The Chronicles of Heaven's War: Burning Phoenix (106 page)

For the longest time, Treston stood there,
staring down at his charge, pondering this world and its people,
his own life past and present, and what the future might hold. Who
were these people, anyway? Fearless, resolute, and formidable,
ruthless in combat and passionately gentle in love, having bravery
harboring on madness while harboring the insecurity of a forlorn
child, what were they about?

No better example of this kind was there
than Sirion - tough as nails yet as soft and gentle as a mother’s
touch, willing to die for her kindred but unable to live for
herself, able to look beyond the straw-man and see Treston as some
noble savior while castigating herself for secret failures. Yet,
somehow, through all the strife and tribulation she, like Lowenah’s
other children, had held it together, brought things to a finish,
at least within sight of the finish, and now he, this miserable
straw-man
, was risen up and gifted to be part of this great
host that was about to change history.

As he considered these things, Treston could
not help but think of Lowenah. How the Maker of Worlds had
suffered, fighting the Rebellion without, and her own demons
within. Yes, he had seen it, at the Council of Eighty, and at other
times. Self-deprecating she could be at times, but always springing
back, taking the lead and building up her children when no hope
remained in them. He smiled to think he had been allowed to become
part of this mad wild circus of
poets, dreamers and
clowns
.

Treston looked away toward the eastern
Heavens, his eyes searching far across the universe as he called
out defiantly to the Wicked Host.
“Fallen man of stone and dust,
where hath your powers delivered you this day? Look and see, and
become afraid, watch your cities burn and your worlds dissolve to
nothing! We come! The ghost hunters from Avaddohn’s Abyss… avenging
our blood… hungering to devour your soul. Do not tempt our path,
for the Dragonslayers shall give you no quarter!”

He angrily shook his fist toward the sky.
“Phoenix burns! And all men, good and evil, with it...!”

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