bags for ya before we shove off?”

Rob jokingly put his hand over his mouth and puffed his cheeks out in reply, giving us all a good laugh.

“Well then,” Sam shouted at last, “we’re off to Sanctuary!”