76- Life for a Life

" Running? Now?" I hear Temny taunt as we all race, trying to find some sort of safety.

Xaden leads with Segyl, I'm second and the others follow as we dive into the moutains below hoping, just hoping we're just one or two seconds faster to escape.

It's pouring now, with the rain beating down on us and the humidity for this ara creating dense fog, hoping to aide us.

Or hurt us. Temny can use it just as well as we could.

I hold on tighter to Rhys feeling tiredness take over, how my body so badly wanted to just sleep, close my eyes, though this tiredness had  a certain cold feeling to it, a feeling if I succumb to it I don't think I'd wake.

" We hover just above the river. No way they'll be able to reach us from down there!" Xaden calls out flying downwards.

" Hang on a little longer." He then whispers comforting in my head as if trying to soothe me.

My eyes shoot to his once more, he was looking behind us then at me. 

Above I see Tairn flying, trying to find us through the fog, I hear Temny shouting in a language I don't know, I see reborns trailing behind her I know waiting for the next command... to find us once we're spotted.

" I don't want you channeling unless your directly getting attacked. Understood?" Rhys asks, not trying to hide the concern for me.

" Can Andarana feel this?"

" Yes, she's already making it back to the Vale, She'll live."

" She thinks I'm dead?"

" She knows your close to. She understood your directions."

We all fly silently as we're maybe only 20 feet from touching the rushing river below us, the waves crashing viciously across the rock, one wrong move and even a dragon could get swept up in a current like that.

My eyes look up above us, straining to try to see something, anything. It seems the others seems to be doing the same. " Do you think we lost them?" Hetta asks almost hopefully.

Rhys seems to perk up, cocking his head from side to side. " They're right above us."

I feel the drop in my chest, Xaden must've heard that because I see His eyes widen jerking his head up, Segyl seemed even more alert, then there was the hiss of water being evaporated.

Blue fire reigns down from above us, only 100 yeards away, I could feel the heat as the dragons fly faster, all of us looking back at the flames, then the lauhh of Temny.

" The River? Seriously?!" She cackles. " You basically just trapped yourself in!"

" Xaden what do we do?!" Imogen yells.

" Keep flying!" He grits.

" What's the plan?!" I shoot in his direction.

" I'm trying to figure that out!" He calls back making my heart sink even more then it already was.

" Come on my little dragon riders! Come out!" Temy calls, flying Tairn just low enough to clearly see them, as if she's trying to fit through the narrow canyons... if that's the case... We'll be screwed.

" I can feel Tairn still has his sense.... He won't." Rhys adds making me feel just a touch better... not much.

" You think if we hit a vital part on Tairn it'll knock him dead this time?" I question, we'd have the perfect shot. With his under stomach, under throat and chest exposed, I could shock him with lightning, make his heart stop.

" No." Rhys says forcefully, " You'd need quite a bit of power, power you do not have. You'll kill yourself and still not stop him."

" Xaden could send another spear-"

" He's just as weak as you are. We fly." Segyl interjects. 

" Freya Sorrengail! You try to kill me then you just run!" Temny still continues making me want to send a lightning bolt just to shut her up.

" Freyaaaa!" She calls, I look up to see she finally spotted us through the fog, her grin looking even more terrifying with the wounds I left on her and Tairn. " Fine.... If you guys don't want to come up here I'll send them down there."

" We're just about by the opening!" Xaden announces knowing we'll have more flexibilty to get away or fight back if someone has the power for it.

" She's sending more reborns!" Bohdi yells. I twist around again seeing human ones coming at us, along with a smaller wyvern and dragon, they all look like hell, worse then normal. 

She needed to resurrect some. We killed them all.

Shit... We killed them all.

With their faces have melted off or petruding stab wounds, or wounds they took when they fell with their broken bodies coming towards us. All I can see is the animalistic look in their eyes of wanting to tear us apart.

We weave through the rocks all of us slowing from the hard constant battle, the hours these dragons have been flying is strenuous, their bodies becomign tired. Deigh catches my attention not quite healed from the attack with the first mutt.

And like everything that has the urge to kill, they picked out the damn weakest being Deigh... They all seem to communicate seeing their eyes all snap to the red dragon leaning his way as they fly.

" Managda!" Hetta yells letting themselves fall back just a little as her green clubtail spins around sending a burst of fire their way. Liam sends her a nod of appreciation as they keep flying.

" Liam get in the inside!" I yell just as we reach the outside of the canyon's path, he was about to when 7 reborns were waiting just around the cliff for us. 

" Shit!" I yell, Manadga flaming two of them, sending them as crumpled up corpses on the ground breaking apart. While the other 5...

All latch onto Deigh.

Claws and teeth they seem to almost burrow inside him, his screams of pain again fill my ears. Liam's screams fill my ears as the fall to the ground probably not even 15 feet below us, Deigh taking out all the vegetation.

I see Liam wrestling with one that was trying to kill him, holding onto it's jaw, the creature looking like a girl our age. 

" Liam!" I scream, Xaden was already on his way both his swords in his hands slicing through reborns on Deigh, his shadows fighting maliciously along side him.

Garrick and bohdi were right behind him killing off the rest of them, only one reborn left, one that-

" Liam behind you!" I yell.

He didn't have enough time to turn and kill it. Bohdi didn't have enough time, Garrick didn't... The rebron bites his shoulder...just bites it.. not even trying to tear into him, or take his arm off.

It was like it was smiling as Xaden pierces through it's skull not even shrieking, just grunting falling off of Liam, off or Deigh's mangled body.

Again it was silent.

Dead silent.

No reborns. 

No Tairn trying to attack us. No Temny.

I see Tairn perched right above us, watching. I see Temny at his side watching us with the most satisfied smile.

I didn't even care, I don't care if they were wating for me to turn around to burn me alive. " Liam!" I yell jumping off of Rhys, running to him, running as fast as my tired body could take me, I stumble but I push.

I see Deigh laying down, Liam laying beside him, I see everyone crowding around, they too not even caring about the massive black reborn and it's rider perched, watching us.

We're all around Liam.

" Move!" I yell pushing past Bohdi and Garrick, I sink to the ground where Liam is propped up against Deigh. I see the bite mark on Liam's shoulder bleeding profusely if I don't burn it he'll bleed out, or turn, the dark purplish black mark it's teeth produced. In just the few minutes he was already bit i could see the veins faintly, ever so faintly start to turn the color of the wound.

Xaden comes at my side looking at Liam, his bright amber eyes holding worry, pure worry, his emotions shown on his face. For the first time I see Xaden as a kid. A 23 year old kid who just needed to play warrior, fighter, a kid who just needed to try to keep his people and friends alive.

A kid who is looking at his best friend dying right infront of him.

" We have to burn this." I say urgently grabbing out a dagger to cut away his shirt.

" Freya-" Liam rasps holding my wrist.

" Shhh..." I try to soothe pushing away his hand, " We need to burn this, Rhys got bit, that gryphon got but and we burned them and they're fine...Liam your going to be fine-"

" Deigh is dying." Liam sputters out.

I finally look at Deigh, his breathing shallow as I see the gouges sticking out of him, the chunks of flesh missing, bones showing, the veins are more visible on him, all over his body. " Rhys.. RHYS!" I yell, my throat trying to close.

I refuse I will not be weak. 

" You start with Deigh and I'll get Liam-"

" Freya..." Liam's voice cracks. I snap my head back at Liam...crying. " There's to many. It's everywhere... I can feel it-"

" No..." I refuse to believe it, I just saved him only a few hours ago, I refuse to let Deigh die, I sure as hell refuse to let Liam die. " RHYS!" I beg, this time my voice breaking as I fight back the tears. " Rhys come help me!" I beg.

" He's right. The infection is all in his body.. He can't-" I feel his pain radiate through me as a friend would feel as you lose a friend... a family member.

" Freya.." Liam's voice is weaker as I look back at him. " I need to save you... I need to save both of you." I choke.

" No..." He swallows, " You need to kill us-"

" No!" 

" - Freya." Liam continues. " Just listen please...." He begs, and I can't find it in myself to fight with him, I can't find it to let him die. The internal battle killing me inside to fight and try to heal the both of them with what I have left or let him get out what he wants to say in his last moments.

I nod.

He reaches for my hand, he also reaches for Xaden.

" You all need to look out for Sloane...At Parapet." He says shakily, " You'll love her Freya. Please protect her-"

" We will. With my life." Xaden says his own voice shaking. 

Liam looks at me and I nod. " I'll protect her, with my life just like you did." I answer choking a sob.  " You can fight this.."

" No...no.." He whispers his grip on me tightening. " I can feel us both slipping."

I choke another sob as I look at him, " Please stay.."

" M-Make sure.. Make sure you don't taint her brain with drenching her plain pancakes in syrup like you always do." He manages his perfect smile with his small dimple making me laugh lightly in response. " I promise I'll ler her eat her plain pancakes."

" Good... good.." He whispers, a small tear slipping. " I'm sorry Freya-"

" I forgive you...I forgive you Liam.. I kew you were always my friend. I'm so thankful for you being my body guard and sticking with me even when I was a pain in the ass-"

He chuckles, " I enjoyed every second...every second with you was like a gift." He coughs violently, coughing up a black substance making himself flinch... We're losing time.

" Deigh passed..." He says aloud making another wave wreck through me, I feel Rhy's pain, Segyl's, Andarna's. I feel everyones.

" Thank you for everything..." I cry, tears running down my face, but I don't pull my hand away, I refuse to let go of Liam Mairi.

" Gladly.. And I'd do it again Freya Sorrengail, because I love you, more then anything, more then life itself. I always will, I've always believed in you...remember that. Take..take my sword... It'll keep you safe. It's for Venin... I want you to take it... to keep it... to protect Sloane with it."

He pivots just enough so I can get it off of him, securing it on my back, I couldn't control it anymore as I leaned forward sobbing in the crook of his neck, wrappign my arms around him. " Please don't leave me."

" I'm not leaving you that easily." The hand that was hanging onto Xaden's wraps around me. I pull away just slightly looking into those blue eyes.

The eyes I saw when I ran into him at Threshing, the eyes that I've been staring at for the past year and falling every damn time, those eyes told me how much he cares for me, those eyes told me they believed in me before anyone else did. Those eyes made me feel so damn loved.

I don't care if they're all watching, in the moment I don't care Xaden is watching, I crash my lips on his which he reciprocates, his hand running up and down my cheek gently. I feel his touch growing weaker.

I pull away just enough to stare in those eyes, " Being loved by you Liam Mairi has been the greatest honor of my life."

" I love you too pretty girl." He says softly with more love and passion I've ever seen in my life. HE looks at Xaden " I'm sorry brother."

Xaden comes closer, andI give him a bit more room still squeezing his hand. Xaden shakes his head, " Everything is forgiven."

Liam nods seeming relieved. " Thank you for saving me... Keeping us all alive all these years ago. Still keeping them alive."

Xaden nods, and I see his eyes watering. " Your my brother. Until the end of times, until my last breath, and in eternity. Even after that."

" We both know one of us wasn't going to make it.. Take care of yourself brother." Liam says though his eyes come back to mine. " Take care of her first..."

Xaden let's out a small cry as he nods. I come closer again, Liam's grip fading.

It's fading..

" I love you both." He whispers.

" We love you too." Xaden chokes, " We all do, not blood but family."

Liam smiles, " Not blood but fam..."

" Liam." I say hurridly.  " Liam.... Liam!"

His grip is gone, his eyes dull, his expression slackens. Xaden chokes back another sob as he reaches for his eyes closing them. And that's when I hear his scream, though his face is void he screams of agony in my head.

I hear the cries of everyone else around us.

And that's when it hits me he's gone.

" Liam... Liam! LIAM WAKE UP!" I scream. " Liam wake up right now! Please wake up! You can't leave me! I need you Liam wake up!"

My screams go unanswered as Xaden wraps his arms around me. " He's gone Fury."

" No.. NO!" I yell pushing xaden away. I shake Liam, " Please! Please just wake up Mairi!"

" Freya he's gone!" Xaden yells though it's not a yell of anger, it's a yell of sadness as he pulls me back. 

Liam.. my Liam is gone... I couldn't help the sobs, I couldn't help the screams that rang from my throat. Endless and wordless... I couldn't help the pain as that thing that layed dormant in my chest for the past 20 year...shatters.

He's gone.

I hunch over as the literal pain in my wrecks my body, my hands clutching the cold ground. Liam died because he wanted to come back and protect me. He wanted to protect both of us. It should be me and Xaden dead.

Not Liam. He was the best of us, he was kind, and gentle. He was the best of our year, he was ready for whatever. No complaints, no negativity, all smiles, all jokes, all flirting.

All love.

And they took that away.

The leadership, this mission, saving these people, the venin, the reborns.

Temny.

My breathing deepens as I look up at Liam, at Deigh, at the group.

Then behind us.

At Tairn and Temny still watching.

They didn't want to attack that wanted to see us suffer. I could feel it. I could feel how proud they must be. I could feel my breathing increase as I look at them, taking deeper breaths, harder ones, more rapid.

I feel my nails dig in the ground.

I feel the grief, the gut wrenching grief. But above that... I feel Fury.

I hear my fathers voice. 

I remember sitting on his lap in some other province as he was reading me something though that seems a bit hazy.

Violence is more useful.

Wrath is more powerful.

Fury... Fury is more devestating.

And right now... I'm feeling all of those. I'm feeling all of that as I stare into the eyes of Tairn, the eyes of Temny.

I feel myself nearly hyperventilating, I could almost feel someone touching me. But I was to focused. To focused on them.

I feel my hands digging into the ground as my breathing increases. I feel the raw anger, the raw...fire. I feel my body regenerating from the pure and utter thought.

Life for a Life.

I can hear the cracking from above us, the wind starts to pick up, I hear another earth shattering crackle, lightning, my lightning going into a mountain close to us, making it crumble. I feel the ground shaking, the earth is trembling...for me.

Tairn and Temny see it. Her smile vanishes, good. As she stares into the distance, the wind whipping her hood off her head as she looks at me. A face of understanding.

She turns on her heel and mounts Tairn as they leave.

I shoot up, " Let's go."

" We're not going-" Xaden begins gripping my shoulder, I jerk away  " This ends today!"

" What about Liam?" Hetta asks.

" He's GONE Hetta." I yell. " You guys can stay here but she's dying... I'm killing her.."

" Then I come with you." Xaden says lowly looking at Liam, then at Hetta. " Once we're back, we'll take them. You guys stay here."

" No.. We ALL fight. And we ALL come back." Imogen says weakly rubbing away a stray tear. " No one else is dying today. And I want to stab the bitch and that damn dragon. For Liam."

" For Deigh." Rhys growls, Segyl says the same, I could hear Mangda also.

I nod climbing onto Rhys eyeing Tairn as he flies, " Let's end this."

PLEASE READ

I'm bawling... I have proof.

I know I'm going to get hella hate and YES Liam was going to stay alive! ANd YES I hate Rebecca for killing him ( No offense xx) But given there are still more books to be released and since I do follow the story line I had NO idea how i'd play liam in.

And I didn't want the love Triangle to affect the future stories ( That idea was selfish on my part when I wrote it). Trust me I fought the Idea for the past MONTH. So this is what happened, but I still love Liam and he WILL be in more of my stories...

4Liam<3