CHAMPIONS (The Lost Chronicles of Eden, #1) [Published]

09: DIMENSION TRAVEL IS THE NEW COOL

“Hold on. You watched over me?” 

“Yeah.”

“24/7?” 

“Unfortunately.”

“Even when I was in the bathroom? You saw my —”

Solenn hit Gabriel upside the back of his head before he could finish his sentence. “Of course not, you moron! Not that always!”

“You said 24/7,” Gabriel mumbled as he rubbed the sore spot on his head. Solenn packed quite a hit. “How come you were stalking me, anyway?”

“You’ll know when we get to the Citadel.”

“But why not now?” There was an uncharacteristic whine lacing

Gabriel’s voice, but he didn’t care.

“Quiet,” Selina warned before Solenn could reply. “We’re on foreign territory. It would do you good not to startle the residents of the forest.”

“Whoa, wait. Foreign territory? I thought this was your world? Are we safe here?” Gabriel asked. Selina bit her lip to keep from snapping at the Human. Truth be told, she had wanted to shut him up the moment they arrived in Alegrea, but she held her tongue. This was an entirely new world for him. Of course he would ask questions. He didn’t know about the Otherworldlies that lived in Alegrea. They weren’t evil or bad, no, but they tended to keep to themselves.

Heck, he didn’t know anything.

Solenn placed a hand on Selina’s shoulder. I’ll handle this, Solenn’s firm grip seemed to say. Selina calmed down and walked forward, leaving the two behind.

Gabriel could feel something watching them as they walked through the forest. He tried to look for whatever it was, but he was only able to see a blur hiding from one tree to another.

“Don’t mind it,” Solenn said. She had seen what was bothering Gabriel. “It won’t harm you.” 

“What is it?”

“Don’t bother yourself over it. Just take my word for it.” Solenn’s voice had a sharp edge to it, so Gabriel just nodded and continued to walk. A while later, Gabriel spotted a group of forest sprites playing in a nearby clearing. From afar they looked like dancing twigs and branches, but closer they looked like tall, stick-thin women with skins like the bark of a tree.

“What about them?” he whispered to Solenn. “Are they friendly? Can we talk to them?”

“Most of the Alegreans are Allies,” Solenn told Gabriel. “The Menfolk of Cielterra once fought with them in the Third War for Eden, but it would be best if we don’t disturb or bother them. Not everyone is as... friendly and accommodating as the fairies and wood sprites you just saw.”

Solenn gestured to a group of creatures that were half-men and half horses lounging from behind the branches of the giant sequoia trees.

“Quiet,” Solenn warned. “They’re some of the hostiles. For the most part, they would leave us alone, but it’s best if we don’t cross paths or swords with them. They smell fear, and when they do, they attack.”

“Tikbalang,” Gabriel breathed out.

“That’s what you call them on Earth, I think. But here, they are simply called the horsemen.”

“Seriously? Father Andres would pee his pants!”

Solomon laughed, finally joining the conversation. “Yeah, he would.” He remembered the good priest’s lecture about “creatures from folk myths” one time during his watch. His stand against the creatures was rather passionate. “I’d pay to see that. I’m quite fond of the old priest,” he added.

Solomon was actually quite amused at how his usually-volatile and irritable partner was handling the Human. He’d been listening to their conversation since they landed in Alegrea and marveled at Solenn’s patience. Back on Earth, she was ready to feed Gabriel to the demons, but now that they’re back in Cielterra, she was a lot friendlier and chattier.

Funny, what coming back to their homeland could do.

Speaking of homeland. “We need to keep moving,” Solomon said. “We’ve been gone long enough. I want to know what happened while we were gone.” He nodded at Solenn and Gabriel. “‘Lenn, bring the Human, yeah? You can ‘port him from here.”

“Gotcha.”

“See you at the Citadel, ‘Lenn.” 

“Right.”

Any  other thought swimming in Gabriel’s mind was drowned by apprehension when he saw the three teens close their eyes. He watched as they touched the insignias and vanished in thin air, leaving behind shimmering dusts of brilliant blue light in their wake.

Not this again!

Solenn opened her eyes and smirked at her charge. Wrapped in the blue light, she looked like a kick-butt angel ready to fly back home to heaven.

“Hey.” She held out her hand to Gabriel. “Let’s go see your real home.”

Taking a leap of faith, Gabriel held on to Solenn’s hand and closed his eyes. Immediately after, he felt something warm envelop him and lift him high. It felt like flying.

When the they opened their eyes, they were at the edge of the city of Cielos. Towers and buildings made of glass, steel and minerals loomed over the bejeweled streets. Far beyond, in the westernmost part of the kingdom, lies the Citadel.

It was the most powerful and well-protected stronghold in all of Cielterra, for within its walls lie the Gates that lead to the Garden of Eden. At the very edge of the Citadel, surrounded, protected and guarded by the Tria Haec, the three tallest towers in all of Cielos, loomed the Flaming Sword of Eden.

It was the very thing they had been trained to defend. It was the destiny they were born to fulfill.

Guard Eden. Defend the Citadel. Protect the realms.

Solomon, Solenn and Selina took in the sights and sounds of Cielos.

Skysurfers, skyboards, air mobiles, skycruisers and air chariots loomed above the ever-busy floating streets of the kingdom. Pedestrians walked along the roving sidewalks, adding to the bustle of the city as they went about their ways. The rays of the sun were broken by the glass and jewels along the streets and were scattered into a thousand shimmering lights, casting an almost ethereal glow upon the city that never slept.

Cielos. The kingdom of heaven. Way beyond, in the center, the Citadel. The stronghold of the Guardians.

Solenn and Solomon shared a smile.

Hale un vale. Home is here.