The Dark Guardian

Epilogue

Robin and Alec were now both ageless, the bodies they posed would not change unless they themselves wished it. Robin aged herself slightly, giving her body the maturity it lacked as a fifteen year old girl. Together they practiced magic, delighting in the darkness it allowed them to perform. Alec told Robin stories, about when he had been Istrali, how he had aided Lucas in slaughtering an entire village. He explained how he had once taken over X to preserve Lucas's life and used him to his hearts content before dumping at the headquarters of the Guardians without a second thought.

Lucas remembered X of course, but didn't recognize him due to Alec's meddling. The pair laughed, imagining what the elf would do to X/Michio now that he knew who it was. The two did have a rather bitter rivalry after all.

Robin smiled at these tales, wishing she could have been there to watch them unfold. Alec, sensing her desire, gave her a small leather bound book. Rotting with the scent of blood and death, Robin loved it. Engraved on the cover was a picture of a forest with light streaming down, though it was nearly faded now. Words shone out difficult to read they spelled Elves of Wood and Storm. It was the story of Lucas, Alec told her. Excited Robin settled down to read, even her bloodlust and desire to spend time with Alec was insufficient to keep her from a good book.

She opened the first page and began to read:

It was freezing outside, the high winds combined with cold made the night potentially lethal. Despite the danger of frostbite and hypothermia a figure was crouched motionless in a tree. A tightly wrapped cloak provided minimal coverage despite that the hunched shape didn't shiver. Tiny puffs of steam appeared periodically as the figure breathed. There was a slight shuffle below, and the steam stopped appearing. If it were possible the figure appeared to become even more tense. A branch snapped and a second black shape appeared on the path below the tree.