The Elements of Zion: The Vine, The Branch, and The Thorn

Ashes

My eyes snapped open with an unyielding determination. My mother's presence had vanished, replaced by a looming figure at my side. As my gaze swept the surroundings, it stopped in my peripheral vision where I caught sight of a dark silhouette. With trembling hands, she aimed a gun at my head with deadly intent, ready to pull the trigger without hesitation.

"You can never escape me. You belong to me and I will take what is rightfully mine." She hissed. 

I looked up to Briah with no fear, only a simmering anger and a deep-seated hatred. From the beginning, I knew it was her who had held so much power over my life, like a puppet master pulling the strings. She had hunted me relentlessly, tirelessly tracking my every move. And worst of all, she had convinced me that death was inevitable, looming over me until one day it would snatch me away before my time had come. She had robbed me of everything I held dear and now sought to take me away from Abby, the one person who had shown me love and acceptance in this harsh world. I could feel the heat of my rage pulsing through my veins as I stared into Briah's cold, calculating eyes.

I closed my eyes once more. " In the name and authority of The Vine, I command you to the throne of Zion for judgment."

The sharp and unmistakable sound of metal tearing through flesh pierced the air, causing me to snap my eyes open. My heart raced as I witnessed the blade piercing through Briah's chest, her hand still clutching onto the gun before it fell limply to her side. She gazed up at the sky in sheer terror, her mouth hung open as she struggled to take a breath before unleashing a piercing howl that sent dark particles soaring into the sky. And then, in an instant, her body crumbled and disintegrated into ash upon impact with the ground below.

"Leave us, spirit of the abyss..." Said Trose. 

I stood acknowledging my guardian.

"No longer will she be a thorn in your side, my friend." He said. 

Without a word I embraced him noticing that we were no longer in Central Park but back in the wreckage of the temple. As Trose and I emerged from the shadows, the sight that greeted us was one of devastation. The Rose of Life lay crumpled nearby under crumbling debris, her petals bruised and torn, vibrant colors fading into the dullness of despair. She had given everything to protect us, to hold back the darkness that crept ever closer with the Thorn King's wrath.

"Rose," I whispered, the word a plea for forgiveness. For all the times I had doubted her presence, her sacrifice was now laid bare before me, etching a deep ache into my heart.

Trose's gaze was steely, his feathers bristling with the urgency of our mission. "We cannae dawdle, laddie! Her strength ebbs away faster than the tide, but there's still a glimmer o' hope if we reach her afore it's too late!"

We rushed towards her, struggling to keep our balance on the quaking ground. As we climbed over debris, we were met with a massive gaping hole where the first dragon had broken through. Behind Rose, we could see Oak dangling from the second temple and shouting for her to wake up. The sky echoed with the deafening whoosh of leathery wings. Oak, strong and determined, provoked the second dragon to chase after him. His branches rattled like ancient war drums, each beat a challenge to the beast intent on crushing us in its thorny grasp.

"Come, foul creature!" Oak bellowed, his voice echoing through the valley, rich and sonorous. "Face the truth that you have long forgotten!"

The dragon, a mass of writhing thorns, turned its fiery gaze upon Oak, and with a thunderous roar that shook the heavens, charged.

"Isaac, we must hurry!" Trose urged. 

We reached The Rose of Life, her form barely stirring in the ashen dirt. Her petals, once a tapestry of love and warmth, were now a testament to the cruelty she endured. I knelt beside her, my hands trembling as I touched the remnants of her beauty.

"Rose, hold on. We're here." 

Her eyes flickered open, a glimmer of light within them fighting against the encroaching shadow. "My dear Isaac..." 

I nodded, tears blurring my vision.

With a sudden gust, the air around us shivered, and the ground lurched violently. Trose and I exchanged a glance, knowing that time was slipping away. As we turned our eyes skyward, we witnessed Oak's final stand—the ancient tree reaching out with limbs wide, luring the dragon's twisted form into a deadly embrace.

"NO!". The scream ripped from my throat, a primal sound of rage and despair. I was frozen, helpless to stop the dragon's monstrous form as it slammed into The Temple of Illumination. The earth shuddered with the impact, a horrifying tremor that echoed through the land like a death knell.