The Guardian | Chapter 6

The next few moments were a blur.  I was hauled into a vehicle and I heard some rough voices in what can only be described as a rough devilish language.

"Let me go," I cried out, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.

I regained consciousness, but all I could see was darkness.  I panicked.  It was disconcerting not being able to see anything.

I reached my hands to my face and felt something smooth and silky.  What have the creeps done to me?

I reached lower and my fingers touched a sort of hemline of what could what could be a hood.  I tried to pull it off, but it couldn't come off.  I tugged again, harder this time.  It was fruitless and only caused me to hurt my head.  To make matters worse, a nauseating smell of strong sulfur permeated in the air.

I closed my eyes to get a better sense of my surrounding so that I can plan my escape.  I listened to every vibration.  The engine of the vehicle sounded powerful and it was quite spacious around me.  In addition, I could hear thumping of the wheels coupled with an occasional crunching.  I concurred that I was captured in a van and we must be out of Fairspring because since the van was traveling on rough terrain thumping on the rocks.  Although I didn't understand what my kidnappers were saying, I could catch phrases of Guardians and Notak.

The van lurched and I was tossed into the air and hit the top of the van.  I landed with a loud oof.  It hurt really badly.  I hope nothing ruptured internally.

After what seems like a day, the van stopped moving.  The captives opened the back of the van and removed the hood.  Light flooded into my eyes causing me to blink rapidly.  I got out and stretched.  My lips were chapped dry but the biggest surprise came to me when I looked around my surroundings.  Smoke and dust rose from the remains of dilapidated houses.  I could see the remains of houses with smoke rising from them.  A large crack ran down the middle of the village.  The grounds scorched black.

Bodies lay everywhere.  Some of them were warriors clad in armors while others of strange devilish monsters with horns.  Flies were buzzing around the decaying body and maggots were crawling from their eyes.  A side of a building was stained with the entrails of a dead warrior and the side of another building was stained red with blood.  Spears and arrows litter the village.

Something crunched under my feet and when I look down a skeleton was staring up at me.  I shivered

I felt a sharp weapon prodding my back.

"Move," said the rough voice.

I turned back and stared straight into the eyes of the bullies from school.  "Oh not them again," I groaned.

"Or what," I replied trying to sound brave although I was quaking inside.  I wanted them to see me as a target not to be trifled with but my defiance only earned me a smack on my cheek that must have broken a few bones.

Before he could hit me again, his supervisor held his hand and barked, "What are you trying to do?  Kill him?"  Then he added stroking my cheek, "Need I remind you that our supreme leader Notak has ordered us not to harm our host here."

I wanted to bite his fingers off but something tells me that would be a very bad idea and cooperation was probably the best choice for now.

I was marched toward a small house.  My kidnapper opened the door.  "Notak wants to see you," he said jabbing me in the back to enter.

I timidly walked into the small room.  To my surprise, my parents were inside.  They were also gagged and had hoods over their heads.  Standing behind them was the tall, gaseous, devilish figure from my dreams surrounded by a few of the bullies from school.

He stared straight into my eyes and said, "We've been expecting you."  This speech sent chills through my bones.

"Since I'm feeling benevolent, let their prisoners say their last farewells," he said snapping his fingers.

The bullies quickly untied my parents and removed the hood from their head.

"Son, honey," my parents exclaimed as they rushed towards me and hugged me tightly.  "Everything will be OK," my parents assured despite the look of fear in their eyes.  "We will make out of it alive."

"This brings tears to my eyes," Notak sneered.  "When you're all done with your pleasantries and hugging, let me introduce myself.  I'm Notak, leader of the demons.  Oma, the last Guardian, tried to stop me by sacrificing herself.  I have to admit she was a formidable enemy.  She wiped out half of my army forcing us to retreat.  But her death was in vain …"

"How does this concern me," I interrupted earning me glares from my parents.

"It concerns you because you are a Guardian, just as Oma was.  My army and I will destroy the bringing Beringa back into darkness and chaos like it was the good old days.  Darkness will rise once again!"

His speech was met with cheers and roars from my captive.

"Oh yeah, where is this mighty army you speak off?  All I see are weak humans."

At my comment, the people around me winced and their body contorted.  I look around and saw that the bullies' face was also grimacing.  I stared in amazement as their fingers elongated to into claws.  Then their faced morphed into snouts until finally the bullies were transformed into a sort of wolf-man hybrid.  The other captors has also undergone a similar transformation and have shed their human disguises.  Around me stood demons with forked tail and minotaurs with large horns sticking out and sharp snarling teethes.

"Aren't they beautiful," Notak commented.  "This is only a handful.  More is waiting at a secret location ready to attack at my command."

Notak's servants bound my parents in chains and pulled them away from me.  I ran toward them and tried to reach for their hands but strong chains materialized around my ankles and yanked back.

Then Notak's tone changed, "You are a Guardian now it's time for you to die!  Although you may not know how to control your elements yet, I can't take any chances.  First, I will kill your parents in front of your eyes.  Then I will kill you."

He brought out a knife and plunged it deep into my dad's back, his face contorting with pain.  He pulled the knife out then stabbed my mom.  When the knife emerged from her, it was covered with blood, bright crimson red.  My parents stumbled and fell face down.

"Nooo!" I cried, rushing towards my parents.  I held their heads in my hand but they limped forward.

"You will pay for this," I yelled, bunching my fingers into a tight fist.

"Your bravery is admirable, but your days on this planet are numbered," Notak proclaimed.