Element Guardians *To-Be-Edited*

Epilogue

One by one, human by human, everybody starts piling into the different allocated areas in the town. Families, children and parents are separated from one another through the usual process.

I watch with a solemn expression, clasping at the rugged rocks I hid in the palms of my hand and start to slip away from the slow moving line.

This will cost me my life but I had to do it – almost half of the world’s fate depended on my actions I would take.

Hastily, I bolt for the empty forest where it once used to be a lush green land filled with tall green foliage. I run as fast as I can, my feet grazing against the hard, dry ground. What once used to be Halloway Forest was now a barren wasteland – except for the Lake.

I think of the Lake and I remember the memories: my first swim, my first experience drowning and then the Water Crystal.

I glance down at the blue gem cutting into my hand and wince at the shallow cut. Ignoring it, I jump down the very deep and hollow waters of what used to be the Halloway Lake, where my whole adventure as the Water Guardian started.

Quickly, I swim towards the centre and duck under, using the remnants of the power with my age old body to be rid of the ripples from my dive. My limbs are weak, tired fatigued and I want to go back but the image of the future eggs me on.

The moment I release my breath, the blue crystal seems to detect my lack of oxygen and starts to glow brightly. I hasten my strokes, swimming through the water until finally I come upon the thick black lakebed.

Memories flash before my eyes yet I force them out of my mind and bring myself to my knees, trying to ignore the flashing purple crystal.

I close my eyes and pressed the gem hard into the lakebed, feeling blood dribble out from the shallow cuts the rugged edges gave me.

Hide the crystal, I think, I beg to the magic of the gem. Until the next rightful owner claims you.

And with that, the crystal drives itself into the ground, disappearing from my view. I turn to the remaining gem, my lungs burning but I force myself to pay attention, wondering when this one would hide itself. I had no plans for the Spirit Crystal – it wasn’t mine to hide.

It’s Felix’s, I think, pained. My chest constricts tightly. Felix, hide this Crystal. Please.

There is no reply but I know he is listening – he is the Spirit Crystal.

With one last final glow, the purple gem starts to dissolve in my very palms, my eyes widening at the growing brilliant purple light.

My lungs have started to scream and I could no longer hold my breath. I kick towards the surface, desperation settling in my limbs when finally my head breaks the surface only, I realise I am not alone.

Three Hunters, one of them a disgusting mutant figure, sneer down at me. Two of the Hunters are in their human forms and the remaining giving me a piercing look with glowing crimson eyes.

“Rosella, swimming is prohibited for slaves,” he coos as I swim to shore, glaring at him hatefully. It is his fault Felix had died. His fault that the mortal realm had been enslaved like this for the past twenty years.

Oh I could remember twenty years ago, at the young age of thirteen, discovering myself as the Water Guardian, the adventures my friends and I had been through and the obstacles we faced.

Now I can only hope my dangerous actions in hiding the last two crystals were worth it because it looks as though Venator was going to kill me.

“Out of the water, Rosella,” he snaps, giving me an equally hateful glare.

Ever since parting with my dear Water Crystal, I feel weak despite it only being several seconds while I resurfaced from the shallow waters of Halloway Lake. I have no magic now that I no longer am in contact with my elemental crystal.

I have no more reason to live. I have fulfilled my last duty as the rightful Element Guardian, the Water Guardian and now it was my turn to leave this world.

I can only hope that my brother and Ashleigh had been as successful as I was, before their deaths several days ago.

“Kill me, like you killed my brother,” I spit at him and let his two guards take my arms. I tilt my chin up boldly, staring him in the eye with the fiery spirit that had gotten me into this magical Guardian mess in the first place.

I am no longer afraid of death. It was inevitable from the moment I’d drowned in this very Lake.

Dripping with lake water, I stare – no glare at Venator as he raises a paw, extending his long sharp claws. My chest constricts painfully as I remember how Felix had died at those very claws and pray that I see him again when I die.

I will die.

Venator leans forward, claw raised in the air as I close my eyes and prepare myself for the pain to come.

In that very moment, all I can feel is the blinding pain, my eyes squeezing shut for what would be the last time.

Then all is black.

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I have to admit, this was really hard for me to write considering it's my first time writing in present tense o.e but I felt that it was necessary because this last chapter is an in-the-moment sort of thing.

Well, it's been a long journey but I really really hope you guys liked it!

Special thanks to everybody who has gotten this far, especially those who remained faithful during my ridiculously long writer's block. Gosh that was terrible.

Ooh and special thanks to Wattpad who gave me the opportunity to share this weird story with you ^_^

Thank you and stay tuned for the sequel :)