The Last Line: The Guardians - Book One

Chapter 9

"Aren't we going to go after her?" Tivona asked as she followed after the older. Who was not saying a thing after their separation awhile ago.

"Aedre." she called the older as she stopped walking then hunched over to catch her breath. "Can you please stop and look at me for a minute?"

The older stopped. Her back still facing her.

Tivona huffed and straightened up. "I do know how it hurts...but please, can we talk?" she asked.

"There's nothing to talk about." Aedre told the younger as she turned her head to the side. "You heard her, and if we want to ensure the world is intact, we must find the other guardian."

She then turned to look forward again. "Besides, shouldn't we focus more at the task at hand?"

Tivona straightened up. And glared at the older's back. Then spoke. "Do you have any idea of who or what we're supposed to look for?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

It was a long moment before the older spoke. And with a resigned sigh.

"I don't know...but I have a feeling that I know," Aedre answered softly without looking at the younger behind her. "somewhat."

"Lovely." the younger muttered and they continued walking again. "Care to enlighten me?"

The older didn't speak as they continued trudging through the forest, the dead foliage crunched under their feet with a soft sound. Almost, as if the forest knew that there was other people within.

Or that the forest was pulsating with power with the source walking through it like there was nothing to be wrong about it at all.

Akram let out a gasp as he sat up, his eyes wide. He felt it...an aura much different than Parisa's but magical nonetheless.

He then looked at his companion-if he could ever call her that asleep beside him, curled up under the blanket from last night, her hair spread out across the ground.

With a small smile on his face, he brushed a strand away from her face. Then stood up, and left to look for supplies. And hoped that he wouldn't be gone for long.

He does not want her to wake up alone. And feel that she was abandoned.

His mind shook away the thoughts before he even think about it. And trudged through the forest, a hand on the hilt of his sword.

They appeared at the entrance to the forest, and let out a gasp at the sight that had met their return.

The village was quiet; no occasional shouts of children, no adults chattering, and even the animals that seemed to make up the vacancy seemed to have quieted down for no reason at all.

"What happened?" Tivona asked, as she ran towards her village. The houses that stood around the huge bonfire at the center have disappeared.

Disappeared as if it never existed at all.

Aedre followed close behind. Her eyes scanned every direction as to see where the abnormality might have started or what have been the cause to inflict it upon the small populace.

"Aedre..." Tivona cried out the older's name as she turned to look at the other. "The village..." she drifted off as she fought back a sob.

The older let out a sigh as she saw a tear slid down the younger's cheek. To see her village like this...empty like a shell...it was beyond depressing to think about.

But...there were times that a child should be shown the horrors of the world in order not to be afraid and uncomprehending when the time had come for them to take their place.

The younger of the two wiped her face with the back of her hand. And remained quiet for a while that the older had immersed herself in looking up at the sky.

After a few minutes of silence, Tivona turned to look at the older who was now looking at the bonfire-or what remained of it.

"Let's go." she told the older, her voice soft and filled with grief. It was unfair for her to see her village like this. They were a small populace and had not have any known conflicts with any other outlying villages.

But to think that they were decimated like this...it is beyond her comprehension. Whoever had done this might have some reason no matter how it was brought upon them.

With a heavy heart, she walked away from the village. The other watched her walked away with a sigh.

Akram returned to their to camp to see Parisa standing at the edge of the cliff, her arms wrapped around herself, silvery hair flying lightly in the wind.

"What are you looking at?" he asked as he walked towards her.

It was a full minute before she spoke.

"I was just looking at the beauty that lies below us." she murmured as she turned her head to look at him, a ghost of a smile on her face. "And mourns for its possible demise."

He let out a sigh then shook his head. "How very early for you to think of such a thought."

She snorted as she turned her gaze to look at the scenery below them. "I'm merely stating what might happen...is that a bad thing?"

"Not when you say it with that look on your face." he countered as he turned halfway to look at her. "Tell me, is something bothering you?" he asked, noticing the pained look in her eyes.

She shook her head, adamant. "It's nothing." She then turned around and walked back to the area where she slept, her back facing him.

He looked at her back but didn't say anything then turned his head to look at the scenery below him. His heart clenched at the thought.

'Maybe she was right,' he thought. 'Nothing this beautiful stays for long.'

"Do you have any place in mind?" Aedre demanded as she followed the younger out of the border of the village. She then took in a deep breath and hastened her pace.

"Tivona, wait!" she cried after the younger.

The younger stopped walking, then slowly turned to face her with a blank look on her face, her eyes devoid of the life she once had before everything happened.

"We-" she began but then her voice caught in her throat as she looked at the younger's face, unsure of how to say it in order not to offend the younger in any way.

Not while the memory's still fresh in both of their minds.

"Tivona-" she began but was abruptly cut off by a pleading but yet pain and grief lay beneath.

"Please...not now." Tivona implored as she looked at the older, her tears threatening to spill but she held it back. "Just...leave me to grieve in peace." she implored as her voice broke and turned away.

Aedre complied and watched as the younger began walking away. Where, she doesn't know but to grieve in peace for the people she had lost.

She doesn't know what to do in such a situation, it was years since she had seen someone cry just like that...years since she had any contact besides Tivona and the people of the village.

People whom have no connection with her but have treated her the same way they treat each other. A family.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she reminisced the thought.

'How are they now?' she thought as she looked up at the sky.