Heroes and Wolves [book 1]

Chapter thirteen

Layla

The glow of single light bulbs hung from the ceiling highlights our way. Faded lines of blue, orange and green line the walls of this wide corridor. Tracing my hand along them as we venture down, my fingers brush past a raised edge. There's a four indented scratch mark and a part of the wall that's completely caved in from one powerful impact.

     "This building was part of the ancient Guardians, they used it right up until the crash"

     "Tellgrail" I mutter.

     "Yeah" he nods, his voice quiet with sorrow.

The Tellgrail train crash happened twenty-five years ago. It was the last time anyone saw the three ancient Guardian angels. I don't know why we call them ancient as they aren't exactly hundreds of years old, but I guess the people of Lakeintown put a name to the legends because that is who they were.

The stories about them amaze me. There is a large section dedicated to them in the museum that details all their great accomplishments and fights but it breaks my heart with what happened at Tellgrail train station all those years ago. The accelerator control in the train failed among many other malfunctions so instead of stopping, the train kept gaining speed. It lost traction and the train hurtled into Tellgrail station at the end of the line. The first two carriages, which were full of products and imports snapped in two from the impact which made a domino effect on the other seven carriages that held passengers.

The ancient Guardians rescued as many people as they could but then a fire broke out and spread so quickly. It tore through the carriages, exploding one of them and scorched the station. Once the fire smouldered, investigations began, and a day of mourning was formed. The true number of deaths were never covered by the news. Nobody wanted to know because it was such a shocking tragedy. 

There's a memorial within the city with statements made by the survivors of the crash that outline the heroics of the ancient Guardians that day. Sadly, there are people who think that the ancient Guardians didn't do enough and blame them for the crash. They also think that this was the reason why they disappeared because they couldn't cope with the guilt. I don't believe that as it's just ridiculous.

There were rumours for the station to get demolished but they weren't followed through because of its location. It's within the Folklore woods so the site was just cordoned off. Who knows what it looks like to this day but it's probably an overgrown, charred and rusted mess.

Before the crash, Tellgrail station was one of the busiest out of the three cities that are near; Standor, Tessacka and Milu. People from all over came to camp, walk and sightsee, not that there is anything now that people would come for because of the monster stories deterring them but the woods weren't always like that. Old books show so much wildlife and bright blue skies whereas now the woods are filled with darkness, mystery and gloom.

     "That was the last time anyone saw the ancient Guardians" I mention "Some people blame them for the crash and think its why they disappeared"

     "Is that what you believe?" Maylock asks intrigued.

     "No, I don't" I shake my head.

     "Good because it's not true. What the people of Lakeintown don't know is that after the crash, the ancient Guardians had a battle which lasted for days. As you can see from the marks on the walls"

     "They fought here?" my eyes widen as I spot more scratches and indents along the wall. Some scuff the coloured lines and there's pieces of concrete and wooden debris scattered across the floor ahead.