The Seven Guardians

Chapter 22

- Hey! One more week of the semester auughjsksmxksjn I'm barely alive rn

Anyway, sorryitsbeensolongenjoy!

Warning: Blood, violence, swearing, and some sadness

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The Discord of Solace
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The air was cool and crisp, setting an easing contrast to the light warm breeze filtering through the thick leaves. The faint moonlight that dimly beamed through the canopies open to the midnight sky reflected off of the rows of large ferns and blooming fronds, creating a silver sheen that provided a faint white glow that doused the rest of the clearing in a gentle illumination. The occasional firefly flitted and flickered about, their golden glow giving the open glade nestled amongst the crowding jungle an almost mystical feel.

Within the center of the small clearing rested the remnants of a fire, blackened logs scorched and brittle as they smoked above red pulsating embers, a few small flames still feasting upon the withered food source. Surrounding the fire lied four bodies, chests slowly rising and falling in quiet slumber beside the warmth of the dying flames. Beneath the black sky, one body slowly began to stir.

Several yards away from the sleeping group, one male quietly sat upon a fallen log, back faced to the fire and elbows leant over his knees languidly. In his left hand he held a thin stick, which was lazily trailing patterns into the flat patch of dirt beside his feet.

Huffing out a sigh, Brice lifted his eyes from the ground, the dark azures drifting across the complete darkness of the jungle before settling on the flickering torch resting beside him on the log. A lone moth circled the small dancing flame, pale wings set alight by the fire and mimicking the twitching orange tongue like a rogue ember.

Brice watched the tiny insect for a couple moments before turning his gaze back to the ground. The end of his stick traced the pattern of lines he drew into the dirt, adding a few more strokes into the sketch before lifting it to admire his work. The torch beside him created a flickering shadow that writhed over his image, gifting it an eerie look that made the figure of his drawing feel even more accurate.

Sky called this thing a Titan, Brice mused, tracing the edge of his stick over the narrowed eyes of the monstrous being. He left it trail down the taut frame of the monster, ghosting over its visible ribcage and down its willowy arms where bony hands elongated into gnarled claws. I would've called it Hell itself.

Resting his chin in his other palm, the blond moved his stick over and began to dig another drawing into the dirt. His makeshift pencil sketched a vague outline of a slim silhouette, multiple strokes falling down and curling out into an elegant curtain of hair. He drew two eyes, large and bolded with a long curve of eyelashes. Once he was done with the sketch of the feminine face, he added a small twist to the edge of the lips, a gentle smile he knew far too well to ever leave his mind.

A smile he knew he'd never see again.

A small giggle echoed in his ears.

"Look, Brice. Do you see that?"

A gentle hand was placed on his shoulder, another softly grasping his chin and turning his head slightly to the side.

Far to the edge of the wood line that bordered the park, the lone presence of a doe emerged from the brush, head lowered and ears twitching as she searched and munched on the grass below her hooves.

Lifting his pen from his sketchbook, Brice turned his full attention to the deer, azure eyes wide with awe. "Wow."

The female sighed amusedly beside him, resting her head of silky tawny hair on his shoulder. "Beautiful, isn't she? I just adore deer. They're such pretty creatures."