The desert swirled with crimson and gold under the dying rays of a burning sun. Rezia took a measured step forward, her knee-high leather boots sinking lightly into the sunbaked earth. The deafening roar of hooves thundered closer, indistinct figures kicking up trails of dust in the distance. She tightened her grip on the curved obsidian dagger she held, its wicked blade glinting faintly as if thirsting for blood. Time was running out—too soon, they would reach her.
Rezia was a vision in sapphire and ivory, though her attire bore little resemblance to the modern sensibilities of her ancestry. Her deep blue cape, edged with gold embroidery, fluttered in the wind, secured to her shoulders by intricate brooches shaped like feathered wings. Beneath it, her white tunic hugged her torso, belted at the waist with braided leather colored indigo. Her pleated skirt of cobalt linen reached just above her sand-dusted knees, matching the hue of her painted leather gauntlets. Her raven-black hair was tied into a hurried braid, though strands of it escaped to frame her sun-kissed face. Even here, amid peril, Rezia exuded an aura of ethereal grace—and defiance.
Behind her loomed the Temple of Flames, its obsidian walls glowing faintly in harmony with the setting sun. The jagged ruins were once a symbol of divine power for Rezia’s ancestors, the Feathered People, before the Conquerors came. Now, their warriors pursued her relentlessly, seeing her as the last defiant ember of a culture they had nearly extinguished. No matter. Rezia had made her peace with death—so long as she had one chance to fulfill her purpose before it found her.
The riders came into focus, their polished silver armor catching the light. They carried banners of scarlet trimmed with gold—a phoenix emblazoned on its surface, spreading wings over the ashes of defeated kingdoms. Each warrior’s helmet bore a plume of fire-colored feathers, marking them as elite commanders of the Conquering Order. At the forefront rode Captain Davius Kael, a man as ruthless as he was pragmatic. His steely gaze met hers across the distance, and a cruel smile curled his lips.
“No escape this time, little bird!” he shouted, his voice carried by the wind. His army slowed just enough to encircle her, forming an unbroken ring—one designed not for mercy, but for execution. Davius stepped down from his midnight-black stallion and approached, drawing his sword. Its blade hummed faintly with an unnatural glow, etched with glyphs of ancient power stolen from the Feathered People.
Rezia stood her ground, her eyes narrowing imperceptibly. “You think victory is sealed, Conqueror. But you’ve misjudged me as surely as you’ve misjudged my people.”
Davius laughed. “The arrogance of the fallen. You ran from me across two provinces, through jungles, rivers, broken villages… Was that not enough despair to break you? Shall we add humiliation to your legacy?”
Her lips curved into the faintest of smiles. “You speak of humiliation as if yours isn’t seconds away.”
With a sudden flick of her wrist, Rezia launched the obsidian dagger skyward. Davius’s gaze instinctively followed the blade as it arced high overhead, refracting the setting sun’s light with a haunting brilliance. For half a breath, the desert was silent save for the whisper of the wind. And then, all at once, the ground beneath them shuddered violently.
The soldiers stumbled, clutching their lances as cracks split the earth like jagged lightning bolts. From the fissures erupted myriads of plumed serpents wreathed in spectral flame. The air filled with the shriek of their war cries, their lithe, serpentine forms twisting through the sky as they descended upon Davius’s men. Some of the riders fell immediately, engulfed in a whirlwind of fire and talons. Others, frozen in fear, could only watch as chaos consumed their ranks.
Rezia did not flinch. She stepped forward, emboldened by the surge of power in the air, and called out words in the ancient tongue of her people. The obsidian dagger streaked downward, piercing the earth before her feet and igniting a blazing circle of light around her. From its center rose a colossal form: a feathered serpent with wings spanning twice the length of her body. Its eyes, orbs of molten gold, met Rezia’s with recognition.
“Quetzah,” she whispered reverently, her voice trembling. “You’ve answered.”
The serpent lowered its head in acknowledgment before roaring at the Conquerors. The sound was deafening, shaking the very sky and scattering Davius’s men like leaves in a storm. The captain himself stumbled back, his sword trembling in his hand.
“What… sorcery is this?” Davius spat, his confidence eroding as he beheld the radiant serpent now towering before him.
“Not sorcery,” Rezia answered, her voice calm but unyielding. “Justice.” Her eyes locked with his, and for the first time, Davius saw not just a lone woman before him, but the weight of an empire he had underestimated. Before he could mount another attack, the serpent lunged with breathtaking speed, its body slithering through the air like an arrow loosed from a bow.
In the end, the Conquering Order’s banners lay scorched and forgotten, their once-proud sigil of the phoenix consumed by the flames of the Feathered People’s patron. As the last rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon, Rezia stood amid the ruins, her obsidian dagger once again in her hand. Beside her, Quetzah coiled protectively, a guardian reborn.
Somewhere deep within the temple, a hidden chamber awaited her, its secrets untouched for decades. But for now, she allowed herself a moment to catch her breath—to feel both the aching sting of loss and the heady rush of vengeance fulfilled. Morning would bring new battles, new questions, and new scars. But for this fleeting hour, Rezia was no longer a hunted exile. She was the keeper of her people’s last flame.
And where she walked, the Conquerors would burn.
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
The Source…check out the great article that inspired this amazing short story: White and Blue Sailor-Inspired Outfit with Bow Tie, Bohemian Lace Accents, and Flowing Skirt Styled for Vintage-Modern Cosplay
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations and reviews are always independent and objective, aiming to provide you with the best information and resources.
Get Exclusive Stories, Photos, Art & Offers - Subscribe Today!
3 comments