Dark Guardian: Book Three
A/N: Okay. So this is the last book in the Dark Guardian Series. In my original creation for the series, I had it at a few more books, around seven or so, the seventh being an ultimate culmination between the forces of evil and good. I originally had my character, the Dark Guardian, now the Avatar of The Red Dragon, going through other realities and fixing things that had occurred because of his turning. But I decided that was in essence wasteful, very. So the final culmination ends here in the third book. Though I will advise you that my other works will soon have some activity on them, Apocalypse Game and Darkness Triumphant will by and by come into some more chapters. I never knew what inspired me to write Dark Guardian though, I wanted a change, towards the Disney side of life, and I think I ended up blowing that to kingdom come as well. Alright. Lets get back to work.
Chapter One: In which I find myself not sure what to do…..or why oh why did I get involved?
Lefou was still in a net, bound to the wall, this time with psi-spikes, that way if he tried to get away, he'd be doing a professor Xavier, and I think he didn't want that.
"Lefou," said Gaston, "You will answer for these crimes, you wanted to use me…for what?"
"With Kendalsworth dead, Belle would have married you," said Lefou, "She has the genetic code of a highly ranked Red Priestess, the genetic coding which could open the gate and allow all reality to belong to the Old Ones."
"So why kidnap Kestral then?" I asked, "What's in it for D'Arque?"
"She wasn't kidnapped until you were recalled to the beginning," said Lefou, "That's when D'Arque activated me, implantation of memories to make Gaston think we'd been friends for years."
"Friends?" asked Belle humorously, "More like you were the stupid sidekick who was trying to bask in the man's glory."
Lefou glared at her, "Yes," he muttered, "minus that."
"Lefou," I said, "You will surrender your power and then you will be sentenced to die."
"Wrong," said Lefou, "My augmentation makes me a virtual immortal, there is no way you can kill me."
I directed my will to my hand where an energy spike appeared, and went through Lefou's heart.
"Virtual immortal, eh?" I asked, as the body slid down dead, "I'm the Avatar of The Red Dragon; nothing can stand up to me."
I nodded to Kendalsworth who nodded to a couple of guards, who came and swept the body over the side of the roof.
"What about the mob that came with Gaston and Lefou?" I asked, "There could be questions."
"They have been dealt with," said Lumiere "They were mind wiped, and then they were teleported back to the town, with no memories of this night."
We walked down stairs back to the main hall, where servants were cleaning up the mess, a few dead bodies, all from the mob attacking were being dealt with, and most of them were my kills, the rest the few who had gotten through, from the kitchen.
I strode outside thinking, there were options that I had to think about, and none of them I liked, because none had the option that I wanted to think about. Gaston appeared at my side a while later, handing me a plate of food.
"Nothing would of done Kyle," he said, "The Red Council has tried to keep everything in order for time uncountable, the Old Ones, The Dark Council has kept throwing the wrench in the works, and now this isn't easy with what you have to do."
"They have Kestral," I said, "They extract her DNA and they have all the access to the powers of the universe, plus the gates, and freeing Apocalypse."
One of the servants came out and motioned us inside.
"Sirs," the man said, "The Prince wanted me to show you something downstairs."
Gaston and I looked at each other, and then went with the man. We took an elevator down, very far down.
We exited on a very sub level, as we exited, alarms sounded as we exited, for which I was surprised.
Ten armed beings ran out of one rooms beside the elevator, "Halt!" the leader said.
"Commander," said the servant, "Stand down, This is the Red Dragon, and his companion."
The man blinked, nodded and all ten of them got down on one knee and bowed to me.
"Enough," I said, "Stop with the bowing, what is this place."
"Welcome to Pritus Mortus," said the lead guard, "I am Commander Belgard, and you are in the area where the Gate is kept."
"When you said downstairs," I said to the guard, "I didn't figure deep under the earth."
"Extra protection," said the servant, "This is actually the top level floor for the gate, we have to go to another elevator, this one stops at this floor."
"Why all the security?" I asked, "Why not erect a few wards, barriers and circles?"
"The Gate is before the castle's time," said Gaston, "My grandfather once said something about in his father's father's time, some explorers found a chamber where some mystical force was found, my Great great grandfather came to investigate, and ordered no one to speak of it, then a year later those explorers died, some other people tried to get to the gate, but were stopped by other forces, finally my great grandfather ordered that a structure be built, mainly so that people would forget about the artifact."
"Gaston?" I asked, a bit surprised, "You're a Red Guard?"
"Yes," said the servant, "The Mestronge family has always had Red Council ties, and by the way, I am Morgan Mestronge, Gaston's younger brother."
"The gate is in a deep cave," said Morgan, "that's why we built the elevator system, Commander Belgard and his people watch the system, if they don't know who it is coming down, then they use a switch in their office to loosen the cables from the elevator and it plunges down, instant death when it crashes through the barrier holding it here."
"So what happens if a person who has teleportation abilities tries come down?" I asked.
"When we came down, did you feel a weird pop in your ears?" asked Morgan, "You only would have noticed it."
"Yes," I said, "What, you mean that you have teleportation wards as well?"
"Not only here, but the whole castle is impossible to teleport into, out of you can do, because somehow no one figured out how to work those wards, but into is impossible, even if they're all powerful."
After about another hour, we finally got to the gate, there were bronze, steel, and titanium doors protecting it, along with wards and circles and barriers as well, and these were high end upper level wards and barriers, probably level 10.
The Gate wasn't a gate per say, it was a ring of energy in the middle of a room, and I felt really oppressed in here, then I saw why, around the cave, were heavy wards, latterly with the world heavy written in them in Sanskrit, while Latin was more powerful, Sanskrit in certain places was actually more useful.
Half an hour later, we were on the main level of the castle. I finally understood why I had been sent here, I had to protect the equatic stream of life and understanding.
I looked at the trees out the window, and Gaston nodded, "Yes," he said, guessing what I was asking, "They were built to contain the power around here, that way people don't notice it, and they just think that this place is creepy."
"And," I said, "Also with the fact that if the Old One's tried a fly over they couldn't get a lock on."
Gaston laughed at me, "I doubt the Dark Council would use air ships, but yes, good point."
Suddenly a vid screen appeared, and a guard on one of the turrets spoke, "This is Watch Commander Kamin," he said looking scared, "We have incoming creatures, wolves."
Other people in the area looked up and scared, several guards on the main floors went to the doors, but others looked at me for answers, the prince and Belle were up in his room, and since Gaston and I were the on duty commanders present, I'd be answering.
Gaston looked at me, and I spoke, "Commander Kamin," I said, "I am Avatar of The Red Dragon, and your current commanding officer, inform the other towers that they are not to interfere with these creatures, they are allies."
Kamin looked puzzled, "But they're wolves' sir."
"They are other reason that no one has bothered this area," I said, pointedly, "They are Chartaca-Zasham, and they are under my command at the moment."
"Understood sir" and the screen flashed off.
"Those are were-wolves Kyle?" asked Gaston, "You have Werewolves working for you?"
"They are the Lords of The Ricsastasha," I said, "Does that mean a bell to you Gaston?"
"My ancient is rusty," muttered Gaston, "But they work for the Red Council."
"The Lords of the Ricsastasha," I said, "Are, were humans, they're an ancient group, they've been changed into were beasts by a curse, similar to what befell this castle, but can't be lifted, because it's a different genetic encoding spell, they're really powerful, and have some magic powers, but mostly rely on their strength and power, they're here at my bequest to help fight."
The doors opened, and the wolves trooped in, they were in their were-human form, and they were wearing clothes, which were black, which explained the black fur, so magic in the clothing or the fur or something, I didn't want to ask.
"Commander Hajaris," I said to the lead were-being as he stepped forward, "I assume you bring news."
"Yes sir," he said in his gravely voice, "The Insanitarium is heavily guarded as you thought, they've got wards, circles and a breach."
Three people looked at each other, and I looked to Morgan, "Go and get the Prince and Belle…Now." He nodded and rand off.
"They've got a breach," I said, "That isn't good news, what I'd like to know, are the defenses they have."
"None that we could see, if they are any, they're like this castle," he said, "Well hidden in the woodwork, but my guess is if the wards and circles fell and the breach was unlocked, then probably cannonade on the battlements, probably a garrison of soldiers, anything else would be speculation."
"Gaston," I said, "Were you ever in The Insanitarium?"
"No," he said, "If we had kept Lefou alive, we could of learned something."
"Hajaris," I said, "What is your speculation on the ward and circle power?"
"Above level 15 sirs," he said, "The Breach is a level 8, and is interconnected betwixt all three."
"Someone want to explain to me what a breach is?" asked a new voice. Turning I saw that Kendalsworth was in comfortable clothes, and Belle was in a night dress, Gaston and I looked at each other and shook our heads, to think that our boss was thinking of love making in a crisis.
"A Breach," I said, "Is an ultra ward, if any place has an ultra ward, then it is impossible to get into, even if you tried tunneling in from under ground, combined with two 15 level other powers, is basically impregnable, in other words, if we wanted to storm the place, we're going to have to figure out a way that doesn't involve human lives getting fizzled out."
"Cannon balls," said Gaston, "Cannon Balls could get through, and falling trees, they have to be converse to nature, or else someone will want to learn more about the place, that's I bet why The Breach is there, it's a nature ward."
"We are not cutting down these trees Mestronge!!!!" roared Kendalsworth, "Cannonade we can do, but we will not cut down these trees."
"Maurice," I said, "Belle's father has some equipment back at the farm, and I'm sure one of them or all of them would be useful."
"Way ahead of you Avatar," said Kendalsworth, "As soon as the transformation of the castle took place, he was sent for, and he should arrive soon."
Suddenly another vid screen appeared, this time, it was a bit smaller, but appeared larger on our end, which meant it was a wrist call.
"This is Specialist Oswald," said the man, "We may have a situation."
I looked up, Kendalsworth did, and so did Gaston, "Report Commander," I said.
"Some locals and a couple of grey suited men are in town, and they're talking to a few people, one of them happens to be Maurice," said the extractionist, "We're not sure how to proceed."
"Commander," I said, "How many men are with you?"
"Me and two other men," said Oswald, "I have two other men, besides those two, near the farm."
"Commander," I said, "Do not do anything, I am sending in a heavy party."
"Aye commander," said Oswald, "Hurry."
I turned to Kendalsworth, "It seems that D'Arque wants Maurice, and my guess is that he's figured out that if we use Maurice then his powers are useless, Gaston, me, and a few C-Z will deal with this situation."
"Go," said Kendalsworth, as he dialed a few buttons on his watch, and an armory cart teleported up from the armory.
There were one hundred C-Z, I'd only need ten for this operation, I knew that Gaston and I could take on the men, but I'd feel better with back up. I looked at the selection and laughed, I wasn't going to use anything, but Gaston took the armor, a couple of grenades; flash bangs to be exact, and a rifle. The C-Z looked at me, scoffed and turned toward the door. I had all I need; after all I was the Red Dragon, Avatar of the Red Council's most powerful weapon.
I figured, that we'd teleport to the farm, but there were two buggies standing by, not horse and cart type, but car type. I was starting to wonder where all this electrical power was coming from, especially since this reality was non-electrical and hadn't advanced through the cart and buggy.
"I know," said Gaston, "It's the magix around this place, it has enough power that the technology that the Red Council brought in, could be used without electrical usage."
The C-Z got in the other car, and soon enough we were at the farm, which I thought was weird, then I realized that fuzzy feeling was a quantum jump, we had jumped to the farm.
"Remind me to talk to the Q J people," I said, "They need to put a warning in or something."
Gaston laughed, "My first time as well."
The two other extractionist team members came out to greet us and filled us in. Apparently these weren't locals, but they were blending in quite nice to be locals, they wanted Maurice, but they were questioning him, about what they didn't know, they didn't want to send in a bug, in the event that it would compromise their position. They were by the pub, which meant that it would be easy to appear, I could travel through water, and the C-Z and Gaston could jump down from a roof. They all nodded and I went to the water's edge.
The C-Z had their own version of the Quantum jump, they held hands and immediately they were on the roof, they had taken Gaston and the two specialists, locked and loaded they waited. I had told them to make the first move, which they did.
"Attention citizens," said Gaston, "I am Commander Mestronge, for what reason are you questioning the man?"
The Insanitarium men looked up to try and see who was talking, and that's when Gaston and co appeared from behind with weapons cocked.
"We are just questioning him about last nights incident," said one of the men, "We want to know where his daughter is, since he says there was a battle last night at a castle, we're trying to figure out where this castle is and go investigate."
"That won't be necessary," said Gaston, "You and your men are outside your jurisdiction on this one, and this man has done nothing wrong."
"This man was accused two weeks ago of being crazy and speaking nonsense about a beast who was like a man," said one of the grey suits, who were binders, ready to white robe Maurice, "By a Lefou Kaisenmounter, if I recall."
The two techs stepped in, and grabbed Maurice, "You will come with us sir," they said, "This is getting us nowhere."
Gaston looked around, and wondered where I was, the C-Z stepped from the shadows their claws outstretched and ready to battle, the "locals" brought out iron bars, ready to fight. Then someone stepped out from the bar. It was D'Arque. An "Oh Crap" moment.
"Gentlemen," he said, "that is quite enough, if anyone has any testimony on this man, then let it be said, and we shall leave him be."
"GOOD," said a thunderous voice, "LEAVE HIM BE!"
An explosion and the fountain exploded in a controlled way as I appeared.
"Oh," said D'Arque as he watched, "You."
End Chapter One.