Soara and the Owls of Ga'Hoole

Chapter 14: Guardians at Last

Ezylryb was caught in between Nyra while being pinned down by his greater enemy's claws. Metal Beak was unsure what to do now. He looked at his mate: should they kill him now or not? Ezylryb didn't know what to do, but he knew for a fact that it was the end.

"Be done with it, then," Ezylryb told Metal Beak.

The evil sooty owl stretched out his talons to kill his enemy once and for all. However, unknown to the trio of adult owls, Soara came with her burning branch. She began attacking her mentor's enemy. While Metal Beak lost the grip on Ezylryb, he found himself burned by Soara's burning branch. Ezylryb went to help his poor student. However, he was latched onto by Nyra, who made sure their prey wouldn't get lost.

"No!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. Soara and Metal Beak began fighting each other. However, the sooty owl had the advantage and had Soara pinned down.

"I'm not letting you hurt one more soul, like you did my brother!" said Soara, strained with Metal Beak's grasp on her.

"Oh, you're not letting me?" Metal Beak laughed at her face. "Oh, so this one is Kludd's sister, eh? what a pity to waste such a strong, young and confident little Tyto lady. Especially one with such high spirits."

"No Soara," cried Ezylryb, trying to break free of Nyra's hold on him and get to his student's aid.

"Oh." Metal Beak said. He looked at Soara, now knowing the relationship between these two. "You know this sad old owl."

"He has been my hero, but he is my friend! And my mentor!" said Soara.

"Well, your mentor can teach you one last lesson about Pure Ones' strength..." The Dark owl said.

"Don't move," Nyra hissed in Ezylryb's ear.

"...by letting you watch him die. He finished

"No!" Soara shouted.

She took her burning stake and gained the upper claw. She continued fighting as Nyra gasped at the little owlet fighting her strong, big man. Ezylryb took this advantage and knocked Nyra off. She shouted in agony and pain as she landed on the rocks below. However, Ezylryb was more concerned about Soara over the wicked Queen of the Pure Ones. He watched as Soara and the Metal Beak flew down after Soara dropped the burning stake.

She found herself on the ground, and when her blurry vision came to, Soara saw the King coming closer. He had an overestimated thing going on, Soara could see that. However, he only met his end when he impaled himself on Soara's burning stick. The evil owl laughed in Soara's face before he too had fallen. Ezylryb looked down as he watched poor Soara go for her first kill. Nyra's eyes filled with rage at the sight of her late mate. She had burning glare on Soara, who stood there over the body of Surtr. She fell down but got right back up.

"Pure Ones! Fall back! To me!" Nyra shouted.

Soara's friends came down, followed by the rest of the Guardians. Ezylryb landed down next to her.

"Soara, you did what was right," Ezylryb said. "And you did it well.'" Ezylryb smiled at her. "It seems we will have to amend the Chronicles. Huh? "

"You mean rewrite the story?" Soara asked.

"No, my girl," Ezylryb said. "Add to it. Write the rest, for us to do, together."

Soara nodded at her mentor's suggestion.

As it was in the old ages so it was in the new. The Guardians upheld their oath that night. They made strong the weak and mended the broken. And when the sun shone again that morning all could see that they had vanquished the evil.

Soara landed on the ground of the Ga'Hoole tree, where her sister Eglantine approached her.

"Soara! Soara!" Eglantine shouted.

"Oh, Eg," Soara said, hugging her little sister. She placed her sister down when she noticed two familiar faces.

"Ma? Da?" Soara said.

"Soara! Eglantine!" cried Marella. "My darling little girls" She hugged her daughters with Noctus hugging his girls.

"We're so proud of you, Soara," Marella said, looking down at her daughter with a wing around Soara's shoulders. Soara looked at her father.

"Da, the stories," said Soara, "they're real."

"You made them real, Soara."

Um, Mum, Da," Soara said sadly. Her parents looked down. "I've got something to tell you guys."

Soara told her parents what happened between her and Kludd, and how she has seen regret in his eyes before she watched the flames engulf her one and only brother. She told them of his betrayal, but then his final redemption by apologizing to them all. That was good enough for both her parents. Later that next evening, Soara, and the Band was called upon by King Boron and Queen Barran. The four owls entered.

With the peace restored it was a time for celebration and recognition that our small band of owls who fate and a storm had blown into the Tree now stood before its king and queen as young Guardians. Ready finally, with all their hearts to take that ancient oath: To mend those who are broken to make strong the weak and, without hesitation vanquish the evil. Far as we know, Nyra escaped, and Kludd? Well, Kludd was never found.

"Should I stop?" Soara asked the small band of owls she was telling the story to. Pete was a bit disappointed at the end of that story.

"What?" one of the children said.

"Please, don't stop," said another.

"I don't wanna give anyone day mares," Soara said.

"Oh, come on," Pete cried, wearing Soara's old helmet, "There must be more, there must be."

Oh there is, but it's for another rainy day," Soara said. The children begged for more stories. Suddenly, Soara heard the chuckle of her guardian (that's another story), Ezylryb as he entered the nursery.

"Listen to them, Soara," he told his ward. "They want more stories. Well, come on, you lot. Let's not disappoint them."

He perched on top of the window sill.

"Ah. There's a good storm brewing. And if we're lucky, it'll be chock full of baggywrinkles."

Ezyrlyb took off fallowed by Soara, Gylfie, Twilight and Digger as they flew off into another storm...