Until We Fly: The Guardian Legacy

Chapter 1: Sky

-James-

Beautifully, the auburn sky seemed to melt and shift before us. Glowing into different reds, blues, greens, pinks, yellows and purples like a lava lamp. Though few clouds were there to glide over, they all had a similar golden tint to them as they did. Moving gentle and slow like a feather on water. All the colours came together in such a wonderful, fantastic way.

A soft breeze flicked my hair and the blossoms that bloomed in the tree beside us were floating down, like an overlay of ruby red petals which only highlighted the view. The tree stood proudly, so close to the edge that the roots grew outwards, reaching out towards the nothing that lay in its hollow grasp.

Even if I hadn't stood upon that cliff many times, I still never forgot the magical view it held. And though it was hidden from sight, the sound and smell of the ocean beneath was always present.

Out of all the worlds I'd been to, all the fantastical, unimaginable places I'd seen, this simple cliff remained to be my favourite.

Köleil's grip tightened in my own as we both stared out into the endless shifting sky.
But in every moment of silence, every second of peace, images of the last year flashed in my mind.

Darks, Danny, Jūx, Jake, everything.
It all seemed like an ancient fairytale now, but it was all too real.
Everyone had grown so much.
As fighters, as friends, as Warriors, as Guardians.
As people.
And I loved it all.

"Hey! Lovebirds! Come on, the beach is waiting!"

We both turned to see Myrora waving with that usual big grin glued on her face.
She wore an orange bikini and held a surfboard tightly in one arm.

Köleil and I laughed, making our way back down the hill and following Myrora through a large rift.

So far, a day off had been the best idea she'd ever had.

*****

The sun blazed down, heating the sand and making the cold sea seem so much more refreshing.
Everyone wore casual beachwear or swimsuits.
Except Jake.

"Jake, come on. You can't wear jeans and a hoodie on the beach. You'll overheat."
I frowned, standing beside him as Köleil joined Nim.

"I don't care."

"Come on, what's wrong with showing off your chest? Everyone wears swim shorts sometime."

"Everything. Everything is wrong with that."
He muttered, holding his hood over his face.

"...I think you're just embarrassed cuz Nim's here..."

"What?!"
I burst out laughing as Jake pulled his hands away, glaring at me with red cheeks.

"Alright, alright. But at least try shorts and a T-shirt. It's not like you'll be naked or anything. And I'll be wearing the exact same."

"...no swim shorts?"

"No swim shorts. Now come on, the changing rooms are just up here."

Myrora had clearly rode a surfboard before as she didn't fall of once.
Baîk on the other hand couldn't even get on.

Nim lay under an umbrella, enjoying the heat while everyone else messed around in the water. She wore white shorts and a lilac vest top as well as a cute sunhat and sunglasses.

As Baîk desperately tried to knock Myrora off her board, Köleil happily made small sand castles.

Poppy collected shells while Charlie held the bucket, looking happy as ever and Lumai sat on the rocks, watching strange creatures scuttle around.