Daughter of Earth (Tales of the Guardian)

by Brianna Merrill

  A fogging state between wakefulness and sleep created a short blip in her memory. Where was she? What was she doing? Then she felt her hand being squeezed again.

  Jerking her head up made the room spin but when her equilibrium was restored she could see a weak but very real smile on Alexander’s face.

  His eyes were open and clear, and it was the most glorious sight Emily had ever seen. There were his sparkling emerald gems, more comforting to her than she had anticipated.

  She’d worried over whether Alexander would wake and still not feel himself but Aldara had assured her he would. However Emily would not believe it until she saw it.

  “I’ve been gone from you for a while,” Alexander said with a gruff voice.

  Emily could not speak; instead some mumbled rambling came out in place of words along with joyful tears as she flung herself onto Alexander and kissed him repeatedly.

  “That’s quite a welcoming, maybe I should think about going evil more often.”

  “Welcome back, brother,” Xavier stepped over and grabbed Alexander’s other hand, bringing it up to his chest.

  “It’s good to be back.”

  It was now the Governing Five’s turn to hold him and express their joy. Damarus was last; he pulled Alexander’s torso up and gave him a long tight embrace. A few tears rolled down his cheeks and it appeared that he was too choked up for words. When he finally spoke his sentence was broken and emotional.

  “I was certain… certain I had lost you, my son.”

  “I know I said some horrid things to you, I hope you understand it is not how I truly feel about you. You will always be my father and I will always love you,” Alexander sniffled his words as well.

  Emily placed a thick pad beneath his shoulders so he was partially elevated and in more of a sitting position when Damarus released him.

  “So do you remember everything? You obviously recall slandering our father, so what about the rest?” Xavier’s relaxed side had finally returned now that his serious partner was back to rein him in.

  “I remember some but honestly most of it is foggy. I don’t recall much about this month. At times I could see what was going on and what I was doing but it was like I was watching from a distance and had no way to control myself. It was a very peculiar sensation and one I never want to experience again.” He shook his head trying to rid any lasting images.

  “That is a total cop out. Just admit you went all testosterone crazy and you liked it,” Xavier laughed. “You were like some wild stallion being threatened with castration when we held you down, it was insane! The strength you had must have appealed to you at least a little.”

  “I admit the power I felt surging through my body was enticing but it also alarmed me,” Alexander’s expression grew solemn.

  “Just warn us next time you decide to go all loco and feel like opening a can on me. I’m not against getting cut open but I am against an unfair wrestling match.”

  Alexander chuckled. “Oh, it’s always unfair and you know it, brother.”

  The entire room laughed at the remark and felt at ease to see Alexander regain his sense of humor.

  Emily felt safe now, like she could blame all the horrid happenings of the past month on the poison. It had not been Alexander like she had feared, it was a foreign substance which caused his crazy and abnormal actions. However it proved to be a two edge sword. If he had felt like he was not even there consciously it could also mean the few good memories they had these past weeks could be lost as well.

  “So, how much do you remember with me?” Emily asked, biting her lip to control her nerves.

  She wanted to know if Alexander remembered proposing but didn’t want to make the cheerful moment awkward. She didn’t want him feeling obligated to marry her.

  Alexander swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure.

  “I think I remember enough to know I will need a lifetime to seek your forgiveness.” He shook his head, “the things I said and did…and the night in your room.”

  Emily pressed her fingers over his lips. “That wasn’t you,” she whispered. “And I knew it, I knew it the very moment I saw your eyes and every time after that. I will never hold you accountable for anything you said during the last few weeks. I won’t even bring it up… it’s forgotten.” She smiled tenderly at him and caressed his face with her open palm.

  He caught her hand and gently brought it to his lips, kissing it sweetly.

  “Does this mean you want to forget about our engagement?” A small smile manifested in the crook of his mouth. He knew Emily had been wondering about the subject.

  “You remember that?” she was grinning from ear to ear.

  “How could I forget? It was the one day I felt normal, the one day I felt successful in suppressing the evil building inside me, and it was because I had your image in my mind every second of the day.”

  They were both crying, as were others around them. It was a sweet moment for all and nothing could have extinguished the palpable joy in the room.

  “So does this mean you’ll still be my wife? Even if it was my alter ego that proposed?” he squeezed her hand and planted a kiss directly where a ring would have gone.

  “Well that depends on whether both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde want to marry me,” Emily giggled.

  “Both of us want to marry you.” He had to laugh at her analogy because it was quite truthful.

  “Then I’ll say yes…again.”

  ********************

  A full twenty-four hours passed and Emily hated that twelve of those hours she’d spent sleeping, but she could only deprive herself of rest for so long.

  Alexander had tried for an entire hour to convince her to leave. “We will both rest and when you wake up I will be my normal self and out of this bed.”

  Emily still resisted but then eventually passed out. She hardly remembered Xavier carrying her to her chamber, she was so exhausted.

  But, the sleep was much needed by both, and each of them felt rejuvenated as a result. Once they were ready, they decided to start with small activities. They were able to spend a few hours roaming the gardens and Library. It was like their first date all over again. A renewed sense of stability and support returned and it breathed an electrifying excitement into their relationship.

  They spent most of their time discussing wedding preparations because they agreed no good would come from reliving or retelling what had transpired over the past two months. Even though Alexander and Emily had struck the deal between them, it was not the case with the Governing Five.

  They made it very clear Alexander was to discuss some matters with them and Emily was welcome to attend if she liked. She considered not going because she truly lacked any desire to rehash the events, but in the end she decided to go with him just to offer her support. Now that she had the old Alexander back she wanted to spend every possible minute with him.

  As they made their way through the doors of the Great Hall and Emily spotted the round table her heart jumped. This was where she’d first seen Alexander lose it, the first sign all was not right with him.

  An invisible swift kick to the memory sent it fleeing from her mind. She’d promised Alexander she would forget it all and she meant to do just that. It had been the venom from the Ancient One that had made him act so horrible, that made him say and do some of the things he had.

  The Governing Five gave the usual greetings and Aldara proceeded to conduct the meeting. She remained seated but her straight and firm posture showed volumes of confidence and poise. She was a gentle but powerful leader. Her very presence demanded respect.

  “Alexander,” she started, “before we begin with the formalities of this gathering I first want to express how joyful we all are that you are back with us. I cannot imagine a greater tragedy for us all, than to lose you the way we almost did. Though I love each of my Guardians equally I have always sensed your uniqueness and I accredit that to your destiny to bring about great things.” She beamed with the
look of a mother filled with pride.

  “I also must say that for you to have withstood the dark venom Dante implanted within your very soul for as long as you did is remarkable. No Guardian has ever withstood the powerful and gripping effects for the length of time you did. I believe this once again attests to your very nature and future as a leader of our kind, or in fact for all kind.”

  Alexander responded to her praise with a respectful nod. Aldara took a deep breath and continued.

  “With all of that said, I am afraid we must force you to relive a bit of your darkest moments just for a time so we can fully understand some issues which are now present. What I refer to is the manner in which the Ancient One invaded your mind. Xavier said Dante gave you a vision. Is this in fact true?”

  The Governing Five were quite positive about this but as always they gave an opportunity for him to either confirm or deny the claim.

  “Yes, that is correct. Dante gave me a vision when he came to us in Cooperstown.”

  “Then, though it is not a pleasurable thing, we must ask you to tell us about the vision you received. It could hold vital information for our cause. We have learned that there are often seeds of truth in their visions. That is why they are so successful with manipulation. By mixing truth and dishonesty it is easier for humans and Guardians alike to accept the deception. Doubt is better established when the threads of both reality and fabrication are woven tightly together.” Aldara paused to look directly into Alexander’s eyes. “Do you understand, my son? Do you comprehend why it is important we ask this of you?”

  “I do,” he replied, choking down the nerves building in the pit of his stomach.

  He did not want to say what he saw in his vision, especially while Emily sat beside him. What Aldara said was correct, and Alexander had actually felt parts of the vision were undeniable.

  “Then, we will need for you to relay to us the vision with as much clarity as possible. Even the smallest detail may hold the greatest significance.”

  There was sympathy in her eyes, she knew this would be very difficult for him but it was imperative they know exactly what he saw.

  He looked around at each of them seeking approval to begin, but was just stalling. He knew what he had to do. Tell the entire truth with no misguided statements. And if he told them everything, perhaps they could change the course of the fate he dreaded, the event he wanted to be told was indeed false.

  “He began by showing me an army,” Alexander cleared his throat so he could speak a little louder. “The army stretched for miles, it was hard to see just how many there were but it was thousands upon thousands. I did not know their location at first, only that they stood ready for battle with axe, sword and shield in hand.

  “It appeared to be a human army. They had bodies made of flesh and blood and the Ancient Ones stood as generals and leaders.” He paused a moment to gather his thoughts, to make sure he was getting every detail correct. “However, even though the army seemed to be human beings, their eyes looked different, they were sunken in and the color of blood, each and every one of them. When the vision panned out I was able to see the location of this massive army…they stood outside Eden’s gates.”

  Emily gasped. What Alexander described sounded like a demon army. She feared this was not the worst of it.

  “A great battle commenced between Guardians and the army of humans and Ancient Ones. We, too, fought with sword and axe and other weapons and the blood spilt by both sides combined covered the ground until the hills of green ran red with rivers of blood. The Guardians were outnumbered and those numbers were depleted faster than our enemy’s.” Alexander stopped; his voice had begun to show his grief as it vibrated in a volatile pattern. He was having a hard time composing himself.

  Each word he spoke aloud felt like a hammer slamming against a carving spike engraving each sentence into stone.

  “Is that all, my son?” Damarus softly prodded.

  Alexander only shook his head as he tried to arrange his thoughts so he could deliver what he had to say next.

  “I was there, upon a large hill, leading our defenses because Damarus had fallen. The only one of the Governing Five who remained was Aldara and she’d been badly wounded with no one to take her back to safety within the walls of Eden.” He looked at each of them, his eyes begging for forgiveness as if he had just passed a judgment condemning them all to death.

  “And then, I turned to survey the massacre around me and I saw Emily. She was fighting as one with us in defending Eden’s gates.”

  Emily held her breath in anticipation of what she worried was to come next. He looked at her with the same plea, one asking for exemption from his words.

  “Emily fought bravely and with much strength, but then I watched as an Ancient One...” Alexander could hardly speak and so his words came out as a whisper, “ran his blade through her chest…I stood only three feet from her, yet I did nothing. I did nothing because I had received no vision to do so and therefore was rendered incapable to stand in the way.”

  At this point he collapsed into a mournful sob but tried to push on to finish expressing the horrific vision.

  “I had no choice but to watch helplessly and let her die. I had no choice,” he repeated. “I was bound by my code to only interfere when prompted and no such prompting came.”

  There was a tomb-like silence in the room and the only sound heard was teardrops splattering on the table. Many came from Alexander, but also from each member sitting around the gathering spot.

  Finally, Mathaius spoke, with solemnity. “Surely, all of this is not true. We all know an Ancient One’s vision does not take full merit in terms of reliability. Alexander, take hope, this is not a firm or solid prediction of our future, only a partial glimpse through an obscure and distorted glass.” His words did not sound as convincing as needed.

  “Mathaius is right,” Aldara wiped her face, reinstating her composure and confidence. “Ancient Ones have never given visions which result in complete fulfillment, they are not prophecies, and only The Seer can offer that claim.”

  “Then we must speak with him immediately. There is no sense in contemplating a falsification that only torments and persecutes the mind,” Damarus stood to give emphasis to his words.

  Alexander had not wanted to gaze upon Emily’s face for fear he would see her terror but he could not avert his eyes any longer.

  Instead of a tear-streaked face twisted with panic and fright, her shoulders were poised, straight. Her features, outwardly, looked calm and controlled. Her stare was vacant but one indicating her mind was busy rolling over the information.

  “You need to know I don’t believe the vision, I do not think you will die.” It was all he could say, even if it was not true.

  “No, I think you do,” a sign of a reassuring smile resided in the corner of her mouth beginning at her faint dimple. She was not mad, nor was she alarmed. “But we will figure things out and then your mind can be at ease. Then you can believe.”

  The assurance and coolness Emily showed in the moment was only a front. An appeasing play she put on so her audience would not see the terror and disbelief running amuck behind the curtain of her eyes.

  But if any of them looked hard enough they might have spotted the quiver in her lips, or noticed the pulsing rhythm of her heart now spreading throughout each of her nerves clear to her fingertips.

  If Alexander’s vision was accurate, her heartbeat was set to end much sooner than any of them expected.

  Chapter 20

  “Do you remember what I said to you? Do you think I do not hold to my promises?” Ambrose growled only inches from Sandros’ face.

  The two stood toe to toe and neither would be intimidated by the other.

  “I have not, yet you seem to forget what I promised the last time we spoke,” Sandros replied, delivering each word as sadistic slap.

  “I remember with exactness you said you would not fail.” Ambrose gripped his cloak, snapped it behind him as he
spun around, and climbed the few steps to his throne-like chair.

  Its blackened branches weaved together to form the lumpy and intricate back he now rested against.

  Once he was situated he continued with his thought, hissing it out like a serpent before it strikes.

  “The venom you were so sure of has been detected and extracted. It does not yield fruit to us. There is to be no harvest.” His eyes were beady and dark and though he could make them appear friendly, he never attempted to when he expressed anger or disgust. His friendly eyes were reserved for when he persuaded and coerced.

  Sandros’ stare was equally frightening as he sent daggers directly at the one claiming to be his superior.

  “My Lord cannot reap a harvest before it’s time. Just because one crop has failed does not render the garden a loss. There are still seeds that thrive and grow and will yield an even greater abundance.”

  “Words!” Ambrose barked, “You are only words! You dare to think you can lead me on with smooth speech and vows left unfulfilled? You walk a very treacherous line, so I advise you to make your next words count, or they will be your last.”

  Sandros did not shrivel back or take a moment to think over what he would say. He did not fear Ambrose and certainly would not allow him to think otherwise.

  “You would be a fool to discard me. I am your only link to obtaining Eden from the inside. If you think someone else could take my place then it will be your assumption which will deliver defeat. I did not promise Alexander would turn; I promised I would prove they are not as strong as you think. I promised I would not fail and I do not intend to. Just because one prong on a three headed spear breaks, it does not dull the point of the other tips which still stand strong. If you want to take Eden, if you want to take the world, then you will need me and you will need my plan. Challenge this and your fate is sealed… not mine.”

  There was a deafening silence for a moment or two but then an odd noise began to grow. It originated in the pit of Ambrose’s chest as a low rumble, sounding much like flames being fed a constant stream of oxygen.