Forget-me-not: Moon's Guardian

p.25 Quilai + Mhin

"Strike harder!" yelled the Superior Fairy when he is unsatisfied of what Quilai is showing during the training.

Quilai swinged his sword and striked as hard as he could. The older Guardian who's training the teen himself is receiving everything the young lad is throwing at him. Quilai flew up and striked from above, the Guardian blocked it and punched the trainee in the jaw and was thrown a few meters away but he managed to land on his feet. The ground collapsed so he jumped off and imitated what the older Guardian did on the ground.

Quilai is not given a specific gift, he can copy any gift of any fairy he come in contact with but only for a short amount of time, it'll take a while before he can use it again, and only one gift and trick at a time. His sword however, is another story, it can absorb energy when hit and release it again, some may think it's not a proper gift but for him, as long as he can protect Mhin, he is the strongest.

--

"Thank you." said an old fairy as she leave the shelter where Mhin is learning healing skills every Maiden should master, for it is their main duty other that interpreting signs the nature and the stars give them.

"You tired?" asked the current Maiden who's in charge of her training, Mhin smiled shaking her head no.

"Next time, you will learn how to heal warriors during battles, but as you know using as much drains your strenghts as well, so before that you'll need to learn how to use the energy around you to heal, so you won't consume too much of yours." said she, Mhin nodded listening to her. She's always been calm and collected, and well-mannered as well, she never frown, always smiling and enduring the harsh training they have to endure, she never once complained and is so eager to prove her worth to the Kingdom.

"You both have a lot to learn huh? Starting off at such young ages, everything will be a test, especially when you take your place. But I know you have the strength and courage to face it all." said the Maiden while watching Quilai from the window, Mhin joined her. She knows that, it is always the advice given to her by everyone, she must endure it, for Quilai is enduring it and she believe they can handle it, together.

--

"She should be able to control it, it might have an advantage for us, but it's still dangerous." said the Superior Fairy to the others in the council.

"Grave trial awaits us all if she be consumed by it." said the female Royal. They are discussing about Mhin's other gift, the one they think is dangerous, for Mhin can lure other Guardians and make them do as she wish, she had accidentally used it on the elder Guardian when Quilai was pinned to the ground a little hard for her liking, the Guardian doesn't have any recollection of what happened. They worry that it might consume her especially when she had her staff which will strengthen her gifts more, who knows who else she could lure and the memory loss might be worst. Such dark power for a Maiden to have.

"Your Majesty, the Royal Guards from the Central is nearing." said a fairy guard when he entered the council room.

"They seemed to have been provoked." another fairy chimed in, looking knowingly at the Royals.

"Tell our Generals to ready our men, they cross our borders by an inch, we engage." said the male Royal, the guard nodded and gave respect before leaving.

"Are you certain we can win this war?" asked the female fairy, a little wary.

"We cannot simply let them force us to surrender without us protecting our own." answered the male Royal.

"But the fairies..."

"The third line of defense, tell them to evacuate everyone." the male Royal commanded to one of the guards behind them who immediately left the room.

Battle begins, the forces fom the Central realm is strong enough to break through the front defense of the West.

"We have to help!" said Quilai to his grandfather.

"We can't, we have to ensure the rest of our own is safe." said the older fairy.

"But they need us too!" Quilai argued looking to where the fight is taking place.

"Please, we can help." Mhin begged the older fairy who shook his head sighing.

"But Quilai, remember, your priority is to always keep Mhin safe. If anything goes wrong, your protect her first." the old fairy said looking intently at Quilai who nodded his head. He and Mhin flew to where the battle is taking place.

With the soon-to-be Maiden and Guardian beside them, the fairies of the West rallied together fighting as hard as they could. Though being outnumbered, Quilai didn't let it get to him, instead, her fought harder, but still not enough.

"Quilai!" called Mhin, the Guardian looked to her worried.

"Mhin!" he called after seeing she's being dragged by Central Guards, fueled with rage, he flew fast in their direction. Every fairy that crossed his path he brought down. He jumped in front of the three fairies holding his Maiden and killed them all, one by one.

"You okay?" he asked worried.

"Yes." Mhin said almost crying and hugged him tight. The two cringed when they heard cries of agony not far from them.

"No.." Mhin gasped as she covered her mouth, for a huge ball of fire is headed towards the Western Guards, all the Central's fire element users combined their gifts in creating a massive weapon.

"The West.." she whispered.

"Mhin, heal me as I absorb it." said Quilai, Mhin looked at him with refusal.

"I can't, you can't!" she argued.

"I have to, it's the only choice we have!" said he.

"But-" she couldn't finish her remarks when Quilai held her gaze and smiled at her, then flew towards the direction of the fire. This is the first time Quilai will use the power of his sword to it's full potential, even Mhin haven't seen it yet, but he needed the Maiden's healing for he cannot contain it all, given his current fatigue, he wouldn't last a minute on what he's about to do.