Blaze, the hyperactive grey wolf cub with icy blue eyes, jumped up onto the table as Claire set her tray down. He jumped and bounce from paw to paw, getting excited waiting for her to give him something to eat. Ciaran had followed behind and set his tray down across from Claire's. Blaze sat in the middle impatiently whining and pawing at their trays. Claire giggled and poured some milk into a small cup and pushed it over to him. Ciaran raise an eyebrow confused.
"What… it makes them sleepy…" Claire's eyes widened again then blushed and dug in to her pasta salad causing Ciaran to chuckle.
"Ok, ok. Before you freak out more I'll get to explaining." He smiled at her and waited for her attention. She looked up curiously with the plastic fork sticking out of her mouth. She looked like just an innocent child. Ciaran sat back in his seat and opened his bottle of water and taking a swig before setting it back on the table.
"I'll start with the history…" He started to fall deep into thought as he started to tell her the legendary story of the Guardians. " 250 years ago there was an ancient artefacts expedition in Bagdad, Iraq. Just outside Bagdad there are the ruins of Babylon. They spent weeks, maybe months out there; investigating the ruins; trying to learn more about the Babylonian people. It is said that these people were in fact Pagans and worship, strangely enough, Grecian Pagan gods. During the investigation, however, they found a door embedded into the ground. On it was engraved an foreign language which they assumed to be ancient Latin. In English it read; Thee who opens this door present, beware. For with its' unlocking, thy children of the hellfire will rise and diminish thy land of the living." Claire Listened to his story intrigued. She'd never heard of such a story, it was hard to believe possible.
"So it was… demonic?" She asked rather sceptically.
"Well, yeah. You don't believe it?" Ciaran questioned her and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. Claire sat back, saying nothing and waited for him to continue. He smirked. "The man who had read this was new on the squad and was questioned thoroughly. Turns out, once he slaughtered the other four archaeologists, he was a prophet of the demon world. Just like there are prophets of god. They only way to open the door was to bathe it in the blood of the betrayed. Well that was easy. Hell ultimately broke loose. Hundreds, thousands, millions of demons and banished creatures of hell ravished the world, aiming to destroy everything. Four monks of that time had been raised by the Prophets. These monks were different from others; they weren't innocent and pure like the others. They contained the blood of demons within them. They were raised to stop that day and return the world back to peace. They had to fight to save what they could but there wasn't enough power between the four to do so. There for, three out of the four sacrificed themselves and perished as they gave their brother their power, life and energy so he might re-seal the door." He watched as Claire sat gaping at him, shocked by what she was hearing.
"You're telling me… three men died so one man could close a door?" She spoke with a small hint of belief but it seemed she'd need more convincing.
"Well when you say it like that, it sounds pathetic but it was much more complicated considering it was an enchantment used to barricade the door. 250 years later we have this. The Guardians, being us…" He gestured around the room to the hundreds of people coming and going through the cafeteria and the main building. "…and now you." Claire continued to gape unsure what to say.
"M… Me?" She pointed at herself then looked at the cub, plodding sleepily across the table only to collapse down onto her lap and yawn before curling up into a ball. Claire pet him gently then looked up at Ciaran. "Why? Why me, I have nothing to do with this."
"You just like many others have the blood of the four brothers rushing through your veins and when it is needed, a dormant cell in your brain, that goes undetected by science until activated, is well… activated and you become a Guardian. That is how you know things about Blaze and how you got here. The companions have this same cell and once yours activates they seek you out and bring you here." She raised an eyebrow at him then looked at Blaze, a tiny little cub, sleeping in her lap then she returned to stare blankly at Ciaran.
"How ca…" She was cut off as Skylar entered the cafeteria and called over to them. Claire shot up from her seat, scooping Blaze into her arms and stumbled back as a large snow leopard stood out from behind him and bounded over to them. Sky saw her reaction and laughed.
"Don't mind Star. She's harmless, just over excitable." He turned to his brother and started talking quickly and quietly as a girl ran to catch up with him.
"Skylar! Don't do that! I'll end up lost. Some bloody mentor you are…" She huffed and stood by the table and watched as the Leopard approached Claire and Blaze. Claire stepped back slightly as Star sniffed at Blaze who whined and pawed at her in his sleep. Claire looked at the three not sure what to do. Just as she was about to ask, the Ceiling came crashing down. Others fled the area with pure fright and watched as a large griffin came plummeting through the hole, followed by a basilisk. Just when everyone thought that was all the surprises to come a Chimera came crashing through the cafeteria doors, knocking people over as it came. Skylar and Ciaran both shared the same dismayed expression. Ciaran smacked his forehead and turned away from everyone muttering for a moment before turning round.
"Seems the gang is hear then…" Sky laughed nervously as everyone glared in our direction.
"Um… guys… the giant snake is…" Before the blonde girl standing by Skylar could finish the basilisk started violently retching before throwing up on the floor. Claire and the blonde girl both turned away trying not to throw up themselves. In the middle of the floor lay another blonde girl. The other animals knelt down and two more people slid off their backs; a tall girl with brown hair and a boy with blonde hair and a blue fringe.
"Is this a normal day for this place?" Claire asked shyly as she looked over all of the newcomers.
"This is one of the more difficult days…" Skylar noted then clapped his hands briefly. "Ok introductions… and will um… someone help up the girl covered in snake guts…" At the instant everyone froze and stared at Ciaran.
"Oh for peats sake…" He grumbled and walked over to the blonde girl covered in snake and held out his hand to her. Skylar sniggered at his brother then cleared his throat.
"Ok well… I'm Skylar, that there is my baby brother Ciaran. The girl with the cub is Claire and the Blonde n my left is Heidi. What are the names of you three?" He glanced at them and waited. The girl standing by the Griffin stood forward.
"Aster." Then the girl with the Basilisk.
"Freya." And finally the boy with the Chimera.
"Josh." The boy smiled at everyone, it was almost contagious.
"Great well now that we know each oth…" Ciarans' phone started bleeping.
"Get your sorry asses to the medical room… NOW!" Ciaran held the phone from his ear as a male voice yelled on the other end.
"I guess that's our cue." Skylar smirked and watched as the others glanced at one another worried.
"Medical rooms?" Aster questioned with wide eyes.