The Ancient Guardians

The Ancient Guardians (Chapter 11)

THE ANCIENT GUARDIANS

Chapter 11

It wasn't dark, as it should be. Everything was brightened by fire. Fire everywhere. Then, in the middle, or what seemed to be centered, the fire dissipated bit by bit, revealing a path of hot coals. Suddenly I got back my sense of space; I could tell I was in my body. I lifted my arms a little and looked at them. I put them back down and started walking down the path. Walking...walking...and walking, for an indefinite time. Then I stopped for no apparent reason. There was a pulse, like a giant heart beating once, making the flames move. It seemed to come from far down the path. I waited. It pulsed again. I still waited. I saw a small light, as if a star was at the end of the path. Another pulse reverberated. It clearly originated from the tiny light. It pulsed harder...harder...

                And I woke up. I sat up on the sofa. I had no covers, but Clint said I had to sleep on my tunic so I wouldn't burn the sofa. That was some weird dream I just had. When I had nightmares before I'd wake up covered in sweat, but now my body was just steaming. I rubbed my eyes and when I touched my face my fingers touched my hair. I passed my hand through it, all the way down to my lower back. It really had grown back in my sleep. I needed a drink, so I got up and went to the small kitchen behind the sofa, got to the sink and started running the hot water. I took one of the glasses lying around and waited for the water to get hot. I couldn't even touch cold water anymore; it's as if it's at absolute zero for me. I looked out the window. It was still early morning; the sun peeking through a few clouds. When I got back earlier, William was already sleeping…On the roof. It's not like there was another place left for him to sleep, but it was still weird. The water finally got steaming. I felt the temperature with a finger: it felt cold, but not freezing. I filled my glass, closed the tap and drank it all in one gulp, then put it back where I had taken it. I leaned my back on the counter, thinking about that dream. Did it mean something? I remembered it clearly though, so it wasn't just any dream. Suddenly I heard a door open. Next thing I know, Marla's standing in the doorway of the bedroom, wearing nothing but a blanket. She now had wavy, long and blue hair. My tunic was on the sofa, leaving me with just red underwear. We were both fixed for a moment.

                Then she snapped out of it and turned away. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to...I didn't know where I was, and I heard water running...sorry."

                While she was apologizing I grabbed my tunic and slipped it on. "Don't worry about it." I said.

                She turned her head around slowly and looked at me. "It's really you, right? Alex?" she asked.

                "Yeah...mostly." I answered.

                "I'm...glad I could see you again." She said.

                "So am I. It's nice that it was you and not someone else."

                "What are you talking about?"

                "Oh, you don't know yet. I guess Clint will explain to you soon." I told her.

                "The tall guy who brought me to the cave?"

                I nodded.

                Then she seemed to be more self-conscious about her lonely blanket. "I'm going to put some clothes on."

                "Alright." I said. And she went back in the bedroom and closed the door. She was even more gorgeous than before; she looked like an elf queen. Clint suddenly came in through the front door, looking slightly panicked. "Where were you?" I asked him.