Piercing The Darkness (Guardian Series)

by JW Baccaro

  So why on earth could he touch, feel and smell his body—naked body to be exact! "Where am I?" he shouted, more so to himself, but his voice sang over the grassy hills and flowery landscapes.

  Of a sudden, a bright golden light shined onto him. Raising a hand, he closed his eyes, blinded from the beams, and he sensed what felt like —hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of individuals on either side of him. The light ceased, he opened his eyes and witnessed beings from a distant past, they seemed to be stationed on both sides of him, making a sort of never-ending hallway. At first, he believed to witness illusions, brought upon by the sudden effects of the light that had pierced his eyes, but they never disappeared and their gazes remained directly on him. Stranger yet, he recognized many faces.

  Clothed in garments of red and white was every soldier who’d fought and died in the Second Great War, the red representing their sacrifice and slaughter, the white their purity. Loreladians, Zithelians, the people of Mt. Mundoria, and other innocent villagers who’d been trampled upon and slain earlier on in search of the Wizard Crystals.

  There were also King Adeleric of Zithel, Captain Alaric, Elwin Theodore, and—two others which brought tears to his eyes, Uncle Seth and his adoptive father Mirabel! Beside Seth was a great eagle, the one that had died during the Siege of Zithel, shot down by the Dark Queen. Like Seth, he was alive and shined in splendor. Next to Mirabel was the stallion that brought Darshun out of harm’s way while fleeing from the Draconians on Arundel Mountain many months back. He too shined in glory. Darshun wanted to run over to them, he wanted to run to them oh so badly, touch their shoulders, fellowship, pet the animals, make sure they all were real. Mirabel and Seth pointed ahead at someone else for Darshun to go to, the most important being of all, and from the look on their faces he knew to obey.

  Darshun glanced aside and saw him, standing at the end of the ‘being hallway’ Aurelius the Golden Wizard, first and foremost Guardian of earth, and oh did he appear more beautiful than anything Darshun could have ever imaged, so much that his beauty seemed indescribable. It felt better to simply say he was a golden essence of peace, mystery and awe. Darshun came within three feet and knelt, burying his face into the grass.

  “Arise my child,” Aurelius said, his voice still and gentle. He turned aside and revealed to Darshun a shining white sphere floating above a golden water fountain flowing with crystal blue water.

  The water continuously trickled out of the crystal in many spots as if there were multiple holes covering it, letting loose a universe of eternal holy water from within, but no holes were visible. The collection of water swirled around in the fountain, running off onto the ground disappearing into the grass, like a constant cycle. It gave off the scent of the sea, and the sound of ocean waves.

  Foreknowing Darshun’s thoughts Aurelius spoke, “The Water of which you see gives life to the everlasting plains and symbolizes the eternal spirit of Abidan, running forever.”

  “But—where am I my Lord?”

  “Look into the crystal,” Aurelius instructed, ignoring his question.

  Darshun understood him to be talking about the white sphere. He stepped forward, the gentle water splashing onto his naked body, and took a glance. It opened up like a window into another dimension, earth. He saw the battle between the five demons and the army of Light taking place. He also saw the true form of Abaddon standing upon Mt. Blackshrine, enjoying his minions cutting apart his friends. He looked back to Aurelius, his heart sinking. “I—failed, didn’t I?”

  The original Guardian stepped closer to him. “No, my son, you have passed the final test, willingly given your life for another, and there is no greater love than that. There is nothing more for you to learn, nothing to surpass. You are holy and pure.” Aurelius held his hand above the fountain, the water began rising upward, ignoring the universal rule of weight, taking on form, casting the shape of a sword.

  White light burst from the liquid, then faded until a beautiful large sword—solid in form—hovered in the air possessing its own crystal embedded into its steel.

  Aurelius retrieved it and with a motion of his hand, commanded Darshun to kneel. He handed the sword to him.

  “What must I do?” Darshun asked, though feeling he already knew the answer.

  “Return to earth and begin your guardianship. Your first task awaits, Guardian of the Seventh Realm.”

  And with that, everything faded.

  ~~****~~

  Kelarin stayed with Darshun’s body a long while, weeping and rubbing her eyes from tears. A lot of time passed, and she knew she could not remain where she was, Darshun saved her life after all, there was no reason to let his sacrifice be in vain. Kissing him once more on his lips, she then gently set his body on the ground and stepped out of the hole. “Though I do not know my way out of here, I must try, for you gave me life Darshun, and I will honor that gift,” she said, staring at his lifeless face, which still kept a little smile. “Goodbye my love.”

  She began to walk away, heading into the darkness of shadow when suddenly a shining white light illuminated the area. Swiftly, she turned around and fell ecstatic, dropping to her knees. Before her stood Darshun, alive and well, his wounds gone, his body healed, and he looked as beautiful as ever, smiling at her, his Kelarin, his Angel. “Darshun!” she said, jumping up and running to him, wrapping her arms around his body, feeling his solidness, inhaling his smell.

  He was real, most definitely alive and real!

  “Oh Darshun, my Guardian, you’ve come back,” Kelarin cheered, looking into his beautiful steel blue amber-speckled eyes.

  “Aye. It is all right.”

  Kelarin needed not ask why, for she suspected—knew the reason. Abidan sent him back because his training was complete, all matters and trials accomplished; he was holy, pure, and ready to be the Guardian. Darshun had been truly born again.

  “We must return to the surface. There’s much to accomplish.”

  “I know. I can feel the agony of my brother—though do not understand what is attacking.”

  “A legion of demons. The army is too weary to defend themselves. Abaddon still lives also.”

  “But how?”

  “There’s no time to explain. Come, we must hurry.”

  “Abaddon used some sort of transportation spell to exit this underground, but for us will it not take half a day to get out of here?”

  With a most stern look, he shook his head and brought her over to where the energy from the Golden Crystal had cut a large circular hole through the rock ceiling—all the way up to the now crumbled Castle Astaroth. They stood under the hole and Darshun held her close. “This light will be too much for you in a dark place like this. Close your eyes.”

  She raised her brows. “What light?”

  “The light I shall bring forth. And whatever you do, do not let go of me.”

  Kelarin could sense something different about him, something drastic—and amazing. It was written all across his face, amongst his tone, and especially his presence.

  He seemed unafraid, calm, and reached a new height in power. Though, would it be enough for the evil which awaits him upon the surface? Kelarin put her trust in him and closed her eyes.

  CHAPTER NINE

  WRATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS

  The battle above was going terrible. Although only a minority had been slain, hundreds were severely wounded and were suffering in pain, just as Abaddon commanded.

  The Demons were ruthless.

  Even the mightiest of the warriors, the Nasharins, and Olchemy were trying with all their strength and will to stop these villains. But every attack they made was fruitless. They were just too weak, too overrun from the earlier battle against the army of darkness.

  The only two who seemed to fare well were Caelestias and Talvenya, constantly—viscously attacking. Caelestias was having a long duel with the Demon of Fear, his sword clashing against its daggered claws, while Talvenya launched an all-out assault against the Demon of Seduction.
She wanted her dead, at her feet; dominated just like that villain dominated those poor soldiers in the most disgusting, unholy and disgraceful manner—however Seduction was quick.

  All the while, Talvenya grew weary, her entire body trembling from lack of rest. Blocking another blow with her claws in adverse of Talvenya’s sword, the Succubus quickly extended her foot and swept Talvenya’s feet out from under her—Talvenya landing on her back—flipped into the air and plunged down onto Talvenya’s body, breaking through the armor, crashing a foot atop her chest and another into her stomach.

  Talvenya hollered in agonizing pain while the villain just stood there, smiling, grinding her feet back and forth, tearing open the flesh. Then a sudden rage sparked a bit of power back into Talvenya, transforming her into the fiery essence and with one arm she smashed the Succubus behind her knees, making the vile filth lose balance and fall downward, then grabbed a hold of her face, placing two thumbs over her eyes and engulfed the Succubus into flames. The Demon screamed an ear-piercing scream and with one last ounce of power, Talvenya folded together her hands and clobbered her opponent in the head.

  The Demon of Seduction soared through the air, passing many Humans and Dwarves, and crash-landed into the snow, rolling to and fro, kicking and screaming from the mass of flames eating away at her body. Eventually, the snow extinguished them, but the smell of Demon flesh rose high into the already stagnant, blood and death stench air. The Succubus, however, seemed beyond enraged. For her entire body was now marked with burns, transforming the once ‘beautiful’ Demon into a hideous monster. She turned back to Talvenya.

  Talvenya smiled at her, and she even laughed.

  “You’re going to pay for that!” she hissed, then stormed forward, mindlessly cutting apart the soldiers that stood in her way, drenching her claws rich in blood.

  Talvenya could do nothing; she was spent, almost completely out of energy, and simply laid there, waiting for death. The Succubus was nearly to her, when another opponent suddenly got in her way, overseeing the battle from a distance earlier on, now joining in to help Talvenya—Kaylis.

  “Get out of my way!” the Demon roared while slashing him.

  Kaylis was quick to block with his sword, and swung in a long arch, aiming to hack off the head of this Abidan-forsaken of a creature.

  The Succubus easily deflected using her claws, then kicked him in the scrotum and slashed him across the face. He fell hard into the snow; his scrotum feeling like it had burst and his left cheek stung immensely, as though there were a bit of poison within the Succubus’ claws.

  “No!” Talvenya shouted, dire panic in her voice. She tried getting up but the Demon stomped onto her ribs, cracking them, adoring the sounds of Talvenya’s screams.

  Now two other warriors suddenly stormed into the fight, rushing out from nowhere, Nayland and Minevara, though they had been pursuing the Demon of Wrath, whom they’d been fighting.

  The Demon of Wrath also arrived on the scene, having overseen the Demon of Seduction’s battle.

  “Kaylis!” Nayland shouted, seeing his brother lying face down in the snow.

  “Kill them!” the Succubus hissed, pointing at the Nasharins. “I want no further interruptions.”

  The Demon of Wrath spoke something, though it could hardly be understood, sounding like a bunch of rants and roars differing by pitch.

  “I am well capable of handling our Lord’s orders,” the Demon of Seduction said in response to it. “Now do as I say. Kill them!”

  The Demon of Wrath locked eyes once again with the two Nasharins, grinning, enjoying the battle earlier on with them, and reformed its magical sword of flame. It attacked, Nayland and Minevara who were busy deflecting the hard blows, streaks of fire scattering. Both were nearly out of energy, and the Demon of Wrath was beginning to drain them completely. It knocked Minevara to the ground as Nayland charged in from behind. It sidestepped throwing back its elbow, striking his chest. There was a crackling and Nayland sunk to his knees, spitting up blood.

  “Nayland!” Minevara roared, leaping to her feet, taking on the Demon of Wrath alone, fiercely matching every blow, pounding as hard as she could, just hoping to crack that fiery blade, and eradicate that stupid grin upon the Demon’s face. Though however strong she fought, it was to no avail, her energy seemed to be on its final breath, and it wasn’t long before the Demon of Wrath cut open her belly, the fire spreading into her intestines, cauterizing them, and she instantly collapsed to the ground, face buried in the snow.

  “Minevara—” Nayland tried shouting, getting up, but was quickly made silent by another blow to the chest by the Demon’s elbow, this time knocking him nearly unconscious.

  Both Nayland and Minevara returned to their normal forms, their energy—gone.

  As for the Succubus, having no further interruptions, her long dark-red hair coiled around Talvenya’s throat, tightening, and lifted her up to meet the Succubus’ glare. “I have seen the feelings you have for that one lying in the snow,” she said, pointing at Kaylis. “Heard them in your tone, your ‘concern’ for his well being,”—she grinned a big stupid grin—“Keep your eyes open. I want you to witness this.” She released her, Talvenya spitting out a mouthful of saliva, gasping for a breath. Now, panic began to overtake her. What was the Succubus going to do to Kaylis? She watched as the Demon walked over to him, set a foot under his belly and rolled him onto his back.

  His face looked swelled from her claw wounds, but he was alive, eyes half opened, though his energy low.

  The Succubus glanced back to Talvenya with a lustful gleam, and it was then when she knew what this villain planned. She was going to drain Kaylis’ energy—and oh—what energy it would be. Kaylis may not know it, but underneath his timid nature exists a power the world has never seen, and that blasted Demon of filth was about to absorb it—including his very life force!

  No, not Kaylis! Talvenya tried getting up, but her ribs and who knows what else, were broken. She looked over to the Nasharins; both lay silent, perhaps dead. The Demon of Wrath was already gone, causing additional soldiers at another section of the battlefield to suffer dreadfully; all was to no avail.

  The rest of the elite, whether alive or not, were nowhere to be found.

  If only Talvenya had her strength back, if only she didn’t so carelessly use it when first storming into battle, she would send this Demon back to Hell, or wherever she came from. Now, she lay helpless, like so many others, and poor Kaylis was about to go through what no creature of innocence should ever experience, the taking of one’s flesh against their will, cold-blooded disgraceful rape.

  The Demon of Seduction opened her mouth and out drifted that seducing, hallucinating dark-green gas, circling Kaylis’ body, entering into his every pore, just like it’d done to those soldiers the start of this demonic onslaught. It would delude his mind, force him to surrender his strength and essence to the Succubus, and by ‘rights’ of some phenomenal Rule, she would have claim over it—over him, and then take his life.

  “Surrender yourself to my will,” the Succubus commanded him. “You belong to me, Kaylis. Obey…”

  “Kaylis no!” Talvenya hollered. “Leave him alone!”

  She glanced at Talvenya, flashing her deep blue eyes, accompanied by a grin, then turned back to Kaylis.

  He was beginning to moan. Whether it was due to the Demon’s spell, or from the pain of torment Talvenya wasn’t sure, but tear drops began falling as she continued watching the poor helpless Nasharin cloaked in the green gas, never thinking his life would end like this—how all their lives would end today. The Dark had won.

  ~~****~~

  “Look at those fools trying to defend themselves,” Abaddon scoffed, watching from the mountain peak. “How pathetic. They thought they’d won this war, seems I will have the victory after all. The mightiest beings of the Light who walk this earth are within that army and will soon die, and that foolish Nasharin…”—he clenched his fists, causing a bit of the rock beneath him to crac
k—“Darshun! Who managed to destroy my Altar and Crystal, is dead too. The only thing to await now is if they descend from the Heavens to bring me into judgment. Let them try.” He unsheathed his sword and grazed the opal sphere embedded within its steel just above the handle. It glistened from his touch. “Things are different now. It all may not have gone as planned, but I will be the one leaving this battlefield today. The world is mine. Children of the Underworld!” he shouted aloud to the demons, his burly voice echoing across Milrotha. “You may kill all of them now!”

  Fear struck the hearts of every battered soul who heard those words. Yes, the Demons had been merely toying with them all; killed a few, yes, but now was the time to end everyone’s life! The suffering had gone on long enough, the Demons were fully energized and ready for another war, least the Angelic come, as Abaddon predicted. The Demons laughed mockingly, preparing to finish their victims.

  From above—lightning flashed, illuminating the heavens and a monstrous thunder roared across the sky. The ground began to tremble immensely, splitting apart at different sections; rocks levitated into the air, shattering to pieces, and strange noises sounded in the sky—noises that were not part of the thunder, rather, ten thousand raged warriors sounding a trumpet.