D. O. G.
Destiny of the guardian
This story started many-many years before when the echidna kingdom had their golden age, when Angel Island was the part of the ground. This time the holy gem, the Master Emerald's guardians protected their kind with the power of the chaos since one of them ruined this equilibrium with his deed.
It was a beautiful day in the city of Tenothic. The sky was blue, on the trees branches mythical birds sang. The nearby ruins a tiny echidna girl played.
"Oy, Tikal! Where are you?" surrounded a calling whereof the girl let out a giggle and ran into the shadow of a column. Then a bigger grey echidna appeared.
"Tikal, I don't like to play now." looked around. On his chin a little beard grew, his blue eyes shined kindly, most of his 'hair' were tied in a ponytail on the top of his head.
Tikal stifled a chuckle but when she peeked out she didn't see the echidna.
"Bo-peep!" suddenly something caught her from behind and tickled her.
"Oh no! Please stop!" laughed the girl trying to shake off the echidna.
"Of course not little rogue!" hold her the other "Wouldn't you be in the class?"
"But it's so boooooooooooooooooooooriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!" moaned Tikal.
"Then I'll take you!" picked her up the male echidna.
"Nonononononononooooo!" wiggled the girl "Oh it's not fair…"
The echidna sighed and departed with the little fugitive when he heard a voice.
"Silverantheron! Silverantheron!" another echidna guy approached to the duo running.
"Huh? What's the rush Negreno?" turned to him the grey echidna.
"Had you heard the news, Silverantheron? The old guardian died!"
"Are you sure?" gazed Silverantheron.
"Come! Everybody will there!"
"Okay, we go too!" nodded the silver echidna and with Tikal in his neck followed him.
***
For the old guardian's mourning the whole city gathered to proof their gratitude to their protector and in the same time start another important ritual.
They lied out his body on the biggest temple. Nobody cried, they memorized to the guardian in silent. At midnight the four purifying fire's smoke joined and from their cloud the soul of the old echidna's floated out.
"My children…" said solemnly but clearly "As you can see my time is over but I finished my work not yet! I need to educate the my right successor who continues our people's protect!" the crowd murmured in agreement "Those young ones step forward who feel enough strong to undertake the part of the guardian!"
Four echidnas made a step ahead.
"Why don't you go Silverantheron?" asked Negreno "You always dreamed about this!"
"I'm not sure…" muttered the grey echidna.
"Don't be a scared rabbit!" then Negreno pushed his friend that tottered forward.
"And you, my son?" glanced at him the soul "You feel enough power for this task?"
"Well… ehm…" moaned Silverantheron then coughed "Yes I am!"
"Very well!" nodded the elder "Next day I wait you back to my temple candidates. While everybody just feel good and don't bewail my death!"
The echidnas cheered and the party has begun. Silverantheron moved back to the others.
"How dare you done this?!" growled at Negreno.
"Oh C'mon! You were the one who always replied you want to do something great! Now here's the chance!"
For this Silverantheron only sighed. Tikal tugged his arm.
"You know! I know you must be a great guardian!" she said.
"Thank you Tikal!" smiled the grey echidna then looked around the crowd "Really, Where's Meu?"
"She's sick again." Tikal turned sad.
"Poor one… I go to see her!" said Silverantheron and left the celebrators.
***
Next day was the tests, Silverantheron just late afternoon came back. With his friends he met in Meu's house. The echidna girl rested in her bed in illness and attended the others.
Meu suffered in a kind of illness that none of the doctors could restore. Sometimes she got outbursts that made her coughing blood. Now everybody was there: Silverantheron, Negreno and the young Tikal to talk about the day's happens.
"And how was your exam?" asked Meu to the silver echidna.
"Such a disaster…" sighed Silverantheron "He gave us some weird work, like he analyzed our mind, then we got physical tests but I failed most of them" lowered his head.
"You done your best!" touched his hand Meu.
"Next time it will succeed!" tried to brave him Tikal.
"Silly!" answered Negreno "Guardian change happens once in every generation! Expect if the guardian die before time!"
"We'll see it!" said Silverantheron and finished this talk.
***
Night had come and everybody assembled near the temple to hear the result. The soul of the dead guardian floated in front of the Master Emerald, against him the five candidates.
"My children!" echoed "Candidates! Yesterday all of you went through special exams to search out who'll be the worthy that follows the traditions. All of you passed very well pure hearted, strong echidnas! But for you only one can get this honor. And this one is… Silverantheron!"
"What?" wondered the grey echidna while the others gazed at him with a bit sour face but clapped.
"Come closer, Silverantheron!" he stepped ahead "Congratulation!"
"Thank you but I don't deserve this role. I'm not as strong like the others!"
"Indeed, but you have the purest heart!" touched his shoulder the ghost "You don't want to use your power for selfish aims but to help somebody you love as well."
For this Silverantheron blushed.
"Step closer and place your hand onto the Master Emerald!" the silver echidna moved ahead then stopped in front of the crystal slowly touching it with his hands.
"Now tell the holy words!" said the elder.
"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power... Power enriched by the heart... The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos." echoed Silverantheron clearly.
Under his palms the Master Emerald shined up. The echidna felt the power illuminating form the gem how it slowly moved through his whole body. He felt strong, stronger than before. Looked at himself and realized his body glittered in white light as he prayed.
"Now you gained the power of the Master Emerald!" smiled the soul then turned to the people "Greet the new guardian!" the crowd sounded and clapped. Silverantheron felt proud the first time.
"Now go and join back your friends, tomorrow we start your training!"
"What kid of training?" meanwhile Silverantheron got back his original color.
"I teach you controlling and using your power!"
"Will you teach me for healing?" the silver echidna's eyes shined up.
"Later you'll learn!" nodded the elder.
Silverantheron bowed to the soul then joined to the others.
***
"Concentrate harder!" resounded the soul of the old echidna.
"I try!" moaned Silverantheron. Both of two trained near the Master Emerald. The grey echidna's hands shimmered with a green light as he tried levitating rocks only with his own mind.
"Feel that the chaos streaming in your body! Lock everything else, focus only your work!"
Silverantheron endeavored as he could but the stones after some minutes of shivering fell off.
"Idiot! Why you can't concentrate?" scolded the elder.
"I'm sorry! I just tough about my friends… I'd like to visit them."
"Listen! I recommend you that forget your friends!" for this the grey echidna stunned.
"Forget?! But I don't want to forget them!"
"It'll be better if you do! They just distract your attention from your true mission!"
"But…"
"A guardian has no friend!" the news shocked Silverantheron "I know it's hard but this will be the best for everybody. Are you understood?"
"Yeah… I understood."
***
Silverantheron walked alone in the bazaar when somebody shouted his name.
"Silverantheron! Oy Silverantheron!" waved a familiar echidna from the crowd.
"Oh Negreno" stopped the grey echidna let his friend to arrive. Tikal was with him "Hi."
"Such a long time ago we see you, bud! We tough you already forget us!" panted Negreno. Silverantheron didn't respond.
"Like you keep away from us." noted Tikal.
"Oh C'mon! Silverantheron never do like this, are you pal?"
"I'm sorry…" turned the silver echidna "But we can see each other never more!"
"What?" shocked Negreno "But why?"
"The elder said. A guardian has no friends!" answered Silverantheron.
"And if he says jump into fountain you do it?! Think for the others! Think for Meu! She'll be very sad if she can't see you ever!"
"I know!" shouted the other "You think I don't know?! I want to see you Meu either, just…"
"Nothing 'Just'! Listen…" Negreno grabbed Silverantheron's arm and smiled mysteriously "You know he don't know it it's not hurt, right?"
"What are you talking about?" crossed his brows the silver echidna.
"I have an idea to keep this friendship!" grinned his friend.
***
The trainings continued. Slowly but Silverantheron learned the control of his new power. Every end of the day, after the training he ran away to meet with his friends secretly. One day the time had come when the echidna could try his abilities seriously.
Silverantheron sat on the stairs of the temple and enjoyed the sunshine, next to him the old spirit floated and explained.
"What a beautiful day! If I could I'd like to be lazy and sunbathing… old nice memories…"
"I can accustom it!" puffed the silver echidna.
"Once you must die. Nobody live forever, but until we can enjoy the life."
"Then why we have the lake of immortality if we don't use it?"
"Don't be stupid!" hit his head the soul "You know it's forbidden!"
"Sorry it was just an idea." Rubbed the hump Silverantheron then looked upon again thinking "I wonder how the long life likes?" Suddenly the ground rumbled "What's this?"
"It comes from the central!" pointed the soul. Silverantheron jumped up and ran away.
When he arrived to the central that was a market square the grey echidna realized a great destruction. More than a dozen of stall was broken into pieces and crushed, people escaped from something.
This thing reared in the square's central and shook its tentacles, the water-like body whirled angrily.
"What the heck is this?" stunned Silverantheron when he observed the creature.
"I never believe it appears again." Emerged the dead guardian "This is Chaos, creature of the nature. It seems something made it angry."
"How can I stop it?"
"Use your power! You're the guardian!" pushed the spirit "Lure it to the Master Emerald and lock in!"
Silverantheron nodded and started running against the monster "Hey, Chaos!" shouted and threw an energy ball that hit the beast. Chaos yelled and turned the way of the echidna, in his eyes hatred shined, from the huge jaw fluid flew.
"Stop this destruction or I stop you!" for this the monster dashed against Silverantheron to crush him with one attack.
The echidna jumped aside so the monster rushed away next to him and impacted into the nearby building.
"Already give up?" said the silver echidna ironical "Come, here am I!"
Chaos shook itself then charged again at Silverantheron. Now he didn't escape, his hands shined up with green light. When the mad creature was enough close, the echidna's paws flashed up blinding Chaos then fired energy balls. The beast stop shorted and shook its head in pain. The echidna took advantage of the situation and hopped onto its back and grabbed its tentacles. The creature roared and started tossing itself hitting its body to the walls.
"Woah! Hey stop it!" Silverantheron desperately hold on.
Chaos made rodeo with him through the city until they arrived to a great plateau where the temple of the Emerald was. The power slowly left Chaos that at least collapsed panting.
For the finale Silverantheron already felt dizziness. "Finally you stopped…" then he felt his feet suddenly slipped lower sinking into the creature's liquid body. "Oh no!" moaned and tried to escape but Chaos didn't let him go, swallowed echidna.
Silverantheron struggled in the fluid manage to catch breath but his lungs filled up with water. At least he stopped the movements, his body slackened. Chaos roared in victory, its being then started does a strange bubbling. The monster moaned in wonder then the body somehow blew up into pieces.
Above the puddles only one creature, Silverantheron floated, around him green aura glittered. The pieces of Chaos slowly united, the monster roared again.
"Calm down!" floated there Silverantheron placing his hand onto Chaos's head, from it a warm friendly light radiated. For a moment the beast shivered in rage but slowly calmed.
The echidna patted "It's okay. Not to worry!" stepped aback and raised his hands. The same aura appeared around Chaos's being that floated up from the ground and moved to the Master Emerald.
"Occupy your rightful place!" said Silverantheron and started praying „The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power... Power enriched by the heart... The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos."
The body of Chaos slowly melted, only a floating seizes of water staid that contacted and united with the Mater Emerald. Silverantheron landed on the ground and collapsed to his knees. The magic fed most of his energy.
Loud, crushing noise surrounded, the soil cracked and a giant piece broke from the ocean and mounted up.
"The Island… the Island is floating!" stunned Silverantheron just like thousand of echidnas from both of two grounds. This is how Angel Island has created.
***
After his 'action' Silverantheron doesn't left the island so often blaming himself for the previous happens. He tried to obey the elder's advice and hadn't met with his friends indeed it was really hard for him.
It was a cloudy day, cold wind blew through the leaves of the trees. Silverantheron sat on the stairs of the temple and looked upon the sky.
"Storm is coming soon…" muttered half loudly. Behind him the soul appeared.
"Ominous mark… something bad is preparing." Just as he said a running figure appeared and headed to the temple.
"Silverantheron!" shouted the person.
"What's wrong Negreno? What's happened?" stood up the grey echidna and approached to his friend.
"You… you must come with me!" gasped Negreno exhausted.
"You know well for me…"
"It's trouble!" cut his word the other panicking "Big trouble! Meu…"
"Meu? What's wrong with her? Respond!" shook him Silverantheron.
"She… she's dying!" for his words the grey echidna stunned "She sent me, she wants to see you!"
"Let's go!" didn't waiting while he finishes Silverantheron started running alongside with Negreno. Only just the old soul staid and sadly shook his head.
***
Meu lied in her bed and she was in a very bad condition. Her face was pale but hot and wet. As Silverantheron arrived he hurry went to her and took a seat on the bedside.
"Meu, Meu it's me!" called her kindly. The girl slowly opened her shining eyes by sickness and glanced upon the echidna.
"Silver… I'm glad… you here." muttered in tiredness.
"Now everything is alright." touched her hand Silverantheron.
"Unfortunately… it's too late." Meu jerked and coughed blood.
"Don't say this! You may not die! I don't want!"
"You're… so kind… Silver…" smiled the girl.
"Now I know how to heal! I shall fix you!" his hands shined up but Meu gently pushed them away.
"You can't… help on me."
"No! Please don't leave me! Look, look! I made this for you!" Silverantheron showed the necklace.
"Thank you… Silver." smiled Meu.
"Why you call me Silver?" glanced the grey echidna.
"Because it's shorter… and suit well for you…"
"You can call me however you want, just stay with us!" patted the girl's hand.
"Please… can you do… something for me?" asked Meu.
"Whatever you want darling!"
"Be a… good guardian. Protect the others… while you live… forever."
"I promise!" nodded Silverantheron.
"Okay then…" Meu then started shivering. The grey echidna hurry crawled closer.
"Meu… Meu please hold on! I don't wanna lose you!" begged.
"Silver…" Meu carefully raised her head and breathed a kiss onto the echidna's lips "I… love… you…" whispered. Silvder's eyes widened for these honest words. Meu's body slowly relaxed and she leaned back to the pillow. Silver touched her hand, she grasped it.
"Good bye… Silver!" smiled the girl once again then closed her eyes, her hand's grasp softened.
"Meu… Meu?" tears emerged in Silver's eyes "Meu! MEU!!!" screamed in sorrow and tried to awake the girl but she was dead. Bit farer Negreno stood with bowed head sadly.
"I'm sorry, Silverantheron." said silently.
"Leave me…" hissed Silver "GET OUT!" Negreno stunned but quickly left the house.
"Meu… Why? Why you didn't allow?" wept the echidna and caressed the lifeless cheek "Just for you… I wanted to be a guardian to heal you!" gently closed the girl's body into his embrace "I love you Meu… I love you with my whole heart! My precious treasure… angel. My life's flower, I love you, I love you…" hugged Meu tightly and sobbed so long holding the dead girl, his beloved's body.
***
Just like the sky also mourning the death of Meu, it was always grey, the air motionless and weighting. Silver sat on the stairs of the temple sink into himself and gazed in front of him with shine less eyes.
"Since a week you just like this." The old guardian's soul floated next to him "Pass it finally and turn back to your usual life!"
"Without her it never be the same again." mumbled Silver "I never be able to tell my feelings I have toward her…"
"I told you to leave your friends but you didn't listen to me!"
"Don't tell me what can I do and what can't! I wanted this just because to save her life but I failed!" the grey echidna broke into shout. "You must prepare for this, you already watched my mind!"
"True. I believe you sad but it's not a reason to turn mad!"
"However I have enough! Without her there's no point about it! What can I do?"
"Maybe keep the promise…"
"And how? Protect everyone forever! How she means this?" he sat back the ground burying his head into his hands "Protect… forever… forever…" he stopped and glanced upon "That's it! She must tough about this!"
"What are you mumbling about?" crossed his brows the elder.
"I keep my promise. But I can do it just if I stay a guardian… forever."
"You want to do that?!" shocked the soul "Don't you dare break the rules or it'll having hard result!"
"I don't care!"
"You turned crazy?" he obstructed Silver's path "It's not a game! If you do it they might kill you at least!"
"I assume the risk. You just leave me alone! Go and pass to the Otherworld!"
"You will pay a great cost for this lad." Shook his head sadly the elder then vanished and never came back.
***
Night had come, the pale shine of the moon illuminated the view. In the darkness only one shadow moved and then a figure ran through the field.
Negreno leaned to a ruin as he guarded over, in his hand he kept a spear. Suddenly he heard a noise.
"Halt! Who's there?" shouted the echidna pointing his weapon to the darkness. Sound's of footsteps surrounded then a person appeared in the light of the torch.
"Silverantheron? What are you doing here?" startled Negreno.
"It's not your concern." answered Silver silently.
"Yes it is! This way is go to the forbidden forest. What you want there?"
"I told you it's not your concern!" in the gey echidna's voice there was a scary tone.
"You're my friend! I don't want you make something madness!" shouted Negreno.
"I want to keep my promise."
"Just for this you want to do? The mourning already took away your mind! It has no reason for. You just run into your destiny!"
"I'm sorry Negreno but I must go ahead!" Silver made a step forward but the other obstructed his path.
"Then I'll stop you with force just to listen to me!" pointed his spear at him Negreno. Suddenly he felt a hard hit on the backside of his head and the echidna collapsed to the ground. In the air a small rock floated.
"Please forgive me." Said Silver then continued his rush.
***
Everything seemed peacefully in the forbidden forest. Only the crickets chirping broke the silent. Nearby a guard kept watch, with his glance raked the shadows. In the next time knock sounded then a moan as the soldier jerked and fell over senseless. From the darkness another echidna emerged and passed next to the soldier.
Behind the bushes a beautiful lake shined in the moonlight, on the coast fireflies danced in the air. For a moment Silverantheron stopped and hesitated but then walked into the water. Until a waist run over and looked at his reflection only. Plunged his hands in.
"Here I still can turn back… it's not obligatory to drink. Just turn around and… No!" shook his head "I came here so I finish it." and he drank the whole at once.
Like a nice warm feeling expanded through his body. But then Silver moaned and grabbed his heart. Because of an invisible wind the water started rippling around him and glittering shinier. The echidna trembled and let out a painful cry in the same time the lake flashed up, the light illuminated everything.
Silver woke up on the coast. Sat up and rubbed his aching head.
"Nhh… it wasn't that nice. Is it succeeded?" he had no time to think about because he heard shouts and approaching footsteps "Better to get out here." Muttered then silently left the place.
***
The whole city talked about this.
"Somebody used the forbidden water." whispered between each other. Silver tried to keep away from the chatters, not to join them.
He didn't realize any change. He tough it will be bit more spectacular, but he not felt anything.
As he walked on the street suddenly somebody grabbed him from behind and twisted his arm.
"Auch! Hey, what the…" shouted but they knocked him out and he fell senseless.
***
They dragged Silverantheron to the main temple where the whole clan met.
"Silverantheron! I heard you were near the forbidden lake yesterday. Is it true?" asked the boss echidna.
"No… sir." muttered Silver.
"Is that so… Someone else say it different." From the background another echidna walked out.
"Negreno?" moaned Silverantheron "Negreno what are you doing?"
"I do what I need to do." answered the echidna on a colorless voice "I saw you last night as you headed to the forest. You did that!" stunned silent followed his words.
"Guardian of the Emerald, how dare you broke our clans' rule!" the boss turned angry.
"I… I just wanted to do something good. I promised it!" explained Silver.
"For this sin there's no explain! We need to kill you to take back the power!"
"No! Leave me!" from Silverantheron's body an energy wave rushed out and tossed away the soldiers that captured him. In the same time more others jumped at him and after a little fight they pressed down the grey echidna.
"Silverantheron! The senate and the whole echidna clan declare you guilty and traitor! For punishment we deprive from all your rank. You a guardian nevermore, neither a member of our clan! Beside we judge you to take you into the deepest tunnel of the prison, FOREVER!"
"No… no! NO! You can't do this with me! I had done nothing!" screamed Silver but nobody listened to him. The soldiers took away the struggling echidna and locked into the cave.
***
"Nhhh… it's so dark here. My whole body is aching from the hits." clinking "and they cuffed my hands too…" sigh "Now it served you right Silverant… no, only Silver. I don't deserve my real name. The elder told me it will be trouble but I didn't listen to him. This is all my fault."
"This place is so strange… there's no rustle, neither a drop, only my chains and my breathing. I'm not sure about the time… What's the day today? Morning or evening? Indeed under the ground it's not important. Curiously… I'm not hungry…"
"My wrist is aching, the chains annoy me but I can do nothing against it." sigh "I'm sorry Meu… I couldn't keep my promise, trait you. Please forgive me Meu!"
"I vegetate in the darkness. I feel this darkness is moving into my brain and swallow me at once. I hope I die soon…"
From the distance rumble sounds "What's this? What disturb the silent?" louder grumble, the ground shakes under his feet then far away something shined up "What burn my eyes? Light? I feel something. Wind tickling my face. My prison somehow came to the surface. I'm free!"
The end