Guardian: Protectors of Light

by Melanie Houtman

The Climb

  The position of the sun told the teenagers that it was late in the evening when the teenagers had decided it was time to leave.

  But, of course, James and Samira had to retrieve their own clothes first; Thomas had been so kind to get them for them.

  He was wandering around the temple on just his socks, on his way to find his friends’ clothes.

  “Are you looking for something, Thomas?”

  Thomas made a little jump when he was startled by the sudden sound of Violina’s voice behind him, as if she had appeared out of thin air.

  One of the advantages of having wings; the ability to sneak up on someone without making a single noise... Although the twinkling sound the wings made could come across as a tad distracting.

  “Um, yes,” Thomas mumbled, as he turned around toward the fixie. “Clothes. Our clothes.”

  “Why, of course,” Violina answered. 

  “I’ve been up all night to fix the rips and gaps in your brother’s tunic. Samira’s wasn’t quite in a perfect state either, so I fixed some loose stitches.” Then, she was reminded of something. “Oh. And I also removed some small dents from your armoury. But I’m sure you won’t mind.”

  She gestured with her hand that the teenager had to follow her. “Come on, follow me. I’ll show you where I’ve stocked them.”

  Thomas followed her to a room that looked like an old-fashioned tailor’s workshop; an unusual choice. It was nothing like anything you’d expect a fairy work shop to look like.

  On the workbench laid two piles of clothes, with one pair of shoes on top of each pile.

  “There they are,” Violina said. “I’m not a Fashion Fairy, and I doubt that those even exist, but I was able to find my last roll of enchanted fabric. It strengthens the original fabric and adapts itself to the colour and material, so you can barely notice that it’s been patched.”

  “Thank you very much, Violina,” Thomas said, while he walked over to the workbench and picked up the two piles of clothes.

  “I’ll go wake up James, get us both changed and then it’s time for us to leave, I guess.”

  “Do you think he’s strong enough to continue already? The walk from here to the Mountains of Pruina is still at least five kilometres long.”

  “How do you-?” Thomas asked in confusion. 

  Violina shrugged. “A long time ago, some adult Guardian explained to me how you measure distances on Earth, and I noticed that it’s system is quite similar to Lunaria’s metric system,” she said. “The only difference is that we measure in so-called “metra,” and one metrum – which is the singular version of the word - is one of your metres.”

  “Interesting. So it’s still five thousand trees away. And how high is the highest top of the Mountains of Pruina?” Thomas asked.

  “It’d say about four metra high,” Violina replied. 

  “Oh dear... That’s way too high,” Thomas sighed. “And the lowest top?”

  “Two,” Violina said. “You might want to reconsider leaving tonight.”

  “I’ll discuss it with the others,” Thomas said with a light shrug. “If they say we can leave, we leave. But if James doesn’t feel like he can, we don’t.”

  “Your choice, kid,” Violina said, and they both left the tailor’s workshop.

  Before they’d leave, the Queen had invited them for a meal, but since James was eager to get out there again, they ate rather quickly.

  A proper thank you was in order before they left, though.

  Samira looked at Queen Eloine and made a humble curtsy in front of her. “It has been a true honour to be your guests, Your Highness,” she said.

  “And it has been a true honour to serve you, Bond of Light,” Queen Eloine replied and made a curtsy toward Samira as well.

  “Thank you for saving my life, Your Highness,” James said, while taking a deep bow.

  “Very well, James. Violina shall escort you on your final trip through the Forest, just to make sure that you make it out of here safely.” Queen Eloine nodded and smiled. Violina walked forward, wearing the same clothing as when the teenagers had met her in the Valley.

  “Violina? What happened to your dress?” Antonio asked with a slightly tilted head.

  “I don’t want to risk ripping it, since I’ve used my last roll of enchanted fabric to fix your friends’ clothes,” Violina answered with a shrug.

  “Well, guys, if you’re all ready to go, I’d say we should,” James said. The others nodded in agreement.

  When they left the temple, the Forest seemed to be nothing but one huge, black blur. Only the protected open place was slightly lit by the light of the full moon.

  The teenagers believed it would be fine if they’d travel with just Violina by their side, though; she had sent the other pixies home as soon as James had been cursed.

  “Do you think those creepy Dark Fairies will come for us again?” Samira whispered at Violina while they walked through the darkness of the Forest as silently as they could.

  “I don’t think they will. I don’t think they’re even still alive,” Violina replied.  ”Thomas scared them off with that attack, and servants of the Master that have failed him never live long.”

  “Wow, that guy starts to sound nicer by the minute,” Antonio mumbled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m really looking forward to meeting him, and by chance chopping his head or any other limbs off while passing by.”

  “You’re really not taking this serious at all, are you? Do you really think that easy about this? Oh, please, Antonio!” Samira said, slightly annoyed. “Do you really think we’re just going to walk into that castle and save the entire world without even breaking a sweat?”

  “Hold on for a second, Sam, I never said it’d be easy!” Antonio defended himself. “I’m just saying that if I get the chance to finish him off, I won’t let that chance slip by!” 

  Samira let out a sigh of exasperation.

  “You two sure like arguing, don’t you?” Violina asked.

  “Oh, Antonio argues with everyone,” Bella grinned.

  “So... First things first,” Thomas said, declaring that he wanted to get down to business.

  “Do we even have all the equipment to get up there? The first two kilometres, we won’t be able to walk. We’ll have to climb up...”

  Everyone shook their head in unison. The Queen wasn’t in possession of mountain-climbing equipment, the snow coats they had received from Violina were the best they had. Those would prevent them from freezing to death after a few hours of walking upward on those mountains.

  “No, we don’t,” James said, and suddenly, a sparkle appeared in his ultramarine eyes. ”But I can make some.”

  “How? We don’t have any kind of metal here,” Antonio said confused.

  “My Magic can summon some tools,” James replied, causing the others to shaking their heads.

  “Spare your energy, James,” Samira said. “It’s going to be a long way to get to the end.”

  “It doesn’t use up too much energy,” James tried to reassure the others. “I’ll just snap my fingers, and – poof! – there is our equipment.”

  “But James, that’s not the point,” Bella said, trying to get through to James. “It doesn’t matter to us what you’re convinced you’re capable of, James. We just want you to get the chance to strengthen and revalidate from the effects of the Fairy Flu.”

  James sighed. “I don’t want you guys to treat me like a little kid. What’s next? Is Thomas going to carry me up those mountains?”

  Thomas responded with a silent shrug, which most likely could’ve meant apparently, yes.

  James sighed and shook his head. What was he expecting? Why was he so mad? His friends were just trying to protect him, and he was brushing their help off like it meant nothing to him. 

  And by the extremely exasperated way he spoke to them, he even sounded like their protection and worry felt like an insult to him.

  He never took his fr
iends’ love for granted, but he was still upset for no particular reason, so James decided to fake a smile and sighed. “All right, then. No equipment.”

  He swallowed and stopped for a second to think about what he had just agreed to. Not only did they risk the chance to fall all the way down if one of the rocks broke apart, but they didn’t have any kind of belay devices or ropes to break their fall either, so if one of them fell, they would be doomed, because there would be no way possible that one would survive a fall from that height.

  It was a really big, dangerous risk they were taking. A leap of faith...

  “Don’t worry, James,” Samira whispered from behind in his ear. “I won’t let you fall.”

  “I know,” James replied, and joined the others, who were already packing in and heading for the mountains.