Guardians of Rithmore | Inflowing Tide (Book 1)

Chapter 3

At the age of five years old, Aspyn discovered he was one of the six Guardians of Rithmore. eight years ago, before the destruction of the planets that were in the Alliance of Rithmore. He was overwhelmed. Aspyn frowned slightly as he clutched his throat almost painfully.

He flinched as he remembered feeling the Quanadronian dogs mercilessly biting his throat, their sharp, serrated teeth puncturing his delicate flesh as the last sounds he made were filled with utter agony.

He remembered, at the tender age of five-years-old, saying to his mother Astoria "Mom! How am I supposed to be one of the brave Guardians of Rithmore? All of them are supposed to be super strong! But me, all I am is a timid, weak Rithmorian from Petrus!" Aspyn had wept bitterly to his mother, who was named Astoria.

Astoria only smiled gently but solemnly, knowing her fate but Aspyn's fate of having to fight Abaddon. She kept her tears, and also her fear, to herself, as she bent down to his level.

"My little Aspyn, even though you are timid, you are clever and kind, You have an empathy that I cannot explain. You know that little Rithmorian from Hydrus. Nerina was it? I think you'd like her." Astoria chimed gently to her son, who frowned softly.

His brown eyes filled with caution, timidity, and nervousness. Aspyn looked up nervously at his mother who motioned him towards the other Guardians, the youngling's parents smiling softly.

Allura and Marin from Hydrus looked down at their own child, who was named Nerina.

Aspyn saw her around Petrus. Her parents smiled endearingly, as he muttered into his daughter's ear, who nodded shakily. She stepped out from her father's shadow.

Aspyn smiled shakily, as he stepped forward, unbeknownst to the two.

Astoria exchanged an enthusiastic thumbs up, grinning ear to ear. Nerina's mother and father snorting slightly.

"My- My name is Nerina, I'm from Hydrus. I- I hope to get to know you." Nerina stuttered out, nervously. Nerina flinched as a four year old Hestia sneered before she yelped out in pain as Hestia's mother pulled her ear slightly, scolding her.

"Be nice Hestia! Stop scowling!" Hestia's mother snapped as Hestia whined in pain, clutching her ear.

Aspyn smiled, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly, "I'm Aspyn, what do you like to do for fun?" Aspyn spoke, starting the conversation, which he hoped would make Nerina relax a little to his delight as it worked.

"I like to study medicine, I wanted to become a doctor before I found out about becoming a Guardian. You know?" Nerina sighed, solemn over the fact that the future she wanted had changed.

Aspyn looked up at the sky, gazing at the multitude of stars, some flying across the sky. "You still can. They never said you couldn't become a doctor if you became a Guardian, we'll be saving Rithmorians from other planets." Aspyn thought out loud.

A much older Aspyn smiled at the memory, as he turned his head to Nerina who stared out at the stars.

Zephyr grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief, "Aspyn? I say reach for the stars, you like her don't you?" Zephyr encouraged.

Aspyn sent her a look.

Zephyr grimaced, "I understand, not now. Eventually, but not now." Zephyr commented.

Aspyn nodded, glad that Zephyr could understand how he felt some of the time. He always felt that the others, excluding Zephyr and Nerina, even though Nerina was oblivious to the fact that he liked her. He was just as oblivious when it came to Nerina having feelings for him, didn't understand how he felt, how he felt that he couldn't speak. He couldn't laugh, especially Hestia with her temper, her coarseness.

That didn't mean Hestia was not grieving the loss of her friends, family, and home. Everyone grieves differently, due to society on Hestia's planet. Everyone was expected to keep it in and not cry, as crying was seen as weak. Aspyn frowned as he remembered, seeing Hestia as a child scolded for crying.

Zephyr kept a smile on every day, the pressure of being happy all day every day, and breaking down from that would eventually come to pass, it wouldn't be preventable. Zephyr needed her fellow friends and Guardians to lean on when she couldn't hold back her frustration.

With Lorcan and Uriel, they became more pessimistic, which would often intimidate the other Guardians, especially when they disagreed with their choices of how they handled things.

Nerina, though she opened up shortly before the destruction of the Alliance of Rithmore, became more introverted and shy, never willing to speak up about her own opinions, which often made her butt heads with Hestia.

However, it had been eight years since the destruction, Nerina just began opening up, the problem was she only opened up to two Rithmorians.

And that was Aspyn and Zephyr.

And Aspyn? Well Aspyn, Aspyn takes his grief out by confiding in Zephyr, which can be smart, and sometimes not smart, especially when he's writing his feelings out.

Zephyr can take things the wrong way, and Nerina would often have to intervene in Zephyr's need to physically attack Aspyn.

Zephyr smiled, "So, when'd you find out you like her?" She teased as Aspyn nudged her shoulder in embarrassment.