The Guardians of Alfajiri: Beginning

Everything changes

Kim tensed which the younger girls noticed. It made them uneasy. She got up staring at her sisters. Her hazel eyes burning with an emotion the little girls were not sure of. Loud growling sounds were heard, making the teenager whip her head in the direction from where it was coming from.

'You trust me, right', Kim said without turning to them.

'Yes', they chorused.

'Use the emergency exit, now!'

The young girls stood frozen on their spots when they saw a shadow of a giant dog with red eyes and razor-sharp claws. It glared at all three of them and lunged. Kim moved and kicked its side and pulled her sisters with her out of the room.

'Come on!' Kim shouted when the loud snarling was heard behind them.

She felt Brenda get out of her grip. Kim stopped to grab her again but her little sister had already run back to her room. Leaving Briana outside, she brought out Usiku and run back in to see the dog snarling at Brenda. The poor girl looked terrified on her spot, clutching a purple teddy bear with a small hat on its left ear, while the menacingly looking dog crouched down and charged. Without thinking, Kim leaped in front of it, slashing it across its muzzle. It yelped and snarled louder. She pushed Brenda to the side and thrust her sword into its eye, making it howl.

'Kim!' Briana shouted.

Kim glanced at her for a second before focusing on the dog. The dog swiped its claws against her shoulder. The pain blinded her for a short period and the creature took advantage. She grunted before sinking her weapon into its midriff and throwing it at Brenda's drawler where it whimpered in pain. Standing up despite the pain spiking through her body, Kim got in between her sisters and the black dog.

'Briana, grab your sister and get her out of here!' Kim commanded. 'find mum and dad!'

She assumed that Brenda was being taken away when she heard her ask 'What about you, big sister?'

The creature got up and attacked again.

'Go on without me!' she yelled while fighting the monster. 'I need you both to be safe. Take care of each other if anything happens'.

The monster sank its claws into her thigh. Kim let out a blood-curdling scream. She lifted her sword and brought it down on its head, a loud squishing sound was heard before it dropped dead. It was over. They were safe even for a little while. But it didn't happen. It duplicated and a second one came and jumped on her, biting her arm.

'Kim!' the children screamed in horror.

'Damnit', she swore. She kicked it to the destroyed drawler and shot flames at it from her hands. The dog got up and grew bigger in size and got in position to attack again. She threw the lightning blade at it and hit its mark. Right in the eye and electrocuted it. The smell of its burning flesh reeked the room. It spasmed and Kim brought her foot down on it, crushing its neck. She tried to sense if another one would come out of nowhere.

Kim expanded her five senses and felt one coming. She readied herself. This one was bigger, the twins room was big but this one almost filled half of it. She realised she was slowing down. The teeth must have had poison. The third one came from the window and crushed into her, pinning her down and it bit into her shoulder.

'Get away from her!' she heard Briana scream, the remaining parts of the drawler hit the dog. She was surprised by the eight-year-old's strength. The dog loosened its grip and Kim formed another lightning blade and stabbed it from the left side of the head, the blade sticking out to the right. She felt its weight getting off her and found out it was Briana's doing again.

Her powers were awaking because of the dire situation. It was obvious, but the thing was heavy. Kim helped with getting it off. Once that was done, she stood up. She could feel the wounds closing slowly with a hissing sound. Her concern was about the poison, her wounds shouldn't close even just a little if they were poisoned. This must be a different type. The only way she could tell was because of the smell, if her sense of smell was not that good; she probably wouldn't have figured it out. And worse, she'll die if she doesn't find out what kind of poison it was soon. Bandaging the gaping holes, she squinted at her still shaken sisters.

'Is it all over?' Brenda whimpered.

I hope so, she didn't say it out loud, didn't want to give them false hope too. Kim just shook her head still trying to figure what to say to them about the scene. She couldn't even offer words of comfort.

'Let's get out of here', she finally said gesturing to the door.

A screeching sound was heard. Kim got into a battle stance but almost stumbled. The poison was working faster. She doubted she would be able to handle another attack. This creature was a bird, the size of a human with blood red eyes. It was called a lightning bird.

'Girls you should leave', Kim ordered. She flashed in front of it and gave malicious attacks. She gave it her all, frantic to not let it near her little sisters. She cut off its wing and it screeched in pain. Whatever it did, it blocked the doorway and her sisters couldn't get out. Kim gritted her teeth in frustration, her body aching as she tried to fight the poison and the bird at the same time. With vengeance in its eyes, it swooped down but with one wing gone, difficulty to do that aroused. With its good wing, it flapped and the air around them became tight.

Kim dropped to her knees coughing up blood. The twins were wheezing too as it got problematic to breathe. If she doesn't do something, they would be killed. With the last of her strength she dashed forward, tackling and straddling it with her arms around its neck. Since the bird was trying to get her off it, it brought down the barrier and her sisters got the chance to escape. She could hear them calling out to her to join them but she knew that would not happen.

She turned to them with a smile while she held it off. 'I love you... both of you, never forget that'. She focused her gaze on the bird and her body started to glow. It looked like her body was surrounded in armour as her eyes blazed.

'RUN!' she bellowed while engulfed in flames, the armour turned into a shape of a red dragon.

She saw Briana dragging Brenda out while she screamed for her with tears streaming down her face. Her heart panged knowing there was no chance for her to get out of this. She didn't want to die but if she had to sacrifice herself for her sisters then so be it.

I hope they'd be able to move on from this, she thought.

Sensing for any life form in the house while she still held onto the giant bird, Kim smiled knowing her sisters were safe. She was happy that she did something for them seeing as this was her last moment. She protected them like she said she would. Accepting her fate, Kim was not afraid anymore.

The monster was getting agitated with her not letting go, and struggling beneath her even harder. She was losing strength with the poison coursing through her body.

'Even if you can't see me, I will always watch over you'. She closed then opened her eyes and stared at the monstrosity. 'I'm taking you with me'. With that, her body exploded into flames, killing both her and the bird.