Guardian: The Awakening

The God's Gift

"I wouldn't had said it any better, you are indeed worth been my successor, Zhao Yunlan." A voice said from their side, taking them all by surprise. Most of the group members turned in alarm to look at a middle age man, dressed in royal blue and gold robes.

"Who are you?" Chu asked, ready to use his threads at any moment and the others raised their respective weapons in return, all except Yunlan and Guo.

"Ah, Lord Shi, so you finally decided to come? Have enough of watching?" Yunlan asked calmly, leaving the rest of his group in pure astonishment.

"What do you mean by Lord Shi? You can't possible refer to the Old Oracle, right?" Lin asked.

"Of course, who else?" Yunlan asked back.

"But the old man is... it's old!" Sang added and Yunlan laughed.

"Indeed, that's his most known form, right, Lord Siming, God of Fate?" The man standing in front of them simply smiled.

"Yunlan, don't throw bombs like that and right before a huge fight..." The god said.

"But you came without your disguise and even Guo notice this time, right?" Yunlan asked to the one at his side, the young man from the Sage Clan, who had sense the aura of the god even before he appeared at their side.

"I did." Guo confirmed.

"Ah, but he is closer to our realm than to yours, so he doesn't count, you take all others off balance." The god reply.

"Is that even important at this point? Had the gods decided to aid us directly this time?" Yunlan asked.

"Oh, Yunlan, Yunlan... you smart brat, I will definitely miss you after this, but no. I can't help you destroy the stone directly, I was only able to guide you humans to an era of peace from the start, as Nuwa desired. However, I can help you with a thing or two so you can even the fight against that many dark creatures. Come here Yunlan... not even you can't escape fate." With a sigh, Yunlan came closer to the god, not knowing what he intended to do to help him, but grateful anyways.

"Hey, don't mess me up too much, I'm going to fight soon." Yunlan joked and the god smiled.

"Don't worry, after this you will do a lot more... embrace yourself, this will not be pleasant."

"Huh? Wait, Lord Shi..." Yunlan begin protesting, but Lord Siming put his right hand over Yunlan's chest, paralyzing him, then traced some golden runes over his robes, that shined with power for a second before they disappear inside the Water Prince skin, along with a flow of strong energy. As the god passed to Yunlan what he wanted, the heir of the Water Clan try his best to hold in a scream, but the pain was so intense that he could no help himself but to yell all his pain out.

Shen Wei, unable to see him suffer, moved a step forward to stop the god from hurting him, but Chu stop him, pulling him back with his strongest string. One thing was trying to stop an old man, but another was to try to defy a god, so feeling bad for Shen Wei, he keep him tied until whatever the god was doing to Yunlan was over. By the time Siming was done, Yunlan fall to his hands and knees, panting for air.

"Yunlan!" Shen yelled, still unable to move.

"Don't worry, Shen Wei, I'm fine... I had it worse when I was burned..." Yunlan whisper, already feeling better, actually far better than never before.

"Ah, Lord Wei, I'm sorry to make you see this, but it was necessary. However, I assure you he is far better now."

"Old man... what did you do with me? This is..." Zhao said as he stood up, closing his eyes to be sure of it.