Who is this girl? Why is she asking me for help?

“I am not sure if I am right person to help you.” I replied. Her eyes started to plead me to help her.

“You’ve got to help me no one else will.” She pleaded. Why am I the only one who can help her?

“Well I am not sure exactly if I can help you. I’m not really good at anything, and I’m not sure I can help you with your problem.” Looking into her eyes I saw that her problem is too much for someone like me.

“No it has to be you.” She said. She was pulling kept pulling on my shirt hard enough that we were in each other’s faces. What does she want from me? My brain maybe?

“Why does it have to be me?” I asked. Her eyes turned cold for a second, then soften before I could even register what took place.

“You are the only one who can see me, so therefore you are the only one who can help me.” She replied. Her eyes are trying to plead with me to help but there is something inside of me that is telling me not to help her. Why is that? I shifted her in my arms so I could see her better.

“Why am I the only one who can see you?” She shifted in my arms so that she was sitting up.

“There is a vast amount untapped potential within you. You have a lot of strength within you that you and everybody else does not know of, Travis.”

“What the hell are you talking about, why do you need my help, and how do you know my name?”

“I am a witness to a murder that happens twenty years in the future today. I watched as I saw the murderer shoot the poor victim and his family and steal the ring from the victim; the ring that I am wearing now. He saw me watching him and came over to kill me, so I pushed him over causing him to fall over and drop the ring. I scrabbled out of the room, but not before I picked up the ring and hearing the murderer call for his guardians of the other rings to come after me.

“I panicked and the only spell that came to mind was the one to travel back in time and I knew that I could not handle all of them at once. So I cast the spell and ended up here, but I know I have the guardians coming after me, so I need your help.” She responded. She looks as though she is serious trouble I have got to help her, but what can I do? I can’t do much of anything. Why does it have to be me? She got off of my lap, stood up and brushed herself off. I followed her example and got up.
“Why does it have to be me? Why can’t someone else do it? Why can’t someone like Kersen do this? He is the captain of like every sports team he could help you easily take down these guardians for you.” She gave me the death glare. Why is she giving me this look? I thought she was nicer than this. This uneasy feeling of that I can’t trust her is back why? The shocked must have shown on my face for her gaze softened just as quickly as the last time.
“I already told you,” her voice was cold and ruthless, “You have special powers within you.” Her voice softened. “You are strong you just have to believe in yourself.” The feeling inside of me changed. I feel now as though I can do something, and that I can trust her. Yet that feeling of not being able to trust her still lingers within me. She placed her right hand on my right shoulder and used her left hand to brush through my sandy blonde. “Just believe in yourself.” She spoke somewhat softly.
“I would believe in myself if I knew that I could do something but I can’t. You really should go and find someone who is stronger, like Kersen or even the police instead of me.” Anger shot through her eyes. I took a step back; frightened by what I saw. Her eyes softened.
“Come on think of my story, would they really believe it?” she asked. I thought about it for a second.
No wonder she did not ask for the police, her story is absolutely crazy! Magical ring guardians? Time Travel? What kind of prank is she trying to pull on me? I really should get away from this crazy person. I started to step back from her
“Yeah I can see why you didn’t go to anybody else your whole story is absolutely crazy. I barely believe it myself and I saw you fall from the sky. Anyways you really should get anybody else. I’m not a skilled fighter and I definitely couldn’t help you defeat those guardian guys.” I started to turn around. “So I’m going to go home now. I hope…” She grabbed my shoulder, her nails digging into my shoulder causing me a pain that I almost yelped at.
“I could teach you to fight; I just need some help taking all of them down.” She interrupted. I tried to shrug her off of my shoulder and walk away, but she dug her nails deeper into my shoulder, this time causing me to yelp. Her voice changed “Do you really want to go back to your life of being a loser?” Her voice changed, from sweet to seductive. “This could just be the popularity boost that you need, if you help me out. You will learn cool moves that could get everybody to worship the very ground that you walk on. Just help me out and all of that can be yours.” I stood there and did not answer for the longest time just thinking of the one word: Popularity.
“Popularity…” How does she know this will get me popularity? How does she know that is what I want? Just who is this strange girl? I turned around and looked her. “Wait a second. What are you trying to do? I can’t fight. I won’t be able to help you. If we were attacked right now I wouldn’t be able to defend you. Besides I don’t even know your name.” Shock came to her eyes and her eyes alone. Then her faced softened.
“Oh my I have forgotten my manners. My name is Lucille Kaloway. You are Travis Night. I know this as I explained early: I am from the future and I know much about you and I know that you have a gift for the magic that will soon be coming to this time period.” She moved her right hand in an upward sideways movement and stop when her hand was in front of the sun. Her ring on her finger shimmered in the rays of the sun. She took her arm down and quickly took off and shoved it into my hands. I looked at the silver ring and I felt a surge of power flow through me the longer I held onto it. I know that I’ve seen this ring somewhere before .Only question is where? “Put it on and feel the true power of the ring.”
I put the ring on and the wind swirled around me. Just for a moment I swear my feat didn’t touch the ground. Witchcraft? Alien technology? What is this power?
“What is this?” I screamed as the wind still swirled around me.
“It is the power of wind. This ring helps to bring out the power within you, but only the power of the wind. There are nine other rings that the guardians have control of. If you were to get control of these other rings, you would be able to experience all of the powers and maybe one day be able to control the powers without the rings.” She explained. The wind settled down around me. What bull is this? Am I getting punk’d? I continued to stare at the ring. She grabbed my head and made me look into her eyes.
“Imagine a small little twister in front of you.” She said. She let go of my head allowing me to try. She started to look down the lane.
“You know that I won’t be able to do it. I am not good at anything, so it’s not going to come out at all.” I replied. Her head quickly snapped so she could look at me.
“Just try.” She snapped at me. I looked into her eyes angry took over them, then disappeared within.
“Okay fine, but nothing is going to come out” I mumbled. I concentrated and imagined that a little twister was in front me. I stood there for a minute just thinking of what direction the twister was going, how big it was, how it was destroying the leaves around it. I don’t even feel it around me. I bet it did not work.
“Great job you did it!” Lucille cheered. I opened my eyes to see the exact twister that I imagined, right in front of me. I can’t believe it. I actually was able to do something! And on the first time too! I started doing a little victory dance, but Lucille grabbed my shoulder to stop me immediately.
“I know this is a happy occasion for you, but the first guardian is coming. Lucky for us you learned the power of air just in time.” She smiled, and it gave me confidence that I could help protect this girl.
“How do you know that he’s coming?”
“Look over there” she pointed down Viola street towards the opposite way of my house. There the air was swirling around the ground and creating an orb that we could not see the other side of. The air around the orb was getting drawn into it. Then in the blink of an eye the orb caught on fire.
The flames from orb were at least 30 feet into the air. The flames were spitting in all different directions, but never burning anything other than stray leaves on the ground. People from around here must be seeing this. Lucille was small enough to get bypassed, but this! These flames are huge and everywhere, there is no way that they don’t see this.
“Don’t worry only people with no magical ability cannot see these flames.” Witchcraft! She read my mind… Or maybe it was just my facial expression. Still who really is this Lucille Kaloway. “The Flame Guardian is here.” With that, the flames disappeared to reveal many men and women in Leather man sports jackets, various colored shirts, and jeans.

“Lucille Kaloway return back to our time and receive your punishment. Do not force me to release my powers.” The Flame Guardian shouted. I gave Lucille a look. Why is she getting punishment? It is only her witnessing a murder, right? I mean look at her face, it looks so innocent. Are these guys that ruthless?

“Boy, I would get away from that girl. She is wanted for…” The Flame Guardian began to state.

“For witnessing a murder!” Lucille shouted. Her whole body was tense in position ready to fight. All this is happening way too fast! What is going on? I want to ask, but I am too scared to even make a peep.

“I guess in a way you did witness the event.” One of the girl subordinates scoffed as she rolled her eyes.

“We do not need to talk to this fugitive.” The Flame Guardian said in a harsh commanding tone. He turned and looked at me. “ Boy, you need to get away from this girl because she is dangerous. You do not want to know what she is capable of.” He looked straight into my eyes and all I could do was take a huge gulp. I felt my whole body shiver as he stared at me. I know these eyes from somewhere, but where? They have a harsh tone to them but under that I can see that he is a kind and caring person. Why would he go after Lucille? More importantly, why would someone be in such a terrible group?

“No I won’t get away from her. She is a good person. It is you who should be punished for trying to hurt her for what she saw.” I shouted back at the Flame Guardian. He looked shocked at what I said and looked into my eyes again, but this time I was able to stand my ground. Do I know him? These green eyes feel familiar to me. His whole body structure looks familiar, even his light brown hair. Where have I see him before? Should I really be fighting him? This uncertainty ran through me while I got into what I thought a fighting position to be.

“Alas troop, I guess we must take this boy down with the girl.” The Flame Guardian remarked. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a gold ring that looked like it was completely made of flames. “Men at your ready, a fight is going to be breaking out here soon.” Without a second glance he created a fire ball in his hands and threw it at us.

I panicked; all I could do was close my eyes and imagine the wind taking the fireball and smashing it into the brick wall near us. I heard gasps and opened my eyes to see that the fire had completely missed us.

“So that is where boss’ ring ran off to.” The Flame Guardian muttered. He seemed to be thinking to himself for a moment, convinced of something, and then shook it off. “Men we might have it tougher than we thought.” The Flame Guardian shouted at his men. They all took out their weapons ranging from guns to swords and bows and arrows.

Lucille took out her own little dagger and her facial expressions became tough; ready for the fight that was to come. I was the only one who did not have a weapon. Even if I did have a weapon I wouldn’t know how to use it anyway.

“I will make a path way with the quickest path up to the Flame Guardian. Be on your guard because there will be some bloodshed.” Lucille said cold heartedly. I took notice of how she said these words just the fact that she mentioned that there will Bloodshed.
“Blood…Shed… Will there be any deaths?” I asked. My eyes started to get wide. What have I gotten myself into?

“If we are lucky there will be plenty of heads rolling.” She spit through her teeth heartlessly. She turned, faced me, and I saw that her eyes were cold. Just like the times before they softened without a second thought. “What I mean is, unfortunately it is either us or them. We have to completely take them out. The easiest way to do this is take out The Flame Guardian. The others will leave as soon as he is taken out. Then we will be safe for a while” I still don’t know if I can do this. “Please help me.” She gave me the puppy dog look. I have got to help her just look at that innocent face.

“Are two done chit-chatting over there?” The woman from before shouted.

“Yes we are.” Lucille replied. She sped over to the woman and quickly slit her throat. I turned away before I saw too much of it. Unfortunately I still heard the blood curdling scream of the woman before she was lost to the world. “Come on Travis help me.” I heard her sweet voice call over to me and I turned around.

What I saw was all of the subordinates encircling her. Oh no they are going to get her. I closed my eyes and imagined that the wind pushed back all of the subordinates. Again what I saw in my head happened in real life; the subordinates went flying into trees, walls, and each other.

“I am really getting the hang of this Lucille!” I cheered. She turned her head over to me and gave me a smile that just melted my soul. I could not help but smile back at her.

During this moment though, a man decided to sneak up behind Lucille.

“No!” I shouted as I shouted as I forced my hand outwards towards the man sending the air to throw him down. Wow really I am still able to control this power.

“Way to go Travis, you saved me there. Now let’s defeat these guys.” Lucille cheered.

As I took kinder methods to just knock out my enemy with the power of the wind, Lucille had no problem fully killing them. With this method, we were quickly able get to The Flame Guardian and his higher ranking subordinates.

“Travis? Is that you?” The Flame Guardian asked. His face wore the look of astonishment and confused. I stopped fighting for a moment.

“Yeah, what of it?” I answered. I shot a ball of air out and sent the subordinate on his left flying into the tree tops.

“Don’t you recognize me? I’m K…” He said before Lucille came in and punched him. During her punch I was able to hear the cracking of bones as she hit The Flame Guardian in the face. The Flame Guardian stumbled around holding his nose and dripping blood everywhere.

“You’re the enemy, that’s you are!” Lucille barked. He whipped the blood from his face. He walked over to Lucille and returned the favor.

“Oh you’re going to regret picking a fight with The Flame Guardian.” He declared. He drew out his sword ready to fight.

“That’s not fair! Lucille only has a little dagger while you have a huge sword.” I shrieked. Everybody looked at me. Lucille gave me a comforting smile and I just about relaxed.

“Don’t worry I will knock his sword out of his hands and send it over to you so be ready.” Lucille reassured me.

“You sound pretty sure of yourself there Lucille.” The Flame Guardian said. Lucille turned back around and faced The Flame Guardian. She locked eyes with him and gave him a smirk.

“It will be over before you or anybody else knows it.” With that, Lucille was over next to him in a flash striking him in movements that I was barely able to capture. How is she able to do all of this? I thought she was just an innocent girl… I am going to have to ask her about this later.

Then in a blink of an eye Lucille was able to send the sword flying towards me and she had The Flame Guardian on his knees with the dagger pointed at his throat. I threw out my arms in an attempt to catch the sharp pointy object flying my way. I wish it would slow down so that I could catch.

Then as if by magic, like the one I have forgotten at this moment, the sword slowed down and landed gently in my hands, without cutting me.

“Look Lucille I caught the sword.” I rejoiced. Lucille and The Flame Guardian looked over at me and my big goofy smile.

“I remember him when he was this age.” A small smile came to the guardians face. “He was like a puppy. Wanting a treat every time he did something good. He grew up to be such a great person and you had…” Lucille started pressing the dagger into his skin and whispered something into his ear. Why does The Flame Guardian know so much about me? Another thing I will have to ask Lucille about.

“Now you have two options; Go back to our time and call off the rest of the Guardians that are after me or don’t go back alive.” Lucille hissed. She sure has a scary side that I will have to remember not to get on. The Flame Guardian’s eyes revealed how frightened he was. A smirk crawled across Lucille.

Then something changed in The Flame Guardian. He swallowed and a new found courage came into his eyes. It is like he swallowed his fears away. I know that I know somebody who does this, but who? Why do I have to be so hopeless?

“I would rather die than call off the search for you. After what you did to…” Lucille slit his throat. “You murder.” Were the last words he was able to say before slipped into the unconsciousness of which he would never return from.

“The rest of you better scramble before I finish you off like your boss here and the rest of your team.” Lucille warned them. With that little warning the rest of The Flame Guardian’s subordinates picked up their fellow team mates, both alive and dead, and their boss and were gone, back to the future.

Lucille turned to look at me. There was a huge grin upon her face. Looking upon her face I could not help from smiling. She ran over to me and started hugging me.

“I’m so proud of you Travis! You did it!” She rejoiced. She pulled off of me and looked me in the eyes. “With a little more training we will be able to those Guardians and their subordinates down no problem!” Her eyes make me feel as though I have nothing to worry about, but there is something in my mind that is bothering me. Now just what is it? We started walking down Viola Street towards my house. We walked in silence for Lucille’s mind seemed to be elsewhere

Now what was it I was it that I was trying to remember? Was it something to do with The Flame Guardian? In some sort of way yes, but what? Why do I have to be so hopeless? Why do I have to ask so many questions to figure out what I want?

That’s right I wanted to ask Lucille some questions about what happened and what The Flame Guardian said.

“Hey Lucille,” this snapped the daydreaming Lucille back into reality. “I had some questions to ask you.” She looked at me then thought for a moment.

“Well I cannot answer them out here, but once we get into the safety of your home I will gladly answer any questions you have.” She responded. “I will be able to stay with you at your house right?” She looked at me with the puppy dog eyes.

“You don’t have to beg. I highly doubt that my parents would even notice that you were there; they barely notice that I’m there.” I replied.

With that we were right outside the gates that led up to my house, the place where I took my first step into my new exciting future.

We walked up the pathway that leads to my house in silence, our minds elsewhere. Then when we got to the door ,it opened to reveal my mother rushing out the door nearly running us over. She had numerous amounts of suit cases in her hands. She had a hat on to hide the messy pined up hair; her brown over coat on buttons off and full of wrinkles to indicate how much of a hurry she was in.

“Mom, where are you going?” I asked. She looked at me and then at Lucille, then back at me, and eventually went back to Lucille and just stared at her with her blue eyes full of confusion. What is she thinking? Does she think Lucille is here because I did something bad again? “Mom?”

“I just got called in for a new movie. It is a new action thriller. They just called me and asked if I could come on the next flight over to Brazil so they could start shooting right away, you see their first lead actress had a tantrum on set so they fired her. They said that they did not have the time to deal with that type of attitude and I was next on the list.” The whole time my mother was just staring at Lucille.

“Wow such a good break. Also mom you know it is rude to stare.” She blinked a few times and looked over to me.

“Oh, sorry. Where are my manners? I am Belladonna Night, Travis’s mother. You are Travis’s friend, girlfriend maybe?” Mother introduced. I just stared at her.

“Mom!” I screeched. I heard Lucille giggle next to me. This is just great! This is just how I wanted them to be introduced.

“I’m just a friend Mrs. Night. My name is Lucille Kaloway, and it is very nice to meet you” Lucille extend out her hand then realized my mother had no hands to shake. She returned her hand to her side.

“Please call me Belladonna. Mrs. Night is my mother-in-law and I really do not want to associate with that woman.

“You’re the first friend Travis brought home in a long time. What was that nice boy’s name… Oh yeah Kersen.” Lucille flinched at his name. I guess she just a shiver I guess. “ Too bad that was the only time he came over and it was just for that one project too. He seemed to like you just fine honey, I don’t see why you don’t invite him over any more.” She chattered

“Mom I told you that he was just putting on a face. He barely even talks to me at school and when he does we are alone without anybody else around. He just does not want to lose is standing.” I explained. She shook her head.

“ No I felt something different about that boy compared to the others who just use you for money.” She gave a stern look at Lucille. “You better not be one of those bimbos.” Lucille shook her head. My mother’s eyes soften. “Good. But anyways, he seemed to care about you for you as if you were a real person not like anybody else.” I just dropped my mouth. Why does she have to bring that up that now? I looked at my mother’s watch even though I could not read it.

“Mother don’t you have a plane to catch?” I realized. My mom frantically looked at her watch and was in shook.

“Yes I do. Thank you for reminding me sweetie. Well I’m off. Bye sweetie.” My mother said as she rushed past us. We watched as she ran down the pathway and got into a taxi.

“Bye mom.” I called after her, but she did not hear me for she was already in the taxi. Thanks for leaving me alone again. I looked down at the ground and started shifting the ground at my feet. Lucille put her hand on my shoulder.

“It will be okay Travis. I’m here with you and don’t you have your father here?” She asked. Her eyes were filled with hope, but not even that could cheer my spirits up.

“Yeah my dad is home, but he keeps to himself. You see he just sits in his study whenever he is in the middle of writing a book and hates to be interrupted. He does come out when he is in between books. Right now he just started his new project and if I distract him he will kill me.
“So in times like this, when my mom is out on a movie deal and my dad is the middle of a book it gets pretty lonely.” I sighed and looked into the distance.
“Well now you have me to help you through the lonely times like these.” She grabbed my hand and I looked into her eyes. She gave me a smile that just melted me. “Come on take me into your house and I will answer all of your questions.” I held onto her hand and started to lead her into the house.
I quickly gave her a run-down of the lower level of the house, which included the kitchen, two bathrooms, the bowling alley, home theater, my father’s study, and the living room. We start to head up stairs to where my bedroom was when we almost ran into my father who was lost in his thoughts.
“Oh sorry son, didn’t see you there.” My father mumbled. He seemed to be in one of his writers block moods; a time where he is lost to the world and anything distracting his thinking will set him off his rocker.
“Hey dad, I’m just going to go up to my room.” I said. He looked at me, but I knew that his attention was elsewhere.
“Okay son.” He mumbled. He took no notice of Lucille and stumbled into the kitchen. Lucille looked at me and then at me.
“Is that your father?” She asked.
“Yeah, his name is Jaiden. Sorry he is acting like this. He tends to be like this when he is the middle of writing. He has been working on this one for a while, but it will still take some time for him to finish. So he won’t be bothering us for a while. It’s just that when he gets like this and my mom is out it gets kind of lonely.” I looked down at my shoes. After a moment of silence, Lucille came behind me and gave me a hug.
“Well that is not going to happen anymore.” She slipped down and grabbed my hand and she started to pull me towards the stairs. “Come on let’s go to your room.” She started pulling on my arm harder, but I wouldn’t budge.
She turned around and gave me a huge smile. Wow her smile sure is bright. I feel as though it warms me up. I smiled back at her and started to pull her up the stairs.
“Come on it’s this way.” I said as I led her up the stairs to my room.

We went through the door way and I switched on the light. My room is a total mess! How could I let her see my room like this? Clothes all over the place, bed not made up, and plates all over the place.
“I am sorry my room is such a mess… I was not expecting guests any time soon.” I looked down again and tried to shove clothes underneath the bed with my feet.

“It’s okay I have seen worse. I use to live in an orphanage…” She paused for a moment and looked out the window. This must be a sore topic. I really should not ask her too much about it. So instead of asking what happed to her parents I decided to pick up my room a bit.

I threw some clothes into the hamper and piled up some of the dishes to get ready to take down stairs while Lucille remained staring out side off in the distance.
Her face seem to be filled with sorrow and yet hatred for the person or people who did this to her family. She turned around and looked at me her eyes filled will tears. She whipped them away and sniffed. “You probably want to know what happened don’t you?” she asked. I looked her in the eyes and shrugged.

“I don’t have to know. Sure I would like to know, but if it is too painful for you’re to talk about then we don’t have to go over it.” I answered. I gave her a smile and she returned it with a weak one.

“Well it is best that you know what we are up against. You see when the rulers of the world in the future took over they had a great purge. They killed millions of people to be able to get on top of the world. They took out anybody who was a threat to them or who would disrupt their peace.

“My parents were not ones to stand around while these people took over the world and destroy it. So they stood up to them and tried to protect us.

“Unfortunately, my parents were no match for their ongoing slaughter and were killed right there in front of me. They spared mine and my sister’s life for they thought that they would be able to change us and keep us under control.

“I was not one that was going to take this lightly. I grew hatred towards them in my following years and came up with many plans to try and take them down. All of the plans were preposterous for there was not possible way to every take them down.

“As for my sister, she was not as strong as I and she died quickly after they killed our parents and threw us in the filthy orphanage.” She explained. She remained staring out the window, seeing the horrors of her past. I must help her. I have to protect her.

I walked over and put my hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry you have me now. I will protect you from those guardian fellows and you will never have to run again.” I declared. She turned around and gave me a weak smile. A tear had fallen from her eye, so I whipped it away.

“Thank you so much. I know I can trust you.” She whispered. “If you want to ask questions I will answer as truthfully and as best I can.” She walked over to my messy bed, brushed it, and sat down.

“There is so much I need to know. It could take hours and I have tons of homework to complete which will take me hours already to complete…”

“I could help you. I was very good at my studies and I should be able to do the work of this time.” She interrupted. She swept a place on my bed and patted for me to sit down. Without a second thought I went over dropped my backpack and sat down next to Lucille. I opened up my back pack, and grabbed the work I had to do for tonight, and Lucile snatched it from my hands and looked at it for a minute.

“Yes this work is a piece of cake. With my help you will be able to do this in minutes.” She continued. She kept shuffling through the work. “Do you want to work on it now or do you want to ask questions now?”

“Well can’t we do them both at the same time?” I asked. She shoved the papers back into my hands and got up and started pacing.

“Alright, if you want to get confused.” She replied. She walked over to the window and just stared out the window waiting for something. I wonder if she is waiting for the next guardian to come.

“You look like you are looking for someone or something. What is on your mind?” I asked. She turned around and sighed.

“Well I just don’t know when the next guardian is going to come.” She walked back over to the bed and plopped down. “The next one could come any minute, hour, or even day. I mean the chances of one coming any time soon is slim, for the time traveling warp can only handle so much, but still…” She looked down and she put her hands on her head. Her hair fell all around her. “I don’t know if I can handle them all coming so soon if they do.”

“Don’t worry. I am here to protect you.” I told her. She lifted up her head and looked into my eyes.

“Thank you.” She fixed her hair by running her fingers through it. “So question first or homework?”

“Well question first and while you’re answering I can work on my homework.” She nodded. “First question: What is the deal with the guardians and their boss?”

“Well this is a long story but I will try and keep it short.” I opened my text book for Algebra 2 and got out a piece of paper and just stared at it. “You know maybe we should do your homework first, because just by looking at you right now, I can see that you don’t understand it at all.” She commented. I sighed.

“I will get it if I just stare at it long enough. I may not be the brightest star in the galaxy but I am not the darkest black hole.

“I get this stuff well enough to get a C in the class, barely, but not enough to do my homework in a matter of minutes, or even just an hour. So just keep going and I will figure it out soon enough.” She put her hand on my shoulder and stared at me for a moment.

“Well if you insist.” I nodded. “Well I will go on with the story then.


“In a matter of years a terrible group called guardians appeared from out of nowhere. They claimed that they were there to help protect the people from the evils of the world.

“They lied. They started killing everyone in sight so that they could control every one.

“No one stood a chance because they had the powers of the rings to help them, and not just that but genetically altered monsters that were created to kill people at their side. Even the world’s military did not stand a chance to these guys and were quickly eliminated. They were able to take over the world in a matter of years and no one could stop them.

“For years I lived under their tyranny, wishing that I could take them down, but I could do nothing about; until now, which I finally have the chance to take each one of them down individually.” She looked over at me and noticed that I was still on the same question as before.
“You really are helpless. You use the quadratic formula to solve that problem.” I gave her a funny look. “Really you don’t know what the quadratic formula is?”

“No…” I responded. She face palmed and shook her head.

“X equals negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus four times a times c divided by two times a.” A light bulb went off in my head and I was able to start the problem. “We really should work on your homework if you are going to have so much trouble with it.”

“No” I snapped. “I mean I always have so much trouble with my work and my teachers never really expect me to finish my homework any ways so it is okay. They just pass me along, making me someone else’s problem.” I shrugged. “Do you mind if I put on the radio it helps me relax when I am doing my homework?” She shrugged.

“Go ahead I don’t mind.” She said. I walked over to me radio on my desk and flipped on the radio. It started playing classical piano music. Lucille started freaking out and brought out her dagger. What’s her problem?

“What’s wrong?” I questioned. She started looking around for the source of the music. “Don’t tell me they don’t have radios in the future.” She found the radio and looked at it with the intent to destroy it. I guess she really does not like classical music.

“Turn that off now!” She shouted. She started inching towards it ready to destroy it.

“What’s wrong with it? It is just a little bit of classic music it helps to calm me down and it should be able to calm you down.” I remarked.

“Calm? How can that make me calm? After the Sound Guardian roamed the streets, having the sound of a piano playing to warn everyone that he was coming. He was the one who killed my parents.” She hissed. I quickly changed the radio to a station that played the hot new songs. No wonder why she does not like classical music. I walked over to her and gave her a hug to calm her down.

“It is going to be alright. We’ll get revenge for your parents.” She put her head on my shoulder.

“Thanks.” She whispered. We let go and sat back down on the bed and I got back to work.

“I think I have said all I can on that question so why don’t you throw me another one.” As she said this I finished the first problem.

“I don’t remember if you told me this or not but how many guardians are there and what are their powers?” I asked as I started problem two.

“Well there are nine guardians and ten rings. Their powers are fire, earth, water, lighting, sound, illusion, magnetism, heaven, and hell. The tenth ring belongs to their boss and has the power of air. It is actually the ring that you are wearing now.” I looked up from my homework and looked at her.

“Wait a minute. I thought you said this ring belonged to the guy who got murdered not to the boss of the guardians.” I threw at her. She was shocked by what I said. Is it because I remembered? Well I am pretty shocked about that myself, but still her story is not adding up now.

“You see it originally belong to the victim but the boss stole it from him when he wanted to take over the world. Then the victim stole it back and that is what cost him his life.” She retorted back. I looked back down at my homework and started again where I left off.

“Okay that makes sense. Next question how did the fire guardian know my name and a lot about me?” She looked at me then looked down.

“He is someone that will become very close to you in the future, but will later betray you. It will be the end of days for you when he betrays you.” I shot my head straight up and looked at her. I started shaking in fear.

“You mean that I will finally become close to someone and they are going to betray me?” She looked away. My jaw dropped. I finally get a friend and he betrays me for that boss man. I wonder who he is… “Will you tell me who it is?” She shook her head.

“I shouldn’t reveal to you who it is. I want you to have your first friend of this time, and with my help you might be able to survive a little longer…” She looked back over at me and gave me a weak smile. With that look I was able to stop shaking for just a moment. “Just don’t trust anyone if you want to survive.”

“Okay sounds like a plan. I still have many more questions to ask you should I just go?” I asked.

“Yeah go ahead shoot.”

That night I learned that she had to learn her fighting skills to survive in the future and that the Fire Guardian was the one who betrays me. After this night I knew I had to help her and safe the future.

We fell asleep, with her on the bed and myself on the floor, with my homework completed. All my questions answered and I for once felt like I was truly needed.

Beep... Beep... Beep... went my alarm clock with the time reading 6:30 A.M. I found myself underneath a pile of clothes on the ground. What am I doing on the ground? Then something or really someone shut the alarm off.

I sat up to see Lucille rubbing the sleep from her eyes. That’s right I remember now why I am on the floor. Now why did I not think to put her in one of the thousands of guest rooms in the house?

“Good morning. I am sorry I put you on the floor. Maybe tonight I could sleep in one of the guest rooms?” Lucille said throughout bursts of yawns. I shook my head quickly.

“No it was no big deal and that sounds like a good idea. Now my only question is what are we going to do about school today?” I asked. She pondered over the thought of what we should do.

“Well I can’t exactly go to school with you that would cause quite a controversy. You cannot skip school because you cannot miss any days if you ever want a chance to understand the work that we did last night. Also, I know that you rarely miss school so it would be weird if you did and you need to keep up appearances. So I will stay here in your room away from anybody who could see me, you will go to school, and act like nothing is different.” She answered. I got up from the ground and started to stretch. I started to think that this plan could work, then panic struck over me.

“What happens if one of the guardians comes when I am at school? What do I do?” I started to freak out. I am not going to be able to protect her if I am at school. She’s my first friend I have to be able to protect her. At some point she had gotten off of the bed and kneeled next to me with her hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t worry I can tell when the next one comes and I will come get you if he ever does. Also I can tell that they won’t bring. They have to build up their army. Plus, the time traveling warp can only handle so much at a time. I should be fine for the time being.” She said soothingly. Her voiced started to calm me down but I still had things that worried me.

“How do you know that you will be fine?” She started patting my back

“I don’t Travis, but I just have to have faith.” With that she got up and started stretching her legs. “Now go get ready and head off to school and don’t worry I will stay out the way of your dad.” With that she rushed out of my room and I just stared blankly at the door she exited out of. Faith? What does Faith have anything to do with it?

After a moment of staring at the door, I finally got up and started my daily morning routine. I just can’t let her get hurt cause I am not here to protect her. Then again she did have some moves that I have only seen in the movies . . . Then again there were plenty of subordinates last time and this time there has to be more this time . . . but this time she does have the power of the fire ring . . . but she does not have full control over it . . . Oh what do I do?

Before I knew it I had finished getting ready and was already heading out the door on my way to school. I reached the front door of the school without even realizing that I had walked all the way.

I walked over to locker 163 and started unravel the combination. 28 . . . 37 . . . 2. The lock on my locker came undone and I swapped my Algebra 2 book for my English 11 textbook. How am I going to be able to work on English when all I can think about is poor Lucille sitting in my house with out me there to help her survive?

I slammed my locker, turned around, and ran straight into the bully of the school, Quentin. My stuff and myself went flying while he remained in the same spot. I could see the anger swarm his brown eyes. I could see that I would be getting a beating after school today. He is only like this because he is the 5 child of 10 children and uses bulling to get attention; and I am the one he decides to pick on day after.

“Hey No Good Rich Boy Travis! Watch where you are going you are already in for a beating today after school. Don’t make it any worse for yourself.” The sound of his voice rumbled from his chest. At first I was scared out of my mind; then I realized I have the power of air to take this guy down. I don’t have to worry about him any more.

“Why don’t you watch where you are going you brick wall?” I spat at him. His muscles tensed, his eyes started to go red. Why did I ever say that? I am going to get a beating for sure. Even if I have the power of air, it is not going to take down this tower of muscle. I am so stupid. I really need to lean some fighting moves from Lucille.

“Oh you’re going to get it now.” He started to swing a punch towards me and I thought of the wind taking me and moving me to be just right out his reach. Right before I was able to move Kersen had grabbed the punch and threw it away from me.

“What are you doing Quentin you know we have our big football game this weekend. If you get suspended for hitting poor Travis here who am I going to have to protect me from North Valley High? You know that their defense team kicks butt this year and I am going to need all the protection I can get if we want to win this year.” Kersen stepped in. Quentin started to back off, but he kept his cool. He took a moment and thought about what just happened.

“Hey, why are you defending No Good Rich Boy Travis? He means nothing to you he cannot help you with anything… Unless you need money, which is all he is good for. Dude if you need money just ask, the rest of the team can help and you don’t have to stoop so low.” remarked Quentin. I started to hang my head down in shame. Why is he helping me? I haven’t done anything to deserve this.

“Travis is a good kid and does not deserve to get picked on every day by you and everybody else. Someone has to stick up for him once and a while and I decided today is the day.” I slowly lifted my head to see Kersen standing over me, glistening full of courage and bravery. He was a beacon of light at the end of a dark tunnel trying to help me through the darkness. He is everything I am not. I wish I was like him so that I could protect Lucille the way he protecting me… Man I am so weak, I really need to strengthen up.

“Besides if you get suspended from school then I won’t have you out there on the field to have my back and we will lose for sure.” Kersen added and started to walk towards Quentin. “Don’t you dare let me see you hurt Travis again or you will be the one that will be getting the beating.” He sneered to Quentin. He turned around and gave his winning smile that people just melt all over. “See you in class Travis.” He waved and started walking away. Why is he being so nice to me?

Quentin watched as Kersen turned the corner and walked over to me. He grabbed the collar of my shirt and brought me close to his face and forced me to look into his devilish eyes.

“You got lucky this time, but today after school you won’t be and that is when you will pay for what you said to me.” He scoffed. He threw me to the ground and slide backwards a few inches. He turned around and left and headed in the same direction that Kersen headed into.

I sighed as I watched him go. That was a close one. If Kersen hadn’t stepped in I would have been don for. I need to strengthen up so that I can protect myself from creeps like Quentin and be able to protect Lucille.

The bell rang and I scrambled to grab my stuff and head off to class, which I barely skimmed into.

My classes were like always: boring, long, difficult, confusing, and lonely. I got through the day by not worrying too much about Lucille but rather that I was going to get my butt kicked later by Quentin. I raced out of school to try and avoid Quentin, but he was able to hunt me down.

“You thought you could run from me did you No Good Rich Boy Travis?” Quentin shouted. I tried to remain as still as possible hoping that I would just disappear from this place. No such event happened. “Well you’re wrong like always No Good. It is time for the beating that you deserved earlier.” He came down quick with his right hand and hit me in the left eye. He started to raise his left fist now to the sides of my face and all I could do was close my eyes and think about the wind pushing him back and hitting the wall.

As his fist came down and I pushed my hands outward hoping that it would soften the blow even if it was just a little bit. I sat there with my eyes closed waiting for the second blow but it never came; all that came was the screaming of Quentin getting thrown backwards into the brick wall behind him.

I opened my eyes to find Quentin several feet away from me lying in a pile of bricks. I shot my fist into the air and brought it down. I have taken down the school bully! Never would I have imagined that I could ever take down the bully. Sure I had to use a bit of magic but I still was able to take him out.

“Whoa Travis did you do this?” I whipped around to see that Kersen was standing behind me. I looked at Kersen, then the pile of rubble, then back at Kersen.

“I don’t think so. I can’t really do anything.” He gave me a look of disbelief.

“Can’t do anything? You can do anything if you put your mind to it.” I gave him a funny look.

“Even then I can’t do anything. Everybody knows I can’t do anything and so they don’t put any faith into me.” I started to hang my head down in shame. Kersen bent down and put his face in a place that he could see my own.

“Well this must be one of those once in a blue moon type of things where everybody is wrong. I know you have something in you and you just need to believe in yourself. I mean look at the project we did together. I would have never gotten through if it wasn’t for you.” I lifted my head and looked at him. His eyes were gleaming with faith and kindness.

“I thought you were just faking about not knowing what to do.” I muttered.

“It takes me hours of studying just to pull C’s out of all my classes. And look there; there is something you do better than me, school work. You always get better grades than me.” His eyes and even his smile were gleaming with hope; a hope that just would not reach me.

“The teachers just pass me along. I always get C+’s on test and homework. They never really notice me and they don’t even expect me to do my homework. Besides no one ever counts that as part of what I can do. I’m going home. See you later.” I took a step forward and the world started to spin around me. I stumbled around a little bit. Kersen grabbed my arm and tried to keep me up right. Why is the world spinning?

“I think I should take you home. You aren’t looking so good.” He suggested. He started to take my arm and put it around his shoulder. I snatched my arm back. I can’t let him see Lucille.

“I can make it on my own.” I tried to take another step forward, but this time my face landed in the dirt.

“Travis don’t cause trouble right now. This is not the time to become the tough guy you are seriously hurt.” He helped me up but I just pushed him away.

“I will make it home on my own. If the world would stop spinning.” I muttered. I tried to take another step forward and again I fell forward, but this time Kersen caught me.

“Travis, if you don’t let me take you home you are going to get more injured then just a black eye.” I turned to look at him or what I thought was him but there was three of him, maybe more.

“Black eye?” I squeaked. Kersen chuckled a little bit.

“Well what did you expect from a punch from Quentin? A perfect tan?” He laughed a little bit and pulled me over his shoulder and began to walk down Viola Street. On the way to my house he tried to make me laugh which I did when my head stopped hurting for moments.

We eventually made it to my house and he brought me all the way up through the gate and even up into the door. We got in to find Lucille waiting at the door to greet me.

“I was training when I heard you coming… Oh my goodness what happened to you?” Lucille shrieked. Fear washed over her face. She stepped forward and started to reach her hand out to my face.

“Umm… err… Ahh…” I came up with. She gave me a stern look.

“He got into a fight with the school bully.” Kersen answered for me. Lucille finally looked at him and stepped back from him. Kersen was smiling brightly while just for a moment Lucille gave him the evil eye than gave a blank look. Kersen didn’t seem to notice it because he just kept on smiling. “I have never seen you before in this neighborhood. Who are you?”

Lucille checked him out to see if he was suitable to be told who she was. Why has she not told him? What would Kersen do with the information of her name? Use it to rob a bank? Her face changed and she gave him a huge smile.

“My name is Lucille Kaloway. I am a friend of Travis and I am visiting him for a while. I never get to see him so I will be in town for a while. And you are?” Lucille asked back.

“I’m Kersen Sherwood. I am also a friend of Travis.” Kersen extended his hand outward and Lucille reluctantly shook his hand. She took a step backwards right afterwards. He looked down at is watch on his right hand “Well I should probably get going and check on Quentin to see if he is doing okay. It was nice meeting you Lucille and see you tomorrow Travis.” Kersen turned around and headed out the door.

As soon as he left Lucille slammed the door behind him. “Thank goodness he is gone.” Lucille praised. After saying this she turned right around and started heading to the kitchen. I started to follow right behind her.

“Why were you so tense around Kersen?” I asked. Lucille ignored me and continued on her way to the kitchen. Is there something wrong with Kersen?

We had gotten into the kitchen and Lucille opened the stainless steel door of the refrigerator. She was half the size of the door and yet she was able to open the door with ease. “What are you doing?” I asked.

She took a moment and looked around in the freezer that was jam packed with numerous amounts of items, she eventually pulled out a steak and handed it to me.

“Put this over you eye. It should keep the swelling down a little bit.” She said coldly. She closed the door and walked over to the middle isle counter and sat down on a stool. I looked down at the steak and it seemed to be oozing some sort of liquid but I put it on my eye.

“You never answered my question earlier. Why did you seem relived that Kersen was gone?” I re-asked. She looked me straight in my eye.

“What happened to you?” She questioned as if I was being questioned by the police.

“Well I got on bad terms with the school bully and he decided to beat me up after school. He punched me in the eye and all I could do was imagine him flying into the wall next to us and he did.” I answered. She sighed.

“It seems that you have gotten a hang of the first level of the ring. Unfortunately, you still have a lot of training to go if you want to be able to stand a chance against the rest of the guardians and even the school bully.” She remarked. I looked down at the ring I received when I first met Lucille. This ring is going to give me the power to protect myself and Lucille from the dangers of the world. Maybe I will be able to change the future into something different that it already is. I looked into her eyes and realized she still has not answered my question.

“You still did not answer my question. Why where you relived that Kersen left. She turned her head to the window and stared off in the distance.

“You are not going to like my answer.” I continued to stare at her even though she would not look at me.

“I don’t care. I must know why.” She took a deep breath and turned her head back over to me. She looked me straight in the eye. Her face seemed to be covered in a shroud of mystery.

“You cannot trust him.”

“How… Huh… What do you mean?” I stumbled thorough. How can she say something like this? Kersen is the kindest person I have ever met.

She faced towards me, but she was looking off in another direction. “I feel as though he has a mask to hide his true self. That his kindness is all an act so he can get everybody to trust him then is going to backstab all of them. You need stay away from him.” She had wandered over to the window and stood there. She is lying. Is she hiding something from me? I mean, how could Kersen ever come up with something like this? I will have to watch him, and see if what she says is true but it might be a while before I see any of the Flame Guardian within him.

Over the next week Lucille taught me basic control of the wind ring and some basic fighting skills with weapons and without. She also helped me with my school work, but I did notice that throughout the week I started to do less and less of my school work. I was able to keep up in class without having to pay attention in class.

All that was nice, but the whole week consisted of constant worry and wait for the Earth Guardian. Lucille told me of the power of the Earth Guardian; that he was able to control the ground and soil around him but also he is able to control the plant life around him. “A dangerous combo,” She had commented.

She also mentioned what the Earth Guardian did in the future. He was the cold-blooded killer of the group; the one that the boss would send out to do the killing that nobody else wanted to do. The Earth Guardian would kill anyone without mercy and watch him or her bleed to death.

Over the week I began to have a deep hatred of the Earth Guardian. Although I knew it was going to be a tough battle due to the fact that my skills were just at the basic level I still knew I had to at least take down this great evil and protect Lucille from all the danger that she faces.

Then on that Sunday while we were in my room relaxing, I was lying on the bed tossing a ball in the air with the power of the wind ring. Lucille would be on the window seal reading and every once in a while staring out the window, when she got the feeling that something was coming.

“The Earth Guardian is here.” Lucille warned. I sat up.
“What? He’s here?” The ball I was tossing in the air hit me in the head. “Oww.” I complained. Lucille giggled a little. She is so cute when she giggles. “It is not that funny.” Her faced hardened. “Any-ways the Earth Guardian is here, but where is he?”
“The Earth Guardian will be landing in a place that will befit the ring’s powers. Is there a park anywhere near here?” Lucille asked. I did the classic thinker pose and thought of all the parks near by.
“Well there is Tiger Lily Gardens that is a good 5 miles from here, but it is a highly populated area. The rest of them are on the other side of town and would take at least an hour to get over there at this hour.” I answered. She looked down and started pacing around the room, stepping over my many piles of junk lying on the ground.
“No that is too many people and the rest of them are much too far. Even though the Earth Guardian would prefer to be in the park but to bring a mass army into a densely populated area, it would cause too much trouble. But where could they land for a place without a lot people?” She continued to pace around the room. I headed over to the window where Lucille was sitting and stared out side. I looked into my backyard filled with trees and glorious flowers my mother planted in my backyard. Trees . . . Flowers . . . Could this place work?
“What about my backyard?” Lucille stopped her pacing and turned to look at me, then quickly rushed over to the window.
“Yes this has to be the place.” Just as she said that the ground began to shake. “The Earth Guardian is here.” I saw through the window that the source of the shaking was coming from the middle of the garden in the backyard. Then there in the middle of it a huge pink bud began to sprout up from the ground. “We must hurry to meet her in the garden before The Earth Guardian destroys too much of the garden and the house, or your dad finds all of these people in the garden.”

We hurried to the back yard to see all of the Earth Guardian’s subordinates in green swarming the area looking for us. Just as before, they were prepared for the fight at hand. We snuck through the bushes.
“It appears that they have not noticed us yet. Maybe if we keep quiet long enough while we sneak up we will have the advantage and be able to get to the Earth Guardian faster than having to go through all the subordinates.” She whispered to me. We sat there and waited a moment for a good time to move to the next rose bush, when I felt something move around my ankle. I brushed it from my ankle. Stupid bugs.
I started to have the feeling that something was crawling over my ankle again. I turned to look and see what was crawling around my ankle; it was a vine that was creeping from the ground and was starting to wrap around my ankle. This can’t be normal. It must be one of the Earth Guardians powers that Lucille warned me about. Even though she warned me I still fell for it! I really am a good for nothing.
“Lucille…” I started. She turned around and quieted me. Then her facial expression changed when she saw the fright upon my face. The vine started to tighten around my ankle. “What?!” She hissed. She got her answer soon enough; I was flung up into the air and was hanging upside down from the vine that was held up by a high tree. Lucille shot up and her place revealed. She must really hate me now.
“Found you, Lucille. I knew if I brought out the boy you would reveal yourself.” A female voice said. I was starting to spin, which made it difficult for me to locate where the voice came from. How did she find me but not Lucille?
“Who said that and which one of you is the Earth Guardian?” I shouted as I spun in circle. I started to feel the blood rush to my head. I am going to puke any second now.
Then the vine stopped. I was able to see everything except that it was all upside down. The women who spoke earlier raised her hand. She, from what I could see, had black hair cut short like a boy’s and the purest blue eyes that I have ever seen.
“I am the one who spoke and I am also the Earth Guardian.” The woman said with a smirk on her face.
“What you’re a girl?” The smirk disappeared from her face. “Lucille said that you were a guy.” Lucille turned to me and scoffed.
“I never said what gender she was, I all revered to her as the Earth Guardian, you just always assumed that she was a guy and I just never corrected you.” She said.
“Well you should have, now I am completely caught off guard.” I shouted at her.
“You shouldn’t have just assumed that she was a guy. What do you think that the female gender can’t control the elements?” She asked
“No, but I was expecting some burly guy who would be sending boulders everywhere trying to find us.”
“Typical. Men just have to assume that anyone with any power has to be female.” She spat. During this the Earth Guardian just stood there and laughed at us.
“Well this all fine and dandy, but we have some business to get to.” The Earth Guardian interrupted. “Lucille return back to the future without a fight and your punishment will be less than if we have to take you back by force.” Was watching the murder that bad that they have to threaten her by force? Why can’t they just leave her here she is not hurting anybody. The outside world was starting to slip behind a black curtain, and I could do nothing about it.
“Was what I did that bad?” Lucille asked innocently. The Earth Guardian gave her a funny look and started to laugh.
“Is that a rhetorical question?” She stopped laughing and her face got serious. “What you have done is unforgivable and nothing you can say or do will ever fix what you have done.” A vine started creeping its way towards Lucille.
“Lucille, behind you!” I shouted at her. She turned around and saw the vine behind her and sent a fireball behind her and the vine burst into flames.
“Cheap tricks like that aren’t going to work on me.” Lucille smirked and the Earth Guardian looked in shock.
“I couldn’t believe that he was actually gone, but seeing you with that ring has made it final.” The Earth Guardian commented. “Men show no mercy.” Everyone’s position change into one prepared for the fight. I have to help her before I go unconscious.
I could barely see due to the fact that part if my vision was becoming blotchy, but from what I could see all of them swarming around her. She would be able to take one down and then two more would come on. I tried to help by using wind to get them away from her, but I missed often. I was able to send many of them into the bushes where they were stuck for a few moments but that was rare. I tried to keep consciousness, plus with using the power of the ring just made it a whole lot faster.
When I awoke I found myself on the ground. A vine had Lucille tied up and she was struggling to get out as if she was just caught. I looked around and noticed that no one was paying attention to me. They must have just thought they could get out of here with me remaining unconscious. Well they thought wrong.
I started to inch my way to where they were and I started to hear that they were talking.
“I can’t believe you got Travis to help you, especially what you did…” The Earth Guardian said to Lucille.
“I did nothing!” Lucille snapped. The Earth Guardian stepped back in shock.
“If that is what you call nothing then I do not want to see what your something is.” The Earth Guardian said with fear in her voice. What should I do to let her know that I am right here for her? I’ve got it. I sent warm air around her, which caused her to look in the corners of her eyes and see me. She started to smile.

“Well then you better close your eyes.” Lucille declared. The Earth Guardian was shocked by what she said. With that Lucille took no time and set the vines that were holding her on fire. The vines burst into flames and the Earth Guardian took a step back and started looking around. She looked around and spotted me and started to step back, getting prepared to strike. I sent a ball of air at her and she was pushed pack. Within the blink of an eye, Lucille got behind the Earth Guardian and pulled out her sword. The Earth Guardian fell right into the sword, piercing her through the stomach. Lucille pulled the sword out of the Earth Guardian and she fell to her knees blood spilling from her gut. She started to cough up blood and fell onto her back.
The subordinates tried to rush to her side but Lucille held them back. “If you want her body back, then you stay away from her until we are through with her.” She shouted at them. She turned and faced me. “Grab the ring from the Earth Guardian then we can be on our way.”
I hurried along over to the Earth Guardian who was struggling to stay alive. I started to grab her hand when she pulled me close to her. “How could you go with Lucille even though she…” She whispered before started cough up blood. What lies is she going to tell me now?
“Even though she what?” I asked shaking her a bit. This only caused more blood to squirt out. She started looking off in the far distance.
“At least now I can be with Kersen again…” she said as she took her final breath.
“What do you mean you now can be with Kersen?” I started to shake her harder, but it was a failed attempt because her life had already slipped through. How does she know Kersen? What was she talking about when it came to Lucille? She sure has some explaining to do.
I took the ring off of the Earth Guardian and let her body drop to the ground. As I headed over to give Lucille the ring the subordinates rushed over to their fallen leader. I heard bits and pieces of their comments as they rushed past me; all saying how terrible people we are and that we will be sorry. The sure have a lot of respect for the Earth Guardian, but I don’t see why they just don’t take us down now. They still outnumber us by a lot. Is it because they know that we can beat them easy? Or is it because their fallen leader told them not to if she goes down…
Lucille gave me a quick kiss on the check. I felt my face heat up and I knew it must be going bright red.
“Good job Travis, I would have been an goner if you had not stepped in back there.” She said. I looked back to where the Earth Guardian lie with her subordinates around her. Am I really doing the right thing? Lucille grabbed my head and forced me to look into her eyes. “Travis, you did a good thing helping me out.”
“But do people really need to die to keep you safe?” I questioned her.
“They want me dead and they have killed countless before now. It is best that we do this.” She tried to convince me.
“Still, I feel as though there could be another way to deal with them…” I mumbled she started to squeeze my face harder.
“No Travis this the only way I can be safe.” Her voice was hard. Her grip on my face started to soften. “You do want me to live, don’t you?” she asked sweetly.
“Of course I do! But I still feel as though…”
“There is nothing more that can be done. End of discussion.” She interrupted. She turned to face the house and started heading inside.
I looked back at the Earth Guardian one last time before heading in. Am I doing the right thing or could there be something else I can do to help protect Lucille?

“Travis we have to help these people, but how are we going to save them?” Kersen panicked.
“I don’t know what to do.” I replied
“Come on Travis you must know something that will keep these people safe.” A girl’s voice said.
“I DON’T KNOW!!!!” I shouted at them. I started to kneel down on the ground.
“I can’t just sit here and watch all these people die. Travis you were the one who thought of putting this group together. You have to know something how to stop these things.” Kersen said.
“I TOLD YOU I DON’T KNOW!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, the wind started to spin around me.
“What is happening around him? Is he starting to go through the change?” The girl shrieked.
“I’ve got it we can use the powers of the rings. Just imagine your element coming to life and bending at your will.” I sent a ball of air at one of the creatures and they went flying.
“Well, what are our elements?” Kersen asked.
“Oh you’ll know.” I answered. Kersen and the girl closed their eyes and imagined their elements. Fire started to form around Kersen and the Earth began to shake around the girl. “Good you figured it out. Now let’s take down these creatures.”
****
I awoke from my dream full of questions for Lucille about the day before and my dream. She would not answer my questions the day before and I hoped that she would spill the answers today. Unfortunately she did not and forced me to go to school instead of staying with her. She told me that she would tell me when I got home. I sighed. I want to be able to help her, but if she does not tell me what is going on… I slammed my locker door.
“I can sense that you are angry, but I don’t think you should take it out on your locker. Well, unless your locker did make you angry.” A cutesy girl’s voice to my right said. I turned to see who it was. A girl with long black hair and bright blue eyes was standing there with a huge smile on her face. Who is this girl? I have never seen her before. Why is she talking to me? She must be new if she is talking to me… I started to stare at her strangely.
“Oh sorry I forgot my manners. My name is Terra Ashbury. I’m the new student.” She said.
“I knew it! That’s why you are talking to me!” She gave me a funny look. “My name is Travis Night. Around here I am know as No Good Rich Boy Travis.” She gave me a quick look over and gave a confused look.
“You don’t look like a good for nothing.” She stated. She started to circle around me lifting up my arms, looing under them, and then dropping them. What is she doing? I don’t need any people picking on her. “Nope you don’t look like it.” I took a step back
“You really shouldn’t be talking to me.” I told her.
“Why?”

“You’ll get a bad reputation if you’re caught talking to me.” All of a sudden I was slapped on the back and I stumbled a few feet forward.
“Hey Travis who’s this?” Kersen said from behind. Terra looked into Kersen’s eyes and he into hers. They just stared at each other for a few moments. This must be what they call love at first sight.
“Hi.” Terra mumbled after a few moments. I looked between the two. Are they going to stare at each other all day?
“Kersen this is Terra. Terra this is Kersen.” I introduced for them. All I they could get out was “hi,” before the bell rang.
“I gotta get going to class. See you Travis… Terra.” Kersen said as he started heading for class. He ran into a few people as he tried to get one last glance at Terra before class. I bet they will go out by the end of the day.
The rest of the day I found that Terra was in all of my classes, and in each class she would sit next to me to everyone’s surprise. We learned much about each other and she became my first real friend, well other than Kersen who is friends with everyone.
At lunch that day Kersen came and ate with us. Although everyone stared at the two people sitting with No Good, we had an awesome time.
That day I came home with a smile on my face for once. I only asked Lucille about my dream when I got home.
“That must be the work of the illusionist guardian.” She answered. “With two guardians down he must be trying to separate us.” She came close and started to hug me. She then kissed me on the cheek. My face then went bright red. “Nothing can separate us. Just remember these dreams are all lies.” She slipped her right hand down my arm into my left hand and closed her fingers around mine. She started to tug my arm and lead me to the kitchen.
The rest of the week was just the same: strange dreams, good school days with my new friends, and Lucille. Although I had a splendid week, the wait for the next Guardian would come become dreadfully long.
Then 8 days after the last guardian, Lucille got a feeling that the next one was here.

“The Water Guardian will be by itself, since it can create minions from water. It is also is devilishly hard to kill or defeat; it was the boss’s secret weapon. My best thought for defeating it…” Lucille started to explain.
“It?” I interrupted. She thought about it for a second, but never said anything. “You were calling the guardian an it. Last time you never mentioned the gender. This time you’re calling him…” Lucille shot me a look. “Or her, an it. This could mean that it is a monster or something!”
“Oh the monsters don’t come till later.” Lucille stated. I jumped and stopped in my tracks.
“WHAT!?!” I shouted. The monsters are going to come here? Lucille stopped a few steps ahead of me and turned around.
“Don’t worry about them just think of the battle ahead.” How can I think of the battle ahead if I know that the monsters are coming soon? “I am calling the guardian an it because it can change it shape.”
“How can it do that? I thought this was the Water Guardian. Shouldn’t this be the power of the Illusionist Guardian?” I interrupted again. The features on her face all began to show what she was feeling: anger.
“If you are going to interrupt again I will not warn you anymore.” I nodded to show I understood. We started to walk again. “Well anyways, the Water Guardian can control water and what is the human body mostly made of?” I tried to answer her but I knew she would get mad again. “That’s right water. It can manipulate the water in its and other’s bodies so it can change its appearance. I am calling the Water Guardian an it because no one remembers what the original gender was. So everyone just calls it, it.
“Well any-ways the best way to defeat the Water Guardian is to use the flame ring to dry it out. Maybe by then we can solve the mystery of what gender the Water Guardian is.” I nodded. “The Water Guardian will be near a good source of water more likely away from people. I would think that a deserted river or something would work.” A river that is not populated with that many people… Not really sure…
“Well I’m not real sure of a place that would be empty. The only place that I can think of that would have the least amount of people would be the goddess pond.”
“That’s it” Lucille exclaimed. She started to pull me in the direction of the goddess pond. “That is definitely where the Water Guardian is going to be.” We reached the stone pathway with cherry trees enclosing the pathway. We walked in silences for a few moments.
“Why would this be the perfect spot for the Water Guardian?” I asked Lucille to break the silence.
“Well, have you heard the legend of the goddess?” Lucille questioned. I thought about it for a second. What does the legend of the goddess have anything to do with the Water Guardian?
“Of course I have heard the legend. She led the ancestors of this town through a blizzard to the safety of her pond. The group of travelers were so thankful for the goddess’s help that they asked what could they do for her, and she replied that she was quiet lonely for no one ever visits her pond anymore.
“So the travelers decided to build a village around the pond and visit the goddess. The goddess was very happy and promised to protect the village and its people.” She looked please in what I had said but she looked like she was waiting for more.
“Very good, but there is more to the legend.” More? I have never heard that there was more to the story. “As legend has it the goddess was growing weary of not seeing any of her fellow gods and goddess decided to leave the village and her pond. The people of the village were scared that if she leaves them disaster would strike. She told them not worry that she would always protect this village from danger. They asked her what if some monster were to come and attack the village what were they to do. She told them ‘no fear for I have given one family a set of ten rings that have special powers. They will use the rings in a time of need.’
“With that the goddess was off in search of her own kind and the villagers left to fend for their own.” She recited. I have never heard this legend. I wonder if the goddess leaving caused people to stop believing in her.
“So what does this have to do with the guardians?” She stopped and just gawked. I stopped and turned around to her. “What?” I questioned. She started to shake her head.
“You really are hopeless.” She muttered. What did I do? “The rings that the guardians have are from the goddess from legend, so of course this pond has special meaning to them.”
“Ohhh that makes sense.” I muttered. The rest of the way we walked in silence. The walk there was filled with wonder for the trees seemed to glow the closer we got to the pond. Animals seemed to be gathering and heading towards the pond.
The trees finally let up and we were able to see the pond. It was a beautiful place filled with dozens of flowers and tons of little animals running around and playing with each other. It was practically deserted except for an old lady praying to the goddess in front of the pond.
“The Water Guardian must have known that today would have been a quiet day at the pond.” I whispered. Lucille nodded. We watched the old lady as she sat there and prayed. After a few minutes the old lady got up from the ground and dusted off her blue skirt and fixed her pink shirt. She started searching around and then she walked slowly over to us.
“Would you dearies mind helping me find my granddaughter. She must have wandered off when I was praying to the goddess. I fear she might have gotten lost chasing some squirrel into the forest.” The old lady said.
“Sure we’ll help you.” Lucille shot me a look of disagreement. “What does she look like?” Lucille started to tug my shirt.
“We can’t help her, the Water Guardian.” Lucille whispered into my ear.
“Come on we can’t leave this old lady here on her own.” I hissed.
“Well my little granddaughter has black hair which is in pigtails held up by pink ribbons, she has the most darling blue eyes. She is wearing a pink dress that matches the pink ribbons in her hair.” She began to cry into her handkerchief. “Oh how could I let her out of my sight.
I started to pat the back of the old lady. My hand got extremely wet after patting the old lady; I took no note of that at the time. “Don’t worry we’ll find your granddaughter and she will be safe and sound, back with you.” I comforted the old lady with. Lucille looked uneasy with the whole thing. What is her problem?
“I’m going to go look for the little girl. Travis, why don’t you stay here with this woman while I am off looking for the granddaughter.” Lucille said as she headed off into the woods. The old lady started to burst into tears.
“How could I lose my only grandchild? She was everything had!” she cried out. She fell to her knees and just kept crying into her handkerchief. She is sure crying a lot. I wonder if she is the Water Guardian? I checked her fingers to see if she was wearing a ring. Nope no ring.
“There, there ma’am. Lucille will find your granddaughter before you know it.” I told her. I put my arm around her to try and comfort her, but my arm got soaking wet. I then took a good look at the old lady. She was partly see through. She was completely made of water. This must be the work of the Water Guardian. This must be the reason why Lucille was so uncomfortable around her.
“Is something wrong dearie?” She asked. Her voice sounded as though it was under water. I took a step back from her.
“No there is nothing wrong, well other than the fact that you are see through and are completely made of water.” I shouted at her. All the colors faded from the old woman and she turned to a complete water being.
“So you finally figured it out. I thought I was found out by your friend, but then she went off. She must be looking for the Water Guardian. Well it should not have taken her too long to find her.” The water creature said. The water creature started to walk around. Each movement was so fluent and smooth that I could not help but stare. “Now all I have to do is take care of you and my mission will complete.” The creature sent a spout of water at me. I quickly dodged it and sent a ball of air towards the creature. It just made a hole in her stomach.
“You are going to have to do better than that boy.” The hole started to fill back at water. I started to run towards the direction that Lucille had taken off in. The creature sent a stream of water and wrapped it around my leg. It started to pull me backwards and I fell.
“What are you going to go get your girlfriend to help you?” The creature asked. I looked back at it. Although it was look like a blob of water with the basic shape of a human I could have sworn it was giving off an evil grin. “Your girlfriend is probably dead by now if she found the Water Guardian.” She can’t be dead yet. Lucille is much too strong for that.
I picked myself up and tried to run to Lucille. Unfortunately the creature did the same thing again and I fell forward again.
“Wow you really don’t learn do you?” The creature came close and began to walk around me. “If you were able to get to the girl, what help could you be? I mean you weren’t able to defeat me, so what good would you be able to do against the Water Guardian? You look like you can’t do anything. You look like a good for nothing.” I stood up and faced the creature.
“I am not a good for nothing!” I shouted at it sending a mini tornado towards it. The creature’s body went everywhere causing everything to get wet. Yes, I actually defeated it without the help if Lucille.
I looked on the ground and saw that little water droplets were moving together to bring the creature back together. I better get out of here before that creature comes back.
I started to run in the direction that Lucille had taken off in. 100 yards off from the pond I found Lucille. She was fighting with a muscular gentleman.
“Good Travis you finally came. I thought that water demon was going to keep you there the whole time.” Lucille gasped. She took another strike at the man, but he grabbed her wrist and propelled her backwards with water.
“I am getting tired of this fight. Let’s end it now.” The Water Guardian said. He held out his arm and started to concentrate on Lucille. Water from Lucille’s body started coming out and heading towards the Water Guardian.
“What are you doing to her?” I shouted at the Water Guardian. He looked over at me and cocked his head.
“So this is what he looked like when he was young.” He muttered. I looked back at Lucille and saw that her skin was drying out.
“What are you doing to Lucille?” I asked again. The Water Guardian stopped what he was doing and took a step closer to me. Then the skin of the man started to bubble and move and the image of the man started to change. After a moment he had turned into a beautiful blonde girl with blue eyes. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, even more beautiful than Lucille.
“I have merely taken the water the water out of the girl’s body, rendering her helpless.” She said. Her voice was just as beautiful as she was. I started to let down my guard when I took another look at Lucille, who laid helpless on the ground. I must help Lucille no matter how beautiful this woman is. I have to remember that she is just a reflection in the water.
The Water Guardian started to move towards me and I did not make a move, I waited for my turn to attack.
“You see Travis I am going to take this girl here back to the future to be put on trial and punished for what she has done, and you are going to let me.” She said into my ear as she hung on me. I must remain strong I must remain strong. I pulled the dagger that Lucille had given me out of my belt and stabbed the Water Guardian in the heart.
“No you are not going to take her away from me. You aren’t even going to be able to make it back to the future.” I coldly stated. She fell to her knees and looked at me in confusion.
“Why?” she asked me.
“I swore to protect Lucille. Although that may sound cliché, I will protect Lucille.” I took the ring of the Water Guardian and the skin began to bubble and shift just like before. The beautiful blonde turned into a musky brown hair girl with the same eyes as before. She fell onto her back.
“You don’t know what you have gotten yourself into Travis.” The Water Guardian said as I ran over to Lucille. Her body was still dried out. I slipped the water ring onto my index finger and imagined that water was flowing into her body. When I opened my eyes I saw that Lucille had regained the water in her body.
“Travis you did it!” Lucille exclaimed as she sat up and hugged me. “I knew you would save me.” She kissed me on the lips and quickly parted. She walked over to where the Water Guardian lied.
“So this what you really look like, huh? Well it is time for me to finish you off. Good-bye Water Guardian.” Lucille snapped her fingers and the Water Guardian burst into flames.
She never once screamed, but I did hear her whisper “Sorry Boss I failed to get rev…en…ge...” as she burned to a crisp.
I looked down at the two rings on my finger and noticed that the air ring had blood all over it. “Damn it! I got blood all over the ring.” I spat. I started to wipe it off with my sleeve when Lucille stopped me.
“It is more powerful when it absorbs blood. It will get stronger if you leave it on there.” She pulled my arm down and laced her finger into mine.
“Okay, if you say so.” I replied as I got lost in her eyes.
Lucille then started pulling me away from the burning girl. “Come on Travis let’s go home.”

“Travis who knew that you had that in you?” Terra said.
“I did of course. I knew Travis could do anything if he put his mind to it.” Kersen boasted.
“Of course you did. You always believed in him.” Terra commented as she snuggled up to Kersen.
“Will you two cut it out? We still have a lot to do before we can relax.” I said to them. Terra gave me the puppy dog look.
“Come on, we have worked so hard. Don’t we deserve a little break?” She asked. I gave her a stern look.
“We can’t rest until the world is safer.” I told her. She looked down.
“You’re right, but this is a lot of work for just three people. I am quite tired you know. I just wish you find some more of the ring bearers already so we could take a rest.” She complained. She rested her head onto Kersen.
“I know so do I, but until we find them it is our duty to protect everyone.”
“I know, I know.”
****

“Travis wake up” Lucille yelled. I shot up in my bed. “You were having a nightmare.” I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and looked at Lucille who was sitting on the edge of my bed. I wiped the sweat off my brow.
“I wouldn’t exactly call it a nightmare, more of a false vision of the future, just like the nights before.” I told Lucille. She looked shocked by what I had said.
“What you been having theses dreams and not been telling me?” Lucille asked me taken back. She looked like I have offended her. Did I do something wrong?
“Yeah I didn’t think that they really could be stopped, so I just decided to sleep through them and ignore them.” Lucille only shook her head. “Anyways how did you know I was having a nightmare?” She looked deep into my eyes and ran her hand down my face.”
“Well I went to the bathroom and when I came back I passed your bedroom door. I took a peak in and saw that that you were really tossing and turning in your bed. That is how we ended up here.” She mentioned. She scooted closer to me and wrapped her arm around me. I can’t believe that she is so close to me or that this is actually happening. “Maybe I should start sleeping with you to help stop the dreams from coming.” I stared at her just for a moment. How can she be thing of doing something like this? “Come on it just might work.”
“Alright, just for a few nights and if it doesn’t work then you have to go back to your own bed.” She started to crawl into my bed, and under my covers.
“Fine, fine, but I’m telling you that it is going to work.” She settled herself under the covers right next to me. “Good night Travis.” She said through a yawn. I laid back down into my bed and she cuddled right up to me.
“Good night Lucille.” I replied to her. I listened to her breathe for a while before I feel asleep.
No dreams occurred the rest of the night.
****
I woke up to find that Lucille had left my bed and had gone somewhere else. I sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Wow she was right I did not have any funky dreams from the Illusionist. I looked over to the clock to see what time it was, 7:44. I overslept. Oh man I already missed first period. I have to get ready fast.
I jumped out of the bed and rushed to the door when I almost ran into Lucille.
“In a hurry much?” She asked.
“I’m late for school. How could you not wake me up at 6:30?” I tried to maneuver around Lucille but she just kept getting in the way.
“You were finally sleeping soundly. I didn’t want to wake you.” She started to come real close to me but I just pushed her aside and started heading out the door towards the bathroom. She followed closely behind me.
“Now I am late for school and I am going to get punished for this you know.” I told her. I got into the bathroom door and turned around to face Lucille. She was looking down, after a moment her head lifted.
“Well you don’t have to go.” She practically whispered. I just stared at her for a second before saying anything.
“What?” She looked down at her shoe and started to push the dirt around on the ground.
“Well you don’t have to go to school today.” She said a little bit louder. “They don’t expect you to do well in school so why even bother going. I mean I know you can rise above their expectations, but why bother going if they are never going to look at you any different?” Again, all I could do was stare at her for a couple of seconds. She is right the teacher don’t expect much out of me. Why do I even bother going?
Oh... yeah... Kersen and Terra.
“I do have friends now and they expect me to be there.” I retorted.
“Well you can see them after school and on the weekends. You do not have to be at school to see them. So why even bother going to school at all?”
“I don’t know. In the mean time I am going to take a shower and think about what I am going to do today. So, will you please leave and go find something to do while I take a shower.” She nodded her head in agreement and gave me a quick kiss.
“See you in a little bit.” She cheerfully said and turned around and headed off in a different direction. I walked in to the bathroom and closed the door. I took off my clothes and turned the shower on.
Once in the shower I let the hot water run over my body and just stood there thinking. Should I go to school or not? I mean Lucille is right about how the teachers really do not care if I even do my work, let alone show up. Why did I ever go to school in the first place?
Because my parents forced me to go and they are not here right so they can’t force me to go. Plus when they get here to force me to go to school I will be much too strong for them, so even then I won’t have to go.
There is no real reason for me to go to school anymore...
Well other than Kersen and Terra.
That day I decided not to go to school and I hung out with Lucille and trained with her as well. The next day I did go to school but I did not receive any form of punishment; the teachers didn’t seem to care that I had skipped a day. In fact they seemed disappointed that I was there. So later that week I skipped again to just be with Lucille to hang out and train. By the end of the week I was ready for the next guardian; just not him coming and landing in my gym one day.
“Okay a good combination for the rings is the water and air rings.” Lucille started to explain. I looked down to the two rings that I was wearing; the see through wavy blue one, and the swirly silver one. Each one felt different. The water ring on my left hand index finger gave me the feeling as though there was cold water flowing around my finger. On the other hand same finger sat the air ring with its feeling of a mini whirlwind spinning around on my finger. I looked back up at Lucille. “Now that you learned the basics for the water ring we can move onto combining the two. Only ones that are compatible with the air ring can use the rest of the ring because the air ring is the commander of them. Both of us are compatible with the air ring, which not very many people are.
“Anyways using two at a time, will help each other out. You can distract them by using one of the elements then strike them hard with the next one, and right now they are not going to expect you to use both of the rings to attack. We can use this to our advantage; we have to take them by surprise, but only when we are sure of defeat.”
“Well won’t they know that I could use the power of the water ring? I mean I was able to save you using it.” I asked. She thought about it for a second.
“It is true that they would know that you were able to use the power of the water ring, but I am guessing that they would never think of us figuring out that you can use multiple ones at once.” She guesses? Shouldn’t she be 100% sure that it would be fine.
“You guess?”
“This is all based on a whim I could be right, I could be wrong nothing really to it.” I gave her a worried looked. “Stop worrying we will be fine. Now do you want to try and combine the two or do you want to sit and mope all day?” I looked down at the rings and clenched my fists.
“I’m ready.”
“Okay then. Now when controlling two powers at the same time you have to have split second change of thoughts of the powers. It is like normally using the powers but you have to have split second thinking to get it to work perfectly. Now you give it a try. Aim for that dummy over there.” I looked to over where she was pointing and saw the thing she called a dummy. It is just a sack of flour with a smilie face on it.
I took aim at the flour sack and though about attacking it using the two elements. Okay I am going to attack the sack with an quick air strike then follow it by water burst. Or should I start with water… no I should stick with the original plan… But air is my stronger element and it should be the second attack to do the most damage…Or should it be first to know them more off balance.
“Come on Travis I’m waiting.” Lucille said impatiently. She had started to tap her foot. Without focus, I shot a burst of air followed by squirts of water that seemed to go everywhere except the flour sack. I looked over at Lucille and she was drenched and seemed to be shaking with anger. She after she cooled down, she was able to get us back on track.
“You were not focusing enough. You seemed to have doubt about what you wanted to do. Now try it again, and this time focus on one at a time.” Oh I will show her focus. I closed my eyes and clenched my fist till I could almost feel the veins popping out. I decided which one to strike with first and second. I took aim and got ready to strike. Just when I opened my eyes I saw a flashing light come down straight in front of me, with a man standing in the middle of it. I had already sent the attack flying towards the flour sack, which he got in front of, which instead, hit him and sent him into the flour sack and smacking into the wall.
“Who is that?” I asked. I looked at Lucille and back to the man on the ground.
“This is the Lightning Guardian. He is a bit flashy for my taste, but he does know how to make an entrance. Only problem is that he always seems to have bad timing. Now let’s get rid of this guy before he gives us too much to worry about.” Lucille sent vines over to the Lightning Guardian and had them wrap themselves around the arms and legs of the Lightning Guardian. We walked over to the Lightning Guardian and stood over him. Lucille took out a dagger and handed it to me. “Would you like to do the honors?” Lucille asked
I snatched the dagger from her hands and stood over the Lightning Guardian with the dagger over his heart. He had spikey blonde hair and was quite scrawny especially compared to the Flame Guardian, and when he opened his eyes he had cool blue eyes that filled with fright, from the sight of the dagger.

“I have such bad timing.” The Lightning Guardian muttered. I raised the dagger as if I was ready to strike and the Lightning Guardian started to squirm. “Wait Travis don’t do that!” He protested.
“Why shouldn’t I? All you want to do is hurt Lucille when she has done nothing wrong! You on the other hand have done plenty wrong.” I told him. I started to inch the dagger closer to his heart.
“Nothing wrong? Lucille has done nothing wrong? What lies has this girl been telling you?” I looked at Lucille and she looked baffled by what the Lightning Guardian had said. Lucille is telling the truth right? I mean she wouldn’t lie to me would she? She loves me, so she has to be telling me the truth. Lucille gave me a look of reassurances; that she was the right choice to believe. I brought the dagger down closer.
“What you are not going to believe me then oh well. I guess I will have to take you down with Lucille.” He raised his left arm and aimed, using only his first two fingers, the index finger having the ring that looked just like a band of lightning all the way across, but Lucille dragged his arm down using the vines that were connected to him. While his arm was being dragged down he was able to shoot out a lightning strand; the lightning strand would miss its original target and hit me from my left shoulder down to my right hip.
I screamed. I dropped the dagger and it landed straight into the Lightning Guardian’s heart and I heard him scream. I kept on screaming as Lucille rushed to my side and tried to comfort me. I heard nothing of what she said; the pain was too intense and kept me from focusing on what she was saying. I could feel a pool of blood underneath my body that was both my own blood as well as from the Lightning Guardian.
I barely even noticed the blood and that the rings on my hand seemed to be absorbing the blood at a rate I could not understand at the time because the pain from the blow was increasing each second that passed by.
After a few more seconds the pain seemed to go away, along with everything else.

“Help me! Please someone help me!” A voice shouted in the distance. The four of us stopped in our tracks.
“Come on Travis, we need to go help that person, they sound like they are in danger.” Terra pleaded with me.
“I know that, but right now our priority is to find the wearer of the lightning ring. The ring has been freaking out like crazy lately, so the person has to be close.”
“Help me! I don’t want to die!” The voice screamed.
“Come on Travis, we have to help him. The owner of the lightning ring can wait.” Kersen stated.
“But I don’t wanna lose . . .” I began.
“That can wait. This person needs help now!” said the girl with musky brown hair and blue eyes.
“Ok fine we’ll go” I sulked. We walked through the trees and quickly came upon an opening. There in the opening was a scrawny, spiky blonde haired boy being attacked by two freighting creatures. They looked like they were a combination of the most terrifying creatures ever imagined.
“Did you guys come to help me?” The boy cried out.
“Of course.” Terra replied. “Just remain calm and the four of us will rescue you.” The ring in my hand started to shaking and jumping around like crazy. It then shout out of my hand and over to the boy.
“What’s this ring?” He asked.
“Put it on and you will be able to defeat the monsters on your own.” I shouted at him.
“What!?! How is this going to help me defeat the monsters? It is just a puny ring!” He squeaked.
“Just put it on and you’ll see.” Kersen said to him. After the boy looked between the monsters and the ring he finally put it on. Lightning strikes went flying everywhere; most of them struck the monsters and fried them till they were no more.
“Whoa, how can a simple ring do all of that?” The boy asked.
“It contains magical powers granted by a goddess. You are one whom the ring is strongest for and can control it the best. You are the Lightning Guardian.”
****
I shot straight up in my bed and started to scream, but at a more muted tone. The pain coming from my chest was unbearable. I have to be a man. Stop screaming like a baby and get over it.
I opened my eyes and found that I was in my room and I was covered in sweat, plus my chest was bandaged.
Lucille busted into the room. “Are you okay Travis? I heard you screaming from out in the hall.”
“I’m fine. I just sat up too fast, that’s all.” I paused for a moment while she played doctor and examined my chest. “I had another one of those dreams again Lucille, and this time it was about me finding the Lightning Guardian with the others.” She looked up from wrapping the bandages and looked deeply into my eyes. She has such beautiful eyes. I feel as though I can see straight into her soul and see how she feels about me and I know she knows how I feel about her.
“Didn’t I tell you that this is all made up stories form the Illusionist Guardian?” She asked of me.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. But how can . . .” She gave me a look that told me that she was done with this conversation. How can one guy have such an imagination to create these dreams? But if Lucille says that it is false then it must be true. I trust Lucille with my life, she wouldn’t lie to me.
I looked down at the bandages and started to rub it. Lucille came over and sat down next to me.
“Don’t worry it’s not fatal.” I started to shift and I winced. “But it is going to hurt like hell for the next couple days. I just advice you to just sleep it off.” I looked over at the clock and realized that it was 10 am.
“Oh shit! I’m late for school!” I leaped out of bed and screamed due to the agonizing pain coming from my wound.
“I would advise that you don’t do that or even go to school. Your wound is far too great to be moving around get back in bed.” She demanded.
“Ok.” I walked over to my bed and laid down. Guess there is nothing really to be down about school. Besides they don’t want me there and I don’t want to be there. It will be a gift to us all if I am not there.
I closed my eyes and went to sleep, without any dreams from the Illusionist.
The rest of the week consisted of resting and only two days of school. The days I was gone no one cared, so I learned that going to school was a complete waste of my time. I decided that school was on the bottom of my list of things I had to do, so I just didn’t bother with any of it.
Life seemed perfect; I had Lucille and I didn’t have to worry about schoolwork any more. I felt nothing could go wrong.
Well until the next guardian came.

“So like your saying that these rings that we are wearing are from a goddess and that we have the power to safe the world from the monsters that have taken over?” The spiky haired boy asked.
“Yes that is right Jake. We have the power to save the world just with these rings.” I answered him.
“Wow. So from what you are like saying is that we are banning together in a group to save people and find the rest of the guardians. Am I like catching the drift man?”
“Are you really this stupid or are you just kidding us?” The musty brown hair girl asked.
“Lucy can’t you be nicer to Jake?” Terra asked her.
“Well I cannot help it. This guy gets on my nerves.” Lucy muttered.
“Yeah I like you too toots.” Jake said through a smirk. He started to laugh. Lucy gave him the evil eye.
“You guys this is not what we are here to do. We need to stop these monsters before they get any worse.”
****
I awoke with sweat beating down my face. Will these dreams ever end? Do we have to take down the Illusionist Guardian before they will stop? But still I don’t understand why he choses these to be the dreams and that these could only be just his imagination. I looked around to find Lucille sitting in a chair staring out the window. I got out of bed, walked over to her, and stood behind her. I looked outside and noticed that it was pitch black out there. We remained silent for what seemed like an eternity, just staring outside watching the shadows of the creatures of the night creep along.
“You had another one of those dreams didn’t you?” Lucille asked while never taking her eyes off the window.
“Yeah I did.” I admitted. I took a long breath before continuing. “How can these dreams be nothing more than imagination?” I asked. She looked away from the window and looked at me with her disapproving look.
“The Illusionist Guardian has to have a large imagination to be able to twist what people see and hear as reality. His power is to create illusions that confuse his opponents so that he can go in for the easy kill.” She explained. She looked back into the window and from her reflection I could she that she was tense. She wanted the conversation to be over with, but I am not through.
“Still to come up with a whole other future that never happens with the people I know from this time, along with other that I could see as the younger versions of the guardians, seems a bit fishy to me.” She shot a glare at me through the window’s reflection.
“Your father does it all the time, does he not? So why does can’t the Illusionist do it?” She spat at me. I have never seen her like this. She really should not be treating me this way because I have done a lot for her.
“You know what Lucille? I. Don’t. Care. Anymore. I am going back to bed if you are not going to reasonable about this.” I stated. I walked over to my bed, tossed the covers, got back in, and covered myself. I lay there for a few moments with my eyes closed, thinking. How can she act like that? I have saved her life so many times that she should be grateful for me and not act like that.
After a while I felt a hand go around my waist and a body push up against mine. Lucille wrapped her arms around me and brought me even closer than we already were. I could feel her boobs press hard against my back as she kept bringing me closer.
“I’m sorry that I spat at you.” She whispered sweetly into my ear. She started playing with my hair and went back to kissing my neck, then started moving to my back. Why is she like this?
Who really cares? I like this new Lucille. I’m finally getting what I deserve from her.
I turned around and looked her in the eyes. “I forgive you.” I started to kiss her passionately. Each of our kisses got deeper and deeper.
That night we did not get that much sleep, which in the long run was a bad idea with the Magnetism Guardian appearing in the junkyard the next day.
We were exhausted when we got there and not excited to see him, especially with the way his voice carries.
“THERE YOU ARE LUCILLE! I HAVE FINALLY FOUND YOU! PREPARE FOR YOU PUNISHMENT!” He shouted. The Magnetism Guardian was a burley man, with muscles that seemed to bulge out form everywhere. His head was completely shaven and seemed to gleam in the sun. Lucille turned and looked at me.
“Let’s get this guy over with fast. I am way to tired to deal with this guy.” Lucille stated.
“Agreed. Plus this guy looks like a pompus idiot.”
“He is. Out of all The Guardians he is the most idiotic of them all.” She added.
“He looks like it. Probably the ugliest too.”
“He is…”
“YOU TWO STOP TALKING AND FIGHT ME NOW!” The Magnetism Guardian shouted. We looked at him and then we looked back at each other.
“He is also the loudest.” She whispered
“I can hear that. He also looks older then most of the other guardians.”
“He is…” A metal beam came flying in between the two of us.
“STOP TALKING OR THE NEXT ONE WON’T MISS!” The veins started to pop out of his skin. Lucille turned to look at me.
“I guess we should get this over with.” Lucille, never taking her eyes off of me, shot a fireball at the guardian, who blocked it with a metal sheet. A hole was left where the fireball hit, the metal dripping to the ground. I sent an icicle through the hole in the shield and it hit the Magnetism Guardian right in the stomach. He fell backwards to the ground and just laid there.
“It looks like we finished him off.” I said. I turned to look at her but she was still focused on where the Magnetism Guardian was lying.
“I wouldn’t be so sure. Look at the metal sheet he used to block the fire ball, it is still floating.” I took a look at where he lied and sure enough it was still floating.
“It could just be the ring.” I suggested.
“That is a ridiculous idea, that a ring can function on its own.” Lucille snapped.
“You don’t have to snap at me. It was only a thought.”
“Well it was a stupid thought.” Mumbled Lucille as she started to walk to the Magnetism Guardian.
“What did you say?” I asked her, my tone darker then ever before.
“Nothing. Just get over here and check out the Guardian with me.” I caught up to her and saw on the Guardian there was not a drop a blood around the Guardian. The icicle did not even make a scratch on his body. How can this be? I made sure the icicle had a sharp point. He should be at least fatally wounded.
“HAHAHAHAHA!” One second I am standing over the Magnetism Guardian, the next I am flying across the junkyard with metal wrapped around me. I squirmed trying to get free, but I was stuck. I looked around and saw that Lucille was in the same situation as I was except she was knocked out.
“NOW LUCILLE YOU CAN FINALLY BE PUNISHED FOR KILLING THE OTHER GUARDIANS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT YOU DID TO THE BOSS.” The Magnetism Guardian walked over to Lucille and ripped her off the wall of cars that she was stuck to. I tried to break free but the metal would not budge.
“LUCILLE!” I screamed. Lucille did not budge.
“IT’S POINTLESS TRAVIS. SHE IS OUT TILL WE GET BACK TO THE FUTURE.” A light began to appear behind him. I tried to wiggle my way out of the metal but I could not break free. I have to get free or I will lose Lucille forever. I can’t let that happen. I tried to use the air and the water to help me break through the metal, but not a scratch was made.
“POINTLESS AGAIN BOY! YOU WILL NOT WIN THIS ONE!!!!!!!” The Guardian turned around and started to step into the light.
“LUCILLE WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!” The Magnetism Guardian stepped in the light with Lucille and disappeared. “LUCILLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I broke free from my metal imprisonment and ran to the spot where the Guardian had taken Lucille. I fell to the ground.
“Lucille….. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you…..” I hit the ground with my fist. I can’t believe I wasn’t able to protect you when you truly needed me.
“Man maybe I am a good for nothing.” I said and got up from the ground and started to walk home. All these fights and everything have been for nothing. How could we have just lost like that?
Is it because I am No Good Rich Boy Travis? I told her she should have chosen Kersen for this little adventure.
After what seemed like an eternity, I made it back to my house. I got up to the door, sighed and reached out for the handle. Right when I grabbed the handle the door flew open, smacked me in the head, and sent me flying.
“TRAVIS!!” A girls voice said. I looked up to find Lucille standing in the doorway. I jumped up and hugged her.
“Lucille…” I whispered. I pulled back on the hug but left my hands on her shoulders. “How are you here? You were taken by the Guardian back into the future…” I started to mumble.
“Well your voice woke me up. From there I was able to burn through the metal and before we hit our destined time period, I was able to pull us out of the time stream. We fought it out and. . .” She held up a plain band of metal. “I won.” I hugged her again.
“Good. I am glad you won. I am never going to leave your side again. I won’t let that happen to you.” She broke our embrace.
“No you have to keep up your appearance at school like going one day this week. You haven’t gone at all this week and today is Thursday.” I backed away from her.
“I don’t what to go to school. Why should I care, they sure don’t. Besides I hate going, there is no one who wants me there.” My voice began to darken.
“This is nothing you need to be angry over. If you don’t want people coming to your house looking and find me then you should go to school.” Lucille said to me. She put her hand on my shoulder, but I just brushed it away.
“I don’t like it there so I am not going.” I stated. I started to push my way through the door but Lucille stopped me.
“I don’t care if you don’t like it. You’re going.” I rolled my eyes.
“You can’t make me.”
“Oh yes I can.” She turned around and ran up the stairs into my bedroom. I followed close behind her.
The next day I did go to school and I snapped at everyone who crossed my path, even my own friends Kersen and Terra. Once I got home I cooled down because I was with Lucille. The next week I was able to get out of going to school.
I was truly happy.

“Wow Travis we really seem to be helping the people around these parts.” Terra said. I sighed.
“Yeah it looks like we are able to help a lot of people but I still get the feeling that it is not enough.” I stated. Kersen gave me a look.
“What do you mean?”
“Well when you look at it we are helping people but there are still people out there, few in numbers of course, that are still turning into these monsters. Also there are a lot of people that we haven’t gotten to that don’t know that without a goddess gifted power, the monsters duplicate themselves when killed. Also the monsters are breeding with each other so more are getting created that way. So, even though we kill so many even more are getting created. It feels like a pointless battle.” I sat back in my chair and ran my hand through my hair.
“Come on Travis, you can’t just give up like this. What if we never even started killing these monsters? So many lives would be lost. We can’t give up, we have to continue on protecting the lives of the innocent. If not, the whole human race will be gone.”
“I guess you are right. We need to continue on to make the world a safer place.” Jake popped his head in.
“What is the plan boss?” He asked.
“We continue as before.” I said.
****
I opened my eyes and found that I was in my room even though it was pitch black. I felt Lucille’s body against mine, breathing softly. I turned my head to look at the clock. 8:45A.M. I guess this is an okay time to wake up from one of those dreams.
I wiggled my way out from underneath Lucille without waking her up. I had to watch where I was going with fear of waking Lucille or tripping over some random item that lay on my floor, as I crossed over to the window.
I cracked the curtains of the windows just enough for a little light to come in. I had to blink my eyes a few time to adjust to the new light. After a few moments I opened the curtains wide enough so that I could see outside but not hit Lucille with the light.
Will these dreams ever end? How long do I have to suffer through these dreams? Don’t they know by now that I am not going to change sides? Still… these dreams could not just be the Illusionist memories. They are so detailed and from what I have seen come to the outcome of that I turn out to be the boss of the Guardians.

But that is impossible for I would never create an army to destroy the world. Although the dreams tell me that is not what the Guardians do. Lucille tells me that they are all lies and she would not lie to me. Still these dreams…
“What are you doing up?” I whipped around to see that Lucille was wiping the sleep out of her eyes.
“It’s nearly 9 o’clock, a good time to get up.” She sat up in bed.
“You don’t want to come back to bed because you’re afraid of having another dream.” I gave her a look.
“I am not afraid of the dreams. They are nothing but dreams that mean nothing.” I snapped at her. She started to get out of bed and walk towards me.

“No need to get angry over such a small thing.” I tried to make a comeback, but she stopped me. “You have been pretty tense these past couple days, maybe we should get out of the house and do something.” I gave her a look.
“We don’t need to get out of the house. We can have all the fun here.” I gave her a look to what I was referring to.
“I am not in the mood for that. Nor do I want to train. I want to get out of this house.” She stomped her foot and turned away.
“We have been outside…” She whipped around.
“Going out to the garden does not count as going out side.” Her voice was beginning to get louder.
“Why do we need to get out of the house? We have everything we ever needed right here in this house.” My voice began to rise. Now my back was to her.
“Yeah everything but human contact.” I turned to face her.
“Human contact? You hate others cause you can’t trust them. Now you want to be in contact with them all day long? I just don’t get girls!”
“I just don’t trust all the friends you make. You keep making friends with the people who become Guardians in the future. And you don’t get girls because you are stupid!”
“Is that what you think of me? Just a plain stupid boy! Besides I am not friends with those people anymore. I haven’t seen them for weeks!” My voice got even louder then ever before.
“You’re not stupid.” Her voice had calmed down. “I’m sorry for yelling at you, it’s just that I haven’t been out of this house for a while so I am getting bored of seeing and doing the same thing over and over again.” She walked over to me and started to rub up against me. “I just want to get out of the house even if it is just for an hour.”
“Okay fine we will go out…” I mumbled. I headed over to the closet to grab some clothes, while Lucille headed off to get ready. I quickly picked out a shirt and a pair of pants and started to put them on. I can’t believe her. We have everything we need here. To make such a fuss over nothing! She really needs to learn her place. Women are so unbelievable. A while ago she never would venture outside, now she wants to go out. Plus she just can’t put on a t-shirt and pants she has to get all dressed up just for a walk outside. I just don’t understand her.
I looked over at the direction that Lucille ran off to. “Are you ready yet Lucille?” I shouted at her. I her mumble a little bit. “What I can’t hear you!”
“I said give me another minute. I just don’t wake up and look beautiful, it takes time and effort.” She shouted back at me. How dare she answer to me like that! Shouting at me? This is not like her. Normally she listens to me and follows what I say like a good little girl. I just don’t understand women.
“Well you better hurry it up if you want to get out of here before dark.” I snapped back at her. She came back into the room the moment I finished. She was all cleaned and looking better than she had in days.
“I said just another minute. Can’t you have patience for once?” She asked. She went around looking for something amongst the clutter of the room. She threw clothes from one pile to another. “Also, can’t you clean up your room a little bit? We would be able to find things easier if you did.”
“It would be easier to find things if you put them back in the places they were originally. You’re part of the mess as well. Besides we wouldn’t have to search for anything if we just stayed in the house.” She picked her dagger and her guardian rings.
“Well I found them now, so it is to late to decide whether or not we are going out. We are going out.”
“Why do you need that stuff? I have mine. I can easily take down any of the guardians if they chose to show up.” She walked over put her face into mine, while slowly tightening the grip on her dagger.
“Have you really looked at the battles we have already fought? Most of the time I am the one saving your butt all the time. Do you not remember the Lightning Guardian and what he did to you?” I slightly looked down and put my right hand where the bandages lay, where the Lightning Guardian had attacked me. “See you need me or your sorry ass will be in pieces.”
I turned away from her and started to walk to the door. She stayed right where she was. “Aren’t you coming? I mean you are the one who wanted to go out.” I said in a deep monotone.
“SO THAT’S IT?” She shouted at me. “I’VE JUST INSULTED YOU AND YOU JUST TURN AND WALK AWAY! WHAT CHANCE DO YOU HAVE AGAINST A GUARDIAN!!!” She began to laugh. How could she laugh at me like this? She should be taught a lesson. I used the air to quickly whip around, and stuck out my hand and did what I saw the Water Guardian do before to her. I started to drain the water from her body, stopping all of her movement.
“I don’t need your help anymore.” I spat at her. Her eyes started to grow wide as she stood there, helpless. “I have grown since the last battle, I can easily take down a guardian now.” I let her go, she feel to the floor right after. She lay on the floor slowly breathing, her body slightly shaking. I turned around. “Come on let’s go.”
I heard her slowly get up, so I started to walk through the door, she slowly started to follow. That should teacher her.
Once we got outside the tension between us started to disappear. Our spirits lighten the farther we got from the house; Lucille even started to skip and dance a little around me. By the time we had gotten to the park we had even forgotten what had happened earlier that day. We entered the park hand in hand strolling peacefully along, when suddenly Lucille stopped in her tracks. Her faced went tense. I turned to look at her.
“What’s wrong Lucille?” I asked her.
“Don’t you hear it? The Piano playing.” She hissed. I stopped, closed my eyes, and listened. There, in the distance a slight sound of a piano playing it.
“Yeah I hear it, so what?” She looked at me with big frightened eyes.
“Don’t you remember what the Sound Guardian did?” I thought about it for a moment.
“Yeah but you should really get over your fear of this.” I started to drag her towards where the music was coming from. She dug her heels into the ground.
“No I don’t want to go.” She screamed, and people started to look at us. I gave them a reassuring look.
“Stop acting like a child and come with me. Everything is going to be all right.” She stopped digging her heels, so I stopped dragging her. Her eyes went all starry eyed.
“But what if it won’t be?” There was a moment where we just looked into each other’s eyes, into each other’s souls.
“I can’t promise anything, and we won’t know what will happen unless we take this chance.” I told her. She slowly nodded her head and grasped my hand.
“Well then I am ready to face my fears. Let’s go.” She started pulling on my hand in the direction of where the music was coming from. The walk over there was full beautiful sights that seemed to help Lucille calm her nerves.
We came upon a big stage where hundreds of people were gathered listening to the piano playing. I looked around for some sort of banner, poster, anything that would tell me who was playing, but had trouble finding one through the crowds of people. After searching for a moment I came across a small banner with the name Samuel Guardsman. I looked over at Lucille, who was shivering slightly.
“Do you think you will be able to handle this?” She nodded. “The musician’s name seems to be Samuel Guardsman.” She flinched. “What is it?”
“That name is close to the Sound Guardian.” She whispered. I shook my head.
“You’re so paranoid. It just happens to sound like it, doesn’t mean that he is the Sound Guardian.”
“Okay you’re right.” She solemnly agreed. We found a spot that was out of the crowd and sat down to listen. I enjoyed the music, while Lucille remained tense through all the songs. As time went on I started to notice that people were leaving, then at one point from the hundreds that were there it was down to a couple of people and those people where not us.
Lucille had her eyes fixed on the pianist and seemed not to notice this. This is sure strange that everyone has left. They must all have to get back to their everyday lives.
“I want to meet the pianist.” Lucille said coldly. I gave her a weird look.
“Why do you want to meet him?” I asked her, but she did not hear it for she was already off. I quickly caught up to her. “Is everything all right?” I received no answer, for nothing was getting through to her. Samuel stopped playing and just sat there waiting for us to reach him.
“Sound Guardian! Get over here and fight!” Lucille shouted. The Sound Guardian slowly arose from his seat and turned to look at us. He looked to be mid forties with shaggy brown hair and beard. The closer we got the mangier he got, and while looking into his brown eyes there seemed to be nothing there. What is with this guy? He is nothing like the other Guardians. They were all… clean. He looks like a hobo in a nice suit. What is he doing in the Guardians gang?
“I finally found you Lucille. I knew you would come here eventually.” The Sound Guardian said in a scratchy voice.
“How would you know that we would come here?” I asked. The Sound Guardian turned his head in a slow eerily fashion. This guy sure gives me the creeps. At this angle he sure does look like a walking skeleton.
“I knew you would come out of your house one of these days, and when you came out I would use my music to enchant you to want to come to this spot. Or you would have seen in the papers that Samuel Guardsman was playing the park, found that fishy and came out to investigate. Either way, I knew you would come here.” He said in the same voice as before. Lucille really started to become tense.
“You will pay for what you have done to my family!” She shouted at the Sound Guardian.
“I will pay? No you will pay for killing my family and the other Guardians.” The Sound Guardian started to raise his voice. I looked in between the two of them. What is going on here? A high pitch noise started to ring from the Sound Guardian’s mouth. Both Lucille and I grabbed for our ears and I hunched over. The noise was causing me such pain that I started to scream. I looked up to see Lucille throw a fireball at the Sound Guardian, who dodged it just in time and stopping the horrible high pitch noise.
“Turn yourself in Lucille you have no chance winning here.” The Sound Guardian made a swift movement to the piano. He played a few simple notes on the piano. Lucille looked around for what the notes did but saw nothing, so she started to laugh. My eyes grew wide cause in that moment that she was looking, I noticed that I was not able to move my body.
“Kill Lucille” I heard the Sound Guardian whisper only into my ears. Without my consent, my body moved into a fighting stance. Lucille must have noticed, because she stopped and turned to me.
“Travis this is not your fight, stay out of it.” I tried to tell her what was happening, but instead my body told her by taking a swing at Lucille’s head, which she ducked. “Travis what are you doing?’ Her eyes were full of hurt. She waited for a reply that never came.
“He won’t listen to you. He’s under my control now.” Shock spread onto Lucille’s face, but there was no time for her to register because within the next second I threw another punch at her which this time she caught. I snapped my arm out of hers and sent a kick at her; she bent backwards. For what seemed like an eternity, in reality only a few minutes, we continued fighting until I was able to get her down on the ground.
“How does it feel to have your own friend defeat you and be the one to turn you in?” The Sound Guardian started to laugh while coming towards us. Lucille was able to wiggle one arm out from underneath me and sent a stream of fire towards the piano. It was sent a blaze, but the Sound Guardian took no notice of it. “I don’t need it to keep control of Travis.” Lucille was able to flip her body around to face me, stuck her face in mine, and kissed me.
The kiss snapped me back into my body. I released her and we both sat up properly. I looked over at the Sound Guardian and looked displeased with what happened.
“I don’t need a piano to gain control again.” The Sound Guardian stated. He started to play the notes in the air. I thought fast on my feet and before he could play the last I froze the water within his hands. The Sound Guardian looked at what had become of his hands. “As long as I have my arms, I don’t need my hands to fight.” He started to wave his arms back and forth as if he was conducting with them, which he was doing. The next second all the worst sounds imaginable began to play in our ears. We both crumpled to the ground. I’m going to go insane.
I looked over at Lucille and saw her struggling to sit up. Nonetheless she sent a vine shooting for the Sound Guardian; by my guess she was aiming for the heart, but missed and ended up hitting him in the stomach. He fell to the ground. All the noise stopped around us and we were able to get up.
“Go collect the ring Travis.” Lucille commanded. She’s not the boss of me. She can’t make me do this. Although my thoughts were against it, I still had the urge to go to the Sound Guardian.
I ran to the stage where he was still laying; blood was spreading across the floor. He did not seem to notice me there; he was off in his own little world, mumbling to himself. It was when I lifted his hand and started to take the ring from him that I was able to understand him.
“I will finally be with you my dear, along with the rest of the family. Plus the boss and the others will be there. Too bad I couldn’t take Lucille down. But then again revenge does not bring you guys back. Maybe the next ones will be able to bring justice….” He then closed his eyes and was lost to the world. I quickly grabbed the ring and headed over to Lucille.
“Come on, let’s go home I think we have had enough outside adventures for one day.” Lucille said as she started to walk away. We returned home for some hours of peace, but soon afterwards the fights began again.

“It’s been five years since the first out break occurred….” I began to say.
“Poor Stella.” Muttered Terra. “I wish we knew how to reverse what has happened. Even better if this had never happened. We would all be living normal lives. Everyone whom the disease affected would still be here, like Stella and your mom and dad. If Stella were still here you guys probably would have gotten married and had bunches of kids by now…” I could feel the color go from my face.
“Terra cut that out. You know that was hard for Travis.” Kersen interrupted. Terra started to figure out what she had said.
“I’m sorry Travis… I wasn’t thinking about what I was talking about…” She apologized.
“No need. We all have losses. We have to stay strong for the people to give them the hope that they have needed.” I replied.
“Yeah, I know but I feel bad…” Terra stopped mid-sentence; the whole dream itself, around me stopped. I looked around then I saw Lucille. Once I saw her music began.
“Don’t listen to this
Here me out Travis.
Get out of these dreams
They are not what they seem
Leave this place
And go back to
Where normal dreams lie”
When Lucille stopped singing the dream started to dissolve away. In the distance a clocked man appeared. “No Travis don’t listen to her siren song. She will end…” Music began again.
“Leave this place Illusionist Guardian
As I sing this spell takes shape
Unwelcomed you are
His dreams from you I bar .”

The dream shattered.
I awoke and found that Lucille was not lying in the bed. I heard her voice muffled through the bathroom door. She sounded as though she was singing just like she was in my dream. Was all that happened real?
I walked over to the door and knocked on it. The mumbling stopped.
“Yes?” I heard her loud and clearly.
“I just wanted to talk to you about my dream last night.” I waited for some sort of reply, but it never came. “Well in the last night’s dream it started off has a normal one, then all of a sudden I saw you and you were singing. That’s where the dream took a bizarre turn: the dream started to dissolve, the Illusionist Guardian came and tried to stop you, but you continued to sing, then the dream broke. Do you have any thoughts of what happened?” I heard some movement within the bathroom.
“I saw that you were having one of those nightmares again so I decided to put a stop to them. I sung a spell to break up the dream and to keep them from ever coming again. I was tired of you whining about your dreams, and now I finally had the powers to take care of them, so I did.” I heard the tub start to drain and Lucille’s search for a towel.
“That was nice of you to do, but a rude way to say it.”
“Well it is true.”
“You could have said it nicer. I don’t think that you are appreciating me as much as you should be.” The door shoot open with Lucille standing there in only bath towel with steam pouring out all around her.
“This is the same thing that you blabber on and on about. And it is always the same answer, you have not proven yourself worthy of getting fully appreciated. Besides your such a baby that you cannot understand the true meaning of being appreciated.” She started to walk over to the dresser, walking near the wall. I walk over to her and punch the wall right in front of her nose. I was mere millimeters from hitting her, punching a hole in the wall. Although the rest of her body did not show anything, fear shot into her eyes.
“Not worthy?” I spat through my teeth. “Baby?”
“You know you could have….” Lucille began to whine. I removed my hand from the wall.
“Shut up. I listen to you complain about how I am a no good nothing. I heard it enough from the kids at school. I don’t need it from you.”
“You shouldn’t be treating me…”
“Shut up you bi…” The doorbell rang through the house.
“You better get that.” Lucille snootily said. I glared her down.
“You got lucky.” With that I whirled out of the room. How dare she act like this? I feel as though punishment is in line for her in the future. When did she turn to such a bi…
The doorbell rang again followed by some knocking.
“I’m coming!” I shouted. I finally got to the door and opened it to find Kersen and Terra there. “What do you two want?” Both their jaws dropped. “Well I’m waiting.”
“Well we came to…um well… came to…” Terra stumbled. What is her problem? Are all women the same?
“Well aren’t you going to spit it out?” Terra looked away while Kersen kept looking me straight on.
“Dude what has happened with you? That is no way to treat anyone especially one of your friends.” Kersen stated. I accepted his stare down and took it to the next level.
“What friends?” Both Terra and Kersen were taken back by what I had said.
“Aren’t we your friends Travis?” Terra asked quietly.
“I haven’t seen you guys in a while I bet you guys forgot about me, like the rest of the school when I stopped going.”
“Actually, dude, that is what we came to talk to you about. It’s not good not going to school. I know it was rough for you…” Kersen began.
“Rough? Rough? You don’t know what rough is Kersen.” He tried to but in, but I didn’t let him. “You had life handed on a silver platter. You’re captain of every sports team known to man, you’re popular, you never get picked last, every nerd dreams of doing your homework, and you get the girl. High school is your kingdom and guess what one day your kingdom will fall from underneath you. And you know what? I’m at the bottom right now, but I will work my way up to the top and I will be the one to destroy your kingdom.” They both just stared at me glassy eyed.
“Travis what is with you? You have never acted like this before. We miss you at school and your really getting behind in your studies. Every one has started to take notice of your absence. Sure there are some people who are joyed but there are plenty who are worried about you.” Kersen tried to explain. What is he talking about? No one there cares about me. All this nonsense is starting to get on my nerves.
“What a whole lot of bologna. No one misses me.” I stated.
“That’s not true.” Terra butted in. “The teachers are starting to get worried. There are plenty of kids that feel bad about the way they have treated you and wish they could make it up to you. There is also a girl named Stella who is really worried as much as we are.” Where are they coming up with this stuff?
“Stop spreading your lies. I know no one cares about what I do with my life. Lucille has told me so.”
“Really, Lucille is the one you trust more than your own friends?” Kersen questioned.
“Yes, I love her!”
“Is it really love or just blind love Travis. Listen to your friends here, Lucille is not good for you.” Terra added onto the Lucille bashing.
“You don’t know anything. You don’t know anything about Lucille. You don’t know anything about me, about my life, and how I wish to life it. So why don’t you guys just fuck off and leave Lucille and me in peace.” Their faces where shocked by what I said.
“Travis…” But it was too late for I slammed the door in their faces. I started to head back to my room where Lucille waited for me. What is their problems? Coming all the way up here to spread their lies. Stupid Guardians… They probably already have started the Guardians and are now trying to get rid of me now so that I’m not a problem later. But I will be putting up a fight before they ever try to take me down.
I finally made it back to my room and I found Lucille on the bed waiting for me.
“Who was at the door?” She asked sweetly.
“The future Fire and Earth Guardians.”
“Oh what did they want? Did they want to get rid of you now?”
“No, they wanted me back at school and told me lies that would have made me want to go back. But you know what? It didn’t work at all.” A smile spread across her face.
“So you got rid of them right?” I nodded. “Good, I hope we won’t be hearing from them for a while, they are such terrible people.”
“I just need to take my mind off of what happened just now.” Lucille got up and walked over to me.
“I think I know what will.” She stared to drag me towards the bed. I instantly knew what she meant.

“What do you mean I’m stupid and powerless?” I asked Lucille. She gave me no answer other than turning her back. “Maybe you’re the stupid powerless one for coming to me for help.” She turned back around and gave me a death glare. “Oh don’t look at me like that. You know I’m right so get over it.”
“Oh you’re right. I’m the stupid one for even coming to you. I should have found some better looking, powerful, smart guy. Some one like Kersen.”
“So you’re going to bring Kersen into this, the guy who becomes the Flame Guardian and is the first person you meet. Sure that is a lot smarter than someone like me.” She threw a fireball at me. I dodged it, but it hit the wall. I looked around the room and saw the burn marks from the past couple days arguments.
“You know what he still would have been better than you. At least he has a chance at taking down the Guardians. I could have easily told him that that he was a brain washed junkie. I mean look at you, you follow every word that I say. You don’t even know 100 percent that what I say is true, but you follow every word of it.” She turned her head.
“What are you telling what all the Guardians have said about the future is true?” Another fireball went towards my head.
“Don’t doubt me.”
“You just told me to doubt you. I have good reason to. You use to be this sweet girl, but now you never listen to a word I say.”
“Oh shut up”
“No you shut up. I don’t care what you think of me any more. I want nothing of you.” I grabbed a shirt and put it on. “I’m going out. If you still here when I come back you better have a better attitude.” I walked out the door and slammed it shut. I started on my way towards the door to the outside world. I can’t believe Lucille. What has happened to her? I liked it better when she did fight me back.
Now all we ever do is argue. She needs to find her place. And that place is beneath me.
I just wish I knew if she has been telling me the truth this whole time.
What am I saying, she would never lie to me. But then again she would lie to Kersen in a heartbeat if she had gone to him for help.
Then again he is a bloody Guardian. But what got him to be a Guardian? I mean he is such a nice guy that it would not be like him to take over the world. Terra too. She was such a sweet person.
What changed in them to be a Guardian? I wonder if someone really does brain wash them. Or possibly the dreams that I had…
“Travis is that really you?” A girl from behind me shouted. I turned around to see two girls I have never seen before come running towards me. Everything about them seemed to be the opposite, except that their hair and eye color were similar; one had firey red medium length hair with green-blue eyes and the other had long strawberry blonde hair that almost seemed golden in the sun light and blue-green eyes.
The girls came over to me and started hugging me. “I thought we would never see you again Travis.” The red haired girl said. I broke away from the two girls and they gave me wide eyed looks.
“Who the hell are you freaks?” I asked. They gave a confused look, then turned to each other.
“I guess he hasn’t meet us yet.” The strawberry blonde one said.
“But he has the ring he should have at least met us and know our names by now. Unless do you think…”
“Could be…”
“A good chance…”
“The reports said something weird like this happened.”
“Sure did.”
“Will you two shut up and tell me what is going on.”
“Well the rumors must be true.” The strawberry blonde whispered.
“Yes sadly. I was really wishing that they weren’t true.”
“As was I, twin. As was I.”
“Okay I am going to give a wild guess here, you two are Guardians, don’t know what, but out of the ones left my guess is you two are the Heaven and Hell Guardians.” The two looked at each other.
“So I guess you are smarter than what has been said.” The Red haired girl commented.
“We are the Heaven and Hell Guardians. I am Vivian the Heaven Guardian.” The strawberry blonde one said.
“And I am Kairee the Hell Guardian. Together we are a powerful duo that is unstoppable.”
“Well if you are here to hurt Lucille, then I’m gonna stop you.” I told them. Again they gave me a confused look. Kairee stepped forward.
“Why do you want to help her?”
“She is the one that causes much trouble in the future. Everything that she tells you is a lie.”
“How can you say that about Lucille? Sure she is rough around the edges, but she would never cause trouble.” I said. Both Guardians shook their heads.
“Looks like we are going to have to take him down Viv.”
“Looks like it Kai. I was really hoping that we could convince him of the truth.”
“I know Viv. You would rather have peace then fight.”
“Will you two shut up and fight me already.” I shouted at the two Guardians. I could feel the air around me bend. I could see the two Guardian making hand signs, lights started coming around them, and shapes started forming around them. The forms started taking shape of hideous monsters of all different kinds; some flew, some walked on four legs, other two. Each one was more frightening then the next. I started to step back from the creatures.
“What are these things?” I asked, my eyes grew wide as the monster closest to me showed me it’s teeth.
“These are the people affected by the disease.” Vivian said.
“A disease that 60% of the people are susceptible to. So the future is full of these creatures.” Kairee added.
“A disease that you and the rest of your gang put out right?” I asked. The air began to swirl harder around me.
“We did no such thing!” Kairee shouted. The monsters that she controlled started to get fussy.
“Our job as Guardians is to protect the people from these monsters.” Vivian tried to explain.
“Lies all of them!” I shouted at them. I sent balls of ice heading their way, but two monsters jumped in front of the attack and flicked them aside.
“I do not lie. I am the Heaven Guardian.” Vivian stated. Then one of her monsters jumped from its ranks and started to head straight for me. I swiped my arm using the air to push the monster aside into a tree, then closed my fist and drug it towards me pulling the water from the monster. The monster started to grow thin then fell to pieces.
More monsters leaped on top of me pinning me to the ground. I summoned the air around me and created a tornado to spin them all off of me. I then sent icicles through all of their chests. Each one fell to the ground and disappeared. I look up over to the Guardians and saw that they were summoning more creatures.
For each one I defeat they will just bring another one. I guess if I want this battle to ever end I am going to have to take them down before they get any more out. Man I wish Lucille was here…
Wait I don’t. This is my chance to show her that I was the right one to chose as her partner.
I used the air to rush over to Vivian who was still in the middle of summoning, created an icicle over my right hand, and stabbed her in stomach. The monsters she was summoning stopped coming, but there was no look of shock upon her face. In fact a smile grew on her face as she stepped back away from my hand. Her body fell to the ground but an image of the Heaven Guardian still remained standing. But there was a difference between the Vivian on the ground and the one that was standing in front of me; the one standing in front of me had wings and looked more like a heavenly creature than just a normal regular human being. I started to step back from the creature.
What is this? She should be dead by now. Is this her soul or something?

Kairee looked over to Vivian and looked worried. “You know that is dangerous Viv.”
“I know Kai, but it is the only way we really have a chance of defeating him.” She looked over at me with a look of determination in her eyes. “I will defeat him Kai, but not kill him, it is the only way we can still preserve what the future is. I fear you will be too harsh on him Kai, so let me take this on.”
“Alright Viv, I will let you handle him.” Kairee said as she started to step aside, her monsters followed her.
I tuned my attention back to Vivian. Her wings opened and she rushed over to where I was standing and started to attack me. I was able to deflect her simple chops, but she then absorbed some energy and pushed with both of her hands at my chest. I was sent flying through the air and hit a tree. I quickly got up for fear of what could happen if I remained on the ground for to long.
Vivian came rushing at me again, with the same attacks as before. But this time she blinded me with a bright light. I could not see anything around me and started to walk blindly around. I was picked up by what my guess was Vivian and was taken into the air. She spun us straight up, and then threw me as hard as she possibly could down to the ground. I cushioned my fall with the air but the landing was rough and I still hit my head. I could feel the blood ooze out and drip down.
“I think you might have over done it Viv.” Kairee shouted at Vivian.
“He’s fine I can still feel life inside of his body.” I heard Vivian land and walk over towards me. I opened my eyes but I was still unable to see. “I guess he still can’t see either. So I guess he will be out for a while.” I used all the sense I had and tried to feel the movement of how the air was flowing and where it was getting blocked. I made another icicle on my hand and took my best shot for the Heaven Guardian and jammed my hand into her.
I heard a cough and felt a splatter of blood on my face.
“VIVIAN!!!!!! NOOOO!” Kairee shouted. I heard her rush over to Vivian as Vivian fell to the ground. More coughing came from the Heaven Guardian. “Come on Vivian stay with me. Stay with me Vivian.” Kairee kept repeating sounding more and more panicked each time.
“I guess this is the end for me….” Vivian whispered.
“Don’t say that Vivian. There still can be hope.” Kairee told her.
“It’s up to you now to get Lucille…”
“I can’t do it without you Viv.” I could hear that Kairee was crying.
“You can.” Vivian took a breath. “I guess this is what I get for thinking that all by myself I could take on the…” All was silent.
“VIVIAN!!!” Kairee shouted. I started to get up from I laid. “Where are you going?” Her voice had gotten fierce. Then the air around me seemed to darken, as an evil presence was coming.
After a moment the evil feeling calmed down a bit, and I was able to tell from the air currents that she was coming for me. I tried to defend myself, but with not knowing what was coming for me I was easily attacked. She struck me across the face with sharp claws. I held in the scream that was trying to burst its way out.
I reopened my eyes and found that I was able to see. Maybe all this pain brought back my sight. Or the effects of the Heaven Guardian’s light have worn off.
I finally got a look at what the evil presence that I felt earlier was; the Hell Guardian had transformed, just like the Heaven Guardian. But Unlike the Heaven Guardian the Hell Guardian looked like a demon; she had dark black wings, devil horns, and her hands and parts of her arms were transformed to animal like claws.
“I guess you can finally see.” I nodded my head. The Hell Guardian’s voice had become very cold. “Well take a good look for this will be the last thing that you will ever see.” She lunged at me but I was able to take a quick side step. I pushed through the air, and she went flying. Halfway through her flight she took control and started towards me. I threw up a wall of ice to separate us and to have her smack into it. Unfortunately she flew straight up and flew over it and started to dive bomb at me. I threw up another wall above me, but she just shattered right through it. I barely jumped back to narrowly escape the attack.
She got up from her crash landing then started to scream. She mimicked my attack but without the ice. I grabbed her arm before she was able to pierce me, and threw her over my shoulder, tossing her back onto the ground. She slowly got up from the ground within that time I covered my hand in a hard layer of ice. Once she was fully up from the ground, I gave her a quick punch to the face. She coughed up some blood, while her nose started to bleed. She wiped the blood from her mouth.
“I’m not going to go down that easy.” Kairee stated. She spat out more blood. Darkness started to come from Kairee and envelope me in a black nothingness. After a few second I was surrounded by black, and nothing else. Although it had been mere seconds the darkness got to me.

It is like I have become engulfed in a big ball of nothingness



Nothingness



That is what I am




No one wants me




My life is point less





I have nothing to live for





I have no one





I am alone





No one will care if I die








There is no one who needs me






No one who loves me






No one to continue battling this thing called life for







I should just give up now






But Lucille would not be pleased with me for giving up like this





Lucille




She is someone who cares about me
I began to see a light within the darkness.



She is someone who needs me



She is someone who wants me to live
The light began to grow bigger and bigger with each thought of Lucille.


Lucille is someone who loves me
I reached out my hand to touch the light. The light surrounded me as soon as I touched it and I was back outside to where the Hell Guardian was standing.
“No one has ever broken out before. Then again what you become is so much stronger than what I am.” She got into a fighting stance, but I just stared at her.
“What I become?” I asked. Lucille said the Guardians kill me off. How can I become something? She stood up straight.
“You become stronger. You become a protector. You become a leader. You become loved. You become boss.” I took a step back.
“Lies!” Icicles and gusts of winds shot everywhere. One Icicle hit the Hell Guardian right below her heart. “They’re lies just like the dreams of the Illusionist Guardian.” More blood came out of the Guardian.
“Not dreams… Memories…” The Hell Guardian fell to the ground. “Will I see you in the afterlife Vivian? Does being the Hell Guardian make any difference of where I will go?” She closed her eyes and was lost to the world.
I took a moment to finally be able to breath. And at that moment I realized just how much pain I was in. I almost collapsed to the ground, but I kept myself stable.
I looked around and found that only the normal body of the Heaven Guardian remained. I guess that other form was their soul or something. I turned to see that only the normal body of the Hell Guardian remained as well. I walked over to the Heaven then to the Hell Guardian and took their rings. Their rings were quiet simple; just gold and black bands.
I thought theirs would have had more to them. I pocketed the rings. I looked around at the battlefield to see if there was any other item that needed to be picked up, but there was nothing.
I turned around and started to limp my way home making sure to stick to the back roots and dark alleys so no one would see me. As I slowly walked myself home my thoughts traveled to the past battle.
Why did the two Guardians insist that Lucille was lying when it came to the future. I mean they both sounded like they were sure that I became their boss. I am sure they have the wrong person, cause Lucille tells me that I am killed off by the Guardians.
Then why would they hug me? Why were they excited to see me? Was it all just an act put on together by their real bosses so that I would not help Lucille? Then the dreams truly were memories just with me placed as the boss instead of the real one. I am sure that the Illusionist Guardian could still do that. Still could it all just be an act?
I’m sure it could be…
I wonder what happens to the bodies of the Guardians after they die? Do they just disappear after a while? Or does someone from this time period find them after a while and wonder who did this? I will have to ask Lucille when I get into the room.
I had finally made it to my house, but was dreading that my room was on the second floor. After much effort of trying to get up the stairs I made it to my room, where the door was shut just like I left it. I opened it, and Lucille looked up and gave a small smirk.
“What, did you get attacked by a little kitty-cat?” She started laughing a little; I walked over to the bed and dug the rings out of my pocket.
“Yeah in a way I guess I did fight little kitty-cats, two of them in fact.” I threw the two rings at her, she caught them and stared at them. “Yeah too little kittens, but don’t worry I defeated them in the end.”
“You defeated probably the two strongest Guardians in the group all by yourself.” She started to walk to me.
“Yeah I guess I really am strong.” I started to wobble a little bit.
“You sure are. I guess…” I never heard the rest of what she said for I fell onto the bed and passed out.

I ran my fingers over the scabs on my face that the Hell Guardian gave me, as I looked into the mirror. I guess these on my face are going to scar up like this one. I ran my fingers over the scar left by the Lightning Guardian. Too bad they aren’t going the same way, it would be a matching set.
“I think they make you look tough.” Lucille said when she walked into the bathroom. She got behind me and ran her hand along the scar on my chest. “And sexy too.”
“I know you think that…” I brushed her off my body. “I wanted to talk about the last battle…” She turned around.
“I told you I don’t know what happens to their bodies after they die. Maybe someone from their own time gets them. Maybe someone from this time period finds them. Maybe when we take the rings the spell of going into the past wears off and they are sent back to the future, dead or alive. I don’t know.” She snippily said.
“That’s not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk to you about what the Guardians said to me.” She turned around.
“I think I know what they said. And if it is anything like what the Illusionist tried to show you then I don’t want to hear. It is all a bunch of lies. They kill you off first chance they get.” She snapped.
“But why do they keep insisting that I am the boss?” I could see that her body was getting tense.
“It is all a plan made up by their boss to get you to go against me.” Her voice was getting colder and louder.
“Yet all the Guardians seem to insist that their boss is dead.” She turned around and looked me straight in the eyes.
“I know he is alive. After what I saw him do, I know he is alive. Luckily for us he will not be able to come after us. Without the powers of the rings, he cannot travel to the past.”
“If he could use all the rings then why doesn’t he take one of the Guardians rings and use that to travel?”
“Because he wouldn’t have enough power to use the other rings to travel back in time.”
“Well why didn’t the other Guardians take him along with them?”
“I DON’T KNOW!” She shouted. “I am sick off all of your questions. You’re too curious about the future when I tell you all that I know. You can’t expect me to know every little detail that they sit there and plan. Or do you? I mean you keep asking me all of these questions. What are you know questioning whether I am telling the truth or not?” I could see that she was breathing heavily.
“No I never question you. Its just they all seem to have the same story, and I am just curious to how everything works. If I am going to know something I would like to know what I have been fighting.” I walked out of the bathroom and over to the window.
“Good thing you don’t question me.” She walked over to the window and stared out. Off in the distance I saw a gentlemen walking up in the distance. Who is that? Must be one of dad’s editors or something. Lucille seemed to take notice in the man. “Who is that?”
“I don’t know, maybe one of Dad’s friends or editors.” I said. As I was looking into the window a crack began to grow. I watched as it stretched across the window spreading creating more and more lines. Then in a split second the whole window shattered into sharp pieces that were all sent flying inwards. None of the bigger pieces hit me, but one of the larger struck Lucille in the heart. She instantly fell to the ground.
“LUCILLE!!!!” I shouted as I saw the life leave her body. “Lucille you can’t leave me yet! We are so close to defeating the Guardians. You can’t just die now.” I saw her lifeless corpse start twitching and moving in unnatural ways. “Lucille what is going on?” I started to back away from Lucille’s body, which was unnaturally getting itself up off the ground. Her joints were bending in all sorts of directions. Has she turned into a Zombie? “LUCILLE!!!!!”
A slap brought me back into reality. “What the hell is wrong with you? You were standing there for a minute screaming my name and shaking. Did you get scared by a little spider that bit you?” I looked over at the window and saw that it was perfectly intact. I blinked a few times. What just happened to me?
“I just saw the window crack and break into a million pieces, and one of the larger pieces hit you. Your body then started twitching unnaturally and got up from the floor where you laid and started coming towards me.” She slapped me across the face. “What was that for?”
“I thought you were going back into that transparent look face. It was quite creepy in fact. But I should be use to it, I mean your face looks like that all the time.” I dropped my jaw.
“How dare you! How can you treat me like…”
“So if you had a vision that must not be no ordinary guy…”
“The Illusionist Guardian.” I finished. She just nodded her head. We both looked back through the window and saw the man staring back at us. Although there was a distance between us I was able to tell that he was staring straight at me.
“Lucille, Travis get down here this instant.” His voice boomed through the room.
“Should we do as he says?” I asked Lucille. She just kept staring down at the man.
“Of course, if we want this to be all over. He is the last one.” She turned away from the window and started heading towards the door.
The whole way to get to the Illusionist was in dead silence. We knew this was the most important one of them all. He was the last one. If we defeat him we know we will be safe.
When we finally reached outside we came face to face with the Illusionist Guardian. We could see none of his features for he was covered in a cloak with even a hood to cover his face. But there was something strange about how his cloak flooded on the bottom of it. A tiny hand appeared out of nowhere holding onto the cloak.
“Lucille I think there is a child behind the Illusionist.” Lucille took no notice in what I said.
“Hello Lucille. Hello Travis. So good to finally see both of you.” The Illusionist spoke out.
“Remember Travis, whatever he throws at you will not be real, no matter how realistic it looks.” She murmured to me. I nodded.
“Shall we begin this little battle here?” The Illusionist asked. I never waited for an answer; the world around us began to change. For me at least the Earth opened up around me and swallowed me whole. I saw many colors and shapes flow by me as I fell through the Earth.
“I’m going to show you what really happened the night Lucille disappeared from our time into yours.” The Illusionist Guardian’s voice echoed through the place. The whole world seemed to transform around me; the colors disappeared from around me and the place turned to a pitch black. The sensation of falling left and I was finally standing on normal ground.
The setting around me started to take form around me. I was in a room, my like my own but the only difference was that all the future was different, yet in the same place. I walked over to the bed and saw that there was a person sleeping in the bed.
“Travis Wake up!” I whipped around and saw Lucille standing in the doorway. She was not staring at me. She was staring at the man in the bed. He started to stir then sit up. He looked at Lucille in the doorway.
“Are you the person responsible for the death of Russel’s family?” The man said it so calmly with no fear or anything in his voice. He could not possibly be me.
“Ah so you are smarter then what has been said.” Lucille said. Her voice was like all the times she gets angry with me, cold.
“Well I have learned some things over the year. I had to fight the creatures that now roam the streets of this planet, I have had to take charge of the Guardians, I have had to lead people to hope, a new beginning. I had to wise up a little bit to get through these years.” I saw the man in the light coming from the hallway.
He looked like an older version of me.
I took a few steps back from where I was standing. He looks just like me… But this can’t be… I should be dead in the future… Then again Lucille said that every thing that the Illusionist shows me would be just an illusion.
“You talk too much. Instead of talking you should prepare to fight.” Lucille told the “older version” of me. Lucille got into a position to fight while the other me, just sat in bed watching her.
“I do not wish to fight you.” He said staring straight into her eyes. Lucille got tense, she even started twitching.
“Oh you’re not going to think that in a second.” She went out into the hallway and came back dragging a woman behind her. The woman behind her was gaged and bound at the wrist and ankles. Although she was bound and looked as though she had been awoken from her sleep, she was still beautiful. She had dark black hair that was in a braid, her lips and nose were absolutely perfect as was everything about her. Her eyes were what startled me; they were a soft shade of purple that shown right through to her soul, a pure one. Yet these eyes were filled with fright.
Her beauty rivals even that of Lucille’s. She may be even prettier than Lucille…
“Malati no.” The older version of me gasped. A look of sadness came upon his face.
“Yes I have your wife.” A smirk came up. This is my wife? A woman of such beauty would never marry a man like me. This must be just an illusion. Besides I’m going to end up with Lucille at the end of this. “Now you are going to fight me or I will kill her.” Lucille pulled out a gun and placed it to her head. Malati’s gag in her mouth fell out of her mouth.
“Don’t worry about me sweetie. I will be fine.” She softly said. Her voice was so sweet and soft, like she would never hurt a soul. It rang through my ears. The older version of me was just staring at Malati.
“No it won’t be fine.” He looked up at Lucille. “Can’t we talk about this instead of fighting. I would much rather talk to a person who is immune, than fight them. The population has diminished so much we need to keep each other alive.”
“It’s too late for talk. I want to fight.” Lucille released the safety on the gun and cocked it.
“Isn’t there some way we can peacefully talk through this?” He asked. Lucille gave a sinister smile.
“Nope” The gun fired and the sound of the gun and the screams of Malati, the older me, and myself through the room. Malati fell to the ground blood was creating a puddle around her.
“MALATI NOOOOOOO!!!!!!” The older version of me scrambled to where she lay on the ground. He picked up her body and started to cradle her. How could Lucille do such a thing to such a beautiful woman?
“There is still more to come.” She rushed out into the hallway and this time brought in a young boy that looked to be the age of 7 or 8. This boy had a striking resemblance to his mother, but he had features that reminded him of me. It was how he seemed to present himself. He looks like a boy trying to live up to his parent’s reputation. A boy just like me…
“No not James. I will fight you now, just don’t hurt my children.” Lucille put the gun up to the boy’s head, just like she did with the mother, and cocked the gun.
“Too late now.” The gun fired and the boy fell to the ground. I looked over to the other me, his eyes were overflowing with tears that just kept streaming down his face.
This has to be an illusion for I would never be so weak. Not again…
“Guess what there is more.” Lucille tried to go back into the hallway, but the older me stopped her.
“No don’t hurt my little Honnallie. I couldn’t live with myself I saw her die as well. Please take my life instead. I’m begging you. Please take my life instead of hers.” Lucille turned around and looked at him. She shrugged her shoulders.
“Alright if that’s what you want.” Lifted the gun, aimed and fired. The bullet landed straight into his forehead. He fell backwards, falling closely to his wife and child.
“Boss are you alright we heard gunshots… BOSS” The Flame Guardian shouted as he ran through the door. His face became horrified as he looked upon the room before him; three bodies and the murderer. “What did you do to Travis?” Lucille said nothing as she scrambled to get the ring off of the older version of me. The Illusionist Guardian came into the room, with a young girl behind him. The young girl reminded me of my mother with, her brown hair, but with my messiness, and her facial features, only the eyes were different; they were her mother’s eyes, light purple. She must be Honnallie.
“What happened here?” The Illusionist asked, his face was horrified by the sight. Honnallie had tears streaming down her face.
“That is what I’m trying to find out from this girl here.” Kersen answered back. All emotion was wiped from his face. I looked back over at Lucille and she already had gotten the ring, and was standing up tall, proudly glowing over what has happened here.
“My name is Lucille and I have just killed your boss and his family.” She proudly announced. The two Guardians gasped in horror, the little girl started to cry louder. Kersen started to become tense.
“Why did you do it? Why did you kill the only person we had for complete restoration of the world?” He asked. The world around me started to break apart. The walls around me were shattering and everything became fuzzy.
“I did it for… All I wanted… so that he would… That he knew what… So that he would be…” Lucille’s voice came in and out and the people themselves around me started to fade. Everything was black, and this time instead of the sensation of falling down, it was up. After a couple moments of the falling up sensation I came back into reality.
In reality I saw Lucille standing over the Illusionist Guardian about to give the final blow and the little girl from the illusion standing off to the side crying. The little girl looked over and saw me come to.
“Daddy’s back! He can finally help kill this evil girl.” She excitedly proclaimed. I gave a strange look the girl and saw so much of my mother in her, yet still she had the eyes of that woman in the vision. Those gentle purple eyes. “Daddy, aren’t you going to help Marcus, your friend?”
“You’re just an illusion created by this man to trick me into fighting against Lucille.” The little girl started shaking her head.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. All I know is this lady did bad things to Russel’s family and she did mean things to you, Mommy, and brother. Why are you helping her?” Tears were flooding from her eyes. I started to walk over to the little girl who was crying, but before I could get there Lucille set the little girl a flame.
The scream coming from the girl pierced the air as she stood there, the flames gobbling her up, melting her clothes, her hair, her flesh, her life. I was sure someone would hear this spine tingling scream, but no one came out or over to check. I closed my eyes and turned my head away from the girl. The screams coming from the girl stopped as Lucille took her voice away. I closed my eyes.
I heard the crash of thunder and assumed that Lucille struck the Illusionist with lightning. I opened my eyes to find that the Illusionist body was in fact motionless. I dared not look over to where the girl’s body burns.
“Its over Travis.” Lucille whispered. She got up from the body of the Illusionist and collected his ring.
“Why did you do that to the little girl?” She looked over at me.
“I had too, she was just an illusion.” She stated. I looked straight into her eyes.
“She was not an illusion. An Illusion would not burn and scream like that.”
“Oh yes it would, besides have you looked at her after the Illusionist died?” She snippily asked. I looked over to where the girl had been burning and nothing was there. No scorch marks, no ashes, no bones; nothing remained.
“I guess you were right. But those screams and the way her body…”
“All an illusion. With the illusion ring it can send a person into an alternate reality, like with what happened to you, it can show you things that aren’t real and make you believe that they are. With this ring you could make someone believe that their dead relative was right there in front of them hugging them, kissing them. All of the senses are effected with this ring. It really is the most powerful ring of them all.” A ring that can make you see another reality, such power. Too bad we did not get it earlier, the battles would have been a breeze. “So where did you go, when the Illusionist Guardian sent you into another reality?”
“Let’s get up stairs and I will tell you up there.” We turned around and started going inside, but before we did I could have sworn I saw some ash blowing in the wind. We headed up to my room, and discussed what the Illusionist showed me. But also we finally got to relax, laugh, and have a good time after so many weeks of tension.
The end had finally come.

“Daddy how could you let this happen to me?” The little girl cried out. She was on fire, just as she was that day. “Daddy why didn’t you save me? Don’t you love me?” I watched the girl as she burned.
“I don’t know you. Why do you keep calling me daddy, I’m not your father.” Tears flooded from her eyes.
“Yes you are. Just right now you are younger daddy.” I looked around for something to put out the flames.
“I can’t be your father, I die in the future.” Nothing around me would be useful for putting out the flames.
“No, you only die when the mean lady kills you. You become big boss man and save the world. You are my protector, but you let this happen to me Daddy. Why?” I turned back to look at the little girl and all that was left of her was bones; she was a walking Skeleton.
“Why did you let this happen to me daddy?” The flames shot out everywhere and gobbled me up.
***
I woke up, drenched in sweat, and breathing heavily. I looked around and saw that Lucille was already up, reading a book. I slowed my breathing and wiped the sweat off of my forehead. After this, Lucille finally looked up at me.
“What’s wrong with you?” She asked after really looking me over.
“It was just a nightmare. Nothing special.” I tried hard to keep my voice from shaking, but from the look of concern on her face I knew she heard it. She dog-eared the page she was on, put it down and walked over to me. She gave me a quick kiss.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I gave her a strong glance.
“No I don’t.” I snapped at her.
“You don’t have to be so fussy about it. I was just curious to what could still give you nightmares after the Illusionist is finally gone.” She stated. I started to open my mouth, to tell her about my dream, but then I realized something. If I tell her she will completely nag about the little girl. ‘She was just an Illusionist made up to trick you. She was never real and you’re a stupid fool to think that she was ever real.’ Just best to keep it to myself.
“It was nothing.” I reassured her. There was a silence between the two of us. “So what are you going to do now that there are no more Guardians?” She sat there for a moment and thought about it.
“I don’t know.” She finally said. “If I go back to my own time then I will have to face the boss, who will be furious because I have taken down his Guardians. Plus if I stay in this time we can wait quietly for the Guardians to show their faces from this period and take them down before the future turns into the gruesome thing it could be.”
“Well instead of killing all the Guardians again, which will take too long, why don’t we just kill the boss instead. That way the Guardians will never form and the future will be saved.” Her eyes grew wide. She turned her head to stare at me, and for the briefest of moments I saw my own death in her eyes and face. She turned her head away from me and started shaking it.
“No that won’t work. He changed his name before he became the boss.”
“Well why don’t we go around looking for the boss. You saw his face right? Well why don’t we go searching for him?” She gave me a disapproving look.
“Are you really this stupid?” I tried to defend myself but she wouldn’t let me. “I did see his face, but do you know how long it would take to look for a guy based on appearance? Way too long. It will be easier to just go and kill off the Guardians. That was a stupid idea, just like the guy who made it.” I started to tense up.
“So I’m stupid? The guy who just helped you defeat the rulers of the future. How was I supposed to know that the Boss changed his name? You never told me this. In fact you hardly told me anything about the Boss.” She became tense.
“That’s because we never were going to fight the Boss. So you never needed to know about him.” She shouted.
“You’re getting really worked up over this.” I sternly told her. She stood up and threw her arms around.
“Oh I’m getting worked up? No, you’re the one dwelling on things that are history now!” She was going crazy over this little matter.
“Well I would like to know more about what did happen in the future then the bits and pieces that you have given me.” She turned around and came into my face.
“I told you all about the future. You must not have been listening.” She held her ground in my face for the longest time, before I finally pushed her out of my face.
“Screw this fighting. I’m going down stairs to get some breakfast.” I got up and started to leave the room.
“You just don’t want to be wrong.” I turned to her. I gave her a cold stare that caused her to step back.
“Shut up bitch.” She fell backwards; stunned with what I said. I turned myself around and headed down to the kitchen. How can she be like this? I helped her defeat the Guardians. And all she can do is bitch and complain about all the questions that I asked.
I have a right to know. Especially when all the Guardians think that I am their Boss. What the Hell is wrong with them? Why did they have to try and confuse me like that? The nerve of them.
I reached the kitchen lost in my thoughts, grabbed a bowel, a box of some sort of cereal, milk, and started to pour.
“What the hell happen to you son?” Startled I jumped back and looked to where the voice was coming from. I saw my dad standing on the other side of the island. I just stared at him for a moment. I haven’t seen him since I first brought Lucille home. I haven’t seen mother either. I haven’t even heard a word from either of them. Shows how much they care.
“I’ll ask this one more time son. What the hell happened to your face?” His voice was stern yet concerning.
“I was attacked my a cat on my way home from school the other day. No big deal.” I told him. He raised one eyebrow.
“From your way home from school? Sounds a little fishy.” He said as he rubbed his chin.
“What do you mean?”
“Well after I finished my book, I went and checked the message machine.” I took a gulp. “And your mother called and she said she was doing fine in the movie shoot, and that she misses us both terribly. Lets see what else, oh my publisher told me to hurry up. Oh and the school called a few times. They said that you had been skipping school for quite some time, and were worried if you had come down with some terrible ailment. So now the question is; why have you not been going to school?”
“I just don’t feel like going anymore. It’s pointless to go when no one there wants you and they don’t bother to help me get through school.” I told him. I shrugged my shoulders, picked up my bowl of cereal, and started to head out of the room.
“You are not going to get away that easy.” His voice became hard. I turned to look at him. “You think that you can just skip school because you think no one will notice? That is not a good enough reason. Besides they did notice, from all the calls I got. Plus the calls didn’t just come from the school; they came from your friends. How can you say that they don’t care?”
“Because they are just using me like the rest of them!” I shouted.
“Using you? From what I heard in the calls, it sounded like they genuinely cared for you.”
“That’s a bunch of bull shit! No one cares! Not even you or mom. You’re always off in your other worlds writing your stories, while mom is off shooting her movies somewhere. You two just leave me. Nobody cares!” I was breathing heavily when I finished. My father’s face was awestruck. He had never heard me talk like that.
“That is absurd. Your mother and I care deeply about you.” He reassured.
“So why do you leave me so often?” I pleaded for the answer.
“We leave so that we can provide for you.” He answered.
“Provide for me? You have never provided what I really need. We have enough money. If you two were to stop working we would have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of our lives. What I need provided for me is someone who is there for me. You were never there to help me through the times when people were using me just to get to our money. You were never there when a teacher was mean to me. You were never there to give me confidence about myself, when the bullying started. No one was ever there to help me through life. No one has ever cared what has and will happen to me. So why are you starting now?” If I thought my father’s face couldn’t get any lower than it was before, I was wrong. His face just hung there. Never in my life had I told my feelings to my parents. Revealing it to him was like getting hit with a bullet train.
“Travis. I’m worried the path you are taking will lead to misfortune. You need to rethink what you have said and think about going back to school.” He tried to convince me.
“You know for once I wish you would leave me alone and not care for my life.” I told him.
“I will not leave you alone, and neither will your mother.”
“FUCK OFF.” I shouted at him. His eyes grew wide. Then his eyes should he had struck an idea.
“I will be right back. Don’t leave the kitchen.” He said as he headed out of the kitchen. I looked down at my soggy cereal and started to spoon it up and eat it, while I was lost in my thoughts. I should just leave now before he comes back.
Then again, he will just come looking for me and stumble upon Lucille. I don’t want him finding her. That will just cause more fighting, which I am tired of. Why can’t people just agree with me?
After what seemed like an eternity, my father returned back carrying a box.
“What’s in the box?”
“Do you know the legend of the goddess and the rings?” Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow to him.
“Yeah. The goddess gave one family a set of rings to protect the village from harm in her absence. What of it?” I just stared at him. He was rubbing his hands over the box.
“Well the legend is true.” He paused, while I continued to stare at him. “Well I’m not sure about the goddess bit, but the ring bit is true.” He opened the box to reveal 10 rings. “I’m not entirely sure how our family came upon these rings, the truth may have been buried within the legend or not, but one thing for sure is our family is the one who received the rings and is continued to be passed down from father to son.” That must be the reason why they kill me in the future; to get the rings.
“The rings are passed down when the son becomes old enough to guard them, or when a father feels the son is taking a path that will bring the son to a downfall. You are in a time of need son, so I have decided to give them to you now.” I looked at each of the rings in the box; the fierce firey gleam of the flame, the steady tones of the earth, the cool rushing of the water, all of them were the same as the ones we have collected from the guardians. Yet there was something different about these rings then the ones up in my room.
I ran my fingers over the rings and stopped over the air, my ring and I knew what was different. These rings were pure; while the ones in my room have been tainted, tainted by bloodshed.
“I see you have stopped upon the ring that our family always seems to pick.” I kept my hands on the ring and kept starting at the rest. “That ring is the only one that ever is worn, for we have never had a time when the rings have been needed. Then again that ring is the one in charge of all the rest, so it is obvious why we would choose that ring…” I pulled the ring out as my father talked. He went into more detail about the rings, but I never heard any of it for the air ring was clearing me of the impurity that the other ring had caused.
The longer I held onto the ring the more everything started to click in my head. Everything that the Guardians have told me, the dreams that the Illusionist told me, and the little girl all of that was the truth. While the stuff that Lucille had told me was just lies, to trick me into helping her. Still one thing baffled my mind. Why did Lucille do it? Why did she trick me into defeating my friends?
“Here son take the box and watch over them. I hope they help to set you onto the right path.” I took the box from him and slipped the air ring on to my finger.
“I think they will dad.” I said as I slipped out the door. I headed up the steps to my room. How could I be so stupid to believe everything Lucille told me? All the clues were right there in front of me. I was given such big hints from the Guardians. How could I be so stupid?
But what do I do now? I already help kill all of the Guardians. How do I get it out of Lucille without her yelling at me for being stupid? What do I do with Lucille now that there are no Guardians to punish her? What do I do?
I got to the top and before I got into my room I decided I should stash the other rings so that Lucille would not get her hands on more rings. I stored them in a near by cabinet and put the air ring into my pocket. I headed into the room and Lucille looked up from the book she was reading.
“I guess your dad has found out about you cutting school. I heard you yelling.” She said. Her voice was soft, yet there was a cold hardness that lie in there
“Yeah he said that I should go to school and I told him to leave me alone. Simple as that.” My voice was shaky. All the confidence I had gotten was from a tainted ring.
“Well it is all for the best now. We will have more time to hunt for the Guardians.” She returned to her book. I just continued to stare at her. How can she sit there so calmly? She is planning on killing more people. Why does she do this? I must know why.
“Why did you do it?” I asked. She looked up at me.
“I beg your pardon?” Her face was warped with confusion.
“Why did you do it Lucille?” I asked her more firmly.
“Why did I do what?” She was showing in her face connection in what I asking, yet she didn’t want to admit it yet.
“You know what. Why did you do it?” She knew what I was talking about, her eyes revealed all. A dark smile crept upon her face.
“So you figured it out.”

“So when did you figure out?” She asked. She got up from her book and started pacing.
“I don’t know exactly when, but I think I knew all along.” I told her. She continued to pace.
“What made you really realize, that I was lying.”
“Well the Guardians did point it out, but what really made me know was my father. He showed…”
“Where did you hide the rest of the rings?” I can’t reveal the hiding spot or she will become more powerful.
“Why should I tell you? You never answered my question.” Her face took up the look of displeasure.
“Well as long as I get where the rings are located I will tell you.” I nodded, but I had no intentions of telling her where they were hidden. “My story begins when I was a little girl, around the age of 5 or 6. My family and I lived on the streets; we had nothing to our names other then each other. A disease had broken out a few years earlier…”
“A disease? What has that got anything to do with it?” I interrupted. She stopped her pacing and gave me a look.
“I was just getting to that part. The disease was transported from another planet to ours from a small creature. The disease would turn some people into horrifying creatures, like the ones that the Heaven and Hell Guardians controlled, that couldn’t be killed. The town we lived in had recently been affect by the disease. The mayor of the town was Russel Finnegan, the Sound Guardian before he was. He was afraid of the disease and tried to kill off the people who had the disease. Well one signs of having the disease is that your teeth rot out and fall out. And it is not one by one, it’s all at once for once one has fallen the rest will surely follow.
“My family had no money to go and fix their teeth, so they were pretty bad. The Sound Guardian found us one day and found that my parents’ teeth were rotted out and some had fallen out. Scared out of his mind he shot them both…”
“So him killing your parents was not a lie.”
“Don’t interrupt.” She snapped. “He killed both of them even though only my mother was infected. My father laid there dead while my mother had completely transformed in front of our eyes. The people infected along with the monsters could only be killed with god or goddess given gifts.”
“That’s where the Guardians fit into the picture.”
“Yes. To our knowledge the only gifts like that are the rings; any other has been long lost or forgotten. You create the Guardians to save the world, but we are not there yet. My sister and I were taken to an orphanage. My sister was eventually changed, while I remained in the orphanage waiting to be released. While I remained there my hatred for the Guardian grew stronger.”
“After they let me out, I began to plot my revenge. I had figured out my plan quite soon and carried it out soon afterwards.” She stopped. I waited for reasoning, but none came.
“What does this have to do with me?” She turned her head slowly and had an evil smile upon her face.
“My plan was to get rid of all those who were close to the Sound Guardian. I killed off his family when he was not home one day. But after I had killed the family I felt like it was not enough. So I took what he admired most, The Boss, you. I wanted this battle to be memorable, so I decided I wanted to fight you, but you refused. I’m sure you know what happened from there.” Is this really the Lucille that I know? How could she be like this? She was so nice, to me even though I grow up to become her enemy.
“If I become Boss, then why did you come to me for help.” The smile she wore became more wicked.
“I never planned on coming to this decade, but the ring brought me here. I planned to go back as far as possible to avoid the Guardians. My guess of why I ended up here is that the ring was trying to return to its true owner, but I can’t be entirely sure. When I woke up in this decade I was unsure of what to do, then I saw you.”
“It was the perfect ending to my plan; use the Boss to kill off the Guardians. I mean the look on their faces when they saw that you were the one fighting them was priceless. It was the cherry on top.” How could I have been so stupid to follow Lucille? I fell to my knees. This was too much for me. The girl I trusted, protected, fell in love with, was a cold-blooded murder. She started laughing.
“I’m glad I got to you at this point, before you wised up. It was so easy to trick you. You were so stupid and gullible, I could have made you believe anything.” I remained on my knees as she continued to laugh. I’m so stupid for believing her. I really am a No Good Rich Boy. Her laughing stopped and she walked over to the dresser and pulled something out.
“Now what am I going to do with you. I can’t exactly let you live now that you know the truth, it will be a lot harder to get my work done. Plus with you gone the Guardians can never form.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a coin. “I know I will flip this coin and let it decide what I am going to do. If it lands on heads I will throw you into some sort of prison and starve you to death. If it lands on tails then I will kill you right now.” She flipped the coin into the air I watched as it flipped through the air catching gleams of sunlight every now and again. Heads. Come on heads.
The coin seemed to flip slowly through the air as it was deciding my fate. I could have easily gotten up and defended myself, but my body and my soul just didn’t want to.
The coin finally found its way to the end of its journey for Lucille caught it and threw it onto her hand. “Ah well good news for you, you get an instant death.” She whipped out a gun. “How ironic. This is the same gun that I used to kill you in the future. Now it is going to kill you.” She cocked the gun, took aim and shot me in the forehead.
I started to fall backwards and blood squirted. The world around me started to move in slow motion as I fell and thought about my life.
How could I have been so stupid as to trust Lucille?
All those Guardians we killed were actually good people; my friends too.
She forced me to kill my future friends.
That must have been terrible for them.
How could I have been so stupid?
But do I regret saving her?
Kinda, she did give me a new found confidence, but she did kill my friends and me.
Do I regret falling in love with her?
I don’t know.
I just wonder if there was anyone who ever truly loved me, or even just appreciated me?
Once I had hit the ground everything faded to black.

Everything around me was black. It was almost like what happened when the Hell Guardian trapped me, but there was something different. I didn’t have the sensation of floating, I was just sitting, but that wasn’t it. The difference was like there was hope.
Then out in the darkness a light came. The light seemed to spill out hope. A figure appeared in the light.
As the figure came closer I found that it was a women. As she came closer I was able to get a good look at her. She was so beautiful, even more so then the woman, Malati, If Malati was an angel, this woman was a goddess.
Everything about her was golden. When she smiled at me it was as if all evil thoughts would be wiped away from any ones thoughts.
She walked towards me, and knelt next to me. She lifted my head up and smiled at me. She gave me a quick kiss on the forehead and everything burst into a white nothingness.

“Tails.” I lifted up my right hand to find the quarter on heads. “Damn it! Wrong again! What is this? My hundredth time wrong now?” I asked. I looked around at my settings. “Wow, this feels really familiar.” I stood there for a second as memories began to flow through me. “I remember everything now. Everything about the Guardians. Everything about what we did. Everything about Lucille. But what happened to me? How did I come back? Did it have something to do with the woman in the darkness?” I looked around to see if any one had the answers I was looking for, but of course I was back to the point in my life when no one saw me. I have not done any thing bad yet, so they don’t care anymore. I sighed.
“What am I suppose to do about Lucille?” I thought about it for a moment.
“Well there is only three real options for me to choose from.
“One turn the other way and don’t look back.
“Two go through the whole thing again.
“Three take care of the problem so no one else has to.” Without a second thought I knew what to choose. I looked in the sky to see how long it would be before Lucille would be close to the ground. I found that she was closer than expected. I ran to the spot where Lucille was falling and got ready for her impact.
Just like before she fell slowly to the Earth. I got into a position to be able to catch Lucille. So this time without falling over I caught Lucille. I saw the ring and I quickly snatched the ring and placed it on my own finger. Her eyes opened, her eyes were hard, then quickly softened just like before.
“You’ve got to help me!” She pleaded. I gave her a soft smile, which she returned. Then I dropped her to the ground. She quickly scrambled to sit herself up.
“Why did you drop me? I need your help.” She said. Her voice was soft, not like what I heard in the end of my time with her. That’s right she was kind in the beginning.
“Save your bull shit for someone else Lucille.” I told her. Her body showed fear and confusion, yet her eyes held a hard hateful gaze.
“What are you talking about? I’m a witness of a crime that happens twenty years into the future!” She answered. I have to give her props. She is able to keep her face. The real Lucille would have started yelling at me, but right now she can keep her emotions in tact. I started to laugh, while she continued to stare. Her look filled with anger and confusion.
“Yeah some sort of witness you are. You’re the one who killed someone Lucille.” Everything in her body became tense. She raised her arm and tried to control the air around her. Only problem was I had already stolen the ring. She looked at her hand to me. I raised my right and wiggled my fingers to show her the ring.
“Are you looking for this?” Her eyes filled with shock. I stretched my arm out and controlled the air around her. I made the air around her denser so that she would not be able to move.
“How did you know?” Her voice became hard, just like it was in the end.
“I’ve been through this whole thing once before Lucille. I know what the future is really like, I know who you really are Lucille, and I know that you are the one who killed me in the future.”
“But how did…” She interrupted.
“Don’t interrupt me. Now where was I… Oh yeah my death in the future. You know not only did you kill me once, but you killed me twice. The second killing hasn’t happened yet, and I’m not going to let it happen again. I’m also going to make sure in the future that you never do anything like this again.” She just stared at me with the intent to kill. She tried to wiggle herself free, but no luck came to her.
“If I killed you twice, then how are you still here in front of me?” She asked.
“I don’t know. It might have something to do with alternate reality or parallel universes and something to do with the woman from my vision, but one thing for that I do know for sure is that I am not going to let you kill me again.”
“Ha alternate realities and parallel universes with a strange woman in your dreams, that is your big explanation? You sound crazy.” She began to laugh wildly.
“I may be crazy but I know what I saw, and who you are. Right now I just have to figure out what to do with you.” She stopped laughing.
“You’re going to let me go and forget this all happened?” It was now my turn to laugh.
“Yeah I’m going to let a murderer go. Now let’s see what should I do with you?” Should I let the fates decide like what she did to me? “I’ve got it. I will flip a coin to decide your fate. If it lands on heads I will set you free, and will give you a head start as I join up with the Guardians to hunt you down. If it lands on tails I will just automatically hand you to the Flame Guardian when he arrives here.” Fear grew wide within her eyes as she realized her fates were set.
I flipped the coin high into the air and both of our eyes where set on the coin as it flew in the air. I wonder if it is going as slowly as it did for me when she was flipping for my fate.
I caught the coin and flipped it onto my other hand. “Now do you have any guess to what it might be?”
“Heads?” Something inside me told me that I needed to use the air to quickly flip the coin, but it was just a small voice. Everything else screamed to leave it, let the fates decide themselves. I took a breath.
I knew what was to come. I knew what I was going to become. I was ready for the future. All I had to do was wait for everything to unfold so I that I could follow my destiny. So that I could become the Boss of the Nine Guardians.
So I removed my hand and gave her a devilish smile.
“Tails.”