Guardians: Protectors of Light

Chapter 27

Image of Anastasia. Things are really getting HEATED now *cough cough*

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The days after her party feel like a soft blanket of happiness. Peace has settled over central headquarters, the peace before the storm. Valery and Liana are in Olivia's old storeroom inventorying the herbs remaining on the shelf and writing down what they need to restock. It's early afternoon and the sun burns bright but they haven't left the storage to enjoy it. A teenage girl bursts through the doors to headquarters, her long auburn hair stricken and wild. Her brown eyes are wide with panic, on the verge of tears. "Help!" she cries, her voice trembling, panting.

Liana and Valery share a concerned look. Valery places an unlabeled baggie down on top of the apothecary stand. The two run out to meet Anastasia, who is doubled over as she struggles to catch her breath. Her clothes are ragged and torn, with a hint of blood splatter.

"Anastasia? Shouldn't you be on patrol with Beth? Goodness child, speak," Liana demands.

"Where's my mom?" Valery asks, her voice getting caught in her throat. Anastasia has been training under Beth for two years, working towards her graduation ceremony.

"Beth," Anastasia starts, pausing to take another deep, shuddering breath. "Bodies, so many bodies." Tears run down her face as she wipes them, spreading blood across her face. "A full-out attack from the south." She shudders again as she takes a deep breath.

Liana moves towards an emergency switch, a reprogramed fire alarm handle. She yanks it down. An alarm sounds through the building, calling all the warriors to report to the main floor.

"... I'll get my weapons," Valery murmurs, turning to bolt towards her office.

"You're a healer now," Liana says, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We need you to stay in the background."

"But that's my mom!" She insists.

"Your team needs you alive and well. You have two minutes to gather supplies. Go!"

Headquarters turns into a mad scramble. Guardians run left and right to gather weapons and supplies. People shouting orders, angry. Demanding. The clocks ticking might as well be pendulums of doom. Scowling, Valery rushes down the hall to gather her own. Her mind is reeling, but she takes deep breaths to maintain her composure. She slams open the door into her office, snatching out anything that could help. On her way out, she slings her bow and quiver over her shoulder.

She returns shortly after, reaching the front of the ranks."What? I'm not going out there unarmed," Valery snaps, seeing Liana squint in question at her.

Her dad, not far behind her, nods in greeting, red-hot anger burning in his eyes, a pulsing vein in his forehead. With everyone assembled and ready, Liana turns to Anastasia."Lead us," Liana commands.

Anastasia takes another deep breath, nods, and walks out the door. It was as if the sky itself was prepared for war. What was a bright, burning hot sun was now a cloudy, despair-driven gray with howling winds and a chilling drizzle of rain. It was one of the few times Trent cursed being able to hear the winds. Valery falls into step beside her dad.

"I'm going to kill your mother. Pulling something crazy like this," Axel says.

"Well, I had to get it from someone," Valery jokes, trying to hide the anxiety she feels buzzing through her veins. "I think it was brave. She knew it would waste time if she came back with Anastasia."

Axel narrowed his eyes. "It was stupid! She can't take a whole army on by herself."

"I would have stayed," Valery comments.