by Lady Lilium
They changed course and went in the opposite direction to where they were originally heading. It was only a short detour to the shops this way, and the best way to go to avoid most of the people.
The skate park when they reached it was thankfully not too busy. Plastered with thick graffiti on every possible surface, the skate-park was a large one, giving lots of space to the people within. Some people did tricks on the rams and half-pipes, others hung around in groups watching the world around them. Everything was brightly coloured here, including the people who resided here. They wore trashy jeans and bright shirts, some with backwards caps.
The brothers passed a wall; there was an image of a large lidless eye staring unseeing outwards, alongside a psycho rabbit that was devouring heads.
A skater swerved around the brothers as they sauntered through the park, and they watched their step as they walked. It was easy to have an accident in a place like this. The sound of the wheels rolling on the concrete, boards grinding on the rails and the muttering of voices from the groups that had gathered continued as constant noises overlapped each other. Everything should have been normal, but there was something out of the ordinary here today, something that few could see.
Lucas slowed to a stop, eyes sliding across the park.
‘What's wrong?’ Reuben asked pausing and glancing back at him. ‘…Lucas?’
Reuben could not see his brother’s face from where he stood, but he knew something wasn’t right. He walked back to him, following his gaze.
‘Hey is that the new girl?’
Lucas didn’t reply.
‘I heard her name is Rhian.’
Lucas approached her silently, with Reuben slinking behind.
Rhian was kneeling by one of the graffiti covered walls, wearing her typical dark colours. As the brothers approached they saw what it was that had caught her attention, from a distance they had not seen, as she had blocked their view.
Lucas circled around, coming to stand in front of her. Finally Rhian lifted her head, acknowledging them at last. At a glance she seemed weary, exhausted. Her eyes were sunken and her hair was scruffy. It looked as if she hadn't slept. The creature she was kneeling before; was a thing the brothers had never seen in their lives. Lying on his front seemingly unconscious was a creature resembling a human in shape, but with the black skin of an aberrant. With flesh the shade of coal, he had large wings at his back. Leathery and bat-like they were, and bearing huge curled hooks on the joint. His hair, jet black like the rest of him grew down to his shoulders, and he had a long thin tail that ended in a point. His chest was bare, and he wore black wide legged trousers.
Lucas had the strangest thought at that moment.
‘Ha!’ he barked a laugh. ‘He wears black just like you do.’
‘What are you implying?’ Rhian glared. She rose to a stand. ‘I don’t even know who you are.’
‘And let’s keep it that way’ Lucas replied.
‘Hey, I'm Reuben’ Reuben said stepping forward with a smile.
Rhian’s upper lip twitched and she crossed her arms in distain.
The figure on the ground lay peacefully as if he were only asleep. His face was young, and his skin was sleek and smooth and flawless.
‘You can see him?’ Rhian asked them.
‘What do you mean?’
‘None of the others can see him. I've watched several people walk past, some even glancing this way.’
And it was true. The skaters carried on, seemingly oblivious to the presence of the strange being simply lying in plain sight.
‘Wait a minute’ Reuben spoke up. ‘You're a guardian!’
Rhian scowled at him. ‘Is he the smarter of you two?’ she asked Lucas.
Lucas began to laugh hysterically. ‘Oh come on Reuben don’t look so angry’ he said to his brother when he calmed.
Rhian circled around the brothers, moving away from the winged being on the floor.
‘I saw fighting’ Rhian told them. ‘There are more of them; I don’t know if it’s entirely safe here right now.’
‘Are you scared?’ Lucas asked raising his eyebrows.
‘Of course not!’ Rhian spat.
Lucas smirked, feeling a strange satisfaction at getting under her skin. Beside him Reuben was positively quivering with excitement.
‘There’ve been aberrants walking around lately’ he said. ‘Have you seen them?’
‘I've fought them’ Rhian answered.
‘You have skills in fighting?’ Reuben asked with interest looking her up and down. ‘How nice.’
‘I was brought up fighting’ Rhian said. ‘I saw my first aberrant when I was very young.’
‘Why do they appear?’ Lucas asked her. ‘We’ve never seen one before...but somehow we know what they are.’
Rhian smirked then, amused by their lack of knowledge. ‘You don’t know much about being a guardian do you?’
Lucas felt a twinge of annoyance, but he’d be dammed if he let her know by showing it.
‘You want to know what attracts them, what draws them out?’ she said.
The brothers waited patiently for a response.
‘Philosophers stone’ Rhian breathed. ‘There is one here.’
‘Where did you hear that?’ Lucas asked slowly, narrowing his eyes.
Rhian stopped circling, turning to face them now.
‘I have seen visions of another world, where there are many guardians. Like us. There are Philosophers stones there, its where they originated. But some fled here.’
‘Fled?’ Lucas asked. ‘You mean these things have a mind of their own?’
‘Is that your power?’ Reuben butt in. ‘Seeing this other world?’
‘It is one of my powers’ she replied curtly.
Reuben began to fumble his words, Lucas knew he was deciding which question to ask first, but in his enthusiasm he came across as a jabbering fool.
Lucas knelt by the black skinned figure on the ground, suddenly noticing how tall he was, at least a head taller than the average man. He also noticed something else.
‘Reuben look at this.’
‘What is it?’
‘These marks’ Lucas replied. ‘The ground has been scorched.’
‘It’s on the walls as well’ Reuben suddenly noticed.
Rhian watched the brothers sceptically.
Lucas became suddenly rigid.
‘We have to get out of here.’
‘Why?’ Reuben asked, worried by his brother’s urgent change of tone. He glanced around nervously. ‘Is it safe?’
Rising fast Lucas whipped round, turning on the spot.
‘Lucas…’ Reuben said in a steady tone, ‘Lucas you’re scaring me.’
The following events were the start of a life completely new, a life in a different direction, a life as a true guardian.
‘This is the first time in my life…’ Reuben whispered in awe, head tilted back as the shadow passed over them, ‘that I have ever seen one like this.’
‘I knew we shouldn’t have stayed here’ Rhian said backing away. ‘I knew it was dangerous.’
The beast cried out in many voices. A high pitched screech, over a moaning noise that sounded almost like the wind. It was a terrible thing to hear, like an agonising cry of pain and despair.
‘Aberrant’ Rhian whispered.
It came, crawling up and over the wall they had been standing by. Its movement was graceful yet exaggerated. It was a tall creature, strange in appearance with a thin body and very long legs that ended in sharp unforgiving talons. Its neck was shaped like that of a horse, and it had a small oval head, narrow eyes and a thin scraggly mane. The most bizarre thing about this aberrant however, was its mouth. It was long like a tube, with what looked like sharp inward curved teeth at the opening on the end. Running all the way down the tube were creases, like the kind one might find on an umbrella, its mouth was like this.
The aberrant swung its mighty head over them, letting out a prolonged hiss, advanci
ng on them menacingly.
The three backed away quickly. Reuben cast his palms out, summoning flames that wreathed the flesh of his hands. ‘Quick use your magic!’
The aberrant moved towards them, following their movement carefully as they backed away further. Its look was far too intelligent for ones liking, it was as if the thing was assessing them. The beast paused and flicked its lizard-like tail, swinging its long mouth from side to side.
‘What are you doing?!’ Rhian hissed at Reuben. She grabbed him by the arm and jerked him towards her.
The fires went out.
‘You can’t kill it!’ she told him. ‘You're not strong enough, it’s too big!’
‘Who are you to tell me that’ he growled, yanking his arm out of her grip. ‘You have no idea about my powers.’
Lucas took another step away, concentration fixed on the aberrant, which was advancing again.
‘Guys its coming closer…’ Lucas informed them, uncertainty lacing his voice.
‘Have you ever fought these beasts before’ Rhian snapped at Reuben turning on him.
‘And you have?’ Reuben retorted.
‘Are you even listening?’ Lucas stepped further away.
‘I've been a guardian a lot longer than you have’ Rhian went on.
‘How the hell would you know something like that?!’
‘It’s coming!’ Lucas called over both of them.
‘I know a lot of things you don’t’ Rhian said balling her fists in fury, ignoring Lucas’ cries.
‘That’s not an answer’ Reuben shot back.
‘It’s good enough!’
‘The aberrant is rather close...’ Lucas said.
‘Then show me your powers’ Reuben demanded.
‘I am not under your control!’ she screeched. She grabbed him again. ‘Are you stupid enough to use magic in front of these people?!’
‘GUYS!’
The beast opened its mouth and roared.
Their clothes and hair were blown back violently in the sudden gale. Its mouth had opened out into a massive pentagon shape. The long tube of its mouth had opened outwards like a massive umbrella, now this was all they saw, teeth and tongue, and the pink inside of its fleshy mouth in one massive shape.
Reuben saw fast movement out of the corner of his eye, though he didn’t acknowledge it. He was fixed to the spot, by awe by fear by shock, he didn’t know which.
The aberrant closed its mouth again, shrinking it back into its tubular form.
Reuben realised now that Rhian was not with him, realising the movement out of the corner of his eye must have been her. He spotted her, standing on a half-pipe a safe distance away. There were black wings coming out of her back, feathered they were, like an angels. Reuben simply stared at her dumbfounded, feeling too many emotions to put a label to any of them.
‘Reuben!’ his brother called.
Reuben shifted his sights back to the creature before him. It hissed again, sensing his weakness and targeting it. The aberrant in one swift movement swung its mighty clawed hand. Its range of attack was far, its long limbs stretched outwards and claws unfurling. In his frozen state Reuben could not react, locked in what was now only pure fear.
He was suddenly shoved aside by his brother, tasting the pavement.
He heard his brother cry out behind him, saw him fall to his knees. Behind the strange mouthed beast, the unconscious guardian was stirring.
Lucas began to shake, there were three deep gashes in his side, and blood spilling down the left side of his body at an alarming rate.
Reuben pushed himself up, wiping his chin with the back of a hand as he did so and feeling blood there. He ran to his brother, falling to his knees.
Lucas’ body tensed, his hands were shaking violently as he held his injury, trying in vain to stop the bleeding. The first stage of shock was setting in, and Reuben could see his brother was paling fast. Lucas had never felt pain like it before, but then again, he was still a young guardian.
‘Lucas?’
Lucas lifted his head, saying in a trembling voice to Reuben, ‘are you alright?’
Reuben didn’t answer.
The guardian who had been unconscious mere moments ago had risen, standing now with wings splayed and tail flicking from side to side. He had a menacing dark aura about him. He circled calmly around the aberrant, coming to stand before it.
Please, don’t hurt us. Reuben thought as the winged being drew closer.
The stranger stood now between the brothers and the aberrant. In his dark hands he held chakrams. With many great spikes around its circular edges, the metal was painted vividly in black and red. These were weapons he had summoned from the very air itself, weapons that were wreathed in flame. This was his magic.
He charged forwards with all the speed, agility and confidence of one born into war. A true guardian.
The winged stranger threw out both his weapons before him, spinning them in the air they created a wall of fire which blazed and roared fiercely. The aberrant screeched in fear as the fire burned bright, forcing it backwards. It scuttled, like a panicked animal trapped on ice trying get away, tripping over its own exaggerated limbs. It ran. The black skinned stranger released his magic with a sharp intake of breath, weapons vanishing into thin air.
Reuben tore his eyes away and looked to where Rhian had stood not moments before, only to see that she wasn’t there.
‘She’s gone…’ Reuben gasped in horror, ‘she left us…’
The winged guardian approached the brothers, staring expressionlessly over Lucas. Lucas had fallen on his side still holding himself, curled up and groaning in agony.
‘Please don’t hurt us’ Reuben begged. ‘Please help him…’
The black guardian knelt over Lucas, grabbing his arm and forcing it up with a hard grip. All the better to see the wound.
The gashes were deep, and there were three of them. He would surely bleed to death in minutes.
It was lucky in that instance, that the stranger was not only an experienced guardian, but also a healer as well.
Chapter Three
Tin Miners
Lucas’ forehead began to hurt somewhat as he rested it against the solid, unforgiving concrete. His hip and shoulder hurt too as he lay uncomfortably, but no more than his new injury, which now became nothing more than a dull throb. The strange being was running his hands along his bare waist, having lifted his shirt up to see the injury. The stranger examined the flesh where Lucas had been cut, slowly healing him.
It didn’t hurt so much anymore, in fact he felt ok.
The man, if he could be called that, ordered Lucas to sit up. His tone was short and sharp. Lucas obeyed before he realised he had, kneeling now. He removed his shirt on command and the stranger began to wrap around Lucas’ waist a roll of bandage. He wound it around and around his torso until he came to the end of the roll, where he tied it off. Lucas’ shirt, torn and bloodied was discarded. Reuben waited nervously nearby, pacing back and forth.
‘How do you feel?’ Culture asked.
‘Surprisingly good’ Lucas replied rising gingerly.
The stranger grunted.
‘I would have done a better job at healing the wound, but I don’t have a lot of strength right now….I am weak.’ Culture rose to a stand. ‘The injury is mostly healed. I suggest you keep discrete about it until it’s healed fully. You would have a hard time I'm sure explaining to others how you got it.’ He sent a thin jet of fire towards Lucas’ shirt which lay on the floor nearby, completely destroying it in the blaze and leaving behind only ash.
Lucas stared wordlessly up at him. His glaze slid past the stranger and to the skate park around them. Despite all that had happened in the last few minutes, the scene around them, had not changed.
Bizarre Lucas thought to himself.
‘You're very young’ the aberrant noted. ‘I've not often met a guardian so young.’ He glanced at Reuben, who continued his pacing.
‘Brothers
I assume’ he said.
Lucas examined himself; the bandages looked clean and new, as if they had only just left the hospital. He studied the black skinned man before him, and saw that his wings were folded neatly back, now looking so much smaller than they had before. They reminded Lucas of a bat.
‘Thanks’ Lucas said awkwardly. ‘Where did you get these?’ he indicated the bandages.
‘I can summon objects from afar’ Culture said.
‘It was good of you to help me.’
Reuben quickened his pace, continuing back and forth.
‘Any good man would have done the same’ Culture purred.
‘But you are not a man are you?’ Lucas said. ‘You're an aberrant.’
The aberrant paused.
‘There are many different kinds of aberrant that exist’ he said. ‘Some of them look a lot like myself, like a human. Others look like beasts, like the one you just saw. They are not intelligent. For the most part.’
‘There are many aberrants?’ Lucas asked.
‘Oh yes’ Culture replied slyly.
‘Lucas I'm so sorry’ Reuben cut in huskily, suddenly interrupting them. ‘I froze up, it was weak of me…you got hurt because of me…it was stupid I'm sorry…!’
‘Hey’ Lucas smiled gently, speaking in a calming tone. ‘It’s not your fault.’
‘I was stupid’ Reuben repeated.
‘Everybody makes mistakes’ his brother told him.
‘A mistake that could have killed you.’
It sounded more than he intended like a verbal attack. Reuben forced himself to relax and took a slow, deep breath.
‘Are you going to be ok?’ he asked.
‘He’s going to be fine’ Culture told Reuben. ‘Just take it easy’ he said to Lucas, ‘and don’t do anything too strenuous.’
Culture turned away.
‘I had better be going now; I've got to find the others.’
‘The others? Lucas rounded on him. ‘You mean there are more of you?’
‘The rest of my group’ the aberrant replied.
Lucas and Reuben exchanged a glance uncertainly.
‘How many are there?’ Reuben asked.
