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DISCLAIMER: I do not claim any rights over the Magnificent 7 characters used in this story, which has been written for the joy of writing only and for no other purpose (such as monetary gain). Trilogy Entertainment Group, the Mirisch Group and MGM own the Mag 7 characters/aspects of the story.
The story can also be read at the following URL: Destiny's Fire
Check out my other stories by following this URL: Lone Tree Creative Preserve
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Destiny's Fire
by TexasAries
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It had been a hot, dry summer that had only compounded the danger caused by the multi-year drought that had hit Colorado, forcing the residences to conserve water and banning any outdoor fires. Chris looked around the clearing he was working in as he straightened to take a sip from his water bottle and grimaced at the sight of brown, brittle grass and dead and dying trees, hating what the drought was doing to the once-beautiful landscape. He and his neighbors had been lucky that no fires had started so far, but looking at the devastated landscape he knew it wouldn't take much to start one.
The other six men who made up Denver ATF Team Seven had been working under the hot summer sky since early morning, helping Chris cut wood for the winter and clear the fire hazard of dead brush. Vin, who was working nearby, suddenly lifted his head and scented the wind, and when he met Chris' eyes the curiosity in his best friend's blue-green depths quickly changed to alarm as the faint smell of wood smoke drifted across the clearing.
With a jerk of his head Vin silently told Chris that he was going to take a look around. Walking into the forest he selected a tree that stood high enough give him a good view of what might be going on and shimmied up it. Hanging onto the trunk of the big oak he scanned the surrounding area and saw what he'd feared most: to the south and west the thick trees were almost obscured by smoke and flashes of red, a drought-born forest fire that had cut them off from the ranch.
The fire was maybe five miles away from their present position, but Vin could tell it was quickly gaining ground. Knowing time was important he quickly but cautiously made his way back down to the foot of the tree, not wanting to injure himself and put the others at risk, and then hurried back to where both the men and their horses waited. He could tell when he entered the clearing that they had already smelled the smoke. “The fire's between us and the ranch, and it's heading in this direction," he told them. “We'd better get movin'."
The men quickly gathered their gear and saddled their horses knowing that time was against them, for their only chance was either to the east were there was a lake or north farther into the mountains were there were caves deep enough to hide in. Figuring the lake was the best choice since they could hit another well-traveled road there, they quickly set off heading east.
They rode along a fairly well-marked pack trail, not wanting to risk their horses on a more direct route across the uneven forest floor, but all too soon the seven men started to encounter far more smoke then they had expected. It was when they turned a curve in the trail they came face to face with one of nature's fiercest forces; the fire had somehow swung to the east and cut them off from the lake.
In the narrow valley below them fire roared and snarled like some nightmarish creature out to devour the world, the searing heat of its breath washing over them in a choking wave as claws of flame dragged at the rocky walls that imprisoned it. JD quickly backed his horse away from the trail edge as the fire leaped for them, seeking to pull them down to feed its endless hunger.
Knowing the fire had now chosen their path for them the men wheeled their nervous mounts and rushed back up the trail. They had only one chance left and that was north to the mountain caves. Chris found the winding trail up the mountainside and led them onto it, leaving the worst of the smoke and heat behind as they ascended, while Vin rode at the rear and kept an eye on the growing fire that crept up the mountain behind him. The sharpshooter paused often to look behind them; he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he sensed that there was something not quite right about the fire. He almost felt like it was…herding them, but he knew that wasn't possible. It was a fire, a force of nature – it didn't have a mind of its own.
Unknown to Vin, however, his uneasiness was shared by the rest of the team. They move with urgency up the winding trail, but also with caution; this wasn't a time they could afford to be sloppy or to miscalculate a single step. Each man kept his attention of the trail and on the friends riding nearest him, waiting for something to happen and planning to be ready if it did.
Chris finally found the cave he'd remembered and dismounted. Reaching into his saddlebag he pulled out his flashlight as he started to lead the way into the pitch darkness; it would be a tight fit going in, but it should widen out into two chambers where they could take shelter. Moving deeper into the cave Chris felt a brush of fresh smokeless air against his face and sighed in relief that at least the smoke from the fire wouldn't be able to reach them.
Finally after about five minutes of edging between claustrophobically narrow rock walls Chris reached the wider open space he'd been looking for and led Storm off to one side to unsaddle him. The other's followed his lead, making their mounts as comfortable as they could before seeing to their own needs. Vin and Buck split off to gather fuel for a fire while Josiah, Chris and Ezra dragged all of their supplies into the next chamber and started taking inventory.
JD and Nathan had joined Vin and Buck outside, but they quickly gave up on gathering wood and dry grass in favor of harvesting the wild blackberries that grew in abundance just a few yards left of the cave mouth. They had managed to collect a good amount when Vin's shouted warning coincided with one of the nearby trees bursting into flame, and the two men managed to make it back to the safety of the cave with the fire nipping at their heels.
Nathan and JD quickly dumped their berries into a lunch chest that one of the guys had brought, and the ex-paramedic noted with satisfaction that with the berries and the rest of the food they should have enough to last for a few days if they were careful. He then turned his attention to the small pool of water in the far corner of the chamber. The water wasn't stagnate or discolored, but not wanting to take any chances Nathan placed a water purification tablet into his water bottle before filling it. If and when they ran out of the tablets they could always use Vin's coffee pot to boil the water before drinking it.
Chris and Vin by this time had built a small fire to provide light and warmth to the cool, damp cavern, and the seven men sat around it in silence as they though about the devastation that they would encounter on the way out – not only the loss of trees and animal life, but god forbid any human lives that might have failed to escape the fire's grasp.
JD wasn't the only one to jump when the silence was broken by a loud snarl coming from the cave entrance followed by squeals of panic from the horses. Chris, Ezra and Vin quickly edged into the crowded space that was doubling as their stable, trying to soothe the frightened animals with quiet words and gentle stroking, but the noise from the fire and the occasional whiff of smoke that snuck through the shielding blankets made it almost impossible to calm them.
When the three men were finally able to return to the fire, JD was quick to ask the question that had been bothering him since they'd run into the fire on the trail. “Guys, does a fire always roar and snarl like that?" The younger man shuddered as he continued, “It … it almost sounded like it was alive."
Buck looped a comforting arm around JD's shoulders as he stared into the flames of their small fire. “Yeah, kid, sometimes it does. When Chris and me were in the PD we saw a lot of fires and I know what you mean, it almost makes you think it was alive. The way fire moves sometimes you'd almost think there was intelligence in there somewhere, directing it, but there isn't."
Josiah leaned back against the cave wall with a thoughtful sigh. “I don't know, Brother, in some cultures they believe that fire is a living creature for it breathes, eats and gives birth to other fires before it dies. Some even tell of mystical creatures that are living flames who can control the fire and make it do their bidding."
No one had a response to that right away, and quiet once again descended on the Seven until Nathan broke it. “You know … it was kind of strange how the fire seemed to have swung to the east like it did. Wouldn't it have continued going north and west?"
Ezra poked at the fire with a stick, watching the sparks bite at the dry wood. “One might expect so, but both forest and prairie fires have been known to change direction without warning or reason." He glanced at Nathan and shrugged. “Wildfires are dangerously unpredictable, this one just decided to prove it to us. Might I have some of the water you treated earlier? I can still feel the smoke irritating my throat."
Nathan handed the bottle over to him, and silence fell again as he drank and then without being asked passed the water to JD. Vin waved it away when JD offered it to him, though; he'd been leaning against the cool rock and thinking about his own observations earlier on the trail, of the feeling he'd gotten that something wasn't right, when a flash from the fire illuminated what looked like writing on one of the cavern walls. Climbing to his feet and snagging a small flashlight he made his way over to the wall and started to look for more marks.
Josiah, seeing that Vin had found something of interest, got up to join him, but the others stayed where they were and continued to pass the water bottle around and discuss the fire, knowing that if the two men found something of interest they would be told.
Nathan finally got the bottle back empty and refilled it from the pool, adding another tablet before setting the bottle aside for later. Feeling bored and more than a little tired, the medic then stretched out on his saddle blanket and watched his two friends carry on a conversation about the symbols they'd found and their possible meanings. It wasn't long before the other five seated men had followed his example, making themselves comfortable as they too watched Josiah and Vin argue over their find. Every once in a while someone would yawn and seem to be fighting falling asleep. Covering up his own yawn, Nate suddenly but without alarm noticed that faintly glowing symbols seemed to be appearing on the walls and arching ceiling above him.
It was at that moment that the two men examining the far wall seemed to stiffen and turned towards the others, and Nathan was vaguely aware that they had asked a question but he couldn't seem to understand them. Somewhere in his sluggish thoughts he was aware that he should be panicking because of that, but sleep overtook him before he could make up his mind if it was important enough for him to care.
Vin and Josiah had noticed the symbols starting to glow and turned around to see their friends slipping into unconsciousness, but no matter how they shook the sleeping men or yelled at them they were unable to get a response. It was the soft glow emanating from the small pool and, more ominously, from Nathan's refilled water bottle, that told them why the other five had fallen victim and they had not.
Vin made up his mind quickly, knowing they didn't have much time and deciding he'd rather follow his friends into the unknown than remain behind without them. Sitting down on his own blanket, he uncapped the water bottle and silently saluted the glowing symbols with it before taking several healthy swallows and then offering it to Josiah. The older man hesitated only a moment before taking it, then returned the sharpshooter's salute and lifted the bottle to his own mouth and drained the rest of its contents in two large gulps before letting it drop to the floor. His own blanket was calling him, and he settled himself down on it with a smile and a sigh. Oblivion came quickly and gently.
The glow from water and ancient markings spread to the cave walls, ceiling and floor and began to pulse with the rhythm of a beating heart. Then from out of the glow a soft, thick mist fell upon the still bodies of the sleeping men and their drowsing mounts, covering them completely. It faded as quickly and mysteriously as it had fallen, leaving behind only scattered piles of clothing ashes of a small fire, but no other sign that seven men and horses had ever been there. And the with that the ravenous wildfire slowly began to burn itself out … five miles to the southeast.