Sins of Fire and Metal

By Emileigh Latham

An electric pulse jerks my muscles awake. I gasp, filling my lungs with air. My heart pounds against my chest as it rushes me back to life.

A robotic voice announces. “Engine’s Power Level: Low. Light Speed: Unavailable.”

“Quickly, human fenix! Fire up the ssship,” demands a huffing, hissing voice.

Does he think this is easy? Dying and then coming back to life, again and again?

An explosion tears through the hull and the ship convulses from the blast. My body lifts then falls, slamming against my cot. Slumping to the floor, I wheeze as my lungs burn from the exertion.

Flinching at the shrieking alarms, I shift to my side and strain to lift myself off the frigid, steel floor. The smell of smoke filters into the cabin.

“We’ve been hit! Hurry up, boy! Ussse your flame to ignite the engine.” The snake-like voice comes from Occa, my prison guard.

A stronger pulse burns through me. I scream until my voice cracks.

A new voice yells, “Occa! Why hasn’t the human charged up the engine?”

The hot current sizzling through me ceases. I crumble back onto the freezing floor and press myself against it, trying to convince my trembling body to be as solid as the metal beneath me.

“Human fenix?” That’s the captain, my master. My eyes begin to focus. Old battle scars run down his purple-skinned face. His teal-colored hair and goatee glow like the embers of the cig in his mouth.

My vision spins and my middle coils. Turning to my side, I heave the meager contents of my stomach.

“Occa, you reptilian slime.” I hear a hiss escape Occa’s lips as the captain kicks Occa through the energy shield that cages me. “The human is worth a fortune. Possibly more than ten of your lifetimes with how rare its flame is. If you’ve damaged it—”

I raise myself. My hand slips under me and I sink back to the floor, shaking.

What’s the point, anyways? This is what I deserve.

“We need to get out of here, human, if we are to escape Red Eye and his armada.” The cig in his mouth warps his words.

Red Eye? He’s here?

A different kind of chill slithers its way through me and I feel my power smoldering in my chest again.

He found me.

I push myself up into a sitting position, panting from the effort.

I must help them escape.

I bow my head at the captain.

“How long will you be out after this?” he asks me.

Even though I am precious equipment, I am a slave. My station is lower than a crew member. No sense in accusing Occa of weakening me. “I’ll be unconscious for a couple of days, master.”

If I’m lucky, maybe forever.

The captain steps through the energy shield. “Understood. Ignite the engine, human. Occa, tell the pilot we’re launching in 20 seconds.”

One side of Occa’s green, scaly face glows as he opens the communication link between the crew and repeats the captain’s orders.

I pull myself up onto my feet using my cot and wobble. Putting the wall at my back to keep me standing, I raise my hands and expel blue flame. The room around me begins to charge and absorb the fire. I hear the purr of the engine as it eats up my power. Taking a deep inhale of hot air, I reach inside and break the barrier within. Power surges through my body as a sapphire inferno engulfs me. My fingers turn to dust. I press on, relieving myself of all the raging energy. I taste my ashes as more of me turns. When my eyes evaporate into embers, it is then that my sin dances into view, haunting me. There was one person who never gave up on me, and when I ignited in front of him, I melted his flesh and blasted his arm off.

I feel the cold sleep of death consume me. I hope it is for the last time.

I choke as crisp, cold water washes over me. I gulp in air and my heart jumps into action. I sit up this time and see the face I have dreaded seeing again.

“Red Eye.”

His cybernetic eye glints. “Hello, brother.”

I do nothing but stare at my cyborg brother, gazing at what I had done to him.

He sets the bucket down and clears his throat. “The whole crew is either dead or captured. Or do you care, Jaco, since you were just a slave?”

I remain still. Hearing my name after so long takes me back to the last time I heard it. He was lying in my arms, whispering my name over and over. His body mutilated because of me.

“Why did you run away?”

I stay silent, not caring for this conversation. My soul died a long time ago. Living no longer matters.

“Do you know why I have been searching for you?” His cyborg eye glows a deeper red.

“You found a way to kill me.” I sigh. “Just do it. I have longed for death. Take your revenge.”

He lowers himself and brings his face close to mine. A tear runs down his good eye. “I don’t want to kill you, Jaco. I am here to pardon you. It was an accident.”

I hold my breath.

“After I heard of your capture, I went to the emperor and convinced him to form an armada against fenix slave ships so that I could find you and end your oppression. I prayed that I would one day free you from your bondage.”

“I never thought…” I release the breath I was holding. “I am so sorry.” My face is wet again from tears I didn’t realize I was shedding.

“I forgive you, little brother.” He lifts me up onto my feet and embraces me. “Let’s go home.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emileigh Latham lives in the flatlands of West Texas with her ridiculously adorable mini Aussie named Fable. She is a barista and freelance writer by day and, by night, she weaves magical realms. She has attended various writing conferences and has completed Ted Dekker’s The Creative Way writing course. She has several short stories published in magazines and on sites including Splickety and Havok, and has an up-and-coming YA fantasy novel.

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