by S. L. Morgan
“Another species has entered this galaxy,” Celosia said as she studied the eerie skies above them, obviously unaffected by what had occurred.
Harrison and Angeline stood as Navarre stepped forward. “How do you know?”
“It is in our nature to feel whether or not a threat is among us. I sense great danger from this species.”
Navarre turned to the group. “Mount your horses and prepare for another battle.”
Celosia watched as the Guardians followed Navarre’s order and mounted their stallions. “Your people will not survive this adversary. We must split up.” She looked sternly at Navarre. “Find the one that can stop this. Stay shielded, and you may have a chance to stay alive. Once we have defeated them, we will return to you.”
“How exactly do you plan on finding us?” Levi questioned.
“We have our own methods of tracking beings with whom we come into contact. Heed my warning now: if you fail us and force us to be imprisoned in this world, we will destroy all of you mercilessly.”
Before anyone could respond, Celosia and her people turned into their fiery bird form and shot up into the skies like laser beams.
“That was certainly comforting,” Harrison grumbled.
Navarre turned his horse. “Let us find a secluded route. We must try to locate Reece.”
“Father, we have no idea where to start. She could be anywhere,” Levi returned despondently.
“Take a look at Arrow,” Harrison called out.
He looked at Levi, whose eyes appeared brighter than before. “You know where she is, don’t you?”
Arrow pawed the ground.
“Now!” Levi called out. “Arrow, bring us to her!”
Chapter Twenty
The horses galloped at a steady pace as they followed Arrow through thick shrubbery, leading them away from the large city and deeper into more rugged terrain. Finally, an opening came into sight. Despite not having encountered any creatures or beings seeking to harm them, Harrison and the group continued to remain cautious at every turn.
Arrow slowed his pace, prompting the group following him to do the same. An abandoned two-story house came into sight. The home was covered with ivy and vines. The white paint that once covered what you could see of the wooden house was peeling. It was evident that this house had been abandoned long before the invasion of Earth. They halted their horses when Arrow stopped in front of the home. Reece’s stallion remained eerily silent as his ears flicked back and forth, studying the home in front of them. It was obvious Reece was close, but her stallion was alerting them that something was not safe about this situation.
Harrison dismounted Saracen, and Levi, Navarre, and Angeline followed his lead. “I will take the front,” he instructed as he walked over to Angeline. “Angie, I need you back on your horse. If anything should come upon you, I want you and this stallion to immediately flee this location.”
“Harry—”
“Angeline.” He stopped her with a commanding expression. “Please, do not question me about this. I do not know what dangers lurk here, and you have not been trained for most of the things we have seen. We will be fine, but I must be assured that you are not harmed. Trust me on this.”
“I understand,” Angeline said as she allowed Harrison to help her back onto her stallion’s back.
Levi walked over to where Harrison approached Navarre. “It is evident that Arrow is sensing danger.” Levi looked back at the unsettled stallion. “We must be prepared for any form of attack.”
“I agree. I will search the grounds surrounding the home,” Navarre stated. “Levi, you will take the back entrance. Gentlemen,” Navarre said in a low voice, “I am fairly certain Mordegrin is still alive and still opening portals to Earth. If Reece is truly here, we have no way of knowing what he may have done to her, as it is obvious she was unable to defeat him. With that said, there is a distinct possibility that this could be a trap.”
Levi let out a loud exhale. “Let us find out.”
Harrison looked at Angeline, who wore a skeptical expression. “Any strange noises, I don’t care if it is a bird chirping, you trust that stallion and leave. This could definitely be a trap.”
Angeline nodded.
“Let us go,” Navarre ordered.
With swords drawn, Levi and Navarre furtively began their search. Harrison quietly walked up to the steps at the entrance of the front porch that wrapped around the home. The broken planks of the steps creaked in response to his weight. He crept up, eyes locked onto the front door that was ajar. As he reached the house’s threshold, Reece viciously lunged out at him from the side.
Harrison turned and gripped her arm, which was holding a sharp blade directed at his heart. He disarmed her and spun her into his grip. As Reece’s back was pressed hard into his chest, she vigilantly continued to fight his stronghold on her.
“I will kill you, you monster,” Reece’s steely voice called out as she continued to fight Harrison. “I will find my way out of your arms and kill you again!” she snarled.
“Reece,” Harrison answered as Reece continued to fight him. “It is Harrison!”
A wicked laugh erupted from Reece. “Of course it is,” she answered. “You and your shapeshifting friends say that every time. I think that line is getting old.”
Harrison spun her around to face him and gripped her shoulders tightly, forcing a screech from Reece.
“Stop fighting me,” he ordered.
“Reece!” Levi’s voice called out from behind.
“Oh,” she answered without looking over at Levi. “There are two of you now?”
Reece remained still in his tightened grip, but her lethal eyes never left his. Her threatening expression told Harrison that she was calculating and searching for a way to kill him.
“Reece, you must believe me. It is truly Levi and me,” Harrison called out. He knew that he could easily overcome her, but he wasn’t sure if she still carried the powers of the stone within her. If she did, there was a possibility that with one wrong move, she would overcome him and end his life.
“Why should I believe you, shapeshifter?” she said as she tried to jerk away from his grips.
Harrison held her steady. “Because the horse standing behind us would have ended my life if I wasn’t actually Harrison.”
She continued to study Harrison for a second before she looked down the steps where Levi stood watching her. Harrison was finally able to note that her eyes were no longer emerald green but the light blue color they were when she didn’t carry the power of the stone.
Levi slowly walked up the steps to her, everyone unsure if she had been transformed into one of Mordegrin’s creatures.
“My love?” Levi whispered as he slowly approached her.
Harrison let out a breath when Reece looked back at him and smiled with tears in her eyes. When he released his hold on her, she brought a hand to his cheek, smiled, and turned to Levi. She collapsed into Levi’s embrace, shedding tears in his arms.
Reece slowly pulled away from Levi, placing both hands on his face. “It’s really you! I can’t believe you found me.” She laughed through her tears.
“Yes.” Levi ran his hand over her cheek. “Are you unwell in any way?”
Reece looked at Levi in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Harrison grinned. “We need to be sure that you don’t want to feed off our blood or eat us for a snack.”
Reece frowned. “No, of course not. Why would you think that?”
“The humans we’ve been encountering on Earth have been transformed into all sorts of unbelievable things since you left to kill Mordegrin,” Harrison added.
Reece looked remorsefully into Levi’s eyes. “I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t strong enough,” she said as a tear slipped down her cheek. “He stole my powers somehow, and everything went black.”
Levi nodded. “You are not at fault. Once we locate him, we will find a way to get you that stone, and we will defeat him then. We had no
way of—”
“No,” Reece interrupted Levi. She glanced around at everyone in the group. “He destroyed the stone after he took all of my powers and completed some kind of pyramid alignment with Mars.” Her eyes grew distant. “After that, he sent me here. I was sure he would kill me, but it was obvious he sent me here to torment me with creatures that he created who could shapeshift into beings that resembled all of you.”
“How did you know these were Mordegrin’s creation?” Harrison asked.
“When I killed them with that dagger I found, they turned into black dust, just like his creatures did in that other galaxy."
Navarre stepped up to where they stood and picked up the dagger. “This was one of Diexz’s daggers.” He studied Reece. “How did you manage to find it?”
“Pure luck, I guess. Before I found this house for shelter, I found it stabbed into the ground.”
“This is worse than we could have ever imagined,” Navarre murmured. “Reece, how many times have you battled the shapeshifters you mentioned?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” Her eyes roamed the area. “All I know is that I battle them every day, which means they should be making an appearance any time now.”
“We must leave this location immediately,” Navarre ordered. “We must find a new shelter, and we will discuss a strategy for survival. Hopefully, we can derive a plot together to destroy Mordegrin.”
After quietly assessing Reece’s current condition, it was apparent she hadn’t had anything to eat and was barely able to keep her eyes open. Levi stopped her as soon as she headed toward Arrow. For the first time, the horse shifted, making it obvious that he wouldn’t allow her to ride him.
Reece looked at Arrow in confusion. “Arrow? It’s me. Why are you acting like this?”
Levi brought his hand to Reece’s worn face. “He is not rejecting you because you are a threat to us.” He smiled sympathetically at Reece. “He senses your weakness and knows you are unable to ride safely on your own. You will ride with me.”
Reece nodded, and she followed Levi over to Areion.
Once the group was settled on their horses, Navarre spun his stallion back to face them. “We’ll ride as fast and as far away from civilization as we can. After we find a location where I can be assured that we are safe, we will make a shelter. We must find food for Reece now that she no longer possesses the power of that stone.”
The horses fled the location swiftly. Levi kept a firm grip on Reece, who seemed to have fallen asleep in his arms as soon as he cradled her tightly against his chest. The blood-red sun that had served to color the entire Earth with an eerie glow had finally disappeared and allowed darkness to set in. Harrison adjusted his vision to the darkness, seeing everything as it were daylight, but he could tell Angeline was struggling to ride without being able to see anything while she rode.
“Angie, allow me to bring you onto Saracen with me,” Harrison called out over the thunderous sounds of the racing horses.
“I am fine. We need to keep moving,” she answered. “I just—”
Before Angeline could finish, Harrison had pulled her onto Saracen from her horse. Harrison slid back off the saddle onto the horse’s back, allowing Angeline to ride comfortably in front of him. As the horses raced through the pitch black night, Angeline leaned back into his chest.
He kept a steady rein on Saracen, yet managed to embrace his weary wife in response. He kissed her cheek. “My little warrior seems to be quite exhausted,” he teased, hoping to ease Angeline’s tension.
“I am unsure of how you can hold a conversation at this time, Harry.”
Harrison gripped Angeline as Saracen gathered himself and followed the other horses in leaping over a large tree that had fallen on its side. Once the tree was cleared, Saracen returned to top speed.
“Would you rather me worry over things we cannot control?” he asked. “You should know that the man you married will not be ruled by fear.”
He felt Angeline lightly chuckle. “That is why I love you.”
“I know that you can endure without food or sleep by using your natural mindset,” Harrison responded. “However, why don’t you use this time to rest your eyes and allow thoughts of better times to send you into a peaceful slumber?”
“I would love that; however, my darling, I cannot find rest on top of a horse. I just hope we will reach a safe destination soon.”
Harrison laughed. “Reece looks as though she is sleeping on a cloud. You must relax.”
Angeline molded her back into Harrison’s chest. “She is human, and that is another thing I am concerned about at this time.” Angeline sighed. “Harry, she looks dreadful. I am fearful that she will not survive.”
Angeline was right. Reece looked worn, exhausted, and famished. They had no idea how long she had been at that location. No one knew when the last time was that she had water or food or rest. All she had been doing was fighting for her life against the beings she referred to as shapeshifters.
To rest Angeline’s mind, Harrison responded, “Believe me, that woman has been through and seen much worse. Human or not, she will pull through. Please rest.”
Angeline exhaled, and Harrison felt the weight of her body in his arms. He had kissed the top of her head before he brought his attention back to the dark forest through which the horses raced.
Heel, Saracen! Levi mentally ordered Harrison. We are approaching a group of creatures. We must hope that we can race through this location unharmed.
Knowing that Saracen was already at top speed, Harrison hoped the horse could give him more. He now saw what Levi saw. Green eyes and dark, shadowy creatures stood in a group ahead of them.
“Now, Arrow!” Navarre ordered.
At Navarre’s command, Arrow and Angeline’s stallion protectively led the group. They ferociously charged into the pack of salivating beasts and attacked them with their hooves, trampling over them to make a clearing through which the group could ride.
There went the hope that we’ll be stopping our horses anytime soon! Harrison mentally informed Levi.
Levi glanced back. I am unsure if there is a safe place anywhere on this dreadful planet anymore. I am hoping we will encounter some more Guardians along our way.
I have a feeling that we are the last of the Guardians.
Strangely, I feel the same as you, Levi returned.
They continued to race their horses throughout the bleak night, and by the time the red sun entirely shed its eerie glow upon the desolated surface of Earth, Navarre halted the horses near a rapidly running creek.
“Given that we haven’t encountered anything for hours, this is a perfect opportunity for the horses to drink and for us to make plans,” Navarre said as the group dismounted.
Levi carried Reece’s seemingly lifeless body over to the brook. He scooped up a handful of water, tasting it.
“Reece,” he called out softly, “open your eyes, love.”
He scooped more water and brought it to her dry, cracked lips. Harrison and Angeline walked closer, both hoping that Reece would accept the water.
“The water is uncontaminated,” Levi said, encouraging the water to Reece’s lips.
“Levi, I have a container,” Angeline offered. “Will it help?”
Levi shook his head. “I need her to awaken more,” he responded. Another handful of water to Reece’s mouth, and to everyone’s relief, Reece gripped Levi’s hand, sucking the water from it. “Good,” Levi said. Levi turned to Angeline, took the offered canteen that she held out, and encouraged Reece to drink.
Reece’s knuckles turned white as she started gulping the water from the container. “Drink it slowly. You are severely dehydrated, and your body can easily reject the fluids if you take in too much too quickly.”
As Levi continued to work on reviving Reece, Harrison and Angeline walked over to where Navarre was studying their surroundings.
“We have reached the Alleghany Mountains. We must bring the horses as far up into these mo
untains as possible. It is our only chance to remain clear of humans and any of the creatures that Mordegrin has prowling these lands.”
“This will be very steep terrain,” Harrison answered.
Navarre’s eyebrows knit together. “This may be trying on the horses, given the energy they have expended to get us here, but I am hopeful that nothing will come into contact with us as long as we conceal ourselves deep within these woods.”
“I agree. There are secluded rivers, and hopefully, we can hunt the area while we hide in this location.”
Navarre looked at Harrison. “I do not wish to sound defeated, but I am unsure if any of this can be undone.”
Harrison studied their surroundings and looked over at Reece as Levi cleansed her battered face from the dirt and wounds she had suffered. “If only she still possessed the stone’s power.”
“I worry over the wounds she has suffered and whether an infection is setting in,” Navarre answered.
“I do as well; however, that is not why I wish she carried the power,” Harrison returned, prompting Navarre to look at him in confusion. “Being the descendant of Paul Xylander and having the power of the stone, who knows, she could have possibly found a way to fix this, just as Xylander did when our ancestors battled the Ciatron.”
Navarre’s shook his head solemnly. “I believe this is far worse than that battle. Earth has been invaded, there is a supernatural being controlling it with dangerous creatures answering to him, and I struggle to believe there is any way we can ever fix this. I cannot fathom the reality that this fate has befallen all of us.”
“Angie,” Levi called out. “May I ask a favor?”
Angeline was instantly at Levi’s side. “Anything.”
“Reece is extremely weak, and I need you to sit with her. I have noticed fish in that stream, and she needs to eat,” he said as Angeline sat, taking Levi’s place at Reece’s side. She gently laid Reece’s head on her lap and nodded to Levi to assure him that Reece was okay in her care.
