GUARDIANS25: The Book of Sirrah

The Truth of Four

The woman went directly to pour me some tea. My jaw clenched and my muscles tensed. But I had to act with urgency. I rushed and stood in her way.

"Listen! I don't have much time. Last time I met you, you put me in the hospital for a year—after only speaking to me for a few minutes!"

"Well, why did you come again?" she asked.

"Well, I think you owe me more of an explanation—"

"I owe you?" She raised a brow.

To not offend, I took a breath and a step back—even if that breath would cost me a portion of my life.

"We just have more questions to ask of you. The information you gave us last time, though little, was very helpful."

"You shouldn't be here, child," she said, stepping closer, allowing me to see the odd details of her skin. Each mole seemed to dig into her skin and tattoos looked like they were 3D. The crow's feet around her eyes were creased deep in her skin, though she was not smiling.

"My child," she continued. "There are pillars and pedestals you must mount on your own. Gems and diamonds to uncover only after digging through the dirt and the mud—"

"Yeah, yeah," I interrupted, "We are wondering about The Generals and why you have—or why we are special? I'm definitely not stronger than most of The Guardians yet I'm a General."

"Perhaps not physically or on the surface, but you have much more potential than you realize as a General," she said again going to fetch her cup. I remembered this cup; it was the same one that sent me back to reality the last time after drinking its mysterious liquids.

"Wait, wait! I'm going to need you to elaborate a bit more than that, friend. How do we unlock this potential? What can we do that others can't, and how will this help in the upcoming war? Will there be a war? When will the aliens arrive?"

She shoved the cup into my hands and pursed her lips together, signaling me to stop talking.

"You can't stay another moment; you are needed in your body—"

"But I'm in my body—"

"Listen, the only thing you need to know is that when a Guardian accepts their symbol, they unlock their potential. And when a General, like you, accepts their symbol, they have access to an unlimited well of limitless potential and can transcend their humanly ties completely."

"But I have accepted my symbol—"

Suddenly, she put the cup to my mouth until the liquid touched my lips and excess poured down the sides of my face.

"Hey!" I said wiping my face, trying not to ingest the liquid. "You have to stop doing that!"

"Until next time, Serenity," she told me, retreating, pulling up her hood until her eyes were covered.

"There's so much more I need to kn—"

Suddenly, like a rope tied to my waist, I was pulled into the sky. Through dense clouds in the green atmosphere, I was pulled until it began to get bluer and then black. Increasing speed, I watched as the planet I was leaving became the size of a pea. I tried my best to maintain posture, unlike the last time, but eventually, I began rolling violently in space. I noticed my body burning as I entered Earth's atmosphere.

Once I felt clouds, I tried again to regain my posture and control, and I managed to stop the spinning into a soaring bird body formation. I gained a visual heading toward Red Lake City in the Northwest of America. I was moving fast, and before I knew it, within a couple of moments, I was headed toward The Institute like an eagle swooping for its prey. The sight of going so fast toward the building and the wall made me close my eyes, even though I knew already there would be no real impact.