Back Home (Edited) Book 4 of the Guardians Saga

CH 16.1 Just Once, Come During the Day!

It was midnight a massive vortex of white and blue light appeared in front of the brothers' tent. The Guardian towered above them at twenty feet with a voice like thunder.

The brothers scrambled out of their tent, immediately falling to one knee in respect. Alex stumbled out behind them, her appearance disheveled, with wild hair and dark circles under her eyes.

"Can you just once come during the day?" Alex griped, running her fingers through her tangled locks.

Cale gasped and swayed at her affront. Gabe stabilized him while Rile snickered. The rest of the camp emerged from their tents to witness this spectacle, their wide-eyed gazes fixed on the extraordinary column of light.

In response to Alex's insolence, the column erupted into fiery spikes that caused her to plop down onto the ground with a thud, bowing her head in submission.

"I have successfully stalled the small black portals and their relentless attacks," the Portal Guardian declared, his voice booming and powerful.

Rile blurted out, "You mean you could have stopped them this whole time?"

Cale immediately dropped to his knees and bowed deeply, his wings spreading protectively over his head and face. Gabe instinctively tightened his grip on him. Before anyone could react, a blinding white tornado erupted from the Portal Guardian, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

"Silence!" she commanded, her words echoing through the air. "But beware, for The Adversary will now launch a larger assault instead. I have already sent word to my Guardians on all major worlds and timelines. Quickly gather your forces and prepare for battle. I have alerted another to help you." And with that, the Portal Guardian disappeared into thin air, leaving behind a sense of urgency and fear in her wake.

Gabe was the first to stand. "I must meet with Gaza."

Cale followed suit, folding his giant wings and standing next to Gabe. "I'll take care of coordinating our supplies with Rofe."

Rile sat next to Alex. "We are going back to sleep."

She leaned against him gratefully.

***

When the sun was well above the horizon, Alex and Rile stumbled out of their tent onto a bustling campsite. The smell of breakfast cooking on the fire filled their noses. Still half-asleep, Alex rubbed her eyes and asked about Gabe and Cale, who were nowhere in sight.

Rile chuckled and poured water from a canteen into a teapot, placing it over the fire. "You don't remember what happened last night?" he asked with a smile.

Alex's eyes widened as she remembered the encounter with the Portal Guardian. "Oh no, did I say something stupid?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, let's just say we all could have been more tactful."

Alex groaned in response. "How bad was it?"

Rile pretended to consider for a moment before answering, "Let's just say Cale ended up flat on his face, covering himself with his own wings at our act of heresy."

"Poor Cale," Alex said with a shake of her head. "Now I feel worse."

"He'll be fine."

Alex punched his shoulder. "That's so mean! Go ahead and tell me the bad news."

"I'll buy us some sausage rolls and I'll tell you over breakfast. Don't go shooting through any portals without me."

She stuck her tongue out at him.