The Guardians of the Jrakkon Stone
Chapter 1
The Water Guardian
Splash! I dove head first into the cool, clear lake. The water felt like silk, brushing against me softly. I swam around the lake like a bullet, faster than my best friend. It felt like the water was giving me strength.
“Hey!” Suki, shouted as she splashed her way towards me. “Mizu, wait up!”
“Sorry,” I said timidly as usual, “it's a habit.”
“No kidding,” Suki breathlessly. “It looked more like the water was pushing you forward!” Suki's long brown hair was tied into two pigtails; Her brown eyes shone like always.
“I don't know. I've always have been good at swimming.” I shrugged. With the shining sun behind us, we swam closer towards the sandy shore. Rabbits and squirrels scrambled away from us as we got out of the lake.
“Yeah, I can see that.” Suki said smiling. “Too bad I'm not as good as you.” We walked up the beach, picking up our towels along the way.
“It's cold.” I said while wrapping myself up with my long blue towel. Suki nodded in agreement, but didn't say anything. We walked down the village path, shivering our way home. I took a nice hot shower and pulled on some clean clothes. My mom tried to get me to wear something different, but as usual I didn't.
“Phew,” Suki said as she leaned back in the wooden bench that faced the lake. “I'm tired like heck!” We stared past the lake, watching the sun sink behind the horizon.
“I don't feel tired. Isn't that weird? Everyone is tired after swimming for only thirty minutes, but I feel like I can swim forever.” I didn't look at Suki. I watched the waves go up and down continuously.
“Yeah, that's really weird.”
“How long did we swim?”
“I don't know, maybe thirty minutes or so. How are you not tired? You were swimming, like, a lap per minute! I don't think that's even possible!”
“I was? I didn't notice that.”
“You didn't?”
“No.”
“That's weird.”
We sat in silence for a while. When I saw something moving out of the corner of my eye, I jerked my head towards the movement.
“What are you looking at?” Suki asked. A deer with a bloody leg was limping towards the forest that rested near the lake.
“Can't you see the deer?” I asked standing up. I had a sudden urge to follow the deer.
“Deer? What deer?” Suki, puzzled, stood up next to me.
“Near the forest, can't you see it?” I replied, my gaze never left the deer that was now entering the forest. “I'm going to follow it.”
“Wait, Mizu!” Suki shouted at me as I raced after the deer. The deer seemed to gather speed, dashing through the forest. Leafy tress and scrubby bushes flashed by as I picked up speed. I was causing so much noise that birds flapped their wings and flew away. Hungry foxes avoided my path, but they continued to chase down their prey. Raccoons, mice, and all the other wild animals rushed about frantically. Branches and twigs ripped at my clothes and arms, but I didn't stop. After minutes of running, the deer finally ran to an abrupt stop, nearly causing me to crash in to its rear.
“You did your job well.” A voice said. It seemed to be coming from in front of the deer. I tried Splash! I dove head first into the cool, clear lake. The water felt like silk, brushing against me softly. I swam around the lake like a bullet, faster than my best friend. It felt like the water was giving me strength.
“Hey!” Suki, shouted as she splashed her way towards me. “Mizu, wait up!”
“Sorry,” I said timidly as usual, “it's a habit.”
“No kidding,” Suki breathlessly. “It looked more like the water was pushing you forward!” Suki's long brown hair was tied into two pigtails; Her brown eyes shone like always.
“I don't know. I've always have been good at swimming.” I shrugged. With the shining sun behind us, we swam closer towards the sandy shore. Rabbits and squirrels scrambled away from us as we got out of the lake.
“Yeah, I can see that.” Suki said smiling. “Too bad I'm not as good as you.” We walked up the beach, picking up our towels along the way.
“It's cold.” I said while wrapping myself up with my long blue towel. Suki nodded in agreement, but didn't say anything. We walked down the village path, shivering our way home. I took a nice hot shower and pulled on some clean clothes. My mom tried to get me to wear something different, but as usual I didn't.
“Phew,” Suki said as she leaned back in the wooden bench that faced the lake. “I'm tired like heck!” We stared past the lake, watching the sun sink behind the horizon.
“I don't feel tired. Isn't that weird? Everyone is tired after swimming for only thirty minutes, but I feel like I can swim forever.” I didn't look at Suki. I watched the waves go up and down continuously.
“Yeah, that's really weird.”
“How long did we swim?”
“I don't know, maybe thirty minutes or so. How are you not tired? You were swimming, like, a lap per minute! I don't think that's even possible!”
“I was? I didn't notice that.”
“You didn't?”
“No.”
“That's weird.”
We sat in silence for a while. When I saw something moving out of the corner of my eye, I jerked my head towards the movement.
“What are you looking at?” Suki asked. A deer with a bloody leg was limping towards the forest that rested near the lake.
“Can't you see the deer?” I asked standing up. I had a sudden urge to follow the deer.
“Deer? What deer?” Suki, puzzled, stood up next to me.
“Near the forest, can't you see it?” I replied, my gaze never left the deer that was now entering the forest. “I'm going to follow it.”
“Wait, Mizu!” Suki shouted at me as I raced after the deer. The deer seemed to gather speed, dashing through the forest. Leafy tress and scrubby bushes flashed by as I picked up speed. I was causing so much noise that birds flapped their wings and flew away. Hungry foxes avoided my path, but they continued to chase down their prey. Raccoons, mice, and all the other wild animals rushed about frantically. Branches and twigs ripped at my clothes to look around the deer, but only succeeded in hitting my head against a tree trunk.
“Ouch!” I shouted, grimacing from the pain. “Who's there?” I turned towards where the deer was standing, but the deer was gone. In the deer's place there was a young lady. Her elegant black hair flowed down her emerald green robes.
“Hello, Mizu.” She said with a kind smile. Although she was only a few inches taller than me, she stared down at me with her warmth-filled brown eyes.
“Who are you?” I asked, surprise and shock numbing my body.
“You don't need to know.” She said nonchalantly. “I am here to warn you, to rouse up the power in you.”
“I have a power in me? I'm not good at anything but swimming! I'm horrible at school.” I protested. This lady must be crazy! “Are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?”
“The gods and goddesses have chosen. You are one of the Guardians.” She replied. “I am a servant of the gods. I am here to tell you something.”
“But I can't-”
“You are one of the Chosen Ones. You have been chosen by the gods and goddesses. You are one of the Guardians of the Jrakkon Stone.”
Silence seemed to fill the forest. The birds that had been moments earlier chirping happily were quiet now. The squirrels that had been rustling around the bushes looking for acorns froze.
“What?” I asked, stunned. Was this some kind of prank?
“The Jrakkon Stone is a very valuable stone. Not valuable through money but through power.” She said dreamily. Her voice was silky and soft. “You will soon find out. Troubles and enemies lay ahead. However through this great adventure you will gain friends that you will never forget.” She started to rise into the air. The air around her started to shimmer a faint golden color. “We will meet again. Be careful of your power... Water Guardian...”
There was a blinding flash of light, then she was gone. No this wasn't a joke or prank was it? Besides, who in the world can make a lady start floating in the air and then disappear? And Water Guardian? I'm a Water Guardian? Does that mean that I guard the water? No, the lady had said something about a stone. Yes, the Jrakkon Stone.
“Mizu!” Suki raced to my side, panting like crazy. “Are you insane? I can't believe that you would run into the woods for an imaginary deer!”
Jrakkon Stone. Jrakkon. The world we live on is Jrakkon. What does this mean? The world has a valuable powerful stone? Then why entrust it to a 16-year-old like me?
“MIZU!” Suki screamed. “Were you even listening to me? You were gone for an hour! AN HOUR!”
“You sound like my mom.” I said waving away what she had said. “An hour? But I swear I was here for like ten minutes!” Suki sighed, even though she was still trying to catch her breath.
“Come on, your parents are worried. Why were you in the woods in the first place? I didn't see any deer at all! What's with that look? You're really pale, Mizu. You look like you just saw a ghost.” Suki chattered on and on as she led me out of the woods. But in my head, questions were bouncing around.
Who was that lady? And she said that I was one of the Guardians. That means there are more people like me. But why me? Of all people, why me? I don't have magical powers. I'm not even smart!
“Oh Mizu!” My mom rushed over and looked me up and down, most likely searching for any cuts or something of the sort. “Where were you? Thank you, Suki. Mizu don't go running off again.”
“Mrs. Wakatsuki, I have to go home. See you tomorrow, Mizu!” Suki waved then ran off in the direction towards her house. I waved back silently, too full of questions.
“Good-bye Suki! Thank you!” My mom shouted.
“Hey, there's my Mizu!” My dad came out on the porch and gave me a tight hug. “How many laps did you do in five minutes this time?”
“Not now, Atsuo.” My mom scolded. “Come on now, dinner's ready.” She ushered us into the small house and in to the dinning room. Mouth-watering smells were drifting out of the dinning room. A simple table sat in the middle of the room with a cluster of chairs surrounding it. I plopped down, exhaustion taking over.
In the middle of our dinner, my mom said, “So what were you doing in the woods?” I thought about whether I should tell them or not. I hadn't told Suki what I had seen and heard and decided not to tell anyone.
“Nothing, I just saw a deer that was hurt and followed it into the woods. I wanted to help him. But I got lost and wandered around for a while before Suki found me.” My tongue seemed to burn. This was my very first lie. Hopefully my last.
My mother sighed. “A hurt deer? Poor thing.”
“Oh Fusa, still the same as ever.” My dad gave her a smile. “Just like when we were younger.” My mom broke into a fit of laughter.
“Yes, good days indeed.” She agreed.
“Yeah, remember when you tripped during that one dance?” My dad's eyes twinkled with happiness from the very memory.
“Oh! That dance, yes I remember. Oh, it was so embarrassing!” My mom's cheeks burned red, looking like she had just tripped during that one dance.
“Mom, have you ever heard of the Jrakkon Stone?” I asked interrupting their conversation. I didn't want them to get too into their Remember-When conversations. They talked like they were grandparents or something.
“Hm? The Jrakkon Stone? Don't tell me you've never heard of the story.” My mom said.
“The story? What?” I replied, confused.
“More like a legend. Yes, it was often called The Legend of the Jrakkon Stone, or The story of the Jrakkon Stone. You see, a long time ago, the gods and goddesses discovered a wonderful stone. It is the most beautiful stone in the world. The stone has all sorts of colors, from red to purple. Every shade. Every color.” My mom explained. She had stopped eating and was gazing out the window.
“The stone has immense power. The gods and goddesses decided that this stone was far too valuable in anyone's hands, including their selves. Some thought that the stone should be kept with the gods, while others thought the stone should be destroyed or banished from the world above. Finally, the gods and goddesses made a conclusion. They would entrust it in humans. So the gods chose six ordinary humans. These six were in the olden days called The Chosen Ones but now most people just simply call them The Guardians or The Guardians of the Jrakkon Stone.”
“Tell me more.” I urged. The more I knew the better, right? My mom took a deep breath.
“Let's see. The six Guardians were given each different kinds of power. Each of them had an elemental power. The elements they had were: fire, earth, air, water, metal, and lightning. They each could control that one power that they were given.”
“Oh. I see.” Fire, earth, air, water, metal, and lightning. I was the Water Guardian. So there were five other people like me out in the world.
“How come you've never heard this tale? My mother, your grandmother, used to tell me it all day long. I'll never forget it.” My mom said with a dreamy look in her eyes.
Oh dear. I hope they aren't going into another one of those When-I-Was-Your-Age kind of conversations. “Mom, is there more?” I asked.
“Of course there is.” My mom said leaning back into her chair. “I wasn't done. The Guardians were Guardians for a reason of course. They weren't just people with magical powers. When the Guardians turn sixteen, the gods send one of their servants to tell the Guardians that they are the Chosen Ones.”
I felt myself breathing faster. My heart was beating rapidly. Did that mean that I could conjure up magic like a magician?
“The Guardians are each given a different kind of weapon. Such as, let's see, sometimes it could be a sword, crossbow, maybe even nunchucks. The weapons – I believe – have the stone hidden in it. So whenever the Guardians are holding their weapon Remember-When conversations. They talked like they were grandparents or something. “Now, about the Jrakkon Stone. The Stone is very powerful. It can-”
“How big is the Stone?” I blurted out. “And how can a simple stone make someone powerful?”
“Excellent question,” My dad nodded. “I think the Stone's like this big.” He used his hand to make a circular shape that was probably as big as my thumb. My face must have spoken for me because my dad chuckled and said, “Yeah, ridiculous. A tiny stone can kill millions of people.”
“Has something like that happen before?” I asked. My parents' faces seemed to turn dark. “Someone got the stone and killed a bunch of people?”
“Mizu, you really don't need to know this.” My dad said suddenly sitting stiffly.
“No, I want to know!” I nearly shouted. “Mom said that she heard the tale all day long! How come I can't know?”
“About fifty years ago, a man named John Bishop managed to get two parts of the Jrakkon Stone.” My mom explained quietly.
“Two parts? I thought that the Stone was one big stone.” I wondered out loud.
“The Stone has been split into six different parts. Each Guardian has a part of the stone.” My dad replied. “That means that Bishop defeated two Guardians. That left only four of them.”
“With the two stone pieces, Bishop was able to have two different elements at his side.” My mom continued. “He managed to destroy not only Oarena, but also Randdle.”
“Wait, so the Stone gives whoever it is the elemental power? So without the Stone, the Guardians can't use those powers of theirs?” I asked.
“Well, they can still use their elements. They're just weaker.” My dad said. “Big surprise huh? Never thought that anyone would be able to kill two Guardians, but then again Bishop had lots of followers with him. Bishop made a flood that he used to flood Oarena. And as you know, floods are rare in Oarena, so more than half the population there died. They weren't prepared for a flood, since floods are more at where we live, in Najep.”
“Then there was the hurricane in Randdle, which is also rare.” My mom said. “Hurricanes are really rare at every place, so...”
“Which means that this Bishop guy made the hurricane and the flood?” I was shocked. I hadn't thought that the Guardians could be beaten. When my parents had been explaining about the Guardians, it sounded like the Guardians were invisible!
“Yes.” My mom replied with a somber face. “He killed over a million people in one day.”
“I didn't...” My voice trailed off. What was I supposed to say? That I didn't know that? Well, duh, of course I didn't know that or else I wouldn't have asked my parents.
My dad pushed his chair back – which made an ear-piercing noise – and stood up. “Well, that was a nice fine story there. I'm going to my room.” He left the dining room quietly without saying another word.
“Mizu, do you have any homework?” My mom asked standing up. “If you don't, help me with the dishes.”
“I've got math homework.” I replied, as I got to my feet too.
“Alright, if you need help, come and talk to me.” She said as she began to gather the plates. I walked through the hallway to my room, where I sat down on the chair next to my desk.
“Mizu,” A voice said behind me. I spun around in my chair and saw the lady from the forest.
“Oh, it's you. Don't scare me like that.” I said. “How come you didn't tell me about the Jrakkon Stone and what it does? And what am I supposed to do?”
“I didn't tell you about the Jrakkon Stone because I knew you would be wise enough to find out yourself.” She replied. She was standing in front of my bed; her brown eyes seemed to sparkle.
“Well, what am I supposed to do?” I asked. “I'm a Guardian right?”
“Yes,” She said. “This is a gift from the gods.” She held out her hand and there lay a blue bow and a quiver filled with arrows.
“For me?” I asked. I thought about what my mom had said. “Is the Jrakkon Stone in here?”
“Shush!” She hissed. “You must not tell anyone. You must leave as soon as possible. The Guardians will be gathering here.” She pulled a map out from her robes and pointed at a spot between two villages. “Use your powers to get there.”
“Why can't you just take me there?” I asked as I gingerly picked up the bow and arrow. “Whoa.”
The front wooden part of the bow – whatever you call it – was soft. “This isn't made of wood, is it?” I looked up and saw that the lady had vanished. I sighed. I still had so many questions. The bow seemed to slip about. It was like water.
There were about twenty arrows, I think. I slung the quiver onto my back. It was extremely light, so light it felt like it wasn't really there. I examined the bow in my hands. It felt soft and light. It was like water. Everything looked and felt like water. Was it because I was the Water Guardian? Then did the Fire Guardian's weapon feel hot? Would the Metal Guardian's weapon be heavy and made of metal?
There was a gasp and an “Oh my” that came from my doorway. I glanced up and automatically shoved the bow behind my back. Obviously it didn't do much, because my mom stared at the top of my head, her eyes wide and surprised.
“Where did you get that?” She asked after a long silence that had filled the room.
“Uh...” I said, trying to hide the bow.
“I can see the bow and the arrows, Mizu.” My mom said softly. She must have understood what I was trying to do. “Why didn't you tell us?”
“I didn't tell Suki.” I confessed pulling the bow out from behind my back. “This one lady who gave me the bow said that I couldn't tell anyone. And I just didn't feel that I should tell you. It's this feeling in my gut that if I did, something bad would happen.” I was staring at my feet, while guilt washed over me.
“Oh don't be silly. What's wrong with telling us that you're the Water Guardian?” My mom said with a half scolding and half cheerful tone.
“Water Guardian?” My dad's head popped into the room. “How come I didn't know we have a Guardian in our house?” There were huge grins on my parents' face.
“How do you know that I'm the Water Guardian?” I asked. My dad came in and stood next to my mom.
“We didn't know that you were the Water Guardian. But we aren't surprised. After all, you have an abnormal skill at swimming. No one in my family has ever been interested in swimming. So it's not possible to inherit good swimming skills from my side of the family.” My mom explained. My parents were both sitting on my bed now.
“And my family is absolutely horrible at swimming.” My dad said with a chuckle. “Oh, I remember when Daiki was pushed into the water by the swimming coach. That was funny. Still hold it against him.” My dad smiled.
“And then the fact that your bow is blue. Your eyes are also blue. You also saw a hurt deer. The hurt deer is the gods' servant's pet. He's used to lure in the Guardians, so that they can speak in peace.” My mom said. “Haven't you noticed? We both have black eyes, while you have blue ones.”
“I did, but I thought that Grandpa had blue eyes.” I said.
My dad laughed heartily. “My dear, you are one funny girl. Yes, that's what it looks like when you look at those old pictures of ours. They're so old. I was eating a Popsicle once when looking at it and some of the food coloring dropped onto the picture. It never came off.”
“But it looked like it was only his eyes!” I said. “How come you never told me?”
“Well, it certainly wouldn't hurt you.” My dad replied.
“So, what really happened?” My mom asked. I told them everything, from the part when Suki and I were sitting on the bench to the part where Suki found me in the woods. I told them every little detail, as much as I could remember.
“Interesting,” My dad said once I was done. “Very interesting.”
“It's getting late.” My mom said standing up. “Oh dear, it's almost 11:50. Better get to sleep, my dear.” It was late. I looked at the clock next to my bed and it read 11:48.
My dad followed my mom out the room while I got ready for bed. I was about to go and say good-night to my mom and dad who were in their room, when I heard something that made me stop in my tracks.
“Mizu, is fine where she is.” It was my mom's voice. She was arguing with my dad. I stopped. I knew I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I didn't want to run in during the middle of their argument. So what was I supposed to do?
“But she has a destiny. You can't stop her from doing what she needs to. It's like how everyday she needs to go to school. This is her fate.” My dad sounded confident.
“No, she's going to get hurt out there. What if someone kills her? I can't live with that.”
“I know, and I can't even imagine not having her around. But we have no choice. The gods have decided. They have chosen our girl, what can we do?”
“Well, why can't the gods just choose someone else?”
“She needs to. This is her destiny!”
“Enough about destiny this and destiny that! So what? Who ever invented destiny? I don't care! I don't want them to take Mizu away from me!”
“But she needs to! Do you want someone like Bishop to take over the world? She should be out in the world fighting!”
“She'll be in danger! I don't want her to die! Not for some lame stone! Why didn't the gods destroy the Stone? Or if they kept it, they shouldn't have thrown it in the human world and watch humans kill each other! This isn't how it should be!” My mom was shouting now. Her voice echoed through our small, quiet house.
I heard my mom sigh. Then there were sobs. What should I do?
“I know how you feel, Fusa. We have no choice. This is the path that the gods have created for her. She can't run away. She can only go forward.” My dad's voice was kind and quiet.
“I-I d-don't w-want h-h-her to g-go.”
“Mom,” I stepped into the room and saw that my mom and dad were sitting on the bed. My mom was resting her head on my dad's shoulder.
“Mizu, you didn't hear what we said, did you?” My dad asked, he looked a little surprised.
I nodded, feeling guilty for the second time today.
“Mizu, I'm sorry. I'm being selfish. You need to go and fight the people who want the Stone.” My mom had recovered, but she was still shaking a little.
“Mom, I don't really know if I want to.” I said.
“Why not?” My dad asked. “You can show people your powers and then they'll give you free stuff. And I'm sure the gods will assist you.”
“But I don't think I'm ready. I've never even seen a real bow and arrow before today. How am I supposed to know how to use it?” I asked.
“Well, you do know that you have the bow and arrows on your back?” My dad asked.
“What? I do?” I looked at the mirror in my parents' room. Sure enough, the bow and the arrows were there like a shield that was protecting my back. “I didn't know. But I placed it on my desk.”
“It's magical. It'll follow you wherever you go. Can't do anything about it.” My dad said. “Unless you know how to undo the magic spell on it, then it'll even go to school with you. We can't have that happening now, can we?”
“But I want time to practice! I want time to learn what I need to know!” I said. “Do the gods expect us to just jump right in and start fighting? Then it'll be super easy to kill us!”
“It is rather absurd for them to expect such a thing. Especially since you're only 16 years old.” My mom agreed. “But we can't do anything about it. I want you to stay, but I know you can't.”
“It's your choice, Mizu.” My dad said. “No matter what you choose, we'll follow you through to the end. So if you ever need any help, we'll always be here.”
My parents smiled at me.
“Okay.” I smiled too. “I'll think it through and tell you tomorrow, okay?”
“That sounds great.” My mom said. My dad gave me a thumbs up.
“Good-night.” I said.
“Good-night.” My dad replied.
“Good-night, Mizu.” My mom said. Those words would be the last ones they ever said to me. I left the room and into my bed, putting the bow and arrow next to me.
“It's my choice, huh?” I said to myself, and then I fell into a drowsy sleep.
I woke up at around three in the morning, according to my clock. I looked out the window and saw that it was still dark outside.
Thud! What was that noise? I heard footsteps and a hideous laugh. My heart started pounding. What was going on? I slipped out of bed silently and picked up my bow and arrow. I slung the quiver behind me and took an arrow out of it. Might as well practice getting an arrow ready, I thought, as I notched my bow.
I crept silently towards my door and managed to open it without having to set my bow down. In the hallway, I tip-toed towards the noise. I could feel butterflies in my stomach, for the noise had come from my parents' room. I swallowed, even though my throat was dry. My hands were shaking, and there were goose bumps on my arm.
I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I had to be prepared for the worst. But what would be the worst? My dad losing a leg? My mom losing her arms? There was a cackling noise that came from my parents' room. The door was ajar, so I just went straight in to the room.
What I saw, was something that would haunt me for the rest of my life.
It was a horrible sight. Impossible to describe. There was blood on the bed. My parents' blood. I couldn't believe. This couldn't be happening. My heart felt like it would jump right out of my chest. My hands were shaking so badly now, that the arrow slipped from my hand.
“No,” I felt my legs give away at the sight. “No, no, no!”
Lying in a heap in front of the bed were my parents. They had both been stabbed near the heart. Both of them, dead. The thought raced through my head, yet I felt like I couldn't process the image.
“No. No. No, no, no! No, this can't be happening!” I shouted on the verge of tears.
“Oh dear,” A voice said from behind the bed. “You shouldn't have seen this. Not until the morning anyway.” The voice came from a dark purple haired lady. Her curly, short, hair matched the color of her outfit.
“Who are you?” I asked, feeling anger spread through me. “You did this didn't you?”
“Oh, I'm trying to be modest and humble these days.” She said with a smile. “Seems like it's not working. Yes, I did it. Do you like my state-of-the-art work?” Her smile was thin and showed me nothing except the evil in her.
I stood up while snatching the arrow that I had dropped and – to my amazement – I notched the bow and pointed it steadily at her.
“You don't want to hurt me, dear.” She purred with another one of her thin smiles. “It'll cause you nothing but more blood. I'm not supposed to hurt you, yet.”
The arrow shot out of the bow so quick, that even I didn't know it until the lady shouted.
“How dare you! I warned you! You should be glad that Master ordered me not to kill you!” Her eyes narrowed and she glared at me. She had dodged my arrow just in time. I could see the arrow stuck in the wall, inches away from her.
“I don't care what your 'Master' said.” I replied, returning a glare. “I'm going to do whatever I want to do. And right now, I want to get rid of you.”
“Avenge your parents' death? I think not.” She sneered. “You'll only accomplish wasting your arrows.” She knelt down and reached for my arrow.
Shunk! An arrow had hit her right in the leg. Her scream sounded like it had been amplified in the empty house.
“You-” She shook a trembling finger at me. “How dare you.” I got another arrow ready. She reached towards the arrow. “Gah!” Her hand was now an odd shade of blue. “What did you do to these arrows? How do you know how to enchant them? I thought you just got the bow and arrow.” The blue was now spreading up from her fingers to her arm. Slowly and slowly, the anonymous blue color inched up her arm.
“No, you shouldn't know how to do a Freezing Charm yet.” She stared at the two arrows in disbelief, and then glowered at me.
“Ooh, Master will come and kill you! I just wish Master would stop being so nice and just finish you Guardians off.” She said, she glared at me for the – what 20th time?
“Why, why did you kill them?” I asked, feeling my hands start to shake again.
“Kill them? What a lame thing to talk about.” She said in a taunting sort of way.
“Tell me, or I'll shoot you straight through the heart!” I shouted, pulling the arrow back.
“Back off, missy.” She replied through gritted teeth, but she sounded like she was a snobby brat “It was orders. Folks knew too much.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your parents knew too much!” She shouted fuming. “How hard is that to understand?”
“What did they know?”
“Well, telling you would defeat the purpose of me killing them.” She grinned maliciously while attempting to glare at me at the same time.
“I swear I will kill you.” Rage was flooding me again and I couldn't help but return her sharp stare.
“Go ahead. It's not like killing me would answer your question.” She had a good point.
“Mighty stupid of you, Rena.” A voice said behind me. I spun around and prepared myself. Standing behind me was a young man. His slick blond hair was smoothed down. He wore a normal t-shirt and jeans.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Shut up, Strength. It's not like I asked for your help. And for the last time, call me Stealth.” The purple-haired lady – or Rena – said with a glare. I guess she likes glaring at people.
“Shut up yourself, Rena. And for the last time, call me Mike!” The Strength dude said.
“Master said that we have to call each other by our code names. So your breaking one of his rules!” Rena or Stealth said.
As they argued, I felt my anger slowly disappeared. It was replaced with sadness. I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there and watched them argue.
“I don't care about his cheesy rules. They're so lame. Who cares about the code names? No one's heard of any of us before!” Strength or Mike said.
“Well, stop making trouble!”
“Hypocrite! You're the one who's making trouble. Look, you got the Water Guardian to see us!”
“How is that my fault? If you hadn't barged in here, then I would have been fine! What are you doing here anyway?”
“You would have been fine? Hello? Unless you're blind, you have a freaking arrow in your freaking leg!”
“I DON'T CARE! I was the one sent here, and you are supposed to be back at Camp, not here! So either help me, or go and get someone else who will help me!”
“Master ordered me to come and check on you. He said that you were taking too long. But I don't feel like helping you. Not that I have to anyway. Master never said anything about helping you.”
“Lier! That's not possible! Master trusts me! Or have you forgotten? Do I have to rub it in your face?”
“Shut up, you stupid stealth person! You aren't even stealthy! Why the heck is your code name Stealth? If you are stealthy, then the Water Guardian should be in bed, not here listening to us argue!”
What the Strength guy said, must have brought their attention back to me. And I was mad at myself for not shooting arrows at them before they could attack me. Stupid, stupid me.
“Jeez, you are probably the stupidest one out of us all.” Strength said quietly as he ran his hand through his hair. I thought he had been talking to me, since I could have killed them right then right there, but he wasn't.
“Am not! I have half of Knowledge in me!” Stealth yelled. “You're the one who's the stupidest.”
“And you probably have Knowledge in you somewhere.” Strength said suddenly as he turned towards me. “It seems we've underestimated you. Master will be surprised to know that you know how to make a Freezing Charm.” He smiled at me. “Maybe you can come and replace Knowledge. Knowledge has been gone for a long time. Care to join us?”
“Her? Her? Join us?” Stealth was screaming at Strength. “Don't be stupid, Strength. She'll just betray us once she's got what she's want. So, Strength, get this arrow off of me and be quick about it.”
“Do you know why I'm called Strength?” Strength asked me, completely ignoring Stealth's constant shrieks. “Because I'm really strong.”
“Uh... What?” I asked.
“Watch.” Strength said. “This is my power.” He hoisted up my parents' bed and threw it across the room as easily as I could have thrown a ball.
“Stop wasting time!” Stealth shouted seething and glaring like crazy. “Quit wasting Master's time and hurry up and free me!”
“And why should I?” Strength asked smiling. He was probably enjoying having Stealth begging him to help her.
“Didn't Master order you to?” Stealth asked. “Come on. Quit lagging. You're like a turtle.”
“Alright then, time to go.” Strength winked at me then vanished.
“UGH! That stupid little show off brat! Who does he think he is?” Stealth asked no one in particular. “So, girl are you going to keep me here all day?”
“What's your power? If Strength's power is being strong, then does that mean that you're supposed to be stealthy?” I asked, curious. Might as well try and squeeze some information out of her.
“'Supposed to'? Of course I'm stealthy! I don't know why in the world you could have heard me. I'm invisible, only Master can see me when I'm invisible. And people like Strength, who works for Master. So I don't see why you can see or hear me. You shouldn't be able to.” Stealth said in a frustrated way. “Now free me. I won't kill you. It's Master's orders.”
“But I'm a Chosen One, so shouldn't we be able to see you?” I asked.
“No, because Master gave me these powers. So only the people I said before can see me!” She replied.
There was a sigh that came from the right of Stealth. “You are really mean.” Strength appeared and muttered something under his breath. Stealth must have heard what he said, and it must have been something good, because a smile automatically spread across her face.
“You finally decided to listen to Master.” She said. She wretched the arrow out of her leg.
“Too late, though.” Strength said with a wide grin. Stealth looked at him and looked at her arms. The blue color had spread all across her. She was entirely blue.
“N-” Stealth didn't have time because she froze.
“What happened?” I asked cautiously.
“The Freezing Charm you put on the arrows. Don't you know what it does?” Strength asked. I shook my head.
“I didn't put a Freezing Charm. I don't even know what it is!” I said.
“Oh, then it must have been the gods.” Strength replied with a sigh. “If someone touches something that has a Freezing Charm on it, then they freeze. Normal humans would freeze right away, but since Stealth has her powers, it took a lot longer.”
“Oh.” I replied.
“Anyway.” Strength said then whispered something.
“HOW DARE YOU! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS SPREADING! AND YOU SHOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY DONE THE COUNTER CHARM! YOU ARE ONE LOUSY PERSON!” Stealth's voice bellowed all over the place.
“So much for stealth.” Strength muttered. “If someone's stealthy, shouldn't they be quieter?” Stealth glared threateningly at Strength.
“Shut up.” She said in a more normal tone. “Anyway, we've spent too long here. Better get going.”
“See ya.” Strength said then vanished.
“I hope I don't see you soon.” Stealth said bitterly before, she too, disappeared. Once they were gone, I felt my knees give away. I collapsed on the floor next to my parents. And I sat there, in the ugly mess, crying.
