Chapter 15
Loud and Proud
Irma was on her way home from work when her cell rang. She frowned, cursing her luck, and answered it.
"Don't say it. Don't you say it." Irma said into the receiver.
"We need to go to Balsilide." Came Will's reply.
"And, you said it." Irma said with a groan.
Irma was tired, even more so then usual. She had done a long night's work at Moxie's, and all she wanted to do was fall into bed. Yet there was a part of her that was excited for the opportunity.
"Sorry Irma, did you just get off work?" Will said apologetically
"Yep, but don't worry about it." Irma replied. "I'll be there soon, but were going to need to pick up a few things before we go."
"Huh? I mean there's something, or someone, I need to get, but what are you talking about?" Will said.
Irma just smiled.
Balsilide
When the Guardians got to Balsilide, twenty minutes later, they were met by the less then friendly sight of the R.E.G and Balken, standing with his arms crossed and a sour expression on his face. Will had no problem returning the expression with one of her own.
"What have you done this time Balken?" she asked with just the hint of smugness.
"Now is not the time to test my patience, Guardian." Balken replied bitterly. "I see you've grown in numbers."
Standing tall to the left of Will stood Matt, in full Shagon form. His arms were crossed and his featureless mask gave no hint about how he felt.
"Well, we had to call in back-up when we heard you had lost the Heart." Will said.
"It wasn't lost, it was stolen. By powers beyond our control" Balken replied through gritted teeth. It was then he noticed the large knapsacks that each of the Guardians carried with them. "You do realize this isn't a camping trip."
"We're here to stop the Shadow Walker, same as you. Difference is, we came prepared." Will replied. Then it was her turn to notice that the R.E.G had brought something as well.
"Selna? She's still here?" Will exclaimed, pointing at the girl. "Don't you have someplace you can keep her safe?"
"My place is here!" Selna replied. "This battle is mine as much as it is yours, perhaps more so!"
Will wanted to argue, but knew it was a fight she would not win. They had bigger things to worry about. Watching Orube step to the front of the R.E.G confirmed that.
"Guardians, I urged Balken to call you here because you can help find the Shadow Walker, not so you could argue." Orube said. "Each second we waste is one more the Shadow Walker uses to get away."
The Guardians, sensing the truth in Orube's words, put down their knapsacks and got to work. Finding the Shadow Walker was going to be tough work, but the Guardians unique abilities made the task not impossible. Taranee focused her mind on the world around her, trying to pick up any heat signatures that could be the Shadow Walker. Hay Lin tried to feel any disturbances in the air, Cornelia listened to the dirt, trying to hear the Shadow Walker move, and Irma…
"Well, I'm useless. Again." Irma said, crossing her arms.
"Join the club." Matt replied.
"Irma, you've done more then enough already." Will said, eyeing the knapsacks. "And as for you Matt, you're not allowed to complain now that you finally get to see some action."
"One time just standing around does not make up for months of neglect." Matt said, eyeing his surroundings. "But, I'll admit, it's a start."
Will could not help but smile, once more feeling smug.
"Got something!" Hay Lin said. "Big and fast and heading, um, north? West? I don't know, that way!"
Hay Lin pointed off to the distance, and Taranee face that direction.
"Focusing in now." The Fire Guardian said, closing her eyes. "Give me a second…"
"That was quick." Balken said, still unimpressed. "Why couldn't you have done that when we were looking for the Shadow Walker the first time?"
Will glared at Balken but said nothing. How could she, he was right. They were all grateful for the time they had on Earth, but Will couldn't help but feel that they would have been much more useful on Balsilide.
"Got a heat signature, too big for any woodland creature!" Taranee said excitedly.
"Good enough for me, let's move!" Will said, taking off.
Cornelia whipped up a floating platform underneath the R.E.G and the group was off in pursuit.
The Shadow Walker moved quickly through the trees, grasping the Heart tightly in his hands. He knew his previous hideout had been compromised, and that he would have to find one on the fly. He had spent the previous day tracking the Heart back to the Palace, and had to sacrifice any thoughts of what he would do with his escape. He wasn't overly worried, however, as he assumed there was no way for the R.E.G to either find him or catch up to him. So it was to his great surprise that Balken dropped through the trees in front of him.
"How?" The Shadow Walker asked, analyzing his opponent.
"This is my world, monster, there is no where you can hide." Balken said, drawing his sword.
"Wrong on both accounts." The Shadow Walker replied.
The creature watched carefully as the rest of the R.E.G dropped in around him, each with their weapon drawn. An ordinary man would be terrified to be surrounded by Balsilides' finest, but the Shadow Walker was no man, and he was far from ordinary. He simply smiled at the surrounding squad.
"Your Hubris defines you and betrays you." The Shadow Walker said. "Even with the so-called Guardians, you have little chance of defeating me. Alone, you have none."
"We've faced worse odds and won." Balken replied.
The R.E.G started their attack with a precision and efficiency that could not be found on any other world. First, the archer Syln fired a volley of arrows at the Shadow Walker. The creature merely went intangible, and let the arrows fall through him, but it distracted him enough for Grimm to make his move. The Magician fired a bolt of lighting from his gauntlets that seemed to affect even the Shadow Walker. The bolt was the product of a weeks worth of studying and practicing, and it stunned the creature. It for only a second, but it was enough to allow Laris to tackle the Shadow Walker to the ground. Just as quickly as Laris had attacked, she rolled off of the Shadow Walker. For a brief moment, the Shadow Walker lay on the ground, solid, dazed, and defenseless. With all the speed they could muster, the R.E.G leapt at the Shadow Walker. Swords, axes and fists all cut through the air, landing on the Shadow Walker with devastating force. Half a second too late. The Shadow Walker had regained his senses just in time to turn intangible before the attacks landed. As soon as he was confident he was still alive, the Shadow Walker leapt up and began his assault. With dizzying precision, he disarmed and neutralized each member of the R.E.G, one by one. His shadowy limbs were simply a blur to the members of the R.E.G, which they saw mere moments before being knocked to the ground. Within seconds, the R.E.G lay at the Shadow Walkers feet, defeated.
"Did you really think you were a match for me?" The Shadow Walker said.
"No, not really." Came a voice from above.
The Shadow Walker spun to see Will hovering over him. The Shadow Walker noticed the girl was wearing dark sunglasses, despite the fact that it was night, but he could make little of it before she began to speak.
"Let there be light!" Will said, snapping her fingers.
On her cue, the forest was flooded by hundreds of bright, blinking lights, all aimed at the Shadow Walker. The Shadow Walker covered his eyes, disoriented and stunned by the bright light.
"You've tried this before." The Shadow Walker said, preparing to destroy the lights.
"Let there be sound!" Will said, ignoring the Shadow Walker.
Slowly, a low humming noise could be heard, steadily growing. The ground began to shake with noise, and for the first time, illuminated in the forest and surround by Matt and the Guardians, the Shadow Walker knew fear. Will simply smiled down.
"Let there be rock!"
Suddenly, 150 decibels, louder then a jet engine, of the loudest Kamilla song Irma knew roared through the forest, crashing down upon the Shadow Walker. The creature covered his ears and screamed, and only the industrial strength earplugs worn by each member of the Guardians and the R.E.G kept them from doing the same. Between the light and the sound, the Shadow Walker was left as little more then a quivering mess on the forest floor. As soon as the Shadow Walker was on the ground, Will put an energy cage around him, trapping the creature.
"Pretty sweet idea." Taranee said telepathically. "Picking up those speakers and strobe lights before we came? Brilliant."
"Actually, I stole the idea from a guy at work, but thanks anyways." Irma thought back. "Now lets keep it going for another minute or two."
"Why?" Will asked. "We've already got him trapped."
"Who cares about him?" Irma replied. "I just love this song!"
Despite Irma's protests, the lights and music were turned off once the Shadow Walker was deemed fully incapacitated.
"What magic was that?" Balken asked, removing the earplugs that the Guardians had supplied for him.
"No magic." Taranee said. "Earth technology. We bought the loudest speakers and the brightest lights we could find, filled them with batteries and…"
Balken stared back with the girl with a quizzical expression, understanding none of what had just been said.
"You know what? Yeah, magic." Taranee said with a sigh.
The rest of the group surrounded the energy cage that held the Shadow Walker, staring at the villain. The Shadow Walker dejectedly stood up, and attempted to phase through the energy shield. As he knew it would be, the attempt was futile.
"Don't embarrass yourself." Will said. "We beat you, that's it. You can't escape, and we have the Heart. You know it, and we know it. The good guys win."
"You know nothing!" The Shadow Walker spat back. "You claim to be 'the good guys', but do any of you know what you fight for, or what you fight against?"
"Well, we're pretty sure we fight against you." Hay Lin said with a smile.
"And do you know who I truly am? What I truly am?" The Shadow Walker replied.
"This is nonsense!" Balken interrupted. "The creature is grasping at straws! Let us take him back to the palace, before he…"
"Actually, I'd kinda like to hear this." Will said.
"I will not allow…" Balken said, before a large, winged man stood stopped him.
"You won't allow?" Matt said, towering over Balken. "Perhaps we should just take the Heart back to Earth and leave you with the Shadow Walker. Minus the cage."
Balken frowned, but did nothing except swear under his breath.
"So, who are you?" Taranee asked the Shadow Walker.
"Umbron." Was all the Shadow Walker said.
"Impossible." Sneered Balken.
"Incredible." Breathed Grimm. "His description matches the texts, as do his abilities."
"I'm sorry, an Um-what now?" Irma asked, confused.
"The Umbrons are a story." Balken said. "A tale designed to frighten small children."
"There is a bit more to it then that." Grimm added. "But Balken is correct, they are just a story."
"Is that all we are?" the Shadow Walker said. "After all we fought for, after everything we lost, just a story?"
There was real anger behind the Shadow Walker's voice, and Will, having never heard the story of the Umbrons, found it hard to believe she wasn't staring at one.
"My mother always said to hear both sides of the story." Will said. "Shadow Walker, I'd like to hear yours."
Balken began to protest, but a glare from Matt shut him up.
"Then gather round, Guardians. And I will tell you the story of the Umbrons."
Only one member of the group had stopped paying attention. Selna grew weary of all this talking. She had thought the R.E.G had defeated the Shadow Walker, but now the 'Guardians' were talking to it instead of punishing it. Just one more way they had hurt her. She was thinking about what she was going to do with the Shadow Walker when she noticed something sparkle on the ground. She went over to look and noticed it was the Heart of Balsilide, simply lying in the dirt. The Shadow Walker must have dropped it during the fight, Selna thought.
She was about to tell Balken when she noticed something. The Heart wasn't sparkling, it was glowing. Selna could almost feel the power radiating off of the jewel, unlike it ever had before. With a cautious hand Selna bent down to pick it up.