Chapter 18:
As the Guardians flew over the water in the canyon, each of them kept an eye out for any signs of their friends. But they found nothing.
"Where are they?", Hay Lin questioned as she scanned the area.
"They have to be around here somewhere.", Alchemy said.
"What if they... You know.", Caleb said. "Didn't make it."
"No! Don't even think that!", Will snapped. "They survived! So keep looking!", she said giving Caleb a glare that told him to shut up and keep looking.
And it wasn't just Will. The other girls were giving Caleb the same look. Feeling outnumbered, Caleb gulped and continued to search.
"I found them!", Taranee shouted pointing to a spot.
Everyone else looked to see Cassidy, Irma, and Angelo out of the canyon and on higher ground laying on their backs breathing heavily. Once the others landed close to them, Hay Lin ran up to Irma and hugged her best friend in a tight embrace..
"Oh, Irma!", Hay Lin cried as she held on to Irma. "I was so worried about you!"
"Can't... breath... right... Hay Lin!", Irma said in between breaths.
"Oh! Sorry!", Hay Lin said as she let Irma go allowing her to take a deep breath in.
"You okay, Cass?", Alchemy said as she placed a hand on the Water Guardian's shoulder.
"Yeah.", Cassidy said. "I thought I was done for! Then this guy dives in and pulls me and Irma out of the drink!", Cassidy said with a grin as she playfully backhanded Angelo in the chest.
"You okay?", Selece asked Angelo as she and Will knelt down to him.
"I've been better.", Angelo said as stretched his wings out to dry in the Sun. "Boy was that a close one!", he said before he felt two sets of arms wrap around his neck.
"I was so scared that I almost lost my best friend.", Will said happy that Angelo was okay as she hugged him.
"Never scare us like that again!", Selece said as she too held onto Angelo.
"Sorry I scared you two.", Angelo said as he hugged both girls. "I'll try not to do that again."
"You better not!", Will said with a grin as the three of them ended their hug.
Seeing the three of them shared their hug, Caleb clenched his fist tighter while glaring at Angelo. Once Angelo, Cassidy, and Irma had caught their breath and felt okay, they along with the other Guardians flew back to the newly built dam to see if it was okay.
"Wow!", Cassidy said as they landed next to Elyon, Matt, and the Honor Guard. "Nice work, guys!"
"Yeah!", Angelo said. "This is a well-built dam."
"I'm just glad that we got it up in time.", Taranee said.
"Why's that?", Irma asked.
"Because of the village that's up ahead.", Drake said.
"Hey!", Selece said. "I have an idea!"
"What is it?", Elyon asked.
"Well, if we punch some holes near the top, it'll allow some water to flow down to the village giving the people more water to use for crops, laundry, and other thing.", Selece explained.
"That's a great idea.", Alchemy said to Selece. "We can even have Cornelia and Caleb help make a river that can send the water to the village."
"Better than that!", Aldern said. "We can have the main river split off and form other rivers that can lead to other villages, towns, and cities."
"Wise thinking, Aldern.", Alborn said.
"Think you guys can pull it off?", Angelo asked Cornelia and Caleb.
"I think so.", Cornelia said.
"I can help with my eyebeams.", Matt said.
"And I can burn a burn a trail for the water, too.", Elyon said.
"Irma and I can direct the water flow for a bit before the rivers get going on their own.", Cassidy said.
"Sure.", Irma said. "Why not?"
"Me and Alchemy can melt some openings in the dam.", Taranee said as she and Alchemy flew up to the dam.
"Let's do this!", Alchemy said as she and Taranee floated at the top of the dam.
Both Fire Guardians began to melt opening at the top of the dam that were "U-shaped allowing the water to flow out like a waterfall. They melted seven openings which flowed freely. Next was Elyon who used her powers to burn a path for the water to flow down normally. Then she along with Cornelia, Caleb, and Matt split off and began to use their powers to form paths for the water to split off and flow to the towns, cities, and villages. As they were doing this, Irma and Cassidy used their powers to make the water flow down the paths without going to fast. Soon, Taranee and Alchemy helped by burning deep paths to other towns, cities, and villages as well. Soon, all of them ended up in one spot in a large field.
"So what do we do now?", Alchemy asked.
"I know!", Elyon said as she turned to Cornelia and Caleb. "Can you two form a wide and deep hole?"
"How deep?", Caleb asked.
"And how wide?", Cornelia asked.
"Real deep and wide.", Elyon said. "I'm thinking of having a lake here for the rest of the water to flow to. Then we can make a path that leads to the cliff over there.", she explained.
The group looked to see that the cliff was hanging over the ocean.
"Smart thinking, Elyon!", Alchemy said. "Now we don't have to worry about any flooding."
"Bingo!", Eloyn said.
"Then let's do it.", Caleb said as he flew to the center of the spot Elyon wanted the lake. "Try to keep up.", he said to Cornelia with a cocky grin.
Cornelia simply rolled her eyes as she followed Caleb to the spot they would be forming the lake. Once there, the both of them began to use their powers to form the deep and wide hole Elyon asked them to form. It didn't take them long to form the hole with them working together, no matter how bad Caleb didn't want to. Soon the hole was form just as the water came flowing down the path that was formed for it.
"That should do it.", Taranee said. "It shouldn't take long for the hole to fill."
"Then I guess I better make the path for the cliff.", Elyon said as she began to blast a nice size path from the lake to the cliff.
And with her powers it didn't take long to do it. When she was finished she was impressed with what she and her friends had done for the people. She then used her powers to teleport herself and the others back to where the Honor Guard and the other Guardians were waiting for them. Once back with the others, Elyon turned to face them all and...
"Nice job everyone.", Elyon said to the others. "Thanks you for your help. You not only help me and my Honor Guard save my kingdom from rampaging robots but you were able to build a new dam and help make rivers and a lake for my people to use."
"Don't sweat it, Elyon.", Will said. "We were doing our job.", she said with a smile that Elyon returned before the Meridian queen turned to her Honor Guard.
"And to you, my Honor Guard. You all have performed well as a team.", Elyon said. "Meridian is lucky to have you as it's protectors."
"It was our pleasure, Your Majesty.", Raythor said.
"He's right.", Miriadel said. "This is our home. It is our honor to protect it."
"Here! Here!", Alborn said making his wife smile.
"And you, Micheal. Thank you for joining the Honor Guard.", Elyon said. "You could have decided to live a normal life after what you've been told and seen. But instead you're here. Thank you."
"Well, I could just let my little sister and friends do all of this while I was back home chilling.", Micheal said with a grin making his sister smile. "Plus, I remember something my grandparents told me, Selece, Will, and Angelo when we were younger. They always said that if you had the ability and power to help someone, then you should try to do so. They may be gone, but that's one of the things that stuck with me."
"Your grandparents were good people.", Vathek said as he placed a hand om Micheal's shoulder.
"Yeah. They were.", Micheal said before Selece walked up to her brother and hugged him.
"I miss them, too.", Selece said as Micheal returned the hug.
After they ended their hug, Elyon teleported everyone back to the palace. Watching all of what happened was Hollens who was quite impressed with what he saw.
"Remarkable!", Hollens said. "I knew that the Guardians were powerful, but not that powerful. And the Queen and Regent are powerful as well. And those other warriors are skilled as well.", he said as he used a fold crystal he had to open a fold back to his apartment on Earth.
Once there, he closed the fold and went to sit in his chair where he had a thing of warm tea ready for him when he came back.
"Ten Guardians, a Regent of Earth, a queen that's the Heart of her world, and nine skilled warriors.", Hollens said before he sipped some tea. "Looks like I'm going to have to change up my gameplan.", he said as he sipped some more tea.
Back on Metamoor, Elyon had teleported herself and the others back to the palace, where the Honor Guard dismounted their horses and let the stable boys take the horses back to the stables.
"Well, this was a fun first day on the job.", Angelo said. "Is it always like this?"
"Sometimes.", Hay Lin said. "Just be glad that Phobos isn't on the loose!"
"Phobos?", Selece questioned.
"My brother.", Elyon said. "And that's a story for another day.", she said as she let out a yawn. "Right now, I could use some rest."
"Same here.", Angelo said. "It's not everyday you dive into raging waters to save to people. Got to admit though. That was a rush!"
"Our hero!", the two Water Guardians said in a dreamy voice as Irma grabbed onto Angelo left arm and Cassidy grabbed onto his right arm.
Irma then leaned up and kissed Angelo's left cheek while Cassidy kissed his right getting laughs out of the others.
"And all I had to do was save their lives.", Angelo joked as Cassidy and Irma let him go.
"And with that, we're out of here.", Will said as she opened a fold for Earth before she and Cassidy transformed the other back to normal while Matt transformed back to normal.
"See you guys later.", Micheal said as he handed Vathek his sheathed broad sword.
"Until the next time, my friend.", Vathek said with a friendly smile that Micheal returned.
Drake handed his short-handled mace to Alborn while Aldern handed his battle-axe to Raythor before going through the fold with the others leaving Elyon.
"I wish you could come with me.", Elyon said as she hugged her adoptive parents, Alborn & Miriadel."
"We do too, but we're needed here to help protect the kingdom.", Alborn said. "But we know you're in good hands with the Vanders."
"Besides. You come here every weekend.", Miriadel said with a smile that Elyon returned.
"Plus, you can sometimes come see us after school.", Alborn said. "But don't let your visits interfere with your school work. Okay?"
"Okay.", Elyon said with a smile. "See you later.", she said before going through the fold.
"Poor thing.", Miriadel said. "So much pressure for one child to undertake."
"Yet she takes it well.", Raythor said walking up to them. "I do wish there was a way to take so much pressure off the queen."
"We all do, Raythor.", Vathek said.
"If there is one, it shall come to us in time.", Julian said. "But for now, it is up to us to be there for our queen."
"On that we all agree, my friend.", Tynar said getting nods from the rest of the Honor Guard before they headed inside the palace.
Back on Earth, our young heroes were standing in the large basement of the Vander's home as Will closed the fold. Everyone went upstairs where Kadma and Joe were waiting for them with Yan Lin.
"Welcome back.", Yan Lin said with a kind smile.
"So how did things go?", Kadma asked.
"Let's see. First, we along with the Honor Guard and to fight seven robots that looked like and were the size of Hermeneuta Beast.", Cassidy explained. "To which one of them blew up a dam releasing water that me and Irma had to hold back giving the other time to escape. To which we ended up getting washed away in."
"Oh my.", Yan Lin said.
"And yet you two are still here.", Joe said.
"Thank your grandson for that.", Irma said. "Dove right in the rushing water after us.", she said while nudging his arm.
"Not bad for your first mission.", Joe said proud of Angelo. "But what happened to the rushing water?"
"We made a new dam.", Taranee answered. "Then, thanks to Selece's suggestion, made a few rivers to the other villages that didn't have much water to use."
"Then Cornelia and Caleb made a large lake for the water to flow into so other villages could use the water.", Alchemy finished explaining. "Followed by Elyon making a large river that lead to a cliff that hung over the ocean."
"I've meant to ask.", Micheal said. "Where did all that water come from any way?"
"Good question.", Will said.
"It comes from the snow on the mountains in the area.", Drake said. "It snows a lot on those mountains. And when the snow piles up enough, a lot of it rolls down the mountains and melts creating the water that flows though the canyon."
"So the first dam was created to stop flooding that was happening at first.", Taranee figured getting a nod from Drake.
"It has been maintained for generations.", Aldern said.
"And now we have a new dam that'll hopefully stand for a long time.", Elyon said.
"Thanks to us working together.", Will said giving Caleb and Irma a look that they noticed.
"So how was your first day on duty?", Kadma asked Angelo, Selece, and Micheal.
"It was something.", Selece said.
"I never thought I'd be fighting a robot.", Micheal said.
"Me neither.", Angelo said.
"Never a dull moment.", Cornelia said. "Trust me on that."
'Trust you. Yeah right!', Caleb thought to himself. 'It'll be a LONG time before that happens. If ever!'
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I have to get back home.", Will said.
"Same here.", Irma said. "But we have to be careful and not get caught."
"Hmmmmm... How about you teleport into your Bedroom closets and wait for your Astral Drops to show up and absorb them.", Alchemy suggested.
"Works for me.", Will said before she gave Caleb a quick kiss. "Later!", she said before teleporting away.
"Peace out!", Irma said before giving Matt a kiss and teleporting away.
"Well, I'm tired and need some rest for tomorrow.", Taranee said. "We have a lot of work to when it comes to do those calendars."
"Oh yeah!", Selece said. "We will be busy tomorrow."
"Then I say we get to school as early as we can!", Hay Lin suggested.
"Relax, Hay Lin. We don't have to get to school early.", Angelo said. "We still need to get the materials to make the calendars."
"Not to mention setting up the voting box for the students to pick the most popular girls and guys.", Elyon said. "Oh! We can do personal calendars for students who are willing to pay for them!"
"That's a good idea!", Alchemy said. "And I know a lot of students that would like to have one done of themselves."
"As long as they keep it clean then we'll do it.", Angelo said.
"Well, I'm heading home before my parents start to freak out.", Cornelia said.
"Mind if I walk you home?", Micheal asked.
"Of course not.", Cornelia said with a smile as she took Micheal's arm.
"You ready to go, Kiddo?", Yan Lin said to her grand-daughter. "I got the van outside ready to roll."
"It's fixed?", Hay Lin questioned.
"Sure is. Your father got it up and running.", Yan Lin said.
"I didn't know dad knew anything about cars.", Hay Lin said.
"He had to learn when the Silver Dragon first opened.", Yan Lin said with a grin. "We couldn't afford to get it fix by a shop. So, he had to learn to fix it himself."
"Wow! Go, dad!", Hay Lin said.
"If anyone else needs a ride, I can give it to you.", Yan Lin said to the others as she and Hay Lin headed for the front door of the Vander's home.
"I could use a ride home.", Taranee said.
"Same here.", Selece said. "Granted I don't live to far from here but I'm to tired to walk home."
"It's your first day of action.", Yan Lin said to Selece. "You'll get use to it."
"How about you, Alchemy?", Taranee asked. "You want a ride home?"
"Thanks but I live way across midtown Heatherfield.", Alchemy said. "I can walk."
"I'll walk with you.", Angelo said.
"Thanks.", Alchemy said. "But I'll be okay."
"I insist.", Angelo said. "It'll be wrong of me to let a lady walk home alone.", Angelo said as he walked with Alchemy to the front door.
"Oh brother.", Alchemy said as she rolled her eyes.
"You better roll those eyes back too.", Angelo said not even looking at her.
"How did he...?", she began to question.
"Let's go, woman!", Angelo said getting a giggle out of the other girls as Alchemy went with Angelo out of the house.
"These will be some interesting times.", Kadma said with a grin as she and Joe watched everyone head to their homes.
"Yeah. Very interesting.", Joe said as he turned to Cassidy, Elyon, Drake, Aldern, and Caleb. "As for the rest of you, dinner is already on the table if you're hungry."
"Don't have to tell me twice.", Cassidy said as she headed for the Dining Room.
"So where are Mr. Vanders and Ms. Lin?", Elyon asked as she headed into the Dining Room with Kadma and Joe.
"Jun took a plate to John who is working late at Simutech.", Kadma replied. "He decided to work on a few extra things."
"That's John for you. He sometimes gets caught up in his work.", Joe said as he and the other sat at the table.
Once they said grace, they all began to eat their food. As for John, Jun Lin had just brought him his dinner along with her own so they could have their meal together.
"So how are things here?", Jun asked her future husband.
"Pretty well.", John said. "We got as a lot of things done here. I'm just making sure we got everything done right before I left. Sorry you had to come and bring me my dinner."
"Don't worry about it.", Jun said. "I've wanted to come here any way. Now I have an excuse.", she said with a smile.
"Well aren't we the sly one.", John said with a smirk.
"Yes I am.", Jun said with a smirk of her own getting a laugh out of John before they continued their meal.
Watching them, through the video camera in the room, was Riddle who was most impressed with the work John and the Robertsons were doing.
"It seems that the progression of the chip is coming along quite well.", Riddle said. "It'll only be a matter of time before we get the final tool we need to complete our goal. Yes. Only a matter of time.", Riddle said as he cut the video feed to go get something to eat himself.
Meanwhile, in Midtown Heatherfield, Angelo was walking Alchemy home.
"I still can't believe what happened today.", Angelo said looking down at his hands. "We fought robots! Robots!"
"Not to mention creating a new dam along with a bunch of rivers, a lake, and a waterfall.", Alchemy added. "Plus, you saved three Guardians."
"Three?", Angelo questioned. "I know I pulled Cassidy and Irma out of the water. Who was the third?"
Angelo then stopped when he heard Alchemy clear her throat while tapping her right foot with her hands on her hips giving him a stern look.
"What?", Angelo asked.
"Hello!?", Alchemy questioned while waving her arms in the air. "What about me!?"
"Oh yeah!", Angelo said remembering when he caught Alchemy when she got flung off the first robot they fought. "Sorry about that."
"Forget about it.", Alchemy said with a sigh as she walked on.
"I didn't mean to forget.", Angelo said as he caught up with her. "It's just that... Catching you was a reflex while diving in for Cassidy and Irma scared the crap out of me."
"Really?", Alchemy questioned.
"Yeah!", Angelo said. "I mean, you I saw coming at me. I knew I could catch you. But when I took that chance to go in the water after Irma and Cassidy, I was going in the water blind."
"Good point.", Alchemy said. "I'm just glad that everyone made it okay."
"Same here.", Angelo said. "I'm also glad that all of you were able to work together to make that dam. I wish I was there to see that."
"Yeah, well don't think that'll change things when it comes to how Caleb feels about Cornelia.", Alchemy replied.
"What do you mean?", Angelo asked.
"Well, I was able to sense how Caleb felt about working with Cornelia.", Alchemy said. "And it almost turned his stomach."
"Wow!", Angelo said. "He really, REALLY needs to get his act together."
"You're telling me.", Alchemy said as they got to her house. "Well, here we are. Thanks for walking me home."
"No problem.", Angelo said giving Alchemy a smile that she returned. "See you tomorrow.", he said as he headed home.
"See ya!", Alchemy said as she headed for her house.
As Angelo headed back home, one thought came to mind.
'There has to be some way to fix things before it's to late.', he thought as he headed home.
Now in Uptown Heatherfield, Micheal was standing at the door to the Hale's apartment with Cornelia. They had just gotten there and were saying goodbye to each other.
"Well, this was an interesting day.", Micheal with a grin that Cornelia returned. "I mean you guys made a dam!"
"Yeah.", Cornelia said. "That was a first for us."
"I'm even surprised that Caleb worked with you to help make it.", Micheal said.
"Only because he had no choice.", Cornelia said. "He and Irma still don't want me around.", she said sadly.
"Hey. Don't let them get to you.", Micheal said as he cupped Cornelia's face gently. "Sooner or later, you and Will are going to make up and Caleb and Irma will come around and see how wrong they were for treating you the way they did. And it'll be all good.", he said making Cornelia smile before Micheal kissed her on her forehead making Cornelia blush a bit.
"Thanks.", Cornelia said before kissing Micheal on the cheek. "That means a lot."
"You're welcome.", Micheal said with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow.", Cornelia said as she watched Micheal walked towards the elevator.
As Micheal stepped in the elevator, he turned around and waved to Cornelia who waved back with a smile that he returned as the elevator doors closed. Cornelia then headed inside her family's apartment home and up to her bedroom. As for Micheal, once on the first floor, he headed for the bus stop to catch the bus for home. As he was waiting at the bus stop, he was hoping and praying that things would work out for Cornelia, Will, and his other friends. As for Angelo, he made it home to see Caleb sitting on the porch of the place. He was about to go inside when...
"What's your deal, man?", he asked Caleb as he turned to look at him. "We're all on the same side, yet you want us gone so bad that you can taste it."
"My deal is that there are supposed to be five Guardians! Five! Not eight! Not ten! FIVE!", Caleb said while glaring at Angelo. "We were doing just fine with the five of us! But the Oracle goes and makes Guardians of Cassidy, Alchemy, and Cornelia of all people! And now he goes and makes you and Selece Guardians! Endarno was right! The Oracle should have just took the extra power and gave it to us!"
"And yet he didn't.", Angelo said. "Will told me about what the Oracle said would have happened if you got that extra power. That's why he decided to bring five more Guardians into the fray. So if I were you, I'd just accept it and go with the flow."
"I don't think so!", Caleb said as he got up from the chair he was sitting in to face Angelo. "One way or the other, Endarno will convince the Council of the Known Worlds that you five shouldn't be Guardians! And when he does, I'll take great pleasure in taking Cornelia's powers and watching Will take yours!", he said as he walked past Angelo while bumping into him on purpose.
"That boy has problems.", Angelo said.
"Tell me about it."
Angelo looked down to see Cassidy standing at the bottom of the steps of the porch.
"Where did you go?", Angelo asked as Cassidy walked up to the porch.
"I went for a walk after eating dinner.", Cassidy said. "I came up back when I overheard you and Caleb talking. I knew Caleb didn't like us being Guardians but wow!"
"Yeah.", Angelo said as they sat in different chairs on the porch together. "I figured that after what they did today with the dam and all, they'd start to get along."
"It'll take more than that to bring us all together.", Cassidy said.
"Looks like.", Angelo said. "I think the key to all of this is Will and Cornelia. If we can get them to work things out then maybe Caleb and Irma will come around."
"True. But how do we do it?", Cassidy asked.
"No idea.", Angelo said. "But I'm sure if you, me, and the others put our heads together we can think of something.", he said as his stomach began to growl a bit. "And with that, I'm going to get me something to eat.", he said as he stood up.
"Dinner is on the Dinning Room table.", Cassidy said.
"Thanks.", Angelo said. "You coming in?"
"Nah. Not yet.", Cassidy said as she leaned back in her chair. "I'll hang out here for a bit."
"Okay.", Angelo said. "Later."
"Later.", Cassidy said as the door closed behind Angelo. "Lord, please let things work out between all of us. I don't know what's coming, but I do know that it's going to take all of us to stop it.", she said as she looked up at the sky as some stars began to appear.
Cassidy then kicked back in the chair and looked up at the stars hoping for the best. As for Will, she had just finished eating dinner with her mother and was now in her bedroom for some time to herself. She was sitting in her chair that she had next to her window allowing her to look up at the sky. As she was doing this, she began to think back to how they were able to make the dam that stopped the water from flooding the village that was near the canyon.
'I still can't believe we were able to pull it off.', she thought to herself. 'Maybe... Maybe I can trust Cornelia. Maybe. Only time will tell.', she said as she continued to look up at the sky.
Meanwhile, Hollens was in his penthouse apartment with Sylla and Riddle discussing his plans for the Guardians.
"It is a sound plan.", Riddle said. "But we must do this right if we are to do it right."
"But are we sure we really want to do this?", Sylla questioned. "I mean kidnapping is a federal crime."
"True, But we're Interpol, remember.", Riddle said. "Think of it as detaining a witness."
"Besides. I know what will happen when we do this.", Hollens replied. "They replace the kidnapped Guardian with what they call an Astral Drop as not to raise an alarm with the child's family. So there's nothing to fear."
"I hope you're right, Hollens.", Sylla said. "I truly hope you are."
"Do not worry, my friend.", Riddle said. "When all is said and done, Earth shall have a foot hold on another world making us one step closer to colonising on other worlds. Is that not your dream?"
"Yes. But to do what you have planned. It just feels like we're crossing a line.", Sylla said.
"Sometimes you have to bend the rules to achieve your goals, Sylla.", Hollens said with a straight face. "Believe me when I say that I've had to a time or two. But in the end, I got the job done. Which is what I plan to do here and now. But it shall take some time to do this. A room must be built to keep her powers at bay."
"Very well.", Sylla said giving in. "I'll help. But promise me that no harm will come to the child."
"I promise you that I will not harm the child.", Hollens said to Sylla. "Nor will anyone under our employment."
"Thank you.", Sylla said.
"Now let us plan on how we shall capture the Guardian in question.", Riddle said as the three of them began to plan their kidnapping of the Guardian.
A/N: Looks like Hollens and company plan to kidnap one of the Guardians. But which one? And Caleb still wants to get rid of Cassidy and the others. That boy never learns. Between him and the enemy who knows what's going to happen. But then, Will is starting to come around to having Cornelia around. Maybe that can make the difference. You never know. Find out what happens next in the next chapter!
Please review.