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Simurg	By : Cynthermes Category: A through F > The Cronnex Series Views: 1292 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: The Cronnex and its characters is explicitly owned by Trewin Greenaway and no profit has been made out of this fiction.

Chapter List
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When the enemy boats closed in, Miermi raised his Ashwood staff and chanted the spell for a mighty lightning to befall the rowers before they ram against the ship. The enormous heat energy from the bolt dissolved the mist and three of the boats immediately sank on impact.
Unfortunately the huge amount of spiritual energy required conjuring complex magic caused fatigue to quickly register in the old man’s body. He sank on his knees panting and the younger lads came rushing to steady him.
The player of the flute resumed the strange melody Cind’rikh was familiar with. The surviving rowers screeched as if in great pain and before their eyes they transformed into two-legged upright beasts.
“A demon… flute. I… thought so.” The sorcerer gasped for breath.
The furry beasts growled with their menacing eyes and teeth, calculating their moves before an attack. “No wonder they were so smart as well. These beasts could only be Lycans.” Miermi regained some of his strength and searched for a particular person.
Cinder and Miermi positioned Elyn between them as the same defensive strategy.
“Lay down your staff, Sorcerer. Your resistance is futile.” A woman’s voice spoke somewhere behind the Lycans.
All three turned to a cloaked figure standing on the farthest enemy boat with a flute held near her lips. The thick hood of her garment hid most of her face but the exposed skin of her chin foretold her age.
“Why are you attacking us? We have done nothing but defend ourselves!” The oldest of the three demanded angrily.
“Such a pathetic drivel. We know you are raising an abomination!” She snapped accusingly.
“Elyn is NOT an abomination! A hypocrite such as you using lower class demons to do your dirty work!” Cinder watched the old man’s face practically redden in rage.
“You’ll regret that old man.” She warned and blew a note on the flute.
The beasts that were assembled around them tensed and lunged afterwards. The three instantly backed away but they were prepared to counterattack. Cinder thrust his spear against the first beast that reached for Miermi. He tossed the limp beast aside and aimed for another.
The sorcerer conserved his spiritual force by hurling ice needles against any beast in range. Three demons were successfully pierced through. Miermi switched to the other basic element of frozen water instead of fire for safety purposes. He didn’t want to burn their boat.
Elyn occupied a protective place behind Cinder as the young man plunged his spear to any beast that dodged the icicles. He was impressive, the boy noted. When the brunet managed to thrust his weapon to one, (He aimed preferably the midsection or the head) he swung it around in an arch.
This method covered a longer and wider range than a sword. It seemed like they were winning but the blond boy noticed that each time the sharp blade of the spear connected to a Lycan’s furry skin, Cinder’s body tensed as if in pain. He appeared more hurt than the beasts he impaled.
How can he feel pain for these creatures when they were the ones that killed his mother? Elyn was now more confused with the other lad’s behavior. His alert senses felt the wind sizzle and itch with a beast’s approach.
A smart one had rounded the corner for the brunet’s unguarded back, it sprang with its body’s full length with fangs and claws bared. “Cinder! Behind you!” Elyn yelled in alarm.
The raven-haired lad had quick reflexes but he winced when the spear pierced right through the Lycan. However another came in the opposite direction and he didn’t have time to warn him. So Elyn ducked his head and thrust his dagger blindly on the beast’s belly.
A rather strange outcome happened to the beast. It shrieked and burst into flames then reduced to ashes. The rune dagger began to minutely glow and Elyn gasped.
Cinder turned, astonished as if seeing the boy for the first time. The rune dagger in his hand jolted another sleeping memory that didn’t unbuckle as usual. Their stunned reactions delayed their reflexes when another beast caught them unsuspecting.
“Focus lads!” Miermi’s voice roared through their sleeping limbs. The sly beasts were staked with ice needles a moment later.
The brunet cursed his sluggishness and he was back to defend the recovering Elyn. He shouldn’t be distracted! A quartet of Lycans came dashing towards him and he readied his spear.
This was agony enough. He was forced to fight and kill in human form and he nearly thought he could go on with his mission without the usual violence.
He was wrong. The tip of his spear sharply collided with a sharp object on the beast’s neck, both recoiled but the force knocked the weapon from his hand.
“Cinder!” Elyn shouted and bravely came to his aid. He raised his dagger and stabbed the one in the middle. The bright ruby light now strongly emitted by the dagger incinerated all three.
The cloaked woman watched in distaste as the scene unfolded before her. Her minions were losing. Just then a brilliant red light caught her attention.
First she was stunned that the sorcerer possessed an Ashwood staff then the abomination held the last Nithaial Elimiel’s wand of power. That belonged to Dionis and she would retrieve it no matter what! She quickly played the broken tune for the beasts to spontaneously combust.
Cinder, Miermi and Elyn paused and watched in shock as the Lycans froze in their attack, let out a scream of pure pain, twitched and exploded into gory bits.
The putrid burned pieces of flesh and fur showered them thoroughly. “Oh damnation.” The brunet lad cursed though Elyn noticed he was seething with indescribable rage.
“It seems I have underestimated you.” The cloaked woman slipped the flute away and with strange magic glided on the water to perch on their vessel. “But it seems you have something that belongs to our beloved Nithaial Elimiel or to put it personally, my grandson.” She pointed at the glowing dagger.
The brunet discreetly twitched at the name. The name was like a keyword to unlock some of his memories. Well the harmless ones anyway… Ra’asiel had allowed some of his past memories to return slowly. The important facts usually gave in without effort but the painful ones were locked away. He needed permission to view them… or he convinced himself that. Cind’rikh knew that the amethyst god would allow him to have them if he asked but both decided against it in the end.
“Better to build new memories than wallow with the old ones. Your new name should prove that.”
He remembered and held onto those words instead.
“The time of the Nithaial is long past. The Great Wheel has turned and the Blessed Gesryma’s reign has given way to the Opposing One.” Miermi dismissed with a sharp gesture of his staff.
“As suspected from someone raising an abomination!” She shrieked in indignation.
She is one of the wicked, Cind’rikh thought briefly. If this wicked woman planned to burn their boat, he had more than enough reason to use his powers against her.
Fortunately this was an exception to the rule. He is Lord of Tartarus and he had the right to punish the wicked in the mortal and spiritual world. Miermi and Elyn were not to die in this boat so if she attempts to sink them he would be privileged to intervene.
“Brace yourselves lad. This witch is a tough one.” Miermi turned to them and then to her, “You, you never gave your clear intentions! Who are you and what do you wish to accomplish?”
“You are in no place to demand but since you forced me to duel with you I will tell you everything before you die.” She uncovered her face and she looked no younger than Miermi himself. “I am the Enchantress Sophaera, one of the Head Mistresses of the Daughters of Luna.”
Her pale face looked very familiar and Cinder caught himself staring into her hazel eyes flecked with green.
Their gazes met and her eyes widened in recognition.
No. She shook her head. This couldn’t be! His hair was darker to be Dionis’.
And his eyes… they were in that strange bright crimson color!
His skin must have been fair once but not in a way pale… but the face! He looked more mature so could he be the same boy, Niccas?
The sorcerer noticed her awestruck expression and spoke mockingly, “What is the matter Enchantress Sophaera? It seems you have seen a ghost! Though I can assure you that none of us are dead… yet.”
Sophaera didn’t appear to hear him. She remained frozen on the spot and her eyes were unable to look away from the dark-haired lad.
Cind’rikh stared back defiantly with a gaze so cold and nonchalant that she visibly took a step back. He mind-touched her, “The gates of Tartarus are waiting for you.”
The enchantress gasped in shock and she hurriedly cast a spell of swirling wind for transport. She looked very much afraid until she vanished without a trace.
The sky cleared and the drizzling rain stopped. The waves were once more calm and steady. The late afternoon sun shone above the horizon.
“Well lads, it seems she retreated and we have won.” Miermi heaved a sigh of relief and let his weak knees buckle beneath him.
“Grandfather!” Elyn moved to help him but the old man held out a hand. “I’m fine Elyn dear, just tired. I sure can use some sleep and you too. The two of us haven’t slept much have we?”
The curly-haired blond shook his head. “What happened Grandfather? She seemed to be afraid without reason.”
“Maybe your grandfather scared her away, huh?” Cinder chimed in and he caught the old man’s piercing moss green eyes on him. They seem to say, ‘you have some explaining to do’ but in the next second the old man closed his eyes tiredly.
“Hurry up with the ferry business lad. I want to reach Scalene after sundown as you said.” Miermi slurred irately already half-asleep.
“Yes sir but don’t sleep here. You can rest over there in the shed.” Their ferryman grinned at Elyn.
“Shut your trap. I’m fine here.” The sorcerer replied grouchily and even his grandson beamed back.
“Let’s not disturb Grandfather. He really gets scary when that happens.” Elyn whispered with a cheeky grin. The corner of his neck and cheek was dripping with a greenish grey liquid.
“Why don’t we have a bath instead?” Cinder suggested and promptly regretted it when that familiar spark grew in the blond boy’s aqua eyes. Oh well, it doesn’t matter.
“Oh how disgusting!” Good thing the stench and sticky gory bits diverted his attention.
“We have to wash away this mess before Scalene’s inn keeper kicks you out.” The taller lad folded the sails bringing the large boat to a slow halt. Then he led the younger boy to the back part of the deck where a bundle of rope ladders piled up.
Cinder lowered the two rope ladders down the waters. He wordlessly removed his wool pants took one plain rope and tied himself around the waist securely but loosely. Elyn watched him and did the same before both lads tied the end to a sturdy iron ring.
They carefully lowered themselves on the water while their torsos were linked to the boat. The ropes were loose enough for a shallow dive and both lads did just that. They emerged from the water shaking their heads vigorously like drenched dogs.
“You think the fish would fancy Lycan gore?” Elyn playfully asked as he splashed the other with water.
“If I were the fish I’d instantly choke to death.” Cinder retaliated. They both giggled like… brothers having an afternoon dip in the sea. “By the way, thank you for saving my life. You were very brave.” He said wistfully and something tugged painfully in his heart.
The blond boy somehow felt his mood swing and lunged toward him to dunk his head below the water.
They resurfaced seconds later. The brunet sputtered water and gasped while the blond was laughing hysterically. “Is that how you say welcome? I’ll get you for that!” Cinder tried to reach for him but Elyn easily slipped away from him and dived into the water.
This boy was like fish, he thought. The calm waters allowed them to float without paddling. The waves were very small and unthreatening. But it had been minutes since Elyn dived and his rope was still and unmoving. The brunet began to worry. He called for Elyn to stop the game. But there was no response.
Panicking he followed the blond boy’s rope and dived. Something like hands clamped on his shoulders and long boyish legs wrapped around his torso. They emerged again this time the younger boy was the one panting. “Don’t do that again you hear me?” Cinder attempted to remove the monkey on his back but Elyn bit his ear.
“Ouch! Stop it you little runt!” He heard the boy giggling.
“Didn’t know your skin is so smooth like I thought it would be.” The blond whispered and Cinder shivered.
“Seriously, stop it kid! You’re too young for that!” He now doubted if the kid was really 14.
“I’m fourteen! I’m old enough to do whatever!” Elyn frowned when he was plucked away from his perch.
“No. Didn’t you catch me earlier blushing? I’m with someone already.” The brunet lowered his voice and tried to block another hot memory rushing in his mind.
The blond boy began to sulk and turned his back. This reminded him of his younger days as a half-immortal. The only thing he could understand from the blur of accessible memory was he had been in this situation before. He committed several mistakes due to his ignorance and naïveté. As a friend and self-proclaimed elder brother he wouldn’t allow Elyn to undergo the same.
“Listen to me Elyn. There is someone out there for you. And I’m sure that person is waiting for you. But don’t rush it. You will meet at the right time.” The brunet continued hoping to make peace.
“Am I really too young? Or am I not to your liking?”
Cinder sighed. When I stick my pole in your ass you will spontaneously combust if you’re not a griffin, thank you. He mentally added and he smirked. “You are very pretty my dear but I have been claimed. If only I met you before…” He sighed again dramatically for effect.
He had similar problems in Scalene. Everywhere he went pairs of eyes followed his every movement. There have been men, women, young boys and girls and he often needed to hypnotize them to stop their affections. But hopefully words were enough with Elyn.
“Well, it’s your loss then.” The curly-haired blond grinned and he nodded.
“Yes, it’s my loss.”
“Are you boys done soaking there? I don’t want wrinkled prunes for companions!” Miermi’s gruff voice shouted from above.
Both lads looked up and Cinder caught a bottle thrown down. “Wash yourselves with that and hurry on up!” Having said that the old man leaned away from the railing.
The brunet opened the clear bottle and the fragrance of sandalwood with lavender filled his nostrils.
After they lathered and rinsed the lads quickly climbed back to the top deck. They dressed quickly and soon they were sailing Mariana’s waters serenely.

With a swirl of aerial magic, the enchantress unceremoniously dropped on the feet of a gigantic statue of the goddess Gesryma. She trembled and humbled herself on the grand altar of Zephyr Temple.
The previous mission left her drained and gasping for air. Sophaera had never felt so afraid and uncertain in her life.
She was an experienced and powerful enchantress. She thought the mission in Jedah would be a complete success. The possibility of failure didn’t cross her mind at all. Yet when she encountered the old man and his grandson, several inexplicable things happened.
First she had an encounter with an Immortal in his/her ultimate godly form. The unknown god or goddess prevented her from killing the abomination.
Then she met a young man looking exactly like the disgraced Nithaial Elimiel. This was the very same boy she and her sister Miridal raised and educated under her care.
She also used the half-immortal for her and her daughter’s personal gains…
His words suddenly echoed inside her head, “The gates of Tartarus are waiting for you…”
She shivered this time uncontrollably. What did he mean?
And Niccas… He knew Niccas was dead.
So that young man could be someone else… but the resemblance was uncanny…
Even Dionis didn’t have perfect raven-like hair…
Echoing footsteps in the temple floors startled her and she turned to a woman in immaculate white robe with intricately woven gold designs on the sleeves. It was her daughter Nassazia.
“Mother, are you alright?” The self-proclaimed incarnate of Gesryma worriedly asked.
“I failed dear. I couldn’t kill Mabelle’s son.” Sophaera replied wearily.
“But why mother? They are defenseless! You are more than enough to…”
“Hush Nassazia. One of the immortals protected the abomination! It was a magnificent firebird… beautiful with golden feathers…”
“What? An immortal… But that can’t be! The Mother Goddess showed herself in a dream to me that the abominations were to be annihilated!”
“Perhaps it could be the Opposing One himself or another… I don’t know! And Nassazia… there’s something else. I think I saw Niccas.” The enchantress spoke in a shaking voice. The mention of the name made her knees weak and for a moment she thought she would collapse.
“Niccas? The disgraced one? ! Impossible! He is dead!” The pompous woman shouted in contempt.
“But I saw someone who absolutely looked like him! He’s somewhat different… He radiates immeasurable power and he banished me with a look.” Sophaera said weakly shaking her head from the memory of it.
“Mother you must be mistaken. Perhaps you have seen Dionis, yes?” Nassazia looked completely confused and baffled at her mother’s words.
“No Nassazia. Dionis is outside the borders of the kingdom. That lad has jet black hair and his eyes… they are very sharp and vibrant as rubies…” Again the ominous warning rang in her ears.
“I don’t understand any of it.” She feared her mother has gone mad for there’s no way the disgraced half-immortal was alive. “Mother… calm down! You must be very exhausted from your labors. Come, I will put you to bed.” The Gesryma-incarnate ushered the enchantress to her room.
That restless night, both mother and daughter couldn’t sleep. They dreamt too many nightmares in rapid succession and each time the frightening gate appeared they felt scorched in the pits of hell.

Perhaps this was enough warning to lay low in their activities for now.

Scalene’s shores were much smaller than Jedah. At last, they have arrived on the neighboring island town famous for its triangle shape. The moment the large fish trading boat docked, a few fisher folk hurried to meet them.
“Cinder! Thank goodness you’re alright!” The eldest and most brawny man in the group exclaimed.
“What Tyler? You’re not mad at me for failing to carry the fish cargo?” The brunet greeted them playfully.
“The king’s messenger spread the news the instant you sailed away. He said furry beasts attacked Jedah last night and it’s unsafe to trade there for now. I’m amazed you returned, unscathed.” Tyler’s eyes roamed first to the undamaged vest then settled on the brunet’s tattered wool trousers.
“Actually its even unsafe to sail too. A horde attacked us on our way here.” Cinder replied and helped his guests to disembark. “I became a ferryman instead. Thanks for letting me borrow your vessel. By the way this is Miermi and his grandson Elyn.”
Tyler stared at the pair quizzically but said nothing. He and his companions busied themselves to another cargo ship from a different port.
The old man was otherwise relieved that the fisher folk didn’t shower them with questions. He hurried his grandson to the nearest Inn. Then when he noticed that the brunet wasn’t following he turned around and called, “Cinder, I’d like you to come with us please. I will pay you at the inn and perhaps we can eat supper together.”
So the sorcerer wouldn’t let him off the hook. He considered declining but the sharp old man would be more suspicious so he decided to go along with him.
They walked carefully on the narrow alleyways leading to the town’s square. Flaming torches were held out of each house or building to illuminate the main roads from darkness. There was no moon again tonight and anyone foreign to the town might be lost by now. But the elder one seemed to know the way like the back of his own hand, perhaps even better than their ferryman.
Miermi’s footsteps were barely heard on the uneven stone floors as he dragged Elyn to the darkest pathways accessible. Cinder followed them close behind. He didn’t need light to know where he was going. His divine eyes could pick up the minutest traces of energy. So even if the sorcerer would wrap himself with the strongest invisibility spell, he could easily see through that barrier.
They didn’t speak and only walked until they reached a small but well kempt inn. This small lodging place didn’t have a pub or a tavern. The brunet knew that Miermi was being careful. Scalene was a free town and religiously unbound to any but he wouldn’t take chances.
This island town was very much reachable to one of the major kingdoms ruled by a human king. A five-hour ride by a ferryboat was enough to set foot on the kingdom of Corintha.
That same kingdom was also a territory of the Ishman fanatics. Perhaps that was where the enchantress, Sophaera could have fled. But a tiny thread of her essence pointed further north, away from that direction and Cinder had to snatch the one Miermi was sporting to tell the difference.
He stopped pondering when the old man motioned him to sit with them. They gathered around a small mezzanine where the guests and travelers were supposed to have their meals. The innkeeper’s method assured to have privacy in receiving her clients.
The innkeeper was a married middle-aged woman. She had a simple beauty that can easily be overlooked. And when she approached them with their meal she smiled warmly and knowingly.
“My husband will arrive in two days. He is still in Corintha and I’d loathe to send him a letter.” She shook her head and suddenly tears were welling in her brown eyes.
Elyn embraced her immediately and wept quietly. Miermi watched them with a sad expression until both settled down on the wooden chairs. The curly-haired blond still sniffled and his aunt patted his head affectionately.
“I think it’s best if you and your grandfather eat first. I know it’s a long and tiring journey.” She gestured to the pile of food on the table consisting of roasted potatoes, slices of tender lean meat, fresh vegetables, honey cakes, a glass of milk for Elyn and a mug of ale for Miermi.
The smell of the food made the boy forget about his grief and in the next second helped himself on the little feast.
Miermi smiled in relief and turned to the innkeeper once more. “Aurella, this is Cinder. He is the solitary young man who gave us the ferry ride. Cinder, this is Aurella, my nephew’s wife.”
Aurella turned her brown gaze towards him and her eyes sparkled with recognition. “Yes! The lad dropped by a dragon on the shore, barely escaping death! Oh Uncle, good thing Master Alfrund, the herbalist found him!”
The brunet lad nearly flinched at her loud outburst. He needed to appear as a weak and abandoned stranger to quell suspicion. By his command, the eldest of the dragons, Wyrtgeorn carried him (in human form) from his perch the sacred Bennu Mountain to be dropped a hundred feet high on the shores of Scalene.
The fall had knocked him unconscious but he was otherwise unscathed and alive. No matter what he did, his wounds instantly healed though he kept his divine powers hidden. It was his nature… the Phoenix’ nature to heal.
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Simurg