Authors' Notes: Well everyone here is the next chapter in this epic adventure.

Now without further ado here is the next chapter.

ZR };-

Re-uploaded

Mystic Guardians: Hero's From Two Worlds

By

Zona Rose

Chapter Three

The wasteland stretched out before Hayate, a desolate canvas of grays and browns. Each step she takes kicks up small clouds of dust, seeming to be the only sign of life in this barren expanse. Since finding herself alone she has spent days wandering, her hope a dim flicker against the overwhelming gloom that surrounds her. Her only guide was this strange pull taking her in this direction.

Thinking her eyes were playing tricks she looked at the horizon, that's when she saw them, distorted shapes that are pulled from nightmares. Goblins. They were spilling over a low ridge like a grotesque tide, their twisted forms more real than any animation could capture.

Hayate's heart hammers in her chest as she turns on her heel and runs. Her legs pumped furiously, propelling her across the unforgiven terrain, but the Goblins are swift, hunger and malice tend to lend speed to their limbs.

She chances a glance over her shoulder and sees them gaining ground, their weapons glinting in the weak light. Panic wraps its cold fingers around her throat. She pushes harder, but the uneven ground betrays her.

Her foot catching on an unseen rock; tumbles down a shallow hill. The world whirls, like a kaleidoscope of gray sky and dead earth. She hits hard against the gnarled root of a lifeless tree, pain exploding in her head.

Dazed, Hayate slumps against the rough bark causing it to scratch her skin. Her vision starts to blur at the edges as she watches the Goblins descend upon her like vultures.

"Help me," She whispers into the void, her voice small against the approaching doom. "Someone help me, please." The words barely escape her lips before darkness begins to close in, the figures of her pursuers distorting into shadows that dance at the edge of her consciousness.

Is this how it ends? Alone and forgotten in a land that knows not her name?

But Fate has a different plan, as a whisper of magic stirs within her soul.

Goblins converge, fingers reach, and eyes are light with malice. Hayate's plea dissolves into the harsh winds of the wasteland, but salvation comes in the form of a whirlwind of steel and magic.

Five figures leap into action and rush to her aid.

"Get away from her!" A female voice bellows. A fierce swordswoman hurled herself from a boulder and drove her sword straight through a goblin skull. Its body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. The swordswoman pulls her sword from the body and starts attacking her next foe.

A short girl in armor swung her hammer and got three, sending them flying. Standing protectively next to the injured Hayate a blonde-haired woman standing over her.

Kneeling, "Are you all right?" The blonde-haired woman asked concern etched on her face. Golden rings on her hands emanate healing energy.

Lightning started to strike goblins all around them with precision. Hayate turned her head and saw a tall woman with long white hair casting spells.

While a wolf with a blue and white coat was standing at the back of the woman kneeling over her, it attacked any who dared to sneak up on the healer.

"Thank you," Hayate whispered, relief flooding her body. She couldn't believe that strangers had come to her aid, but she was grateful.

"Of course," The blonde woman said. "We'll keep you as safe as we can."

"Reinforce," The sword woman called out, "We need an exit path."

"Right." Reinforce illuminates the area with magic. Reinforce looks over at Hayate and feels something stir within her, something that she has not felt in several years. "Everyone, gather close!" Reinforce warns. A brilliant light erupted from her fingertips, engulfing the area, and blinding the advancing Goblins.

The wolf moved up next to Hayate and said, "Get on my back, this will be faster."

The healer helped Hayate onto the wolf's back and held onto her as they started to run. "Hold on tight!" The healer said.

As they made their escape, Hayate clung to the wolf, thoughts racing through her mind. There was a huge explosion behind them. Hayate looked back and there was a crater where they all had been, not one Goblin was left alive.

Hayate's rescuers made it to their camp. Hayate slid off the wolf's back and put her forehead into his furry side. "Thank you," Hayate whispered. "I don't know what I would have done."

The blonde healer helped Hayate over to one of the bedrolls, while the campfire was rekindled and a pot of water was put on. Still shaken and bewildered, Hayate looks up at her saviors. The camp that they led Hayate to is neat and clean, a circle of warmth and light guarded by spells.

"Here," The healer handed Hayate a cup of what looked like tea. "This tea will help calm your nerves."

"Thank you," Hayate murmured, taking the cup with trembling hands. "My name is Hayate," Taking a sip of the tea, feeling the warmth spread throughout her body.

"Who are all of you?" Hayate asked.

The swordswoman started, "My name is Signum, the dwarf over there is Vita, the healer is Shamal, the wolf is Zafira, and the elf standing guard is Reinforce."

"We're a group of adventurers," Vita says. "We have been together for a long time. We may come from different backgrounds, but we've made a family."

Hayate didn't know what to make of that last statement, so she continued to sip her tea. Signum's blue eyes studied Hayate with concern. "Why do you wonder these forsaken lands alone?"

Hayate meets her gaze, finding solace in this band of strangers who'd risked their lives for hers. She tells them of her search for companions lost to her for unknown reasons. "We were all together and then during a transportation spell, we were somehow separated. I need to find them so that I can go home."

Signum looks at the others and then makes a decision, "Join us, we'll search for your companions together."

Hayate says, "I am grateful, for your help."

As the group treks through a landscape that softens from forsakenlands to scrublands and to the edge of a lush forest. Along the way, Hayate shares fragments of her life, her solitude, and her longing for companionship. As the journey unfolds, curiosity blooms within her. She's intrigued by the bonds that tie her new companions together and how they met.

One evening, as they sit around a campfire with the stars peeking through the canopy of leaves above, Hayate turns to Signum and asks her how the group came to be such a close group. Signum shifting her weight, her sword resting beside her, begins to recount her tail.

Signum says, "I should start as it begins with me. I am a swordswoman from a faraway country that does not believe in women's rights, so I left when my father tried to marry me off to some old man with money, for money.

I found a swordmaster and spent years training until I was ready to head out on my own. As I traveled, I saw that the country I was from was the only one to think that way, at least so far."

Shamal comes in with her story. "I guess it is my turn, before I met Signum I was in a school for healing called Zephyr's Light, I had just started my journeyman's training when I came across a swordswoman fighting a horrendous monster trying to save a family." Shamal said, "She was already very wounded. After she had won, I nursed her back to health. This was before we got stronger weapons like we have now. This is also when we fell in love and soon became bonded."

Hayate's interest piques at this notion of bonding, unfamiliar yet intimate. "What does being bonded mean?"She inquires.

The group looked confused at the question, "What do you mean what is bonded?" Vita asks Hayate.

"Well you see I'm not from here, so I don't know what it is," Hayate told them.

"Not from here?" Shamal asks.

Hayate hesitates for a moment and then decides. "I'm from another world called Earth." She pauses before continuing, "You see, six of us were summoned here by the goddess to save this world. During transport to the surface, we were separated. That is also how I ended up in the forsaken lands."

Reinforce answered Hayate's question, "Bonded is when two or three people fall in love and during love making a bond is made, meaning that the souls split and half goes to the other person and when the person dies the souls go to the surviving person."

Hayate wonders if other worlders can also have this bonding thing too.

Vita started her story next, "I was disowned by my Dwarven clan, I said that my way of making weapons was better than the old ways. They told me to leave and never come back. That was 30 years ago and I have never been back and don't plan to either. These two found me in the middle of a fight with a horde of Orcs. I was winning, just two or three left to go."

Signum says, "Yes, Shamal had to stop me from jumping into the fight."

Vita said, "My hammer is the best and can take down anything I want it to!" With a glare at Signum.

"Yes, and I healed her up after she was done with them," Shamal said smiling.

"My hammer is undefeated even now," Vita says with great pride.

Zafira started his story next, "I am known as a mix. That is when two races mate and create a child that is a mix of the two. It is looked down on to have or to be a mix. You are not accepted by either group. I am human and Beastman. I stay in my Beastman form so humans don't know, and I stay away from the Beastmen tribes as they can smell the human in me.

I found them in a big fight with some big three-headed dogs in a pack. So I just jumped in the fight. We have been together ever since."

Reinforce looked off into the distance as if she was looking at something. "I was cast out of the Elven lands as I am the parent of a mixed. I had been traveling for many years when I met and fell in love with my human wife, although we never became bonded.

We had been together for years and she and I both wanted a child, she found a spell to make one of us have the ability to make the other conceive. It worked, she was able to have a son. We had left a human settlement and were on our way home when we were attacked by Koblots. She died protecting our son. She had been killed before they found us."

The others looked sad knowing they were not in time to save her wife. The group remained quiet for the rest of the night.

Over the next few days, the group seems to get closer to Hayate. It was at about this time that Hayate felt she could ask Reinforce to teach her magic. "We don't have magic on Earth and I want to be able to help protect my friends just like you all did for me," Hayate says.

"I would be happy to teach you magic. Let's see what you can do," Reinforce says. Over the next few hours, Reinforce tested Hayate, finding her to have a large capacity for magic. Reinforce started Hayate on the basics of being a mage, beginning with the history and novice spells, like shielding and firing projectiles made of magic.

The others took it upon themselves to teach Hayate different forms of combat to help protect herself until she was fully trained as a mage. Hayate knew that she had found something special in this strange world, a family.

After a few days, the adventures came upon a road and started to follow it. Coming around the corner a village was before them, a village so big it was on the border of becoming a city. It had different styles of houses both Japanese and old European.

There was an old English-styled two-story Inn and that's where they decided to stay for the night. Securing the lodging the group split up for their own tasks. Leaving Signum and Shamal behind in their room.

Reinforce, accompanies Hayate through the village market. Stalls overflow with vibrant produce and handcrafted goods—a stark contrast to the forsaken lands they've traversed. As they gather supplies, Reinforce explains the group's need to separate.

"Each has their way of preparing for the journey ahead," She says, picking up a piece of fruit and inspecting it. "Vita prefers to check and repair any stresses on Graf Eisen and the other weapons alone; it's her way of centering herself. Zafira seeks solitude and meditation in his Beastman form, attuned to nature's whispers."

Hayate nods, understanding each warrior's need for personal space before battle. They continue their stroll, the hum of village life around them. "I suppose everyone has their rituals," Hayate muses aloud.

They make their purchases in comfortable silence, returning to the inn with arms laden with supplies.

Shamal stood next to the bed, her green eyes locked onto Signum's intense blue gaze. She began to peel off her clothing, one piece at a time, feeling exposed yet exhilarated. Her heart raced as she watched Signum mimic her every move, her breath catching in her throat as her lover finally stood before her in all her glory. Shamal looked down and felt a throb in her lower belly, Signum was hard and ready.

Signum approached the bed with a slow, deliberate stride, her eyes never leaving Shamal's.

As the two stood before each other in all their naked splendor, the two women locked eyes once more. The air between them crackled with electricity as they reached out to touch each other for the first time in so long. Their fingers traced over each other's skin, sending shivers down their spines and igniting a fire deep within their souls.

Shamal slowly lays down on the bed, feeling vulnerable yet powerful at the same time. Signum joined her on the mattress, their bodies pressed together in a passionate embrace. They kissed deeply, their tongues dancing together as they explored each other's mouths with fervor.

As their passion grew more intense, Signum trailed kisses down Shamal's neck and across her chest. Taking a beautiful rosebud into her mouth she suckled it with vigor, while one of her hands pinched and tweaked the other rosebud. Her lower body burned for the touch of her lover. Signum's free hand trailed its way down to the apex of her lover and caressed her wet flower. Shamal moaned softly as she felt Signum's lips take her sensitive nipple, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body.

Signum continued to explore Shamal's body with her mouth and hands, teasing and tantalizing every inch of skin she touched. Shamal writhed beneath her lover's touch, lost in a world of pure sensuality and desire.

"Take me, I can't wait anymore," Shamal says desperately.

"Did you take your medicine today?" Signum asked.

"Yes, I did." Shamal reply.

"We don't want a little one just yet, although I can't wait for the day that I make your belly swell with my child," Signum said.

"I can't wait for that day either. Now make us one my love." Shamal says in a husky voice.

Signum positioned herself between Shamal's legs, spreading them wide apart as she lowered herself onto Shamal's waiting sex. They both groaned in pleasure as they felt themselves become one flesh, their bodies moving together in perfect harmony as they lost themselves in each other's arms.

They made love deep into the night.

Leaving the village behind, the group traverses a landscape that grows increasingly wild. Trees bend and twist in unnatural ways and the air hums with an energy that sets their skin tingling and not in a good way.

A growl rumbles through the forest, low and menacing. Stepping out behind a veil of mist emerges a Chimera, its Lion's head is snarling its body bristling, the Serpent's tail is hissing, and a Goat's head bleating fire in anger.

Without hesitation, Signum draws Laevatein, its blade alight with flames. Goes for its serpent head cutting it off.

Shamal's' rings glimmer as she conjures shields of air to protect them from the goat spewing fire.

Vita swings Graf Eisen with her war cry, its former shifting to meet her needs, now a hammer with a spike. Strikes at the goat's head crushing it.

Reinforce incantations summon shadows that dance like specters around the beast antagonizing it.

While Zafira darts in between trees and the beast, biting and scratching with each attack.

The Chimera, ignoring all of the attacks, lunges at what it perceived to be the weakest of the group, Hayate. Standing her ground Hayate starts weaving signs in the air as Reinforce has been teaching her. The Chimera's attack falters as white magic radiates from Hayate's fingertips, binding it with luminescent chains.

Now unable to move, the group moves in to finish it off. With the final blow, it dissolves into black smoke they've never seen before, leaving behind only the silence and the lingering smell of ozone.

A week into their trip, Hayate started feeling a different pull than before, a stronger one. Trusting her instincts, she led the group through ancient ruins until they found themselves in a long-forgotten First Colony city.

"Wow, this place is amazing," Hayate said, her eyes scanning the crumbling buildings and overgrown streets. "The technology is even more advanced than what Earth has."

"Stay alert," Reinforce warned. "There may still be dangers here. This is a Belkan city and by the looks of it one of the first cities."

"Belkan, what is that?" Hayate asked.

"The Belkan's are the people of the stars also known as the First Colony," Reinforce said. "It is their technology that you see from time to time. Mostly abandon cities like this."

"Not much is known about them, as it was so long ago," Signum said.

"How long ago?" Hayate asked.

Vita stopped to think for a moment and said, "I would say about a Millennium or so is my best guess. No one knows when they arrived."

As they explored the city, Hayate felt the pull grow stronger, guiding her towards a small building hidden in the rubble. Inside, she discovered an old book resting on a dusty pedestal.

"Could this be...?" Hayate wondered aloud, reaching out to touch the ancient tome.

As her fingers grazed the cover, the edge of the book sliced her fingertip. Hayate yelped in pain as blood dripped onto the cover, causing strange symbols to light up with an eerie glow.

"Be careful, Hayate," Shamal urged, rushing to her side. "We don't know what kind of magic is at work here."

"Right," Hayate agreed, her heart pounding as she stared at the now-glowing book. "But something tells me that this is important."

The book began to float upwards, its pages flapping wildly. Inky tendrils like tentacles burst out from within, ensnaring Hayate's friends and dragging them towards the ancient tome. The five of them struggled to break free but to no avail.

"Hang on!" Hayate shouted as they were pulled into the book.

Then, Hayate felt something being ripped out of her chest. Looking down in shock to see a glowing ball of energy being torn from her, then flying to the book and being absorbed as well.

Fear like she had never felt before gripped her, but she refused to let it control her. "Give them back!" Hayate demanded, her voice shaking with determination.

In response, glowing spheres of different colors emerged from the book, orbiting around Hayate like a satellite. Shadows within the spheres took the shapes of her friends, their forms distorted by the strange magic binding them.

Hayate's eyes looked at the book, taking a deep breath, she focused her power, determined to prevail against the book. As if sensing her challenge the ancient tome manifested a dark doppelganger shadow that bore an uncanny resemblance to herself.

"Is this… a test?" Hayate thought as the doppelganger attacked.

With every ounce of strength and skill she possessed, Hayate countered its strikes, blow for blow, each blow sending shivers down her spine, every cut was deep, and blood flowed like water.

"Whatever you are, I won't let you take my friends, my family!" Hayate shouted, her resolve unwavering.

In the back and forth Hayate found an opening and pinned the doppelganger down. With a scream of effort, Hayate poured what magical energy she had left into the malicious twin, purging the corruption from it and turning it back into the book.

With a warm smile, Hayate held the ancient tome in her hands and decided to give it a name. "From now on, you shall be known as Tome of the Night Sky,"She declared, feeling a surge of energy pass between them. The book seemed to resonate with her words, pulsating in response.

As if answering to its new name, the Tome of the Night Sky released a shimmering light. Before Hayate's eyes, her friends materialized from the spheres. Each of them stood tall and resolute, ready to face any challenge by Hayate's side.

"Welcome back," Hayate said, relief evident in her voice. "We're all together again, and I couldn't be happier."

"Thank you, Master Hayate," Signum replied, bowing respectfully. The others followed suit, their loyalty unquestionable.

"Wait, why are you calling me Master?" Hayate asked them.

"You are now the Master of the book, so that makes you our Master. We were absorbed by the book and are part of it now." Signum said.

"You have lost your freedom?" Hayate asks. "All because of me…"

"We don't see it that way. Now we will always be by your side." Shamal says with a loving smile.

"We are now your Knights forever more," Zafira said.

Vita nodded her agreement. "We are your vanguard, no one will get past us."

Reinforce stands in the background and comes to a decision not to pursue Hayate in the way she has been thinking anymore. Only to support her new Master.

"If you all are okay with this…," Hayate nodded, "Then so am I," Feeling a warmth in her heart that she had never experienced before. She knew that no matter what happened from here on out, she would never be alone ever again.

The Tome of the Night Sky began to guide Hayate through the ancient ruins. As they ventured deeper into the forgotten city, Hayate could sense some kind of presence drawing closer.

Stopping just on the edge of the city they see an army of mixed monsters going by. The monsters do not see them and continue going in the direction Hayate and her Knights had just come from.

After the army has gone, Hayate looks at her Knights, "What do you think, should we go after them or head to meet up with the others I have been looking for."

"We don't have the numbers to defeat them, I'm sad to say," Signum says. The other Knights agreed with her.

"All right then we head in the direction of the pull that I'm still feeling," Hayate says.

They came across two more armies along the way. With every town and village they came to, there was talk of the armies on the move and attacking all they came across.

With every town and village they passed, the people were more and more afraid. The group decided to stop for the night and decide if they needed to go into any more towns or villages unless it was for supplies. The answer was no.

Coming to a forest that to Hayate looked more haunted than anything else. Gnarly twisted trees, spooky looking fog and half the trees looked more dead than alive. However, what bothered Hayate the most was the lack of any noise from animals or birds.

The pull that she was feeling was coming from inside this haunted-looking forest. Hayate did not want to go in, but then Vita got everyone's attention when she shouted, "A Goblin army is headed our way."

Without hesitation, the six ran into the haunted forest hoping they would lose the Goblins, but not lose each other. When they realized they weren't being followed they slowed their pace and came to an invisible barrier inside the forest.

"So what do you think about this invisible wall?" Hayate asked.

Reinforce walked up to the barrier and placed her hand on it, "This feels like ancient magic."

"All right, let's see what I can do about this." Hayate puts her hand on the barrier to feel the magic.

Reinforce has been teaching Hayate the ways of magic and how to use the Tome of the Night Sky. This is going to be her first big test to see if she can get it to open a doorway in this barrier.

She held the book in one hand and with her dominant hand against the barrier. She first starts with feeling the magic of the barrier and then channels that to the book. Letting the book find what it needed to open a doorway through.

The Tome of the Night Sky pages start turning on their own. Until they stop and Hayate could feel the magic of the Tome flowing back through her and into the barrier creating a doorway for all of them to walk through.

Standing on the other side were the other five summoned Heroes poised and ready to do battle with whoever was coming through the barrier. In front of them was a small tan ferret with a green ethereal glow around it.

"This is not the welcome I was expecting when we met up again," Hayate says.

Authors' Notes: Well everyone this takes us to the end of this chapter.

Please leave a review let me know what you think so far, and until next time enjoy the read.

In Love & Light,

ZR };-