"So what's your name anyway…it's kind of strange being led by a stranger", I said. Nate and Chase, just trailing behind us, agreed.

She answered, "It's Terra, Terra Kilworth. I sat in the back of the class in your biology class." It was hard not to stare at her because we had been hiking for a couple days now and she was wearing sneakers, shorts, a baby blue t-shirt, and a little (barely noticeable) red bow in her. It didn't quite match and all but that didn't matter to us three boys or any boy for that matter!

"So how did you get involved with the Ganguards", I asked?

"The same way just about every other kid did……parents killed, orphaned, and you know the rest of the story", Terra said as if she were trying to fight back the tears from her memories. All of our clothes were dirty; we were dirty. We hadn't showered in a couple days. All of four of our lives had been ruined in an instance.

"So, how old are you, 15", I asked? I was curious about her, but I didn't want to just pound her with questions. So I tried to spread my questions throughout the day.

"16, I just tur-", was all the could say before several blasts shot our way exploded a few hundred feet in front of us. "Everybody take cover", she screamed! (Which was convenient because my thought was, "let's go play with the fire!"?)

There were Ganguards all over the place, there had to be at least 20 of them. I turned over to say something to Terra, but she was gone. I had to protect her, because she had no power or gift…not that I knew of at least. "Terra", I yelled! There she was in the middle of the field holding two Bronze swords.

Terra ran towards one of the Ganguards, jumped and sliced its head clear off. All three of us boys were shocked. Nate threw me a gun while he was shooting back at the Ganguards. Chase felt left out, so he decided to try to commit suicide. Chase ran straight for one, with just his clenched fist.

As Chase ran he started to sink into the ground, not even noticing he continued to run.

"Chase, your sinking", Nate yelled!

"What?...Ahhh", was all Chase could say before he was completely swallowed up by the earth. Adrenaline rushed through my veins. I rolled out from behind the rock I was hidden behind and started shooting the Ganguards. I wanted to let anger settle in, but my parents had always told me that anger would only make things worse. Nate ran towards the rocky cliffs to snipe. That was his best shooting position. Terra had a whole other side to her that no one could've guessed.

Terra jumped through the air and continued to slice Ganguards. I ran up to one and tried to jump on its back but I somehow over jumped by about 4 or 5 feet. I landed rolled, turned around, and sloppily shot off the Ganguards head. It was sloppy because a mix of green and red blood shot all over the place. Terra's kills were straight lines; mine were wherever I shot that could kill the Ganguards. I turned to my left and threw myself on a pile of bushes to avoid the blasts of one of the Ganguards. I raised my gun, took aim, braced myself, and opened rapid fire on him. The rapid fire was so strong it made me lose my grip on the gun and threw back into the air again. The multiple blasts I fired at the Ganguard penetrated through its armor, deteriorating its body. Green and red blood shot through the air like fireworks on 4th of July. The Ganguard laid there squabbling and rolling around on the ground. I hadn't completely killed it. With Its one arm left, half deteriorated; it managed to take of its helmet. Its eyes, all black and shiny, beamed at me; staring intensely at me like that stuffed animal toy my Aunt Suzie got me that would stare at you intensely and creep everyone out. Its face was not like that of a human, but more of a cats and a rats mixed. I know the purrfect combination right? Then in its last breath it managed to heave out some alien language, which I couldn't understand. Then BLAST! Terra had blasted its head off, killing it for sure.

"It's not time for chit chat with the aliens right now, o.k.", she stated, "Well?"

"Oh, I didn't know you really wanted a response…ya sure", I mumbled.

They were all gone or killed for that matter of fact. Just then the earth beneath us started to crumble. Terra and I jumped away. (Nate was still on his way down.) Out of the crumbling earth, came an 8'0 foot monster made of rock. Terra started to run, knowing that her swords would have little effect on it. The creature stomped towards me. I stood there and trembled. Then the monster reached for its head and ripped it off, which made me even more scared. I could hear Terra and Nate in the background telling me to run, but I froze. I looked up to see Chase in an armor of hard rock. My jaw dropped in shock.

"Well, what do you think", Chase asked?

"What the heck! You've had this power all this time and you never told us", I exclaimed!? "Do you know how many time we could have used this?"

"No I just got it. It's wicked. I can control like earth molecules and stuff", he said, "Though it'll still take me a while to figure out and what about Terra. Hmm. She's got a cool power too!"

"It's a gift, the gift of Swords Mastery. It's actually an ancient gift you know", Terra proudly stated.

"So everybody has a power/ gift except you Garret", Nate had to state.

"Don't worry Garret. You'll get yours soon enough. I know you will", Terra kindly said. She was so tough, yet so gentle. I wanted to believe her, but Nate had told me that once you reach 16 it's pretty rare that you'll get a power or gift if you don't already have one. Thinking about it scared me because I had just practically given up my whole life to be chased around because I have a power/gift when I really don't have a power/gift, but then again they wouldn't be chasing me if didn't have a power/gift. It was like a circle of confusion to me.

All I could do was hope and believe Terra was right.