Guardian (Part I): Last Winter

Chapter 40: Madelyn

After hours of flying south, I finally saw the ruins of Logres on the horizon. I could sense darkness surrounding the entire city coming from the Lost that it was crawling with, but there was a tiny aura of light I could sense from its outer walls. I had no doubt that it was coming from the unidentified person's spear or shield. I followed it to the west of the city, near the western gate. The aura of light grew stronger and stronger as I drew closer to the gates, and I saw a shimmer below it from the corner of my eye. I flew downward, then pointed my legs down to hover until I touched the ground. A round, golden shield, enchanted with a large crystal of radiant malakyte, was sitting against the wall. I analyzed it with a quick scan. The engravings, material, and colors confirmed that the shield was, in fact, Ilentia-forged. The stranger in Logres that Evelyn Lawrence was speaking with was an Ilentia. I lifted the shield with my hands and flew into the air with my thruster pads. I flew back to Valedon as fast as I could, seeing a dropship land at the palace's landing pad as soon as I arrived. Fireteam Pegasus climbed out of it, with Lieutenant Zephyr West carrying a long, Ilentia-forged spear that gave off an aura similar to the shield I had acquired.

"How was Logres?" asked Morgan.

"Uneventful," I reported. "What about Magrenshire?"

"We, uh, ran into some resistance," Morgan admitted. "It was nothing we couldn't handle. Let's get this stuff to our new friend." When we arrived at Major Lawrence's office, Morgan knocked on the door.

"Enter, Captain," the Major invited. Morgan opened the door, then she and Zephyr entered the room. Major Lawrence was still sitting on her ottoman in the middle of the office, with the stranger sitting at one side of her, and Connor sitting at her other side. The stranger jumped to his feet when he saw that we were carrying things that were supposedly his belongings.

"You found them," he gasped.

"Well done, Pegasus," Lawrence complimented. "You, too, Madelyn."

"Those are definitely Ilentia-forged," Connor observed. "And they're yours, sir?"

"I believe so," the stranger answered. "May I have them?"

"Here," I offered, extending my arm with the shield to him. When he reached for it, the entire shield began to glow white, and he quickly pulled his arm back. I sensed a feeling of nervousness from him.

"Sir, it's not doing that for Madelyn," Major Lawrence reminded. "Do not be afraid. It and the spear are yours." Zephyr reached his hand to the stranger with the ancient spear. The white spearhead began to glow near its wielder's presence. The stranger reached his left hand to the shield, and his right to the shaft of the spear. The luminosity of both pieces of equipment became too bright for me to see clearly. I could tell that the shield was taken from my hand, and then a bright, white light surrounded the stranger. The radiant aura he gave off suddenly became stronger, and it continued to grow stronger. It reached a power greater than anything I had ever felt before. This man was an Ilentia, and not just any Ilentia. When the light surrounding him dimmed, he was clad in armor the color of gold, with a red cape hanging from his back. There was a symbol on one of his pauldrons. An Ancient Tongue symbol for "war".

"I remember everything, now," the stranger announced. "My name is Diomeus."

"The God of War," Connor gasped.

"Your efforts have restored my memories, friends," said Diomeus. "And I remember what I came here to warn you about. First, I suggest we get everyone in higher positions together."

"I'll get my dad," Morgan declared, and she rushed from the office with John and Penny.

"And I shall inform Commander Jonas that there is something he must hear," said Major Lawrence. She went to her desk to inform Commander Jonas of what we've learned.

"Your name is 'Connor', right?" asked Diomeus, looking to Connor.

"Yeah," Connor answered.

"And you are injured," Diomeus concluded. "Here." He lifted his hand towards Connor, shining a golden light towards him. It was a healing light. According to my database, though, wounds suffered from a weapon with a black blade couldn't be healed by any sort of powers. Diomeus was an Ilentia, though, not a Guardian. I ran an x-ray scan of Connor's entire skeleton. It was as though he wasn't even hit with a Tuatha's warhammer. Diomeus had healed the cracked ribs.

"Thank you," said Connor. "But..."

"Connor, your wounds are healed," I interrupted. Connor's eyes widened with awe. I knew he could sense that I wasn't lying, and he had wanted to rejoin the fight to defend Zenartha ever since he contracted his wounds.

"Thank you," he gasped. "Thank you, so much."

"This world needs everyone it can get," Diomeus reminded. "Especially with what's coming."

"We've been trying to figure out exactly what that is," said Zephyr. "We learned that Camnora is preparing to launch an attack on Chardan and Illondas. We aren't exactly clear why, though."

"I know why," Diomeus promised. "But everyone must hear it." Morgan and her teammates eventually entered the office with Lord Thatch, and Commander Jonas soon came in after them. Both men looked to Diomeus with looks of confusion. Once we explained that he was the man that we were retrieving the spear and shield for, that confusion turned to amazement. In their eyes, they were standing in the same room as a god. We all listened intently as Diomeus explained why he was here.

"The Seven have returned, and they plan to lay waste to this entire world in their father's name," he began.

"The Seven?" asked Morgan.

"The Seven are Tuatha that are the firstborn children of the Dark One," I enlightened. "Along with Belroth, they served as the top leaders of his armies. Artoreus, the Archdemon of Wrath, Azzuran, the Archdemon of Envy, Baroz, the Archdemon of Sloth, Grimeus, the Archdemon of Gluttony, Kerathos, the Archdemon of Pride, Thulgrium, the Archdemon of Greed, and Vindria, the Archdemon of Lust. They caused more destruction and more deaths than any other Tuatha in the War of Light and Dark and the Great Wars, including the last one."

"She's right," Diomeus confirmed. "Lieutenant West, here, has informed me that a country that neighbors this one is preparing to attack Chardan. It is the work of Vindria's manipulation. She has set her sights on this country, but wants to use Camnora's King to mask her own involvement."

"What about the rest of the Seven?" asked Commander Jonas.

"Yes, how can they be alive after they were killed off one by one?" Lord Thatch wondered. "I heard another Ilentia did just that."

"Yes, that was my daughter," said Diomeus. "I must find her and inform her of the same thing I told you, and you must prepare for an attack as quickly as possible. I shall join you when that attack comes, but Illondas must also be warned and told to prepare for a Camnorish assault."

"It will be done," Lord Thatch promised. "And I shall alert the Illondanian Queen. I can't exactly be sure whether she will listen to me, though."

"She will if she cares about her people," Connor hoped. "You may have to make her listen." Lord Thatch walked out of the office to return to his own.

"Major," said Commander Jonas.

"Yes, sir?" asked Major Lawrence.

"Gather all of the squads and inform them of what we've been told," the Commander ordered. "How many do we have here?"

"Two dozen, including us," Morgan blurted.

"I'll get right on it," Major Lawrence swore.

"Thank you, Diomeus," said Commander Lawrence. "And Connor, I'll have a new suit of armor made for you as soon as possible." I saw a smile come across Connor's face, and felt a rush of excitement through him. He wanted to fight, and now he would be able to. I was happy for him. I couldn't imagine being deprived of the ability to do what you felt you were meant to do. Connor had sustained injuries that prevented him from engaging in violence, and he was a complete wreck until today. He couldn't have been luckier to meet Diomeus, and Zenartha couldn't have been luckier to have Guardians such as himself protecting it.