Guardians 1: Ashes

Chapter 35: The Gates

Uni's POV

I nodded and spoke," Well I was in the orphanage since I was about 4 my parents had left me there, saying they would come back. I never knew if they did. " Uni paused then continued.

"I was quite the artist as a kid, when I was about 7 or 8 they brought a little blonde headed 4 year old trouble maker. I was to show him the ropes I hated him at first, but then I realised, he reminded me of me. He was quiet and at night he would whine, he would talk about some one with a knife and no one believing him. When I decided to listen to him, I found out his father and parents both were murdered, and they thought he was lying. He said his parents had left a note saying they would be home late and to take care, only his mom came home and she was in a panic she told him to hide, so he did and when he decided it was safe to come out, his mom was dead in the doorway clutching the note she had left that night. After that, after listening to that one story I saw him differently I began to enjoy the kid's attention and he began to follow me around everywhere! Three years later some weird kid caught my attention. The first time I heard of him, it was from blonde little Cory, he was complaining about how some kid with a funny hat took his socks. Then threatened him, Cory thought that was funny thinking he was the ultimate fighting champion. I talked to the thief and at first the kid was a jerk, but I was able to defuse the bomb and he started to be friend Cory. Cory learned Rex's or the sock thief parents' had died in a recent fire he was about 8 or 9, making me the oldest and in charge." I finished my story.

Shelby looked at me then at Cory," That explains a lot."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He looks up to you, you're like a big brother to him, just as he is a big brother to Nick." Shelby said with a grin.

"Then he is a very rebellious brother." I said annoyed arms crossed.

"He just wants to show you he can make decisions on his own. He doesn't need you to baby him anymore." Shelby said, it made sence.

"Well he has been making decsions with out me, for years." I exclaimed.

"Yea and now you are back and babying him."

"Am not!"

"Am to." Shelby said.

I glared at her, then at Cory,"So what is your relationship with Cory then?" I asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Babying." She mumbled. "We are just friends."

"Well you seemed very interested in him and our story. And I'm still kinda new so I thought you may have new him a bit better especially since you follow him like a puppy." I said not meaning to offend her.

"I do not! And no I just met him and Nick about 2 or 3 month ago." Shelby responded.

"Well then... Just know... don't hurt him. He has lost a lot, we all have lost a lot, and we are the only family we have left, and if you break this family... I will break you." I said looking at Shelby coldly giving her a dead stare. And began to walk out the door.

"What do you mean "break"? Shelby asked.

"You already proved to me that you would kill if necessary when you almost killed Cory, and by the sounds of it, it wasn't the first. And if you break him mentally by breaking his will or spirit you will end up like Rex's fellow sparing partners. Thing is, I could tell Cory at least cares about you so if you die, that would be him loosing another person he cared about, I don't think I could handle any more loss, I don't think any of us can...so, just stay alive. For his sake and ours, just don't die like everyone else." With that, I walked out the room closing the door behind me leaving Shelby to her thoughts.

Adam's POV

It is finally the day. We are finally going to go back to Kalá. I assembled everyone to the meeting room, or the main base and they all stood before me. Of course Jin was to my right, I have known him the longest and trusted him the most. To my left was Cory, although he was a thief, I learned he was very loyal, and I could see he would do anything if he believed in something so I kinda made him my left hand man. Next to him was Nick, then Rex, then Uni. Next to Uni was Alex, then Ross, than Shelby, than looping to Jin closing off the circle.

"Everyone ready?" I asked trying to contain my excitement.

"Never better." Jin said.
"Yup." Shelby said with a smile.
"Ye." Ross said casually.
Alex just nodded.
"Come on let's just do this." Uni said.
"This is.. exciting isn't it?" Rex asked.
Nick just groaned.
"Yeah sure." Cory said a little upset.

We all then closed our eyes and I felt a weird rush in my body. When I opened my eyes, I was in the middle of the woods. The others were still next to me holding my hands. Cory and Alex wiggled in place a little dazed. Nick ran off and threw up behind a tree. I felt the urge to hurl myself, but I swallowed it.

"So where are we?" I asked.

"No where I have been." Alex said, "Must have been one of Cory's memories."

Cory then looked around and shuddered. "Let's get out of the woods." He said then he began to walk away. Nick caught up with him and they began to whisper to eachother nodding. We made it to the clearing and we could see a massive building on a nearby hill.

"What's that?" Ross asked.

Uni and Rex seemed to have froze in place at the sight of the buidling.

"That is the orphanage." Jin said answering Ross' question.

"Well, we are going to head to the castle first, check in with the king. Then you may do as you want in the town, just don't draw to much attention to yourself." I said.

A grin crept up onto  Cory's face as he tapped his mask.

"No stealing!" I yelled.

Cory flinched but his smirk did not disappear in the slightest.

We continued to walk up the road soon the castle was in sight and we began to grow more and more anxious until we were at the gates. We knocked on the doors, and two  knights greeted us and brought us into the castle.