Matt and Napoleon burst into Lillian's bedroom. Hades towered over the eight year old who was huddled at the back of her bead shaking with fear.
"You're the Heart? Pathetic." Hades snapped.
"W-w-who a-are y-y-you?" Lillian whimpered out. The fright was clearly visible in her eyes as she looked up at the seven foot hell god. She shook with fear and held her teddy bear close.
Matt thought fast. He quickly placed a glamour zone over the room. The average eight year olds bedroom transformed into a royal medieval bedroom, Lillian now sat in a royal nightgown in a large four poster bead with purple and blue sheets and pillows. The room grew with stone and tapestries linden walls as large windows looked out upon an idyllic middle ages town.
"What going on?" Lillian screeched.
"You're dreaming… your majesty." Matt said trying to sound as majestic as possible.
Lillian looked over to the large wooden doors where Sir Matt and Sir Napoleon stood in there regent forms only each had donned suits of gleaming armour. Matt's was the gold as his mask with emerald green fabric. Napoleon's armour was as a dark as his fur but gleamed in the candle light. A crimson cape fell from his shoulders and draped over his left arm. "Nice touch." He whispered to Matt.
Hades was dumfounded. He looked around the room before staring back at Matt and Napoleon. "Interesting." He laughed.
"This is your last chance! Leave now and turn those officers back to normal." Napoleon demanded.
"I will leave when I have what I want." Hades said coldly and seriously as he approached Lillian. She gasped when she saw the pure evil in his eyes and crawled away towards the opposite end of the bead when a sudden wall of fire suddenly shot up behind her, she screamed in fright.
Matt and Napoleon sprang into action. Napoleon sprinted on all fours and leaped over through the flames and crashed into Hades whilst Matt swooped down and scoped Lillian from the burning bed.
"I want to wake up now!" She screeched in fright as she held her knight close. Matt landed on the outer side of the room and placed Lillian down.
"Stay her Li… your Majesty. Your knights will protect you." He said before turning and sprinting towards Hades who was doing battle with Napoleon.
Hay Lin and Yan Lin followed Halinor through the fold and into the great castle of Kandrakar. It always impressed Hay Lin to see the tall spires rising in and around the swirling pure white clouds and blue sky.
"Come on, the Oracle wants to see us." Halinor said as she led the air guardians through the grand corridors.
"Why, what's going on? Is it about that dream we had?" Hay Lin asked.
"It's big. And all your questions will be answered soon." Halinor answered as they entered the main chamber.
The council of Kandrakar stood with the Oracle in the middle of the large, open room. With them were Will, Irma, Taranee and Cornelia all still in their pyjamas or similar sleeping attire.
"Finally, so can we get answers now?" Cornelia, who was warped in a light blue dressing gown with pink fluffy slippers, asked the Oracle as she saw Hay Lin enter.
"Yeah, what's with disturbing our sleep?" Irma asked.
"Yes. I apologize about that but we have reason to believe that a great evil is preparing to take over the galaxy." The oracle plainly said.
"Again? Dose evil ever take a break?" Irma sarcastically asked.
Will just shook her head at the comment and asked "Who's it this time?"
"I think it's best if I let his brother explain." The Oracle said. Just then a large set of marble coloured doors opened and in stepped a tall elderly man who immediately showed great power and respect.
He had long wavy white hair and beard. White robes with a blue squared pattern were draped and warped around his body. In his right hand he held a long golden staff with a solid gold eagle proudly perched on top with its wing spared and grasping bolts of lightning in its talons.
The guardians were in awe at the sight of this man as he gracefully yet powerfully walked towards them. He stood beside the Oracle and in a deep and powerful voice spoke, "I am Zeus, King of Olympus."
The guardians' jaws couldn't drop any lower.
"Why don't you just give up?" Hades yelled as he sent more fire balls towards Napoleon who dived to the side, rolled across the floor and leaped towards the god. A solid wall of fire shot up in front of him stopping Napoleon in his tracks.
Matt Came up from behind and blasted Hades in the back only to doge a whip of flames, quickly followed by a flaming punch to his chest, burning through the glamour armour.
Lillian gasped from behind a toy chest as Matt yelped in pain as he dogged another punch only for a large black mass to tackle hades into the wall. Napoleon began to punch and claw at hades but a sudden blast of flames and heat sent him into the opposite wall Matt soon followed.
Black mist swirled around them as a flaming Hades approached. They cried in pain as mist flowed from their eyes and mouths towards Hades opened arms.
"No!" Lillian shrieked as tears flowed from her eyes. "Leave them alone!" Hades ignored her as he continued to drain there life force. The glamour zone around the room failed as Matt and Napoleon became weaker. They were struggling to stay awake as pain coursed through their bodies. Suddenly there was a growling sound behind Hades. He stopped and turned to only glimpse a large white beast that pounced onto him.
"So… Hades has go power hungry and is seeking to collect the hearts of worlds and bulled an army to conquer the universes." Taranee summed up.
When the Guardians overcame there initial shock discovering that Zeus and that ancient Greek god's were real and just live on another world called Olympus, and thus most ancient Greek mythology was acutely true. (Yan Lin who already knew pointed out that most of Earths myths and legends are based on fact and magic can explain them.)Zeus then explained how Hades who was jealous of his brothers and sisters on Olympus after being left with another world call Underworld, where in ancient times the souls of those who believed in the gods of Olympus were taken after their death, now seeks to conquer Olympus and then all other worlds and dimensions.
"Yes young fire Guardian. He's already left Underworld for another world. Unfortunately we don't know where." Zeus said.
"My dream." Hay Lin whispered she was the most shocked and disturbed at this. Especially after seeing her and her friends severed heads being uses as a Minotaur's trophies and know finding out it may one day be true.
"Hay Lin, What's wrong?" Will asked.
"I… I had a dream… where… where Earth was burning and… and we were… we were…" She couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Can I see?" Taranee asked. Hay Lin just sadly nodded in replied as Taranee read her mind. Her face went through expressions of shock, interest and finally pure horror.
"Oh… my… god. Guys you've got to see this!" Taranee screeched as she sent the images to the outer Guardians heads. They all when through similar expressions before ending on a mixture of pure shock and horror, it affected Cornelia the worst.
The Oracle spoke next. "I've already searched Earth for any strong magical forces and found nothing unusual. We are also searching as many worlds and dimensions we can see and so far haven't found him."
"Are you sure he's not on Earth?" Zeus asked. "After all it's the most logical place he would head to."
"What! So he'd be going after Lillian!" Cornelia suddenly realised.
"If he were on Earth, then yes." The Oracle said.
"Check again. I want to see if my sisters safe." Cornelia demanded.
"Very well." The Oracle sighed; even he knew not to anger Cornelia. He gestured for the Guardians to follow him to a still pool of water. He waved his hand across it and a map of Earth appeared. Suddenly hundreds of lights began appear across the planet some brighter than others. "This map shows the location of all magic Items and possesses on Earth. The brighter the light the stronger the force, as you can see Heatherfield is the brightest."
The Oracle waved his hand again and a sky view of Heatherfield appeared. "The four strongest lights are your sister and her regents."
Cornelia looked closer at her house and sure enough four bright lights shone but one was far duller then the others and… "Why are those two getting duller?" Cornelia asked.
"That's strange." The Oracle said and waved his hand again only the image suddenly turned cloudy. "That is strange."
"What is it?"
"It should be a view of the room the four lights are in only… something blocking Kandrakar's sight."
"Is Lillian in danger?" Cornelia asked filled with worry.
"I can't tell…" Suddenly the picture cleared for a brief moment. The guardians all gasped when saw Lillian's room where she was cowering behind a toy chest. Matt and Napoleon who were in their regent forms fell to the ground as Mr Huggles was fighting with a large man.
"That's Hades!" Zeus said.
"Come on, we've got to save them." Will said as she pulled up the Heart of Kandrakar, "Guardian Unite!"
Matt struggled to keep his eyes open yet alone move. He was no longer in his regent form as he lay crumpled on the floor. Hades threw Mr Huggles away from him in a blast of flames. He tumbled through the air before crumpling to the floor as helpless as Matt and Napoleon. Hades clambered to his feet and with murderous intent in his flaming eyes strode towards Matt.
"No! Don't hurt him!" Lillian shouted as she dove on Matt with tears in her eyes.
"Lillian… Run." Matt said but Lillian didn't move as Hades gave a smile of pure evil and raised his hand towards her. Black mist swirled down his arm and began to reach out to Lillian who was whimpering and scared stiff.
Suddenly a turquoise, pink and blond object slammed into Hades and smashed him into the wall. "Nobody. Touches. MY! SISTER!" Cornelia screamed as she pinned Hades to the wall. Hades roared and set himself alight. Cornelia reeled back from the heat.
"Hay hot-head! Chill out!" Irma cried as she drenched hades. Hay Lin soon followed with a gust of Ice cold wind frizzing Hades who screamed in anger as the ice formed. His icy prison glinted as Cornelia turned to her sister.
"Lillian." She said as he warped her weeping sister in a strong hug. Will did the same to Matt.
"Matt! Are you ok? Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine Will… Just tired, that's all." Matt sleepily said but still attempted to return the hug.
"What about me? Don't I get a hug?" Napoleon asked only to get swept up into Hay Lin's arms. "Argg! Careful doll, I'm still sore."
"Sorry." Hay Lin said as Mr Huggles crawled over to Matt and Will and collapse into her lap.
"So what are we gonna do with him?" Taranee said indicating to the still frozen Hades.
"Never mind that are you ok Lillian?" Cornelia asked her sister.
"Are you kidding? This is the most awesome dream ever!" Lillian shrieked to everyone's surprise. Will turned to Matt with a raised eyebrow; he just gave a nervous laugh. "It's just like in those stories you tell me Matt! Only you're all too big to be fairies and what happened to my castle?"
Everyone chuckled. "Dreams are strange Lillian." Cornelia said with a smile.
"Yeah… you're never this nice in real life." Lillian replied again everyone chuckled.
"Why you… I am nice!" Cornelia shouted at her sister.
"That's better." Lillian said with a giggle joined by the others. It didn't last long though.
There was an explosion of ice and water as a wall of heat hit them. They all turned in shock at the sight of Hades standing in a cloud of black mist and flame. The Guardians sparing to their feet ready for a fight as Hades eyes drifted over each of them. He grunted in annoyance and anger. "This is not over!" He shouted and in a flash of black light he was gone.
"My room!" Cornelia's voice echoed through the destroyed apartment. The rest of the Guardians, Matt, Napoleon, Huggles and Lillian were still standing in the ruined living room. Irma was huddled up on the floor next to the monstrous form of her unconscious father with Taranee and Hay Lin trying to comfort her.
Will sat next to an almost sleeping Matt, petting Mr Huggles as Lillian sat opposite with Napoleon. "So… It's not a dream… It's all true?" Lillian said in sad disbelief.
Will nodded but it was Napoleon who spoke. "I'm afraid so Lilly, you really are the magical Queen of Earth."
Lillian nodded. "This is so AWESOME!" She suddenly screeched.
"Matt, Napoleon! You've got some serous cleaning to do NOW!" Cornelia screamed from the door of her room. "My parents will be home any minute! How on Earth do we explain this to them!"
"Yeah everything's destroyed." Lillian said with her voice filled with worry. "What do we do?"
"What about my Dad?" Irma weakly said, her voice filled with sorrow as a tear dripped down her cheek.
"We'll find a way to get your dad back Irma. I promise." Will said as Hay Lin and Taranee also gave words of support. "But I don't know what to do." She then whispered.
"Don't worry Will." Matt said as he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "These things always turn out well in the end."
"But where do we start? Hades' escaped, Cornelia's house is trashed and Irma's dad…" Will sighed at the last part.
"Perhaps we can help." Everyone turned in surprise to see Zeus by the windows. Besides him was another tall woman in a long, state marble coloured gown and faceless veil. She had neatly curled chocolate hair and a displeased look as her blue eyes scanned over the room but gave a reassuring smile and she settled on the others.
"I am Hestia, goddess of hearth, architecture, domestic order and family." She said.
Matt, napoleon and Lillian remained looking in shock as there Guardians shook off their surprise. Will was the first to speak. "It's good to meet you Hestia, but how can you help us?"
Hestia smiled, "Like this young one." She said as she waved her hand. Suddenly all the broken items in the room moved and fell back into their original positions and put themselves back together. All the paint and decorations was redone and everything instantly became clean. Everyone looked around the gleaming room that looked brand-new and completely unused. Their eyes widened and jaws hung in what they saw. Lillian had a look of absolute amazement and joy.
"But… what about my dad?" Irma quietly asked, still huddled up with tears in her eyes. Hestia walked over to them and crouched down on the other side of Tom Lair.
"Hades' dark magic is strong but there are some forces stronger than his. You care for you father, you love him, think of him and the goodness in him and he'll come back." Hestia said as she placed Irma's hand on her father's burnt head.
Irma nodded and closed her eyes and began to remember her father. The others looked on in anticipation as cracks of pure light began to appear over Tom's demonic body. Soon they couldn't look as the light became too intense. Hestia placed her hand on Tom and her other hand on the other officer who also began to crack with light.
Soon the light ended and they looked back to see two police officers lying on the floor. Irma watched her dad as he began to mover and stir. His eyes drifted open. "Irma?"
"Dad!" She cried and wrapped her father in a hug witch he returned.
"You have some serious explaining to do, Irma." Tom seriously said.
"I know daddy, I… I'm sorry I kept this from you for so long."
"I don't even know what 'this' is, but thank you. Thank you so much."
"Err… what about the outer one? He can't know about us." Taranee said gesturing to the other still unconscious officer.
"I have an idea." Tom said.
Officer Cole Phelps awoke with a jumped. "Hay Cole, we're back." His partner Officer Tom Liar said from behind the weal of the police car. Cole looked around at the Station outside his window.
"What the... I've just had the strangest dream ever… how long was I out?"
"About five minutes. You go on inside I'll park the car." Tom replied. Cole nodded and stepped out and headed to the station. He couldn't help but join in with the giggling from the back seats as Irma, Hay Lin and Taranee became visible.
"Right now to get you home, and Irma you and I are going to have a long conversation." Tom then said. He could tell he was going to have a very long night.
The Hale's apartment door opened allowing Elizabeth and Harold Hale to enter. "Matt?" Elizabeth called as she walked into the living room leaving Harold to hung up their coats. Suddenly he heard his wife gasp.
"Elizabeth? What is it?" He said rushing to her side but also gasped at what he saw.
"I-It's so clean and… and tidy." Elizabeth said.
"Everything looks brand new. No wonder he's exhausted." Harold chuckled as he saw Matt fast asleep on the couch with Napoleon and his dormouse curled up together asleep.
They smiled and went to check on Lillian who was also fast asleep in her bead. "Goodnight Lillian." Her mother said and kissed her forehead before leaving.
Lillian however wasn't asleep; she smiled as she reached out her hand towards some old toy blocks which stacked themselves spelling the name 'Lillian'. "Goodnight Mom." She whispered and fell asleep more happy then she'd ever been.
Large black metal doors swung open as a seven foot man let out a disgruntled groan. He stomped across the black marble floor, past a three heeded dong whimpering in pain and fear and dropped himself into a large gothic thrown. Hades was angry.
"So you didn't succeed then." His unwilling wife Persephone stated as she stood before him, arms crossed with a smug look on her face.
"Don't anger me Persephone. Go get me something to eat and drink." Hades ordered as he held his hard in his hand. Persephone Sighed and waked off to the kitchen leaving Hades alone in his throne room.
Hades sat pondering what to do next. He waved his hand in front of him and a black swirling cloud formed with images of Hearts and other magical Items and possessors began flowing across it.
"Stop." He commanded and the image remained on a teenaged girl with sandy blond hair fast asleep in a large bead. Hades smiled to himself. "This time I won't be so easy." He said before standing and turning towards a large window. He looked out at the legions of creatures, beasts and demons that camped around. Large masses shifted along the ground as smaller demons swooped through the smoke filled air building, organizing and preparing for war.
To be continued
The story will continue in a new fic but it may not be up for a will as I still have others that I should be working on.
Thank you for reading and please review.