《Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice!》


 Chapter 1 - Childhood memories

    Chapter 1


    In this world, I don''t fully understand the destiny that I''ve been given.


    God saw a rebellion starting to rise, so he decided to no longer create angels but humans. There was a war when Morning Star, son of Dawn, God''s archangel and closest follower, Betrayed God and took with him two-thirds of the angels to earth in the space known as the third heaven.


    Meanwhile, humans on earth must face their trials in order to enter heaven as the new angels. While some humans live out their journey as normal, some are chosen as Waymakers. They are given divine power to protect humans from the spiritual Realm and guide them down the path of good.


    I barely started to understand my job and adapt to things for us, we were about to take a dramatic change.


    - Childhood memory -


    Hey Kaysi, are you ready to fight the boys?


    Tiff, "You know it! I shouted back at her, don''t let them take base!"


    {Tiff, the Angel Scouts leader} A team of mainly girls and two boys. Ryan and Bo.


    "Kaysi, you keep them distracted." "I will lead the girls to their base."


    "Got it, boss; they won''t know what hit them!"


    Even though recess changed often, it always followed the same basic routine of things: to chas;e the boys, tag them with our cooties, and gain points until the bell rang. There were loud screaming kids on the playground as they chased each other¡ªothers guarding the bases of our territories.


    For us, the girl''s team, the base was the monkey bars. For the boys, it was the giant slides in the middle of the playground. They outnumbered us; the boys side 4 to our teammates 1.


    Side note: Cootie- A child is said to "catch" cooties through any form of bodily contact, proximity, or touching of an "infected" person or from a person of the opposite gender typically.


    "Tag I got you, Josh." I bragged "That is one point for the girls." "How do you like about that, Clayton?"


    {The Leader of the Evil Soldiers} The boys-only group.


    "Circle circle dot dot, now I got my cootie shot!"


    What is that, cootie shot?


    "Sorry, not sorry, but now I can''t be infected by cooties now."


    "What¡­? Dang, what do we do?" The boys have a new form of defense now.


    Danielle said, "Never fear. I got it; I have a weapon of my own!"


    What is that, Danielle asked?!"


    A Super cootie: a smooch from a kiss landed right on the cheek! It''s like a freeze ray; you will be locked in place and turned to stone.


    "He-he, that''s so crazy it might just work. Go for it, Kaysi!"


    Target locked. SMOOCH straight shot on the cheek.


    "Wha ha ha..." I laughed.


    "Oh man," "Men, I am going down, he shouted as he fell to the ground and wiping his face. Now I got to go burn my face!"


    "For Laughing out loud, B.J., you don''t have to be so dramatic." Looks like we just won the base!


    "I guess this is a win for ourselves now," Tiff said jokingly.


    Clayton''s Jaw dropped. " That was a good counter. "I could have never have predicted that." So, whose ideas was this, he asked?


    "That was Kaysi''s idea, Tiff said."


    "Then I think maybe she should let her take over leadership from here on."


    "I agree with you, Clayton."The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    No way, what the heck? "I am not going to be a leader!"


    "Why not Kaysi?" "Give me one good reason!?"


    "Wait are you crazy? I can''t; that is your job. "Tiff!


    "Let''s see here, Kaysi. You have led us to many victories, and we have you as our secret weapon."


    "I am still not doing it; end of story!"


    "Dang it," Tiff muttered.


    "So, about that," "Secret weapon," "I am okay with it. But the new rule is you can only use that twice per game." Clayton said, butting in and interrupting our victory celebration!


    "What? Fine, but you can only give yourself the shot once a game."


    "Okay, then." I need to add one more rule: " You''re only frozen until someone gets you out."


    That''s Fair," Now let''s go!"


    Tiff said, "I just wanted to let you know that I believe I think you are gorgeous and have long hair like that one anime girl." " I still think you could lead."


    "Oh, you mean meatball head," I said, trying to ignore the other part of what she said.


    "Yep, that''s one."


    "Thanks, but no", hah-aha¡­Did Tiff "really" need to say that? I thought.


    RING...."Well, we will pick this up tomorrow. But not everything plays out the same way you''re used to, just with the new rules."


    RING the school bell goes off¡­


    "Kaysi¡­.Kaysi, are you good? Snap out of it?"


    "Yeah, Beck, I am okay I said after waking up." I had fallen asleep on my desk.


    My first year of middle school wasn''t too horrible, is the least I can say. I met my friend Becky, who was my first friend in this new school.


    I lost touch with my other friends after a big move in the summer. Our family had to move because they were turning the homes in the area into more dorms for the college.


    At first, I thought going into middle school would be fun. I couldn''t have been more wrong.


    My new friends tried to help me. Becky was my first friend. She was clumsy and Energetic and had pretty long curly red hair.


    She used glasses off and on. Her favorite color was light blue, like ice. She was very musical with her violin.


    She took care of that thing like it was a baby. Her mom invested a lot of money into it. Which was not much for them because they were pretty rich.


    My next friend was Micah. She knew Beck back in elementary. She was bubbly, but she could also be quiet and focused. She was very talented and was super intelligent.


    She won the spelling bee and liked to read mysteries


    She had medium straight caramel-colored brown hair. She also loved magical colors like the orange in a sunset.


    Middle school was hard because I was a bit of a nerd; I had glasses at the time and got bullied a lot. I had long, dark chocolate-brown hair that was always messy.


    Until my mom thought cutting my hair to my shoulders would be brilliant.


    I was mad at her I loved my long hair.


    It darkened later in the years.


    Some kids had it more challenging than others, being raised on the poor side of town. I also didn''t have the best upbringing and got into trouble through occasional bad choices.


    One of them was picking fights with bullies when I would stand up for others. I should have kept to myself, but I couldn''t help it.


    In the first year, I tried to make friends with everyone. But it''s not like elementary school. Sometimes you can''t make friends with everybody.


    A girl once bloodied my nose just for talking to her boyfriend. I didn''t know who he was. I didn''t even know who she was at first.


    The bullying was due to some of my unique abilities. Being different drew some unwanted attention to me.


    I could see and hear demons. They were controlling some of the kids.


    I could see the demons attached to them. At the time, I didn''t know what I could do, so I tried to help them.


    I wasn''t alone... Becky could hear them, although she couldn''t see them. Yet she kept that to herself in fear of ending up like me. I couldn''t blame her.


    Just as things couldn''t have gotten worse, demons were everywhere. Their numbers began to increase. No one had a clue. I could barely get my schoolwork done.


    When Physical Education came, we heard a girl screaming from downstairs in the gymnasium locker room. The demon started doing things like moving items.


    The girls came running up the stairs and said the locker doors slammed shut themselves. Strange hauntings like this were ordinary from time to time.


    They just brushed it off as the occasional regular ghostly haunting. But they were too scared to return to finish getting dressed.


    The Gym teacher had to step in and go looking downstairs. He had claimed it was nothing more than a mouse. But we all knew what we had seen and heard.


    At first, I could hear spirits, but only in dreams when they came to me. In a dream, a monster rose from my bed sheets one night.


    I woke up crying and told myself that not all was as it seemed. There had to be more.


    I encouraged myself to be strong and brave and go back to sleep. In my dream, ripping the blankets from the bed, I discovered a tape recorder playing the message "check the basement" over and over.


    I believe it was a spirit trying to contact me. I went down to the basement and found an old pocket watch. Was this what he was trying to tell me? Was he stuck in limbo, contacting me the only way he could?


    I took the watch and said a little prayer. Then, I buried it in the ground. After that, I must have done something right; no more sounds or dreams haunt me.


    When I woke up the next day, I told Becky about everything that had happened in my dreams the day before and what I had done when I had woken.


    "Wow, that is incredible. You must be getting stronger in your abilities and gaining some new power.


    I started being more of a target for evil and confused spirits. Some wanted help, and some just wanted to be seen. I didn''t know what I could do for some of them. I tried to help, but it was overwhelming and exhausting. Also, I had to study, and my grades were slipping.


    I decided to ignore them for now.


    Then, one day, a boy pushed me into the lockers, knocking my books out of my hand. Thump... went my books as they hit the floor. I could see he was being controlled by something, but I couldn''t make it out.


    I had not fully awakened my powers to the spirit realm, and I still did not know some things.


    My eyes were wide, and I was afraid of what was coming next as he stood there pinning me and growling with his eyes blazing red.

 Chapter 2 - A familiar face

    Chapter 2


    Just then, a large gust of wind came whooshing past me. This guy came out of nowhere, running to my aid with jet Black hair and tan skin, and he was super fast.


    I couldn''t see his face at all. All I could see was him slamming the bully into the lockers. The teacher then turned and slammed him in the locker and held back the boy who just attacked me. I believe she was trying to stop a potential fight.


    I think the guy that just saved me and the teacher saved them. He looked like he was about to beat the bully bloody.


    The school bell rang loudly, making me jump. There was nothing I could do, so I ran off, not wanting to be part of any more trouble and get detention. Plus, I was already late to class.


    After that point, all I wanted to do was find out the name of the guy who had saved me and thank him for coming to my rescue.


    A small part of me thought I may have known him. If not here, maybe in another lifetime perhaps.


    Or was it my imagination? Or did our current school history lesson that week in class about the rebirth of the Egyptian''s afterlife and their lifestyles? I don''t know. I guess I have a wondrous imagination.


    I kept getting bullied, and almost every time, it would seem "he" would show up to fix the problem. Then, I dash off again before I can see or thank his face. As always, one of the bully''s favorite moves was to knock my books out of my hand, and then he was there.


    Poof, he had them taken care of by the time I picked up my books. I honestly don''t know where he would come from; the halls were always full and crowded.


    Once, he picked my books up and put them in my arms, and then he was gone again! Man, was he fast! Even with that chance, I still missed his face. Before I could say, "Who are you?" or "Thank you," he was gone again. Frankly, I was getting aggravated.


    I figured I should ask around to see what others knew or keep an eye out.


    I heard stories from time to time. Of the same thing, this kid comes in and out of the shadows like a vigilant "nobody" getting a perfect look at him.


    When I caught up with Micah at lunch, she asked me, "So, do you like this guy?" "Do you want to ask him out?"


    "Yes... NO. I mean..." I said as I stuttered on my words, "I don''t know; I just wanted to say thank you to him."


    "But as time passed, I figured I would stop obsessing over it. If he wanted me to know who he was, he would come out and say it."


    Over summer break, I was in summer school playing catch-up due to some missed school days from being sick a lot.


    One year in October, as a little girl in elementary school, I remember it being warm outside for fall.


    As the school bell rang. Our teachers called the kids in. As it began to snow, it was not expected. This snow was gray and smeared on your hand when touched instead of melting into a puddle of water.


    I had been suffering from an ear infection all that year and couldn''t hear Ms. Trubble, my teacher, calling. I was looking for Indian beads and minding my own business.


    I didn''t see the kids leave, and they didn''t see me. When I looked up, no one was there at this point.


    I rushed to the building as the ash began to pour down. Looking for a way into the school, I tried the windows to catch someone''s attention and pulled on all the doors, but they were locked. I tried everything I could, but I began to have issues breathing. The world was spinning and going dark.


    When I came to, I was in the hospital. The doctor said I had double Pneumonia between being sick already and running around in the ash clouds; I guess it did me in.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Come to find out that the weird snow was volcanic ash.


    It was from the 100-year-old sleeping volcano Mount Saint Helen. Saint Helen awoke and erupted, causing the weakened mount to collapse and sending tons of ash that traveled from an updraft and crossed the States.


    I was in the hospital for a long time, and it got very dull. One day, my teacher brought me some cards my classmates gave me. They were all handmade from scraps of paper and clippings.


    The newbie from the playground was in my class. I liked him the most of all. It had a magazine clipping of a fish in a bowl of water. It said, "Sorry, you feel like a fish out of water."


    That was a joke about my inability to breathe; I chuckled. I held on to that forever. When I returned to school, we were closer than ever.


    As a kid, I remember I was not strong and got sick a lot. He took care of me even when I cried. My favorite moment was when we went on a field trip to an ice skating rink.


    After an hour, I began to run a fever, so we had to leave the field trip early. I felt terrible for everyone, and we had to leave because I was sick. I tried to talk them into staying and letting me take a nap on the benches inside the building.


    When we returned to the school, I had to wait for my mother to pick me up. "She called, saying I was suck at the moment, and it was going to be a minute before she could pick me up."


    I was sitting next to the guy from my class. I started to feel dizzy and drained, so I asked him if I could borrow his shoulder.


    "Yeah", he said. Moments later, when I fell asleep, I slid onto his lap, and I swore I could feel him stroking my hair, but I was too weak and tired to say anything, and it felt calming, so I just let it be.


    His grandma came to pick him up and offered to take me home. I was on the phone with my mother, who had just left work to pick me up. She said she was having car trouble. After that, it was the last I saw him.


    "Kaysi¡­Kaysi," "I hope you''re not dosing off during summer school." My teacher snapped me back to reality. Maybe I was becoming ill again or daydreaming. Why was I thinking of that boy from elementary school?


    I think maybe it was because this boy next to me was the "him" who had saved me in middle school. He was in summer school with me. I had not gotten a good look before, but he was right there this time!


    It had been so long since I had seen him. Could I tell him How I felt? An to say thank you. He took a seat next to me. This was as if fate. Finally, we were next to each other, together at least.


    Tumbling through my backpack, I was nervous. I couldn''t find a pencil. Miss. Hughes, I said as I raised my hand and called my summer school teacher. "Yes," "she said briskly." I knew I was in trouble.


    "Can I get a pencil? I seemed to have misplaced mine."


    "No she snapped, this is a summer class." "I don''t have regular school supplies like during normal school throughout the year, so you are out of luck." "You should have brought one," she scowled.


    Just then, I heard a whisper under his breath from the guy next to me.


    "Wow," he said. Was he mocking me?


    "Hey," the boy whispered; his response timing was almost as if he heard my thoughts.


    I thought I was going to get scowl by him, too.


    "Um", "yeah", "I said with hesitation."


    This was the first time he had ever talked to me, and I was excited that I could hear his voice!


    I have one, "here," he said, handing me one of his extra pencils from his box.


    "She was just mad because she didn''t have anyone. A lonely, bitter old woman. He scuffed in her direction."


    I let out a small chuckle, not wanting to get into any more trouble.


    "I got an extra pencil, so it''s not a big deal." "Could you give it back after class, though?"


    "Thank you; I will make sure to return it."


    Summer school days were different from regular school days. We had free time at the end of most days, and there was not much work.


    We would hang out while we waited for our parents to pick us up.


    The boy was the only friend I had or seemed to have made.


    "So,"¡­" Hey, I never got your name," I asked nervously.


    "Well, most people call me D."


    "That''s cool I said, slightly disappointed."


    "What''s up? You sound upset." He must have caught the tone change in my voice.


    "Haha", I laughed while scratching my head. "Oops, you caught that?"


    "Yeah, I sighed. "I was hoping you were this kid I had known in elementary school; you reminded me of him."


    "Well, you seem familiar. Maybe you''re the one who has saved me from these bullies this year, then?"


    "I don''t like bullies, especially ones who think they can hurt girls or people who are less able to protect themselves."


    "That is true, nor do I, to be honest. He didn''t give me a direct answer. He was always trying to dodge me.


    "I can''t imagine too many people would see someone in need and not respond or help." "I think it should be natural human nature." "When I saw you, I thought you were pretty small." "But don''t get me wrong. I think you could stand up for yourself backed into a corner."


    "You know, D, you are pretty cool."


    "Anytime! Buy my book he said jokingly," and you''re more than welcome.


    "Also, thanks for the pep talk," hahaha. I awkwardly laughed... realizing what I said, I was embarrassed by my confession.


    "You know I am not the biggest kid on the block, either."


    "That''s true. You are short for a guy," I said with a big cheeky smile, trying to get him back at that "you were pretty small" comment.


    I might not have been 100% sure, "This is him," but in my heart, I felt I was now sure this was the guy who saved me.

 Chapter 3 - My dark knight

    Chapter 3


    "Touche, D said with a grin; "You got me there."


    "I want to say thank you again for all the times you saved me."


    "Now then," "do you want to head back inside and play a game or something." Anything you name, I will beat you on it!"


    "D, I will take that as a challenge! How about a writing challenge?"


    "What yuk! I hate writing."


    "Ha, I laughed; I know I''ve seen your writing." "This game is simple; see how small you can write while still being able to see and read it!"


    I had never had a new mechanical pencil and wanted to test it.


    "Okay, what do you want if you beat me?"


    "Me, hum¡­? How about your pencil?" "I like yours, and it''s purple, my favorite color!" "And what do you want if I lose?"


    "I don¡¯t know; I will let it be a surprise." "Okay, I guess I will pick the word. Let''s write the word "Guardian."


    "What, why?''


    "I don''t know! It was the first word that came to mind. Okay."


    As we wrote, the letters got smaller and smaller as we compared the sizes each time to see who was the best.


    Only after barely starting did D say, "You win," because he was out of the lead for his pencil.


    A small part of me wanted to know what would be the surprise if he had won. Did he lose on purpose?


    "Well then, that purple pencil is now mine. I mocked him. Whahah...!"


    On the last day of summer school, we agreed to meet when school started.


    The rest of summer break passed, and the new school year finally arrived.


    I didn¡¯t even make it a full day when the same stockier kid that bullied me most of last year¡ªstarted right up again, as if he had waited all summer to bully me.


    "What was his deal? Was this the only thing he lived for?"


    Finally, after 2 hours of him following my every move to all my classes. I finally spun around and yelled at him.


    What D had said was true! When backed into a corner, you will one day defend yourself if need be.


    "What''s the matter with you?" Why do you always follow me everywhere I go and bully me? It¡¯s a whole new year! Don''t you have anything else better to do?


    "I wanted to ask you something because I like you and think you are cute."


    "WHAT," I said in disbelief. "So you thought following me around everywhere was a good idea?"


    "I knew you would eventually say something to me, and that would give me a chance to speak."Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Is that so? What is with you? What do you want?" I said in frustration. I already had enough of his bullying in the past, not this.


    "How about this: If you date me," "I will stop following you around as much and be more amicable."


    "Is that what it will take to get you off my back I growled?" I guess it''s better than him bullying me, I thought to myself. "Yeah, sure, I will give it a shot."


    "If you don¡¯t like dating, I¡¯ll leave you alone for good." "Let me reintroduce myself to you. Hello, my name is Brent!"


    "I have never dated, so I don¡¯t know what to do or where to start."


    "What could it hurt if you don''t work out well? At least I could get this goon off my back." I could date him for a few days, then break up.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll show you what it''s like to date a man, he said, "with a crooked smile."


    This guy gave me the creeps. I didn¡¯t trust what he was up to. A couple of days won''t hurt, at least, I think.


    As the days went by, nothing happened differently; he ignored me for the most part. I don¡¯t know what I was so afraid of. When we met up, he would hold the door open. Once or twice, he carried my books. It wasn¡¯t as terrible as I thought it would be.


    When he followed me, I could hear him bragging to all his friends. I didn¡¯t know what that was about. He also liked to call me pet names, which I didn¡¯t understand.


    One day, I visited my father and asked him what one of these pet names meant. He told me no one should call me that. Although (how he meant it) he used it to show off that I was a woman, that he owned me in slang man''s terms. The dictionary meaning was a female dog in heat.


    Now I get why he dated me. He was trying to act cool in front of his friends. I had never heard someone say certain words I felt discussed.


    I would go to school, give him a piece of my mind, and break up with him. I don¡¯t deserve to be treated with that disrespect. I approached him at the bleachers, and he was there with his friends again, as always. Typical, I thought.


    Skylar, his right-hand man, was laughing and looking at me as I approached. He laughed like he knew what I was about to do now. I think I always felt like some pun to a joke deep down inside, but I never got it until now.


    Brent''s behavior never impressed me; not one spark of interest grew or emerged this whole time.


    Looking out the window, darkness overhead the school started to form. It began to rain and thunder. The storm outside looked nasty. Within a few seconds, the rain picked up fast. Pouring down, I could even hear bits of hail clinking off the school''s metal tin roof. In the clouds, I thought I had seen dark spirits as well.


    Was my mind playing tricks on me? What was going on?  It should have been a sign to walk away then and there, but I was too stubborn and furious with Brent. I ignored the signs around me. All I cared about was getting this over with.


    "Brent, I think it¡¯s time for me to move on. I figured out what is going on around here lately." "I don''t like it, nor will I take it." "Besides, you don¡¯t seem to be interested in me anyway, and I don¡¯t appreciate the names you have called me recently.


    "I don¡¯t care if it means ownership; as my dad says, no one owns me." "We never clicked anyway, and I am breaking up with you, so this is goodbye." I ended the conversation on that note as I turned and walked away.


    I am done paying attention to him wasting my time. I just wanted to make this quick and continue my life without looking back.


    Suddenly, he grabbed my shoulder and spun around, pushing me into the door.


    "No one embarrasses me like that in front of my friends, and no one dumps me; I dump them!"


    "He said," growling with his eyes red and glowing. I felt like I had been here before at this moment. Was this the first time I have been in this situation?


    I could see him ball up his fist and draw it back. Tears started welling up in my eyes. I closed my eyes, turned my head, shocked by everything, and frozen in fear, helplessly trying to move. At that point, I was getting ready for the hit.


    WHAM¡­! It was D. With one knockout punch, he sent Brent flying into the air and on his back. He landed on the cold, wet ground outside. The punch took all his breath away; he was passed out, just lying in a puddle.


    Lightning flashed through the sky, with white light that lit everything up all across the school.


    I looked up at D¡¯s face. His eyes went from the familiar olive green to a dark pitch black. I could not even see his pupils. The same way I remember, he came in saving me, as he had done many times before.


    I knew who he was, but he seemed so different from me now. Strangely, I had not seen him for months, but he had changed so much.


    He was taller this time, and his muscles were much more significant. Could I have never noticed him or seen him be this tense?


    He''s never let me see his face like this before. Did he hide his face from me all these times before because of this deathly gaze in his eyes? Did he even know what he looked like?


    "D, are you okay?" I asked in a shaky voice. There was too much excitement at the moment, and I could barely talk.

 Chapter 4 - The vigilante found

    Chapter 4


    "I told you before that I hated bullies and those who hurt the weak." "Leave;" "he won''t be out for long, and if you are around, I may take things too far to try to protect you again."


    He couldn¡¯t bear to look directly at me as he spoke, but I could feel his rage.


    I rushed out just as the gym teacher came from around the corner to save D. The Gym teacher and D had been friends since last year, he told me once.


    If it had been, another teacher would have found out what happened. He would have been expelled or gotten a lot worse punishment than just what he got.


    The next day, Becky told me about this boy knocking the big metal doors to the gym off their hinges. She said it looked like "him."


    I hadn¡¯t told her that "him" was D, nor did I tell her I finally knew who he was; I just talked about him occasionally since summer school ended.


    "Beck, there¡¯s no way," I said with uncertainty.


    I knew he was strong and grew some. But he was still small for most guys our age. Even after all that I witnessed, could he have been the one strong enough to do such a thing?


    I was told the door had a slit in it and was broken. They had to replace the whole door. In the meantime, we have to go in the side door of the gymnasium for a while till they get a new one. Unfortunately, they had to order it so it would take a while.


    I was tempted, but I had to see this for myself. So, after lunch, I decided to stop by there.


    By lunchtime, kids were buzzing about rumors about this guy. Some even claimed they knew who it was.


    I was in deep thought, overthinking and analyzing the force needed to do all this, staring at the devastation of the door on the ground.


    "Hey", "D exclaimed." He had snuck up behind me unnoticed and nearly made me jump from my skin.


    "Jesus," "I said, You gave me a heart attack!"


    "Are you scared of me now?" he said, with a lowered head with sad eyes.


    "No," "I am amazed you could have done all this for such a little guy." "I let out a small, awkward chuckle with a half-hearted smile. I was trying to lighten the mood.


    "You know what they say," "Big things come in little packages, he joked.¡±


    "That is very true," I said as we laughed together.


    "I never thought this heavy metal door would look like this," "demolished." "I, myself, am lucky to open it with all my weight pushing into it half the time." "And you - could so quickly destroy it. Just looking at it, wow, I am astonished!"


    "Did you beat the door repeatedly to break it like this?" looking down at the significant split in the door.


    "No, it was just one good hit to open it when I walked out. He laughed." "I didn¡¯t mean to; I just wanted to open the door." "After Brent tried to hurt you, I guess I don''t know my strength. I didn¡¯t think about it."


    "Wow, that¡¯s a strength that needs to be contained or restrained." "You must join a dojo and have a master help train you." "By the way, thank you for helping me again." "Are you okay? I changed the subject; I could see the tiny red marks on his knuckles."


    "Show me," I demanded; the blood on his hand showed me he was human, at the least." "His hit was not left without any marks or at least some damage." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "Haha, yeah, you should have seen that other guy." He said sarcastically and in a funny voice as if quoting some cheap movie line.


    "You''re a dork with a capital D, I laughed." "Remember, just next time, be careful." I scolded him. I pulled out some bandages from my backpack. I carried them because my legs were weak. "So I fell a lot, and they came in handy," I said as I began to wrap his hand.


    I always get pretty banged up, so I wore these long socks. I finished wrapping his hand. He flexed his hand, looking at me with approval of my work.


    Then, with a crooked smile, he said, "Next time, it won''t hurt so bad when I hit a fool."


    "No¡­ I said, laughing out loud", "D, it is for healing, not a cushion for hitting someone." I scolded him once more with a smile.


    "Sorry, I had to lighten things up again; it was getting too serious ."


    "I am sorry you had to see me like that, " he said as he lowered his eyes, his voice more serious. I didn''t mean for you to let you see the monster inside." "But before I could think, I looked into your eyes." "Seeing the fear in your eyes made me even more mad."


    "When your gaze shifted, your look made it look like you were just ready to take the hit." "But why?


    He looked at me with such concern. "This was another side of him." I had not seen this soft side of him before.


    "Because I am used to being bullied a lot and being the black sheep everywhere I go. I figured it would happen one day to reply to him."


    "I knew I would likely get a straight-out hit and was prepared." I knew it wouldn''t always be just teasing and taunting." "And I know I cannot fight anyone, so why try to get and hurt more?"


    "I am sorry you have had to live that way." "You''re pretty cool and beautiful, and I don¡¯t say that to everyone." He said, with an awkward smile on his face. "Just because you are tiny does not mean you should lie down and let people walk all over you." "For once, stand up for yourself and prove something to someone."


    "I am petite for a guy, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall." "Never will I not stand up for those I see in need." "Just be on your guard next time and try to stop it before it happens." "I don''t want to see you hurt."


    "What do you mean," "stop it before it happens?"


    "You¡¯re small, which makes you a walking target, so make yourself seem bigger than you are, and you may notice they may back off."


    I went home that day thinking of all my bullies. What they said about me and how I was a so-called "walking target."


    D¡¯s words resonated in my head as I walked down the street.


    When I got home, I looked at myself in the mirror. I removed my glasses and placed them on the table by my side.


    The following day, I woke up and took a long, hot bath. After that, I cut my hair and put it up. I matched my clothes and put on some earrings with loops.


    I looked like a bit of a gangster, tough. That was what I was trying to go for.


    I went to school after some make-up and a double-check in the mirror.


    People sure were looking at me differently.


    "Good morning, Beck", I said.


    "Wow," what happened to you, she said as she looked me up and down.


    "I am trying something new, an experiment, you could say." "Or rather, I took someone''s advice from a friend, is what I should say." "I hoped I could eliminate my old bullies if this paid off."


    I told her what happened and with Brent. Her jaw dropped, not just because of what Brent had done. But now, Knowing all that D did to the gym door.


    "No fair, you never told me any of this before," she said, scolding me in concern.


    "Well, I wanted you to know officially." "So," "it was he.- who did all that damage to the door. Does that sound wild?"


    "Girl, he''s like some masked hero."  She said in this girly school voice, as she was all happy for me.


    "Yes, I laughed." She sounded as happy as I was. Before, I had been shocked by everything. I think I just mentally came to the complete perspective of everything that happened to me.  Before, I was stuck in such a rush, and I haven¡¯t given it enough chance to let things sink in yet.


    I looked at each other and squealed with delight at the realization of sharing this moment.


    I was probably feeding off her energy. But it was cool to finally let her know who he was. I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t tell her sooner.


    Then I straightened up my shirt as I cleared my throat. "Now," "I have gotten that out of my system," I said, trying to be serious and get back to reality.


    "So, what will you do next," Beck asked me.


    I looked at her, lost and dumbfounded. "What do you mean," I said, puzzled.


    "Did you not know," she asked sarcastically. "You wanted to thank him and ask him out last year, remember?"


    "I did thank him, but about the other part? Well....Humm¡­"


    I blushed and looked away from her. My face beat red this time, thinking about D and me together.


    I did not think, at first, I would ever see him again because months had passed before I had seen him last. I thought maybe he may have moved.


    That''s also why I was okay with going out with that jerk, Brent. I mostly thought of getting him off my back.


    I tried to change the subject, avoiding Beck''s question.


    "I was so caught up in the moment the last time we met that I never tried asking him out."


    " Also, I don¡¯t know where to start or what to say," I said, looking puzzled at her.


    "So then, let''s devise a plan Beck said with glee!"

 Chapter 5 - A turn of a new leaf

    Chapter 5


    I planned to. I asked one of my friends, Josh, to get his honest reaction. I would like to know if I can do this. I figured I would surprise him to see his honest response.


    "Hey Josh, will you go out with me? He laughed and asked me why.  "I let out a small, awkward giggle to prove I could ask a guy out." He looked at me, stunned.


    "You¡¯re a jerk, Kaysi, and that is so uncool."


    "Why? I asked him. I was just playing around."


    "Because what if I really did want to go out with you?" "Sorry, Josh, it was a test to see if I was capable of asking a guy out." "You''re too young for me anyway."


    "I am just a year younger he shouted in disbelief."


    I looked at Beck and shrugged my shoulders. She grabbed him by the ear and dragged him off.


    "Thanks, Kaysi. You started this something." She shouted and laughed as she looked back at me. I¡¯ll tell the coach to give him a cold shower and some extra laps for you, " she said as she dragged him to gym class.


    "No. Becky," he exclaimed; "the coach is already demanding enough of me!"


    With this bit of self-improvement, things were improving¡ªmy grades were even improving! When I got home and received my report card, it showed the real impact of my improvements.


    I continued to get teased from time to time; they would call me a nerd. So I stopped showing off and raising my hand to call out loud the answers.


    My teachers were nice enough to know what I was doing and stopped calling on me.


    As long as my grades were still good, the teachers didn''t mind, and I told myself it would be okay. At home, I started brushing my hair and taking better care of myself.


    Overall, I had a better attitude about things and more confidence. Occasionally, I caught myself showing off a bit still when no one was around¡ªI would try anything to keep kids from looking at me the way they did before.


    Some people get headed. I never once turned on my friends or lost myself. I just changed ¡°enough¡± to stop being a target for most people.


    I moved to Plum Street in the middle of the year. We had to because our stack of bills was getting too big for my mother to handle.


    My older brother moved out of the house to become more independent, so we thought it was time to downsize anyways.


    I made jokes because we moved from Cherry Street to Plum Street. Our homes were always on fruity named streets.


    The new neighborhood was pretty cool. I couldn''t wait until we were finished moving in. We spent the last night in our old home, cleaning it up and loading the last bit of stuff.


    I took my dog Baby, a small but fierce Pomeranian mix, on a walk right before leaving to drop off the last load. As we turned the corner, her fur stood straight up on end. A large red-eyed black wolf was digging in the ground of someone''s backyard. There was something unnatural about it because we lived in the city.


    I feared for the Baby. She had a lot of bark but no bite. I was ready to protect her, I grabbed her in mid-attack as the wolf lunged in our direction.


    The wolf barely missed both of us. Although we didn''t get much injury, I still have a small scratch on his teeth.


    As fast as possible, I ran to our house with Baby in my arms.


    As I ran, I looked around for the wolf; it must have left, no longer interested.


    Once I thought it was gone, I walked outside alone. I did not want to provoke another attack because of my little dog.


    Was this for real? I thought, or was it a spirit demon of some sort? I thought I was doing good for the most part, ignoring them. So why are they showing up now?


    I guess curiosity was killing my rhetorical cat. I tried looking for this thing, being very cautious, of course, but it was nowhere to be found.


    Just as I was about to leave and head back home, I saw this man outside standing under the street light; he had long white hair and a long black coat that went down to the ground. He had an old black leather hat. He didn¡¯t see me as hiding behind a building. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I decided to follow him to see what he was up to. He was moving fast, and I struggled to keep up. I tried my best to stay behind him, out of his line of sight.


    He had a knife strapped on his leg that looked weird. Was he a hunter of some kind? Was he hunting that wolf thing? What was he looking for, someone? Could it be me?


    No, I am just being paranoid, I thought to myself. Secretly, I thought my gifts could one day get me into trouble, but this was overthinking at its best.


    He walked far ahead of me; I could no longer see him. He was blocked by the end of an old train station and a wall with a railing. Either he disappeared into thin air, or he had to jump over the wall and fence.


    I was standing there debating whether to turn back or continue to look for him. Just then, something pulled me away. It was a large dog with long, brown, flowing hair.


    I thought for sure it was the wolf at first, but it wasn¡¯t. This one was different.


    All of a sudden, It spoke; it said, it is time. "What in the world?" I exclaimed; this is a talking animal; what''s going on? It''s time for you to wake up.


    Looking at the animal, I realized it was Baby, my dog!? She grew huge and was speaking to me!?


    "I am your guardian, sent here in animal form to protect you." "You''re being hunted and putting yourself in danger. You¡¯re a fool gifted with special powers; you can see spirits, and here you are following them." "What are you thinking?"


    She sounded like my mother scolding me. As if my dog talking didn¡¯t throw me off guard, my brain didn¡¯t catch up to itself.


    I started to argue back at her. I did this usually when she did something sassy, as I would play with her as a regular dog.


    "Now look here, I was trying to figure out what¡¯s up with these (things) coming around here."


    "You¡¯re a target, coming into your Seer''s powers. Your eyes are awaking to see the spirits. I am sure you started seeing visions as well. This proves you are growing stronger, and the following steps to opening your Waymaker powers."


    "Unfortunately, you have awakened much earlier than you were supposed to. This isn¡¯t supposed to happen for the next several years; you are only 13." There is nothing we can do now; you must take caution."You''re not strong enough, so you''ll likely get attacked."


    "Now, could you look here? I jokingly said that I had just changed everything about myself to get targets off my back!" "I have been trying to get stronger as a backup safety precaution in case I was to get into a fight, but I didn''t expect this."


    "Yes, that¡¯s just it. You are getting stronger, and that¡¯s why waking your powers so early can kill you."


    "You only feel weak because your body gets weaker as your spirit strengthens. You''re going to die soon if you don''t take caution." "The demons are attracted to your light, and their numbers are growing."


    "Kaysi, now that you have awakened, there is no going back; you must fully awaken your powers, or you will indeed be killed."


    Everything hit me at once; I felt dizzy, and my world started to spin. I thought I was about to be sick. How could this be happening to me? Standing there outside in the street, the nights began to blur. I started to feel like my heart was beating hundreds of miles per hour. I could feel the darkness growing around to consume me.


    This is not good. I am beginning to lose consciousness. When I last looked, the unseen wolf creatures were surrounding us.


    Why was their presence so powerful, and where had they come from?


    My senses were being overwhelmed by them, about 5 or 6 large wolf-like animals.


    What could be in store for me next? I had no idea what to do since I felt helpless. I was merely a feeble girl in my final year of middle school. I was neither armed nor possessed any unique abilities to oppose them. I was oblivious to the situation I was entering into.


    Was I born like this? I felt tortured. Were these gifts given to me so that I could see this horrifying death all too soon? What a cruel fate! What could I do now to change this?


    I started to pass out, falling to the ground. I could barely see the battle going on. The baby was attacking the demons that outnumbered her. As I passed out, I was fading in and out of consciousness.


    I woke up the following day in my bed. My dog Baby was on her pillow, lying next to my bed. She had an injury to her leg and looked a little beat up. Not quite sure how we got here. Guessing she carried me.


    I decided not to ask questions and let her rest. I didn¡¯t want to start a conversation right now, and I wasn''t ready to know what happened last night, so I went to school.


    I didn¡¯t know who I could talk to about this anyway, so it was awkward, but I wanted to get things off my chest.


    I met up with Beck outside of school at our usual spot, where we hung by the bleachers, waiting for the bell to ring.


    "Hey, Kaysi Beck said in a sincere voice."


    "Yeah, Beck," I said, keeping my head down, still feeling a bit weak.


    "What''s going on with you today? You look a little pale. Are you sick?" She said with concern as she looked at me.


    "Well," I''m trying to figure out what story to tell her. Beck looked at me with worry, as if I was going to drop dead at any moment.


    "Laughing out loud I joked", "it''s hard to say I just got into a dog fight last night with a group of large dogs. They were trying to kill my dog, Baby."


    "Are you serious, Kaysi? Are you hurt anywhere?"


    "No¡­ just sore, that¡¯s all." I lied, not wanting to scare her anymore.


    Just as I was talking to Beck, a sizeable red dodgeball flew from the other side of the field. My body dodged it as fast as any human possibly could.


    I completely lost my balance and began to fall to the ground.


    Once more, out of nowhere, D was miraculously there to grab me before I could touch the ground like he was my shining hero.


    Even so, where had he come from? We kept our little hang-out place hidden from view.


    Beck''s eyes brightened, and her jaw dropped. in amazement


    I made a short grin toward Beck as if to say, (Yeah, this is him.) Becky was shocked; I was trying to indicate to her that this was the guy I told her about.


    I was happy that Beck got to meet him, and she seemed thrilled to learn. She smiled quickly as if to say, "You''re lucky."


    Here was the best opportunity for me to have asked for. It distracted Beck; I didn''t want to talk anymore about last night anyway.


    As he helped me back on my feet. A sharp pain hit me in my stomach. I dropped back down to the ground. I was doubled over, clutching my stomach.


    "KAYSI, "WHAT''S WRONG?" they both yelled!"

 Chapter 6 - A heros wound

    Chapter 6


    I could feel the blood trickle out of my shirt. D pulled up my shirt.


    Though I knew he was trying to figure out what was wrong. I felt embarrassed. When I looked down, I seemed to be clueless about my condition, I had a severe cut stomach!


    D shouted, "Holy shit, you''re bleeding like crazy," far too loudly. What happened to you?


    I was doubled over with agony; I was unable to speak.


    Beck told D it was in a dog fight trying to save my small dog.


    D looked at the crowd starting to form from all the commotion we were stirring up.


    After learning what happened last night and because of my injuries. D, without any hesitation, swiftly and gently snatched me up and raced to the nurse''s office before the crowd could close around us.


    "Kaysi, I need you to stay awake. You''re losing a lot of blood." "I need you to put pressure on your stomach as much as possible."


    I got to the nurse''s office, and the nurse removed my hands to observe the blood continue flowing. D instantly placed his hands on my stomach. When my strength was fading. I was hurting, and the pain was becoming more severe.


    "I don¡¯t think coming to school was a good idea," D said sharply with worry and frustration.


    The school nurse informed me that this wound requires sutures, but I don''t have the training to do it. She then dialed 911, and as the ambulance arrived, she told, glancing at D, to apply pressure for a while.


    This is the second time I''ve seen D¡¯s expression change so dramatically that he looked like a ghost with worry.


    "You''ll be alright," locking eyes with me, he whispered to me.


    I felt like that was a lie to make me feel better.


    I looked up at him from the bed, smiled at him, and, with what little strength I had, said, "I am sorry."


    My intrusive thoughts made me want to look at myself right now. But I dared not do something recklessly and was too weak.


    The Paramedics were finally there. Who Is this looking at the boy holding me? As I passed out, I accidentally said "my boyfriend" instead of a guy that''s my friend. I told the paramedics moments before I passed out.


    He was sitting in the chair next to my bedside when I came.


    "What do you think you''re doing here? How did they let you in?"


    The hospital only allowed close family most of the time.


    D replied with a half-hearted smile. "They didn¡¯t want me to let go of you because you were losing so much blood. And was keeping the pressure. You also had some of your intestine showing."


    "Woah¡­ My stomach was hanging out." How is that possible, I thought?


    They said after your first injury, you must re-tore yourself open. It opened and tore further when you twisted and avoided the dodgeball. After surgery, they think the tear was from a bite or claw from the animal that attacked you.


    "They said it had to be a cougar or a bear. You told Beck it was a dog fight with your dog and another larger pack of dogs." "Assuming you got this injury from something like that, it should not be this large."


    He said with a look on his face, like, I do not believe your story.


    What I don¡¯t get is why you just bandaged yourself up and did not go to the hospital in the first place.


    "It was dark, and I had an adrenalin high during the fight," which was my lame excuse.


    I could tell he didn¡¯t buy into this story either. But he didn¡¯t ask any more questions. I must be off the hook, I thought to myself.


    I went home after four days of healing in the hospital, and D visited me every day while I was still there. Once, his grandma even came by; she looked oddly identical to this lady who was once kind to me in elementary school.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    When I went back to school I was the talk of the school. Even people I didn''t know at school were curious about what had happened. They watched D race through the school with me bleeding everywhere. Of course, the ambulance contributed to the drama and attracted their attention.


    At least that day, I became even more well-known, I thought to myself.


    After asking me what happened, one kid began spreading rumors and stories about the incident. Strangely, nobody included D in their stories despite my mention of him helping me¡ªI''m not sure why.


    Many versions were floating around the school, everything from getting cut open by a knife to having a virus that makes me throw up blood everywhere.


    I feel kids will do anything to get cheap entertainment.


    D came up to me after school two days later, laughing and joking about what had happened and how I was already calling him my boyfriend. He told me when we got into the ambulance, I talked to the paramedics before passing out.


    Then D surprised me by officially asking me out on a date. I giggled and told him yes.


    I was already hanging with him in the after-school program. I had to get help from the tutors to earn back some school credits. I was needed from too many missed days of school while being in the hospital and appointments.


    This gave us more of a chance to hang out.


    It was towards the end of the school year -and everything was going great. He became the best boyfriend I ever had at this point in my life, at least, only ever having 2, that is. Also, he respected me, unlike the last.


    The following semester, we had a class that overlapped. It came in handy whenever I was sick and would bring my papers to me.


    When I returned to school during class one day, D asked me to attend the snowball dance at the end of winter.


    He was a grade higher than me and was soon graduating.


    We had been going on two weeks of dating.


    I felt scared that we were moving too fast sometimes. He looked at me as I hesitated to answer.


    "So, do you not know how to dance or something?"


    "Yes, I told him very shyly. But I could learn before then." Could I get my mom to take me, or would she even allow me to go?


    I could tell he felt relieved. "Nor do I technically, but ain¡¯t it fun to try," he said jokingly, in a country accent.


    "Yeah, D, it would be. Two dorks on a dance floor", I said, messing with him.


    I was basking in the sun''s warmth as I leaned against the brick of the building. For a February day, it was pretty warm, with a cool and calming breeze coming through the trees and the sun beaming down. The birds sang as if it was springtime. It was so peaceful, and I relaxed, melting into the stone side.


    I spoke up as D was observing me. Trying to figure out what world I was in.


    "I enjoy soaking up the good days like this when everything goes right and perfect for once."


    He smiled at that comment. I took a deep breath of the fresh air and closed my eyes. Sweet moments like this burnt into my mind and touched my soul.


    "What could be any better than this?" I whispered.


    D leaned over to kiss me while I stood there daydreaming. He gave me a light kiss, his lips so gentle as they touched against mine.


    The warm breeze felt unbelievable, and this was my first kiss. I was thinking about that incident, going over every detail in depth. Whoa, his lips were perfectly warm and moist. It seemed that we stood there for a short while.


    It felt unusual; I could feel my face blushing red and my heart skipping beats as it raced.


    I worried him when I opened my eyes. He had a worried look on his face.


    "Was that horrible," he said


    My thoughts were a bit too loud, but it was not that big of an issue. I was speaking aloud when I smiled and said, "I liked it."


    I thought to myself, since this was my first experience, how could I be sure anyway? How does one imagine a kiss to feel?


    D seemed perplexed, and I was at a loss for words. "I apologize; did I act impulsively and go too far?"


    "I giggled lightly; no, it''s just different. You caught me off guard, that''s all."


    "So I wasn¡¯t that good compared to what you had before," " he said, confused?"


    "NO.." "Jeez, for crying out loud;" I felt like a dork, as I admitted. It was my first kiss, and I didn¡¯t know what to think.


    Oh, he said, finally in realization.


    "I guess I wasn''t as excellent as you had imagined then," he said with puppy eyes.


    I was unsure of my feelings after my first kiss, which was hard to admit.


    Was it good? D acted way too casually and forward about such an embarrassing subject.


    "Well, it was hot and sweet. "Is this how a kiss feels like?" I asked.


    D started laughing.


    I had never seen him laugh so hard or smile so broadly.


    He teased, "Nerd, is this your first time?"


    "Indeed, but you don''t have to laugh," I pouted. I took my bag off and hit him with a whack.


    Looking at us, you could see we had grown close. But we didn¡¯t do things like other couples do. We never hung out outside of school. I was afraid my mom would freak out. I didn''t know his number, so we didn''t talk after school. So, I never thought we would lead to this.


    I thought it was just a casual middle school romance, and I never thought anything like this would happen, like us kissing.


    When it came time for the winter ball, my mom refused to get me a dress or let me go to any ball.


    I felt like Cinderella half the time anyway, but this was rich. She disapproved of me dating when she learned about it.


    Her excuse was mainly that she had never met him. But my mom never gave me any opportunity for friends to come over, much less a guy.


    I thought I would tell her sooner, but I don¡¯t think it would have made a difference. We argued back and forth for a minute until she grounded me in my room.


    Being underage and living with my parents, I didn¡¯t have much of a choice.


    From then on, I chose to be emancipated. That''s when you prove to the courts that you can be stable at 15.


    I would move out, but I had at least 2 1/2 more years until I was 18. I figured that D and I could maybe move in together.


    I had missed the ball, but I didn''t let that stop me. The following day, I went up to D, ready to tell him I was sorry and share my plan for our new life.


    He didn¡¯t look happy. "Hey, D,"  I was about to speak when he interrupted me.


    "Kaysi, before you start with whatever you are about to say," "I need to say something first. I am breaking up with you."

 Chapter 7 - Soaring crane

    Chapter 7


    "You stood me up. I was at the dance, and you were nowhere to be found."


    "My mom wouldn¡¯t let me go, honestly. She didn''t even purchase me a dress; I tried to tell him."


    "Yes, well..." he said with uncertainty. You and I are in different grades. I''m about to graduate from middle school and head straight to high school," he said, "so we won''t be able to spend time together. "He replied coldly, I don''t enjoy long-distance relationships anyway."


    He could have been more convincing as if attempting to persuade someone unsure about himself as he spoke. I suspect. It was unlikely that he even trusted his own story by his demeanor.


    I felt horrible for stabbing him in the back and didn''t think there was any possibility I could convince him now.


    What was going through my mind was that my plans for our future didn¡¯t seem to matter anymore, so I thought, why bother trying?


    After he was done talking, he turned and walked away fast.


    Time passed, and I was starting high school with a fresh adventure, a chance to start a new one.


    This year, my goals changed a bit. I wanted to get a job, a house, and a roommate. I was trying to leave my mother''s house for independence and peace.


    Over the two years, my Guardian baby had the chance to train me. It wasn''t easy, and I still had a long way to go before I became stronger.


    I discovered that people known as Waymakers can drive out devils and free spirits to the afterlife.


    I trained endlessly, but I could still not make my abilities and powers function or open up any further. Baby told me not to give up hope that my powers would manifest at the appropriate time.


    On my first day of high school, I had a considerable blast thinking sarcastically. The only bullies left now were the occasional possessed people.


    One example was when I went to the wrong class. This guy attempted to mess with me.


    I was asking for it. The teacher had me pass out papers. I was not in the best mood when she called on me; I was running late and having difficulty finding my classes.


    Getting through the crowd was hard; the halls of the school were long, and the buildings were huge.


    As I was passing out the work assignments, I came up to this boy with greasy, long black hair that covered his eyes. His head pointed to the table, and he seemed in a trance, doodling something in his notebook. I couldn''t see much of his face because his hair was messy and covered his face and art.


    I stood there for a couple of minutes. Annoyed, I asked him, "Here, to take your paper in a not-so-polite tone."


    Either he did not hear me, or he was ignoring me. Then, I spoke up louder to him in an unpleasant tone.


    I was overwhelmed with all the daily frustrations, and now I feel all the pressure flustered together. I finally yelled, letting loose all that had been boiling up inside. ¡°HEY,¡± "Boy, take your stupid paper already!"


    He gave me a look as though he was about to beat my face in.


    Over the summer, I developed a bit of an attitude¡ªor perhaps I should say a backbone¡ªand stood my ground as he looked at me I was without fear.


    He answered me coldly, "I didn''t see you there."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I retaliated, aware that words were merely my only weapon at my disposal. "You might notice something if you remove that mop of hair of yours."


    Given my behavior, I knew that reaction was a bit uncalled for, but something about him got under my skin.


    It pained me I was not about to let myself go another year, being bullied and mistreated by anyone. No more being a target, not at this new school!


    I was thinking to myself, just as the bell rang to let us know it was time to move on to the next lesson, we did so. I bolted from the classroom. I was wishing to get free of that jerk from earlier.


    All of the students filled the halls, obstructing my path. I was trapped at the entrance; I was unable to flee fast enough. I was well aware that I was stuck in a dangerous situation there. Considering I could feel him pursuing me.


    He employed an all-knowing, too-simple bully maneuver. This oily-haired prick slapped them out of my hands and kicked my books across the floor right before putting his arm around his gothic-looking but awful girlfriend. When he walked away, he turned his head to look at me, smiling proudly and boastfully.


    "Oh man," my blood boiled. I thought of 100 ways to get back at him.


    Later on that day, I learned I was in the wrong class. They switched me out before I could get my revenge the next day.


    It was a good thing, I guess. I swore I was going to tear him a new one! I had hoped never to see that jerk''s face again.


    When I got home, my daily routine consisted of homework, dinner, and regular chores. Baby would take me out at night and teach me how to combat the Deabrus.


    The Deabru is the name of some of the skeletal demons. Soulless people are often people who have lost their way to the afterlife. They can be guided. Some soulless were made by forcefully targeting and are challenged to change by a demon/ Deabru.


    "So, spirits that stay here on earth are cursed I asked Baby. They could end up becoming soulless."


    "A bad living person who is not careful can also create Deabru. Also, if you have a person with a massively negative personality, they can become targeted." "This, unfortunately, means they will get consumed by a Deabru or soulless."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "If you don¡¯t let things go of your negative energy soon, soulless can come and rip you from your spirit."


    "Yikes¡­I see; I understand what you are saying."


    "So it will be your job to stop the Deabru¡¯s and soulless from coming after pure spirits and the living."


    "To the souls and the soulless, you are the difference, the protector in keeping them safe by exorcising them before they become part of the lost and take over."


    "Now, I also must teach you what is a fully born. I believe you met one two years ago, the hell hounds that attacked us¡ªstanding on the street when I first revealed myself to you.


    "Full Born is the fully fleshed version of a Deabru. They are like a guard of the underworld, hunting dogs seeking prisoners." "The bad thing is that they can be seen by people who are alive. They cause panic wherever they are, but they are rare sightings."


    "Standing here talking to baby, I heard a bone-chilling howl." "Is that?"


    "Kaysi, that is the sound of a soulless."


    We were interrupted by a scream. "I heard the sounds of a girl being attacked just now!" "We have to save her," I said, leaping into action.


    "Kaysi, I have not trained you enough, and you have no weapon or real protection," Baby yelled with disapprovment.


    "I know, but I have to see if we could help."


    As we came to the scene at Spencer Park only two lights were on the rest were flickering.


    The surroundings looked pretty messed up. Some of the tree branches were broken, and the smaller ones were uprooted. The bushes were wrecked and knocked down, and everything was destroyed.


    It looked like some wild animal bulldozed its way through. I bent down to my knees to look at some tracks and fur. As I did so, I heard the howl again, this time closer.


    It almost sounded like the wild boar. Wild boars are known for their ability to destroy landscapes and crops in the area.


    Fastly coming, ran a girl through the thickly wooded area.


    Indeed, something large was chasing her in the distance. Behind her, something was knocking the trees over. They lay down flat, closer and closer as it came.


    It looked like it had a boar-like structure, but it couldn¡¯t be a boar because it was super huge, but it sounded like one.


    As I came out of the forest, I could see its skull and parts of its bones. This thing was not alive. There were areas of rotted flesh that smelled badly of something dead. I saw a mark like an upside-down heart with a slashed x through it.


    Baby spoke up, saying, "This is what we were talking about- a soulless. What you are seeing is the form someone takes after death if they are possessed." "You are cursed to take the form of your natural animal instinct; if you change when you die, everyone has a spiritual animal that their soul resembles."


    The monster was getting closer and closer to the girl.


    I had a quick discussion, and my body reacted before I could think about it. I jumped into action, grabbing its tusks. Holding on to the tusks as tight as I could, I was able to distract the soulless from the girl. I yelled back at the girl, "Run."


    As it charged, I jumped on top of the boar, hoping to change its direction with my weight. What came next caught me off guard. It seemed like we were going to hit a big tree. I attempted to move to get out of the way but it stopped abruptly. It launched me forward as it impelled me through my stomach.

 Chapter 8 - Burden

    Chapter 8


    I used every last bit of my strength but could not move out of its way fast enough to stop the hit. But before a second blow could have ended me, I moved just enough out of the way.


    Just then, Baby grabbed me with her teeth and tossed me out of the way. The girl I rescued stood by and pulled me farther out of harm''s way.


    I could tell she was still terrified. I could feel her shaking as she held me; I could barely see her in the dark.


    She tried to cover my wound as I was bleeding out relatively fast.


    The boar kicked one of the lights over, revealing her face.


    "Kaysi," the girl spoke. What? How? The girl I saved was Beck, my friend. I couldn''t believe it.


    "Well, simply put, I am a waymaker," I told her as I muscled through the pain. "I have been in training for a while, but it was not enough; I was not ready for this!" "I had to help when I heard you scream."


    "Well, Kaysi, you saved me, so that is something."


    Not without some consequences, I thought, as I wrenched in pain.


    "Kaysi, for now, you have accomplished enough. You couldn''t have a more significant impact than what you did. All that counts is that you tried!"


    As the silence fell, I began to lose consciousness.


    I heard her yelling for me. "Sorry, baby," I whispered. "Once again, I had gotten way in over my head."


    I don¡¯t know if I can bounce back from this one. It happened so fast, and I was struck down. I said as I drifted into darkness.


    I couldn¡¯t even finish the job or get Beck out of harm''s way. Baby even looked like she was having a hard time.


    Was this it for me? I was standing in the darkness. There was a bright light in the void of this other world. I heard a voice that sounded like an angel or God speaking within me. I said, ¡°Get up, rise, and call the resting crane to soar.¡±


    As I heard the voice,  I awoke, and  I looked down. I had something in my hand.


    Holding the feather, I did as the voice commanded and shouted.


    "Rise, crane, and soar." I saw the feather transform into a sword with a handle shaped like a resting crane.


    Without a moment''s thought, I leaped into the air and slashed through the boar''s skull, splitting it into two down the body.


    "Yes, I did it I shouted in celebration." With a sigh of relief, I leaned against the closest tree to take a seat, but I lost my strength and fell hard to the ground. Baby and Beck joined me as I pressed my body against the tree.


    "I warned you to wait; you weren''t ready, you fool."


    "I got my sword, though," I said with a cheap half-hearted grin. Stolen novel; please report.


    "It only emerged because you were in serious trouble and needed it." "It chose you because you sacrificed yourself. I can¡¯t say I am not grateful, but it was helpful. I was getting roughed up back there, Baby said with a look of defeat." "I guess you could say you skipped a few lessons now." She said passively.


    "Beck, please don¡¯t look so worried. I could see you were about to cry. I am okay. I just got a little scratch," I said as I tried to stand¡­"Ouch."


    "Don¡¯t worry; I will be here for you. Beck threw my arm over her shoulders and supported my weight." "I won''t tell anyone what happened here. I am guessing you don¡¯t want anyone to know. I will tell people it was an entire pack of wild boars in the area."


    "That would be the best idea, thank you."


    "No, Kaysi," "thank you for saving me," she said, "as we got to the hospital." I could finally relax, and I passed out.


    When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Looking around the room, I saw flowers and balloons. The nurses said a girl who missed me in my absence brought them from my classmates, along with a folder of letters from my classmates.


    One of them stuck out his handwriting, and the name it read was EVAN. It reminds me of my childhood, of this boy I once knew.


    In elementary school, the boys had a recruit in our game, Evan. He had dark black hair and was quiet, but he looked like someone you didn¡¯t want to mess with when I was a kid. The jean jacket on his back made him look like an outsider.


    Lost in thought, I came to reality when the sound of my hospital phone was going off.


    It was Beck calling. She wanted to tell me to get better soon. I tried to stop by earlier, but you were sleeping, so I let you rest. "I will come by after school today."


    "Alright, bye for now I told her as I hung up the phone."


    I thought I had seen Evan or someone who looked similar to him before in the school.


    Many people changed from elementary to high school; maybe that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on him.


    Beck came to see me while I was in the hospital.


    At the time, a nurse was aiding my wounds.


    "Hello Beck, how do you feel today?" I asked her.


    "Ha," she laughed at my question. "You''re talking about me. Are you okay?" She fired back.


    "Yes, they said, today might be my last day here in the hospital. It depends on whether I have healed enough. I had a couple of rib breaks and blood loss.


    After physical therapy started, I have almost made a full recovery.


    "Miss. Moon, the nurse said to me" (My last name.) "take it easy for a bit more, but you''re looking pretty good, the nurse said as she left the room to get my discharge papers."


    "Now that we are alone," Beck vocalized after glancing at the shut door. "How are you feeling any better, for real?" she said as she raised her eyebrow.


    "As already answered that question, Yes."


    "I would like to ask you when the nurse left us alone. I thought you were just being tough."


    "Do you remember how you got your injuries? Beck was watching me to detect if I was putting on some kind of act."


    "Yes, I remember the boar Soulless and my fight with it."


    "I think I am still missing something," Beck sighed. "I needed to talk to someone about everything."


    "So, ask away, and I will fill in the blanks anywhere I can."


    "Okay, what was that thing you said, a Soulless?"


    "Yes, that''s correct." "They have no emotions; they are humans who have lost their way. They are the primal instincts of our spiritual selves."


    "When someone dies, If that someone stays in limbo for too long, they get attacked by demons. They could be turned into a soulless by this process. Soulless removing their soul tie can turn them to. Bad people turn when they die automatically because their ways damn them."


    "I am a waymaker. I can see spirits, and my job is to stop soulless from harming or possessing the people living. I can see spirits and have a sixth sense anytime they enter our realm."


    "So Kaysi, do you help people here on earth?"


    "Yes, I sure do. That is my main objective."


    "Wow, that¡¯s great. I never knew. So, how do you become a waymaker?"


    "Well, some are born as a seer of spirits, and some are trained as waymakers."


    "I have trained for quite some time. Although I just unlocked and gained my full-born sword ability to attack. Before, I watched from the sidelines and used protection and repelling techniques."


    "Also, that was technically the first official battle I was in, and I wasn¡¯t very prepared."


    "Oh, I see, Kaysi. You didn''t have the best idea there."


    "I do understand, but I did everything I could to help. I couldn''t just observe from the sidelines. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be here if I hadn''t." Beck agreed.


    (At that moment, Beck''s bag started to move.)

 Chapter 9 - Holiday in the spirit

    Chapter 9


    "While you, too, are talking, it would have been nice if you had gotten me out of here."


    "Baby! Why are you in Beck¡¯s backpack?"


    "Yes, because I wanted to see you and talk with you. Animals were not allowed in the hospital."


    "Oh, boy, I haven¡¯t even gotten out of the hospital, and you are already going to yell at me?"


    "Yes and no, she said as she chuckled.


    "I need to tell you that what you did was dumb and was respectfully brilliant."


    "What Beck and I said in unison¡­?" She sounded sincere. It was just hard to believe she actually complimented me, kind of.


    "A skilled Waymaker forms the sword with their spirit energy."


    "Really cool? Okay, so what do we learn next?"


    "Kaysi!" "You can¡¯t be serious, " Beck said harshly.¡± Are you looking to kill yourself?"


    "Well," she said. "Given the right tools, I did fight and take down that boar, so why not?" Baby Face told me she was displeased by my reaction. Maybe it was the pain meds, but I felt high-spirited.


    "It was a lower-level soulless, but you barely knew how to hold the sword''s form, let alone use its powers."


    "The sword you have is called a crane. It is made for you to carry it in its lower form, known as a feather. That way, it is a small, inconspicuous shape that is concealed, easy to carry, and ready for quick use when needed." "It is called a resting crane and can still be used but is not strong in resting mode. It is commonly used on weaker enemies. When you learn your sword''s true power, it will become stronger, becoming a soaring crane when called out."


    Beck slowly began to understand some of what Baby was teaching us. "So, the first form hides the weapon, the feather, then the resting crane is a second, and finally, the soaring crane is what it is called in its fully awakened form."


    "Yes, Beck, that¡¯s right, you caught on now."


    "Oh, awesome, I get it now."


    "Now," "moving on to address the other elephant in the room." "Beck, what did you see that day?"


    "Oh yeah, uh..." "You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I won''t be telling anyone. As I already told people who asked at school, it was a pack of wild boars."


    "I also need to point out that you could see the monsters, as well." "That said, do not have a guardian like me?"


    "An animal like you?" Beck was confused about the question.


    "Yes, that¡¯s correct. It is a guardian angel that takes the form of your animal companion."


    "No, I don¡¯t have any animals. I used to have a pet cat."


    ¡°Okay, well,¡± cough, ''I am more than an ordinary house pet. I am a full-blown angel. I was placed into an animal vessel to hide my identity while I trained her."


    "Beck, you must know your friendship with her puts you at risk since you are not a waymaker."


    "Kaysi, you must choose to put her in danger or not. If you choose to, you can keep her as a friend, or you can never see each other again from here on out."


    "I''m sorry, but Kaysi can¡¯t be given a choice like that. It is unfair to give anyone an option like that." "Even though we have known each other only for three years, aka since middle school, I know she would end our relationship, making herself miserable just to protect me."


    "If that is the case, you are willing to grow your strength and knowledge to save yourself if the time comes. Most importantly, protect yourself and don¡¯t get in harm''s way because you could put her in danger by having to babysit you."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Wow, That was a bit harsh."


    "Of course, as a guardian, I am responsible for safeguarding humanity and aiding in developing her skills."


    "I will do whatever it takes. Anything I can do to support you guys in fighting."


    "Yes, but I need you to be aware that it could take some time. I haven''t heard of anyone being required to work with two-waymakers while training." "I still need to figure out your combat abilities, but let''s see if you''re able to sense spirits. You can still learn to arm yourself, protecting you from possible harm."


    "As you can see, Kaysi was not supposed to get hers for another two years."


    "Oh, okay, I will learn and adapt. Also, I am a year older than Kaysi."


    The baby ducked back in the back as she heard footsteps approaching. Just when the nurse entered, she said, "I will be leaving later today."


    Happy to finally be getting out, I asked Beck if she wanted to go and get Ice cream.


    "Kaysi, it''s time for us to bring you home so you can continue to rest and recover. You''re not ready for any social mingling." She laughed, "I''ll keep your offer for a rainy day."


    I think Beck was correct when she said I was still a bit weak because I fell asleep right away after she helped me to my bed when I got home.


    Micah was talking about my hospital stay the next day. I was in there for a longer time than I realized since I had to make something up on the spot. In all honesty, I wasn''t prepared for people or for having to respond to their questions.


    By lunchtime, others had started discussing my situation. I never knew the number of individuals who knew or were concerned about me; I found it to be pretty heartwarming at the moment.


    I went with what Beck told me at the hospital: I saved Beck from a pack of wild boars. I got the wound from pushing her out of the way.


    For now, I like to remember when people cared for me. One day, when I am weak, I may ask myself why I am fighting for a living and need some form of encouragement. Having been bullied so much growing up, this was a nice change of pace.


    By the next semester, things had finally started to die down. Micah and I had a gym class together now. So we decided that day we would go to lunch together as it was the next period.


    When we caught up with Beck, we told her we planned to start meeting more now that we shared closer schedules.


    We agreed to eat and hang out at the outside lunch tables together so we could hand out more privately.


    Seated among the trees, I could see the shimmering light with auburn gold gleaming through the trees of the autumn''s blazing sun in the sky. I would love to watch the crimson leaves cascading as they fell to the ground. The air was a bit chilly outside today.


    The school lunch menu mainly consisted of cheap frozen or canned meat products, pasta, and a bitter vinaigrette.


    Beck almost always brought her lunch, which her mom would pack.


    I asked my friends if they wanted to hang out after school. Now that I am older, my mom has given me the freedom to venture out a bit more.


    So, since Christmas was around the corner, and I still needed to get presents for everyone, maybe we could do the white elephant game, which involves a secret exchange of gifts.


    "What about you guys? Do you have anything left to do for Christmas?"


    "Well, I only have a few items Beck chirped. You still haven¡¯t got anything yet have you, Kaysi?" She said sarcastically as she mocked. "You sure are good at saving things to the last minute, right?"


    "I know I like to save as much money as possible to get the right ideas from everyone first."


    "Mmmm¡­Fair enough, Beck said, unconvinced but accepting. Micah, How about you?"


    "I had so much to do this month, so I already got everything, wrapped them, and placed them under the tree."


    "Wow, Micah," "Way to go." "Look at you, being an overachiever!"


    "Okay, since Micah is busy, we could at least go to the mall. I would like to use that rain check; we can have some ice cream, my treat! Also, we can get any of our remaining gifts."


    "That sounds great, Kaysi; I will double-check with my mom to ensure it is okay and call you later."


    " I am heading home to finish my work so that I can catch up with you later," Micah said as she grabbed her tray and left."


    "Okay, see you later, Micah I yelled back at her."


    I turned to Beck. "Hey, Beck, ¡°Is it just me,¡± or do you think Micah has been dodging us lately?"


    "No, you''re still loopy; she has just been busier than usual."


    "Yeah, you''re probably right. I am just overthinking things too much."


    Going to the mall, I enjoyed looking at the decorations, the tall trees with twinkling lights everywhere, and the large ornaments. Each year, they choose a color theme for the decor. This year, it is gold and metallic red. The lights draped across the beams of the ceiling.


    There were Christmas trees at every intersection of the mall.


    The best part of the mall was the holiday cheer of all the employees. Some wore little Xmas headbands and ugly sweaters, and they had large-spirited smiles. Some of them wore full costumes like Santa¡¯s elf or Christmas pajamas.


    Some shoppers are even dressed with their Christmas cheer on.


    They even placed carolers in the mall, who floated from store to store, singing Christmas songs and spreading Christmas cheer.


    And the cherry on top of all this fiesta is Santa Claus sitting in his big chair in the middle of it all.


    I even talked Beck into a photo with Santa and me.


    When we got done, we walked to my house.


    It was close enough, and she could get a ride back when my older brother returned. After he had gotten off work, he was coming over for dinner tonight.


    It began to snow hard as we turned the corner from the back of my house.


    "Beck, don¡¯t you think it''s pretty how the lights make the snow sparkle?"


    (POW!!!) Something hit me in the face as I was standing there gazing up at the sky.

 Chapter 10 - Our friend our foe

    Chapter 10


    "Beck, did you have to hit me with a snowball just now? I said as I brushed the snow off my hair.


    "You seemed to be daydreaming hard over there. I had to wake you up, Mawhaha," she said with a mischievous laugh.


    "Daydreaming, don¡¯t you technically mean nightdreaming? It is 7 pm at night?"


    "Whatever, I just couldn¡¯t let you be so spacey. I was afraid you might fly off to outer space."


    "So what''s on your mind that has you zoning out so bad?"


    "I was thinking about how fast time flies by; that is all."


    "I understand what you mean. I feel the same way, and soon, we will be adults in the real world before we know it."


    "Ha Beck, what do you think is the so-called real?"


    "She rolled her eyes at me. Only you would know a night-dreamer, she said, teasing me!"


    "Well, my brother is home a little early, so he will take you home now. See you at school tomorrow, Beck."


    "Oh, and Beck, one last thing, would you want to walk to school in the morning?"


    "Are you crazy more walking in the snow?"


    "Is there anything prettier than the overnight fresh fallen snow at sunrise?"


    "Ha, you are too sentimental, Kaysi. You sound like an old woman."


    "Sure, I do," I said in an old lady voice, joking with her. Why not go for a walk? We need to stay fit even in the wintertime."


    "That sounds great," Beck said with sarcasm. I''ll see you then, at 7 a.m. sharp."


    "Have a good night, Beck, as she left with my brother in the car!"


    The following day, after meeting Becks at her house, I told her I had called and asked Micah to join us before I went to bed. When we got close to Micah¡¯s house, she wasn¡¯t standing outside waiting on us like she said she would.


    "Hey, Beck, do you notice she is still missing? It is odd for her not to have been outside right about now."


    "She is usually early to school, Kaysi. We may have recently missed her."


    "Oh yeah, I remember you telling me that you guys usually walk together at this time. Should we go up the stairs to her house and see if she is there?


    "Yeah, I could be wrong. If she''s not there, we can go to school to see if she has a head start ahead of us."


    "Okay, so what are we waiting on? Let''s hurry up then!" I playfully elbowed her.


    Knock, knock, knock. Hello, "Mrs. Monk. Is Micah home?"


    "No, she left earlier for school, and you just missed her," Micah''s mom told us.


    "I guess we can start walking and see if we bump into her. It''s weird that she was ahead out so early when she knew we were coming."


    "Maybe she got the time wrong and thought she was late, but Beck struggled.


    I felt off about everything but had an idea we could use. "If she felt like she was running late, she would have taken a shortcut through the park," Micah¡¯s Mom told us this information once before.


    Just then, I saw something that caught my eye. "We could follow these," I suggested to Beck, pointing to the tracks in the snow. As we walked in the freshly fallen snow, we followed behind some of the footprints on the ground.


    I looked up at the sky and saw rays of light from the sunrise beaming across the morning clouds. The beams of light that touched the earth made the snow twinkle in different colors like diamonds ." It sure was pretty, wasn¡¯t it?" I asked Beck.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Yeah, it sure is." Her eyes lit up with the sparkling of the sun and snow.


    "See, Beck, I am not just a dreamer."


    "Nah¡­ You must just be rubbing off on me, she teased, elbow-bumping me."


    "Now, back on track. Like I told you before, she has been dodging us lately. Now that she is heading to school without us, something must be up with her."


    "Kaysi, I told you she¡¯s okay. She must have thought she was late because of the time."


    "If you think so." I still felt uneasy.


    "She might be trying to catch up with us, considering we missed her."


    "Well, let''s head through the park, follow her shortcut, and try to catch her."


    "We still didn¡¯t see Micah there either, so we moved on to school, hoping to meet up. When we got there, there were new guards everywhere.


    "What''s going on around here, I whispered to a group of girls nearby?"


    "There had been an attack on a possible missing girl in our school, one girl whispered to us."


    I was worried about Micah being hurt. We also still have not found her.


    When they posted the missing girl¡¯s poster the "next day" with an explanation, it was safe to say Micah wasn¡¯t the one. The girl was found in the park the morning before.


    But we still had yet to see Micah at school, not at the lunch table or in the class we shared. She was nowhere to be found. Somehow, neither Beck nor I saw her that day.


    "They say the attack didn¡¯t kill her, but she did get amnesia." I could hear kids talking as they looked at the picture. "And I heard they said it wasn¡¯t the first attack this year." whispers and rumors were spreading fast throughout the school.


    Could there be more soulless people around? "I don''t know; I accidentally spoke my mind out loud." I was thinking hard; my mind was spinning, trying to reason with the situation at hand. Where was Micah?" I was severely getting worried at this point.


    This was not the same park as Spencer Ball Park, where Becky almost got hurt. This was the city park, which was much larger and had trails. Many people crossed through there, so anything could have happened.


    A couple of days later, we finally saw Micah. "Girl," we shouted as we ran up to her. She sat with her head down at the lunchroom table.


    She had a poor excuse when we asked her where she had been.


    "I have been here," she told us, "but you must not have seen me." Also, I missed class because I had a doctor''s appointment all this week."


    We didn''t ask any more questions; she seemed moody.


    After talking to Beck about this strange feeling about all this, Beck and I agreed to follow her today. We would report to each other if anything odd happened. We didn¡¯t want to ask her upfront or accuse her. She may have been suspicious, but she was still our friend.


    Later, we discovered that she must have been at the park. When police would come to our school and ask her questions, someone in the area had spotted her around the same time. We knew it was odd that she must have gone much earlier than us then that day.


    The police left and said that she was a witness, but witnesses were still suspects, and she needed to watch herself.


    The third week into the investigation another girl went missing and then later was found dead in a different area very close to the city park.


    That is when her behavior started to get more suspicious. She avoided us at all costs, even skipping classes we shared. I saw her once in the bathroom, and she just dashed, rushing past me.


    Beck said, "I couldn¡¯t believe my long-time friend could ever hurt someone. She always seemed so good-natured, very calm, and kind."


    What else could we think? Was she in the middle of it all somehow?


    We decided to ask our guardian baby, and maybe she might know something or what to do in this situation. But the answer I got just made me ask more questions.


    We were told that more spirits have been popping out lately, and someone may have summoned them. This was the first time we had heard that someone could call them.


    "What can we do?" Beck asked. We chose to confront her face-to-face, follow her somewhere private, and trap her. I hated to do it, but we needed to know the truth.


    This weekend, we left for her house. Her mom said she had gone to the store to get some items. We somehow always seem just to miss her, but we won''t give up.


    Sure enough, the car was missing. She was a bit older and knew how to drive.


    Thanks to the snow, we went down the tracks and saw bloody footprints where the car once was.


    The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, but I still had several unanswered questions to solve. It became evident that we must locate Micah as soon as possible.


    Beck and I didn''t have a vehicle of our own trying to locate her, as it was going to be rather difficult if she was driving around.


    We went back to our houses and got our bikes, and we decided to start looking in all the areas that we could think of. She was starting with the grocery store that her mother said she was at first.


    After arriving at the grocery store, we talked to a couple of the cashiers and asked them if they saw anybody that fit Micah''s description.


    "Unfortunately, you just missed her." One of the ladies told us she left with a small bag of groceries.


    "Well, was there anything funny about her Beck asked?" That is when she told us that she had bought some camping stuff and bandages.


    After hearing that, we would go back to the house and see what her mother had to say. We didn''t want to alarm her if she was planning anything; we just wanted to ask where she was going.


    When Mrs. Monk answered the door, she said that Micah was not there and that she was going to one of her friend''s houses for a study session and a sleepover for a couple of days.


    As we thanked her and left, we realized that Micah had no other friends than us.


    Things kept getting stranger and stranger by the minute. There were not too many areas with woods; we lived somewhat in the suburbs.


    "She left the car at her house after returning from the store, so she could not have traveled too far. There were only


    Save two wooded areas where she could camp; one was an official campground."


    Beck and I devised a plan to tell our parents the same thing: We were having a sleepover. Baby came with us for protection and to help us search.


    We packed up some Items and got ready that night to search for her. We would start at the bottom of the trails and comb our way through the forest and mountains once we got there.

 Chapter 11 - Runaway

    Chapter 11


    Walking into the woods'' entrance, it was dark, and the only illumination was the full moon''s glow.


    As I made my way through the dense woods, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of uneasiness again. We had been searching for my friend Micah for hours, but the only sound I could hear was the crunching under my feet.


    The moonlight began to fade behind clouds blowing in from the north. We knew I needed to find Micah before the storm that looked to be forming arrived.


    As I continued, I spotted something glimmering in the distance. I quickened my pace and soon realized a keychain was lying on the ground. Beck told me it was the one we gave Micah for her birthday.


    My heart began to race. We immediately followed the direction the prints in the snow pointed. The further we went, the more worried I became. I couldn''t shake off this sick feeling in my stomach.


    Suddenly, we heard a faint cry for help in the distance. It was Micah''s voice. We ran towards the sound, pushing past branches and bushes.


    I ran toward Micah''s feeble cries, the wind howling in response almost drowning her out; the moon was now entirely obscured by dark clouds, leaving me in an eerie gloom.


    Beck and I arrived at the mountain''s edge. Visibility was difficult through the snow, all we could make out was Micah''s silhouette, which was dangerously hanging precariously down the edge of the mountain''s cliff. She clung to the rock underneath us, trying to resist the plunge into the icy depths.


    Without hesitation, we rushed to her aid, grabbing onto her arms and pulling with all our strength.


    Micah was in excruciating pain, but she managed to tell me that she had stumbled off the side of the mountain in the dark while in the woods.


    The winds grew, and the snow picked up, signaling the fast-approaching storm.


    Next to Beck, we saw a branch leaning against the trees. I asked her to "grab it, we could use it to pull Micah up."


    We shouted down to her "Beck and I were here to help;" she just needed to grab on. As we lowered the branch, grunting and struggling under the weight, we started pulling her up.


    As we pulled her up, we could see her covered in blood, and her eyes were furious with an unnatural glow through the falling snow.


    "Possessed," Beck whispered in a questioning tone.


    "Yes," I whispered back. It had become evident that Micah was under a demon''s possession, "as we had discussed the thought before."


    What else could we do, knowing that we had to save her?


    We were taken back, unsure of what to do, as Micah lunged at us with inhuman speed and strength.


    Micah''s screams filled the air as she struggled against the invisible force inside her. Her eyes were wild and filled with terror. This menacing energy seemed to take over her.


    In a flash, she turned towards us, our friend''s once-familiar face now twisted into an unrecognizable scowl. We dodged and weaved, trying to keep a safe distance as she relentlessly attacked us. It was then that we realized that she could no longer control herself, possessed by a powerful demon.


    What cruelty! As we fought for our lives against our friend, a bright light suddenly appeared above us.


    It was Baby, our guardian angel, who had been watching over us from the trees. We knew she had come with us but did not know what she had planned. With a wave of her hand, she summoned a magical cross neckless and handed it to us, telling us to use it.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Beck and I quickly formulated a plan, using the cross to seal the demon within Micah. With time running out, we knew we had to act before the demon took complete control over her.


    As she lunged at Beck, she dodged her, sliding on a patch of ice and hitting the tree behind. With this precise movement, we cornered Micah, and I held her still as Beck placed the cross on her neck. A blinding light erupted from the cross, engulfing Micah and the demon within her.


    We could hear the demon''s agonizing screams as it was trapped within the magical seal. As the light faded, Micah collapsed to the ground, her body exhausted but free from the demon''s hold.


    We helped her to her feet and supported her as she regained control of her body.


    Baby leaped down from the trees and smiled at us with relief. She explained that Micah had probably been battling with the demon for some time, and our act of bravery and quick thinking had finally freed her from its grasp.


    We vowed to help her learn to control the demon within her. With Baby and the powerful cross, we knew Micah would be able to overcome.


    As we walked down from the mountain, the snow calming to a stop, we made our way back to the edge of the woods. Where we were greeted by a park ranger who had been alerted by our screams. Micah was taken to the hospital, and we stayed with her until she got in the ambulance.


    As we walked to the ambulance, Micah slowly regained her strength and control, turning to us and thanked us for finding her.


    I smiled and replied, "That''s what friends are for." our friendship had been tested, but we had become more vital than ever through this terrifying ordeal.


    "We three promised to always look out for each other and discuss our issues, no matter what." As the ambulance doors shut, they took Micha away.


    "Well, Kaysi," Beck said, turning towards me. "We need to figure out a story to tell our parents, and when we get home, I need some rest."


    "I could not agree more; I am mentally and physically drained. It is safe to say Micah will be okay from here, but we will need to keep a close eye on her and help if needed."


    "I agree! There is something I wanted to know that needed to be clarified. Where did this demon come from?" "Was Micah the one behind the attacks, then?" "Also, why was she not freaked out seeing Baby, our guardian dog, talking?"


    "Yeah, I was wondering the same thing." "After we get home and rest, call me when you wake up, and we will see her in the hospital."


    "We can ask her questions, but let''s not try to overwhelm her. She may not remember."


    "Okay, then. That sounds like a plan, Beck." "I''ll see you tomorrow after we get some good rest."


    When I got home that night, just as the sun was rising, I said thank you to Baby. She informed me that we have many ways of dealing with demons and that we will find a way to help our friends.


    I barely made it inside the house. My mom asked why I was home at such an odd hour and where I was going.


    "I''m sorry, Mom. My friend got sick at the sleepover, so I came back home to get some rest."


    "Oh, okay. You could have called me, and I would have picked you up."


    "No, Mom, it was such an odd hour. I didn''t think you would be awake yet."


    "Of course, I am awake now. It is 6 a.m., and I have work." "It is also Monday. How are you? Are you feeling well? I can call you into school today."


    "That''s fine, Mom. I think I may have the bug she had," I said as I slowly walked up the stairs to my room. I took this as an opportunity to rest.


    When I got to my bed, I went straight out to sleep. I was in a deep sleep until Beck called me. The call woke me up, and that is when I noticed I had slept in my shoes.


    "Hey, Kaysi, Are you ready to head to the hospital and see how Micah is doing?" she asked.


    "Yeah," I said as I yawned. What time is it?"


    "It is 3 p.m. We got about 9 hours of sleep if you go to bed at 6 in the morning as I did."


    "Yeah, I did. I barely noticed the time until we got home. That said, I am ready. I already have my shoes on. I chuckled"


    "Hold up, didn''t I just wake you up?"


    "Yes, I fell asleep with them on!"


    "Oh my, you silly girl." "At least you''re prepared. I will head over to your place, and we can head to the hospital from there since you are closer."


    "Alright, see you," I said as I hung up the phone. When Beck arrived, I chose to keep Baby behind today. She needed the rest as well, and I didn''t want to smuggle her into the hospital room again as Beck did for me.


    When we arrived, they told us they discharged her because her health was fine. A bit of a cold and some scratches were all she had.


    "Oh man, how are we so good at missing her?" Beck laughed. "I still want to ask her how she is doing and what she knows. Also, I wasn''t sure if she remembered the events that played out yesterday."


    We will call and head over to her house. I said as I picked up the hospital phone.


    "She better be there," Beck interrupted.


    We waited for an answer while the phone rang; I teased her, "Now you are finally on board."


    When we called, she was indeed at home, and her mom told us that she had been released from the hospital. "She told us that Micah had walked off a cliff in the snow when she went to a sleepover."


    We acted confused, not to raise suspicion or question.


    "Oh my, I see," I said in a fake surprised tone. My acting skills suck, so hopefully, she didn''t catch on.


    We headed over to her house. From there, the last bit of winter, I think, charged in last night because it was quite warm. Almost all the snow had melted by this evening.


    When we arrived at Micah''s house, she was sitting in a chair on her patio, the outdoor heater warming her. As she looked towards us, we could tell something was on her mind.

 Chapter 12 - Close eye

    Chapter 12


    She barely could meet our gaze as we walked over and sat down with her on the patio next to her.


    "Micah," Beck said with a sincere tone, " We simply want you to open up."


    "We are not sure what you''re about to say, but look." You can trust that even though I personally haven''t known you as long as Beck has." "Micah, I still want to know what''s happening in your life. We both do."


    Still unable to look directly at us, she looked down at the grass for a second, I''m guessing, collecting her thoughts, then took a deep breath and sighed.


    "First, I overheard some of what you and Beck were talking about before I passed out, so it''s safe to say I can tell you the whole story."


    "To start with, I am a waymaker."


    Beck and I looked at each other with wide-eyed expressions and then back at Micah as she spoke.


    "I was chasing a demon for a while, and it came back to bite me. I got possessed by the demon."


    "I didn''t know that could happen to waymakers, Beck chimed in."


    "I didn''t either, at least not until it happened." It was scary to think how vulnerable we still were, even with our gift protecting us.


    "Honestly, at this point, I''m not sure how to proceed. Micah had been opening up to us but still could not look at us."


    "I spoke up, so then tell me the truth: Was it you who was behind the murder and the first girl who was attacked in the park?"


    "No, thankfully, that was when I was trying to get the demon, and I failed my mission, and she got me instead."


    "It disgusts me to know that what harmed those people is in me."


    "I''m sorry for sealing the demon in you. My guardian attempted to intervene in any way we could think of to save you."


    "It''s quite all right. I know there wasn''t much you could do." "My guardian lost her job apparently because of me getting possessed and her not being there in my time of need; she was dismissed." "So, what should we do from here?"


    "Well, as it stands, we did make the promise to help you train this monster inside you."


    "We would be more than happy to help you beck smilied. Now everything''s out in the open. How are you feeling, by the way?"


    "I''m doing much better than expected. I only have some scratches and bruises, nothing big."


    "So, will you be up for the task of going to school tomorrow? Or are you going to take another day out, Beck asked?"


    "I think I can handle going back to school. I need to focus on something else rather than worrying about this situation, and I can respect that."


    "I think we all can. I''ll talk to my guardian baby and see about you training with us soon." "So, do you have any questions for us? Be my guest and ask away," I told Micah.


    "I have a couple of them for both of you. So, who was the first way-maker of the two of you, and why didn''t you let me know sooner?"


    "Seeing as she was dismissed, I wonder if your guardian gave you enough information. I was the first way-maker. Beck only became a waymaker in training because of me."


    "Oh, really, how did that happen?" It was nice to see Micah was being a bit more spirited.


    "Do you remember how there is a rumor going around at school that a pack of boars attacked me?"


    "Yeah, I vaguely remember it; it was a while back." Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Yes, it wasn''t exactly a pack of boars. It was soulless in the shape of a boar. It came after Beck, and I saved her from it. I barely had started using my powers." "You see, my ability woke too early, so I was only limited to protection for the time being. At least until the day I saved Beck; it awoke my weapon."


    "So, Beck? You just recently became a waymaker in training."


    "Yes, that is correct. I chose to become a waymaker to help out the same day I found out about Kaysi."


    "So then, Micah, how long have you been a way maker I asked her?"


    "I''ve been in this business for about over a year now."


    "Oh, that''s right. I forgot you are older than us, even though we''re in the same grade."


    "That''s because my birthday fell on an odd day of the year, so I wasn''t able to start school until the following year."


    "Okay, that makes sense." Is there anything else you want to know I asked her?"


    "Kaysi, "You said something about waking your powers up early."


    "What did you mean by that?"


    "When I was a young girl a few years ago, I got attacked by what I can only think was a hunter of some sort and a pack of demons." "My family always had the ability of the Seers, but none of them possessed the ability of a waymaker." "Honestly, they don''t know I am a waymaker." "I am sure you know, we''re allowed to talk about it if we know for a fact that somebody is aware of waymakers, but we usually have a sixth sense of these things. I felt something off about you, but I had not quite put my finger on it until now."


    "I''m sorry I didn''t notice you guys sooner."


    "We could have prevented some of this, and I may have been able to help you."


    "Oh, don''t beat yourself up. It was out of your hands."


    "I kind of walked into it. Due to my stubbornness, I am partly to blame for my guardian''s dismissal." "This time around, I have to make changes. I have learned from my mistakes and don''t want to feel like I did before when that thing was controlling me."


    "Well, Micah," Beck declared, "even if you go down the wrong path, I''ll be there to smack you back to the right one."


    That all made us laugh.


    "All right, well, it''s been a long couple of days. We''re about to head home and get some rest, so you should do the same." I said to Micah as I stood up from the table.


    "Okay, I agree with you that I am sleepy. If you''d like, since I owe you one, we can meet up and walk to school for real this time."


    "I can agree with that. Let''s start doing that from now on so we can have each other''s backs in case something happens."


    Right as we were turning to walk away, Micah wrapped her arms around both of us and gave us a big hug. I''m not really the hugging sort, but I wrap my arms around her and comfort her anyway. As she stepped back, a couple of tears started to ball up in her eyes.


    I"''m sorry. I needed that more than you did, but I wanted to show appreciation. Thank you."


    "I don''t know about Kaysi" (she must have caught on to my stiff expression), "but one thing''s for sure: you can hug us anytime you need. Kaysi''s just a little shy about personal affection." "But don''t ever let her modest expression get to you. She''s a very caring. It should show technically, she saved both of us now! I just got to help this time around", she smiled.


    "The following day, we did as we agreed without error. We all met up at Micah''s house because it was closer to school and walked the rest of the way together. Thankfully, she was still wearing the cross necklace we had given her. I had forgotten to tell her the day before about what it was. I think It was all the stress and lack of sleep.


    "Hey, Micah, before we get to school, I need to let you in on something. You see, that cross you''re wearing is supposed to help conceal the demon within you. I know we told you we sealed it in you but didn''t explain precisely how."


    "Oh wow, I''m glad you told me that I almost took it off yesterday when I got in the shower, but something inside me told me not to."


    When we got to school, it was already time for our spring semester. "It''s hard to believe we had that blizzard just a week ago, yet spring was so close. Time has been rushing by lately so fast!" I could barely hold on to it; I said out loud to the girls as we entered the school.


    Once at school, it was nice to see that the new and final semester put Micah in the same class as Beck and me: Classroom 107, Ms. Guardian, which was a fascinating last name.


    As we walked into the classroom, we met our new teacher. She was tall, with tan skin and brown puffy hair. Her pointy eyes resembled dogs.


    We decided to take our seats in the back of the classroom if something happened. All three of us were sitting there talking a little bit before the bell rang.


    "I think this teacher''s name is bizarre, don''t you think?"


    "Becky, you must be a mind reader. I was thinking the same thing!"


    Just then, our teacher slowly started to walk over to us. Did she hear us talking about her? Did she think we were making fun of her? Were we about to get in trouble on our first day?


    She got to the back and started handing out folders to everyone. I like to start in the back class and work my way back to the front she announced to the class. If you open up your folders, there''s some information I''d like you to fill out so I can better get to know you.


    As we opened our folders, three of us noticed a little sticky note that the other students didn''t have. It says, (This is your guardian baby.) As you can see, I changed my appearance to blend in as your temporary substitute teacher. I wanted to be able to keep a closer eye on you and help you out if there are any emergencies. Since there are now three of you ladies. I want to talk to you after class.

 Chapter 13 - Training grounds

    Chapter 13


    After class was over, we waited for all the students to leave, and we went over to talk to baby.


    "So, what is this situation going on? Why are you our new substitute teacher? I read the note that said you wanted to stick closer in case something happened, but I need a little more context."


    "Well, as you know, Micah''s guardian is no longer around. That being said, headquarters would want me to supervise all of you. They didn''t appreciate sealing a demon within a way maker. That being said, we will find a way to work around this." "I''ll start by being your substitute teacher and keeping a better eye on all of you. From here on out, I''ll be training the three of you."


    "I thought it would be difficult enough to train two-way makers, " Beck added."


    "It will be interesting to see the first team of way-makers that I know of. Who knows, maybe this will change how we handle things, and we won''t lose as many lives."


    I could see Micah pause at the thought. "What do you mean by lives lost?" she asked worriedly.


    "You don''t need to worry about it. That conversation is for another day and time." "In the meantime, please go to these coordinates after school. There''s an address on this slip. I want all three of you to meet up there."


    "Where is this located? Can you give us an idea?" Beck asked Baby.


    "No, I''m letting that be a surprise and test, so to speak. I can give you more information once all of you get there."


    After school, we went to the address we were given. The path to get there could have been clearer. Getting to the outskirts of town was tricky, and it led through some wooded areas.


    There seemed to be only one building built inside a mountain¡ªthere were no other buildings around. Even this place looked like an abandoned shrine, and we all chose to explore it. Upon walking into the dilapidated shrine, the inside architecture looked like an old Catholic Church.


    The windows are both Japanese architecture and stained glass. On the inside, down the middle towards the front, was an altar with a man who looked like Christ.


    This one differed slightly from what I had seen in movies and magazines. The marble sculpture depicted him with short wavy hair, a small muscular body, and his hands reaching out as if offering a hug. He wore a holy tunic and stood there with bare feet. At the bottom of the statue engraved the words, "Love thy God with all thy heart, thy mind, and thy soul."


    I''ve heard about this verse before. It speaks about keeping a connection with your creator and sharing a bond and relationship with him. I believe it was also one of the Ten Commandments. I can''t understand why we were here in this unique church-like shrine or what we were to accomplish.


    When Baby was nowhere to be found, we started getting curious, walking around and seeing if there were any other entrances. These were the coordinates that Baby had given us to go to, after all.


    "Hey, Kaysi," Micah spoke up, trying to break my train of thought, as she could see I was overthinking. "I''ve never seen a place like this before, but since it''s in such a secret location, do you think there might be some secret entrance?"


    "It is built on the side of a mountain, which is strange because it''s such a small building for such a large mountain.


    You know what, now that you mention it, maybe you''re right." "How about we split up and check through different areas of this one-room building and see if we can find another entrance and look for anything out of the ordinary." The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    We moved pictures around like they did in old cartoons. I moved the torches that were up on the walls and everything.


    "Aah!" Beck screamed.


    "What is it? Did you find something?" Micah and I spoke in unison."


    "A spider landed on my hand and scared me."


    "Oh wow, what! You scared us for no reason, I chuckled."


    "It may be time to turn around and head back home since we can''t find anything. I can always meet Baby there to determine if we have the right place."


    Micha pointed out, "Maybe she even put down the wrong coordinates or address¡ªwho knows?"


    "Sounds good to me," Beck said out loud in agreement. She is kneeling on the ground, searching for something in her backpack.


    "What are you doing, Beck?" Micah asked her.


    "What does it look like I''m doing? I''m trying to find my bug spray. We''re way out in the woods, and I''m not fond of bugs."


    "Well, I wouldn''t suggest putting your backpack on the ground; then, you never know what''s crawling around, I teased her."


    "Oh, here''s my bug spray, and you''re right. I will just hang it right here for a second, put on my bug spray, and then we can head out."


    Beck put her backpack on the hand of the marble statue that was in the middle of the altar. The hand cracked and bent downwards.


    "Oh no! Look what you have gone on and do! Did you break it?" Micah spouted.


    "No, I mean, I didn''t mean to; I thought I would be stronger than that, being made out of marble and all," Beck said in shock.


    Just then, the building began to shake. Dust fell from the ceiling, and the back wall behind the altar started moving. As the door widened, a small beam of light grew brighter inside. When it fully opened, we could see a cavern that looked like some inner earth habitat we had never seen before.


    Micah said, confused, " I am guessing this is what Baby wanted us to find."


    "Yeah, I''m guessing so. I think we''ll just walk down through here and see if we can find her."


    As we ventured further into the cavern, the landscape opened to a meadow-like clearing. Baby was sitting there against one of the alien-like trees. It had to be some species that I had not known before or had never seen. Many of the plants and vegetation in this area were unlike any other.


    "Hello, girls. I see that you have found my location. It took you quite some time."


    "I mouthed off, yeah, what''s with that? Could you have given us better directions?".


    "Yes, but it''s high time you started learning and discovering things independently from me. There will be many times when you have to make some decisions by yourselves."


    "We have much to discuss for our tiny little team going forward. I want to start by addressing the range of your skills and powers, as well as some of your problem-solving skills", "which I did today." "Seeing as you were able to find this place, which is quite difficult, tells me that you guys can work in collaboration with each other."


    "This will be our new secret location for training and exercise. It has a unique barrier around the mountain that no demons can get in. This barrier conceals your spiritual pressure. The more power you output, the more spiritual pressure is detected in others with the abilities of a seer."


    "Welcome to the Guardians training grounds. As I said before, I will be the coach for all of you. Let''s get started with some of the basics." "I will attack you and do whatever you must to protect yourselves. This is an assessment. I will judge your abilities based on three categories: strength, defense, and individual problem-solving."


    "I want to start with someone I am not very familiar with yet who is new to the group. Micah, please step up. Since you already possess waymaker skills, I''m guessing we already unlocked the ability to form weapons."


    "Yes, that is correct," Micah told her, "but I don''t feel comfortable attacking you." "I barely met you recently and didn''t particularly appreciate attacking my friends and their guardians. Also, my guardian never made me do this kind of thing."


    "I''ve already heard about your stubbornness, and your guardian was dismissed. Things are a little different now, and I do things differently. And I''m not as soft-natured as your previous Guardian might have been."


    "You can choose to participate, or I''ll Attack you myself, and you''ll have to defend yourself. Either way is fine with me." "Even now, if you want to stop being a waymaker, the demon that dwells within you and your skills will continue to put you into trouble. You would get hunted down, possibly by another waymaker who wouldn''t be so hesitant and execute you."


    Baby said ruthlessly, "At this point, you don''t have a choice; this is your better option. Your friends care about you, and I don''t think they would have risked their lives for you to throw away yours."


    Micah smarted off. "Fine then, since you give me no choice. I guess I have to give it my all."


    "That is precisely what I want. Please feel free to use your aggravation towards me right now, and don''t hold anything back. As I said, this is an assessment. After all, I want to get a full scope of your skills!"

 Chapter 14 - Micahs ambition

Chapter 14


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 Chapter 15 - Beckys protection

    Chapter 15


    -Becky-


    The evening before baby left, she told us that she would be testing me the next day. Based on her previous methods with Micah, I was nervous. I''m not quite sure if I was cut out for this. At least Micah and Kaysi stood a chance because they already had way-maker abilities.


    I learned a couple of protection chants to help me when we were faced with enemies. Yet so far, there haven''t been any demons out, only a few since the last couple of months after learning about waymakers.


    Honestly, I''m more than a burdensome person; it seems I am just a spectator.


    I want to be able to help out more often. Also, I can''t help but feel my lack of skills makes me a burden on everybody. I don''t want to be in the way or watch from the sidelines. I want to be a part of the action as well.


    For me, it''s not an attempt for attention or fame from people. I genuinely want to help my friends out. Ever since Kaysi came along and saved me, I can''t help but feel helpless sometimes. Baby told me in the hospital after Kaysi got hurt that I''d be putting myself in harm''s Way, as well as my friends if I didn''t learn to protect myself.


    The next morning, Kaysi and I grouped up and went to Micah''s house as we did on a regular school day. We then returned to that special secret location and passed through the shrine into the mountain''s entrance once more.


    At first, I didn''t see Baby. She jumped out and scared us, trying to prove a point that we should be on our toes and keep up our guard.


    "Today, I would like to take this opportunity to show you girls what it is to be a way maker. Beck, I know that you have no official skills, much less a weapon of your own; I want to work on that."


    "However, right now, it might be wiser to teach you more protection and healing."


    "I want to do more than protect and heal people. I want to be a part of the fight from time to time, too. Wasn''t it you who told me that I''d be a burden to myself and others if I didn''t figure out a way to contribute?"


    "Certainly, I told you to protect yourself, to contribute rather than protect yourself for others, which still gives us a bit of an advantage. That others don''t have. Don''t be ashamed of your shortcomings. In due time, you will have what you need."


    "At every step, I can help you gain knowledge. We can start by asking questions, or I can just give you a step-by-step. Is there anything you''d like to ask or add?"


    "Actually, before I heard you speak about something happening to the other way makers, what did you mean by that?"


    ''Well, as you know, way makers are paired with guardians to help guide them until they have reached a more independent level. Not every way maker continues their journey with the guardian at their side at all times."


    "As in the case with Micah, some of them are discharged because they could not fulfill their role or position. Not all the time is it the Guardian''s fault as well; sometimes it''s just not a good partnership."


    "Also, as guardians, sometimes things happen to the way makers, as you all are human, unfortunately. Someone can get killed or executed. In the other cases where they get possessed and another way maker had to make a call for the greater good."


    "Oh, that''s right; I remember you saying something about how Micah could have been killed. If it was anybody else in different circumstances that found her."


    "Yes, unfortunately, there have been times when another waymaker has killed the waymaker and even their guardian if they were unable to resume control. That is sometimes the circumstance of being human."


    "You are saying that? A guardian cannot be possessed. No, most certainly not. We''re higher beings and do not possess fleshly vessels that can be manipulated. Which is part of the reason why I can take many forms as a guardian angel."


    "Okay, what would be the best role for me to fulfill currently?" I asked her.


    "You would act more or less in your allies'' favor. Every team is made up of individuals who individually bring specific talents to the table and use those talents to support their teammates. Their duties range from guarding humans to slaying demons. That could entail self-defense. Stolen story; please report.


    "Did you see when Micah put up a barrier, there were different shapes and forms that she was able to compose her barrier into? As well as even being able to use it in somewhat of a weapon-like fashion."


    "Yes, I did see that. I did learn from some of those battles as well as the ability to manifest a barrier to fit the needs of different circumstances of a situation."


    "Yes, that is the purpose and part of the training that I''m doing with all of you ladies. As I''ve said before, this training is for you to learn from one another and yourself, hopefully, better."


    "So, to give you a bit of a breakdown, what fully is a way maker job? You guys have been divinely selected to protect humanity from the supernatural Realm. Most cases being demons are uncertainly rare cases protecting them from those that do the bidding of harm to others."


    "I will give you a history of what a way maker is and how they came to be. Once before, the Earth was being formed, and the heavens were split into three separate planes. There lived the God and His angels. One angel, lucifer Morningstar, decided that he wanted to control the power of the heavens and the creator''s creation. He obsessed over it and wanted it as his own to be able to rule over it."


    "When he rebelled against God, he was cast out from the central heaven with two-thirds of the angels that betrayed God and followed him in the war."


    "After the war, when Earth was fully formed, he was cast down to live in the abyss. Unable to return to upper heaven. He was only able to communicate with the humans and the Nephilim, in other words, Fallen Angels."


    "He told them that if he was unable to rule over heaven and creation. That he would devise a plan to control creation and create his own. He told his fallen angels to go forth and breed with God''s creation in any way possible, willing or not."


    "This created humanlike beings with supernatural gifts resembling them to be like Gods. The humans came to even worship them as different idols that took different forms of creation. They are known as demigods. Demigod''s children were known as giants that roamed the earth. Their acts also gave birth to new demons."


    "The sins of the Fallen men caused bloodlines that were no longer pure, and all humanity was almost wiped out, partially by our own doing and the chaos from the demigods. They waged Wars amongst each other after creating their religions or cultic followers. They were fighting to see who was the most Superior and maybe one day be able to overthrow God."


    "At last, God saw this and sought to try and save humanity with the last pure-blooded that at least still had a divine connection with their lord. This man and his family took to a large vessel that they created by the divine direction of their God."


    "The Earth was flooded to destroy all the demigods and their children. This gave humanity a new start, and he vowed never to destroy his creation in that manner again. God then put up a veil but no longer allowed angels demons and humans to coincide together much less procreate. The veil gave Humanity a new chance of purity. The human''s new mission on Earth was to be a test before becoming an angel."


    "God was saddened by the fall of his angels and creation, so human vessels are a trial before arriving in heaven, and that way, we could keep the peace beyond earth itself. No more Wars would go on in heaven. God''s pure, lasting angels would go on to serve different roles in creation, including being a guardian to a waymaker."


    "Waymakers are divinely appointed soldiers of the Kingdom of Heaven saving mankind from day to day until called up from Earth in the spiritual plane between outer heaven and Hell."


    "What do you mean when you say Heavens and Outer Heaven?" I asked.


    "Central heaven holds God''s throne and his city of angels. Middle heaven is space; it is the Veil that stops humans from entering paradise. This is why humans are obsessed with space travel and want to go beyond our Earth. The Third heaven, outer heaven, is Earth''s atmosphere; it is the air we breathe as well as the realm the spiritual can resign."


    "I must guide you until you are at a point where you no longer need me. That is when I will have fulfilled my duty. Although, I''m not allowed to intervene much. You have to grow on your own, which means learning, facing consequences, and overcoming them."


    "I understand. I just wish I had more options. Like a weapon to handle some of the battles.  In the meantime, I would do my best to learn and grow with a better understanding."


    "I want you to do training here as well as outside and on your own. I want you to grow both my mind and body. Start by using meditation as well as endurance training to strengthen your overall body. I can show you how to engineer your barriers to suit as weapons for the time being."


    "All of you, follow me to the river in the far back corner."


    "Wait, is there even a river inside of here? This place is bigger than what I could fathom."


    "Yes, it''s just beyond the trees; that''s why you can''t see it from here. Most of your training will happen here for your protection. Start by using spiritual energy around your feet, creating a barrier between you and the water. Once you have mastered that, I will show you the next step. You must get that down first to develop a strong enough barrier between you and your body."


    As you saw with Micah, there was not enough time for her barrier, which was not sufficient to cause her harm. Believe it or not, I held back, or she could have been injured much more.


    I practiced this technique many times in the river until it was time to head home. Even after all that time, I was not able to complete the task. No matter how many times I tried to walk on the water, any form I put into the barrier dissipated.


    I went home soaked and defeated. I felt ashamed. I don''t know if I can ever complete this task. Oh, how I long to not be a burden and to be able to protect my friends. I won''t. I can''t give up; I must not. I just don''t know how I''m going to figure this out.

 Chapter 16- Little Angel Cafe

    Chapter 16


    Oh man, I felt so sore from all the training Baby had been putting us through. I was sure Micah and Beck were also aching. It was making my whole body stiff. I got out of bed and was ready to head out to school slowly for our last day of school before spring break.


    Coming down the stairs and rounding the corner, I could see my mother on the couch, tumbling with some paperwork. I yelled back to her, grabbed my backpack, and started to walk out the door.


    Hey, Mom, I''m heading to school now. I''ll talk to you later. Love you, I said back as I looked at her exiting out the door. Just as I started to shut the door, I noticed that she was crying. I paused and walked back inside, shutting the door behind me. I know my mother, and I don''t get along much, but I have never remembered her crying.


    What''s going on? Why are you crying? I asked her.


    These bills are stacking up. I took out a loan. I already had to do some extra overtime since your brother left, and we are about to get evicted.


    Why don''t I go find a part-time job somewhere since this is the last day of school before spring break? I could help you with the bills for at least now.


    I couldn''t possibly allow you to do that. You are the child, and I am the parent. It''s my responsibility alone to come up with something.


    I completely understand that, but it''s also my responsibility to keep this house going alongside you as your family. If there''s any way I can help and contribute, I will. On top of that, if we lose our home, it hurts both of us. A little work on the side won''t hurt me any. It''ll help build character, and since it''ll be part-time, I''ll be able to continue with schoolwork when school''s back in.


    As I headed off to school, I was not quite sure where I was going to find a job. Once the day was over, I figured I''d walk around downtown, where all the stores, restaurants, and shops were, and see if anybody was hiring.


    When I got to school, the girls could tell something was up and started asking me. I guess some of the training paid off because we''ve gotten a lot closer in our relationships.


    Unfortunately, my mother''s been struggling to pay some of the bills after my brother left, and I''m going to find a job after school to see if I can help her get out of debt and back up to float.


    Beck said we could accompany you in your search, and it could be a good team-building exercise.


    "I know of a couple of places that are hiring," Micah chimed in. One of them happens to be where I work.


    Hold on, you have a job, but I didn''t know that.


    Yes, I work at a little maid Cafe that my family owns called Tenshi-tachi.


    Oh, that''s cute. Your Cafe''s name is Angel. How come you guys are used to a Japanese name?


    I have a family that is of Japanese descent.


    Okay, then, that is the plan. We''ll head over to the cafe after school, put in our applications, and go from there.


    When we got there, we could already tell that the place was popular; it was completely packed. I had a little bit of social anxiety and was nervous to take on my first official job. We went and filled out our applications, and they had us start today because they were already understaffed.


    Becky was more than excited to start. Micah, I was just relieved that we were there to help her. We each were given our tasks of waiting on the customers. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Micah knew the menu better, so she took the orders. I was good at balancing things, whereas Beck was quite a klutz, so I helped with bringing out the drinks and some of the food. Beck helped check out the customers by ringing them up or bringing them their receipts after their meals.


    I thought we worked pretty well together and made a decent team now. We made quite a few tips within the day because there were a couple of birthdays. Also, the people there were very sweet and kind. They understood that it was our first day and were quite patient with us. We made decent tips on top of our regular full-shift pay.


    Kaysi, before you head home, I wanted to talk with you in my uncle''s office.


    Okay, what is this about? Did I do something wrong? I was trying to be very careful and not mess anything up.


    No, that''s not the situation at all; you did very well on your first day. Most of us don''t expect you to get everything down since we''re new. And even over time, the people are kind enough here. They still work with you if you have a problem. I''ve been here for a long time and still make mistakes.  No one is perfect.


    I wanted to talk to you about something I told my Uncle about you and your mother having a hard time. He said that if you keep coming every day, he will give you a permanent position as well as Beck.


    Thank you, but I don''t know how I will manage after spring break is over and school starts again.


    It''s not hard. As you can see, I go to school and maintain a short part-time schedule here at the cafe. I can help you budget and manage your time, as well as help you with some of your homework if you have any issues.


    I highly appreciate that right now. I really do with my mom''s debt and everything.


    Oh, and that''s the other thing. In addition to your tips, my uncle wanted to give you a small bonus to help your family out.


    There is no way I couldn''t possibly take extra pay without working for it.


    Don''t think of it that way. Uncle gives bonuses, usually around the holidays. Our business did quite well with the couple of birthday parties that we hosted here today. He said that if your family is struggling, your focus won''t be on work; it''ll be on you worrying about your family. He wants you to be at the top of your game every day you come to work here.


    Oh wow, I can''t believe this. It almost makes me want to cry. This is such a large amount, even for the couple of groups that we had.


    Yes, well, I threw in my paycheck, and so did Beck. What? No way, you can''t do that.


    No, just like my uncle said, we want you to be able to perform to the best of your abilities without having to worry so much. Plus, we wouldn''t be able to work together if you moved. It makes things a lot more difficult, and we just barely started training together.


    I guess you''re right that I owe you guys one. I''m not quite sure what else I can say.


    I know we just starting genuinely getting to know each other. I want you to take it also as a thank you for the time that you saved our butts, Becks, and mine.


    I cannot thank you enough for all that you guys are doing for me I am very much appreciative that this saves us a great deal.


    You''re welcome. Now that it''s time to close, we need to wrap things up and do some of the chores we do after the store is closed.


    Since it''s late at night, I will help you so we can get out sooner. We''ll just tackle the rest of the work together. The last thing on the chore list is to take out the trash to the back alley.


    As we finished and got all our last chores done for the night. We headed out and left with the trash in our hands through the back alley, locking the previous door.


    As we neared the trash can, I felt an eerie sense coming over me. It was dark in the alleyway, so maybe it was just superstition. I still decided to keep on my guard for whatever had made me feel off.


    Ummm? Kaysi, Beck, do you see this here?


    No, I don''t see anything, do you, Beck? No, nothing at all. What are you seeing?


    I know it''s not my eyes playing tricks on me. There''s a little girl standing right there at the end of the alleyway.


    What, are you serious? We all have Seer powers so we would be able to see whatever you''re seeing.


    Does it have something to do with the demon that dwells inside you? Maybe it''s trying to play tricks with you.


    No, I''m not crazy, Beck. There''s a little white-haired girl at the end of the alleyway.


    Okay, so what do you think we should do, Beck questioned.


    I don''t know; assuming she''s a ghost or something, should we try to approach her?


    I''m telling you, Micah, there''s no one there¡ªnot a soul in sight. This Alleyway is not very big, so it''s not like we wouldn''t be able to see whatever you''re seeing.


    Could this have something to do with the eerie feeling, or was Micah''s mind messing with her?


    Okay, haha, whatever you guys are messing with me is trying to make me feel like I''m crazy. Let''s just go ahead and head home; it has been a long day. If she''s there tomorrow, then maybe we''ll figure out most of what to do. Or maybe we can ask Baby about this situation.


    Yeah, maybe she''ll have a solution if you can see the ghost and we''re not. Assuming I understand that is what you''re saying.

 Chapter 17 - Whisper from the other side

    Chapter 17


    Knock, knock, knock. Early Saturday morning, my door was tapping. I got out of bed and went to answer it; it was Micah.


    Good morning, what are you doing out and about so early today, I asked her.


    I wanted to know if I could have a conversation with Baby and figure out what we saw last night.


    Oh, do you mean the ghost girl that you only saw?


    Yes, I''m very anxious to figure it out¡ªthis strange phenomenon.


    I called out to Baby, and she came down the stairs. She was in her dog form as she was in the house.


    So that we may talk more freely, let''s walk outside. I have a little tree in the rear of the house, just around the corner, where I enjoy sitting. That is if you want to accompany me there,


    Micah said, " As long as we have a private place to talk, I''m sure it''ll be fine."


    We sat down in the trees. It was an essentially round, short oak tree, so it was almost like sitting in a chair. Once everyone else was out of sight, Baby took her human form.


    So what is it that you need from us, asked Baby.


    Yesterday, we encountered something very peculiar. I saw a petite young girl ghost as we were heading out of work and getting rid of the garbage in the back alleyway, but the other way makers, despite their Seer Powers, were unable to see her. I''m not sure why.


    Well, this does not happen too often, but from time to time, ghosts visit particular people only for their needs. Maybe she favors you for some reason and does not wish to be seen by others.


    I know I teased Micah a little bit, but I sensed that something was off when we exited the cafe.


    She may be someone that you''ve seen in your life that you knew before she passed. Maybe a regular at the cafe or one of the staff members?


    You know, I never really thought about that. I think I saw her somewhere before, at the cafe.


    I think I''ll go back to the cafe and talk to some of the staff. Besides my uncle, he''s been there much longer than I have. I only started 2 years ago. Maybe my uncle will know something.


    I''ll come with you, Micah. We''ll just head early to work. But let''s first stop off and grab Beck from her house.


    When we arrived at Beck''s house, she was still in bed, and we had woken her up. Her hair was all messy, and she still had her nightgown on.


    Hey Beck, we''re about to head to work early so we can figure out what''s going on with this ghost girl situation. If you want to come with us, we can wait for you to get ready.


    Yeah, that''s fine. Give me a minute. I just need to change and get ready. I''ll make it fast.


    When we arrived at the cafe, one of the shelving units in the back room had fallen over, and the staff was cleaning it up. Micah''s uncle was chipping in to help, trying to get it done a little faster.


    Hello, Uncle. There seems to be a lot going on for you already, and you seem busy this early in the morning.


    Yeah, we ended up falling a bit behind in cleaning up this mess. We still have to cook some of the baked goods and set things out before we open them.


    Don''t worry. Kaysi, Beck, and I can help you finish some of that stuff since we''re here early. Where do you need us the most first?


    By the way, why are you so early, her uncle asked.


    I wanted to ask you a couple of questions. I know right now is not the appropriate time, so when everything''s done at the end of our shift, I will come to find you and talk.


    That''s alright. If you could complete the cleaning before moving on to your daily activities, the team here will begin the baking.


    Man, this is one heck of a day to wake up on the wrong side of the bed, Beck said as she sighed.


    I''m sorry we woke you up so early for nothing. We wanted to walk with you and get some answers. Hey, this at least means extra hours since we came in a little early to work, so it was not for nothing.


    Yeah, you''re right about that there as the day progressed slowly and chaotically. During our busy time, Beck tried jumping in to help. She ended up dropping the tray of drinks on the ground, spilling them everywhere. I can''t say that was anything unusual; Beck was always clumsy anyway. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    The day ventured on with bad luck happening left and right. Even one of our waiters accidentally missed tucking the chair underneath one of our regulars, and he fell to the ground. I couldn''t wait for the day to be over. It was such a headache.


    Once the last customer left and it was time to close, Beck dragged her feet across the floor to lock the door. All the mental and physical stress told you she was way down.


    I signed; I never imagined this job would be this challenging. Even though it''s only the second day, it feels like nothing good is occurring today. I am grateful for Micah''s ability to occasionally pick up the pace because you were well-versed in everything. Most of the time, it seemed like both of us and I were holding you guys down. I felt awful when I spilled those many beverages on the floor.


    At least they did not hit or spill on one of the customers, Micah snickered.


    Just then, one of the girls screamed outside. We ran back to see what the situation was.


    It was Micah''s cousin. Her eyes were wide, and she was pale from something frightening her. We had to stay a little later, so she had been trying to assist us with some of the store closing tasks, including hauling the garbage out to the back alley.


    The trash bag she had been carrying was busted and open on the ground.


    What is it? Mikasa asked Micah.


    As I was standing there getting ready to take out the trash, there was this pale-haired girl in a white dress, she described.


    That''s the same girl I saw the other day, Micah said joyfully.


    Her cousin looked at her with concern at her reaction. I think that girl was a ghost, don''t you realize that?


    Yes, I''m sorry for my reaction. I am just happy to see that somebody else has seen her.


    Oh, I see. Micah, we have thought you were so strange since you were a little girl. You claimed that you could see ghosts and even play with them.


    Why am I just not hearing about this? I''ve known you since you were a child, too. You never told me about this when we were in elementary school, Beck pouted.


    Don''t take offense to this. I know you guys were close. But our family had told her that when she went to school, she needed to be quiet about this. We were all worried that it would make her make fun of, or worse, they might lock her up in a mental hospital. So, her keeping it a secret from you guys was our fault.


    Oh, I see Beck said, with a sad expression towards Micah.


    Please don''t pity me, Becky; it was all for protecting my family and me.


    Now you have friends that you can talk to about it. I spoke up, trying to break the tension.


    We helped her cousin to her feet and cleaned up the trash. Afterward, Micah''s cousin tagged along with us when we found Uncle. She also wanted to know if there was any connection to the girl. She must have been thinking the same thoughts as us, considering that the girl had some type of tie to the cafe or family.


    When we walked into the office, we asked Uncle about the little girl Micah and her cousin had seen.


    Tears begin to form in his eyes at the little girl''s description. It was his daughter who had died at the hands of some murderer 10 years ago as of today. I must have stung more for him, knowing that this was the anniversary of the little girl.


    If it doesn''t mean too much for you to tell us, can we know what happened?


    [uncle''s context]


    It was almost 18 years ago when I had my little girl come into this world. Her mother, my wife, unfortunately, passed away, giving birth to her.


    As time went on, I took care and cherished my daughter. She always liked to play pretend and dress up.


    She loved to have tea parties. When I would sit in my chair when I would come home from work. She would serve me her different handmade baked goods and treats.


    It would always put a smile on my face, no matter how hard my day was.


    When I became a bit more financially stable, I opened this Cafe and Bakery when my daughter was only six. I named it Tenshi-tachi because my little girl''s mother was Japanese and called her Angel as a nickname before she passed. But two years after opening the shop, a group of gangsters in the neighborhood bought a bakery next door.


    Later, I found they would do some of their dirty business behind closed doors while trying to run the bakery. At first, they asked me if they could purchase my building so they could add on to theirs. Before I knew they were gangsters I thought they wanted to remove their only competition in the neighborhood.


    I knew there was something off about them. Ever since they came into the neighborhood, there have been many accidents with arson, shootings, and other unsightly crimes.


    That night at closing, my daughter volunteered to help take out the trash as we were closing, and one of the gangsters shot my little girl.


    Some of the passing customers who were leaving the store heard the gunshot and saw the man running.


    The woman went to my daughter on the ground as her husband chased down the man who had shot my daughter.


    The police came and took him off to jail just as the ambulance rounded the corner. Only a few seconds after they got to the cafe, my daughter took her last breath from the loss of too much blood.


    After that loss, I almost closed the shop and left town, but all my faithful customers who love to see my daughter smile and many more of their friends who have heard the story came by and helped me keep the shop going.


    The local officers did an investigation after my daughter''s murder; and found all the dirty business that the bakery next door had been doing. They were using the bakery as an undercover to conceal some of the drug and money loitering they were doing. They would even have trucks that came and picked up fresh loaves of bread that contained drugs and money baked into them as a traffic back and forth.


    They were shut down, and all arrested.


    Continued.


    Oh, I understand now. So, the Little ghost that we saw was your daughter. My other friends were more than likely not able to see her because they were not family. She wanted to be seen by us so maybe we could say something to you.


    I just don''t understand why this hasn''t happened before. It has been 10 years since she has passed.


    That''s because recently, her gravesite was disturbed. They found that one of the gangsters had a son that he had put up in the orphanage not too far down the way from here. He got into some trouble when he found out the news of his father and started acting out through his pain. He''s only 14 years old and has been having a hard time.


    I see. So maybe her ghost is acting out because she is disturbed and trying to communicate to us all that has happened.

 Chapter 18 - Sourusens膩

Chapter 18


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 Chapter 19 - Phoenix demons duel

Chapter 19


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 Chapter 20 - Uncles heart

Chapter 20


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 Chapter 21 - Revenge of the broken

Chapter 21


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 Chapter 22 - Uprising

<div>How do you show your face around here? You keep coming back, haunting me. This time, I''m going to make sure I put you down.


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 Chapter 23 - Into the storm

Chapter 23


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 Chapter 24 (end of season 1)

Chapter 24


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    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


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 Chapter 25 Season 2

    Chapter 25


    Okay, first off, who are you, and what did they want with Kaysi? Becky asked coldly. She was still mentally numb to the idea that her secret crush had kidnapped her friend.


    I honestly couldn''t tell you all I knew. I was looking to hunt my brother down as I sensed his presence as a demon. And the next thing I knew, when I arrived, there was a woman casualty.


    A casualty, Micah growled. Even if you don''t know her, do you think human life is just simply casualties to you in your battles? She said as her eyes began to glow red.


    MICAH, Baby shouted as she could see that Micah was starting to lose control.


    Oh, really? You guys are a group of waymakers, yet you have a demon on your team. You realize that goes against our rules. Waymakers must always exercise any demon that we come across.


    Micah said, " I''ll show you what it means to have some casualties when I make you one."


    Micah ran across the field to aim at Evan. Unfortunately, when she tried to draw it, her weapon would not break free of its form.


    Why am I unable to release my weapon? Regardless, in one way or another, I''ll manage to land a hit on him.


    Evan stood up and grabbed his sword, ready to block Micah. Watching her as she ran closer and closer, all of a sudden, she disappeared.


    He looked all around him, trying to find her. She could not have just disappeared; she was right before me. I know I got a serious injury, so could I be hallucinating?


    Micah reappeared in front of him and slammed her fist into his chest, where the wound that Josh had created with this claw was.


    Ugh... Evan yelled out and dropped to his knees, doubled over in pain.


    Micah was getting ready to land a second attack when Baby and another mysterious man stopped them.


    Why did you stop me? I was getting ready to teach this girl a lesson. Evan grinned in pain at the man.


    This is what you do when I tell you to stop creating so much trouble. Also, didn''t I ask you to stop leaving your teammate behind?


    Ah, but James is always so slow and hesitant. He''s nothing but a big scaredy cat.


    It is better for you; you don''t know how to obey orders, you damn runt.


    Hey, Baby, how have you been? The man looked up at Baby as he slowly helped Evan sit up.


    Hold up. Do you know who this guy is? Beck questioned.


    Yes, I do. This is Duke, an old-time friend, and he''s also another trainer for the waymakers. This is the second group that was created after ours had a test run.


    Since the portals have been opening up more and more, headquarters need to create more groups of waymakers due to the large surge of demons. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    I understand. Now, with that said, I still want to know where Kaysi is.


    Well, children, now that we''re not at each other''s throats and things have settled down, maybe we can learn more information. Evan, is there any more that you can tell us about what happened? Even the smallest detail can help, Duke asked.


    Well, as I said, I had seen a high-level demon, and I could sense that it was my brother. So I went to hunt him down. The next thing I knew, I saw that this girl was on the ground. I''m guessing she tried to confront him. He seemed to be on a mission, probably sent by our father. He took her back to the abyss.


    What is the abyss, Beck asked?


    Did I hear someone call you Beck? Becky was it; I have not been there myself, but I was told that there is a dimension between Earth and Hell. It''s kind of like limbo.


    What do you think he wanted with her there?


    Honestly, I am not sure why he took her there and what my father wants with her. He''s always been obsessed with demons and demonology.


    You would think he would try to take your little friend Micah over here. I think she is quite a peach.


    Yeah, if you keep talking, I''ll think I''m a rotten apple when I contact you again.


    Children!!! Duke said in a strong, thunderous voice that made everyone jump.


    Since we don''t know what''s going on, we''re going to have to find a way to get her back. The only problem is that I know of this Abyss that you speak of, but we Guardians can''t go there.


    Why can''t you guys go there?


    Since two dimensions¡ªlight and dark¡ªsupport Earth, guardians are pure. We can leave Earth and ascend to heaven, which is made of light. However, the abyss has an averted barrier. It has no light that breaks through. It''s typically the source of demon creation.


    Some people believe that rather than going to hell, you are temporarily imprisoned there; if you survive, you are released. Or you go to hell. But if you don''t get out, then you are turned. However, it still leaves many people out and doesn''t let them through.


    So, how do we know if we''ll be able to overcome the barrier this place seems to have?


    I noticed something earlier when I saw you two fighting Micah and Evan. Have you ever been told about soul ties?


    Yes, Baby trained us not too long ago about them, even helping us to sense them and others, as well as their different levels and strengths. So that way, we can determine good and Evil and even nearby demons.


    Very well, then. If that''s the case, Micah, why did you attack Evan so easily?


    I lost control when I saw my friend get taken away. In a way, I guess I kind of blamed him.


    I figured that was probably the case. Nevertheless, if you pay attention to your soul ties each of you individually has a connection with Kaysi. You can see bits of her Essence still flowing in your auras.


    How is that possible for me? I don''t even know the girl. I''ve never heard of her, and I''ve never seen her until today.


    Well, then, you have to have had a connection with this girl somewhere in your past.


    Somehow, you must not remember it because out of all of you, the strongest soul-tie connection that I see is intertwined with hers is yours.


    Let me explain; the longer you are away from somebody, the more that tie fades. Even her closest friends there aren''t flowing as brightly as yours.


    So what does this mean?


    This means that "boy," you might end up being the one who has to break the barrier. As long as you have the strongest soul tie, you have the highest chance of entering undetected.


    What do you mean I am confused? How does that work?


    Whenever you approach the barrier, Kaysi''s soul tie will have already passed through, and in theory, it should just register her essence and let you pass.


    So let me get this straight: You''d like me to go down into the abyss somehow and somehow rescue a girl I''ve never met but I somehow have a soul tie to.


    That seems to be the only way, regardless of your relationship to this girl. Are you going to let another human being die on your behalf? Duke glared at Evan.


    Of course not; I just don''t know if I have it in me to accomplish our goals. I already took one beating, and look where it got me. I couldn''t save her in the first place.


    Well, son, this might be your Redemption then. At the very most, Baby and I can train you further so you can at least get to where you need to.


    The rest of our group can scout the area to find portals; that way, we might be able to get in somehow.


    With enough practice, after this training, all of you guys should be able to enter through the portal. I can at least make you so you will be able to pass through. We, guardians, will help you get through the portal. Your team will be with you until you get to the first gate of the Abyss.


    The barrier is at the first gate. After that, Evan will have to go alone.

 Chapter 26 - Evans choice

    Chapter 26


    -EVAN-


    My training was intense and excruciating. Baby and Duke trained me nonstop for a couple of days. I can''t say if I became any stronger within such a short time. But the next time I have to face my brother and father, I''ll know then.


    Becky, James, and Micah also did not stop looking for portals around the Clock. Most of them were small, not big enough to allow our group to progress.


    Some of them were weak, and they only stayed open for a short couple of minutes. Long enough to release a few small demons. They worked hard but went through a lot of misses with no hits.


    Duke came up with a plan that might work. We were running out of time, and Kaysi''s essence began slowly fading. I believed we still had enough to make the journey.


    There is a region known as the Gate of Hell. Some gave it this name because they thought evil spirits overtook the area. There have been supernatural and paranormal phenomena that have occurred there.


    He figured the portals that open there may be bigger and more frequent. It was planned that we were going to make the journey. The location was at the bottom of a cavern by the lake underground of a cave. We headed out close to the stroke of midnight when demons were much more likely to emerge at that hour.


    How do you think things are coming along? Becky asked, trying to make small talk as we walked.


    At least I''ll manage, I shrugged. I was not very confident at this moment. Once we get into the barrier, it''ll be difficult when I''m alone.


    I haven''t been able to test my strength against a demon. It''s just been a lot of training. Your guardian Baby worked me to the Bone!


    That''s nothing. You should see some of the tactics she used to get us ready for the battles at hand when Micah couldn''t get her powers to release. She provoked her by attacking us, and somehow, instincts of protection helped unlock our weapons.


    Oh, really. The same must have been true when Micah wasn''t able to use her weapon. It had to have been because she wasn''t attempting to protect anyone from attacking a regular human.


    So, is it not the same for you? How are you able to draw your sword?


    No, not exactly because, in a way, I am protecting someone, but mine is more like a sense of justice and wanting to rid the world of all the evil demons.


    I see. Do you have a reason why you became a waymaker, then? Mine was just to protect my friends and family. Since I now know the truth of demons, I felt obligated.


    Yes, I do have a motive. My mother accidentally called a demon, which ultimately murdered her. Her life was taken because she was tampering with things she shouldn''t have been. My brother was just a year older than me, so he didn''t know much about what was going on at the time, but she pleaded with a demon for help when I was a baby, only a few days old, and very ill.


    My father told me the story before I left home, but my brother didn''t know why the demon killed my mother.


    Oh wow, you and your brother have gone through quite a bit.


    Yes, sometimes I think my brother, like my father, blames me because my father sent me off with one of the maids. After all, he couldn''t stand to look at me, so we never got to talk things over.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    You see, the reason why my father keeps trying to summon demons and join a cult is to try to take back control of his life through the dark arts. He is attempting to try to get my mother back. He thinks he can bring her back from hell itself.


    I don''t think that''s possible, is it?


    Well, we are going after your friend, but she seems to be in limbo¡ªunlike my mother, who has been gone for many years. I don''t see her being in the same place; I fear it''s far too late for her.


    I see we still really don''t know what he wants with Kaysi.


    I agree that makes sense. Also, I think you''re right! There should be some connection between demonology and the information he could use with Micah. And it still doesn''t make sense since there''s nothing that he could gain from Kaysi.


    Transition


    Limbo the Abyss


    Father, I brought you the girl that you''ve been asking for.


    Indeed, I told you I needed her alive, but it looks as though you barely managed to accomplish that.


    What can I say? She''s a bit of a handful. This is the same girl who took my arm out.


    The same girl that you refused to regenerate your arm until you saw her again. In hopes of messing with her.


    You were a stubborn fool, going around for several months without an arm when you could regrow it. That was ignorant of you. I do hope you don''t plan on doing that again anytime soon.


    No, the gig is up she knows my whole identity so that won''t be a problem.


    You idiot! It wasn''t time for that to happen; I already told you to stop being so reckless. You need to plan for what is to come in your future. How will you ever show your face again at school? You just made my job harder.


    Yes, father, I understand, but she was getting the better of me. I didn''t want to take the chance of her cutting off another limb, or worse, she wanted to take my head.


    Well, at least maybe then, after your head grows back, you might have a better brain. I wish she had taken it off. I''m so angry with you that I might do it myself.


    Father, calm down. You have a hold of her now. So just go do your little science experiment. Go test your precious subject and forget about everything.


    By the way, what''s so special about this girl? Why did you need her other than to run your tests? Don''t you want to be able to produce demons? Wouldn''t it make more sense to go after her teammate, the other girl with the light brown hair? "Micah"; I think her name was?


    I have been studying demonology for quite some time. I know just about everything there is to it, except for how the spirit is bound to the human body. I need to test a subject¡ªa way maker, preferably a pure-hearted human.


    I''m not able to work on her in this condition. As it could further damage her body, I will take her to my lab beyond the barrier. Once there, I will place her in the hyperbolic chamber so she can heal up a bit. "So I can start the experiment process," he said, his voice as cold and emotionless as ever.


    Yes, Father, right away, I will see to it.


    (Has Josh walked back to the lab on the barrier; something unexpected happened to Kaysi)


    Father, hurry, come quick, Josh shouted, how do you expect me to handle this?


    Fascinating, tell me what happened, boy?


    When I went through the barrier, for some odd reason, these wings sprung out from her back.


    This may be a defense mechanism; the light in her pure body acts like an immune system.


    This may be because of the darkness within the barrier. The wings act as though they are shields protecting her. Is it due to her injuries?


    It makes me wonder if she''s immune to being possessed that she has this much light dwelling within her.


    Well, whether you are still taking her to the pod or not, this may be a temporary effect.


    I will have to conduct further experiments. Trying to understand the soul of a waymaker is the priority and the way a waymaker works.


    If I can better understand how way makers work, surely I can understand a demon for the more.


    What nonsense are you talking about, old man?


    Don''t you see if she''s pure of light to the point that she is unable to be possessed? We may be able to make a demon of opposite effect that can possess others and cannot be released.


    Way makers can remove demons by exercising them while keeping the human Spirit still intact.


    They somehow managed to allow this "Micah girl" to continue living as a demon. Until she''s able to fully separate from it, which is currently temporarily bound to her spirit, or move, it could harm her.


    It might be possible for me to make removing a demon impossible. This would allow them to take full control and release full power within the human vessel.


    No more limits; I already started this somewhat ability within you. Except that you don''t have a demon attached to you. You just have the essence of a demon that allows you to use their power.


    I think I''m OK just as I am, but it''s whatever makes you happy, I guess.

 Chapter 27 - Brothers quarrel

    Chapter 27


    -Evan-


    Now that we finally made it here, we still haven''t had any luck; there is no portal to be found.


    You could sense an awful feeling in the atmosphere. I believed that this was the right place. So far, we haven''t encountered a demon yet, either. But I''m sure some is lurking around the corner.


    Please make sure to have your sword ready in case something wants to surprise us Becky asked.


    I had been awake and was prepared already. I''ve stayed alert this entire time and haven''t been able to let up¡ªnot even for the last few days.


    We covered as much of the area in our hunt as possible, going through and around the woods for a good portion. We also attempted to climb the nearby peak and tried inside the cave. I''ve encircled the lake entirely. We haven''t found any portals yet.


    When the moon first rose, it was a dazzling light guiding us. However, the area gradually seemed to have become darker over time.


    At this point, there are not too many other places we can go. We have searched this place high and low for at least a 10-mile radius.


    The atmosphere appeared nearly tangible, as if you could cut it with a knife. It was so dense and heavy that breathing was difficult. I have a suspicion that the atmosphere getting more intense might signal that the impending appearance of a portal was soon to come.


    I called out to the others in the party to be vigilant.


    There''s a lot of pressure before a portal opens. Perhaps? We''ll find out soon enough. Micah commented that she felt it as well.


    There are not many things we can agree on, but I have to say I think you''re right on this one.


    Don''t worry, Micah. If something happens, I''ll protect you, too, I said, teasing her.


    You said, "Thanks, sugar; you''re a doll. " You batted her eyes sarcastically at me. We all were lined up with our weapons at the ready.


    That son, I would say you are correct, Duke added. I know you don''t know much about these portals, but I''ll try to educate you better another time. To simplify, these portals are similar to black holes. They ooze with dark matter and the earth''s atmospheric electromagnetic field. The dark matter is condensed particles of negative energy.


    I see it''s much like a star that energy gathers and then explodes Becky said, questioning.


    It''s kind of like that, but instead of exploding, it implodes, ripping holes in the dimensions of the spiritual and natural Realms that humans walk upon. Normally, only those who are gifted with seers'' eyes can see these things.


    I could hear them at first but did not see Beck''s comment to Duke.


    Yes, some people have a vision of sight, while others have a vision of hearing. Not many humans accept their gifts.


    Some believe they are suffering from schizophrenia or, in rare instances, hallucinations. In certain situations, it might also be beneficial for others to step in and see the spirits.  Telling them what you know can help them better comprehend their situation.


    Oh, like the boy in the burning building, we told him about the spirit and demon.


    Yes, the closer you become to the spiritual world, the more your pineal gland begins to open, further awakening your abilities.


    Look over there; there seems to be a crack. I believe it''s a portal trying to open, not meaning to be interrupted.


    Okay, so the plan is to try and hold off as long as possible. Let this portal open as far as you can so we can get through, but be on your guard. Attack everything in sight as it comes out. When I give the signal, your group will go in and go as far as you can to get to the center of the Abyss and enter past the barrier.


    When all of you deliver Evan to the gate, you must come back as quickly as possible. We''re not sure how long we can keep this gate open.


    How long are you going to keep it open Becky asked.


    The plan is to execute as many demons as possible but take captive one. As long as a demon is still out, the portal will stay open to continue allowing the demon access between the dimensions. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Just a few seconds after the first crack broke through our "soursensa" started going off, this was the real deal. It was coming, I said, preparing myself and the others.


    The crack formed abruptly, and quite suddenly, small demons started to come through the cracks. I could tell that something bigger was trying to break through. The walls of the portal were pressing deeper as if something was trying to break through the wall, pushing and binding time and space.


    He had our group organized from strongest to weakest. As the portal began to open, the smaller ones would be dealt with off to the side, leaving room for the rest of us to work. In case of the invasion of larger demons, which I felt was inevitable at this point,


    We were not prepared for such a significant surge. As a crack formed wider and wider, the larger demon trying to break through raced through, bursting the portal open.


    Once we had reduced their numbers significantly, we did our best to take down the smaller guys first so we could focus on the one big guy. It was time for us to face the larger demon.


    You guys need to go ahead and get into the portal now. "Baby shouted to our group, "I''ll take care of this fella here and leave him alive so you can get back. "


    The group started to head to the portal, but suddenly, it seemed to have teleported, shifting to another location. There were still demons coming out, but we didn''t know where it was now.


    It''s no time to rest. We need to find this portal, Duke said!


    We managed to get through some of the trees and came to the lake. As we followed the direction of where the demons were coming from, their numbers depleted as we approached the lake. I started looking for the portal; it had to be closed.


    We had taken off in such a hurry that we didn''t finish the big guy.


    He came bulldozing through the woods, and I did not notice him as I was finishing off the last few of the small demons.


    He slammed his entire body weight into the mine, sending both of us flying into the lake. I stabbed him and cut off one of his arms as he clawed at me. This action sent him floating back up to the surface, where I could see Duke and Baby grab a hold of him.


    For some odd reason, I was still sinking. I turned around and looked beneath me, towards a dark cavern-like hole.''


    Somehow, the portal had transported the opening inside the lake itself, and now it''s my chance. I hurried up and swam down deeper as quickly as I could.


    Damn it, I was running out of breath as I went into the portal.


    I tried to hold my breath as long as possible, but the deeper I dove into the portal, the less air I had. Once I passed through the portal, I woke up on the other side.


    Not much time had passed, so I coughed up the remainder of the water that had gotten into my lungs and began to head off into the cavern tunnel.


    I knew which direction to go, and I could hear machinery humming down one of the tunnels.


    As I walk through the place, I need to turn into what looks like a warehouse. It has a boiler room and many pipes and wires heading in everywhere.


    The place was wreaked of malice and Evil¡ªsomething that could make your skin crawl. It was apparent something ominous was happening here. The only good thing was that the walls of the cavern shimmered with a black opal texture, which was quite beautiful. It looked like I was in the center of the world.


    The inside had a thick, misty fog covering most of the cave floor. I continued to follow the direction of some of the pipe installations, diving deeper into the cavern.


    I believed I was approaching something when I saw a bright blueish glow coming beyond the cave catacombs. I believed I was close to the barrier of the Abyss that they told me about, the First Gate.


    I felt as though I was being watched by something in the shadows. It was beginning to draw near, creeping closer and closer. I wasn''t able to see it yet, but I sure felt it. The spiritual pressure felt a little different when you were down here.


    I''m not sure I can fully comprehend it; the spiritual pressure is being restricted. However, if my perception is accurate, I thought to myself as I reached for my sword, "I''m pretty sure it''s my brother."


    I spun around as I swung my blade, clashing it with my brother''s sword. He tried silently creeping up from behind me.


    That idiot still tried to use moves against me that we used to do when we were children; he''s so predictable.


    Hello again, brother. I harassed him: you''re still trying to use the same moves as one of your children.


    I don''t know how you got down here. Well, now you know what it''s like to be down in the depths with the demons.


    They are crawling everywhere here. We only closed some of the tunnels to stop them from coming through so we could do some work. That said, you do not need to bother with our hard work!


    He said as he shoved his sword into mine, bouncing backward.


    Where is the girl? I''m not worried about your fun little warehouse setup here; my time is short, and I''m looking to get in and get out.


    Yeah, but see, the thing is, this here is in my territory, which means I''m stronger. Also, I strictly remember kicking your ass very recently.


    Yeah, that situation is not going to happen again. I''ve done a little extra training myself.


    You could see our auras of the soul ties manifesting my blue with his red whipping and flowing in the wind as our power levels grew.


    It was like we created this ripple, and as it began to shake, the winds started to blow even down here in the cave itself.


    I told you Dad has some more work to do, and he can''t afford to be bothered right now. Once you reached the barrier, I knew you were here and could not allow you to proceed.


    I don''t know what type of science experiment popped up and got cooked up, but you''re going to let me take that girl back home!


    Oh, you didn''t hear Father is working on a new project and wants to create a demon that''s immune to exercise and practically immortal.


    So what''s that got to do with the girl?


    She''s in her has a strange ability not to be possessed. Somehow, she means the amount of purity Dad plans to exploit and create a better demon.


    I see. I''m guessing he will get these powers to you, his little guinea pig.


    Dad only wants me to. No! I need to become strong, so I don''t get sick again.


    That is only when you were born. You were a small, weak child.


    He''s brainwashed you into believing that you have to get better. How do you think Mom would have felt knowing that you threw your life away? She tried to save you by being murdered by the demons that you play with them every day I shouted in anger.

 Chapter 28 - Fates align

    Chapter 28


    I could tell that my words shook him as he hesitated quickly. I did my best to try to reach him even though my father had already done the damage of corrupting him. I tried my hardest to get through to him. He''s still my little brother, no matter what! As his big brother, I still felt responsible I had to attempt to save him in some way.


    I would try to see if my words could reach him, but I didn''t think I had much of an option.


    The time we were apart after you knocked me out and took the girl here. I had a chance to talk with some of the other group members at our party. There was a particular girl named Becky.


    I saw that his eyes widened and lit up a bit, there seemed to be some type of emotional connection I may have struck there.


    I know you, know her she told me that she was bewildered by the sight of watching you drag off one of her friends.


    You guys have known each other since elementary school she shared with me. She also told me a story about how you guys first met.


    During the first couple of years when you didn''t have a mother, many of the kids would like to bully you. She stepped in and confronted them when you were just a little coward.


    She also frequently mentioned to me how close you two were laughing and sharing the memories you two had together. To be honest, that made her start to cry. Also, she never got the chance to talk to tell you that she was secretly crushing on you.


    Too terrified of the stability of your friendship. Your twos relationship between you and your father would suffer further as a result of you two dating.


    Why does everybody want to keep deciding my life for me? Can I not be in control of my own life and actions?


    Aren''t you letting your dear old dad control you? Was it what you wanted, for him to put a demon in you and to run away from your friends? We might not have seen eye to eye too often or be very close. But I can tell you that, I do still care about you you are my little brother.


    Why do you guys keep trying to sell me all these lies, he said in confusion he looked lost.


    I could see something inside of him becoming unstable he was becoming unhinged.


    I decided to try and push him a little further maybe he was at his breaking Point. They weren''t lies Josh no matter how much you try to deny it or hide from it.


    Dad might be leading you when one direction. But your path has always been your own to choose. Me and your friends on the other side are still here for you.


    There''s more of us than there is of him and they want what''s best for you. Instead of using you like a guinea pig. To fulfill some self-proclaiming goal.


    Josh why are you still standing there finish him a voice came from the room up ahead.


    A tall adult man was walking towards us.


    Father I...I... Was just about to.


    It appears as though someone may be trying to convince you to be disobedient.


    Haven''t you failed me enough? First, you bring the girl half-dead. Now you can''t finish off your brother. It''s your fault your mother died because you were born weak. Are you going to stand there and let her death be nothing while you waste your useless existence?


    Wow pops nice to see you again too. Love what you''ve done to my little brother. Using him as a guinea pig for your pleasure. Heard you want to try and make him stronger. Give him some type of treatment that will allow the demon to take full control.


    So is that ultimately what you want? To get rid of Josh and his free will. To let him be a mindless demon. What are you going to do when he becomes like Frankenstein and turns on his father?


    That will never happen I have ways of controlling him.


    Father so you don''t want me to even be myself at all? At that point why not just hire more demons?


    Because I wanted to become stronger but I didn''t have the heart or the ability to grow stronger, even though I wanted to. I will not yield to a demon''s manipulation. Because I knew I had the intellect to handle it, I adopted that course of action when I saw the chance for it to empower you.


    So you rather not have a son at all. Just a mindless zombie he grabbed looking back at his father he said through his teeth.


    You''re already halfway there a demon and mindless. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    You know what brother think I''m going to take you up on that offer. Go get the girl, I will take care of Pops.


    I placed my hand on the shoulder when you get through this leave from here. I want to see you on the other side. I told him as I raced off further into the catacombs.


    There''s not much you can do for her now father shouted at me.


    Does it matter what condition she''s in or what experiment he tried? I''ll figure it out when I get there.


    Upon arrival saw Kaysi inside of a giant hyperbolic tube. There seems to be a mask over her face providing oxygen. Wires hooked up to electropods placed throughout her body. She floated there in the waters slumbering and still.


    I think I''ve seen her before, I can''t remember when but I did recognize her name Kaysi. Some of her features were similar to a girl I met in elementary school. Could it be a coincidence?


    No time for thinking about that I just need to get her out of here. I looked for ways to shut off the machine and to try and drain the water. There are many buttons, gauges, and cords. Damn it I kicked the thing, why can''t this just have a manual.


    Just then red lights started flashing through the entire lab as alarms began to blare.


    Did I accidentally activate some type of security system?


    Well, son, a voice came over to the intercom. You wanted the girls so badly figured I''d help you. Once she''s out of that machine she won''t survive. There is no life left in her.


    Oh no, thought to myself. What happened to my brother? Is he still alive? This can''t be anything good.


    Don''t worry I took care of that useless rat for the both of us. Father bragged as if he knew my concern. Now you got to decide do you want to come find me and your brother or save your friend?


    I felt so much anger boiling up inside me that I didn''t know what I could do. My heart racing I was panicking. What happened to my brother? I wanted to know, and he needed to know.


    I also have been sent here on a mission and I need to fulfill it.


    This girl is going to die anyway. But maybe there''s still a chance for my brother. He didn''t exactly say he was dead.


    As the waters finally vanished over top of Kaysi the tube opened up and released her. She came sliding down the side of the tank as I caught her. She was limp and lifeless. I felt for a pulse but there was none there. Held my head there for a second in sadness.


    I took the mask off her face. I decided at the very most I''ll carry her back home or she can have a proper burial with her friends and family.


    When I removed the mask off her face I could see her more clearly. This was the girl years ago that was in my Elementary school. Matter of fact this was the same girl in middle school as well.


    Man, she had changed so much over the time.


    In Middle School she didn''t recognize who I was I changed my name to D so as not to bring up my past. I left school suddenly and I''m sure it broke her heart. She was such a weak fragile thing back then.


    Then again her lifeless body didn''t seem much different from then now, so frail.


    I also remember in high school for a very short bit of time. I went through a dark rebellious state. Got into a world of trouble. She was there as a first year at school and at the time she was in the wrong class. I hid my face and tried to ignore her. Until she let out a smart remark telling me to cut the mop of hair I had.


    She was right though within the next week I ended up breaking up with my girlfriend and cutting my hair. I was such an idiot.


    I didn''t realize I''d known this girl my entire life. And yet I hesitated to come down here and get her. This awesome must be the reason why there''s some type of connection to our soul ties. I had not hesitated I may have not been too late.


    I picked her up and proceeded to head back where I came. I just hope that the portal is still open so I can get home.


    I took a few steps when I felt a twitch in her arm. Were there still signs of Life? I heard someone say once that the body sometimes still moves when they''re still life in it. Even after death itself.


    I rush to gently put her down feeling for her pulse. Think I was not quite sure maybe I was giving up my hopes I swear I felt a small tick of a heartbeat.


    Forget it shouted to myself. I placed my lips upon hers and began to perform CPR trying to resuscitate her.


    After a few minutes of pumping on her chest cracking a couple of her ribs. She coughed out water. I was confused how did she get water in her chest? She had an oxygen mask on.


    I looked back at the machinery. I noticed that someone had sabotaged the hose leading into the machine. There was a small screw shoved into the hose.


    Was my father trying to kill her, when he knew I was here? Why did it matter to him? He knew he would more than likely be able to stop me.


    I felt for a pulse once more. She was breathing and there was a small pulse but it was so faint. I needed to get her out as quickly as possible if there was any chance of her surviving.


    I took her and ran back to the same location that I came to when I first appeared at the shore inside the cave.


    Damn, when we arrived the portal had closed something must have happened on the other side.


    Evan. A sick faint voice called out.


    Brother, you''re still alive! I thought Father got to you.


    As you can see he did. His body was covered and blood and many injuries.


    Doesn''t matter I''ll find a way to survive. Let me show you another way out. You get the girl out of here. I''m surprised she''s still breathing.


    Yeah barely, Dad tried to sabotage the machinery.


    He is frustrated that his tough subject had some type of defensive barrier around her. By the time we got her back wings burst from her body and covered her there wasn''t much we could do. Every tool we tried to use broke. It''s almost like her skin became Iron.


    Wow that''s interesting I never knew that could happen to someone.


    Yeah, that''s a way makers'' self-defense system. It seems to act like they had an immune system protecting her body.


    Okay, Big bro, we''re here. This portal is open for right now, it''ll get you back on the other side.


    Josh, I told you I want you to come with me.


    As you can see there''s not much left to me. Also, I have some unfinished business to deal with when it comes to Dad.


    I''m not leaving here without you. I stared him dead in his eyes. Who knows when you''re going to have the chance to leave as well?


    All right you persuaded me to go ahead and I''ll be right behind.


    No, I am not an idiot Josh, you got to go first.


    Damn it, running out of time he said as he jumped through the portal.


    I went through the portal holding on to Kaysi. When we arrived we were back at the lake. It was still dark and stormy outside. Lightning was striking through the air.


    Underneath the water, I had a dream that I was sleeping in the water floating. A Kaysi came and woke me.


    It''s strange because she''s sitting here in my arms still asleep.


    When I got to the shore my brother was nowhere to be found. He must have taken off on his own. I''m a bit worried though his injuries looked life threatening.

 Chapter 29 - Spider demons webs

Chapter 29


    <div>

 Chapter 30 - Wake up

    Chapter 30


    Babe. I think you''re starting to feel warm maybe you should come back to bed with me.


    I felt my whole face red as I was blushing. She lowered her hands and wrapped them around me. Pressing her chest against mine.


    Whoa, I jumped back; don''t you think you''re moving a little too fast?


    Honey, we''ve been married for almost a full year now. Why are you tripping out?


    Married??? We never got married matter of fact you''re still in a coma in the hospital right now!


    Honey, that happened almost 2 years ago now? Don''t you remember?


    Did you fall and bump your head last night? I woke up from a coma. I saved you guys from the demon at that in the abandoned school.


    When you guys had not come out for a while Baby and Duke came to me at the hospital.  Somehow I woke up before they came when I heard you guys were in trouble I helped you out.


    We got out of there relatively fast and defeated the spider demon. And a few months later you said you couldn''t live without me and proposed.


    Don''t you remember our wedding or our honeymoon? All our friends were there. I think you''re just tired let''s go ahead and head back upstairs.


    I can help you get into a better mood if you''d like. She said, walking back up to me and attempting to kiss me.


    I must be under some spell or something this is not real I need to get out of here, I said as I pushed her away.


    Oh, you''re starting to hurt my feelings. Is this any way to treat your wife? I understand you don''t feel good so let''s head back to bed. I''ll even run you a bath if you''d like before you get in bed. I''ll use whatever soap you like so much. And I''ll even scrub your back for you.


    She said, as she grabbed my arm pressing her chest against my arm.


    Are you trying to seduce me? Are you under some type of spell yourself; what is your deal? I pushed her back once more.


    Seduce you? You''re hilarious. Oh, that reminds me we have an appointment with the gynecologist that we need to be getting to. I am sorry babe I spaced it.


    Why do I need to come? Because don''t you remember we''ve been trying to have a little bundle of joy ourselves? I mean I understand that it''s not been very successful, but that''s why I set up this appointment.


    How do I get out of here? In what way do I even wake up? How long have I been in here? I wonder what''s happening to the others in the outside world? So many questions running through my head right now.


    Why don''t you come with me to distract your mind from whatever''s been going on? And when we come home I''ll cook you a nice dinner and make you have a bath.


    There''s nothing else I can seem to do here. I''ll just play along and see if I can find some type of way to get out of here. Maybe I will find something to break the spell.


    We arrived at the doctor''s office it was very awkward to be there. Kaysi continued to flirt with me and was holding my hand then the doctor walked in.


    So after running the tests, I have some news to tell you. This test here says that you were pregnant but you had some complications with your body. Unfortunately, as it stands right now the chances of conception are very low.


    Are you saying... That I lost... And I won''t be.. Able.... Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Kaysi busted into tears. I held her close. I know this isn''t our real world. Hearing this news and seeing her like this seemed to strike pain in me.


    Is it because I had a previous attachment to Kaysi? Or that we dated at one point in time and this could have been our reality? I felt myself getting quite emotional; I was confused and lost.


    My head started to hurt. Pain struck my head I put my hand on my forehead I knew something warm and wet was running down my face. I pulled my hand back and looked; there was blood on my forehead.


    Ouch... I woke up to James holding a 2 by 4.


    Sorry man it was the only way I could wake you. I tried everything starting with a light tap. And then got a little more aggressive it seemed to work. You''re here now at least.


    Minus the pain in your head of course and bleeding. Are you good now?


    Yeah, I''ll be fine what happened to you and the others?


    Currently, at this moment, I''m worried about you. You''re in a cocoon wrapped in spider silk and there are other silks as you can see around us. I believe the girls are in there. I was only able to identify you as your sword was sticking out.


    We were stuck in some type of Illusion. I was able to wake up before the illusion had had a chance to fully set in.


    I got lucky when the spider demon pulled me across the floor and ran me across a nail. It inflicted pain on me. I believe it was the pain that woke me up and it helped wake you up.


    I understand, I apologize if I''m a bit off my game the illusion was intense.


    I understand; the world that this monster creates. I don''t quite understand but I think it has to do with our deepest desires.


    Ohh... I..I don''t think that is what mine was.,


    Oh, James said, in confusion, I guess my hypothesis could be wrong.


    Maybe it''s just different for everybody I tried to distract him. Let''s go ahead and start cutting down these cocoons and finding our friends.


    Wait... to start cutting down... The webs act as sensors for the spider.


    He said as it came crawling down the wall.


    My bad!? Too late...


    I held my sword ready to fight. Let''s go for the legs and take them out one by one.


    Spider jumped at me, knocking me to the ground.


    Josh cut at one of its legs. The pain distracted it as it spun around to now attack him.


    He backed up and kicked two pieces of metal that sparked. A small flame held on to a dusty old newspaper.


    The fire made the spider hesitate.


    Oh yeah, I remembered spiders don''t like fire I shouted to James.


    You are distracted by the fire. I will sneak up and attack it from behind.


    James continued to waive the fire back and forth but the newspaper was burning quickly.


    I climbed up to the top of the rafters in the ceiling and angled myself towards the spider''s back.


    The spider was huge and had to be at least eight feet. I jumped off the rafters holding my sword in both hands and stabbed it as hard as I could through its abdomen.


    It belted it out and allowed scream and tried to use its legs to grab me but it was too short.


    Felt I was riding a boy as it was trying to Buck me off. I dug my blade deeper and twisted as it collapsed to the ground.


    I sure hope that''s the last we have to deal with one of these types of demons; I said sliding off the back.


    I''m sure you''re right James agreed.


    Let''s go ahead and start cutting down the cocoons I''m opening them up.


    Hey if a small cut of a nail woke you up. Why did you feel the need to use a 2 by 4 on me?


    You''re hard-headed I tried a couple of different things. Maybe the others won''t be as difficult. Or maybe you were being lazy and trying to take a nap.


    We laugh together. Alright, you start cutting the ones in that direction and I''ll start with these.


    Once we cut down all the cocoons we used a nail and scratched the hand of each person to wake them.


    All five of the construction workers were there and alive. As well as Becky and Micah they were all safe and unharmed.


    The atmosphere in the air seems to have changed.


    Baby and Duke came running into the building shouting at us about something.


    Wait I thought you guys couldn''t come in here Becky asked confused.


    Once the demon was killed the Demonic domain was removed this was just an average building now. We need to tell you that the doctor says that Kaysi''s vitals are rising. Which means she could be waking up any second now!


    Then what are we waiting for let''s get back to the hospital Becky shouted.


    You kids run ahead we''ll make sure the construction workers get back to their homes Duke said.


    When we got to the room I walked over and grabbed her hand. I didn''t think about it at the time I just wanted to be close to her.


    All her friends were standing around as she slowly began to open her eyes. The doctor was standing next to her checking her vitals.


    How do you feel Ms. Moon?


    She blinked a couple of times and looked around the room.


    Where am I?


    You''re in the hospital you seem to have gotten into an accident and were sleeping for quite some time unfortunately you were in a coma. Regardless of that how are you feeling now?


    I guess I''m okay. Who is Ms. Moon?


    Oh. Do you not seem to remember who you are?


    Do you recognize your friends around you?


    No, I don''t.


    It can be common for someone to lose their memory after a coma and such substantial trauma

 Chapter 31 - Quaking in the city

    Chapter 31


    Evan-


    Would you happen to know when she normally will return I asked the nurse.


    There''s no definite answer as to when one person''s memory returns. Currently, her issues are due to the brain injury that she sustained.


    Is there anything that we can do to help her?


    As of right now, it is best to share pictures and stories to help refresh her memory. You don''t want to bring up sensitive details; that might have been a traumatic experience. As it could be counterproductive. Just start slow and let her memory jog itself.


    Is she able to continue working or going to school?


    She may have some difficulty depending on the type of work and how strenuous it may be. Certain things like schoolwork should gradually return over time. She just might have to do some extra studying.


    Well thankfully it''s summer vacation right now and we''re not in school currently.


    From the discharge instructions here it says that she will be heading home with you Miss. Flatter?


    Yes, we currently have guardianship while her brother is out of town he is the main caretaker and substitute for her parents who are no longer around.


    I see yes well if you would like to go ahead and have your parents bring the car around. We can get her finished here and head out.


    Thank you very much I appreciate all that you''ve done to help us out. Evan stay here with her and I''ll be right back. After I go and talk to my mom and have her bring the car around.


    Just a few moments after Becky had left the room the alarm went off on all the nearby phones. It was a notification warning of an earthquake within the area.


    Warnings did not happen too often but there is still a 50/50 chance for them to occur.


    Regardless of whether it is a warning or not let''s go ahead and go out to the hallway as a safety precaution also it''ll give us a bit of a head start for us to leave anyway.


    Kaysi-


    Okay, that is fine what is your name by the way again?


    My name is Evan I am...


    Don''t think it was appropriate to tell her about our history. Nor was it okay to bring up our previous relationship. When I left and we broke up with her might have been traumatic.


    I am a friend we just met recently and we go to the same school together.


    Oh, I see. "should I go with a practical stranger?"


    If you''re worried, don''t be; Becky entrusted me enough to assign me the task of keeping you safe. So I am to keep an eye on you until she returns.  You both are extremely close and good friends that live together.


    Oh, that''s sounds fantastic. What about my parents, why do I not live with them?


    The Doctor says that we need to start slow with some of the memories. That subject is for another date and time let''s go ahead and head out just to take some precautions for the earthquake.


    Okay, I replied to Evan, as I grabbed my coat and went to exit the room.


    Just as we passed the door frame a small trembling started to grow. And the building started to sway and shake. Pictures that were mounted to the wall started to fall. Some of the equipment dropped to the floor.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The nurses announced to everyone In the hospital.


    Drop to the ground, taking cover underneath something like the door frame, or at least trying to get out of the way of anything that could be falling. And hold on to something nearby if you can to stabilize yourself.


    Before the nurse could finish her announcement; Evan had already grabbed a hold of me and pinned me to the wall. He used his body to Shield me from the call light that had become dislodged off of the ceiling. He took such quick action I barely noticed the shaking at first.


    I couldn''t speak, I was quite surprised by all the events. As he towered over the top of me looking around at the damage. All I could do was stand there and stare at him lost in thought.


    "He looked so familiar I felt. Something about my body I believe recognized him; even though my mind could not. My heart raced and my legs were a bit shaky."


    Are you shaking are you okay?


    Yes, I don''t know why; maybe the earthquake scared me or your quick reaction.


    Sorry, I wanted to make sure you''re safe.


    Thank you. Evan, is it safe to go now? Oh my, I just realized that you have a cut on your shoulder, you are bleeding.


    No, I don''t think it''s okay to move quite yet. After an earthquake comes something called an aftershock is likely to follow. It could be just as terrible, if not worse than the actual earthquake itself. An aftershock is where the Earth is resettling and somewhat trying to even itself back out.


    Oh, I see when this is all said and done you should maybe get some stitches on your shoulder.


    Yeah, I can see that he chuckled. Kaysi placed her jacket on my shoulder to stop bleeding.


    What are you doing you''re going to get your jacket messy.


    It''s alright, it''s the least I can do to say thank you again for saving me.


    Things were quite the worst of the earthquake must be over.


    The nurse called out I would like for everyone to remain where they are. I and the other nurses are going to go around and do check-ins on all of you. We will be doing vitals and assessing anyone who needs treatment.


    I just got discharged does that count for me then?


    Yes, ma''am even though you got discharged, you and even the visitors are going to do a quick check-up if need be.


    They finished stitching up Evan and doing my vitals as Becky came back in.


    Hey guys did you feel that? Are you guys, okay she panickedly asked us.


    Yeah, we are doing fine Evan interrupted.


    I don''t think that sounds accurate. Evan got a gash on his shoulder from one of the call lights falling. He bled a little bit and had to get stitches.


    Oh my Evan, stop being a hardhead are you sure you''re good?


    Yeah, it''s fine I already said that don''t worry I have survived far worse.


    Kaysi are you hurt anywhere? We don''t need you to reinjure yourself.


    No, I am okay, it''s kind of my fault that Evan got hurt he was shielding me to protect me.


    Oh wow, good job Evan, I told you to watch out for her you did your job she laughed. Let''s go ahead and get out of here. Once we get home we can get some more rest.


    Evan my mother wanted to say thank you, by inviting you over to dinner.


    Thank you for what I didn''t do anything.


    Let''s see here finding my friend, helping us out bringing Kaysi here to the hospital. And shoot you had to add an extra one shielding her from the evil call lights that fall from the sky.


    Hahaha. Honestly, I don''t think, I mind hitting you up on the offer I''m starving.


    "I see, so this Evan fellow has been protecting me for quite some time. I wonder if there''s more to our history. Would he just save someone he just met, I thought to myself?"


    When we get home I have some things to discuss with you privately Evan, Becky said sounding a bit secretive.


    "I wonder if they''re in a relationship together? Maybe that''s how I know him as a friend. And why does Becky sound so comfortable with him?"


    Once we were back home, Becky pulled me to the side away from Kaysi.


    What is it that you need? Shouldn''t we go back there with Kaysi?


    Yes but not right now yet, that''s why I said we needed to meet in secret. There seems to be a snake demon that has come through a portal. It can burrow underground; when it burrows it causes these earthquakes.


    The Soursensa went off while we were at the hospital. Just before the quake happened. Baby contacted me and told me that they were in search of it. She said, when we found it that we needed to get together to destroy it. Before it created any more Havoc.


    Honestly, I''m afraid if it gets too much larger by the souls that it''s consuming. The effects could be catastrophic to the city.


    What about Kaysi, do we have left here then? Do you think it''s wise that we leave her behind?


    Honestly, I don''t think it''s smart to bring her with me. Should be putting herself and us in danger.


    Then I guess it''ll be smart to leave her behind.


    If possible going to try and go tonight if it is found. At least that way she''ll be sleeping and we won''t have to worry too much about her.


    I know at one point in time I became a waymaker because of Kaysi and because I didn''t want anyone else to get hurt by demons. I was told then I could help or hurt by being a part of Kaysi''s life.


    I can understand your reasoning for wanting to protect her. Maybe soon her memory will come back and make things easier for all of us Evan said with a sigh.


    I accidentally overheard them when I went outside for some fresh air.

 Chapter 32 - Cold fire rebirth

    Chapter 32


    It''s not a good idea to say anything to them yet. I do wish to know what''s going to happen to them.


    However, I don''t want to get in the way. Like Becky said, I might get them or myself hurt.


    On the other hand, if I go to watch and stay out of the way. I can at least watch in case of any trouble. There''s nothing I can do right now but I might be able to call emergency services.


    I went back inside to enjoy the dinner that Becky''s mom made. We were having a pot roast it was a beef shoulder with carrots, onions, and potatoes. I believe I have eaten this meal before because somehow I recognize the smell.


    We sat down at the large dinner table that was lit up with white candles and beautiful white plates with gold accents as we ate the meal together. Becky''s Mom thanks Evan for saving me.


    Yes, Evan again thank you for saving me twice now.


    (Becky''s mom) - Oh yes Evan I heard about the second time with the earthquake today. Must have been pretty scary as she had been only out of the coma for a day. But how did you save her the first time around maybe by refreshing my memory you could help Kaysi.


    Oh um yes... "cough" (clears throat) It was the school where we were. Kaysi went to retrieve a few things from the storage shed by the wooded area in the back. Some paint cans that the maintenance had left in the shed overheated and exploded. The forest was beginning to burn when it did, and it knocked Kaysi unconscious by shooting her backward. She landed on some outside wood, which cut her up pretty well.


    That''s where she sustained all the injuries and burns and it took us a while to find her because of all the fallen brush. She was hiding underneath some of the debris. We didn''t know at first that she was back there until they put out a search party for her.


    I don''t remember any of that happening but I do remember fire in my memory. So I think what you''re saying sounds about right.


    Oh, I''m not trying to scare you or anything Evan said awkwardly to me.


    Miss. Monk the doctor did say to be cautious towards traumatic experiences. That it could be counterproductive for her memory.


    Oh dear, I am so sorry I didn''t think about that. And you guys have already gone through so much so far just today.


    No Miss. Monk, you''re quite all right. Every little bit I "believe it" helps. I don''t know the person I was before the accident, but the stories do seem to cause my body to react.


    It''s kind of strange how the human body works. I recognize smells like this pot roast. And certain things like blurs of memory with the fire. Even the earthquake wasn''t too bad for me. Who knows maybe I''ll get my memory back soon if I keep going.


    I understand, don''t do too much too fast. (Soursensa rings) well, I need to be heading out. I''m sure that that''s my family calling me and telling me it''s time to get home. Thank you for the food, Mrs. Monk.


    Well, we don''t want to keep you away have a nice night. Becky, do you want to walk into the door? I''m going to start cleaning up the table.


    Yes and then if it''s okay with you; I''m going to go ahead and head to bed early.


    Oh, Becky are you not feeling well?


    No, it''s just been a really exciting and exhausting day.


    I understand sweetie, go ahead to bed and take Kaysi upstairs with you.


    Um... Okay, I still need to get a bath before I head to bed as well.


    I don''t know what the situation was but I think she''s trying to make an excuse. I saw her eyes wide for a second when Evan''s phone went off. This must have been the recall that they were waiting for.


    Becky go ahead and get your shower done; I''m going to head to bed myself.


    Do you remember where the bedroom is and in which room or what bed?


    Oh, you''re right silly me, I guess I''m getting ahead of myself.


    Walked upstairs and there was going to be some awkwardness between us, I think maybe I was standing in the rain of her leaving with Evan.


    Once we got upstairs she showed me to my bed. I decided that I would try to talk to her and come clean about my plans.


    Becky, I''m not quite clear on the situation you seem to be in but you seem to be in a bit of a rush. I don''t know you all that well but my body still senses and reacts to others emotions.


    Oh wow, you can pick up on that she said embarrassed?


    Yes, and whatever you need to do I''m guessing with Evan. You don''t have to sit behind the babysitter. Go ahead and do whatever it is you need to. I''ll just stay back here I''ll keep things quiet.


    How will you do that for me? So sorry to make you feel like a burden. You''re just in a fragile condition that I''d hate to leave you like this.


    What kind of trouble can I get into staying at home? Look I''m going to be honest I overheard you guys talking earlier about something important that you needed to do later today. I''m not sure what it is. But I don''t want to stand in the way.


    I was thinking about following you guys out of curiosity. But I won''t you said something earlier about I could get hurt or you could get hurt. That''s the last thing that I would want to do to my friend. I apologize for overhearing I accidentally went into the same area you guys were but I didn''t want to bother you.


    Oh, Becky, you don''t have to cry I can see water for me in your eyes. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Oh, what no that is just my allergies. Before when you don''t remember your past you still worry about us and you''re on your way. You''ve always been the one to protect us even if that meant getting yourself hurt.


    I''m going to go ahead and leave. Thank you for being honest with me. And please stay here just to be on the safe side for right now. Don''t say anything to Mom or anyone. And who knows hopefully over time you get your memory back.


    Even if I don''t at least I still have good instincts. Have a good night Becky and be safe.


    You as well rest easy and don''t worry I won''t be alone. Becky said as she jumped out the window.


    -Becky-


    I barely met up with Evan downtown in the middle of the city.


    Are you saying that demons are here? Why would it be in such a heavily populated area?


    I hate to say it but maybe that''s subjective. If it''s large enough to create earthquakes maybe it needs a large menu.


    Baby and Micah are coming from their house so they should be here soon. Baby stays with Micah for a short amount of time while Kaysi is in the hospital. She''s been struggling a little bit with controlling the demon inside her.


    Duke went over to pick up James and they''re heading here now.


    So pretty much we''re on our own just the two of us.


    At least for now let''s focus on trying to find it.


    Let''s go off of what we know. It''s large, it can cause earthquakes and it''s in a heavily populated area so it must be really hungry.


    The Deabur are in the shape of animals. What animal can you think of that would be able to create an earthquake?  That would like the city and it''s hungry for something. Let''s check the map and see its exact location.


    Hold on I followed you because I thought you knew where it was Evan said with confusion.


    Oh no, I just followed the map to this area to wait for you. I didn''t go searching for the demon by myself.


    But where are ready at one of the locations checked the map.


    Wait that can''t be right? Evan opens up the map on the Soursensa.


    Oh no, the demon is falling after another demon that seems to be smaller.


    So maybe it came into the city itself because it was attracted by the smaller demon?


    I''m not quite sure since it hasn''t been an earthquake maybe if these demons meet up that''s what causes the earthquakes. They''re getting closer to each other they need to stop them from interacting!


    They contacted the group and told him that we were heading southwest down the middle of the city. It was difficult to run on foot. So we went to the bike metro station and rented a bike to move faster. Whatever this thing was moved at extravagant speeds.


    The closer we got to the creature the more we started to understand. There are serpentine-like cracks in the ground where the demon went through. Whenever it crosses the path of soil there are small hills mound over it.


    It was some type of creature that could burrow. And with the serpentine-like tracks, it had to be a worm or a snake.


    Evan all the evidence points to it''s got to be a worm or a snake.


    If that''s our option narrowing it down I think it''s a snake.


    Why do you think that? It''s going after something smaller. As well as it''s in the city. Snakes tend to like rats or mice!


    Oh, I think you''re right that makes a lot of sense.


    When we got a little closer to the tracks Evan told me his plan.


    I want you to try and freeze the ground beneath as I stab into the top. That should be the location of where the head is.


    Okay, I''ll do my best. We''re going to have to go around so it''s going to slow us down a bit cause it seems to have gone underneath the lake. We can ride through the park and maybe we can corner it by getting a little bit further ahead of its direction.


    It''s worth a shot I''ll let you take to leave I''m not so familiar with this area. Oh, I forgot that you moved away for a while and came back.


    We will finish this another time there''s the head. Evan said as he pointed in their direction behind the trees at the end of the park. Quickly create an ice barrier while it''s in the ground I don''t know if it''ll be so easy for me to stab if it makes it to the road up ahead.


    The crack ended very close to the edge of the road I froze the ground as quickly as I could trapping it and the one area.


    Evan jumped off the bike formed his sword in the air and slammed his sword into the ground as hard as he could.


    There is a loud sound a hiss like a scream. We got it I shouted with joy.


    I think I spoke too soon. The serpent had dug further down under the ground as I believe it was attempting to go under the asphalt of the road toward what might have been an easier path. It ripped the ground open and raised its head from the other side of the road.


    We thought it hadn''t had a chance to go under the road. If it must not have struck its head but struck its back. And now the thing''s angry.


    It coiled backward and lunged at Evan. This thing was gigantic he had no room to go. It swung its head and whipped him off of his back.


    Take this thing as Intelligence as it turned and looked towards me that I was just in its path of Wrath. I must have known that I froze it from the path of ice only but mere feet away from Evan.


    It unhinged its jaws and opened its mouth wide taking her lunch towards me. I couldn''t form very of ice because Evan was close but then the path that I would have to use.


    I was cornered by a sitting Duck.


    Just then from the sky, the flaming phoenix dropped down on the top of the snake''s head and dancing skull just like a rooster on a farm.


    The snake demon disintegrated. But something was wrong with the Phoenix demon. He didn''t try coming after one of us. Nor did he try to devour the snake demon. He started thrashing around and falling to the ground.


    Did he get bit? Was the snake poisonous? Oh no I forgot the Phoenix demon it''s Josh. I remembered Evan telling me.


    JOSH...JOSH I shouted let me help you. Are you hurt? He looked over at me but I don''t know if you could talk and demon form.


    He spread his wings and sent it to the sky but barely made it a couple of feet off the ground and slammed back down.


    He started shifting back into a human. He lay there on the ground teaching his chest.


    Josh, are you okay? I asked as I ran to the side. What''s going on? Why are you holding your chest? Did you get bit there?


    No, it''s my chest it''s on fire. It''s burning hotter than the flames that are even inside me!


    Your chest is on fire? I placed my hand on his chest it was like touching the Sun! It burned my hand. I pulled back and yelled ouch!


    I''m sorry; don''t touch me. He was trying to get up but couldn''t. Maybe This Is My punishment; hell is trying to call me back home. He said with sadness in his eyes.


    The fire began to rip from his chest it burned to cross his heart as his skin was trying to melt off.


    Not if I have anything to say about it. I used my ice powers to suppress the flames. I put my hand on his chest sending as much ice as I could.


    He screamed even louder in pain. I don''t know what else I could do. Do you want me to stop I don''t know if this is working.


    No, because if you do I think my heart will stop. It''s just making the burning a bit more intense. The fire now started to envelop his body. My hand was slowly starting to burn but the ice was protecting me.


    Even if you have to freeze me until we can figure this out do it at least I can still survive I''ll just be sleeping like cryonics sleep.


    Okay if you think it''ll help. I''m sorry to do this to you.


    I''m sorry for what I''ve done to you. What I''ve done to your friends. And when my brother wakes up tell him I said I''m sorry for what I did to him. Not making the best choices in life but being friends with you at least was one of the good things I chose.


    Josh don''t say stuff like that like you''re going to die. We''ll find a way to bring you back. Your brother ever told me everything and I''m sorry I ignored your feelings and set you on the wrong path. I want you to know I love you I always have. And I''ll be here waiting for you!


    I love you too Becky he said as he closed his eyes as the ice began to cool the flames. But instead of the friends smoking and burning out. Steam began to form. I guess it was melting the ice trying to fight back. But the Flames became smaller and smaller.


    I didn''t quite understand what was going on. I could feel the cold getting more and more intense but the flames were not completely smothered out.


    All of a sudden the small flames grew larger and turned to blue. The flames were no longer hot they were cold.


    Josh... Josh Look! I told him as he stood there with his eyes shut.


    He slowly opened his eyes and looked around my ice was gone and his flames were changed. They were like ice fire.

 Chapter 33 - The shoe maker

    Chapter 33


    "Wakey, wakey! It''s time to get up," Josh said, shaking Evan.


    "Jeez, my head, what are you doing here?"


    "I''m guessing I''ve been passed out for a few minutes then, and we need to find the other demon."


    "Josh came in and saved me when you got taken out," Beck replied.


    "So, are you two together Evan asked when he saw Becky and Josh holding hands."


    "You could say that not only are we together, but something about her helps me control my inner demons. Let''s say I nearly died without her."


    "Oh, really. That is interesting," he said with a bit of confusion. "So, did we kick the bad guys'' ass then?"


    "Yes and no, one down and one to go! We now have to find what we think might be a rat the demon was after."


    "Oh yeah, it''s coming back to me, and I almost forgot."


    "Getting your lights knocked out like you did, I don''t exactly blame you."


    An earthquake shook the ground, and it caused some of the buildings to crumble around.


    "Quickly get over here! This one''s strong,"{ Josh yelled to the others as he pulled Becky towards him and out of the way from danger.


    They ran down the street away from the large, crumbling buildings. Dust erupted in the air as chunks of the buildings fell off and crashed to the ground. The rubble instantly crushed any nearby cars, trees, or buildings.


    "All right, I''ll check the Soursense to see if we can find that creature on our. He''s got to be here causing this earthquake." Becky advised.


    "What is that?" Josh said, looking at Becky''s device. It looked like a cell phone."


    "This device allows us to pick up demons'' essence and levels within a 20-mile radius."


    "It also allowed us to locate you when you picked up Kaysi. We were just a bit too late getting there."


    "Yeah, I''m sorry; sometimes, controlling the demon within me is hard. I was following my father''s orders."


    "It''s okay now. However, I will let you know that Kaysi has not completely recovered. She''s out of the hospital, but she has amnesia, so her memory is still bad."


    Evan added. "It''s so bad that she can''t remember any of us¡ªjust basic things. The doctor hopes it will return in time. But we have to be very sensitive about her condition, or it could cause her to backslide."


    "I''m sorry, it is probably because of the injuries she sustained while we were fighting. I will do my best to find a way to make it up to you guys. I promise."


    "Man, Josh, I''ve never seen this side of you. Something about Becky does change you, doesn''t it?" Evan smiled.


    "Well, I tried to ignore some of my feelings out of pain and obedience to my father. That is not going to happen again."


    "It says that there is another demon nearby," Becky said as the scan was completed on the soursense.


    "Ah, Ha," Josh said in excitement. "I bet you that''s what caused the earthquakes initially. We thought it was the snake causing the earthquakes when it went after the rat, but it''s been the rat all along."


    "Hey guys, are you okay? Micah appeared and came running over. The earthquake was pretty powerful. I''m guessing you have not discovered the demon yet because that earthquake was quite strong." Micah asked.


    "Hold on, is this guy the one behind all of this? What is he doing here? With a scowl directed toward Josh, she spoke."


    "Becky stood between Josh and Micah."


    "Stop. I''ll tell you more later, but he''s on our side now. Also, he destroyed one of the Demons, who almost killed me, and it nearly cost him his life! To fill you in, there is one demon left that we were chasing after. We think it is a rat that the snake demon was hunting."


    "So there were two demons, I see. And I still don''t trust this dirty dog. She growled, not removing her eyes from Josh as she looked past Becky, staring intensely at him."


    "I understand why you guys hate me, but I have changed my ways. I know it''s not going to come very easily, but I will do my best to make it up to you all." Josh said as he hung his head.


    "Yeah, say that to Kaysi, who you beat with an inch of her life."


    "She has not recovered her memory. You can do your best, but there is no way I''m forgiving you. You''re permanently on my shit list. In the meantime, let''s find this demon before it causes any more earthquakes."


    "The best place to look for it is through a hole it might have dug. We must act quickly, so we should divide and search for the same area. When we find it, we inform the others where to go. A tip is most likely to have the most destruction."


    Evan directed everyone. "All right, that sounds like a plan. Becky, you and Josh can take the north side. James and Micah can take the west side, and since we''re already on the south side, I''ll take the east side."


    "Make sure to announce it to the rest of the group if you find it."


    "Not to intrude on your plan," James said, but before we head out to find the demon, I think it would be a good idea to arrange a meeting place in case any of our cell phones malfunction.


    "Good idea, Evan! You see that big tall building right there that''s fallen over in the rubble? We''ll meet back there."


    "So all we have to do is head to the north side and look for a giant hole," Josh asked Evan.


    "Yes, the soursense allows us to know the demon''s location, but it doesn''t allow us to pinpoint within a short distance. It will, more or less, give us a proximity to the demon. Once we''re at the location, we have to do a bit of searching to know the exact position." If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I see, so it''s not like the group will be far away."


    "No, if anything, it will still be within a close distance that everyone will hear you.


    We still have to be careful because some of the fallen rubble will still be shifting and loose. Also, we must be cautious of broken pipes as a gas leak might be nearby."


    "With all this debris from the disaster, there could be people still trapped in some of these buildings. The emergency response hasn''t had a chance to come through and check on anyone. I know we''re looking for the demon, but I think we should also be checking for survivors," Becky added.


    "That''s not a great idea as we don''t have any equipment. Josh questioned with worry, "Our main objective needs to be getting this demon so it doesn''t destroy anything else."


    "I understand, but if I find a person, I''m not going to hesitate to save them."


    "It''s always been who you are, Becky. You saved me. All right, I guess I can''t fight it. Lead the way, princess, he said with a bow."


    "Thankfully, the destruction seemed to be limited to a large building and a couple of others that were crushed. Other than that, most of the structures are still standing."


    "I suggest we start by working our way through the smaller buildings and work our way back toward the large one last, as that is our meetup point."


    "Well, Becky, it''s the weekend, and most of these are business shops that should be closed, but I will still check anyway.


    "I know who that shop right there belongs to. It''s an old shoemaker. He is an old fella who doesn''t come to work on Sundays. He is a continuous churchgoer, never missing a day in 13 years."


    "I talked to him once, and he told me the only day he missed was for his wife''s funeral."


    "Oh, I see; so you''ve been down this part of town before then?"


    "Yes, my brother and I used to go on play dates when we were little. We would go to the downtown park with my brother and the maids, who would let us ride our bikes when we came from the nearby house."


    "Since my brother never tied his shoelaces, his finest Sunday shoes were ruined when he caught them on the bike one day."


    "Ironically, the maid caught up to the shoe shop owner that day as he was leaving to attend his wife''s funeral, telling him she was frightened of losing her job if she did not have the shoe patched."


    "He had sympathy for her and consented to mend it. He told us he had barely enough time before leaving for church.


    "While mending the shoe, he told us that, being a devoted Christian, he usually does not come to the shop on Sundays. He believed it was a divine appointment because he had a rough day. He said he was happy to see us on such a terrible day; it made him feel better."


    "Oh, that was so sweet of him to go out of his way and help you guys."


    "Yes, so thankfully, he''s not there today, but it sucks that his shop got hit."


    "The damage isn''t too bad, at least; it only took out one of the outer walls. The rest of it can be repaired¡ªonce the area is safe."


    "It will take some time for the construction crews to clear all the debris before they can start, though. There is no room for them to bring in trucks to clean things up right now."


    "It''s kind of scary seeing the end of this disaster. It reminds me of when I was in elementary school and two planes hit the Twin Towers. We all went to the library to witness this historical life-changing event. Our teacher thought it would be good for us to learn something. It was scary seeing all the devastation."


    "At least you know what happens whenever there is devastation! It unites the people within the nation."


    "I see, so you''re over here trying to denounce the evils of Truth and Love," Becky laughed. That''s my old Josh, I remember! (Dorky and silly.) It''s Nice to see you back to normal," Becky smiled.


    "Meow, Josh said as he laughed, pawing at the air. "That''s right"!


    "I feel better to see that things might finally be able to go back to normal. There seems to be a bit of tension in our group. I just hope that they all can accept Josh''s apology and that Kaysi makes a full recovery, Becky thought silently to herself."


    "Now that we have cleared these other buildings, it is time for us to move on to the next one. Come on. With everyone expected to be heading over, the large one in the center should be all that remains. We will check it out while we wait. Be very careful when we go in here; these buildings are unstable."


    "I don''t know if you remember this, but the first time you appeared, you burnt down a building we were in, so I''ve already had my fair share of the dilapidated crumbling buildings I survived."


    "Oh God! The first time I wasn''t exactly myself was the first day that my father infused the demon within me."


    "It was the same demon that attacked you all before.  Maybe that''s why I kept following you guys; something inside me was trying to keep my humanity."


    "Well, it''s a good thing that you''ve got control over it now."


    "It appears that this office building was deserted. The name on the sign here says Star Capital, which indicates that this location was formerly an old corporate bank building. Perhaps they filed for bankruptcy or were bought out, similar to the majority of the local companies."


    "Oh yeah, this place was moved to Indianapolis a few years ago. I saw something on the news about them going to a larger corporate building when they joined up with another banking group."


    "Oh, this place has been abandoned. So we''ll head back out and meet up with the others."


    "Since we ended early, let''s see if they could use any of our help."


    "All right, turn around and head back in the same direction; I will follow you," Josh said as they stood on a narrow path."


    "Another smaller earthquake began to shake the building."


    Josh shouted. "It must be a delayed aftershock."


    "I thought we were in the clear," Becky yelled back.


    "We need to find another way out. This exit looks like it''s going to collapse, Becky said to Josh, looking up at the doorway that was barely being held together."


    "You dummy, you say that, but you''re still in the way. Josh pushed Becky out of the way as the door entrance caved in."


    "Josh, are you okay Becky shouted through the dust clouds as the rumble finally stopped? She could not see Josh."


    "Yes, I''m okay. I just got my leg caught under the beam; it seems jammed, and I can''t free it. You need to get out of here before another earthquake comes."


    "NO, WE need to get out of here before this building collapses," Becky argued. "I''m not leaving you, you big idiot. We just got you back, and I saved you already once. I will do it again."


    "Yeah, now I saved your butt again. So we''re even you don''t have to feel guilty so try to get out as soon as possible."


    "No, I have to agree with Becky, you idiot. You don''t leave any man behind."


    "Micah, you''re here," Becky cried.


    "Yep, it''s me! Evan and James are behind me, so we need to work together to get this beam off you, correct?


    "Everyone grabs hold. If all of us lift, he can slide his leg out. If we work together, we should be able to free him, but we have to move quickly before the rebel shifts anymore."


    "RIGHT! Everyone shouted at once!"


    "Ready on the count of three. One... Two... Three... Lift!"


    "Everyone lifted, and Josh was able to free his leg."


    "Agh- My leg is broken. I can''t stand on it."


    "Now that we have you free, James and Evan can carry you out of here," Micah added.


    "Alright, let''s all get out of here as quickly as possible." Josh sighed in relief together.


    "Jesus, brother, you must been working out. You weigh a ton," Evan joked.


    "I''m not sure if I should take that as a compliment, though, coming from you," Josh smirked through his agony.


    "So, how''d you get yourself in trouble this time?" Evan asked.


    "Well, he saved my butt again. Ironically, I think that makes us equal."


    "Okay then. We will head out from here to find a clearing where we can put him down and check his ankle."


    James spoke up. "There is a bench over there, and even if the structure falls any further, it will be fine. We''re out of its path."


    "I got an A in science and health. Let me check your ankle out," Evan said with a Crooked Smile.


    "I don''t think I trust you with that "look on your face." You could break it further.


    "Oh, you big baby, then let me have a look at it. Do you think you broke it?" Becky asked as she pulled his pants leg up.


    "Oh my, Becky, I''m feeling a bit shy right now." Josh batted his eyes.


    "HA," you are the same guy who enjoyed stripping down to his boxers and jumping in my pool in the summertime. Yeah, right, nothing embarrasses you," Becky teased.


    "Oh, I see, Becky. It''s no wonder you have had a crush on him since you were little." Micah taunted Becky.


    "It''s not "that" like we were just kids; we''re not thinking that manner."


    Everybody laughed - as Becky had a bright red face.


    A disturbing hiss came out from the rebel of the big bank building.


    Beck asked in fear to turn around. "Did you guys ever find that hole?"


    "No, not one of us did," Micah replied, turning around.


    "That means the hole might have been underneath the building," Beck said as she slowly turned around to look behind them.


    The giant rat demon had come out from underneath the rubble. The building had shifted, and the falling debris must have disturbed it.


    "I think we just came across the" "rat''s nest," James said in a shaky voice.

 Chapter 34 - Rat king

- Micha -


    <div>


    <div>


    <u>actually</u> dead. The other rats that we were fighting off started to scurry away.


    <div>

 Chapter 35 - Renaissance Carnival

    Chapter 35


    Becky and I arrived at the same time as Micah did. She was getting out of her uncle''s truck and walking over to the back hatch to unload the equipment and baked goods.


    " I can help you out, what do you need me to grab?"


    "Oh Kaysi, do you think you feel up to the task I don''t want you to take things too far?"


    "It''s my memory that''s not quite right not my muscles." I laughed at her.


    "You''re right go ahead and grab these couple of stacks of cupcakes. You can start by taking them over to the table that Becky is setting up."


    "Aya aye captain"


    "I''m glad to see that she''s in good spirits. I hate that that accident caused her to lose her memory but it should return soon that I am quite hopeful for." I overheard Micah''s uncle talking


    "Thank you Uncle I certainly appreciate your kindness. I have high hopes for her too. And at least she kept her personality Micah joked"


    "Becky, where would you like me to place these items? I can see you haven''t gotten the table up yet I can help you with that?" I offered her.


    "Yeah, that is fine. Put them with the boxes over there in the corner with the other boxes. It''s just this one leg it doesn''t want to lock I hate these folding tables."


    "What? It says here all you have to do is just push and pull. (-Click-) and there you go!"


    "I swear I was doing that for the last 5 minutes I probably loosened it for you," Becky said laughing and looking at the table still questioning what she did wrong.


    "Everybody is dressed up and in cute costumes. I feel a little bit underdressed"


    "That''s just because we''re working right now. But you''re more than welcome to take a walk around and check some things out."


    "Hey guys how have you been a woman said as she walked up to the vendor table"


    There was a woman who looked familiar dressed as a fluffy dog character. " who are you I asked"


    "Why Kaysi this is one of our teachers from school Baby."


    "Oh I thought you kind of looked familiar I love your costume"


    "Oh it''s good to see that a part of your mind still remembers me" " I was just fixing to head over towards the South wing to check some of the other vendors out. I overheard that you were going to walk around a little bit. I could come with you and be your chaperone seeing as I am your teacher"


    "Yes, actually I would rather quite enjoy that. Since I''m not quite familiar with my surroundings."


    "This is my uncle''s first year of doing the carnival with the three of us. So this is actually a completely new experience for all of us officially Micah chimed in."


    "I have to disagree Uncle interrupted! One time when you were about 5 years old I specifically remember you eating probably half a dozen of cupcakes by yourself."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Oh, uncle that doesn''t count I was just a kid and don''t remember any of that." Micah laughed with her uncle.


    Walking around with Baby I could see that they were just fairly starting to set up. It was early enough in the morning that the lights were barely starting to shine through the windows as the sun rose.


    "Maybe we should start heading back and wait for them to officially set up more. Baby said as she gently pushed my shoulders guiding me in the other direction. We started to move relatively fast I couldn''t understand why. "We can still check out what all they have to offer so far"


    "No I think we should head back they''re going to need our help. She said as she pushed me again in the other direction"


    "I understand you''re my chaperone and all but you''re acting as though we''re trying to protect me from something. Why are you in such a hurry to leave from here," I questioned her.


    "Let''s just say this is a scary part of the Carnival and I don''t want you to get scared as your memories are still fragile."


    I feel as though she was lying trying to cover something up. As we were walking she was texting something relatively fast to another person. I started to tell that her demeanor was changing. Something was bothering her something was off but she must have sensed or seen.


    "Baby if there''s anything you would like to tell me you can. Is there something that you''re scared of"


    "Yeah actually I don''t like dogs they scare me really bad. Besides we made it to the end of the hall anyway I just didn''t want to go any further towards them. So there''s nothing left to see let''s head back."


    The person down at the end of the hall had a large white Great Pyrenees and a black Belgium shepherd.


    I hardly doubt her explanation especially seeing as she''s already dressed like a dog. "I have to ask you a question, I said with hesitance not wanting to upset her."


    "Sure but can''t we wait until we get back to the other group? We did kind of leave them right as they were beginning to set up there''s still a lot to do and we''re running out of time" Baby she grabbed my hand and started to run.


    "Okay, this is getting ridiculous," I said after running a few feet I pulled my hand away from Baby.


    "I don''t know what you''re not trying to tell me" but I don''t think it''s a great idea that I go running god knows where with you." " I may have memory issues but this is certainly not the path that we took to get here" our friends is in the other direction towards the north wing"


    "Look at those things" Baby nodded towards the approaching dogs. You are still too fragile to endure this potentially hazardous situation. That I am trying to get you out of you''re just going to have to trust me," She said as she pulled me harder down the hall.


    I was then I noticed the dogs approaching us the white great Pyrenees had gotten off leash and I was running in our direction. He didn''t seem hostile at all just an average dog.


    "Oh, that''s what you''re scared of again the dog. Because it''s a big large fluff ball that doesn''t mean nothing those types of dogs are usually gentle giants."


    Has it got closer I kneeled to try and grab its collar I''m sure the owner was not far behind trying to retrieve his dog.


    "I don''t think that''s a great idea baby said."


    "You are dressed up as a dog but you''re definitely afraid of them you''re just crazy."


    " let''s just say I have a sixth sense about these things if I don''t trust it neither should you."


    "I''m actually pretty good with animals that''s one of those things I can remember," I said as I leaned over grabbing the leash of the white great Pyrenees that was wagging its tail.


    "See no harm done. Now we just got to wait for the owner to come back and collect his dog. Look at this big fluffy baby he probably just wanted to come over and say hello"


    All of a sudden baby grabbed a hold of me and yanked me with unnatural strength away from the dog.


    "Okay, I guess I have no choice we''re going to do this here now then. I just hope the girls catch up quickly. Baby shouted"


    Baby bent down on all 4''s to the ground into an attack mode position almost like a dog. Her ears seemed to come to life. I was shocked to see they were not a costume. And she growled at the white great Pyrenees that stand before us.


    My attention was drawn to her at that moment. But when I looked up over at the Great Pyrenees his once pale blue eyes turned to Eerie golden yellow. He licked the side of his cheek as though he was preparing for a snack. He bared three tongues and extra fangs. Unlike any dog I''ve ever seen. A new Great Pyrenees for his known to have some genetic defects like having extra toes. But there was something different and unnatural about this thing.


    "Baby?" I said with shaking and hesitation in my voice.

 Chapter 36 - Muscle memory

    Chapter 36


    Josh-


    I followed silently behind Becky to make sure that she was okay. Although it had been a day since my injury, having the essence of a demon within me allowed me to heal faster. I made almost a complete recovery.


    I wanted to ensure that Becky would be okay she didn''t have a chance to sleep much. And then increased demon activity made me feel as though something bad was soon to happen.


    I am so glad that I did. I knew Kaysi and Baby were endangered as soon as I walked around the corner of the south wing. I know the girls assured me that Kaysi has no memory of me. But I was worried that if I intervened right now, could something trigger her.


    Two dogs were trying to attack them these dogs were not normal animals. They were known as Scouts. They take the image of just harmless dogs. These beasts were hellhounds sent to scout out information for my father. We have to be careful right now because if he''s sending out scouts it was only a matter of time before he would send out one of his pet demons'' experiments. Either way I knew that I couldn''t let the demon dogs leave from here are all of us could be in danger.


    As I stood there contemplating my next action I thought to myself all the different outcomes if I was to appear before their eyes. But they understand that I''m just trying to protect them or could this put me even further down the ladder to earning their trust?


    They appeared to be holding their own for the most part. At least keeping the demon dogs at bay for the time being.


    A strong presence was approaching from down the hallway it was not the true Scouts that were here right now. My only issue is where is the portal from which they originated.


    I know maybe it''s a better option if I go and locate the girls. Earlier talking to Becky she told me that Micah and baby would also be here. Yes, that seems like the best option as to what I''ll do next.


    Benjamin! As I turned to walk away I finally recalled the dark presence that was coming towards us it was someone who was working alongside my father I got pretty familiar with the presence of the different demons since in limbo.


    This demon''s scent belonged to one of my Father''s partners at Order of Iscariot. This was a group of followers who gave a pledge to aid the devil in his rebellion. Some were giving promises of fame, fortune, and Glory. Others were driven by other desires and their hatred of mankind.


    My father''s partner at the order was one of his first experiments. It was chosen because he once served as a Jaeger corps in the force regimen. They were a group of huntsmen that were being used by the world bureaucracy for military defense.


    My father specifically chose him because he was Lieutenant General of his division. Not only was he the highest ranked but he was the most intelligent. He had a strong sixth sense. He was a highly skilled, versatile combatant with exceptional tracking and stealth abilities, adept at ranged weaponry. He was also great with close-quarters combat, and often possessed a deep knowledge of the terrain and wildlife, allowing them to effectively ambush anyone he was tracking.


    And the make matters worse he was given demon powers of an experimental prototype that was combined with the DNA of a wolf. Once the demons were placed in the man bore a striking resemblance though he was a werewolf. All the skills that he had previously acquired as a human were amplified by the natural abilities of the wolf genetics.


    If I don''t get Kaysi and Baby out of there quickly he''ll pick up their scent if it''s not already too late. Once he''s had a chance to pinpoint scent trail we will be forever running from this ruthless demon.


    My was heart palpitating, I could hear it thumping in my chest. Long all the decisions I had to make, I felt conflicted. Anxiety began to boil over with unexpected intensity.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Dammit, I have no choice!" I have to do something now.


    I jumped from around the corner and grabbed ahold of Kaysi throwing her over my back. With her being human she would be most likely to be hurt first if he caught our scent.


    I''m not sure how the essence of a guardian works but I know that they are Immortal and cannot die. The worst that could happen is Baby getting a little roughed up in the physical human form that she took.


    She looked at me with a bone-chilling death glare.


    "I swear to you this is not like the last time something is coming we got to get out of here. It''s going to be okay just follow me"


    I flinched as I looked down at Kaysi expecting her to cuss me out. Or beat the crap out of me.


    "That''s odd." she had her sword with her. I didn''t think since she lost her memory she would have the ability to manifest her sword.


    She continued to look up at me surprised as we ran through the Halls.


    "Turn here there''s a bunch of people I told Baby. It will help mix our scent and drive them off our tail if they''ve caught on."


    "What the hell are you talking about Josh?" Baby shouted as she ran behind me.


    "Benjamin is not far behind us. Although I don''t sense his presence is following us. We need to get far enough and hope that the scouts leave."


    "Oh, that''s what those things are I haven''t seen one in so long I thought they were just regular demons."


    "Yeah, that''s what they''re meant to do throw people off by their appearance."


    "So wait, now that I remember if a scout locates their target they''ll report back to the Hunter and even if he doesn''t have our scent will still have to fight every time we turn around."


    "Yeah that was something I was trying to prevent was him getting Kaysi''s or my scent. I don''t know the effects if they can even get your scent. You don''t even have a soul tie do you?"


    "No Guardian angels don''t but we have something very close it''s called a spiritual tie but we don''t have time to talk about that right now." "You take Kaysi back to the others. I will go back and deal with the scouts. I had already severely injured one of them, and the other one I just executed before we left." "If I don''t execute the last one it will report back to the Huntsman that could be a severe problem for us."


    "Right! But due to the previous circumstances do you think it''s safe for me to go with Kaysi."


    "Why do you guys continue to talk as though I''m not here? Kaysi asked. I could see she was frustrated by having to lay on my should"


    "Do you remember who this is? Baby asked Kaysi."


    "No, I don''t i''m just concerned with the fact that I''m being carried around like a stuffed animal."


    "Sorry, I apologize for that it was the quickest way I thought to grab you."


    "Well there you go you want so badly to prove yourself that you can be trusted don''t fail me now. Get her to the girls quickly already and let them know the other bit of information that''s going on I only got to give them a quick message."


    "Yes ma''am and good luck go kick their asses for the sake of all of us. I saluted her as she turned back and ran towards the demons."


    "Kaysi!" Becky pushed through the crowd once she saw us. " Are you okay?"


    "Yes, it seems our teacher protected us quite well." "Also this person Josh? Seems to be friends with our teacher because he brought me here."


    "Yes Josh is my boyfriend Kaysi and we used to be all friends before he moved away, But of course, he came back!"


    "Hold on you have a boyfriend you never told me that. Oh that''s right I have issues with my memory kaysI said as she laughed awkwardly"


    "So Kaysi since you''re still missing your memory. How did you manifest your sword?"


    " I think a small part of me is starting to remember things. I remember when I was a little girl being attacked by a pack of wolves or something else that was kind of like a wolf."


    "Baby our teacher saved me back then as well. I just don''t understand why she''s a dog. I saw an image of her as a large pomeranian-type dog that was talking in a human voice in my memory."


    "These memories are making my head spin i''m not quite sure how any of this adds up."


    "Don''t strain yourself it''ll come back to you in time and you have some of the information right. I just don''t think now is the time to tell you everything."


    "Micah walked over and gave me a dirty look before talking to the other girls."


    "I don''t think it''s smart to leave Kaysi here at least not for today with the turn of events. I think it would be best for you to take her home."


    "I will walk with them and make sure they get home safely I told Micah."


    "Yeah, you better, or I''ll tie you to a tree and let the hell hounds devour you."


    "Kaysi walked in between us. Look I don''t understand what I was going on with you or why you guys have a grudge towards each other. But the least I can say it was Josh who saved our butts back there when he got us out of a sticky situation. So don''t be so harsh on him"


    I could hear Micah mutter underneath her voice so Kaysi could not hear her. "If only you knew."


    I think she knew that I could still hear her as she continued to scowl at me.


    "All alright, Kaysi for you, I will behave. She said as she hugged Kaysi."


    Kaysi''s back turned in the moment of their hug. She mouthed the words (I am watching you to me.)


    But her eyes look in her eyes said more like I will kill you!

 Chapter 37 - Benjamin

    Chapter 37


    Baby-


    "I got some bad news guys." "By the time I caught back up to the demon known as Benjamin he and his Scouts were already gone."


    "So do you think they were tracking us?" Micah said with concern in her voice.


    "Honestly, I can tell you even though I''ve heard of Scouts before; some of this information is new to me. Josh would probably be better suited to answer these questions. So what say you, Josh"?


    "Well, from the information I gathered, if they have left, they could have lost interest in the chase. This could be due to us getting into a more crowded area, which could be more problematic for their search.


    "So do you think it''s safe to say that we are in the clear?" or do you think we should do another walkthrough search?


    "No, we should go ahead and carefully get Kaysi out of here and talk more once we get back to Becky''s house.


    James chimed in, "Have to say maybe I''m being paranoid but I do believe that we''re still being tracked."


    "The rest of y''all don''t know much about James or whenever he has an instinct about something he''s pretty spot on. Also on top of that, he''s the smartest one of our bunch even though he''s the youngest. Duke said"


    Becky announced to the group " I know my room doesn''t give much space but you''re more than welcome to have a seat anywhere you like."


    Evan spoke up, "Are you kidding me my dad''s fairly rich, and yet our mansion didn''t have quite as big of a bedroom as yours and you''re just in a large house!"


    "That''s because my room once was a part of the original architect of the house. So it''s pretty much a front room that was then converted to a bedroom as we extended to the rest of the house."


    "If you are okay with it I wouldn''t mind sitting on top of the bunk bed James asked Becky.


    "No that''s fine the top bunk is my bed. Kaysi sleeps on the bottom she used to sleep on the top but she got to moving around too much and sleepwalking and fell off the top bunk one day"


    "Oh, how interesting is this due to having nightmares, Baby asked?"


    "No, Baby I can''t quite say, I keep feeling as though I need to go somewhere and I guess I''m asleep I act that out"


    "Well that field trip that we were talking about going seems as though it might be time to pack up and head out soon"


    "I thought originally you said that you didn''t think that would be safe in Kaysi''s current condition. Evan protested"


    "I still don''t quite think she''s up for the task, Baby said talking to Evan."


    "Why would you risk her safety than for us to go on this trip"


    "I don''t know if you remember some of the details that were told to you about the field trip that we had planned before you came." Back when it was just three of us we were given instructions by the Heavenly Council that we need to start doing some traveling."


    "Yes I was given that information but what exactly are we talking about here travel where?"


    "The council would be instructions as to what destination that we would need to head. Wherever our services are needed in the area at the given time."


    "So we''re supposed to just jump in a big bus and travel to wherever we''re guided towards out into the unknown?"


    "Wow!" Duke said Son, "you sound very optimistic Ye, what little faith you have"! No son I have taught you better than that we have already been given our first assignment. The Heavenly Council is routing us to head to a tribe. Their tribe was in Keetoowah. "The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Baby spoke up adding to the conversation "The tribe is separate from the rest of the world. They are in close relations to the Heavenly Council. Being secluded away from the world allowed them to keep some of their ancient traditions and knowledge through the years."


    "We are to go there to help them out with removing the deabur; that have been emerging in the area. As well as gain knowledge for ourselves. This knowledge may help us to learn information about Kaysi''s condition and why she was able to manifest her Sword without memory. I can''t say for certain but maybe they could explain the increase in portal activity as well. We know Evan and Josh''s father have caused some of the portals to open but we still don''t fully understand why."


    But Duke, are we just supposed to abandon our duties here to go help these other people in a tribe Josh remarked.


    "No simply put we won''t be abandoning our duties we''re going to come back but it would at least give us a road map to where we''re supposed to head next.


    "Okay I understand that, but can''t this almighty heavenly council might give you the information that you need/"


    "No, because as I''ve expressed before even as Guardians we are limited to how much we are to intervene and help guide you. We are only meant to guide humanity. It is up to you to be a part of humanity whether you get saved or not."


    "So if we''re not worth saving because we can''t figure out a solution then what?"


    "When the hour of revelation arrives, only those who have endured will survive. You must realize that people replaced angels as a test to determine your deservingness of being an angel and the rewards of heaven. There would be no need for testing if there were no such things as good and evil. Even as we talk, your free will alone gives you the ability to decide between harming and helping others."


    "I understand, so when do you think it is wise of us to leave the like this?"


    "Yes, I do, the way things are going. With us being hunted it may be wise for the safety of our friends and family that we leave effective immediately!"


    "Hold on a minute? Are you meaning for us to run away from home? We''re supposed to have gone on the field trip before Kaysi lost her memory. We have no other excuses for us to leave our home what will our parents think?"


    "Well, Becky...Kaysi has no family except for her brother. Evan and Josh only had their father in the maid. You, Micah, and James are the only one that needs to communicate with your parents."


    "Okay but what do I say?"


    "We will have to leave immediately. You can write a note to your parents telling them that the field trip got rescheduled and that you forgot to inform them. Also informed them that we will be gone for 2 weeks."


    "We only have enough time right now to write the letters and pack up our things. We will meet late tonight when your parents are sleeping; at the school and take the bus from there. I really need you guys to gather your things quickly and meet me and Duke there"


    "Okay, I guess we have no choice then. We will split up from here and start packing."


    As me and Duke waited back at the school the kids slowly started rolling in one after another.


    The first was James he had a gym bag and a few books in his arm.


    Next came Evan and Josh they explained "The maid took over guardianship for watching Josh and she was very hesitant to let us go, but finally accepted."


    Then Micah came following a few short minutes later behind them. With one large stuffed owl and a backpack full on her back. Ironically it was the same as when she used to when she ran away before. When she was possessed by the demon.


    Once Micah was close she asked, "Where are Becky and Kaysi? I''m used to those two being late but I even was running late trying to find some of my items like this backpack to put my stuff in."


    "You don''t think something could have happened to them, do you? James asked suspiciously"


    "Well," Duke said, Since everybody else is here we''ll go ahead and drive over there and see if we can meet them along the way.


    "I can help you with the route that we regularly walk in case there''s taking the same path where we can intercept them, Micha offered"


    As we loaded into the small bus Duke was our driver. His skills were better than my own as I didn''t mind.


    We drove the complete route to get back to Becky''s house just a few short blocks away from there Becky and Kaysi jumped out from around the corner flagging us down.


    Duke slammed the brakes and screeched the bus to a halt. As the bus stopped and went Swift movement he grabbed the lever to slam the door open. Anticipating their rush and excitement.


    "Is everything okay?" I asked.


    "NO!!!" Becky screamed, "GO GO GO!" She said pointing forward.


    "Duke flipped the bus in gear as he hit the gas pedal down to the floor as the bus. The tires screamed and the smell of burning rubber permeated the air."


    Josh and Evan that was standing up in the back getting ready to run over to check on their friends. When Duke took off speeding they went crashing backward to the back of the bus.


    Duke looked up in the mirror when he heard them hit. "Sorry kids fasten your seatbelts."


    I looked at the boys plastered to the back of the bus. That''s when I saw Benjamin the big wolf-like demon running on all fours keeping a close distance to the bus as we barely sped off from our stop picking up Becky and Kaysi.


    "Haul ass and get the hell out of here" Josh yelled, when he saw Benjamin close behind.


    But it was too late Benjamin leaped in the air landing on top of the bus.

 Chapter 38 - Divergent Duke

    Chapter 38


    -Duke


    "Damn it, get the hell off my bus!" I said as I smacked the top of the bus.


    I could see his claws Engraving into the bus''s fiberglass rooftop. He was inching his way closer to the front of the bus.


    I couldn''t let him reach the roof hatch, the emergency exit on top of the bus. If he did, he could tear it away, quickly get into the bus, and do more damage.


    "Baby," my eyes locked onto her. Grab the wheel immediately!


    "I got you. I''ll take over, she said!"


    I lined myself up, pointing outside the front driver''s window as I pulled out from my coat pockets my 9 mm Glock 17 semi-automatic handguns. With one in each of my hands, I lined my body up for the shot.


    When Baby went over a large pothole, I busted my head to the top part of the window.


    "Damn it, this isn''t going to work! I can''t make the shot from here hold her steady. Steer course, do not deviate!"


    "Yes, sir. I will do my best to avoid potholes, then," Baby smirked.


    I think she enjoyed me bashing my head.


    This time, I aimed myself as I sat on top of the window, anchoring most of my body half in and half out, leaning so I could get the shot.


    "Jesus, Duke!" Evan denounced. "I know you''re Immortal, but is this very wise?"


    "Son, if it helps me get the shot, I''ll do whatever is necessary! That being said, once I shoot him, there''s no guarantee that it''ll do any damage, but at least we will be able to knock them may be off."


    Calculating the wind and the speed at which we were going. The only angle that I can reach is the top of his skull. I still should be able to do the trick, but I would have been much more satisfied with an eye. At least then, it would stun him. I don''t know how tough his head is. This bullet might bounce off the top of his skull like a beetle hitting glass.


    And for the shot, I fired both my guns. The first shot, nicked, is here, for following right behind was the shot to the Head. It knocked him off the bus. But he soon shook his head and picked up speed, eyes directed at me.


    "Dagnabbit, it worked for a few seconds, but he''s back up and running and looks hungry for me. I must have pissed him off real good!"


    "I told you guys before he was a merciless war machine in the military. Now that he has these abilities of a wolf, he is unstoppable," Josh reiterated.


    "If he is coming for you, I have one idea, but we must wait for the right position. Sit right there and don''t move, Duke."


    "Baby, I don''t think I like where this is going. You''re using me as bait."


    "Hold on, everyone, to your seats tightly!"


    Suddenly, Baby moved my coat swiftly and grabbed the top half of my pants and belt.


    "Ma''am, I don''t appreciate you grabbing..."


    Before I could finish announcing my complaint, Baby made a sharp turn, causing the bus to shift to two wheels. As she drifted the corner, screeching tires and burning wheels caused the bus to jackknife, flipping the tail end towards Benjamin. She used the bus as her weapon and slammed the main half of the back end into the demon wolf.


    "That should put that dog down for a little while. At least, Baby said proudly!"


    "Badass throwing a whole bus at that demon! I''m going to have to make you one of the honorary Broz. You earned it with those epic moves." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "If I remember correctly, you did the same thing with the rat, but you abandoned the whole car and made it flip," Becky commented. You sure do like using Vehicles as weapons," she chuckled.


    "Hey, we kept the vehicle this time, and everybody''s okay."


    "Not quite I said; I actually feel quite violated, I said, throwing my hand on my head dramatically."


    "Get over. I saved your Immortal Life."


    "That''s precisely the point! I get out of my seat, and you don''t get to drive that crazy anymore!"


    -Everyone laughed-


    "We aren''t far from the ferry. We will be taking that to the island where the tribe lives."


    Once our bus was loaded onto the ferry, they undocked and started to sail off.


    "Now that we''ve had a chance to get out on the open waters. You guys can walk around freely. Go use the restroom, or you can hang out on the upstairs deck and look out at the ocean. It''s quite pretty."


    "Oh, I would love to do that! After a quick bathroom break, that is," Becky said excitedly.


    "I will come to join you as well," said Josh.


    "Ooh...Becky and Josh sitting in a tree...."


    "Finish that sentence, big bro, and you''ll be eating your next meal through a straw."


    "Testy, testy, testy, just kidding, lighting up, Evan said, teasing his brother with a jestering smile.


    "After you guys get a chance to look around, make sure you''re back here before the ferry comes to a stop and docks."


    -Okay, will do- Everyone said, except for Kaysi.


    Evan walked over to Kaysi.


    "You are more than welcome to come and join us Evan said. You''re not scared of the ocean, are you?"


    "I can''t remember I had this dream that I was drowning, during a lightning storm. There was this young boy that rescued me out of the water. I believe I was young, too. I really can''t say if it''s a dream or a memory anymore?"


    "That''s kind of funny," Evan replied. I remember having the same dream when I was young when there was this girl with light brown hair and a pink school uniform. I was wearing my school uniform, which was navy blue pants, a white shirt, and a red tie."


    "That was exactly how I imagined the boy, Kaysi said. Also, I believe that is what I was wearing, but it all seems fuzzy. Maybe then this is a memory. We can''t be having the same dream can we?"


    "I honestly don''t know if that''s possible. Maybe it was me that saved you when we were younger. It''s just been so long ago that we both forgot. How unfortunate for you, though, that seems to be naturally what''s happening to you. Mine just seems to be crappy memory."


    Evan halfheartedly chuckled.


    Well, guys, Duke said, walking over to Kaysi and Evan. I can feel that there is electricity in the air. I''ve done some sailing myself, so I know the ocean weather is a whole other beast. It can change at any time. That''s why it''s good to have a skilled navigator on your side."


    "If you guys could, tell the others to head back to the bus. I mistakenly underestimated the weather today and don''t want us to get caught in the storm."


    As I looked out at the horizon, I saw that a storm was indeed fast approaching. Far off in the distance, small light flickers were behind the clouds.


    "Look out there, those clouds with the flashing, but the storm and the winds are blowing this way. Hopefully, with the group being out on deck, they should be able to see it before us. But just in case, go ahead and tell them to head back. They are young and might not take the storm all that seriously."


    "That''s true for my brother and me. We used to play out in the rain all the time."


    "Playing out on land with a storm that is nothing compared to the storms on the seas."


    "All right, pops, I get your point. We''ll head up there quickly."


    "Thank you, son."


    "Do you always have to be stern about the kids, Duke?"


    "Yes, Baby, you know those boys are stubborn. I have to put a firm foot down. That being said, thank you for helping me out and saving my rump back there.


    I said, leaning over and hugging her.


    "Oh, you big baby, you act like you''re scared for your life. Did you forget you''re immortal?"


    "No, I did not. I just appreciate your help here lately. Even Evan has softened his heart a bit since joining the rest of your group."


    -Kaysi & Evan-


    "So what did you mean when you said pops? Is he your dad? If you don''t mind me speaking too forwardly, you don''t look anything like him."


    "Oh, Duke, he is like a father figure to me and has helped raise me these recent years.


    "Do you know where the deck is located?"


    "No, it shouldn''t be too far from here. I can ask some of the tourists for directions."


    "That storm seems to be getting closer fast. Duke wasn''t joking."


    "I see, we need to locate the group fast."


    "Hello, sir," Evan said, asking one of the tourists standing nearby. We''re looking for our friends. They went up on the top deck. Do you know where that is located?"


    "Yes, actually, you''re only a few feet from it. Do you see the sign?" he said, pointing. It''s right up those stairs."


    "Oh shoot, why didn''t I think I should look for the signs?"


    "Simple mistake. This must be your first time on the ferry."


    "Yes, it is. Thank you so much. We have to be going now."


    "Hope you find your friends soon. It''s starting to look nasty."


    We ran up the stairs as fast as we could, but the boat was shifting heavily underneath our feet. We had to grab the rail and hold on as we pulled ourselves upwards. But we made it to the top deck. Scanning the area, we still could not find our friends.


    "Is there another exit that we were missing? This ferry is huge, and I don''t know if we''re going to find them in time. Evan said with disappointment."


    "I think we have run out of time," I said, looking up at the sky.


    Just a mile or so from the boat, lightning broke across the sky, flashing through the atmosphere and then falling upon the ocean, intensifying the clouds'' gloom and darkness.

 Chapter 39 - See no evil hear no evil

    Chapter 39


    Kaysi-


    Once we''d gotten on the top deck, we knew we weren''t going to be able to get back down. The boat was whipping and swaying too hard to make it down the stairs safely.


    One of the staff members came over and told us to take refuge at the flybridge. This is a room on the top of the ferry, an open space on the upper deck. The steering station was located here, and it was a relaxing space for the crew and the passengers.


    Looking out the window at the ocean, you could see the waves tearing up high, their white foamy layers rolling over themselves, cascading and crashing upon the deck of the boat and its surroundings. We shifted and suede with the boat as we attempted to hold on.


    The entire upper deck was layered with rails for people to hold on to if they felt unsteady, but even still, the jolting of the churning waves violently tossing us with immense Force was too much to handle.


    "I think I need to sit down. I''m starting to feel dizzy," I said to Evan.


    "No, that''s fine. There''s a seat right here, " he said as he scooted it over.


    The window was very open and large, and I could still see out at the chaos.


    "Hey, look over there. Our friends made it back to the bus," I said, breathing a sigh of relief. Thank goodness they were able to get down before this storm hit."


    "Yeah, I think it would be best that we go ahead and call them and let him know. Now that they''re back on the bus, they should be able to access their phones."


    Even sitting inside the flybridge, you could hear the deafening Roar of the waves and the thunderous booms of the storm. What should have been a short ride from Shore to Shore now was taking quite some time.


    The storm surge and the high winds kept pushing us around, and we were unable to continue our journey. We just had to sit there and wait out the storm.


    "Oh my Lord!" I said, speaking to Evan as I grabbed the side of his coat. "Look there!"


    Somehow, the boat being tossed misdirected our path and caused us to head towards a whirlpool.


    Something massive inside of the whirlpool began to breach the surface. The water surface turned and foamed around it as its enormous head began crowning with Jagged bone-like protrusions.


    The gigantic serpent-like creature, with its scales of obsidian, began to slowly break through the water. You could see its glowing eyes. This primal monstrous beast was lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth and a thin Maine-like wrap around the crown of his head.


    As it slithered its muscular body through the waters, it left a trail that disturbed the water.


    Standing there, I was haunted by its presence, staring at it in all fear and its wake. The sheer size of this sea monster overwhelmingly made our ship look as though it was a mere toy and the presence of its size.


    But it was strange. No one else screamed or hollered or seemed even to notice the creature.


    "It''s a leviathan!" Evan said in a cold, airless, raspy voice. I could tell he was barely able to speak; he sounded as low as his throat was closing.


    "Is there anything that we can do I asked him?"


    "Though we''ve done a lot of training as way makers, there is no way to defeat that thing. Even combined with all our strengths, we seem to be at the mercy of that dragon!"


    "Nobody else seems to notice it. Nobody''s screaming or hollering or having any reaction at all. "It seemed to be both scary and sickeningly eerie, but no one could see the monster that may soon end our lives."


    "I agree some people are born with the ability to see the demons and the spiritual realm, and others are not."This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    "Even though you may have lost your memory, you somehow still withhold your ability to see them. The only explanation I could come up with is you must have been born with your gifts. Some people can''t see until much older in their teens. Occasionally, small children can as well."


    "I know maybe we can talk to Captain into staying away from it. Of course, they''re going to be trying to steer away from the whirlpool. But the serpent is coming through the waters and leaving it behind."


    "Let''s go then. We can''t sit around and let this beast end us without trying."


    I ran following behind Evan trying to keep my balance as the hall to the steering room was shifting back and forth with the boat. The walls moved back and forth as I bumped my shoulder into the window.


    "Kaysi, are you going to be okay." He said as he looked back when he heard the thud wear my elbow and shoulder made contact with the window.


    "Yeah, I might have a little bumper or a bruise. I''ll make it. We got to go," I said. We had finally made it to the front of the vessel. I flung the door open to the control center.


    Something bashed into the side of the boat. The hard slam knocked me off my feet. Evan grabbed around my shoulders, catching me before I could fall and bringing me back to my feet.


    "Ouch! I winced"


    "Oh, your shoulder, sorry." Evan pouted


    "No, you save me because I could have taken on much worse damage if I had fallen. So thank you very much for saving me again."


    "Captain, you need to steer the boat in the other direction," Evan yelled.


    "Hey, you can''t be in here, " one of the crew members said as he walked towards us, getting ready to shove us out the door.


    "Hold on!" I said, shutting around the crew member to the captain. We''re about to head towards a large rock. You can''t see it because of the storm surge, but you will crash into it soon if you don''t turn.


    Evan caught on to my bluff:" Yeah, that is why we had that big jolt. He had just started to tip it.


    "I''m going to take the kid''s word for it. Our eyes are down right now, the captain said. The storm has disrupted our navigation systems, and we can''t see the hazards like we normally do because the song on maps is all out for us."


    "Turn the boat, Leeward. We will ride against the winds that are taking us, and that should pull us away from the rocks."


    Just then, we got a ring on our phone.


    "Hey, bub, it''s Josh. Baby, Duke, and I have decided we''re going to try to distract the creature a little bit so that the boat can get away. You had to have seen that creature, too.


    "It''s huge. How could I not? But why does it have to be you and our Guardians?"


    "We are the only ones who can fly. And the Guardians will keep me protected and protect us; there''s not much we can do."


    "Right now, we''re in the control center. Evan spoke. It was thanks to our persuasion to tell the captain that there were rocks that he turned the boat away from the Leviathan. I guess if you''re going to have to go, be careful.


    I stood by and watched helplessly as Josh battled with the Guardians against the Leviathan. Both Baby and Duke had their wings out, flying in the sky. Somehow, they were unable to be detected by anybody else. Only those with the gift of seer could see them.


    They made rounds, hacking and slashing at the dragon, but it did no good. If anything, it angered him. They were but mere flies compared to the colossal size of this creature. Baby, you could make a couple of cuts, Hacking away some of the scales around its head.


    Duke fired a few shots on its face without even a flinch of pain. We only needed to get a couple more miles out, and we would be far enough away that it would be safe for them to return. They only had to hold off for a little while longer.


    Josh sends it into the air up high. I think I know what he was doing. He was winding up for an attack.


    Ascending miles over the dragon''s head. Josh aimed his body downward, and with his wings tucked in, he soared through the air like an arrow piercing the sound barrier. With his beak sharp and his body as a projectile straight, he used all of his strength to pierce the leviathan''s eye.


    Leviathan screamed, shaking its head back and forth. He fired a blast of ice across the ocean, and the waves shattered the line of ice.


    Blood poured out from the monster''s eye as it slid down the leviathan''s face. Josh placed his claws at the bottom of the eyelid and pulled his beak out, and the motion of the leviathan thrashing his head caused Josh to go soaring backward in the sky.


    He slammed into the side of a rock and then fell into the ocean.


    "JOSH!" Evan yelled as he watched his brother disappear underneath the crashing waves."


    Duke went under the water and grabbed him just as quickly as he had fallen in. He still looked conscious but sore. Baby and Duke came carrying him back to the boat, where he took his human form.


    The Leviathan retreated into the whirlpool. And the clouds were slowly starting to dissipate. The sun peeked through as small beings of light penetrated the clouds.


    Evan signed a big sigh of relief. "The storm seems to be calming down now that we got away from that monster."


    "I think it''s safe enough. Maybe we can start to descend downstairs and meet up with the rest of our group."


    Once the storm had calmed down, we could see that we were a few miles out from the shore. We were soon to dock and continue our voyage.


    When we got back on the bus, Evan ran over to his brother Josh.


    "Are you good, bro? Do we need to take you to a hospital?"


    "No, I''m fine. Just one heck of a bruise is going to form on my shoulder by tomorrow."


    "Well, that''s good, and you did good work!" Evan said as he gave his brother a high five, pulled him close, and patted him on the back.


    The captain announced it was time to depart for the island of Keetoowah. We docked on the shores of the island and drove the bus off the ferry.


    I was surprised to see that we were the only ones getting off at the stop. But the Island seemed almost inhabited until I saw a small girl peeking out from behind one of the pine trees.

 Chapter 40 - Chief Grandmother

    Chapter 40


    Kaysi-


    "Hey guys, can you see the little girl hiding behind the trees?"


    "Where are you seeing the little girl," Becky asked.


    I pointed to the trees just a few feet from the shoreline when we got off the boat and went down what looked to be the only dirt road on the island.


    "I see her," Duke said. "Maybe we should ask her for directions if she is not too shy. Kaysi, why won''t you try going over there and talking with her?"


    "Okay, I will; do you think she will speak our language?"


    "Yes, we are still a part of the Jiyu-Kaze region, so that they would talk like us. This island was bought out almost a decade ago for farming. At least that''s what they want you to think.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Many natives here were moved to give better access to the areas that the government would Farm. They were relocated to reservations. Places where there were no resources to gain better access to the areas that had resources and also to expand their territory."


    "So, for their greedy reasons, they moved the natives where they were thriving to areas of barren wastelands?"


    "Yes, unfortunately, it was the most peaceful way that they could come up with other than killing them to get them out of the way. Some of them that didn''t bow were put down."


    "Why would our government destroy people''s homes just for the resources of other people''s homes?"


    "That''s something you have to decide on your own. Also, the reason why we''re here is to help."


    I slowly began to approach the little girl. She stood still behind the trees and did not leave her position. I could tell she was still tense and fearful yet withheld a curious spirit.


    Her clothing seemed to be made out of deer skin. She wore a long dress. The skirt laid down to her feet with blue, white, and red stripes at the bottom. The dress also had tassels that flowed at the bottom of the skirt, down her arms and lined around the hem of her neck.


    She wore her hair braided, and her pigtails looked beautiful with little beaded hair pieces. One feather was on the left side at the crown of her skull. She had a necklace that seemed to be made out of the bones of some animal and Beads.


    Her physique would have placed her at about 11 or 12 years old. She was tall yet skinny.


    My first impression of her was that she was born into a different culture, a diverse and beautiful Nation.


    "Hello," I said in a calm, soft voice so as not to scare her. My name is Kaysi. Could you help us? We seem to be lost in trying to find a village. We were invited. Do you know the people of the Keetoowah tribe?


    "Yes, I do. I am of the Keetoowah tribe, and you''re on Keetoowah Island."


    "Awesome, can you help us navigate our way to the village?"


    "I can; however, when we venture further, you will not be able to take your wheeled machine."


    "Oh, you mean our bus?"


    "Yes, I have seen many wheeled beasts but do not know their names. Most of them are ridden by even more monstrous beasts."


    "Could you explain that further so I can better understand?"


    "Many men come in and steal from our village. We already had to move and lose our home more than once because they found resources in our area. It is unfair that they come in as bandits at night, taking what little our poor village has."


    "Well, we are not like those people. We came here to help you. We were given a mission by the Heavenly Council. If you know who that is"


    "Oh, so you are the Waymakers. You come to slay the tiger demon that plagues our village. Let me take you to my grandmother right away then." She came out from behind the tree and started to head into the forest." Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Hold on, wait a minute!" I yelled back to her, but she was so fast.


    I waved at our group standing at the front of the bus. I hoped they had seen me; I couldn''t lose the girl. She seemed to need help, but she must have been hesitant to say something until she knew we were the right people or safe.


    As we went deeper into the forest, the environment came back. They changed some plants that looked familiar yet seemed so different from what I have seen on a daily basis. Some of the animals even looked strange. This island was very much untouched by the rest of society.


    We had been running through the brush for a good five miles. I could start to see you in the clearing where the force was beginning to open up. There were tons of dilapidated buildings, tents, and huts.


    "How could our government allow you guys to live like this?"


    "Living like this is not so bad. It''s just a lot of repairs we keep having to do. It''s a problem. Any resources become with gets stolen. You used not to be this bad. When my mother and father passed away from a hunting accident. The bandits started coming in and raiding our home."


    I didn''t want to start all the girls. But I don''t think her parents were killed in a hunting accident. I''m beginning to think that maybe the bandits murdered them.


    "How old were you when they passed away?"


    "I was only six and will be celebrating my 13th birthday soon."


    "Oh wow, you''re a little older than what I thought. So, how long have the bandits been attacking your village?"


    "They''re very sporadic, but they have been starting not too long after my mother and father passed away. Look, you don''t have to tell me that it''s coincidental. I think they were bluffing to spare my feelings because I was still a child, but I''m not a child anymore."


    "You''re still quite young to have endured so much. Is there no one else in the village that can fight them off?"


    "My brother went on deployment right after my parents passed away. He didn''t know about the bandits. They only showed up a few weeks after they''re passing."


    "He''s going to be coming home for a short bit of time. Our grandmother''s sick, and he wants to come and help nurture her back to health cuz she is the last of our family and tribe elders."


    "So your brother has been stationed for 7 years then?"


    "Almost, he said, that he was leaving to try and get money to help rebuild the homes in the area. I don''t feel he should have been gone for so long. The other reason why you came back is it''s not just my grandmother that''s sick."


    "Many of them come down ill after going up to the mountains to try and kill the tiger demon. He lives inside a cave at the top of the mountain."


    Once we got further into the village, I could see that some of the people were sick, and others seemed unfulfilled. This place was dark and depressing, but I could still see little glimpses of hope, watching the children play and run around.


    "We can do here doesn''t get rid of that demon tiger for you. I am going to find a way to fight off these thugs and run them off for good."


    "Do you have the power to do so?"


    "I don''t know what I can do, but I will try. We will help out in any way possible!"


    The girl jumped when she heard wrestling in the bushes behind us. It was our friends. They had finally made their way through the woods.


    "Man, you sure did take off fast," Becky said.


    "Yeah, the little girl needed to take us somewhere. We can go together now that you guys have finally caught up."


    The little girl stared at everyone as we were standing outside of a hut.


    "This is where my grandmother lives."


    The chief of the village may have owned this Hut, as it was quite bigger than the rest of the other buildings.


    "I can permit all except you to come into the hut, " she said, pointing at Micah and Josh.


    "Why is that?" Becky questioned, talking to the little girl.


    "I sense evil demon spirits on them. I do not wish for my grandmother to get any sicker."


    I turn to Becky and whisper in her ear, "It''s believed in their tribe, but the people are getting sick because of a tiger demon. They must be able to sense the demons within them. Let''s just take the precaution; it won''t hurt them to stand guard outside."


    "Okay, I understand. Let''s go ahead and head inside, then. Josh and Micah, you guys keep a watch out here in case there''s any trouble; I''ll see you in a minute ."


    "Alright, I will be safe, Becky. Josh said with puppy dog eyes."


    Walking into the hut you could physically see how frail the grandmother was. The village doctors and nurses were standing all around by her side, tending to her every need.


    "How is my grandmother''s condition."


    The grandmother sat up in her bed and opened her eyes. "You don''t have to speak as though I am not right here, Zyiah."


    "Grandmother, you should be saving your strength. You need to recover from the sickness."


    "My sickness is not the same as the others. I have just grown sick from overworking. A little bit of rest and I''ll recover. Stop fussing so much over me! When is your brother Calian coming to help us with the other stuff."


    "I''m not sure, grandmother, but I have brought some friends that could help. They said that they were told to come here by the Heavenly Council."


    "I see them. My question is, why is there a smell of two demons sitting outside my door? Do they bring them here to cause me ill will?"


    Baby and Duke stepped forward. "Those two are in our responsibility." Baby took the initiative to speak first.


    "I feel something different from you, too. But by what authority do you come to bring in demons to my door."


    "These are demons that plague the two children in our care. We were advised that we should let them release the demons with their gifts. Removing the demons ourselves if they are unwilling could further cause harm."


    "I understand that, but in our village, anyone with a demon spirit that cannot overcome is exiled immediately."


    "Can you not make an exception to the rules this one time? We are outsiders and will only be here for a short time. We wish to help."


    "I am the current active chief. I will not change tradition for outsiders as it has kept this village alive."


    "So, do you wish for us to leave and not help your village as we were called to do?"

 Chapter 41 - Answered prayer unwanted

    Chapter 41


    "Yes, effective immediately."


    As we stood in the hut, the guards pointed their spears at us and slowly began creeping closer.


    "Is it not you that prayed for our services to help your village?"


    "Yes, but this was before finding out that you had demons on your team. Are people grown sick because of being exposed to those monsters?"


    Duke''s eyes looked from left to right as the guards had almost enclosed us.


    "I guess I have no choice," Duke said with a sigh. He released his wings, sending the guards flying against the wall. We tried to hold, bracing ourselves, anticipating his next move. A bright light illuminated his body.


    "Foolish woman, do you not see whose authorities we come before? So you have eyes, but you still do not see. Though you have ears, you still seem not to hear me. The children are under observation. We do not remove the demons; we leave it to them to remove from themselves and overcome."


    The Elder woman''s eyes widened as she looked upon the guardian angel. She bowed when she saw him. I am deeply sorry. I did not know that you were a guardian angel and that these children were placed under your care. I thought you were still near children.


    "I may look as though I''m in my thirties, but I am much older than that. God chose these children to battle their demons as a test of strength they may overcome. I promise you as long as I''m here, there will be no harm done to your village or anyone else for that matter for the remainder of our stay."


    "I''m interested in you to keep control over them. Though I was foolish, I admit we still very much need help."


    "We are here to aid in any way possible. And we will do our best to help you rebuild your village while we''re also here. We will start getting to work immediately."


    Just then, someone burst through the doors, pushing the guards out of the way. "Grandmother, the tiger demon has entered the village once again. I need help. They look to be going to our family home."


    "Zyiah, your little twin cousins are there today! They came late last night visiting from another tribe."


    I jumped up and ran over to her. "Show me where the house is, and I will help."


    "Kaysi," Evan said, grabbing my arm. Don''t be reckless.


    We could hear a loud commotion outside, so we all went outside to investigate.


    "Elder!" one of the guards said. More bandits came into the area. The two demon children sent them packing, and we were able to capture one."


    Josh walked over, holding on to the color of one of the men''s necks, and threw him down to the ground at the Elder''s feet.


    "There you go, tied up, packaged with a little bow on top, a present all to you, " he said with a smile.


    "Thank you, demon child." The elder scoffed, looking his way.


    We could see the veins popping out and Josh''s head. "Please, by all means, call me Josh." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Thank you, Josh. All of you must hurry to my family''s home. Follow my granddaughter. She will show you the way."


    We took off running, following Zyiah. "Kaysi," Becky directed her attention to me. I think it would be best if you stayed inside the home with the boys and let us fight the battle.


    "You just want me to stay out of the way. I can respect that; I don''t want to put anybody In harm''s way."


    "I don''t want you to feel bad for that. We will find a way to get your memory back. In the meantime, staying close to the kids, you can still protect them."


    I stood close to the small twin boys. They looked scared. "Hey guys, my name is Kaysi. What is yours?" I said as I kneeled down to their level.


    "I am Hotah, which means strong. My brother''s name is Peyta, which means fire. We are both 7 years old, but I am the oldest."


    "Mmm...So you were born first; I have a big brother and was the youngest in my family."


    "Our mother and father are away on business. Where are your parents?"


    "Oh, you see, I have some memory issues, I''m not sure. I remember vaguely having a mother. I''m not sure where she went. Right now, I''m living with one of my cousins. Are you feeling a little safer now that I''m here? Your brother still being shy. He hasn''t said a word."


    "Yeah, he doesn''t talk; he has never talked since birth. But he can still see, hear, and communicate with us. Most of the time, I know what he is trying to say because we share the same mind."


    "Interesting you have telepathic abilities. I have heard of some twins being born like that. Seems like a very cool gift."


    "We use it to play pranks on people sometimes. My mother used to say even though my brother can''t talk, I speak enough for the both of us."


    "Ha, I could understand where she got that from. I am also glad to get to know you and your brother."


    "It''s starting to get quiet. Do you think it''s safe for us to go outside?" the boy asked.


    "It''s not safe again until we''ve received the okay. However, I will take a quick peek outside."


    Sure enough, the quietness was because nobody was around. I looked back and forth but could not spot any person.


    "Can I ask you guys to stay here while I walk around the hut? To guarantee that there''s no one around?"


    "Yes, you promised to stay right here."


    "Thank you. I''m only going to be gone for a second."


    I went behind the house and saw Zyiah running through the field, with something fast approaching behind her.


    "Help!" She yelled off in the distance!


    I dashed over to her side. She has a small claw scratch on her shoulder. The demon tiger was following fastly behind her footsteps.


    Something within me surged, and I felt a powerful presence in my hand. It was my sword that manifested again all on its own. I sliced at the Tiger as he dodged me, cutting the side of his face and cheek. He hissed and ran behind us.


    "No, Hotah!" Zyiah yelled. I''m guessing he had poked his head out from the hut door when he heard his cousin scream.


    The tiger grabbed a hold of him with his teeth around his shirt collar. His brother Peyta grabbed his brother, wrapping his arms around him tightly.


    "They are taking off of my little cousins, so we must go get them!"


    Your grandmother told me about the villagers who went missing. The demon tiger took them to a cave up the mountain.


    "Yes, we will continue to follow them. And even if we lose sight of them, I know exactly where they''re heading!"


    "I''m going to call the others and let them know where to go. We hoped that some of your villagers were brave enough to help them. Most of them seem weak and scared."


    As I called, it was almost nightfall. The reception was not very good in this area. We''re coming close to the top of the mountain.


    "Hey, Baby, we''re almost at the top of the mountain. So what happened; how did the tiger demon slip your grip? Is everyone okay?"


    "Yes, we were following him for a minute. But it seems as though he turned away from us and went in the other direction. That is why we must have lost sight of him. So you say he is back up the mountain; why did you follow him?"


    "The two twin cousins got kidnapped by the Tiger. They left the Hut when I went outside to see why it was quiet. And found Zyiah being chased and screaming. Once I attacked it, it grabbed whatever it could and returned home.


    "We are currently trying to find a villager here to lead us the way. But everybody seems too scared. Your grandmother said that she would do it, but in her weak and sick state. That would be very dangerous to her health. Oh, hold on, somebody''s talking to me."


    Hello, May I help you? Baby asked the stranger on the other end of the line.


    (An unfamiliar voice began speaking on the phone.) "I will take you up there. My sister and I used to play in those mountains."


    "Calian, is that you!!!" Zyiah Screech tearing her brother''s voice for the first time in many years

 Chapter 42 - Tiger demons territory

    Chapter 42


    "Calian, are you there? I''ve heard of these strange devices that allow you to speak long distances. I just never knew their power and capabilities."


    "This is called a cell phone. It''s a cellular device that allows you to call people almost anywhere. Your brother seems to be with the rest of our group. He said he would show us where the demon tiger''s cave was. In the meantime, I will continue observing the safety of your cousins. As long as they''re safe, we should try not to intervene alone."


    "I don''t know how long the tiger demon will wait to devour the children. Should we not take action now."


    "By ourselves, it will be dangerous and possibly harm your cousins and more. Look there; the tiger seems to be waiting for something. Maybe he''s waiting for them to fall asleep, and their guards let down, so it''s easier to devour them."


    "You might be right. Wait, what does that smell that is coming from the cave?"


    "Oh no, it''s Hydrogen sulfide gas. We only have less than 10 minutes to get them out before they pass out. Because they are lower to the ground, the gas is heavier, so they might not have that much time."


    "Baby, we have no choice. We have to go in. You need to get here as soon as possible. There''s a gas leak in the cave. Now we know why the demon keeps taking them: It causes them to pass out so he can devour them."


    "I guess there''s no way around it; we''re on our way now. Calian says that it will take us almost 40 minutes to get there. Even with the shortcuts, he knows, try to hold off till then."


    "Follow My Lead. I''ll distract the tiger demon, and come grab your cousins and get them out to safety immediately."


    "Here, kitty kitty, let''s go!"


    It was time for me to take action. The tiger turned and hissed at me, glaring with his sharp teeth and glowing ominous eyes. He looked at me with a snarl that curled into what almost looked like a smile. I jumped, lunging in the air, ready to take him down.


    He pulled his paw back and took a slash at my neck. He missed my neck, but still, I saw the blood dripping down my shoulder. I couldn''t overthink or hesitate, or it could be my end. I just had to stay focused and keep my eye on the demon. I had not been in battle before this that I could remember, but the sword precents told me differently.


    He attempted to claw at me once more, but I ducked his attack. He then turned his paw and hit me on my backside, sending me flying against the wall.


    I gripped a hold of my sword with both hands and propelled my body off the wall. I aimed myself in his direction as he jumped above me. I dug my heels into the ground, reversing my step with a twist. Once more to attack him.


    Thinking to myself, I will not let this demon take me down. I''m well aware of his strength, but I don''t even know how to use this sword properly. I will find a way to do damage. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    As I twisted, he spun around, leaving an opening to his chest. I sliced and dug my blade deep into a sternum. He screamed, clawing at the air as he flipped over, slamming to the ground, knocking dust into the air.


    I took that chance while he was down and ran back towards the front of the cave, trying not to inhale the gases. Our battle had pushed us farther into the cave, causing me to get dizzy. I was running out of clean oxygen.


    I looked back at him as he acted like the cut in his chest was just a scratch. Blood poured out from him as he stood up and shook off the dust.


    His claws were employed on both paws. Sharp and prepared for an assault, he scowled at me once again. When I leaped for the blow, he sidestepped it with his paw and smashed me to the ground, knocking me down as I fell across the earth.


    Leaping, he pounced on top of me, pinning me to the ground. I fixed my gaze on him, staring him down. I saw that I had lost my weapon when I fell. I raised my arms to try to deflect his blows. He swung his paws back and forth, slashing at me.


    I could feel my hot blood streaming down my right arm. I was so severely injured that I was unable to feel the pain in my arm was numb. All I could see were glimpses of his claws slicing across my arm.


    Then, suddenly, a large stone plunged through the air and struck the demon tiger in the face. Behind that first rock, the girl and the twins were throwing several stones at the monster.


    Their attempts worked long enough to distract them. I was able to roll out from under him and grab my sword, slicing upwards at one of his legs. He turned and took another slash at my face, this time. I swerved, drugging my sword deep into the ground as I sliced upwards, kicking dust into his eyes.


    But it didn''t work, as he dodged my attack. We were chained together in a dance to the death. I miscalculated one of his paws, slamming me against the wall again.


    His body was surrounded by a dark aura that made it apparent that he was becoming furious. His initial animal-like appearance appeared to grow, and he became more powerful as he transmogrified. His body changed, and he became a half-human creature.


    He must have been one of Evan and Josh''s father''s other test subjects. Like our guardians, he was somehow able to change from his animal-like body.


    Taking the muscular structure of a human, standing upright on two legs, 9 feet tall, he was a giant. His paws were now fists with long nails, ready for the next attack. He licked his lips across his bare fangs. His eyes were glowing red, and I could sense the bitterness from this hellacious battle, hungry to get even.


    He took another swipe at me. This time, I tried to dodge faster. His blows came quicker now. Cutting the only good arm, I had to fight with. I tried to hold my sword with my non-dominant hand. This battle was coming to an end for me.


    I had to think of a way to counter soon. For now, as long as I can focus his attention on keeping him from retaliating towards me, I will be able to protect the others. But I have lost a lot of blood, and I am feeling faint.


    I dodge once more and use the hilt of my sword to slam down on the back of his head, making him eat the dirt.


    I''ve not been in a serious fight for a long time. Something about the stimulation of this battle reminded me of some of my past. Unlocking memories of when I once saved Beck from the boar. How my sword first manifested.


    They say muscle memory is quite powerful. This must have been how my body used its instincts to fight, the condition of protection and survival. That may have unlocked the power within me. Now, and for years, I have been fighting demonic forces.


    Whether in the physical or spiritual realm, I just knew that I had to help my loved ones and humanity.


    Oh, how the memories fluidly return to me. Plenty of times, I spent fighting battles trying to purify this world of evil demons and restore justice to those who had fallen or had been possessed by a demon. I could feel the goosebumps as a fierce energy surged and enlightened my sensation.


    With all the strength of my heart, mind, and body, I put all my energy into one final attack. Whether I won or slowed the tiger demon down, I was out of blood, energy, and strength. This was my last possible move!

 Chapter 43 - Rescue

    Chapter 43


    Evan -


    The demon tiger took on the form of a man standing on twos. A giant creature''s stature towered over the top of Kaysi. Who was bleeding a lot from her arm and on the side of her cheek? I could tell that she was on her last leg. She was pale, a ghost. She was pouring down sweat.


    She lifted her sword and slashed across the chest in the stomach of the tiger Beast.


    "Oh no, I was right; Kaysi just used the last bit of her strength and that attack. She fainted and fell to the ground. We are not going to make it in time, and we are still too far away."


    "There''s still something I can do Calian said."


    "Whatever you have planned, you better do it quick because the Tiger is opening his mouth, getting ready to bite down on her."


    As we were running closer to catch up, Calian stopped and pointed his spear at the Tiger. He threw it high into the sky.


    "You idiot, the Tiger demon is that way, not in the air!"


    "I''ve been throwing spears since I was a little boy. And I have been to war more times than you. Just give patience and watch."


    The spear took on a spiral, spinning through the wind up high, soaring hundreds of feet like an arrow. It came down, stabbing into the eye of the tiger. His Roar was a scream and a hiss to the loud winds of the mountain.


    "I take it back; you are brilliant. You look as young as we are. How long have you been fighting in the wars?"


    "Our tribe has been attacked for many of century. Like my sister, I began as a small boy, fighting in battles like a man."


    "I''m sorry about that, and I sure am glad you came back when you did."


    "I only wish I had come back sooner; I could have spared my people. Many lives have been took in my absence."


    "All that matters now is let''s finish off this bastard."


    We sure did piss off that tiger. His attention was no longer on Kaysi''s fainted body.


    "Becky and Micah, go to Kaysi and see if you can patch her up and stop her bleeding."


    "Duked, and I will protect the village kids. The rest is up to Josh, James, you, and Calian. Before you can finish him off, the Tigers are afraid of fire. Josh, I suggest using the flames of your Phoenix."


    "Great idea, I will back him into a corner. That''s where you guys can get the jump on him and finish them off."


    "Don''t get cocky little bro; watch your back."


    "I will, and you will watch yours too." Josh said as he gave me a fist bump."


    We circled around the tiger demon, who also had little life left in him. Josh''s flames made him quiver and cower as he hissed, "I''m trying to head back to the cave."


    "He slipped my grip. I almost had him pinned, but he went the other way. It''s up to you now stop them before he gets in the cave. He''ll have the advantage there that''s his home, and tigers can see in the dark." Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I cut them off before he could reach the cave and slashed at his foot. He tripped and still attempted to run into the cave.


    Duke shoots his gun at the top of the cave, causing the rocks to slide a bit. The rocks smash down onto the tiger and cover half of the entrance.


    Is he lying there pinned To The ground by the rocks? Calian ran over and took the opportunity. He grabbed a hold of the top of the tiger''s mane. With his spear, he sliced the head off of the tiger through his neck.


    "This one is for my people. All the lives that you took, you shall no longer burden them."


    "Damn, Calian, that cold. But good for you, I am happy that we were finally able to euthanize this demon."


    "Evan and Micah were able to get some of the bleeding to stop, but she needs a doctor to get some stitches immediately, or she''s going to keep bleeding out."


    I walked over and picked up Kaysi. " I will take care of her and take her back to the Village. You have people there who can seal her wound, right?"


    "We have many people sick in the hospital. I will try to find a doctor who will come with me quickly to the medicine Lounge."


    Duke stopped me when he saw the trail of blood-forming behind us as we walked.


    "We have a long way to the Village. I don''t know if these wounds will allow her to survive long enough to make it back."


    "We may have to do this the old-fashioned way, at least get some of the artery sealed before she bleeds out. One of the tiger''s claws must have nicked her artery in her arm. The bandage is not keeping the blood from flowing, so sit her down quickly."


    "Lay her down here and take off the bandage."


    I put her down on the ground, where there was some soft moss by the tree. "What do you mean by the old-fashioned way? How else can we stop the blood."


    I said as I quickly unwrapped the bandage from around her arm. As soon as I did, I had to grab her arm again. Blood was squirting out from one of her veins.


    "Just as I thought, Josh, I need you to come over here," Duke said in a desolate tone that made my throat tighten.


    "We are going to have to work together on this one. She''s not going to make it if we don''t do this. I need you all to listen very carefully. Baby, I want you to put her head on your lap and hold the sides of her head still.


    Evan, I need you to hold her arm very still. Micah and Becky hold her legs. It is critical that you do not let her move, none of you."


    "Josh, I want you to use your Phoenix fire and burn exactly on the artery when I open it up. Anywhere else, you might cause more damage. I only want you to cauterize the artery so it does not continue to bleed out. I''m sure you''re well aware that she will move around even though she''s knocked out; the pain will wake her up."


    "If you''re squeamish, just look away and do your part to hold her down."


    Becky was already in tears, shaking her head and trampling.


    "Becky, do you want your friend to survive? I know right now, as cruel as this sounds, but it''s the only way to save her life. If we continue to wait, she will lose too much blood to bounce back. We are not by a hospital where she can receive a blood transfusion."


    "Oh...okay... Becky said in a shaky voice as tears rolled down her face."


    "On the count of three. Get ready, everyone...Josh...1...2...3..."


    Duke pulled open the wound, exposing the torn muscle and artery as the blood pulse and squirted from the cut. Josh put fire to the tip of his finger as he quickly but gently pressed down on Kaysi''s artery in the wound.


    Ahhhh...Kaysi screamed, wrenching her head back and twisting it into the air back and forth. The pain was too much for her, and she passed back out. And tears rolled down her face."


    "Jesus, Josh, do you got it? Damn it, Kaysi, I am sorry I said as I laid my head across her shoulder."


    "I think I got it. I don''t see any more blood coming out." Josh sighed.


    "Let me see." Duke leaned over to get better lighting, looking into her arm. "Yes, you did it. You all can let her go and take a deep breath."


    Josh walked over to the other side of the trees and started to vomit.


    Becky was surprised. "I thought I would be the one getting sick right now." She got up, walked over, and rubbed Josh''s back.


    I stroked the hair back from Kaysi''s face. "Again, I''m sorry. I should have stayed closer to you. I''m not letting you go, I whispered in her ear."


    Duke put his arm on my shoulder. "Kid, warriors get hurt sometimes, even the best of them. You can''t get yourself up about this one. You did what you could to help her."


    "It''s time for us to head back Duke yelled to everyone."


    I picked Kaysi up again. Did I not notice it before? She felt much lighter than the last time I carried her like this.


    When we got to the medicine lounge, I placed on one of the cots, and the nurses came over and started sewing her wounds up.


    "We might be a bit overwhelmed at the moment, but they could see that your friend was in critical condition."


    "Thank you, Calian, for helping us out and getting us this far."


    "Is this the girl you said is missing memory?"


    Calian Jumps. "Grandmother, you have to warn a person before you sneak up behind them. I missed you, grandmother," he says as he hugs her.

 Chapter 44 - The Guilt

Chapter 44


    <div>


    Should have done something sooner."

 Chapter 45 - Brother hood

    Chapter 45


    JOSH-


    "What do you mean by no I asked him. Why would you not want to know more about your history with Kaysi?"


    "I just don''t... Okay!" Evan stood up and left the hut."


    "What is his problem?" Micah asked.


    Becky looked over at Micah and shook her head. Micah looked at Becky with confusion.


    "If there''s something you know, shouldn''t you let us know? Becky, Kaysi is our friend, so why would we not help her?"


    "Yes, Kaysi, you are my friend, but I was asked to keep his feelings quiet, and I wish to respect that."


    "I, more than anyone, should know what feeling guilty about Kaysi''s past means."


    "Which one of us has not exactly been the best of friends? But the stories I''ve heard and my closeness with her in this short time. I think her heart''s bigger than that."


    "Kaysi, how would you feel if you knew someone here potentially caused your memory loss? Not intentionally well, at the same time, the act was still Unforgivable."


    "I think forgiveness is within the heart of the person. Whether or not I forgive them depends on whether the person feels condemned for their actions. Do they sincerely feel remorse or wish to change it, or what actions have they displayed to become a better person?"


    "So far since I woke up out of my coma, a lot of things have happened, but I didn''t understand. I have recovered a lot of my memory. Yet there are still a bunch of gaps; maybe that is for the better. But I could forgive any one of you here. You all have saved my butt at one time or another. And anyone that might have intentionally hurt me back then, I could not see myself not forgiving you."


    "So that settles it, then," Micah blurts out. Any one of us she would forgive. So, let''s get her memory back and move on. I don''t think he is held to the same judgment as you, Josh, whatever Evan is feeling. Maybe you should go out there and talk to him."


    "You''re right, I can''t deny that, and at the end of the day, we almost face the music. I''ll be right back."


    Becky grabbed My wrist. " Josh, although we all know that you''re guilt that you feel may seem to be stronger. Also, respect that others may go through their trials and tribulations."


    "Yes, which makes me the best person to go and talk to my brother. I know more than anyone here that I shouldn''t be forgiven so easily."


    I got good at tracking. The many years that Benjamin taught me some of his skills. It is well known for how many times Kaysi and I crossed paths. But everyone knows that that was not a coincidence. I just don''t know what my brother''s thinking. What could he have done so badly that crushed his spirit when it came to Kaysi? Why would he go so far as not to want to recover her memory?


    As I followed the trail, I got further and further into the deepness of the forest. It was starting to get thick and viny. Something didn''t seem right. I felt as though I was being watched. My Phoenix fire wouldn''t let anybody come too close to me, so I''m not afraid of anybody trying to play tricks on me.


    I''m going to continue looking for my brother and fight whatever decides to show up. I''ll just make sure to keep my guard up. The nocturnal wildlife chirped and laughed in the woods, echoing in the trees.


    But I didn''t understand why the forest seemed to be changing from a woodland Terrain to a more rainforest climate. The ground became foggy, and the sky started to lightly mist. Could this be the cause of a demon or a natural occurrence?


    "EVAN, I yelled!" I lost track of his Trail. I hope he was somewhere nearby.


    "Brother, come out and talk. I should know better than anyone the guilt you may be feeling. But that''s still not how we treat our friends. She still should know the truth."


    "You know that is rich coming from you."


    Evan slowly walked out of the deep darkness and crept closer. I could still barely see his figure, as it was still quite dark. No form of natural light was around to help. The moon was hidden by the clouds. A light that came from the village was now smothered out between the deepness of the forest and the fog rolling in.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The sounds of the strange animal laughing started to become louder. The other animals of the forest became quiet. I think the quietness amplified the laughter. What animal was causing such a loud sound?


    "Evan, I think we need to head back. We can talk more about the subject when we''re back in the village."


    "No, do you want it so badly to come here and start patronizing me, knowing everything that you''ve done? You ain''t nowhere by far innocent. Yet you want to unlock her memories."


    "Yes, I feel as though it''s something that we can work out together. Whatever sins you think you''ve done, I don''t think amounts to what I''ve caused her. We had a conversation before I got here, and she says it doesn''t matter as long as you''re willing to change. No matter what, she''ll forgive you. She just asked that you show proof that you''ve changed."


    "That''s the thing: I''ve changed every time I''ve met her. And every time I''ve tried to start over. Change my identity and make new memories. And yet, I can''t stop myself from running away from her."


    "So, if you know her like you say you do. Then why is it so hard for you to face her."


    "I don''t know. Again, why are you trying to lecture me? You''ve done a lot of changing yourself. To the point people can barely recognize you. Yet they still give you the same disappointing look; you sicken them."


    "I know that, and I already expect that it''s not going to be easy to forgive me. I can''t go back in time and be right about the things that I''ve done. But just like Kaysi said, we can move forward."


    "There is no moving forward, not for you or me. It''s best if we keep her memory shut down and locked away. And hope that they never return."


    "Our memories are who makes us, including the bad ones and the good ones. We didn''t go through some of the bad things; we wouldn''t become the people we are today."


    "You''re not going to convince me," Evan said as he punched a tree behind him. A tree shattered and splintered, cutting a hole in the middle."


    "Is that how we want to go about this? Well, come on. If you want to fight it out, if you want to get some of that negative energy out, then let''s do it."


    The laugh of the forest grew louder and louder, almost distorting my thoughts. I could barely think straight.


    "How do you think about this? If I kick your ass, you come back to the village and take whatever punishment we''re about to get when her memories are restored. If you win, you can walk away, but I''m going to let you know right here and now. I''m not going to let you anywhere near her, but you might as well stop being a Waymaker. Because regardless of our emotions and intentions, we are to protect those around us."


    "Fine, but what do you know about friendships? Or any relationship for that matter cuz you''ve never been around."


    "Evan, you''re right, but I still don''t think you''re in your right mind, so I could beat you until it resets.


    The laughter turned to a voice that sounded like it was saying, "Fight...fight...fight." Was it an animal making the sound?


    We both matched each other''s punches, slugging each other in the face. We both stumbled. I had forgotten that my brother taught me a lot of our fighting moves when we were younger.


    "I know every move you used to use when you were a little kid. Did you forget that I was the one that trained you?" He said as he threw a wild right hook, which was dodged by my quick side-step, followed by a swift jab to the jaw.


    "Yeah, but little brother, no matter how much you think you''ve passed me, smarts, You may continue to try to humiliate me by calling me little brother, thinking you''re superior to me. But you forget I was born first and was the strongest."


    A sickening thud echoed in the forest as the punch connected with the side of my cheekbone. And I barely dodged hitting the tree.


    The tree was crushed and fell timbering to the Earth, crashing to the ground and shaking the forest.


    "Yeah, but I''m much stronger than what I used to be when we were younger too!"


    Something seemed unnatural about his strength. I have fought alongside his side for quite some time now. Was he holding back? Why would he do that when we needed him to fight at times that is full strength? He would have put the rest of us in danger by not using his strength properly.


    "Have you been holding back?" I braced myself against his onslaught, fists clenched tight, and eyes narrowed in his direction.


    No, I feel stronger tonight than I have before. Maybe it''s because you pissed me off more than I''ve been before. Everything about you pisses me off."


    Fury flashed in his eyes as he unleashed a flurry of punches fueled by his deep-seated anger.


    "Have you just been angry with me this whole time and have been holding it back?"


    Sweat streamed down my face as we traded more blows; my chest was tightening from exhaustion, and yet he still seemed unfazed. He hadn''t even started to break a sweat. Something doesn''t seem right.


    "Do you hate me that bad? You hold a grudge against me for what? Because I stayed by Dad''s side. I walked away as soon as you opened my eyes."


    I thought he was over the time I lived with Dad, but maybe he''s been holding it back this whole time. I followed behind. Perhaps he didn''t mean for me to come back with him.


    "Would you have been happier if I stayed with Dad? Would you rather I have kept on the path of evil? So you would have a chance to maybe one day face me and kill me. That way, your actions would be justified because I was evil!"


    No...Yes... It''s your FAULT...You didn''t. Evan grabbed his head and shook it back and forth as he spoke. You seem very confused and indecisive. Something seemed off and wrong with him.


    The laughter echoing changed from the words "fight to kill." It bounced off the forest, repeating, screaming, "Kill... kill... kill." That''s it. It has to be a demon; it can''t be an animal. Could it be a demon that''s affecting my brother?

 Chapter 46 - A gain or a loss

    Chapter 46


    Kaysi -


    "Look, Kaysi, it''s ultimately your choice if you want to restore your memories or not. Our memories are who make us," Becky said while she held her head down as if she was ashamed or feeling conflicted about something.


    "Becky tell me the truth what would you do in my situation?"


    "Before you make that decision, I need you to know that restoring your memory if this doesn''t work has consequences."


    "What do you mean by consequences? Do you mean I won''t be able to restore my memories safely?"


    "Not exactly; if you restore your memories, the trauma could cause you to relapse, thus causing you to lose all your memory again or more maybe permanently. Depending on the severity of the previous trauma will determine how much you lose at the time. You''ve already had a previous brain injury. Your mind could have been protecting you when you forgot before."


    "You may be right about that. So, I have to choose whether I want to restore my memories slowly and naturally. Rather, I want to regain them all to restore my sense of self. Becky, you have been my closest friend. Do you feel as though I''m (different) since I''ve lost my memories?"


    "To be quite honest with you sometimes... And other times, you act like your same old self. I just think it''s hard on some of us. We are not quite sure how you felt emotionally when your memories were being made. We are kind of afraid to push something or trigger something that may have been traumatic for you."


    "I would like some context. How so?"


    For instance, when you discovered that Baby was a person, you were very taken aback. However, she was just the family pet for ten years, starting when you were a young girl. You couldn''t recall her identity or the part she could have played in your life. Not to mention the day she revealed herself as your Guardian angel. I am certain that I would want my memories restored if I could. How else will I be able to recall all of my successes, all of the connections I made, all of my flaws, and all of my joyful times in life? I treasure and cherish every memory I have.


    "Then it''s decided that regardless of what happens, I wish to regain my memory. So what are the steps that we need to take to get my memory back?"


    "To restore your memory, you must find an object or a person of significant value, something that you hold dear."


    "How will she know what that is without restoring her memory? Micah said, with a puzzled look on her face.


    "That is for you to determine. I sense you will know when you find it."


    "Elder!" a guard barged in. We seem to be having a problem. The bandits are back in the town and heading this way! We need to take you somewhere else for safety!"


    "With the Bandits on the way, what can we do to help?"Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "I think it would be smart if you held back here. You can keep the bandits distracted for a short amount of time so we can get away." The guard said as he left with the Elder.


    Becky sighed. "This is one of the worst times for Josh and Evan to be gone. They acted like guard dogs."


    Micah rolled her eyes. "You''re just worried about Josh; we''re just going to have to make do with the people that we have here."


    We waited a few minutes waiting for the bandits to come through and ambush us. We all stood there with our weapons ready. It felt like too much time had gone by. I started to feel uneasiness."


    "We should step outside and see what''s going on. Too much time has gone by. The way the guard made it sound that the guards were right behind. Could they have gotten to them?"


    "Your instincts are normally right, so let''s double-check things. Becky agreed."


    James, but the quiet and shy voice that I could barely hear spoke. "If I may imply I personally think that we should look for Josh and Evan as well they''re taking quite some time."


    Micah elbowed him. It was nice to see you talking. "You really must be worried about your friend."


    "Evan tends to get in a lot of trouble. And so does his brother Josh. Hate to say it, but they might have killed each other." James said with an awkward half-smile.


    "Was that a joke, James?" Micah laughed. "That was cute. Alright, let us go then and look for all of them."


    "Where are the guards that normally keep their posts outside this Hut? Did they leave to go with the old lady?"


    Micah said, looking around. "For that matter, where are the bandits."


    "Baby and I can find some of the villagers and find the safe house. Maybe they went over there, wherever that may be."


    "Okay, thanks, Duke. You can call us on the Soursense whenever you figure out where they may be.


    "In the meantime, we will go looking around the town ourselves to see if we can get some answers. Also, could you check if Josh or Evan is anywhere around? Maybe they found the elder and got her to safety."


    "Kaysi? If Duke and Baby are looking for three people, maybe we should split to cover more ground. You and I can go looking for them, and Micah and James can group up and look as well, just to be on the safe side. Two people per group."


    "If you guys think it''s a good idea, then that''s what we''ll do. Come on, Becky, let''s go check some things out. We can cover the side of the forest. Duke and Baby are going into town. Micah and James, you both can look on the village outskirts."


    "Okay, Kaysi and Becky, be safe." Micah waved as she walked away.


    "So you decided to come with me to scout the outskirts of the woods because you want to find Josh, right?"


    "You caught me there." She laughed.


    "Do you think it''s a smart idea for me to go face Evan right now? He seems so mad at me about something. I know if we find Josh, we are bound to see Evan."


    "I don''t think that is the problem. As you may already know, you and him have a history together, and he seems to be hurt by something in the past. So don''t worry, it has nothing to do with you. Don''t beat yourself up like you must pay if you have some debt."


    Just then, the Soursense rang. We had only been out searching for a short amount of time.


    "Hello?" I answered as Becky put her ear up against the phone, trying to hear."


    It was Baby and Duke on the phone, and they had made it inside the village.


    "We talked around with a lot of the people. And didn''t find any information, at least not until we found the Elder''s granddaughter Zayiah and her brother Cailian. They took us to where the only safe house on the island was. The elder was not there."


    "After talking to a bunch of people around the town we found out that the guard took the Elder towards the outside of town towards the bandits'' hideout."


    "So you don''t think that means....?" Becky whispered, talking to me.


    "Yes, Becky." Baby said as she could hear her voice. "We think that the guard might have betrayed The Village."


    "What do you know why?" Becky questioned.


    "JOSH!" I shouted as I dropped the phone. I ran over to his side, and he was at the end of the forest clearing. He was lying face down. He had a bunch of cuts from what looked like a sword and a lot of missing blood.

 Chapter 49 - Villages last hope

    Chapter 49


    Kaysi -


    "I understand what you''re trying to say. If you want to use me as bait, I am more than willing to make something happen." I know what I said, but I wasn''t confident in my words.


    "Are you sure that will be a good idea? You''re a little beat up, Kaysi." Becky said, with sadness in her eyes. I believe that she knew that they didn''t have too many options.


    "We all are, and at this present time, we don''t have much of a choice. If you guys stay far enough away from me that he doesn''t catch on but close enough that if something terrible happens, you guys can be right there, and I should be fine."


    "Thank you for your sacrifice for my village," Cailian said. "I will be the first on the front lines to protect you. Most of you have already been beaten up for trying your best to save my village, and we still have a long way to go."


    Becky would have accompanied us, but we left her and Josh in the neighboring woods. Becky stayed back to care for his injuries. We''re hoping that Josh can recover before the actual conflict starts. He won''t be able to fight or anything, but at least doing this would prolong his life as we attempt to get Evan back.


    Duke said. "The first part of our plan was to locate Evan and draw him out while trying to stay undetected by the rest of the villagers,"


    "Everyone here seems to be zombified; the monkey demon''s effects must have gotten to them all. If there are any survivors, I''m sure they''re well hidden somewhere." Cailian said as he looked out at the people walking around by the bonfire circle.


    "If any of them got trapped when this happened and they hid inside the village, do you know where they might be? Micah asked out of curiosity."


    -Just then, we heard the cry of a small baby come from one of the nearby basement cellars.-


    "Normally, I would run headfirst, but unless that baby gets any louder, they have not attracted the villagers'' attention. But we must find a way to get to the people immediately. I said, suggesting to Cailian."


    Micah chuckled, "Thank you, Kaysi, for showing some restraint; I know it must not have been easy for you."


    "The cellar is accessible from the main kitchen mess hall. Once we get in, we can navigate the passage that descends into the underground cellar. We built it like that for natural cold storage from the chops the kitchen uses to feed the people."


    Baby looked at Calian and said, "You can lead the way; we will follow you. As of right now, I think we should all stay in a group; there are only a few of us and many of them. But we need to move quickly before the child attracts any attention."


    When we arrived at the village''s outskirts, we feared that the child''s cries had attracted considerable attention to the kitchen. According to what we saw, roughly four locals were attempting to find out how to get into the building.


    "They must have the doors locked. How are we going to get in to save the child and other people that may be down there?


    "I have a key, Cailian said. Thanks to my grandmother, I have six keys to many of the buildings around here."


    "So what are we to do? Are we going to fight them and then go in?" I said with uneasiness. "I don''t think that would be a great idea."


    "Actually, I have an idea," Micah said as she pulled out her tessen war fan.


    She blew one long puff of air toward the woods behind the villagers. It traveled down and through the woods, making it sound as though somebody rushed past them. It worked; it caught the villagers'' attention, and they left quickly to chase after what they thought were potential people.


    "Let''s move out quickly before they return, or that baby cry becomes any louder than it is now and attracts more attention."


    When we reached the root cellar, we found a mother and child. There were also what looked like a couple of other young villagers. They all seemed very frightened. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "We are not here to hurt you. We have not been infected like the rest of the villagers. We heard the cries of your child, and we came here to relocate you somewhere safer outside the village before they come after you."


    "I am sad my brother was one of the locals; he was attacked before we arrived here. These other folks are my neighbors, and they helped me get here. I''m sorry my kid cries a lot while she''s awake since her father passed away in the war. Usually, my brother comforts her. Also, I am sure it doesn''t help, but I am a first-time mother. She explained that she was bouncing and rocking the baby to quiet it down.


    "We have tried as well to help soothe the child." The neighbors said.


    "Here, give me the child. Micah said as she grabbed the baby. I flipped her over to her back."


    "Be careful with my child," the mother said, concerned. "Aren''t you a little young to be handling..."


    BURP... The baby let out a sigh as Micah turned her around.


    "Micah held her in her arms and looked at her. "There now, do you feel better?" The baby looked at Micah and cooed. "Here you go," Micah said as she returned the child to its mother.


    "How did you know what to do? You are very good with babies." The mother replied.


    "I help my uncle volunteer at the orphanage occasionally, and I ran into a couple of gassy babies.


    She sounded like she needed to let one rip."


    "Thank you so much. I will make a note of this. My daughter is only three months old. Her name is Faith, and I am Adageyudi; it means love."


    "That is cute. Well, it''s time for us to head out before we attract any more unwanted attention." Micah said.


    When we got to the kitchen doors, we looked out the window before leaving to ensure the coast was clear. Unfortunately, the villagers we had chased off before had returned, and there were more with them this time.


    "That village there the woman said, pointing; that is my brother. Somewhere in his subconscious, even though this disease rules him, a part of him must still be trying to get to us."


    "I don''t know what''s causing this disease officially, but we have an idea. But we''re going to do our best to save your brother and the other villagers. In the meantime, we may have to fight him; that seems the only way out of here. We promise not to cause permanent damages, but he may get roughed up a little."


    "Please do your best not to harm him. Also, where are we to go from here?"


    "We are relocating you to the emergency shelter. It''ll be much safer. There is something like a panic room that has food storage, and it''s reinforced," Cailian said as he patted the lady''s back. We will protect your brother. Now, we would like you to stay put until we knock them out. "


    "There''s enough of us here; if we work together, we can take them all out individually. The numbers are equal, from them to us," Duke said, pulling his guns out of his holsters and spun them.


    "Don''t you think that''s a little bit too much force?" James said


    "We were going to protect them, not kill them," Micah argued.


    "Micah, please have more faith in me. I am an angel; we are not to harm humans. I have tranquilizers in these guns."


    "Well, in that case, by all means, you should go first." Micah chuckled.


    "Not necessarily. If you guys are in a predicament, I have to use this, but you have to think the sound of a gunshot will attract more attention. So, this is more or less a last resort. I''ll be on standby and watch out for the surviving villagers."


    "I think we should get moving before more villagers get here," James said.


    For the most part, we were doing reasonably well; we knocked out seven villagers. "Wait, there were eight of them standing here. Where is that last villager?" I asked, looking around, staring back and forth, trying to pick up where he could have gone.


    "Damn it, Micah, watch out. With its mouth open, a ravenous villager sprung into the air; it was tempting to bite Micha on the shoulder.


    Bang!!! Duke shot the tranquilizer, and it pierced the man''s neck. That had to be a powerful tranquilizer. As he hit the ground, the man was immediately put to sleep.


    "We originally thought the virus was airborne. Which it very well still could be, but was he biting her to attempt to infect her?" I asked.


    "I''m not 100% sure," the duke said. "We should act as though they can. We need to get the rest of the villagers out of here immediately into the emergency shelter; that gunshot is sure to attract the rest of the infected people."


    Adageyudi came rushing out of her hiding spot. "You shot my brother. I thought you said that you wouldn''t do any harm to them."


    "No, ma''am, we didn''t. This here is a tranquilizer gun. It simply put him to sleep. He''s very much alive and breathing."


    "Oh, that is good; you scared me a little there."


    "We were very careful, so don''t you worry."


    Cailian because he knew where everything was and the quickest way to the emergency shelter nearby. Occasionally, an infected villager would pop up, and we knocked them down. Most of the villagers were deeper inside the village, and our location and the emergency shelter were on the outskirts.


    "The emergency shelter should be around the corner and up this hill. That''s not far left for us to go; we have to keep running a little bit more," Cailian said, speaking to the rest of our group as we ran. "


    "It''s a good thing the shelter is close. Because here comes the Infected," Micah yelled to the rest of the group.


    The female neighbor fell as we started to run up the hill. "It''s okay, go on without me!"


    "No way, not happening on my watch!" Micah exclaimed as she turned around. She and James lifted the girl into their arms and hoisted her arms over their shoulders.


    "I twisted my ankle. I''m only going to slow you guys down."


    "That''s why James and I are going to bury your weight; you just try to help us the best you can."


    All hope was lost once we finally got up the hill to the emergency shelter. We saw that the other half of the village''s infected people were surrounding the building standing before us. And there, in the middle of the group, was Evan!

 Chapter 50 - At the end of the line

    Chapter 50


    "Hey, you damn dirty ape! Are you looking for anybody in particular?"


    "What world do you think you''re doing?" Micah yelled at me with concern, as though I was crazy.


    "You get those people inside, and you can come back out and help me. In the meantime, I''m going to catch their attention and drive them off.


    From everything that I can tell, Evan seemed to be the main possessed one. He''s the first one who started acting funny before this all happened, and they seem to surround him as though he''s their leader.


    "All right, well, don''t do anything stupid. Just hold them off until we can get the other villagers to safety." Micah said as she gave Kaysi a high five. "And hey, Kaysi, don''t die! Micah said with a smile."


    I ran ahead of everyone up the hill of the rocky terrain to the emergency shelter. But first, I ran into the crowd. As I ran upwards, I kneeled down, scooping a handful of rocks and throwing them at the group. When they turned their attention to me, I shouted at them.


    "Hey, shrewdness, if you''re looking for something to hunt, I''m right here," I said as I scratched my head and armpit, imitating a monkey.


    Once I caught their attention, I made a sharp U-turn. I was headed in the opposite direction across the field so I could hide back in the woods. I hoped the trees and bushes would cloak me, buying me a little bit more time.


    I looked back and smiled. Well! I thought when I saw that the large village of infected people was at least following me. I''m leading them from the emergency shelter so the others can be safe. At first, the group that was initially chasing us veered off, and I could see our group just fighting the last couple of stragglers.


    All they have to do is make it through the door, and they will be safe. I breathed a sigh of relief. I myself was only a few hundred feet from the woods, and the people would be out of harm''s way. Everything was going according to plan.


    It was as if it couldn''t be helped, but at the worst possible timing, the small baby the woman had been carrying let out a large cry. Micah was fighting the last infected villager down the hill. Several hundreds of feet away, unable to soothe the baby to silence like she did before.


    I was hoping maybe the baby was gassy again, but the cries started attracting some of the infected villagers at the back of the pack of people chasing me. A line of my infected started to break off.


    Crap, I could see everything going on, but there was nothing I could do. I can''t get through this group of people safely and get to the other side.


    "Damn it, we need a miracle here!'' I shouted. There wasn''t much else I could do! Were they going to get infected, too?


    A giant wall of ice arose across the field, freezing the path between the villagers and the emergency shelter. I  blocked my group of infected people from going any further towards the group.


    It was Becky who was finally able to get Josh somewhat conscious enough that she could move him, but he looked like he was ready to pass out at any time. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Thank you. I shouted, Get to the emergency shelter."


    Becky gave me a thumbs-up as she collapsed, her knees hitting the ground with Josh. At least there were no villagers nearby so that she could catch her breath. That''s all she could muster to do. She''d been using a lot of power to heal Josh. I am sure it didn''t help having to carry him, and now this, she probably burned up the last bit of her strength.


    The others will soon be safe now that Micah has finished the last infected villager. Now, with the ice wall, I could focus on the remaining half of the infected. The village was small, but there had to be at least 80 to 100 infected villagers. For me, alone, that''s an army. I felt a little panicked.


    Once inside the woods, the large group of infected villagers running across the ground began to leap into the trees and swing from the vines. The monkey demon''s possession gave them supernatural powers and animal-like behaviors.


    "Sorry to tell you stupid apes, but I have no bananas for you," I said, mocking them. Throwing out a little sarcasm is all I can muster up right now.


    I don''t have any plans, nor could I think of too many options.  If I tried to take on this many, I may get carried away and end up harming more people than I intended. However, I might not have an option. I do not wish to be possessed or killed.


    Unfortunately, as of right now, I don''t have anywhere to turn. The only way we can get rid of the infected is to get to the main monkey demon. How, though, will I get the demon out of Evan, much less get close enough to do anything?


    Looking back, I saw the infected villagers closing in closer and closer on foot and above my head in the trees.


    I was not paying attention and did not notice that I was on a large cliff. I ran at full speed off of it, splashing far into the deep waters of the enormous river.


    The villagers came running after most of them stopped short and hit the entrance of the water or a few feet out words off the cliff''s edge next to the shore.


    From where I landed, there was no shoreline in sight. A strong current dragged me down far out into the enormous waters. I tried swimming sideways at an angle to the current but was unsuccessful.


    The current was powerful. There was ample room where the deep waters flowed down into a waterfall. But I could no longer swim. After running nonstop for the past several days, my body had run out of stamina. Beyond the waterfall downstream, I saw several rapids as far as the eye could see with no end.


    I gazed back at the villagers¡ªall those who went into the water were behaving like humans again. I am guessing the monkeys'' demons, much like real monkeys, dislike water and wash away from the victims.


    When they were attacking, I did not see Evan. Where was he when I last looked? He once stood in the center of a vast group of infected, yet it appeared as though everyone present was now in the water.


    I searched around the shoreline, looking at the edges of the trees. There, following me, was Evan. He was running on all fours, still possessed by the monkey demon.


    He sadistically smiled down at me. Before I closed my eyes, I tried to embrace the rapids and hope I survived.


    -Evan/demon monkey-


    (Evan, floating in the darkness of his consciousness, could see everything. He was aware of all that was happening but unable to control any of his physical body''s


    The demon monkey followed Kaysi through the trees down the rapids until her body floated to a nearby sandbar. The monkey demon rushed over and pulled Kaysi the rest of the way out of the water.


    "Okay, let''s start CPR and get the water out of her lungs!"


    "Boy, who do you think I am?" the monkey demon said to Evan. I have no intention of saving her. I pulled her away from the water so it wouldn''t do to me what it did to the other demons."


    "Don''t you lay a finger on her Evan shouted in his mind!"


    (No, we could hear him, but the monkey demon that had possessed his body.)


    "Ever since I took over your body and mind, all I have heard you talk about is this girl. She must be very precious to you. He said, stroking her hair. Which is why this will be all the more sweeter to devour her while you watch!"


    "Nooooo! Evan cried out!"


    The monkey demon bent down and licked the blood off of Kaysi''s forehead. Where she had split her head open on one of the rocks coming down the rapid, he continued to her cheek and down to the jugular of her neck. Evans''s demon-possessed body grew fangs as a monkey demon''s power grew stronger from the human blood. Baring his sharp fangs, He attacked, sinking their teeth into Kaysi''s throat.

 Chapter 51 - Unhuman

    Chapter 51


    -Evan-


    No, no, the monkey demon was soon to devour Kaysi before my eyes. And in my body, she will be killed by my own hands.


    I have so many regrets. There were so many things that I didn''t have a chance to make right.


    I have been fighting for so long, trying to get control of my body back. How can I stop this?


    I let myself get so angry over the guilt that I felt. I started to blame myself when I left her back in middle school. She was in so much pain she suffered because I wasn''t by her to protect her anymore.


    I also did not tell her the truth about who I was this whole time. I lied and even tried to change my appearance and change my name.


    Then, I didn''t even recognize her when she went to hell. I let her slip through my hands. Much less the fact I hesitated to even go after her.


    I was never honest with her about my real emotions. I knew I had fallen in love with her, and I felt scared about losing another person close to me.


    Ugh...I can''t get control over my body. My throat felt dry and like it was going to close up.


    Am I to suffer this feeling? Is this my punishment for everything I have done? I can feel the fangs that grew in my mouth. And the taste of her blood in my mouth. I felt my teeth piercing her neck. My skin crawled, and my face felt hot. I thought I was going to be sick.


    She is going to die by my own hands, and I have so much I have to apologize for. There is so much I need to make right.


    The demon laughed as all I could do was scream loudly in my head. The monkey demon is going to kill Kaysi with my own hands. He continued to laugh and mock me.


    Wait...He was distracted. Something was going on. I don''t think the monkey demon is aware of it!


    Kaysi''s skin began to glow, and her sword, sitting close by, also started glowing. Now might be my chance. If I focus all my energy on one area, like my arm, I might be able to grab the sword. I am unable to control my whole body, but if I can do something to end this, even if that means sacrificing my own life, I can spare Kaysi.


    Maybe it was just more guilt overwhelming me, but I didn''t want Kaysi to suffer any more pain from me. If that means I die, to end things, then so be it.


    I thought as I attempted to move towards the sword. I concentrated all my attention on the core of my existence, body, mind, and soul, on my arm.


    YES!!! I was able to grasp the sword. I moved the sword fast to slice my neck. I wanted to cut off my head and my life in an instant. Thank you, Kaysi, for standing at my side, I thought as I swiftly moved the blade to end things.


    NO...! Wait, I couldn''t move my arm, I thought as I opened my closed eyes. I felt hopeless. Had the demon regained control?


    There before me stood Kaysi. She looked unhuman, clothed in a bright white light, with angelic wings coming from her back. Her eyes glowed like the purple hazy clouds of the Galaxy, and her hair shined and blew in the wind. Yet there was no current or breeze, just calm.


    She held my arm, and the sword was no longer in my hand. It was in hers; somehow, she had pierced the monkey demon.


    It was so strange; I felt a sharp pain, like something ripped from my chest. Originally, I thought it was the sword, but I figured I might have missed it.


    The monkey demon evaporated like ash in the wind.


    She turned to me, and she was super close to my face. I had finally regained complete control over my body again, but I couldn''t move. I stood there, locked in her eyes. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    EvAn NoT YeT yOu MuSt WaIt! : Kaysi''s words spoke unnaturally through into my mind like she had some telepathic power.


    The glowing around her stopped as she fell into my arms.


    "EVAN!!! Becky was first to see me right as Kaysi had fallen into my arms."


    "Is she okay? I don''t see any wounds, but I see a lot of dried blood everywhere on her." Becky asked, looking Kaysi over.


    "Somehow, her wounds had healed up, but as you can see from the dried blood, she had a lot of deep injuries." I was just as confused as Becky, and I watched everything happen.


    "She seems to be okay now. You can tell me what happened as we hurry back to the village. Your brother is in organ failure because he lost so much blood during your battle, at least what we''re guessing." She said, looking at me with anger. "Nobody here has his blood type but you. We need to hurry, or he''s going to die."


    I didn''t have time to discuss things with Becky. "I am on it. I will carry Kaysi down back to the village."


    "Don''t..." Kaysi woke up holding her head. "My head hurts like hell right now, but I will be fine."


    "Kaysi! Are you sure you''re okay?" Becky shouted accidentally with excitement. "Man, you recovered fast!" she said in disbelief.


    "Ouch, my head." Kaysi just squinted her eyes at Becky and chuckled.


    "Oops, my bad, sorry!"


    "Do you remember anything?" I asked out of fear and blame.


    "No, I don''t, except for falling down the waterfall. But I''m guessing something happened since you''re in your right mind. As of right now, we need to hurry to Josh, which is why we have been fighting to get you back. He''s not in good condition."


    As we returned to the village, I continued asking Kaysi if she was okay. She continued to reassure me that she didn''t remember anything and was just fine. When we got back to the emergency shelter, everyone in the village was doing better, and they had started to come out cautiously and slowly.


    Cailian was standing at the entrance of the emergency shelter, waiting for us since everything had calmed down.


    "Hurry in...I have your brother laying on a cot that we have inside the shelter and one of our medics standing by watching him for now, but his vitals are dropping drastically," Cailian said in a cold voice towards me.


    Was he angry that I had caused everything to happen here? Probably, but right now, he''s respectfully focused on my brother''s well-being, so I''ll do that, too.


    I barely got through the door, and the medic shut the needle in my arm. "Come lay next to your brother. We have another cot for you."


    Once, in the room with my brother, I could see that he was very pale and cold to the touch. How long had he been like this? Again, this is all my fault. All I can do is try my best to help him now, and I hope he gets through this.


    "Something I don''t understand is why the demon powers in my brother not heal him like they''ve done before. They give everyone else superhuman strength?"


    "Well, Evan." Duke said, "I don''t believe the demon Phoenix is in your brother''s body anymore."


    "So how is he using the powers of the demon phoenix then?" Becky asked, confused.


    "As you know, the demon that was created to go into Josh was artificially made by his father, who implanted it into him. He must have used the energy of a cherub to create it. And when the Phoenix was reborn, it returned to its natural state of light."


    "You mean when its heart stopped once before," Becky said as she looked at Josh.


    "I assure you, give him a couple more minutes, and he should wake up," the medic said as she overlooked his vitals, trying to comfort Becky, who was obviously worried. All of us, even the medic, could see that Becky looked lost next to my brother. Even though she didn''t know her, I could see the love she had for him.


    "No need; I''m already up," Josh said as he squeezed Becky''s hand. We must get the chief elder back and have time to sit around here," Josh said as he lay still in the bed, too weak to move.


    "How did you know about that situation?" Kaysi asked.


    "Hold up, is the chief elder missing as well?" I had been out of the loop for so long that I knew nothing of what was happening around here at all.


    "I informed Josh when he came to this last time before passing back out," Becky said. "Given your current condition, maybe it wasn''t the right decision to make, but I figured he needed to know. I told him everything that was going on because he asked me."


    "Well, Josh, as of right now, you are not in good condition to be doing anything. We will handle the situation ourselves while you stay here and get more rest," Cailian said. "As soon as everything is better, you guys need to head home so you can get better treatment. Our village medical is minimal; they can do enough to help you survive but nothing else."


    (Some of the villagers walked in as we were speaking.)


    Villager 1: We also want to help you get the chief back!


    "I can''t ask you to fight this battle; depending on the size of the troops, we may need a little help. But we don''t want our group to be too large. It will get spotted. We can infiltrate the territory, get the chief, and return home. I rather got about things that way." Cailian was wise to limit the people. I can see how that would work to our advantage.


    Villager 2: I use a small group for hunting; they''re quiet and quick, and we could help you.


    Gather them and meet me back here while the rest of the group gets cleaned up. I want you guys patched up and fed before we leave; we''ll need all our strength. Cailian spoke as though he was including us as equals along with his villagers. I believed we finally earned his respect.

 Chapter 52 - Bandits and grandmother

Chapter 52


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 Chapter 53 - The first Gatekeeper

    Chapter 53


    Kaysi-


    "So we''re going to the chief''s hut, but we''ve already been here before; I don''t understand," I asked Cailian.


    "Inside this room, another secret room leads to some of the tunnels built under the village.


    Much like the underground cold storage underneath the buildings, they provide another secret space to protect and keep the first manuscript concealed."


    "Our duty as the Keetowah people is to bridge the gap between heaven and Earth. We were like way makers before they were formed, but we didn''t venture out to help the rest of the world. We stayed confined to our small village and surrounding neighbors."


    "I must warn you that opening the first document comes with a price. As you already know, as my grandmother said, once the veil is falling, there''s no turning back. All we can do is try to stop the events to come. Once the first document is opened, it will release a terrible Beast known as the Leviathan."


    "Wait a minute, did you say Leviathan? He does not live far from here, right?"


    "Yes, but how would you know this information? It has been our duty to keep that beast dormant.


    "When we were coming here on the ferry, a giant creature, like a little leviathan, almost crashed the boat. A massive storm and whirlpools formed around it, pulling us in. The captain couldn''t see the beast, but we were able to guide him around it."


    "No, that''s impossible until the seal is removed from the first manuscript. The beasts of hell are not supposed to be released! Only those with the gift of divine sight can see the beasts!


    "What...? Did you say Beast of hell? What kind of creature is that and why would you guys have a document that would release it?"


    "We did as God told our ancestors to put on the seals on the scrolls. See, the beasts stand within the gates of hell. Each manuscript contains the location of a key, a beast, and the knowledge to shut the door. It was once said that if all seven gates were to open, the entire world would cease to exist.


    "You''re telling me the Leviathan was found, but no one heard the first trumpet. The trumpet is sounded when the gate opens, and the seal on the first manuscript is broken. We must hurry to the treasure chamber to confirm what''s happening."


    When we got there, a large door to the treasure chamber opened. Cailian pulled a necklace from his shirt that held a strange symbol similar to the top of an old Skeleton Key.


    "What is that that you''re holding?"


    "This is a key that was passed down through the generations of my family. It seals this door. It is but a piece of the key of hell. There are seven pieces in total."


    "I will place the key within the door." Duke and Baby, please help me open the door. Only a divine spirit and someone who can wield the key can open the door."


    "The three of them pushed the door open. Behind the door was a room full of jewels and treasures mined from all over the world. Some were recognizable, like diamonds, amethysts, rubies, and more. There were also other jewels that looked unnatural.


    I picked up one of the stones and examined it. "What is this rock here?" I asked cailian.


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    "It is an unpolished moonstone that came out of a crater once a piece of the moon fell. In this room are many precious jewels, gems, and rocks; these are our treasures from our ancestors."


    A small wooden chest with a gold frame and locks stood in the middle of the room. Cailian placed his key in it and opened the box.


    "Well, that tells us all the information we need to know. Baby interrupted."


    We turn to look at her, confused by her random statement.


    "As you know, we''re not allowed to intervene in certain cases of humanity. The box you touched was only meant for those with pure heart¡ªonly the key wielder could open it."


    "To put it simply, you may have the key, but it would only open if you were pure of heart. If you were not, you would have died to touch it. You said you served in the army, but your grandmother said you never spelled a drop of blood." You genuinely are pure of heart. Your destiny as a gatekeeper has already been decided."


    "What do you mean, the GateKeeper?" Cailian asked, confused, never having heard this side of the story from his ancestors.


    "Open the box and read the scroll of the manuscript, and all will make sense." Duke gestured his hand in a go-ahead motion.


    "My family and ancestors have written the manuscript here. The Keetowah people speak about how humanity would break the first seal. Then, the gate would open in response to the seal being broken, which was only a matter of time. It could happen within a few hours to a few years."


    It says here that if all the gates open, mankind will end. It also says that each manuscript has a known GateKeeper. The gatekeeper would hold the key to humankind, and only once the land and its people were restored could the beast be revealed and slain. Only then would the door be shut."


    "So then, who was it that opened the first seal? The portals have been opening for quite some time."


    "Man opened the first seal. We''re not sure if it was an ancestor or my grandmother. But now that the first one is open, the other ones will begin to open. We must defeat the beast and close the first gate."


    "There is more information here, Cailian continued. You must find the other manuscripts and restore the people''s land within that area. For it is written that only after the sins of man, wherever rebuked, can the door close and peace be restored to the land. As humanity, we must pay for our sins and ask for forgiveness, and only then can the land be healed."


    "So, the demons that took over the village were just the ending of the suffering in your village."


    "Yes, my grandmother spoke about how her sins brought pain to our village. This was probably why the Leviathan had woken. My grandmother, when she passed, asked for forgiveness. For her deadly sin of envy amongst the world bound the people. Once released, she all finally had a chance to heal." You will soon fully know why this all happened.


    "Maybe that''s why you came back at the time that you did. Destiny called you home to put an end and seal the gate."


    "Yes, Duke spoke, and the only way for all seven gates to be resealed is once we''ve collected all the keys. We must seal the gates of hell all at once. As a gatekeeper, I must watch and wait to seal the door. Once the Leviathan is concord, you must guard and watch the gate and let no sin further open the door."


    Baby included, "You can close it, but you cannot seal it. Not at least without the other remaining keys, understand? As the new chief of this land, you must see that Envy does not grow in the hearts of your people or that the door will open FULLY! Releasing an overwhelming amount of demons."


    "Do you wish to accept the Divine gift you have been given to be the GateKeeper and keep watch over Humanity?" Duke asked Cailian.


    "Of course I do. I came here to help my people and promised my grandmother I would become their Chief."


    "Then, by God''s Authority and divine grace, I grant you the power to seal the darkness."


    Cailian''s piece of key was formed into two chakram weapons, one in the shape of the Sun and the other in the shape of the Moon.


    Baby told Cailian. "This gives you the power much like the way makers but a hundred times stronger. You will have the power to vanquish the Leviathan. We must go to the water soon and destroy him only once he reemerges. But first, you must fully heal ALL your people''s hearts. Open their eyes and take the curse of envy from them."


    "Besides my people, others in my sister''s village need deliverance."


    "Yes, and I believe you know who those people are that you must help."


    "Yes, our sister Village. They are a very proud group. We need help rebuilding. When I return with our twin cousins, I will ask their people for help."


    "The twin cousins that I saved from the tiger demon? I asked Cailian."


    "Yes, with us rescuing them, I hope they may take heart and help our people."


    "Then what are we waiting around for? Let''s ask for their help rebuilding. We can also use this opportunity to find out how else we can help them!

 Episode 54 - The sister village

Episode 54


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 Chapter 55 - The Mayors secret

Chapter 55


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 Chapter 56 - Murder

    Chapter 56


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    - Looking at his injuries, I was unsure if he would heal. They seemed fatal and rather large. -


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    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "We struggled over land for many years until my grandmother established an agreement among the villages, so they had to remove her since she wasn''t cooperating. They pursued her repeatedly until they learned to combine demons, causing this turmoil."


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 Chapter 57 - Family first

    Sister Villager #1 female) Oh yeah, I know where he''s at, but why does that matter to you?


    We need to ask him some questions about the murder of Mayor Ray. He was suspected to possibly have some knowledge of what might have transpired.


    Sister Villager #2 male) It''s not your business to do an investigation with our vice mayor, Christopher. He might have done us a favor by removing Ray from his post.


    Ray''s daughter ) How could you say that? What if that was one of your family members?


    Sister Villager #2 male) Just look at what he''s done to you. Ever since he became mayor, you turned into a spoiled little brat. She is entirely ignorant of what''s happening and the world around her. This isn''t murder. This is diplomacy. And after all the help we''ve gotten, and still don''t even have our homes back, the way makers and the chief of the other Village should leave. Let us handle our own affairs.


    I could see that Micah couldn''t hold back her emotion. The more the male villagers spoke, the redder her face got.


    Look, I''ve lived through the same situation as you. I come from a small neighborhood that is a part of the suburbs of the central city. For many years, gangsters and thugs threatened our way of life, including killing my cousin, who was a sweet, innocent child. And then, once we started to move on with our lives, our governor took an interest in the growing community and businesses in the area and has been plotting to push some of the middle-class and poor people out of the city so they could take over and bring wealthier people in. It''s pretty much a move-up or move-out kind of situation.


    We are doing everything in our power to get your homes back, and we''re really close to figuring out how to fix this. If the bandits are the ones who have been luring in the demons to both our village and yours, and they own the construction company that''s building your homes, this whole condition that you people have been enduring is pointless.


    "How about this?" Cailian spoke. We''ll do what we did the last time and leave it up to the village people you want us to leave, and you guys handle your own affairs. You can vote. For those who want us to stay and finish the investigation, the same rule applies to voting. As we all have already acknowledged, your people are being enslaved, pushed out, and harassed.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Ray''s daughter) "Let''s make this a vote of hands. You will raise your hands based on the vote you wish to cast."


    "That sounds fair." Cailian agreed." all who vote for us to further our investigation and possible arrest of Vice Mayor Columbus, raise your hand.


    The vote for continuing the investigation was won by a landslide. Almost 70% of the remaining Villagers favored us and hoped to get their homes back.


    Sister Villager #2 Male) Oh, come on, people! If Columbus really is at fault for Ray''s death, he would be doing us a favor, and given that he''s our vice mayor. What is our plan B for having someone in charge of our village? Did you idiots ever think about that? You people cannot lead yourself out of a paper bag.


    - Micah did a Spinning Back Kick to the male villagers'' heads, knocking them out.


    "I''m sorry," Micah said. I was doing everyone a favor here by knocking that guy out.


    Baby rubbed her head. You know, violence is not always the answer. I can''t say I blame you for this moment, though. Baby chuckled.


    - The Village People looked at the guy who passed out on the floor and nodded their head.


    Ray''s daughter ) Now that we got that out of the way. I personally will take you to Columbus. There is no way I will let him get away with my father''s death.


    Micah, I walked up to Ray''s daughter and grasped both of her hands. I promise you we won''t let him get away with this. They said, "I would like to know what your name is."


    "My name is Matilda. And I know I was a bit of a brat before, but thank you for saving me. And thank you for helping me now. Columbus will be at his job site today. He should be finishing up one other house. Just follow me."


    - Only a few workers once the group arrived at the job site.


    Micah approached one of the workers and asked if Columbus was anywhere to be found.


    Sister Village construction worker ): "Yeah, he came into work late today. He''s inside the house right now," he said while pointing to the building at the end of the road.


    Micah marched right down to the house. Sure, he ripped open the door. I made eye contact with Columbus. She looked at his name tag on his vest; it read Columbus.


    "So you''re the one that killed Matilda''s father," I said as she grabbed the collar of his vest.


    "No, I have no clue what''s going on. I''ve been at work all day." He tried to put on a front until he saw Becky and me.


    "Damn it, it''s you too again. I thought I shook you off my tail. I guess I will have to exterminate you to keep things quiet." He said as he slowly started to transform into the bull.


    "What are we going to do?" Becky asked Baby. "He is still half human, so we can''t execute him like we did the demons."

 Chapter 58 - Let not your anger

Chapter 58


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 Chapter 59 - Columbus a load of bull

Chapter 59


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    In a quick instant, Micah looped a second rope around his horns! "WE GOT HIM! Now pull tight, everyone!"

 Chapter 60 - You wanna challenge me

    Chapter 60


    When Duke and Cailian finally walked into the council room, it had been a long and pressing night. Most of our people had started to fall asleep sitting in the chairs, even waiting for the interrogation to be over.


    "Did you find any information on where he may be keeping the people?"


    "No, but after thoroughly searching his belongings, he located the blueprints, which show tunnels underneath the houses.


    "Maybe that''s where the demon rabbits are coming from? It could be something like burrows that they created."


    "Yes, but the tunnels appear to be highly deliberate. We believe it was organized as a set-up for removing some of the villagers and allowing the mayor and others to go, as he stated in the discussion between Mayor Ray and Columbus." Cailian said.


    "Now that we have some of the blueprints, we can navigate through the tunnels on the map and locate the people in theory," Duke said.


    "In theory? You say that as though you''re unsure?" Josh asked Duke.


    Duke walked over and placed a map of the blueprints on the table. "That''s, unfortunately, the blueprints for. Fairly basic. There are a couple of areas that look like they could have held the people, but he did not specifically mark anything that would indicate this was an area where he was holding people. We''re guessing to keep the rest of the crew quiet, okay? Say he came across his blueprints."


    Cailian points to an area on the map: "This area and the tunnel sections are the two largest areas on the map. It could house the people. I think it''s best that we split into two groups and investigate these areas. If one of us comes across the people, we should attack each other so we can help return to the other location and assist people. I have people working on making a separate map."


    Matilda stepped over to our group, huddled around the table. "I want to go and help out as well."


    Cailian looked over at Matilda and shook his head. "I doubt that''s a great idea. You don''t have any forms of weapons. There''s no clue as to what we may encounter down there, and we already know that we''re going to have to get through the rabbit demons even to get there.


    "You saw the situation with Columbus. I might have been raised as a spoiled little girl, but I can hold my own. If it wasn''t for me, you may not have pinned down Columbus the bull without my help. Also, if you remember, when we were kids, I remember quite a few times that I pinned you down and kicked your butt," she said as she stared Cailian down aggressively, waiting for him to argue."


    "Yes, well, this is also very young. I''ve been deployed since then, and if something happens to me, who will be able to lead the people?"


    "All right, class is now in session," Cailian joked. "Lined up here, I have three tests that showcase your skills and use of the chakram. Test one would showcase your throwing accuracy, the second is range, and the last is your strength. For the first one, you have to make sure you hit these five targets lined up. Could you try to make sure you get them as centered as possible?


    "Okay, it does seem like it should be that hard."


    "Oh, did I mention that you''ll have to ride on a horse? It would allow us to see your ability through unpredictable movements and the case for being ambushed in an attack."


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    "Oh, that''s going to be fun. I used to do cattle tie-down well horseback riding, if you remember. We had competitions, and I got the gold first place in at least three of those years. Why don''t we have a little challenge? Let''s see if you can rope cattle before I hit all five targets."


    "Challenge accepted. I''ve been needing to practice my roping skills for a minute now since our battle with Columbus."


    "See, the problem is the sweet little village boy moved out to join the Army and got lazy."


    "Oh, do you think? We will see about that."


    Becky giggled. Kaysi, are we witnessing some chest talking here? I put my bet on Matilda, and she''s right about him being Rusty."


    "I second that. Matilda could win. Said Micah.


    "Now, hold on! Evan said. You can''t count Cailian now; she was under a lot of stress before."


    "On the contrary!" James said, "People have been known to do better once put under pressure if he''s having issues on the battlefield. I don''t know why a small competition would be any different, especially since he''s needed as a chief. Being able to protect his people, he''s going to have to get used to the chakram."


    "We already know when James speaks his word, he''s spot on. I''d say Matilda''s going to be the winner of this competition. We don''t know what he has in store for the other challenges, so we can''t count them completely out," Duke interjected.


    "What do you think about this? Josh asked, Baby?"


    "Well, I was once the country girl myself. And then, given the nature, it''s down in my roots, so my vote would have to be with Matilda."


    "So you''re saying you don''t think Cailian is very country-grown?"


    "I can''t say I''ve seen too many reasons. Then again, we don''t know what he used to do when he was in the village reservations anyway, so maybe he''s not to be underestimated. I''d have to say my vote is 50/50."


    "Well, in that case, 50/50 for me as well, but I''m leaning more towards Cailian. Maybe the accident with the bull was just a fluke, the luck of the draw, so to speak."


    "Oh look, they''re ready." Kaysi pointed to the two Riders.


    Cailian saddled on one of his horses with his traditional bareback pad saddle. He wore native chaps with tassels and lace with beautiful turquoise patterns down the legs. Cailian held the rope in his hand, prepped and ready.


    Matilda wore her family''s Western-style dress and a traditional cowgirl outfit with native patterns from her family''s lineage. It was a crossbreed of modern and traditional cultures. She had the chakram hanging from her saddle for easy grip.


    "All right, Duke. I would appreciate it if you would be our referee." Cailian said, "You seem like an old-fashioned man of sorts. You seem to have a keen eye for detail."


    "That you would be correct, sir, and I would not mind the privilege of being your referee," he said with a chuckle, acting as though he was bowing and tilting his hat.


    "Duke pulled out of his pocket one of his handguns."


    "Don''t you think that''s a little bit too much firepower to start the races with? Evan teased?"


    Duke said. "Not at all! He spun his gun on his finger as it flipped and turned into a starting pistol."


    Evan and I were shocked. "Wait, you''re saying that things can change into different gun types?"


    "Not necessarily. I just particularly like guns. You could call me a gun connoisseur. I can actually turn this into any weapon that I choose, much like Baby''s Tekk¨­ kagi claws. She can choose to wield it into whatever weapon, but she likes hand-to-hand. I''ve only rarely seen her turn it into Bagh nakh or even a pair of studded brass knuckles."


    "Badass!" Josh said, Well, eyeballing Duke''s new weapon."


    "Over time, you''ll find that your weapons can evolve into something a bit different as well."


    "Sweet, can we make our weapons even more dope than they are? Evan said as he looked further at his sword."


    "I''ve always been curious about that. Kaysi said, looking at Evan''s blade. Evans''s blade looks almost identical to mine."


    "That''s for you guys to decide. It was more connected to you, too, than what you know."


    "Which is the exact reason why I should go. Your well-being is more important than mine when it comes to the future of the village. Your grandmother put you in charge for a reason, and your leadership skills definitely show. I''ve been nothing but a spoiled brat until now, even cursing out the very people who came to help us. Something more serious comes up, and I''ll make sure to get out of the way."


    "You''re not going to give up, are you?" "Sigh..." "You can come with us, but you stay close. And because I have double weapons, I''ll give you one of my chakrams that you could use to protect yourself. I''m just going to have to give you a short tutorial on how to use it before we leave. If you can figure it out, you can come with us."


    "That is fine; I am sure we both could use some practice since you are new to this as well.

 Chapter 61 - Duel old rusty vs. the young and spoiled

    Chapter 61


    <div>


    The crowd of onlookers had gathered near the corral, eager to witness the challenge between our two skilled friends. 1 rusty traditional warrior, the other a homestead spoiled brat who, somewhat rusty, still tried to be true to herself and had finally found her way home.


    Lined upside stood Matilda, her stance firm on the horse, ready to go. She twirled the unfamiliar  in her fingers.


    On the other side of her was Cailian - once roper, now out-of-practice warrior ready for the starting gun from Duke.


    A single calf stood in the corral, ears twitching, ready to bolt. Across the open field,  had been set up, their painted bullseyes daring Matilda to prove her skill.


    The moment the signal was given,


    She snapped her wrist with experienced reactions, most likely based on muscle memory for wiping and rope. Sending the glistening chakram whizzing into the air. The metal ring spun as quickly as a hawk diving for its prey, piercing through the first target with a harsh bang!


    Cailian swore under his breath, "Damn," and was jolted into action. He swung into motion, coiling his lasso, and his eyes locked on the calf, which had already begun to dart away from his horse.


    she quickly retrieved the chakram, adjusting her grip before hurling it again.  She smirked. " Come on, Cailian, the calf''s not even old enough or mature enough to be classified as a sire. He''s still about a wee babe, slow and not too much trouble!" She mocked.


    "I don''t want to hear it. You have three targets left!" Cailian huffed.


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    "I''ll get the other two targets before you get that calf roped! She glared at Cailian, sure of herself, as she pulled up on the horse''s reins and spun around her horse, which did a complete 360 turn.


    "That is a cool move." Evan admired!


    "So you are questioning your pick?" Kaysi asked.


    Nah..no.... I am not sure Cailian is still going to win.


    Cailian, grumbling, sprinted after the calf. His boots pounded against the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust as he swung his lasso overhead. The rope whistled through the air¡ª


    Matilda didn¡¯t even look at Cailian. Her chakram flashed in the light as she relaunched it.


    Cailian cursed again. He repositioned, his heart pounding as the calf twisted and turned. The animal was quick and unpredictable. He felt the eyes of the thicking crowd on him, their murmurs feeding his frustration. "Come on, this ain''t my first rodeo."


    Matilda¡¯s fourth throw was rushed.  She hissed under her breath - "now is not the


    Cailian took his chance. He swung the rope once more, muscles remembering their old strength. This time -  The lasso looped around the calf¡¯s neck, and he pulled the animal to a halt with a sharp tug.


    had to make it this throw count.


    Focusing, she inhaled deeply, eyes locked on the target. With one swift motion, she hurled the chakram, its edge catching the last gleam of sunlight as it spun through the air¡ª


    The crowd cheered as the final strike landed, lined up Just seconds before Cailian was to secure the calf fully.


    Matilda turned and hit the final target, breathless


    Cailian scoffed, but a slight grin tugged at his lips.


    She tossed the chakram in the air, catching it smoothly.


    The two nodded in respect. The challenge was over, but I think their rivalry was far from settled. "I am sure these two will keep each other in line."


    We ran over to them. Micah patted Matilda''s back! "Good job Matlida we knew you could do it."


    "Okay time to pay up!" Becky smiled at the other team.


    Matilda and Cailian shook hands. "You can definitely come with us to the tunnels. And I''m not going to lie I need a little practice. But maybe you could help me out with perfecting my skills."


    "I think we both could learn from each other. I need to learn what it''s like to take care of my people and be a good Chief like you are. I want to be able to earn the people''s trust again."


    Cailian and Matilda smiled at each other. "All right" Cailian waved. "I think it''s time for us to pack up and take off."


    Everyone gathered their belongings and went towards the mayor''s house. This was to meet up place where we were going to go into the tunnel.


    "Teams one and two you have your maps and soursense. Once in the the tunnel we will go to our areas and report back to us if you find anything."

 Chapter 62 At the end of the tunnels

    Chapter 62


    It was becoming dark when we arrived for work at the mayor''s residence. We took a long to complete packing yard items for the excursion. The moon had begun to rise, casting jagged shadows across the cracks of the stone walls. As we moved in closer towards the tunnels, the air slowly got heavy and thick, with the scent of damp earth and an eerie feeling. I was a bit nervous, but not as much as Matilda. I could see sweat coming down the side of her face. As we stared at the gnarled oak door, knowing what lay beyond it. The entrance to the tunnels beneath the mayor¡¯s house. The only way to reach the enslaved people but first, we had to survive the rabbit demons on the way there.


    Team 1 had Cailian, Matilda, Baby, Micha, and James. Team 2 Had me, Kaysi, Duke, Becky, Evan, and Josh. We had a group lined up and ready to go into the tunnels.


    The demon rabbits weren¡¯t the soft, timid creatures from storybooks or gardens you used to. No, these things were monsters. Their fur was white, matted, and slick with the sheen of blood and grime. Their eyes - crimson and burning glow seemed to cut through the darkness like twin lanterns. Fangs, sharp as daggers, jutted from their snarling mouths. They had a powerful sense of smell. The worst part was they are so very agile and unnaturally quick, so trying to take them down would be rather difficult.


    ¡°Are you ready for this?¡± Matilda''s voice was steady, but I could see her hand trembling as she gripped the Chakram.


    ¡°Not even close,¡± I muttered. "But we must go get the people, so it is now or never."


    Our group pressed into the tunnels as we had to take out the first rabbit groups at the beginning.


    Josh pressed his back against the wall beside the door, his sword drawn. ¡°We need a plan.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I whispered. ¡°Kill them before they kill us.¡±


    ¡°What a brilliant idea,¡± Josh said dryly.


    Matilda shot me a dark look. ¡°We can¡¯t fight them head-on. They¡¯re too fast, too strong. We need to be smarter.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°But how do you outsmart something that can smell your everything? I bet it can even smell your fear?¡±


    Standing in the cavern where the tunnels met, we peered down the two large tunnels that divided our ways. Thankfully, we had copies of the map made before coming down here.


    Just then, a low growl came from the other side of the right tunnel pathway, followed by the sound of claws scraping against rocks. My breath hitched.


    ¡°They know we¡¯re here,¡± James said, his knuckles whitening around the trigger of his bow.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± I took a shaky breath and nodded towards the tunnel. ¡°Once they are in the open. If they¡¯re as fast as they seem, they¡¯ll overcommit, and we can dodge them. Then we can ambush them and strike.¡±


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    ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work?¡± Cailian asked.


    ¡°Then we run.¡±


    No one laughed.


    We Waymakers must keep you Chiefs protected. We must also be careful because we do not know the age and stability of these tunnels.


    Duke held up his lantern. A wave of cold air rushed out of the tunnel, sending chills down our spines. It carried the sour stench of mildew and something coppery - blood. The tunnel beyond was dark, a narrow stone hallway. Descending into shadow.


    As Duke adjusted his light down the tunnel that is when we saw them.


    Glowing red eyes flickered in the darkness. Four sets... Eight... Ten... Or More... Low, guttural growls reverberated off the walls, vibrating through my chest. Then, the first one moved.


    A blur of white fur and claws shot toward us. I ducked as it lunged, its fangs snapping inches from my neck. Evans''s sword flashed in the dark, slicing through the creature¡¯s side. It shrieked and twisted unnaturally in the air before landing with a sickening thud.


    More followed. "Get ready, everyone!" I called out!


    ¡°Matilda!¡± I shouted.


    She spun, her Chakram gleaming. A rabbit demon leaped at her - too fast - but she twisted aside, driving the ring''s blade into its flank. It screamed and thrashed, but Matilda kept hold of the ring, twisting until the thing¡¯s red eyes dimmed.


    ¡°CAILIAN, on your right!¡± I shouted, and at this point, we were all back to back as they surrounded us.


    Cailian pivoted, his Chakram arcing downward. He sliced through another demon¡¯s leg, but it recovered faster than I thought possible, launching itself at his chest. Micah hurled Her Tenssen war fan, striking it beneath its glowing eye. The creature stumbled, then collapsed.


    I pulled Matilda up to her feet. ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up!¡± She said, wiping blood from her cheek. ¡°We have to get to the tunnels and get the people soon!¡±


    The demons regrouped and circled us. Their red eyes burned brighter, and their growls deepened. They were learning and adjusting.


    Duke swore under his breath. ¡°They''re not just fast ¡ª they''re smart.¡±


    The most enormous demon stepped forward, quickly twice the size of the others. Its massive claws scraped along the stone floor, and its breath came in low, guttural huffs. It stared at me, locking eyes as though it could see into my soul.


    And then it charged right at us.


    I barely had time to raise my sword before it was on me. The impact knocked me to the ground and away from the others. My head smashed against the rocky floor. My vision blurred, but I felt the hot breath on my face and saw the glim of fangs as the demon as it opened its mouth.


    Matilda screamed and drove her Chakram into its back. "I won''t let your demons take another one of my people." The demon shrieked, rearing up and giving me just enough room to roll aside.


    I staggered to my feet. My sword lay just out of reach.


    ¡°Matilda, watch out!¡±


    Too late. The demon¡¯s claws lashed out, tearing across her shoulder. She fell back with a strangled cry.


    I snapped and lunged, grabbing my sword and driving it upward into the demon¡¯s chest. Its eyes widened, and its claws twitched. Evan came in with a final slice across its neck, and then it collapsed.


    Panting, I dropped to my knees beside Matilda. Blood stained her sleeve.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I whispered.


    She grimaced but nodded. ¡°Yeah, I wasn''t going to let you get hurt, so this is worth it. Besides, this is just a scratch.¡±


    Cailian stood over us, his sword dripping with black blood. Behind him, the other demons lay still. For now.


    ¡°We need to move. Let''s patch her up and go. Do you think you can still make the trip?¡± Cailian said.


    After Becky patched her up, I pulled Matilda to her feet. The dark tunnel stretched before us, deeper into shadow. We had barely survived the rabbit demons, but this was only the beginning.


    ¡°We may have thinned some of the demons out but are you - Ready?¡± Cailian asked. "Next, we have to split up and cover both the tunnels.


    I swallowed hard looking at our two groups. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quick.

 Chapter 63 - The split

    Chapter 63


    ¡°Kaysi!?¡± Cailian called out again, his voice sharp with tension. ¡°Is your team ready to split?¡±


    We had to rescue the people ¡ª but we weren¡¯t out of the woods yet. One wrong step could cost all of us everything, including the people we are trying to save. I don''t think our group can afford another setback.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much of a choice, do we?¡± Kaysi¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°The quicker we get out of here, the better condition we all will be.¡±


    Please don''t hesitate to call us if you happen to encounter any further trouble that you can''t handle. Or if you need assistance once locating the people.


    The teams had been carefully divided up into two efficient groups that the Chiefs believed could serve a purpose in this mission. Team One ¡ª the rescue team ¡ª was tasked with finding the enslaved people and getting them out. Team Two ¡ª the strike team ¡ª would locate and seal the portal. This way, we can get the people back home as quickly as possible while also eliminating any danger that might come our way and threaten the safety of both the people and ourselves.


    I swallowed a hard lump was in my throat, skinny the dark tunnel head. The air was thick with malice. Where we stood, there was no guarantee of what was to come.


    Matilda sensed my hesitation and grabbed my hand. ¡°Be careful,¡± she said, her eyes dark with worry. ¡°Keep on your guard ¡ª and we¡¯ll see you on the other side.¡±


    ¡°You too,¡± I said, releasing her hand. Then we split, disappearing down separate tunnels.


    TEAM 1 - Rescue


    Cailian led the group through the dark tunnel, the air growing colder with each step. Moisture dripped from the stone walls, and the oppressive weight of malice pressed down on them.


    When they arrived at their destination on the map, the sound of muffled voices grew stronger and louder. The people could hear the echoes of our footsteps as we approached.


    We''re coming; we''re almost there! Matilda shouted up ahead and attempted to reassure the people.


    James pressed his hand against the wall of the tunnel. "Do you hear that?"


    "The people?" Matilda asked in a smart-aleck tone, as if it wasn''t obvious, but by now, everyone could hear their loud screams.


    Matilda''s head tilted, looking in the opposite direction. "It''s them."


    Baby''s eyes narrowed. " It''s a trap!"


    Micah flicked open her Tessen war fan and swept it through the air, testing the malice in the atmosphere. ¡°We won¡¯t know until we get closer.¡±


    ¡°Hold steady,¡± Cailian murmured, eyes narrowing, looking onward as the tunnel unnaturally twisted ahead.


    Suddenly, the walls around them seem to bend. The stones in the walls shimmered, the air rippling unnaturally as though he was distorting it like a mirage.


    "Did you see that?" James whispered.


    A low vibration rippled through the ground beneath their feet. Muffled voices echoed down the passage. Suddenly ¡ª the walls warped. The stones shimmered and twisted.


    ¡°Did you see that?¡± James whispered.


    A low hum pulsed through the tunnel ¡ª and then¡ª


    They were somewhere else.


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    Cailian stumbled, blinking as the rough Stone of the tunnel melted into a sunlit meadow. The sky was pale, an unnatural shade of green.


    Floating on the breeze of the Treetops was the sound of children''s laughter.


    Cailian turned ¡ª and saw Matilda standing nearby, wearing a light blue dress. She looked much younger our age, her face unmarked by the stress of the mission.


    Cailian, stunned with a lack of voice, whispered. "What the hell?"


    Matilda blinked at him, confused. ¡°Cailian?¡± She asked in a questionable tone as her gaze swept over him. ¡°What''s going on? You¡­ you look older.¡± She stuttered in disbelief.


    Matilda could barely recognize Cailian from the present. Her mind and body seem to defy the ravages of age.


    The ground beneath them quaked. Opening thin fractures that split through the meadow, spilling eerie blue-green light piercing through the trembling air. The meadow warped, flickering like a dying reel.


    Cailian lunged forward, grabbing Matilda''s arm just as the meadow shattered and dissolved. The tunnel''s dark stone returned in the blink of an eye, leaving them both gasping.


    They were back in the tunnel, gasping for breath. Matilda staggered, clutching her head. Matilda was restored to the present time.


    "What the hell is that." Micah shrieked, her face pale!


    Baby Gritted through her teeth and hissed. "Time disturbance! It is waves from the portal that must be affecting reality." She said.


    "We need to move now!" Cailian ordered. Additionally, we need to contact the others as soon as possible and issue a warning. Suppose it''s not too late. I think we may be the ones by the portal."


    As Team One continued to run further down the hall, cries grew louder. "We are getting closer now," I said.


    Kaysi, is there a portal for the people? Micah questioned.


    They all halted to stop. They now stood in a vast chamber. Metal cages lined the walls¡ªfigures huddled inside ¡ª wrists bound by chains. Men and women ¡ª some barely in their twenties, others much older ¡ª lifted their heads at the sound of footsteps. Calloused hands. Bruised faces. Haunted eyes.


    "They''re alive," Breath caught. Matilda whispered, her teary eyes finally glistening with a spark of hope and happiness.


    James knelt by one of the cages, testing the lock. ¡°These are reinforced,¡± he muttered.


    "We don''t have enough time to pick them all and get everyone out of here safely," Baby said.


    Micah stepped forward. " I got this!" She knelt, unfolding her fan. A thin wire extended from the base of the handle. She slipped it into the lock with a couple of movements ¡ª twist, flick ¡ª


    Click.


    The lock snapped open, dropping to the ground.


    James''s eyes widened. " Where did you learn that from?


    Micah smiled faintly and shrugged her shoulders. " Hey, a girl has her secrets."


    The enslaved people stumbled out of the cages, hesitant and afraid.


    Matilda and Cailian helped the older ones to their feet and out of the cage. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Matilda reassured them. "Don''t worry, you''re safe now. We are here to rescue you and take you back home."


    One of the grizzled men narrowed his eyes. He recognized Matilda. "I don''t know if we should trust you. It was your father that set us up on this mission. That got us here in the first place. How do we know this isn¡¯t another trap?¡± He asked when he saw Matilda.


    Matilda¡¯s jaw tightened. I understand your worry. ¡°My father is dead. Columbus killed him when he tried to protect you.¡± Her hand trembled around her chakram. ¡°I¡¯m here to make things right to make up for his wrongdoings.¡±


    The man hesitated ¡ª then nodded slowly.


    Scrape.


    Matilda turned her head and put up her weapon. Her skin crawled as goosebumps lifted down her arm. The sound of scraping stones sent a chill down her spine.


    "They''re coming; get prepared to protect the people." Baby growled.


    "A girdling growl arose from the far side of the tunnel''s chamber. A new set of red eyes flickered in the dark.


    "It''s time to go get the people out!" Cailian shouted and waved his hand. "Follow the tunnel back to the exit we came from; I will try to hold them off."


    "We understand that we will get in touch with the other group so they can back us up," Baby said as she dialed on the Sourusense.


    The phone rang, the line clicked ¡ª static ¡ª then Becky¡¯s voice crackled through.


    ¡°Hello? Becky?¡±


    ¡°We found them,¡± Baby said quickly. ¡°But we¡¯re under attack. We need backup.¡±


    "Also, you have to watch out for time distortions and arrive here as quickly as possible. We finally found the enslaved people, but we are under attack. Cailian, stay behind to buy us some time, but we need your help."


    ¡°Got it. We¡¯re on our way¡ª¡±


    Boom...


    "Yeah, that''s fine; we''re on our way back. WATCH OUT!"


    A crash, followed by the sound of rumbling stone. Becky¡¯s scream cut through the line ¡ª and then it went dead.


    "Hello...Hello? Baby shouted. ¡°Becky!¡± someone called. ¡°Are you there?¡± "No," I was on the other line, and the call had dropped. She tried to call back, but it went straight to voicemail.


    No response.


    "Baby...?" Micah asked. "Is everything okay?"


    ¡°NO, we¡¯re all in trouble,¡± Baby said grimly. She tightened her grip. ¡°We need to get these people out ¡ª fast.¡±


    MIcah''s unfurled her fan, eyes narrowing as the red eyes in the dark multiplied. Clawed feet scraped closer.


    ¡°They''re coming,¡± Matilda whispered.


    Cailian smiled darkly. ¡°Good. Let them.¡±


    The first demon lunged.

 Chapter 64 - The strike team

    Chapter 64


    The tunnel shook violently as it was deteriorating.


    Chunks of the loose stone and rock broke loose from the ceiling, crashing down in a cloud of dust.


    "MOVE, WATCH OUT BECKY!" Kaysi shouted, shoving Becky forward.


    The team ran as the tunnel collapsed behind them; their only escape route was cut off.


    The deep rumble I go through the passage. Dust and debris filled the air, making it difficult to see and breathe.


    Evan coughed and squinted into the darkness. "Damn, that''s it¡ªlooks like we''re trapped!"


    Josh pressed his hand against the wall of debris, feeling for any vibrations. Nothing. There were no tremors, no movement¡ªjust dead, oppressive silence. "Does it look like it''s going to budge? We need to find an alternative solution. It doesn''t appear that we have the option to turn around now.


    "Nah," Evan said, being a smart-ass, "You think?"


    Josh and Evan glared at each other as if they were ready to fight.


    Kaysi stepped in the middle. This is not the time. She said, gritting through her teeth. "All we can do now is push forward and see if we can find another exit! I have to find a way back to the others. They need our help."


    "Yeah, okay, I understand," Evan said passively. "Kaysi, your ankle has probably been cut because of that rock slide. Put your leg here," Evan said as he grabbed Kaysi''s foot and put it on his leg. As he knelt on the ground, he retrieved the first aid kit from his bag and began to bandage Kaysi''s cut. "Doesn''t it hurt? It looks bruised as well?"


    "No, I''m fine; it''s just a small scrape¡ªouch¡ªuntil you did that!" Kaysi grimaced in pain.


    "Sorry, I had to sterilize the room before." He said as he continued to pour the antiseptic on Kaysi''s open wound. "They''re all your fixed better than new."


    Josh scooted over, purposely interrupting the somewhat romantic moment between his brother and Kaysi. "I got a boo-boo here too! Showing Evan a small scratch on his finger that looked no bigger than a paper cut.


    "You''re asking for it," Evan said as he balled up his fist and pulled it back, ready for a punch.


    "Let''s go, guys," Duke interjected and walked between the brothers. "We can''t just stay in one spot. We need to get moving before the demons catch up to us. We need to get to them before they get to us. Or did you numbskulls and forget that they can smell blood? You said flashing the boys is a fatherly glance of disapproval.


    Evan scrambled to his feet and pulled Kaysi up as well. Oh yeah, that''s the right time to go. Evan said in a quick, high-pitched voice, then cleared his throat.


    Becky laughed at how quickly Evan and Josh''s demeanor changed.


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    As we pressed on, the deeper we went, the stranger things became.


    While shimmered as if made up of liquid. Shadows moved, dancing with that light. The tunnel became more stuffy, heavier, and unnatural. It hummed, vibrating against their bones. The torches flickered in an unseen wind.


    "I think we''re getting closer to a portal," I shouted up ahead to the people in our team.


    "Well, that was our goal¡ªwe might not be able to get the other group, but we can still get rid of this portal," Duke shouted back.


    ¡ª A whisper.


    Becky froze. ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    The others halted, listening.


    The whisper came again. Not a voice¡ªmany voices. Echoing from nowhere and everywhere at once.


    "They¡¯re watching, and they know we don¡¯t belong here. Becky whispered.


    Josh¡¯s pulse hammered. ¡°That¡¯s not creepy at all.¡±


    "We keep going!" Duke told us. "We close this portal and find a way out."


    The tunnel ended just as a large gust of wind nearly knocked us over.


    We stumbled into a vast underground cavern.


    A monstrous doorway stood at the center. This portal was not the same as we had seen before.


    I think that''s the portal," the states of time I shouted over the wind to the others.


    It pulsed, shifting between blue-green light and shadows darker than night. The air hissed and swirled around it like the winds of a tornado. You could feel the heat waves pulsating from it. The stone beneath their feet was cracked and broken, veins of glowing energy spreading like roots across the ground.


    Josh exhaled sharply. ¡°We found it.¡±


    Evan stepped closer, eyeing the swirling mass of energy. ¡°Now we just have to destroy it.¡±


    Then¡ªthe whispering stopped.


    A deep, guttural growl echoed through the cavern.


    Becky¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°We¡¯re not alone.¡±


    She turned¡ª


    And the shadows moved.


    Something loomed behind her.


    A rabbit demon, its elongated limbs twitching unnaturally. Its hollow eyes burned red.


    Becky froze.


    ¡°Becky¡ªMOVE!¡± Kaysi shouted. Becky dodged just in the nick of time.


    How did we not see it or feel its presence? The chaos from the portal must have distracted our senses.


    The demon¡¯s clawed hand lashed out¡ªripping a hole in the fabric of reality and creating a time warp.


    Josh and Evan lunged¡ªbut the moment stretched. Their movements slowed like wading through thick honey.


    The demon¡¯s claws glowed bluish-green like the magical lights from the portal as they slashed toward Becky¡¯s throat again.


    And then¡ª


    Becky flickered.


    She phased¡ªvanishing, then reappearing five feet away and in her previous spot that we had just come from. The demon¡¯s claws sliced through empty air.


    She staggered, her body still glitching between times.


    ¡°What¡ªjust happened?¡± She stammered.


    Josh tried to grab her arm. ¡°You¡¯re flickering in and out of reality.¡±


    Becky was unable to maintain a stable form, shifting between the past and the present as if only a few moments ago.


    "When the rabbit demon''s claws slashed earlier, she must have been affected by a wave of the time distortion. We need to destroy the portal fast before she fades." I yelled, looking over at the others.


    The portal compressed and exploded a pulse of waves. The cavern distorted and lurched sideways. Knocking all of us to our knees. Time in reality was shaking.


    A new sound rose from inside the portal.


    Footsteps slowly Immersed with the chilling air, cold to the bone.


    A figure stepped from the darkness.


    Columbus¡ª


    His red eyes gleamed, his golden body half-phased between the states of time. His form glitched, shifting between younger and older, between human and what looked to be a different form of his bull demon.


    ¡°You¡¯re too late,¡± he murmured.


    His voice echoed, stuttering and distorted¡ªlike it came from different points in time at once.


    Josh tensed. ¡°What the hell happened to you? You were locked up!¡±


    Columbus smirked.


    "You don¡¯t understand¡ªthe portal changed me. Do you think I was captured? No, you were very wrong!"


    His skin rippled, shadows crawling beneath the surface.


    ¡°You cannot begin to imagine,¡± Columbus continued, stepping forward. ¡°The portal isn¡¯t just a doorway¡ªit¡¯s a force. A will. It doesn¡¯t just summon demons and warp the reality of time and space.¡±


    His eyes darkened, his smile widening.


    ¡°It uncontrollably consumes it.¡±


    They backhanded Becky through the portal!