Authors Note: This is a story idea that I've been throwing around for a couple of months now and am finally deciding to post it. Please I ask that if you read the story you review it, input helps make stories better. I hope you all enjoy.

Tempest

Chapter One: Haunted Past

It was a beautiful day on Meridian, the five Guardians had gone to visit Elyon and enjoy the warm spring sun.

Now this looks to peaceful

A scream echoed through the courtyard. A woman was running from something no one had ever seen before. Its black armor held off the Guardian's elemental attacks. It quickly pushed its way forward laughing in the most sadistic of tones. Even Elyon couldn't force the large being back.

Is that all you can do

What did this thing want, what was it trying to accomplish, and what was it? The clang of sword on steel echoed as Caleb tried to go for the creature's unprotected neck. Red eyes flashed as the warrior was thrown back into a wall. It was fast as it stopped the former rebel leader's fall with a bone shattering punch to the chest before allowing the boy to drop limply to the ground, his ribs shattered.

Is this your strength

Cornelia was furious and attacked with all her might but the armored being batted the attacks aside just like he did before. All the Guardians joined in trying to halt its advanced, but that's when the next one appeared. With the eeriest of sounds, like a cross between a cat's purr and a badly tuned guitar, a large black fold ripped open behind the large being.

All begin in Darkness, and all so End

Out stepped another person in black clothing, though he was different. He did not wear a helmet like his counterpart, which let his wild blonde hair flow in the breeze. He and his compatriot spoke in an unknown tongue before his orange eyes focused on the Protectors of Infinity. He grinned evilly before reaching up to grasp the hilt of his sword. It was longer than anything that the five Guardians have ever seen, and was shimmering silver in color. It looked as though it had to be wielded with two hands but the warrior easily held it with one.

Can you hope to win

With a flick of the blade, a flash of red entered the girl's field of vision, with a pain retched scream it was over like that. The Earth Guardian laid slumped against the castle wall behind them a pool of blood forming quickly underneath her.

One down

Two more flashes and Will and Taranee were lying dead on the ground. This couldn't be happening. No one, not even the Oracle, was this powerful. Who and what are these people.

This is pathetic

The large one shoved Elyon aside, they weren't interested in her. Irma screamed before she too fell to the ground in a flash of crimson light. The sky above became cloudy and black, as the large creature grabbed the smallest Guardian and held her tight. Her attacks had no effect on the brute as he held her before the other as he sheathed his sword.

Now that the distractions are finished

He placed an armored hand on the Guardian's chin and stroked her cheek with his thumb. She tried to fight back, but the sheer terror of her friends being slaughtered so quickly held her in place.

Do you fear me, Hate me

He leaned in and began whispering into her ear. She kneed him quickly in the gut, but he looked unfazed. Even a Guardian's strength couldn't faze them.

I am a demon, a Death Gaizer

She was breathing heavily now as the big one slammed her into a wall before returning to holding her tightly with one hand.

Do you wish to kill me, for killing them

She became angry at him for mocking them, they were her friends. She tried again to strike at him, but once again was slammed into a wall and returned to her previous position.

Then let me give you this advice

He turned to walk away as the big one dropped her. The eerie noise screeched as another black fold opened before them, but before they entered the smaller of the two reached for the hilt of his sword, and then there was a flash of red.

To kill a demon, you must become a demon

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hay Lin shot up quickly in her bed. A cold sweat caked her body while fresh tears coursed their way down her cheeks like rivers. She was breathing heavily while clutching herself to attempt to cease the horrible shaking that had started.

"That was two years ago,"she sobbed to herself while curling into a ball, "why I am still having that nightmare."

Hay Lin dropped to her back and stared at the ceiling. She had given up a long time ago to try to stop crying. She blamed herself for what had happened to her friends, after all someone had to take the blame. Those things that plagued her dreams were monsters. Monsters that practically destroyed everything that the young woman cared about.

It was too early for the girl to get up, but she wasn't tired anymore. She turned to her clock, the bright red numbers reading three thirty. With a drown she crawled out of her covers and slowly shuffled to her computer. She yawned as the screen lit up, and before long she was lost in one of the online flash games.

She really had nothing better to do. Her homework was finished, and she had all the legends and info she could gather on the "Death Gaizers" and most of that was just saying what she already knew. They were a form of demon.

A demon would be easy for a Guardian, if she still had her powers and enough time to practice, but the council took the heart once they learned of the attack. They didn't even give an explanation even when Halinor asked for one. Hay Lin assumed that it was more for the council's safety than for anything else.

She sighed as she beat the areas with ease. Her parents got her the game in hopes that it would help keep the young girl happy, at first it did but now it was boring. Her character was pretty strong, and able to take on anything. If only she could be like Hatsuki, her character's name, then those things would be having nightmares of her decimating them with ease. Thankfully, the game caused her to pass the time long enough for her to start getting ready for school.

She put her computer on standby before standing and stripping off her pajamas. Quickly she clothed herself in a white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, and then she put on a pair of red and white stripped arm warmers before tying her long hair back in her usual fashion. She left after placing her full bag on one shoulder hoping that today school would be a little more bearable.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hay Lin took in a deep breath as she walked into Sheffield's courtyard. It seemed like only yesterday to the fifteen year old that the five of them walked through the archway to spend a day in class.

She overheard upon entry to the building a group of older students harassing a younger girl. She looked Asian and seemed confused as to what the upperclassmen were saying.

"Another day," Hay Lin sighed to herself, "another hassle." She silently walked over to the group keeping extremely quiet. "Is there something going on here?"

"Umm," the oldest student said in a timid tone, "nothing Hay Lin, we were just helping this new student find her homeroom."

"Really," Hay Lin said with a cold stare, "it looks to me that she's fully capable of finding her classroom. Why don't you guys find yours?"

"Good idea," another one of the group said quickly as the three of them quickly run off, "we don't want to pick a fight with you."

"Yeah," the other said as they turned the corner quickly and vanished from sight.

"Thank you," the young student said with a polite bow before Hay Lin could leave to her class.

"Don't thank me." Hay Lin said with a slight growl.

"Why, you just helped me." The girl said with a Japanese accent.

"Because I don't deserve it," Hay Lin said in an annoyed tone, "next time I might be the one who backs you into a corner instead of three losers like them." The older Asian girl turned then and headed up toward her classroom before the younger one could respond, though a smug smile quickly spread across her face.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The young girl watched once lunch started. She watched as a group of students fled from the table as the former Air Guardian approached it. The young Japanese girl didn't know about Hay Lin being a Guardian, but she did feel something odd about the woman.

"Hi," she said as she approached Hay Lin's table. The whole cafeteria seemed to gasp and freeze as she did this. "You look lonely, may I sit here with you."

"For one," Hay Lin said suppressing a growl while motioning the girl to sit, "I'm not lonely, and second, don't think that because I help you earlier that that makes us friends."

"Oh come on," the new girl said which kept the entire cafeteria in awe. "You look like someone who could use a friend. My name is Haruka Misato, I'm from Japan, we just moved here."

"I'm not someone who needs a friend," Hay Lin said as she finished her food. "I'll be going now though Haruka, please don't follow me."

"Well, that was pretty rude," Haruka said in an annoyed tone before she heard a loud ticking noise. She pulled out a large pocket watch decorated with what appeared to be white crow feathers and flipped it open before sighing in annoyance. She stood quickly while grabbing her bag and rushed after Hay Lin.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I thought I told you not to follow me," Hay Lin said down the empty hallway while looking over her shoulder. Haruka was surprised that Hay Lin was able to hear her being as quiet as she was.

"I finished my lunch," Haruka said calmly, "and I figured you could use the company."

"Well," Hay Lin growled, "I don't, so go away."

"Are you sure you want me to go away," Haruka said with a giggle, "after all. I know more about the Death Gaizers than you do." This statement stopped the former Air Guardian in her tracks while Haruka continued to move forward.

"What did you just say," Hay Lin said angrily while grabbing Haruka's arm and squeezing tightly.

"I said I know more about the Death Gaizers than you," Haruka said as she easily released herself from Hay Lin's grasp. "If you want to know more meet me at 429 Williams street after school is over. There we can talk. Right now I've got work to do."

"What kind of work," Hay Lin growled angrily.

"Like I said," Haruka whispered into Hay Lin's ear as students began to enter the hall. "429 Williams street." Haruka then waved quickly behind herself as she walked off leaving an angry Hay Lin behind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hay Lin arrived at the destination she was told to arrive at though found only an abandoned house that looked as if no one had lived in it for years. She approached the door to see a note tapped to it. The thing was written in a strange way though Hay Lin assumed from what she could read that she needed to enter the house.

She entered with relative ease. The large door squeaked loudly as she walked through. The place was old and one false move could mean that she plummeted through the floor.

"It's about time you showed up," Haruka said as she seemed to appear on the top of the staircase in front of Hay Lin.

"You need to start explaining," Hay Lin said clenching her fists. This girl had something to do with those things that slaughtered her friends, and she was ready to make those monsters pay.

"I don't need to do anything," Haruka said in an annoyed tone, "besides attacking me as you are would end the same as if you put an infant in front of a charging rhino."

"What," Hay Lin angrily said while glaring at Haruka with hate filled eyes.

"I don't know why," Haruka said calmly, "the Death Gaizers spared you. Most normal people that see them are slaughtered in seconds. If they get that long."

"And how do you know that," Hay Lin angrily asked.

"I'm a spiritual being known as a Karas," Haruka said while pulling out the white feather covered pocket watch, "more specifically the white Karas. It's my job to keep the spiritual planes in perfect balance."

"How am I supposed to believe that," Hay Lin asked not liking where this was going, but she was going to get answers no matter what.

"The easiest way is to show you," Haruka said as she pressed the top of the watch and a bird's eye opens on the watches face. Time stopped suddenly as Haruka performed certain movements with her right hand before a strange light wrapped around her. Soon the Japanese woman was wrapped in stunning pure white armor that covered her entire body and appeared to be made out of feathers. Attached to her waist was a kantana in its black sheath. Chains held it to her body before she drew the blade and pointed it at Hay Lin. Her eyes flash a solid blue before time returns to normal causing Hay Lin to stumble back in fear.

"You're one of them," Hay Lin said through panicked breaths as the flashes of red and her friends screams echoed in her head. Haruka did not speak. She only approached Hay Lin before the hyperventilating girl passed out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------