Gate Guardian - Tale of the Blazing Heart

Phase 1: Gates Opened

Phase 1: Gates Opened

[Transfield]

[6:03 PM]

"Where am I?"

I muttered to myself as I scratch my scalp, wondering what happened. I helped myself stand and then shook my head.

I looked up and my eyes opened in shock. It was very dark that I thought it was nighttime. Only the moon which is blood tainted is the source of light that made everything visible. I seem to be surrounded by snowy mountains. The ground, it's covered with ice. But I don't feel cold somehow.

What happened? All I know is that there is a floating ring of light in the streets in broad daylight, and here am I. I can't recall what really happened.

"Grrr..."

Huh?

I turned around and an unexplainable terror can be seen in my face. A three-meter abomination with a head of a wolf and body of a bear having sword-like fangs and razor claws roared that made the ground tremble. Its body is covered with blue fur with some Aztec linings on it.

"Graaaaa!!!"

The werewolf-like beast raised its claws and roared like a mountain lion. There's nothing I can do now. I just covered my head with my arms and I prepared myself for what will happen. My body froze. My mind turned blank as terror consumed me.

Is this my end?

Swoosh! A sound of a projectile whistled through the air. After a second, there was a beast's cry. When I opened my eyes again, the beast already has a glowing arrow stuck on its left eye, and it was walking backwards helplessly because of the sudden pain.

"Are you okay?"

A soothing voice entered my ears.

"E-Erylle!?"

She's really Erylle. I know her sparkling greenish blonde long hair. Something's different about her though. There's cross-like pupil in her emerald eyes. She's also holding a stringless white short bow.

"Did that beast hurt you?" She asked again with a compassionate tone.

"N-No..."

"Stand back, I'll finish this quickly."

She stood up in front of me and made a taekwondo stance, holding her bow in front of her. The beast recovered from the knockback from that arrow he took in his eye, and now it's more furious. It roared again that echoed in the snowy mountainous range.

"Shall we dance~"

Erylle swiped her stringless bow and a glowing arrow materialized from it. She then shoots it to the beast but the beast deflected it with its arms. Then the beast charged at the beautiful woman and made a smashing blow that made the ice of the ground fly. Erylle managed to dodge that attack by tumbling backwards, and she flew midair. She kept shooting more magical arrows to the beast.

"Gwaaaaaaarg!!!"

The beast cried louder. Erylle kept storming the beast until it stepped back, confused and not knowing what to do. Once that happened, Erylle slowly swiped her bow and a giant arrow materialized.

"This marks your end! ...<Aero Twirl>!!!"

When she released the arrow, it became a drill-like tornado that chased and punctured the beasts' torso. It pierced the beast in its heart that made it fell down on the freezing ground and made a final growl before it pass out.

That's...a name of a special skill from anime, right? Is she an otaku?

The beast exploded, as its pieces transformed into ashes that danced through the thin atmosphere like snow.

Erylle turned to me and made an innocent smile that made my world stop.

"It's over now. No need to be scared."

She put her bow away and walked sleazily towards me. My heart raced. I fell in love all with her over again. Butterflies on my stomach, abnormal heart beats, and blushing face. This couldn't make it worse. Go Yohan, say something. Thank her at least...

"T-T-Thank you..."

Nicely done! Even my lips are freezing.

"Yohan... I know you're confused so I owe you an explanation."

Then she grabbed my hand. My heart became noticeably beating very fast.

"Come with me~"

"Wu-oah!!!"