Guardians Book 2, Ch 4: Lost Boy

Read all of Book 2: here

Warinot was worried.

He always seemed to be just a little bit worried, he supposed. As far back as he could remember, he felt like the people he cared about would be disappointed in him, and ever since the night on the docks, he couldn’t shake the fear that they had failed the Creator. Xinar had put them all in the positions of the best warriors in Archana, and they had failed him. 

“stop that,” Warinot said aloud, trying to get the negative thoughts out of his head. He picked up his sword and stared at it.

He was worthy of wielding that sword. He was sure of it.

He was positive.

A buzzing in the back of his skull jolted him out of his trance. Concentrating, he felt the Cerebell activate and connect him with the other Guardians of Archana.

Green, he thought.

Red Fremont’s voice responded

Yellow Bao’s voice chimed in

Blue called Esmun’s voice, rounding off the four. Who rang?

Me. Fremont said Creator Xinar has called us to meet in the throne room.

The Guardians sat in a second of tense silence.

Any… um… idea what about? Bao asked.

He didn’t give a reason. Fremont responded.

Warinot shuddered. His mind was filled with worries. He hoped it was good news, but the chances of that seemed slim to none.

We’ll be there soon. He said, trying to make his thoughts sound cheerful. A slight murmur of half-hearted agreements filled the Cerebell, which then was unceremoniously disconnected.

Warinot sighed and stood from the edge of his bed where he was sitting. He hoped beyond hope that it would be good news from Creator Xinar, but he knew that he at least had done nothing to deserve good news, and the Guardians seemed to be in less than great spirits as a group.

“Shake it off, Warinot. We need to get this sorted,” he told himself. He sheathed his sword and walked out into the hallway, meeting Bao coming out of his room. The two nodded before hurrying down the hall toward the Creator’s Throne Room. 

When the two came to the Goldwood doors of the Throne Room, they met Fremont and Warinot already waiting.

“Ok, good. You made it.” Fremont said.

Warinot couldn’t help but notice how tired they both looked. Esmun’s eyes had deep black bags underneath them as Fremont looked like he had just seen a ghost, staring at the three of them as if he was afraid they would all vanish if he blinked. Turning to Bao, he realized how shaken and sad the Yellow Guardian looked.

Ok, so none of us are doing well, Warinot thought; that does not bode well.

“Are we ready to go?” Esmun asked. The other Guardians nodded tentatively. Staring at each other, Fremont finally sighed.

“Ok, let’s do this,” he said.

And he pushed the door open.

The Goldwood doors swung open, revealing Xinar, sitting on the Creator’s throne. He looked up and smiled at the sound of the door’s opening.

“Ah, Guardians, thank you for coming,” he said, “please, come in.”

The Four walked into the Throne Room. Warinot shuddered, The Creator watching them from his throne as if judging their every move. Warinot had not been this intimidated by Xinar since the first day of his Guardianship.

The four Guardians kneeled in front of the Creator. Xinar stood from his throne and picked up his book from his stand.

“how can we assist you, Creator Xinar?” Warinot asked.

“You cannot help me, Warinot, not anymore,” Xinar responded.

The Failoga book glowed gold. And Warinot felt his sword move in its sheath. Suddenly the four swords came off the Guardian’s belts and hovered around the Creator. Warinot looked up in a panic.

“Creator?” he asked, terrified.

“I’m sorry, Guardians, the citizens of Archana need the most powerful warriors we have to offer, and I just cannot trust you to be those warriors anymore.”

Warinot’s eyes widened as his vision blurred. He saw his green-bladed sword rotate slowly around Xinar’s white robes.

“I have already worked with Familiar Ingrid on your replacements. Please have your room cleared out by the end of the day. I want my Guardians to begin their training as soon as possible. 

“But Xinar!” Warinot said, feeling the lump in his throat grow, “Where are we supposed to go!” 

“I do not know, Warinot. I guess back to your old lives, wherever you came from.” Xinar responded. He dismissed them and left, taking the Swords with them.

Warinot knelt on the Creator’s throne room floor, weeping silently. One by one, the other former Guardians stood and left, and Bao first, then Esmun, and finally Fremont patted the boy on the shoulder as he walked back out of the room.

“Magi Warinot?” a voice asked.

“No…” Warinot responded.

“Magi Warinot, a carriage is here to pick you up.” the voice said. The Guard put her hand on Warinot’s Shoulder, causing him to look up. 

“Fesil,” he said with tears in his eyes, “don’t make me go back. I can’t go back.”

The young Guard shook her head sadly.

“I’m sorry, Warinot, you were told to return to your past life. Maho Ebanix is here to bring you back.”

“NO!” Warinot screamed. Suddenly the throne room was plunged into darkness. Fesil’s face twisted and vanished into the black void. Leaving Warinot alone.

The boy jolted awake in his bed. Sunlight streamed into his room, grounding him back into reality. Leaping out of bed, he rushed to his wardrobe and flung the door open.

Inside was his sword, green blade barely visible around the edge of its sheath. Warinot fell to his knees and grabbed it up into his hands. Hugging it close to his chest, he cried with relief.

Next to the sword was a necklace hanging on a hook. The necklace’s pendant read “Ebanix Manor for the Less Fortunate,” a small paper hung on the necklace’s chain.

“Be the Best Guardian you can be, Wari. Show them what the lost boys can do.

 — Hamlin”

Read Book 2, Ch 5: here