Guardians of the Light (Book 1: Rebirth)

Chapter 13

It played out like one of those old fashion movies, you know the ones with black and white picture but no sound. The last thing he remembered was jumping in front of Lillian, as the demon attacked, then nothing but silence and darkness all around. Ronin felt like his body was falling through an endless black void in time and space. He tried to call out but his voice just kept echoing on and on.

His mind shifted from the emptiness to a scene of colour imagery, he could make out some type of stonewalls, the painful cries of a woman and the hissing voice of a hooded figure as he stood over the body of the woman who had been calling out in pain moments ago. “Tell me about the second Child of Light”, this hooded figure demanded. When the woman shook her head stating she would not tell him a single thing no matter how much they tried to force her to spill secrets.

Ronin knew right away that the woman was Lillian but how had she ended up in this unknown location, second he did not recognize the stranger in the room with Lillian. Anger shot through him when this person kept hurting Lillian to get answers. Ronin tried to shout to her, let her know that he would find her somehow and save her. But she could not hear him because this was a vision. Finally cracking Lillian told the hooded figure everything she knew and the whereabouts of both Children of Light. The man smirked, “Thank you Guardian Chen, collect some of her blood we’ll need it to summon The Master”. Lillian struggled against the chains that bond her together, trying to move away from the figure advancing towards her, knife in hand.

However, it was no use; the figure grabbed her, jerking her up right in one forceful gesture, bringing the cold steel of the knife against the warm flesh of her hand.

She winced from the pain, small drops of blood filled into a vile; when the figure was done, he pushed her to the ground, bowed in the direction of the hooded figure and left the room. Lillian tried to get up but the hooded figure stepped forward, raising his leg and stomping down on Lillian’s back forcing her to stay down.

A scream escaped her lips before she spoke through grinded teeth, “Whatever your planning it won’t work, they will find me and they will stop you”, the hooded figure chuckled lightly at her comment pushing his foot down harder on her back. “It’s too late my dear Guardian, the plan is already in motion, final piece in our puzzle in complete, now the spoken prophecy shall come to pass”, he finally moved away from Lillian who could finally breathe now that there was not weight crashing down on her, she tried to move but screamed out in pain again.

He had to get too her, Ronin tried to once more to call out to her but only silence once again. Suddenly he woke up, flying upright in the bed, sweat dripping across his face knowing that Lillian was in danger he needed to get out of here fast.

When he went to move from the bed a hand stopped him. Standing there was Nicole, “Easy Ronin, your still recovering from your wounds”, he opened his mouth to tell her that Lillian was in danger but it seemed by the look on Nicole’s face she already knew something on the subject. In addition, he wondered why Nicole was here and not at the Circle, “The Elder wanted to come visit when he heard about Lillian and Sara, but when we arrived the whole place was on lock down. It seems there was a traitor in our ranks who took Lillian, though we not sure where at the moment”.

He nodded his head, Nicole handed him some clothes before heading out of the room, speaking through the doorway, “When your finished Master Thaddeus is requesting you in the Guardian Hall War Room, it seemed very important”, and with that she left Ronin. Getting dressed had been a challenge at first for him, while his wound had headed and was no longer bandaged his physical body was still weak from the damage it had taken.

If he was not a Guardian and had the help of the Guardian Healers he either might not have made it or he would have been left severely damaged. Only a faint scar remained, a reminder of the selfless act he had done to protect the woman he loved. Even in his alerted state of mind, Ronin had head Lillian talking to him felt her presence there with him, one of the many features of sharing a soulmate bond together.

He had heard her confession of love to him, when he found her the first words spoken will be of his love for her, a love that had never died no matter the years that had passed by or the horrible things he had done in the past. With the assistance of two Guardian trainees, Ronin managed to walk all the way to the Guardian Hall, using the trainees as support. The Guardian Hall was a part of the Sanctuary dedicated to the five founding Guardians; a picture of each Guardian lined the walls along with a section filled with the names of Guardians who had fallen in battle or on missions. At the end of the Guardian Hall sat a room with a round table, filled with chairs using during times of war and chaos as a meeting place between Guardians and their allies.

Adapted from the Arthurian legend with his knights of the round table, symbolling the unity of others banded together for one single purpose. Once the trainee Guardians had rested Ronin down on a chair, they bowed their heads in the Master Guardians direction and left the room.

Ronin turned his head to listen as Master Thaddeus spoke with him, “Thanks for coming Ronin, as I am sure you’re aware at the moment Guardian Headquarters is on lock down. We have every available Guardian on duty looking for Lillian. Our assessment of the current situation is very high. When questioning the two guards stationed outside your room, Lillian had went to visit you, Approximately 30 mins later they heard a scream coming from inside, when they entered a Guardian had Lillian hostage before they could help, both of them disappeared. From their statements, an Elder had been in the room earlier not a Guardian. I strongly believe we had a traitor among our ranks”.

Ronin nodded it made sense the only people who would have been down there were the healers and an Elder. “That’s the only information we have so far, until the traitor is identified and Lillian is found the Headquarters will remain on lock down”.

Adding to the information Ronin made sure to tell Master Thaddeus about the vision he had as it might help aid them in their search for Lillian, every little bit could help rescue her. “This hooded figure spoke about summoning this Master, that their plan was already set in motion and spoke of a prophecy?”, when Ronin nodded his head the Master Guardian sighed, “It’s as we feared, Elder Theokritos believes this Master their referring to is the same creature we know as The Darkness. But it has gone by a different name over the centuries including The Ancient One”.

Ronin knew very well the power of this creature, the lengths it was willing to rid the world of all light and bring forth only chaos and destruction. Master Thaddeus continued, “While we have little written text on this matter, our witch allies at the Coven of the Enlightened do, we’ve sent word to them on the current state of affairs and their High King has agreed to share their history with us. I am sending you there alone, while I would like someone to company you, it’s to dangerous to send either Children of the Light and I need the rest of the Guardians here for defense and search parties”.

He understood what the Master Guardian was saying, this was a solo mission, and his orders were clear get the information, find Lillian, and bring her back to Headquarters. It was simple really and the Master Guardian trusted Ronin enough to know he would get it done. “I understand”.