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 Two
A blast of frigid air struck Fate in the face, taking her breath away. The wind whipped her long golden blonde hair around, whipping at her. Looking around the only ones she could see were her sister Alicia and their two familiars Rynith and Alph.
The landscape was white except for trees and rocks. From the looks of things, it seems that they were on the side of a mountain, which seemed to be a long mountain range. Looking out far beyond the mountains, she could see deserts, forests, and oceans. The color escapes were noticeably different from her home world.
Fate looked up, if it wasn't for the clouds hiding the sun, she was quite sure the snow would be blinding. Sweeping her gaze, her brow frowned with concern, "Where is everyone?" Fate mutters, her voice barely audible over the howling wind.
Placing a reassuring hand on Fate's shoulder Alicia says, "We'll find them," With confidence in her voice but unfortunately it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "But just look at this place," Alicia said, shaking her head in disbelief, changing the subject. "I never thought we'd find ourselves in a place like this."
"Neither did I," Fate admitted.
Fade looked around and noticed the familiars were already exploring their surroundings and adapting much faster than their masters. "Where are the others? And more importantly, where is that girl?" Blue sapphire eyes flashed in her mind, but this time they had a face to go with them, a beautiful face.
"What do you think we should do now?" Fate asked, her voice sounding a bit uncertain.
Alicia looking around considered their options. "First, we need to get out of this cold, someplace where we can make a game plan. Then we can try and figure out where to go from here."
"Sounds like a start," Fate agreed.
The familiars overhearing their masters, took the lead and headed down the mountain looking for any nook and cranny that could shelter them for the night. Fate couldn't help but wonder what secrets this world held.
Deep within her heart, she hoped that perhaps it would lead her closer to the one person who had captured her attention: the girl with the sideways ponytail and blue eyes. But for now, survival was the priority. She would face her feelings when the time was right.
Fate was about to say something concerning the pull that she was feeling when an unearthly howl split the silence. From the whirling snow that is approaching, snow beasts emerge, hulking figures with fur as white as the ground beneath their paws and eyes glinting like ice.
Alicia ready's her bow, "Stay close," Tact glows turquoise as she draws back an arrow and fires hitting her target, with a howl one of the beasts falls.
Fate nods, "Arcus, Cultus, Aegeas," She chants, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Bardiche transforms into its scythe form with a flash of golden light.
Snow beasts continue to charge, their roars echoing off the mountains. Fate dodges ice blasts well launching Photon Lancer at their attackers. Alicia fires arrow after arrow, always striking true, taking down one beast after another. Fate spins, lightning crackling around her as she slashes through another wave of foes with Photon Lancer. The creatures let out pain howls before collapsing into the snow, blue staining the pristine white.
Alicia's keen archer's eyes already spotting several more of the creatures stalking towards them, "More coming!" Alicia shouted.
Fate is stealing herself for the battle ahead. This is the first time she's ever been in a battle and her heart is pounding in her chest. "Let's do this," She said.
The girl's image flashes in Fate's mind, she knew now was not the time to be distracted as her sister and their familiars depended on her, and she was not about to let them down.
Alicia fired into the eye of a leaping snow beast, making it stagger back in pain. Fate took advantage of the distraction, ducking just in time as another beast lunged at her. She swiftly countered with a lightning attack, cutting down the creatures in a single, electrifying strike.
"Nice teamwork!" Alicia called out.
"Thanks," Fate answered, pride filling her heart at the compliment.
The familiars in their animal forms darted through the snow agile and swift as they attacked Beast after Beast which threatened their masters. Their fangs and their claws were no match for their enemy.
"Alph, watch your left!" Fate warned.
"Got it!" Alph replied. Sinking her teeth into its flesh feeling the bone crush in her jaws.
Alicia's keen eyes saw movement, "Rynith, one's coming from above!"
"Understood!" Rynith said. Leaping up to meet the creature mid-air, her claws bared and shredded its flesh.
"We need to finish this!" Fate yelled.
"Agreed," Alicia said, firing arrow after arrow as her energy was depleting.
"Got any ideas on how we can take them down all at once?" Fate asked.
"Working on it," Alicia said, firing arrows off into the distance with no target in sight of where she was firing.
The snow beasts stopped, looking up the mountain, and started retreating. That's when the sisters heard the deafening rumble that shattered the momentary calm. Fate Looks over at her sister with an alarmed look.
Alicia shouts over the growing roar, "We need to move, now!"
The four of them start running looking for a place that would protect them. The sounds of trees snapping like twigs behind them was more encouraging than it would seem.
Alicia points towards a narrow outcropping of rock just visible through the thickening veil of snow bearing down on them. "There!"
In unison they veer over to the outcropping, the deeper snow in this area making their escape feel agonizingly slow, as the avalanche was gaining on them.
Alicia raised her bow and fired on the rock wall. The arrow had a rope attached to it, gripping it hard she wrapped her arm around her sister and pulled hard to try and get them out of the way of the avalanche that was about to sweep them away.
Rynith and Alph both jumped up onto the outcropping and pressed their bodies against their masters to help hold them in place, so they wouldn't get swept away. The sound was deafening as it rumbled past them until, all was quiet once more.
Alicia looked over her shoulder to see a landscape that had been transformed. What was once familiar territory of trees, rocks, and snow, has now become an alien field of snow and debris.
Exhaustion is starting to settle in on the sisters, "We should find shelter," Fate suggests eyeing the darkening sky.
Rynith makes her way along the outcropping and finds a small cave that is partially buried in snow. Sliding down into the opening they look around and decide this is probably the best place to rest for the night. The two familiars go exploring to make sure the back of the cave is not already occupied. Alicia puts up a barrier at the cave's mouth to help keep out the cold and the wind. Fate uses her magic to create a ball of golden light that also radiates heat. When everyone is done with their tasks, they huddle together for warmth as Alph curls up beside Fate, and Rynith next to Alicia.
Fate and Alicia both go through the bags that the goddess had given them, finding some trail food they ration it amongst the four of them. After a while, Fate decides to bring up the strange feeling she has been getting since they arrived, "Hey Alicia, I need to talk to you about something."
Alicia cocks her head to the side, "What's on your mind, Fate?"
"I've been feeling a pull, ever since we got here. Do you feel it too?" Fate says.
Alicia shakes her head. "No… what kind of pull do you think it is?"
"I don't know. When I was looking out over the area below the mountains, it felt stronger when I looked at the forest area." Fate says.
"When we head out in the morning, point out the direction that you're feeling it coming from. We'll try to head in that direction." Alicia says. "Now let's get some rest, I have a feeling we have a long trip ahead of us."
The inside of the cave grew brighter and brighter until it was obvious that a new day had dawned. During breakfast, Rynith told Alicia about a strange wall painting at the back of the cave. When their meal was done they decided to investigate, when they came upon a gruesome sight.
There was a mural painted on the wall, with the word ECLIPSE in reddish brown, and a scene of agony and death depicted below the word. On the floor were powdered outlines of where people had laid and died with the same reddish brown stains coming from the outline.
"What do you think this means?" Alicia asked, tracing a finger along an image of twisted bodies.
Fate shivered, "A warning? A prophecy maybe." Shaking her head to dispel the dread creeping into her thoughts.
Moving back to the front of the cave they couldn't help shake the feeling of dread that the mural had imprinted on them. Climbing through the small hole that they had come through, they looked around at the devastation the avalanche had caused.
Fate pointed out the direction to her sister, they decided to head in that general direction as best they could descending the mountain. Soon they were past the snow, cold, and entered a thick forest at the base of the mountain. In the middle of the thick forest was a town with strange-looking buildings. The old village had cobblestone streets and thatched roofs on their cottage houses that looked both charming and alien to them.
Alicia and Fate wandered the streets, their eyes taking in the quaint architecture with a mix of curiosity and caution. They were used to more concrete and steel architecture.
The sisters decided to shop for necessities that they would need on their journey. While talking to the local villagers in the shops, they found out there was a stable where they could acquire transportation.
They soon came to a paddock that had strange brown creatures. They were taller than the two of them with long ears, short arms, long powerful legs, and thick long tails. What in the world was this creature?
A big burly man with a mustache and a genuine smile greets them warmly. "Welcome, travelers. What brings you to our humble village?"
"We're on a journey," Alicia explains, "We don't know how long of a journey, but we do require mounts to continue."
The man chuckles, "All I have are Kangaroos. They are the cheapest and fastest way to get around."
Fate looks skeptical at the creatures before her. They looked nothing like what she was familiar with back home. However, if they could get her and her sister to where they needed to go then she was more than willing to give them a try.
After negotiating the price for the Kangaroos and the tack that was needed to ride them. The stable master demonstrated how to put the saddle, harness, mount, and ride the Kangaroos.
Alicia mounts first, her natural poise aiding her as she finds her balance atop the Kangaroo. Fate follows suit, albeit with less grace, her grip tightening as the Kangaroo shifts beneath her.
"Lean with their movements," Instructs the stable master. "They tend to gallop on you if they are spooked."
The sisters practice in an enclosed area until they feel confident enough to head out into the open lands.
Once he was satisfied the two young women could saddle up the Kangaroos and ride them without falling off, he wished them well but suggested that they stay overnight and get a fresh start at day's light.
The next morning the sisters had saddled up and mounted their newfound steeds. Alicia grinned over at her sister, "Ready to continue this adventure?"
"Absolutely," Fate replied, smiling back.
Fate and Alicia headed out on their Kangaroos through the diverse landscape of this new world. They had grown comfortable with their steeds and relished the sense of freedom that came from exploring.
A few days later, as the sun began to set they looked for a place to rest for the night. Alicia pointed towards a cave entrance nestled between two huge trees, almost like they had been planted there long ago.
"Over there," Alicia said.
"Looks like as good a spot as any," Fate replied.
Steering their Kangaroos in the direction of the cave, they got a surprise as a horde of Gremlins burst forth from the cave, startling Alicia's Kangaroo. The Kangaroo leaped high and away from the Gremlins and then started running away at top speed.
"Alicia!" Fate cried out in alarm.
"I'm alright," Alicia shouted back. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Struggling to get her Kangaroo under control.
Fate found herself with more immediate problems, the Gremlins that surrounded her. Gripping her device Bardiche tightly she felt a surge of energy. Rynith and Alph, protected her flanks as she concentrated on the Gremlins to her front and sides. Fate fired off lightning strikes hitting with precision, as the two familiars slashed and clawed at the offending Gremlins.
Managing to regain control of her Kangaroo, Alicia raced back to aid her sister. "Coming in from behind," Alicia warned her sister, firing plasma arrows that got too close for comfort to her sister.
The Gremlins, realizing that they were no match, retreated into the cave.
Fate switched her eyes back and forth between the opening of the cave and her sister asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Alicia said, "Let's clean up this mess and get some rest."
Tying their mounts to the tree outside the cave, the sisters go in and wipe out the last of the Gremlins. Deciding to search the cave to make sure there were no hidden live ones. Once they were done they settled down for the night, and with the two familiars keeping watch they felt secure enough to sleep in the front of the cave.
A few weeks into their travels, the newness and wonder of their mounts has worn off. Alicia's back aches from the constant jarring motion and Fate silently longs for something that is not constantly moving under her.
Despite the relentless onslaught of dangers, they confront each peril with unwavering skill and fierce resolve. Not all of the danger was of the flesh and blood type, some of the plant life they have come across has been just as deadly. Vines reach out like arms, thorns are fired like projectiles.
The towns and villages that they've come across have been welcoming, but also reserved as they were strangers. There was talk amongst the locals that armies were starting to attack villages and towns, but not the cities or capitals yet.
Having dinner at the Inn they were staying at, they overheard some men behind them. It was getting harder for them to get supplies as the traveling merchants were being killed by the traveling armies.
"I was lucky a while back," One of them said, "I had picked up three young women and they were a tremendous help. I hope they're going to be okay, as we parted at the old fork in the road that led down to that Ancient Forest that nobody dares go to."
The sisters looked at each other with concern, "Excuse me gentlemen," Alicia interrupted them. "We're looking for some new friends that we got separated from. Could you please describe the young women that you were just talking about?"
Jiro looked at the sisters, "Yes, all three are about the same height, one of them has brown hair that is long and in a sideways ponytail, another one has blondish hair about shoulder length, and the third girl has violet hair that is just past her shoulders."
"That describes three of the friends we're looking for," Alicia said. The sisters looked at each other, both wondered the same thing: where was the fourth one?
"How long ago did you part ways?" Alicia asked. "And in which direction?"
"I'd say, it's been about, three weeks since I last saw them," Jiro said. "I last saw them in that direction." He pointed in the same direction the sisters had been traveling in.
"Thank you, for the information," Alicia says.
"If you catch up with them, tell them that Jiro sends his regards and hopes they're well," Jiro said.
"We will be happy to," Alicia said.
Finishing their meal the sisters retired to their room. "What do you think it means that all of us got separated like this?" Fate asked.
"I don't know, to be honest with you, I'm kind of worried that one girl is by herself." Alicia said.
"Agreed," Fate said.
"Do you think this happened on purpose?" Fate asked.
"If it was, then it happened for a reason, I hope," Alicia said.
"And something I've been wondering about, why am I feeling this pull and you're not?" Fate asked.
"Wish I knew little sister, wish I knew," Alicia said.
The sisters stocked up on supplies before they left the next morning, continuing the way they had been going. Running into a small pack of Kobalt's they easily wiped them out. A few days later, the forest to their side started to grow thicker and denser further they went.
Fate stopped and started to stare into the forest as if she was trying to see something. Dismounting she makes her way over to the side of the road.
"What is it?" Alicia asked.
"Something's not right here." Fate reaches out her hand to touch one of the trees, only to have it go right through to nothing. "It's an illusion."
Alicia dismounts stepping up next to Fate, she reaches out her hand and waves it, seeing energy ripple around her arm.
"What purpose does this serve?" Alicia asks.
"It could be hiding something or someone. The pull I'm feeling is coming from this direction now." Fate says.
"Well, let's see where it leads us," Alicia said.
Guiding their mounts and familiars through the illusionary wall of a forest. On the other side was a true forest but it looked different than the illusion. It looked old and forgotten almost like what that merchant Jiro had described just a few days earlier.
The sisters decided that they would walk through the forest as it was too close and dense to try and ride their kangaroos. Making their way through they step into a field of open land, with an old futuristic-looking city on the other side.
Remounting their Kangaroos they move forward towards the city. As they approach, Alicia spots a figure in the distance, her keen eyes discerning details from far away. "Fate, look over there. Do you see someone walking just inside the city?" Alicia asks.
Fate follows Alicia's gesture and squints against the light. Gradually, the figure takes on familiar features, the chestnut brown hair styled in a sideways ponytail. It's her, the girl from the encounter with the goddess, and Fate feels an odd flutter in her chest. Heat creeps into her cheeks as they draw nearer.
The sisters slow their mounts to a trot as they enter the city limits. The girl turns at their approach, recognition lighting up her blue eyes. "You're from that day... with Khala," She says with a mix of surprise and relief.
"Yes," Fate responds, dismounting with more grace this time. "I'm Fate, this is my sister Alicia and our familiars are Rynith and Alph."
Nanoha nods, a warm smile gracing her lips. "I'm Nanoha. It's good to see you both again."
Small talk fills the air as Nanoha guides them through the city streets to where she and her friends have made their temporary home. The house is quaint with a cozy charm that speaks of simpler times.
"The houses on either side are for you to pick from," Nanoha told them. "We'll be right next door," Nanoha gestures to an adjacent house.
"We'll take this one," Alicia says decisively, wanting to settle so they can focus on their mission. As Fate steps into their new house, she glances back at Nanoha, catching a fleeting look that sends another unfamiliar jolt through her.
In the days that follow, Alicia and Fate acquaint themselves with their neighbors and surroundings. Finding out that a ferret was the reason for the call that Fate has been feeling, was unexpected, and everyone is concerned that the sixth member of their group has not arrived yet.
Fate finds herself increasingly drawn to Nanoha's kindness. As Alicia watches her sister from across the room, she sees how Fate's eyes linger on Nanoha for just a moment too long. She smiles to herself; perhaps this journey will heal more than just the wounds inflicted by an evil tyrant, it may also mend hearts and heal souls.
A sharp pain shot through Hayate's skull as she tripped and tumbled down a hill, crashing headfirst into a dead tree. Dazed, she lay there as the Goblins closed in, their ragged breaths hot on her skin.
"Help me," Hayate whispered, her voice barely audible. "Someone help me, please."
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 };-