Protector of the Innocent

Chapter One - The Observatory

Chapter One

The Observatory

It almost feels like a dream now. just thinking about it makes me wonder... Was this how things really played out...?

I was suddenly awoken from a deep slumber from what sounded like a young boy calling my name. "Cana... Cana!" The boy yelled. I quickly jolted upright from his elevated voice. My breathing hitched a bit from the abrupt awakening. "Finally..." the young boy by my bed side sighed in relief. "I thought I'd never wake you with the way you sleep Cana..." I looked over at the boy and gave him a tired groan since I had calmed my nerves and was able to relax again. "Tain, you always do this every morning." I whined softly as I whipped the sleep from my tired eyes. Tain scoffed at my comment "Well if you woke up when you were supposed to then we wouldn't have this problem now would we?" His answer only received another tired groan from me in response. "Come Cana, let us go" Tain made way so I could get up from my comfortable bed in my small quaint room. I stood and let out a soft yawn. My eyes adjusted to the wall across from my twin sized bed and I staired directly at my reflection in the full body mirror, trimmed with gold accents. A light gold Halo hovered perfectly over my short messy blue hair that I obtained from restless sleep last night and my sleep wear was disarranged on my small frame. I stretched out my arms, with my eyes closed, and sighed softly while doing so. Opening my eyes once more to see my reflection again with one thing added, my fluffy white feathered wings. Tain then threw my daily wear, that was nicely folded on the armchair in the corner near the foot of my bed, other to me. "Hurry we're going to be late for the disembark."

The boy turned revealing his own pair of nicely feathered wings as he open my bedroom door to leave. I quickly put on my celestial vest, with earthy tones, and copper-colored leggings over my modest sleep wear before Tain could leave the threshold of my small room. We both walk out into a long hallway with multiple wooden doors on each side. The floor was carpeted with red velvet and the walls were granite. We were the only two walking down this long corridor. "So... you're going to be a guardian today huh? How does that feel?" Tain chuckled "Hmm..." I muttered softly as I tried to think of an something to say. To be honest I didn't know how to feel about such a big step in my celestial journey. "And to be the youngest Celestrian at that! To be handed over the role an amazing role." He added "I feel ready." I replied with a lie... I was terrified! "The elders are really counting on you to take Mater Apulia's place and gather more Benevolences for the great Yggdrasil ." Tain was always a quick Celestrian and was able to pick up on most of my fibs or worries but this time he didn't question it, maybe because we needed this to work. I couldn't fail. Before we entered the main hall, Tain turned to face me. "Cana, I have faith that you'll make a great guardian." Tain's smile warmed my heart, and my anxiety went out the window for a moment until my name was called by an extremely familiar voice. Master Aquila stood next to our eldest Celestrian, Alpus Major, and Master Columba with his arms crossed and a stir look plastered on his face. The three Celestinas stood atop a balcony inside the large hall in front of all our celestial brothers and sisters. "Come young one." Aquila spoke. Tain quickly pushed my frozen body out of the corridor and into the main hall for everyone to see. After a moment of my nerves taking hold on me, I took a deep breath and began to walk towards the three atop the twin stairs where the balcony was in the center. As I passed my fellow kind, they would whisper prayers and wished me luck as they made way for me to walk. I kept a stern look on my face even though my stomach was turning. I finally made it up the stairs and stood next to my master on his right side, facing all the winged beings, while my superiors stood on the left of him. After a moment Alpus Major took a step forward and cleared his throat to silence the prayers going around in the main hall.

"My children, we are gathered here today to see off Master Aquila and his student, Cana for this will be their last time as student and teacher. Tomorrow they will come out of the Protectorate as guardian and elder." I noticed Master Aquila glance over to me for a moment then continued to look down at the young Celestinas that stood below the balcony with his regular stone-cold face. "As we all know, Yggdrasil is to bloom soon, and we hope that this transition will finally bring us to the Almighty's realm!" As Alpus Major continued I noticed Tain standing in the crowd with a soft smile. He towered over most Celestinas as he stood in the back while looking up at me. His blond hair and blue eyes were uncanny to me and keeping my eyes on the tall Celestrian continued to calm my nerves. After a few moments I felt a hand on my shoulder. Master Aquila now stood close to me as he spoke. "It is time Cana..." I looked up to my master and nodded slightly. In sync I could hear the rest of the Celestrians say a prayer of our people as my master and I turned from the balcony and walked towards the large hole in the floor that sat only a few feet away from us. The hole was dubbed "The Portal". It was lined with white marble and always smelled of fresh air whenever I would pass by it during my daily routines. We stood at the edge together and I could feel my heart begin to speed up. This was really happening; I was going to be a guardian and do my duty I was trained for. Protecting the mortals is what we Celestrians lived for and this was my time to do what I was raised to do. I took one last breath before jumping through the "portal" and into the Protectorate with Master Apulia following suit.