Arcane Guardians: Season 1

Chapter 17: The Rescue

THE NEXT DAY (NOON)

"Mom, I'm leaving," Youshu called out, his voice tinged with determination as he stood by the door.

Lang's face, etched with worry, softened. "Why did the guardians choose you out of all the people in the world? I can't risk losing you, hon," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Youshu gave her a reassuring smile. "Mom, they chose me for a reason. Trust me."

Lang's eyes glistened with unshed tears, but she managed a brave smile. "Come back safe, Youshu, or else I'll go to Zhu Ping myself and make a stew out of that Yanan guy."

Youshu chuckled, though he knew her threat held a grain of truth. "Don't worry, Mom, I will. Now go on, you have a lot of customers. I'm sorry I can't help you at the stall right now."

"It's alright, hon. I understand. I'll manage. Now go on, your friends are already waiting at the back of the house, so people won't see them," Lang said, pulling Youshu into a tight, lingering hug.

"I'll be waiting for you, hon. Take care," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Youshu nodded, his heart warmed by her concern. He then turned and hurried to the back of the house, where his friends were already assembled, a mix of anxiety and excitement on their faces.

"Everyone ready?" Youshu asked, his voice steady.

They all nodded.

Youshu raised an eyebrow when he noticed Siyue. "Siyue, why are you wearing a uniform?"

Siyue grinned sheepishly. "Because I told my mom this was a school project."

Yiren snickered. "She won't believe you when you come home after a battle."

"Yeah, I'll figure that out," Siyue replied, brushing it off.

"My family already knows about me, so they understood," Hitian said, with Linzhi and Yue Lin nodding in agreement.

"I told my dad we were going on a trip," Yiren added.

"And I said we were just hanging out," Xiangzhi said, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Alright," Youshu said, taking a deep breath. "Since everyone's ready, let's not waste time. Let's go."

They all stepped into the mirror world, their reflections blurring and fading. The sensation of floating took over, and Linzhi called out, "Let's hold hands, guys."

As they linked hands, the air around them shimmered, and they suddenly turned into beams of light, shooting through the ether. Within seconds, they were in Zhu Ping.

Siyue staggered a bit, her eyes wide. "Oh my gosh, I thought I was dead."

"I know, right?" Yue Lin replied, steadying her.

"Are we here?" Youshu asked, looking around.

"Yes, yes we are," Hitian confirmed.

"On Earth, this is your house, but here in Zhu Ping, it's a forest," Linzhi explained, gesturing to the trees surrounding them.

"Now that we're here, where do we start?" Xiangzhi asked, scanning the area.

"I'll handle it. I'll look for their place," Yue Lin offered, dropping to one knee and focusing.

Yiren looked puzzled. "Do what?"

"Yue Lin has the Speed crystal," Linzhi explained. "She can run fast and search this place in the blink of an eye."

Yue Lin nodded. "If I can't find Yanan here, then we keep going." With that, she vanished, leaving only a gust of wind behind.

Moments later, she was back. "I couldn't find them," she said, frustration evident in her voice.