The Beaks
It has been 6 months since the defeat of the Pure Ones at the beaks, crowning of Kludd as the new Metal Beak and Soren as a guardian. The pure ones had been quiet since that day, but soon vengeance would be brought down upon the guardians and Soren. For 1 week ago Pure One picketts captured a lone guardian, an australian masked owl and were interrogating him for the location of the tree of Ga'Hoole. The poor owl broke after a week, he let everything he knew out. The location of the tree, how many guardians were guarding it and the weaknesses. The Pure Ones were ready for an assault on the guardian home. "Prepare the troops!" yelled a voice "we leave at dawn". The guards nodded and went to spread the orders around the Pure One base. The figure stepped from the shadows, revealing a burnt face, hidden beneath a metal mask. "Enjoy your time Soren, for it is nearly up". The owls, were on the warpath.
The tree of Ga'Hoole
A pale barn owl soared through the evening skies, his helmet and talon blades glistening in the moonlight. Soren danced through the clouds, like a acrobat. Soren was going about his patrol duties as a guardian. He was alone, his only companions were the wind beneath his wings and water against the shore. The owl was thinking however, about his brother Kludd. The image of his evil brother falling into the flames played in Soren's mind, over and over again. But he did hear a rumor, that a new bird had taken the mantle as the new metal beak. Could Kludd be alive? Soren was knocked from his thoughts when another owl pulled up beside him. Soren looked at the newcomer, a spotted owl. "Otulissa" he greeted "how ya doin honey?"
Otulissa smiled, ever since she and Soren became girlfriend and boyfriend he's treated her with nothing but kindness. But Otulissa did worry for her boyfriend whenever he went on missions. The idea of guardians dying was not an unknown topic to the residents of the tree, it had happened before. A long time ago but it did happen The 2 lovebirds came to land on a branch overlooking the sea of Hollamere, a gentle breeze rustling through their feathers. Soren put his wing around Otulissa, feeling her get closer to him. "Promise me you'll never leave me" cooed the spotted owl. "I never will" returned Soren. The 2 shared a gentle kiss, staying in their embrace. The 2 separated beaks and enjoyed the moonlight.
After an hour the 2 were getting ready to leave the branch when they heard the sound of screaming, in the city square. The 2 lovebirds looked at each other, and dove off the tree and began flying to city centre. When the 2 landed there what they saw was a horror none of them had ever hoped of seeing: Pure Ones, and lots of them. They were engaging the few guardians in the square using their battle claws to slash their way through civilians. Soren charged into one Pure One soldier, knocking him down. Soren then slashed at the soldiers chest, killing him. "Otulissa!" yelled Soren "get the owlets and evacuate". Otulissa nodded and ran off to save the young owls. Soren turned his attention back to the battle. The Pure One archers sent arrows into the heart of the city, Soren flew up to the archers, to fight the good fight.
Soren grabbed a Pure One, throwing him into the tree knocking the soldier out. He descended to the ground. Having dealt with the archers, whenever he could Soren helped civilians. He soon saw a young owl being attacked by Nyra, the Pure One queen. Soren charged Nyra but was stopped by the slash of a sword across his back. Soren collapsed in pain, struggling to get up. His blood staining the stone ground of the city centre.
He managed to turn his head to see, Metal beak? "I killed you" screamed Soren. "I watched you die!". Nyra spoke up with a sinister tone "not him, but his predecessor". Soren was confused. But he did not let that distract him from his task. Soren charged the new metal beak, trying to wound him with his battle claws. Metal Beak easily blocked the attacks with his sword before stabbing with his long blade, Soren dodged the first strike but Metal Beak then lunged forward with the sword, thrusting it at Soren. Soren ducked to the side, the blade grazing him slightly, knocking several white feathers off of him. Soren grabbed Metal Beak by the wing and threw him to the side.
Metal Beak grunted as he bounced across the stone ground. Soren was about to give chase when Nyra clawed his face, drawing thick crimson blood. Soren screamed in pain. The blood covered his eyes for several seconds. Soren swiped at Nyra with his talons, but she dodged it easily. Sending a punch to soren's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Soren tried to regain his breath only to feel sharp talons grab his throat and hold him to the ground. Metal Beak stood atop him, grinning through his mask. "I will have revenge for the death of Metal Beak" said Metal Beak "and for what you did to me, brother.". Soren was dumbstruck "k-kludd?" he stammered only to be punched. "SHUT IT" screamed Kludd "I am Metal Beak now". Kludd then picked Soren up and threw him, onto the platform below. Where several guardians were fighting pure ones and protecting civilians. Soren hit the ground with a loud crack, the impact force had cracked and broken several of Sorens ribs. Among the guardians on the platform were Gylfie and her boyfriend, Digger. The 2 owls saw Soren crash. "Soren!" they both exclaimed. The owls ran to Sorens side to help him up. "Who did this to you?" asked Gylfie. "Kludd" replied Soren "AKA Metal Beak.". Digger was completely surprised. "Your brother is now metal beak!?" exclaimed Digger out of fear.
Kludd or Metal Beak landed before them, with Nyra by his side. "Friends of yours?" asked Kludd evilly "guess I'll just have to kill them too". Kludd and Nyra attacked Soren and his friends. Nyra effortlessly grabbed Gylfie by the throat, "Gylfie" screamed Digger who proceeded to attack Nyra. Digger cut Nyra's side, causing blood to stain her snow white feathers. Nyra glared at the burrowing owl "sorry, heh heh". Nyra let go of Gylfie and began to attack DIgger. Digger managed to block Nyras attacks, but for Soren. Luck was not on his side. Soren used his talons to block Kludds attacks, but Kludd had improved greatly since their last encounter. The wound on Soren's back was starting to get the better of him, his attacks slowed and his vision slightly blurred. Kludd saw his chance and grabbed his brother by the wings, rocketing into the sky. Soren regained his composure. Soren clawed at his brothers talons, finally being able to escape. Soren hovered there, feet away from his brother.
Again he tried to bring his lost kin to the good side. "Kludd please come home" pleaded Soren "Ma and Da miss you dearly, Eglantine misses you more please we all lo-" Kludd interrupted him " NO! No one there loves me. For the first time I feel like I have purpose in life and I have 1 goal." Kludd's voice turned dark "To kill you!". Kludd rocketed into Soren, knocking the barn owl into a nearby tree. Soren retaliated with a claw straight to Kludd's helmet. His metal battle claws slid across the mask, throwing sparks into the air and thin scratches along the helmet. Kludd stepped back to try and asses the damage, Soren then clawed Kludd's stomach, causing blood to pour over Kludd's feathers. Kludd growled in anger, he swiped his sword upward, cutting into Soren's torso.
The blade sunk several centimeters into Soren as it continued through him. Soren screamed in pain, getting kicked in the chest and off the branch. His back collided with the ground, his helmet rolling off his head. Soren tried to get up, but found that his legs would not answer him. My back! I must be broken! Around his stood his friends and fellow guardians, guarding the main door to the safe room. Gylfie and DIgger stood at the front, along with Otulissa. She wore an expression of horror at her boyfriends condition. Bruises and cuts dotted his body, a large cut across his torso. Her attention was taken off of him when 2 figures landed behind him. Kludd and Nyra. Nyra smiled, now would be the time she would have her revenge. All the invading Pure Ones landed behind their leaders, poised to kill. Kludd picked up Soren's helmet and inspected it. The helmet was very well built, he must admit that. Kludd used his talons and crushed the hemet, the metal plates bending under the pressure being applied to it. Kludd let the heap of metal fall to the ground. "Weak" he muttered. Soren glared at his brother, a single tear working it's way down his cheek. He knew that this was the day he died, so he gave out a message. "Even if you kill me brother" he said grunting in pain as he propped himself up on one wing "others will rise to defeat you". Kludd chuckled and looked a his blade. "That may be true. Too bad you will never see them". And with that Kludd plunged his blade into Soren's torso, the tip of the blade coming out the back of Soren, blood dripping off it. "SOREN!" screamed Otulissa, eyes watering.
Soren looked down at the blade, embedded in his chest. A trail of blood creeped out of the owls beak as he felt life fade from him. Kludd pulled the blade from his brothers torso, letting him crumple to the ground. "Pure Ones" he started "let's leave". Nyra nodded with him and the army turned around and left the tree of Ga'Hoole. Otulissa instantly ran over to a dying Soren, cradling his blood soaked wing in her own. "Otulissa?" whispered Soren. "Yes *sniff* it's me". Gylfie, Twilight and Digger now gathered around their dying comrade. "Never stop fighting him" continued Soren "tell my family I love them and Otulissa, I love you". The 2 love birds shared one last kiss before Soren went limp, his remained open and slight smile appeared on his face as he traveled to the afterlife. Otulissa began sobbing, the love of her life dead. She put her head into her wings and began to cry into them. Ezylryb walked up to the body of Soren and put his wing to his eyes, closing them. "I'm so sorry" he said to the group "he was a truly great guardian, and a better friend". He then walked away to alert the boy's parents as to what had happened. Otulissa felt the gentle rain of the dawn begin to pour, wiping the blood off of Soren and into puddles around him. Otulissa began going into hysterics. "You promised you would never leave me!" she cried "Please come back!". Gylfie, Digger and Twilight began to mourn for the loss of their friend. Octulissa collapsed onto the ground next to her dead love. "I will avenge you my love" she cried "I promise you that". As the sun slowly rose over the horizon the owls went to their hollows to sleep, but Octullissa stayed next to the now deceased love of her life. The tears from her eyes falling onto Soren's feathers, causing them to grow slightly darker. The rain picked up, and soon a storm began, the wind blowing the rai directly into the face of Otulissa, but she did not move. I will always love you Soren. She thought And I will never leave your side.