The Guardian

Chapter nineteen

I fell to my knees, holding Clare's shattered blade in my hands. I dropped her handle on the ground as I began to cry.

Arthas killed her...

Tears began to drip off my cheeks and onto the shattered blade. Clare was my best friend, my closest friend, despite being with her for a day or two. All of a sudden, images began filling my head. It was that same vision of me with four tails, and pure yellow eyes. Along with the double bladed sword. Then another image of me slamming the handle down into the ground. Almost as if they were instructions to unlock more power.

I heard footsteps behind me, and turned around. It was Arthas. I didn't want to fight anymore...

I didn't want to LIVE anymore. I was the only hope at stopping him, and I failed. 

"Kill me..." I looked up at him, begging him to end this, not wanting to witness the horrors to come. He looked down at me, just staring. Deep down there was a part of me that felt like he had sympathy for me.

"I already did." His hand glowed with power as he opened a portal, and sucked me through it.  I was ready for whatever end I had for me.

I landed in the middle of a big valley as the portal closed when Arthas walked off on the other side. I was alone, Clare was dead, and the universe was doomed. The wind started blowing as thunder clouds formed in the distance. Then I felt the presence of the universe behind me.

"You're not done yet, Tails." She sat next to me as I was just sitting there, with Clare's handle in my hand.

I couldn't hold back my tears.

"I failed you. Of course I'm done. This planet's dead, Arthas probably knows where you are, and he's going to kill you or worse." I hugged the shattered piece of Clare as tears started trickling down my cheek again.

"Not according to the prophecy." She put her hand on my shoulder. I looked at her like she was crazy.

"If the guardian is ever struck down by a great force of evil, may they rise again, stronger than before." As she said that, something in my heart formed. Clare wanted me to be a hero. I wasn't going to let Clare down. If those visions were telling the truth, then this could be the moment of triumph.

"Follow your heart, and your visions. You are my guardian for a reason. And last time I checked, you weren't letting anything stop you. Not even Sonics dust could stop you."

She was right. I looked at her, smiled, and hugged her. She hugged me back.

"I have a good feeling about this." She smiled back and dissolved into the wind.

As I sat there, thinking about my next move, more images came into my mind. Flashes of me pulling the double bladed sword out of the ground.

I knew what to do now. I looked up at the clouds circling around me as I held the handle with both hands. All of a sudden a voice was telling me the clouds didn't have enough momentum, and I knew just how to fix that.

I kneeled down, spinning my two tails as hard as I could, watching the dust and dirt circle furiously around me like I was the eye of a tornado.

Concentrating on bringing back Clare if possible was my first priority. Before I knew it, a thunder dome covered the whole area. Lightning struck all around me as water droplets fell on my face, wetting down my fur.

It's time.

I slammed Clare's broken handle into the ground as hard as I can, watching as the lightning gets closer. I felt different, though. It wasn't the power. It was like something was trying to help. Trying to take over, telling me to let it take control. I could tell its intentions were true, so I gave in.

Pure electricity crawled all over my body and my two tails. Then words started filling my head as lightning bolts hit me, one by one. The wind was blowing furiously, approximately 50 miles an hour. Chanting filled my head, getting louder as each lightning strike hit my two tails.

I began saying the chants without even knowing it.

"I... Am the guardian of this universe, and all her dimensions. I will protect every living being with my will, my power, and my heart. Evil WILL cower before my might. No evil in all of existence will escape me. If they so dare test me," The ground started cracking underneath me, glowing from pure power. All of a sudden, I could feel Clare's presence shoot back up. This was it. The visions. I pulled the newly formed Clare out of the ground as I raised her in the air and finished my chant, "They will face the guardians light!"

The thunder dome opened and down came a powerful beam of yellow light. I never felt this much power. Clare lit up, forming new symbols on her blades as my body began to change. The two tails I had doubled to four, and yellow trails of light formed around my chest and face. The wind ramped up as the beam got stronger. I lowered Clare and looked at her blades, spotting my reflection. My eyes were pure yellow, and the tips of my ears were glowing blue.

I felt brand new. The beam of light stopped and the thunder dome died down. I stood there, thinking. The wind completely stopped.

"Arthas..." I looked in his direction as I sheathed Clare, and got into my running position.

"We're coming. For you." 

END OF CHAPTER NINETEEN, THE GUARDIAN