by Jarod Meyer
Abruptly, she ran into what she thought was surely a wall. Angelica landed hard on her back, her breath nearly knocked from her, Strong hands reached down and plucked her off the ground. It wasn’t a wall that she ran into at all, but Brock.
“Hello there, little sister,” he said.
She took in his large, hairless face and toothy grin, and couldn’t help but smile.
“Brock! Hello. How are you?”
“I am well, young one. Have you come to see our William fight for glory?” he asked.
“Fight? I was under the impression that he would be swearing an oath,” Angelica responded.
“Of course he will swear an oath, but the people will expect to see their newest guardian’s showcase their prowess in battle. It is common for new Guardians to face live enemies.”
Angelica hadn’t heard of this part of the ceremony and was more than a little disturbed. She didn’t say anything, but her face must have betrayed her, because Brock spoke quickly.
“Young one, there will be no killing today. The creatures they face will be false predators made from the minds of the best conjurers in the Guardian Corps. There won’t even be any blood. People need to be inspired, and know that they are protected,” he said gently, reassuring her.
“It sounds barbaric to me,” Angelica replied.
She was starting to regrets coming to the ceremony at all. “I thought that I was coming to a world without conflict. But it seems the minds of men are plagued with the need for killing and destruction.”
The large man furrowed his brow, and with a heavy sigh, said, “Someday you may be thankful that these men exist. A soldier’s duty is to do those things that no other man will. You must trust me when I say that none of us relish the thought of death and destruction, but we must always be prepared.”
Angelica found his little speech somewhat comforting, but a lingering doubt remained. She nodded and looked down, realizing everyone was moving around them, flowing like a river towards another corridor.
“The ceremony begins, come, Angelica. I will get you a close spot.”
She yelped slightly when he hefted her into his arms, and again when they took off from the ground. Her hands looked tiny as they desperately clung to the giant’s shoulders. They flew over thousands of people, and she was momentarily blinded when they found themselves outside.
“These are the training grounds,” Brock said, casually.
They descended into an open area of the field, where an amphitheater had been constructed. A large semicircle of bleacher style seating made up one half of the field. Thousands were already seated and many more thousands were standing in the field in front of it. She definitely underestimated just how big a deal this ceremony was.
“Brock, all of these people came to see this?”
“This is a tremendous accomplishment. The mantle of Guardian is no easy thing to attain. The training far exceeds that of normal soldiers. Seldom are there ever multiple oaths taken at a time, but tonight there will be five. It is a happening that has not been seen for many decades,” he replied.
“Five? Who are they?”
Just as she asked there was a mighty roar from the crowd. Brock had landed close. They were perhaps only fifty yards from a raised mound of dirt in front of the seats. Between them and the mound was a large roped off circle of sand, forming what looked like an arena of sorts. The majority of the crowd around them was made up of soldiers.
“There they are now, little sister.”
Angelica looked up to the mound, where a line of men stood, expressionless with their arms behind their backs. They wore the white capes of the Guardian, forcing Angelica to guess that they were important officers. There was no sign of William however, so she looked back to Brock. His eyes were raised to the sky, so she followed his gaze.
As she looked up into the clouds a crash like thunder split the air, and five shapes appeared, hurtling towards them like meteors. A shrill sound followed as they approached, not unlike jets that roared over Angelica’s apartment growing up. When they struck the ground the crowd roared with such ferocity that Angelica thought that she would go deaf. She covered her ears and tried to glimpse the mound through the people jumping and flailing their arms in the air.
When the crowd began to settle she saw him, her breath catching in her throat. He’d changed so much that she barely recognized him. The last time she saw him his hair had been buzzed down to the scalp. It had grown out since, which she thought was a welcomed change. Light stubble covered his cheeks and chin, making him look older. But it was his gleaming steel armor that marked the biggest change. It was darker than the armor of those around him, its sharp edges looking far different from that of the other recruits. There was a certain ferocity to it. A large sword was strapped onto his back, matching the businesslike expression on his face.
He was the only one who didn’t wave. The other four, made up of three men and a smaller woman, couldn’t seem to get enough of the crowd. Angelica’s stomach twisted when she saw the woman grab William by the arm, and give him a smile. Then she stood on a tiptoe and whispered something into his ear.
Who is this woman, Angelica wondered, forcing down a jolt of jealousy. She barely even noticed that Brock was still next to her.
“That big one is Ulifrig, and the small one next to him is Samuel. The really skinny one is the Spaniard, Juarez, and the woman is Katrina. She is a feisty one. And of course we both know William,” Brock said, clapping along with the crowd.
“Katrina, huh?” Angelica repeated her name aloud, but was drowned out by the applause.
Soon the guardian standing in the middle of the mound raised a hand, all of the crowd almost instantly falling silent. The man’s voice boomed across the open field, as if he spoke through an invisible megaphone.
“Citizens of Helios. We are gathered here on the eve of Sunday, on the third week of Sedetoch, to bear witness to five young souls swear oaths to the land and people of Archonia. I ask that you remain silent as the words are spoken. Once complete our warriors will prove their strength and valor in the arena. Their words will be sealed in the fire of combat, and their loyalty to the safety of the realm displayed for all to see.”
His voice faded off and, and the grounds fell silent. Five small orbs appeared before the new Guardians, and they all knelt before them. Their voices carried over the distance, ringing loud and clear. And in unison, their words rang:
I guard the innocent
I guard the light
I will not feign at evil’s might
I speak the truth when faced with death
And strive for honor with every breath
I don my armor and now crusade
To see laws of gods and men obeyed
From now ‘til death I solemnly swear
To Guard against darkness everywhere.
A chill ran down Angelica’s spine as the last word of the oath continued to reverberate across the valley.
She suddenly longed to speak with him alone, and congratulate him in private. But her thoughts were interrupted by a terrifying sound. A tremble started in the ground, and then the very dirt beneath them began to quake. Soon the screams followed, and the only other thing that Angelica saw was the gleam of William’s sword as it left its sheath.
Fire and debris rained upon the crowd, just as Brock Scooped Angelica up in his arms, and they were in the air. Her insides squished to the bottom of her body, and she shrieked. She had never felt the effects of flying in a space shuttle before but if she had to imagine how it would feel it felt like this. When Brock gently set her down she collapsed to her knees and promptly vomited.
“Oh dear, little sister, I’m sorry. I wanted to make sure you were safe. Those foolish conjurers and their ridiculous beasts. They need to learn to keep them under control.”
“Its fine,” she said, getting to her feet and trying to brush the dirt and soot off her dress. “Angie, oh my goodness, are you okay?” her grandmother asked, rushing
over.
“Yes, Abuela, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine!” Angelina said, scowling.
Her grandmother waved her hand over Angelica’s dress, and the soot and dust disappeared.
“Abuela, this is Brock, he is a Guardian I met on my first day here. He looked after me.”
“What were you thinking? How dare you take my granddaughter so close to that…to that,” her grandmother stammered, a red flush covering her cheeks. She was interrupted by a dreadful shriek, followed by a roar of the crowd. They watched from a distance as the massive beast collapsed.
Cheers erupted from the remaining crowd, and then a voice boomed above the crowd, amplified by some unknown means. “The guardians are victorious!”
“Such savagery,” Angelica said again.
“What’s savage? asked an all too familiar voice.
“Angelica and her grandmother jumped in response, but Brock smiled.
“William of Archonia, Guardian of the realm. Well done, little brother!” Brock said.
“William!” Angelica shouted, jumping up and grabbing him in a hug. It was difficult to hold onto him with his bulky armor, but he held her up a moment then set her down, as if her weight hardly bothered him.
“How did you get over here so fast? Angelica asked.
“I’ve gotten quicker. How was the show?” he asked.
“That was what I was referring to as savage,” she replied, her tone a little drier than she intended.
“Well, sometimes a little savagery is needed,” William replied with a wink.
And then Angelica noticed it, the biggest change in him. He was happy. He was confident. Gone was the beaten down, broken husk. He was a completely new man.
“Congratulations, young Guardian,” Angelina said, walking up to him and giving him a hug.
Angelica caught William staring at her in confusion. He pointed from her to her grandmother, as if to ask a question.
“Abuela, this is William. William this is my grandmother, Angelina.”
“Silly girl, I know who he is. You saved my granddaughter from a fate worse than death. I will forever be in your debt,” she said with candor.
“To be honest, your granddaughter saved me too. But thank you, I’m glad I could help,” William said, beaming.
“Shall we all go enjoy the night’s festivities? I have heard the cuisine in Valhalla is divine,” Angelina offered.
“That sounds fantastic. I have the rest of the night off,” William said.
Angelica walked close to William, who seemed to want to move far too fast for her. He continuously apologized, telling her that he was used to moving fast now. They all eventually made it back to the party which was far more involved and spectacular than anything she’d ever seen before. Tables were spread across the hall, while magnificently dressed chefs stood behind them, projecting delectable dishes as fast as people could eat. William filled Angelica a plate of food, for fear of letting her get too close to the hungry soldiers.
She was driven by the urge to stay so close to him, even going so far as to wrap her arms around one of his. He didn’t seem to mind. William spent most of the evening accepting congratulatory salutes or handshakes. She finally got him alone for a moment when a magnificent show began. Nearly one hundred trapeze artists and acrobats descended from the ceiling. Each wore colorful garb, wowing the crowd with unique talents. A juggler tossed twenty balls into the air, while a man zoomed around, doing acrobatics with a flying carpet. A woman danced by Angelica, projecting wonderful creatures that zipped around the room. They watched for a bit before Angelica pulled William aside.
“Hey, I’m sorry I’ve been so distracted. Thank you so much for coming,” he said.
“You’re welcome! I wanted to be here for you, this is a very big deal.”
“I mean my life kind of depended on it.” William said, letting out a tense breath.
“I’m very proud of you.”
“That means a lot. I pretty much owe all of this to you though. I wouldn’t be here without you,” William said.
He stared deeply into her eyes, her face suddenly growing hot.
“…I just feel bad that it has been so hard for you here.”
“Don’t worry about it. Now that I am a sworn Guardian things should get easier. People will quit harassing me.”
“Just watch out for that creep in the purple cape…Meredox. I saw him earlier tonight and he didn’t have anything nice to say about you. I tried to defend you, but I may have just made things worse. I don’t know.”
“You spoke to Meredox? Where is he?” William asked, his eyes narrowing.
Before Angelica could say anything William was off through the crowd. She immediately regretted bring Meredox up at all.
She followed after him, pushing her way through the crowds as fast as she could. But she was too late. She could hear yelling before she was anywhere close.
“How do you like me now, you purple-caped prick!?” William shouted above the crowd.
“Stand down, Guardian,” another voice shouted in response. This one she didn’t recognize. Finally she pushed her way to the front of the scene.
Two men were held William back, as he struggled to get to Meredox. The Adjudicator stood a few paces away, his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face.
“See here, good people of Archonia! Look how quickly this tainted soul rushes to anger. Do you really want him guarding the realm? This whole ceremony is a farce,” Meredox spat.
“You’re the fucking Farce, Meredox! Don’t stain my name with your tongue…just stay away from me, understand?” William roared.
Angelica tried to run to William, but was blocked by a wall of shiny metal armor.
“William!” she shouted.
“Stay back please, miss, this guardian is being taken into custody.
Chapter Seventeen
The Guardian
Dust motes flew through the air, made visible by rays from the intense, Archonian sun. A full day had passed since their initiation ceremony, and William and his friends had fought valiantly in the arena.
Katrina agreed that the spectacle put too many people in danger. The conjurers summoned three beasts that ripped forth from the ground. Easily fifty feet tall, they were black as coal, with large, boney wings and horns protruding from their heads. They appeared more than a little demon-like in nature.
In their yearning for spectacle the Conjurers hadn’t stopped to consider the crowd, most specifically those closest to the arena. Those unfortunates were showered with fiery debris, causing a fair amount of injuries, and ultimately sent the crowds fleeing. In the end not many people actually bore witness to the young Guardian’s stunning victory.
“You’re free to go soldier, no more outbursts like that or next time we will leave you to the Adjudicators justice,” Said a Guardian Lieutenant.
William tossed the atlas ball on the ground, and tried to get up, but felt frozen in place. His mouth was parched and his entire body was numb. He considered the punishment worthwhile. After all, he’d finally been able to tell that overstuffed peacock Meredox, how he really felt. He did regret not being able to see Angelica, but there would be time for that moving forward.
After a few tries he got up and worked the ache out of his legs, wincing with the first few steps. Eventually he made it back to the guardian Barracks, where he doubled over into a meditation mat and almost instantly fell into a trance.
* * *
William thought that everything would change after they had said their words, but in fact very little did. Their training picked up where it left off, battering them day and night with sparring drills, the elements, or their captain.
At the week’s end all of Archonia celebrated a day referred to as Dua Da Medatante, which translated roughly into day of rest. This was the one day that afforded Guardian’s unrestricted liberties.
William spent much of his time in extra training, or exploring Valhalla. Recently, he an
d his friends decided to explore the library for information supporting William’s theory, and devise a plan to expose the truth about Meredox and the obelisks.
William pored over a book about the War of Souls. It was a historical record, but read more like an adventure, and William found it difficult to stop reading. The narrator explained that the war broke out, with Ares and Hades allied against Thor and Anubis. The Archons fought to maintain peace, condemning both sides, but after witnessing the slaughter they had no choice but to step in and end the conflict Prometheus and Lucifer started. It ultimately ended with the archon’s destruction and the creation of the twin obelisks, separating the two worlds. William was so engrossed in the story that he was startled when Katrina spoke.
“That’s it, William,” she said, slamming a book on the table.
“There is absolutely nothing in the Archonian histories that suggest the obelisks could be at risk. Look it says right here: For the Archons were twins, and shared one heart, only their power together could create a power great enough. And so it was that Brahma and Ammun brother and sister transformed, and a bright light spread over all of Archonia. This light would ward those who were not fit to dwell amongst the pure kin of Prometheus.”
“But…” William tried to counter, but Katrina cut back in.
“The two Archon’s power created an impenetrable shield against corrupted souls.”
“…Gabriel brought me in,” William finally managed to say, cutting in.
“Yes, William but you’re not corrupted. Your soul is gray, not black. Gabriel bringing you here proved that you have the right to live here,” she said.
“Or, it proves that there are ways around the shield,” William retorted.
“Either way, William, we need proof,” Juarez offered.
Katrina nodded in approval.
“Okay. Well let’s get some proof,” William shot back, rubbing his hands together.