Writer's Recipe vol. 4 (2019)

I WILL PROTECT YOU

Written by: Muhammad I'tisham bin Khalid

"Congratulations!" I said to my beloved Leia but deep inside I had to hold my tears. She told me about the proposal from a man that I knew a lot, Zack Granger. He is the man that always help me in temple of wisdom when I had a lesson to control the elemental power.

"Well, actually I was taken aback, then slowly I accept his proposal," she said.

"So why do you want to meet me in the first place?" I asked with the tone of genuinely surprised although my inner heart was broken into pieces.

"I want you to be my pianist in wedding day, Edith," She replied without realising that I was not paying attention.

I am Edith Heartstorm, the extraordinary man in the extraordinary village in south Silla, the village for people who could control the elemental with their power. I was among the great warriors who can control all four elements in the world.

My friend who trained under the same master had proposed Leia Blizzard, the sweet cunning girl who I secretly in love with. I would not expect that he was the one who propose her.

After that, I immediately ran to the heart of the woods as fast as I could, weeping and weeping about the worst ever tragedy in my life. I calmed down soon as the sun sank. I strictly came back home and act as if nothing happened during dinnertime.

None of my family one noticed about me as they were busying with their own world. All but one girl. Ruby Heartstorm, my elder sister who was close to me. She was the one who understood me best. She entered my room and asked, "So you just want to lie on the bed and moaning all night or you tell me something about your day."

"Nothing at all. Just tired," I replied, the thought of it pain me.

"Come on, I know dear brother. Don't lie to me," She replied.

It took a moment to register in her mind when I told her from the beginning to the end. She said that I must be strong and keep it inside my heart. She also mentioned that I needed to move on by paying attention in my elemental bending lesson.

'She will realise your true feeling eventually if you are determined' that word always rang in my head. On the tower, I just wondering and thinking all day long, thinking about my life, as I peered to the village from above, BOOM! I heard sound of from afar. I stood up, searched my surrounding and noticed that Leia and Zack were chased by a huge red figure behind them. I stammered and said with utter disbelief, "A love Eater!"

The demon had crimson eyes and black body with veins that flowed with hot lava across his body and three huge horn protruding from his head. I saw something like smoke rising from his body. By the look of his face and his saliva dripping from his mouth, he is definitely starving to death.

I jumped from the high tower and landed gracefully. Immediately I broke into a run toward the Field of Hercules. I kept up my pace as they were directly headed to that field. With my might, I smashed the ground and a solid stonewall rose between the fleeting couple and the demon.

"Come here!" I called them from afar. Just as they reached my place, the wall was smash into pieces by the demon. Now I could hear his nasty growling. He was hungry. "What do you want from them?" I asked without knowing that the foul creature could not speak at all. How stupid of me.

The demon was marching closer. Well... in about 30 feet away. The growling sound even louder and louder, sending shivers down our spine. I took my place in front of Leia and Zack stood beside me. He made a hand motion like the one the one Tai Chi movement and then his hand were engulfed by a blaze that not even hurt him.

I took several steps, made some hand motions and hurled a fireball at the demon, which successfully hit his head. The demon staggered backward and roared, affected by the hit. He charged at us and eventually smashed the stonewall which I had built it just in time. Haha.

Zack and I looked at each other and nodded at the same time, almost as if we could read each other's minds. We charged at the beast. Sometime we just dodged his claws. Sometime we attack him. Those things continued until I could not keep track of how much time since we started the fight, but of course, we both had some scars, scratches, and cuts and burnt mark along our body. We cannot sure if the demon was facing the same fate as us because we barely could see the mark on his body since his was entirely black.

Out of the blue, the demon charged at Zack. He critically hit Zack and sent him across the field. Leia and I desperately ran to help him but the demon came blocked our way.

"bring Zack as far as you can," I said to Leia. She tried to argue but stopped as the demon came closer to us. She reluctantly went around the demon to reach Zack.

'I hope both of you live happily ever after' I said to myself. I closed my eyes, imagining the bow that made from all elements and made a hand motion I had practiced all my life. Then the great bow appeared in front of me and I reach it. I could feel the power of bow coursing through my body.

The demon stomped his leg to the ground and a stone made spear emerged from Earth. I pulled my bow, summoning all my power for final shot and aimed at the Love Eater's left chest. Then I released my hand.

I saw the lighting arrow flying directly at his heart as the spear was piercing through my body. The time have arrived for me to be beside the all mighty when my leg gave up. I tipped backward, lying on the Earth and facing the sky.

Leia and Zack reached me and tried to stem the blood that flowing profusely from my abdomen. I told them to stop them because I knew that there was no time for me left. She asked me why I am doing this even though I owe them nothing.

"hey, it' alright," I said, although my hand started to shudder. "It's not such a bad destiny. I would die to save you and Zack over and over if I had to. I will always protect you... no matter what..." I said. I took my last breath and closed my eyes.

I opened my eyes and saw myself standing among the people in black robe, watching my body being buried. The gravestone was inscribed my name and my birthdate to death. There was also a sentences said 'He will protect us'.

All people were going home after sun upright in the sky. All but three people. Well... actually, they did not look like human after all. A big fat man, a fairy and a rabbit who just like human. They just stay there until they changes their gaze to me. They came closer as if they were really could see me.

Then the big one started "Edith Heartstorm. We the guardians have witnessed your brave heart and great act to save people from suffer. Will you join us to be the sentry for our sake of life?" he asked me, handing me my Elemental Bow. I thought that they were kidding or something but their face has not changed.

I took my bow and said, "The greatest task for us is responsibility. The people who rely on us who have strength and willingness to face their fear." I look back and them and said, "I will do it."