The Ancient Guardians

The Ancient Guardians (Chapter 20)

"Yeah, you should. After all, at his age he's like two wise old men put together, without the wrinkles and loud gas of course."

"He might look like a young man, but in his heart..." I said, putting my hand over my heart, "he's an old fart." We both laughed softly, which made us smile despite the gruesome fight that just happened. After seeing Marla's worried face, her smile seemed to shine ever so brightly. I realized I had just been gazing at her smile for 5 whole seconds and snapped out of the daze. "I'll go ask him then." I told her. Then I headed towards the place where Clint was sitting. As I marched off I thought I'd heard a subtle whisper, but assumed it to be my imagination. I also took off my claws; after fighting with them they seemed to be part of body and I completely forgot I still had them on.

Clint was just staring into space, as if he was day-dreaming, and as he noticed me arriving he turned his eyes on me. "What is it?"

I scratched the back of my head, feeling a weird sensation by touching my long and puffy red hair since I still wasn't used to it, thinking of how I should ask him. "Well...I was wondering if you could, um, give me any advice on how to...make friends out of enemies?" Smooth.

He raised an eyebrow, probably trying to make something out of the jumbled question. "I think I have some that might help you." He said uncertainly. "If you look at the origin of making friends or enemies, you'll see that sometimes enemies aren't really your enemies and friends aren't really your friends and that just like your closest friend can be your enemy, your closest enemy can also be your friend."

I have to hand it to Clint: he can really confuse somebody. "So...you're saying Bob could be my friend?"

"No, Bob is your BIGGEST enemy. Your closest enemy is William."

"...I still don't get how this helps me."

"What I mean, basically, is that since YOU'RE the judge of who are your friends and enemies only YOU can figure out how to make your enemy into your friend, starting by seeing him AS a friend." He answered.

"Ok, I understand now."

He made a dismissive gesture. "Alright, now go and do...whatever it is you're going to do."

As I left him I slowly thought about what he had just said. I had to change my perspective and find my own unique way to convince William to do the same... If only I could find him. The sky was empty, except for clouds, a couple birds, the sun...okay so it wasn't empty. In any case, Will was nowhere to be seen. It's not like there're a lot of places of him to hide in plains like these; there's the sky, not there, and there's the flat ground. I scanned the whole 360 degrees around me: not there either. So that leaves only one place to look. I went down the circular entrance (or what some might call a hole in the ground) to our chambers, and made my way to the second room from the left: Will's room. I got in and looked towards to top of the tree. Nothing. I stepped forward close to the trunk, faced the other way and sat down cross-legged on the floor, resting my back against the tree and looking at the door that led me in. "Mind if I join you?"

"How'd you know I was here?" I heard Will's voice. He was sitting on the opposite side of the tree.

"Your wings are protruding out of the trunk."

"Tch... Whatever."

A few minutes passed as we sat back to back on the trunk of the tree; two persons in the same room unable to see what the other is looking at. I had to say something at some point. "So what are sulking about down here?"

"I'm not sulking, I'm thinking." He answered.

"You can think?"

"Are you TRYING to start another fight?" he said angrily.

"It was just a joke, loosen up." I heard him grunt. "Thinking about what?"

"Icarus."

"Icarus? Since when have you been an Iron Maiden fan?" I asked.

"Since 8th grade... but that's not the point. I meant the Greek Icarus, not the song."

"Oh, you meant the Icarus myth." Still, it's a good sign. Iron Maiden fans are always cool.

"Yeah, it's one of my favorite stories. I'm thinking about it because that's how I'm feeling now. I was trapped in my own life, but after I got these wings I felt like I could do anything, like I could surpass you. So when Marla came along I was sure that she'd choose me over you. But, like Icarus, I tried to fly too high and my wings melted, leaving me crashing in this sea of hopelessness."

"That's not true." I said

"How?"

"You CAN do anything, fly higher above the clouds until you reach the sun. And your wings will never melt because, unlike Icarus, they aren't fake. They're real wings, strong wings, and you already escaped your life, you're free now. THAT's the difference." I got up to my feet and walked around the tree to William's side. "You have to remember one thing though." When I faced him his eyes looked up to me and I extended my hand to him. "However high you may fly, I'll be right up there with you."

A grin slit William's face in two. "Only because you'll be desperately hanging on to my leg." He grabbed my hand and I pulled him to his feet.

"So...what IS your favorite Maiden song?" I asked him.

"That's a hard choice...they're all so good. But if I had to choose I'd go with Aces High."

"Yeah, it's one of the best, but I think Phantom of the Opera tops it."

"Come on, Dance of Death is better than Phantom."

And with that exchange started an eternal friendship between William and I. Literally, we're immortal now; whatever may happen in the future we're stuck with each other. Not bad for my first time turning an enemy in a friend.