The Evolution of Death

Introduction

          In the beginning there was darkness and out of that darkness came Aria the Goddess of Creation and Derreck the God of Chaos. Together they shaped a planet and gave life to its realms. They named the planet Karnash.

          Karnash was separated into two Realms, the Light Realm and the Dark Realm. The Light Realm consisted of beautiful forest, clear lakes and vast open plains. The plants were vibrant and the inhabitants lived in harmony with the animals of that realm. The inhabitants were peaceful and lived mostly off the land that surrounded them, but when they had hunt they used all parts of their kill. The inhabitants of that realm consisted of Angels, Elves, and Lycans. The Dark Realm consisted of huge mountains, endless deserts, and lowly swamps. The plants were dark and carnivorous. The inhabitants and the animals were constantly fighting each other to survive and the inhabitants were more likely to make the animals dinner than a companion. They cared not for the land or its animals and that was obvious by the corpses that littered the land. The races that inhabited that realm were Demons, Humans, and Vampires.

          The Realms were established and the time of the Gods were coming to an end, but neither the God or Goddess wanted to leave their creation so the Guardian Realm was created. The Guardian Realm was separated like the surface world except the inhabitants were mixtures of all the life forms of the surface world. The Guardians were given the task of watching over the surface world, but they were more worried about there own Realm. The Gods faded away and were forgotten by all. Thousands of years later a prophecy arose about the Gods being born anew and both would come from the darker aspect of the Guardian Realm. The symbol of the Goddess would be stamped upon the forehead of a female Guardian and once her powers awaken the God would unwillingly show himself to her. The new age of the Gods is coming, but can Karnash survive until then.

          Thousands of years after the prophecy was spoken and forgotten, the prophecy came true. It happened on a calm and peaceful night and true to prophecy she was a Dark Guardian. She was born with the symbol of the Goddess etched in the middle of her forehead like a tattoo, which was that of a five-pointed star wrapped in a crescent moon. She was the child that would one day bring about the next age of the Gods by becoming the Goddess of Creation. At her birth she was given the name Dee, but the outside world would know her as Death.

          She grew quickly under the watchful eyes of her Mother and Father. Her Father taught her how to battle while her Mother taught her about magic. Now it is time for her to choose her weapon and join the ranks of Guardians.

Chapter 1

          She looked at the rows of weapons from the doorway of the armory with a mixture of confusion and joy. She knew that she was supposed to pick the weapon she would be using, but she never imagined that there would be so much to choose from. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before stepping inside. She walked past the rows of the halberds, polearms, and claymores before she saw the table of scythes. A scythe is the weapon that is most suited to be the weapon of death she thought to herself as she tried to ignore the small tug she felt. She heard a faint heartbeat as she neared the table, but she was too excited to care. She placed her hands over the table letting her palms hover above the weapons. She heard the faint heartbeat again and wondered if it could be related to the pull she felt. Something is trying to get my attention she realized so she closed her eyes, opened her mind, and reached out to the weapons before her. I know one of you is calling to me so I ask that you speak one more time. She felt a dark energy much like her own radiating from the center of the table. She allowed her hands to migrate towards the energy until she was touching the weapon it was coming from. She wrapped her hands around the handle and picked it up off the table. The weapon pulsed in her hands signifying that she has been chosen to be its master. She opened her eyes and looked at the weapon in her hand.

“That weapon is called a Chain Scythe,” a voice spoke up from behind her.

She nodded her head slightly, but her eyes never left the weapon. She turned it over in her hands admiring the details on the handle, the carvings in the blade, and the way it felt in her hands. The handle of the scythe was black with silver designs. The chain was a mixture of black iron and silver links alternating back and forth with a blood red ball hanging at the end. The blade was black with a silver carving resting near the handle. What was this symbol she wondered as she brought the blade closer. Her eyes widened as she stared at the ancient letters and symbols.

“Hey Don. Do you know what this carving means?” she asked, finally acknowledging the person behind her.

“Are you ever going to address me properly?” the man asked in feigned irritation.

“Sorry Dad, but I just can’t see you as Lord Doom,” she replied as she turned to face him.

Lord Doom smiled at his daughter and shook his head. “Let me see what you’re talking about.”

She pointed out the carvings on the blade and he shook his head again.

“That is in the ancient language of the Goddess. No one knows what it means. We have been trying to translate that for centuries. I’m sorry,” he said before walking out of the room. He stood just outside of the doorway and watched his daughter as she figured things out for herself. I can't believe that my little girl is the future Goddess of Creation, Lord Doom thought to himself.

          She stared at the carvings again and realized that she could understand what this blade was saying. This was the weapon used by the Goddess of Creation herself. The moon and star symbol prove it she thinks to herself, while absentmindedly touching the symbol on her forehead.

She picked up the chain with her other hand and let out a small gasp as she felt something shift in her mind. She closed her eyes once again and reached out to the weapon in her hands. An unfamiliar voice flooded into her mind. I was starting to wonder when you would pick me up. I am glad that you have finally found me at last. She opened her eyes and stared at the weapon in her hands. Did you just… she started, but quickly dismissed the thought.

“Have you made you decision yet?” Lord Doom asked as he walked back into the armory room.

“Yes, I have. Hey Dad, are we supposed to be able to communicate with our weapons?” She asked with out taking her eyes off the scythe.

Lord Doom lifted her chin slightly and looked into her ice blue eyes. “Only the child of prophecy can link minds with a weapon. In fact, you could link your mind to anything that has energy. You must be careful.”

Lord Doom looked down at the woman who was once his baby girl and realized that she would soon surpass their race in strength, beauty, and wisdom.

          She was like the rest of her race which looked mostly human, but she was more exotic looking than any other Guardian that came before her. Her long black hair, which flowed down her back and stopped above her rear, seemed to add to her beauty. Her skin was as pale as ivory and her lips were as red as blood. Her ears were that of a white Siberian Tiger; her tail was that of a Fire Dragon; and her black wings were that of a Seraphim, a six-winged angel.

“Dad, you’re staring,” she whined, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

“Sorry, I have a hard time believing that my little girl is the child of prophecy,” he said with a small smile.

She started to respond, but stopped as soon as she heard a voice coming from outside of the room. Her ears turned towards the door and her tail began to twitch in anticipation.

Lord Doom turned towards the sound and smiled. “I think it’s time that you met your partners.”

She turned towards the door and watched as the male Guardian walked into the room. She wasn't surprised at what she saw, but the instant attraction to him was not what she expected. He was over six feet tall with broad shoulders, a muscular frame, and chiseled features. His hair was a mixture of red, brown, and blonde that stuck up in chaotic fashion. One of his ears was that of a Lion and the other was that of a Black Bear. One of his wings was that of an Eagle and the other was that of a Bat. He was a chaotic looking Guardian. In fact, he even had two tails which came from a Fox and a Sea Serpent.

          She looked up into his Grey green eyes and was surprised that she knew who he was.

“You must be Chase or Chaos,” she said sticking her hand out.

He looked past her and sneered at Lord Doom. “You expect me to work with that?”

“Well I would rather work with an animal that you. Oh wait, I am working with an animal.” She replied.

“What did you just call me?” He growled as he advanced towards her.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. “I called you an animal. Are you deaf as well as stupid?”

          Suddenly a wave of pain shot through her and she crumpled to the ground. A voice screamed in her mind. I will not allow you to talk to my partner like that. She stood up carefully and shook her head. What in three hells was that? The scythe hummed in her hand and its voice filled her mind once again. That was the God of Chaos’ weapon. You must find it and return it to him. Tell me to transform and you will be able to find it better.

She sighed deeply when she realized what the weapon was asking her to do. “Transform.”

The weapon flashed and wrapped itself around her arm. The chain scythe was now a charm bracelet.

“Have you found your weapon yet?” She asked as she walked up to Chase and touched the broadsword attached to his hip.

“What do you mean have I …” he started to say, but stopped as soon as he realized that she was in a trance.

“No, this is not it,” she said, pulling the broadsword out of its sheath.

She released her grip on the sword and allowed it to fall to the ground between their feet.

She looked up at him and spoke one word. “Come!”

She turns around and starts walking towards the chaotic energy located across the room. Chase reached out to stop her, but stilled his hand before it reached her. He would have been content to watch her stumble around, but decided to follow her. After all she is Lord Doom’s daughter.

          She stopped at a row of claymores and reached her hand out to the over-sized claymore pulsing with chaotic energy. The sword screamed at her. No! Only my partner may touch me. A wave of pain shot through her again, but this time she held steady. She opened her mind and projected her thoughts to the sword. Do that again and I will destroy you along with your partner. She smiled in satisfaction as she felt the confused energy seeping into the chaotic confidence of the sword. The swords voice filled her mind, but this time the sword spoke in hushed tones. How? Why? Who are you? She reached out her hand again and picked up the sword. I am the child of prophecy, the one destined to become the Goddess of Creation. And apparently he is the one who will become my consort, the God of Chaos. Now that’s a disturbing thought. Time for you to go to your partner.

          She turned around and held out the sword to Chase.

“This is your weapon,” she said raising her ice blue eyes up to meet his gray, green ones.

He looked down at her doubtfully and jerked the sword from her hands. She watched him warily at first, but relaxed a bit when she saw his eyes widen in surprise.

“What’s going on?” He asked her in an accusatory tone.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. “You really are an idiot.”

The swords voice filled her mind once again. Wait! Before you two start arguing again I would like to thank you for helping me find my partner.

Chase looked at the sword and then shook his head in disbelief. I’ve got to be imagining things.

She looked at him and smiled gently. “No, you are not imagining things. That is your weapon and you are its partner. It chose you as its partner and has given you the ability to link to it…” she trailed off and finished by linking with his mind, “and to me.”

A new presence filled the room and linked with them. Sounds interesting. Can I join in?

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your internal conversation," the voice said aloud.

Dee looked around the room for the source of the voice, but found no one. "It's rather rude to speak without announcing yourself first."

"You are right. I am Destiny or Destruction," the voice said as a small faery like Guardian floated into view.

She was a small Guardian, almost tiny compared to other Dark Guardians. Her pixie pink hair matched her light purple eyes, but if you looked closely you could see hints of her explosive nature lurking beneath the surface. She was cute, calm, and soft spoken. She had the ears of an Elf; the wings of a Butterfly; and the tail of a Rabbit. She looked the exact opposite of her name.

Chase bows slightly. "I am Chase or Chaos and this is..."

"That is the child of prophecy and I will not allow you to speak harshly of her." Destiny said, cutting him off mid-sentence.

          Lord Doom watched the three most powerful Guardians in all of Karnash argue like a bunch of children. He had no desire to get close to that much force, not quite yet anyway. Karnash was divided into 3 realms. There is the Light realm; the Dark realm; and the realm of the Guardians. To keep things running smoothly the Guardians created the Council of Three, which consists of 3 Lords or Ladies. Lord Doom was the ruler of the dark realm, but he knew that his time as ruler would come to an end. If the prophecy is right she will begin her transition into the Goddess of Creation before too long.

A messenger sprite came flying into the room with a panic filled aura that seemed to seep out of every pore. "Lord Doom, we have a serious problem."

Lord Doom looked at the sprite with a slight bemused look on his face. "Calm down. Now tell me what the problem is."

"The portal between the Dark realm and the Light realm has fallen. Both realms are fighting for dominance and both sides are losing. Angels were fighting Demons, Vampires were fighting Lycans, and Humans were fighting Elves. At this rate Karnash will fall," the messenger sprite said breathlessly.

Lord Doom sighed deeply, "Were? What do you mean by that and what do you mean both sides are losing?”

"The Angel and Human races are extinct. The Demons, Vampires, and Lycans are still going strong. Unfortunately they are fighting amongst themselves now. There is a small army from the Elf race that's left, but they are the one's causing the most problems." The sprite said sadly.

          Lord Doom looked at the three Guardians with a mixture of worry and frustration. It looks like they are about to get a crash course in how to handle themselves in the outside world. "Alright you three," Lord Doom said aloud, "Go to the class room, sit down, and wait on me. And no arguing either. I need the three of you focused. You are about to get a crash course in how to be a Guardian of Karnash."

The three Guardians looked at each other then looked at Lord Doom. Dee was the first one to speak.

"Dad, what's going on?" She asked cautiously.

Lord Doom looked at his daughter with sadness in his eyes because he knew that the prophecy had already begun. This was the start of her transformation into the Goddess. The proof was standing right in front of him. The mark on his daughter’s forehead was already starting to solidify. In the end that mark will change into the crown that the Goddess wears across her brow.

"Just go. I will explain everything when I get there." Lord Doom said finally.

"As you wish father," she said as she turned to leave.

Lord Doom watched the three Guardians leave before he turned his attention back to the sprite. "Tell me everything."

Chapter 2

          Dee, Chase, and Destiny made their way to the classroom in silence, each one lost in thought. Dee could feel her weapon pulse against her wrist. Master, what's wrong? She shook her head gently as she sat down in the classroom. I'm not sure. My dad seemed to be worried about something and now we are having a crash course on being a Guardian. I don't know what it means. I know something is going on in the Light and Dark realms, but I wasn’t able to hear all of what was said. She could feel the spirit within the scythe searching her heart and soul. Master, is that the only thing that is bothering you? Dee touched the bracelet gently as her mind began to wander. It's him. He pisses me off and I don't like him, but I..... I don't want to think about it okay! The spirit touched her mind one more time before receding back to the scythe.

          Chase started down at his weapon intently because looking at her invoked emotions in him he didn't want to have. Why do I feel like my heart and soul already belong to her? His claymore hummed in his hands in response. Master, that is because you two are destined to be together. I am the sword of the Gods and only the God of Chaos may wield me. Chase closed his eyes as if he was in deep thought, but in actuality he was afraid to look at her. I still don't understand what that has to do with me. He could feel the spirit within the claymore search through his mind in disbelief. She's right. You really are an idiot. YOU ARE THE FUTURE GOD OF CHAOS. THE FUTURE HUSBAND OF THE FUTURE GODDESS OF CREATION. Chase flinched visibly as the spirit screamed in his mind before retreating back into the claymore.

Dee looked at Chase holding his weapon in his hand then at Destiny who had no weapon.

"Destiny, where is your weapon?" She asked the faery like Guardian.

Destiny smiled at her curiosity. "I have my magic and that is enough for me."

"That's under..." she started, but stopped as soon as she heard footsteps coming towards the room.

"Alright you three it is time for you to learn how to be Guardians...and quickly." Lord Doom announced to the Guardians as he walked into the room.

Dee had many questions she wanted to ask Destiny, but she had to put them aside for now. "Dad, what is going on?"

Lord Doom looked at his daughter then at the other two Guardians. "Karnash is dying. The portal between the Dark and Light realms has been destroyed and the war for supremacy has begun."

"How bad is it sir?" Chase asked.

"Angels and Humans are gone, the Elves are almost gone, and the war is still going strong. The water is drying up and the land is wasting away. Soon there will be nothing left of Karnash." Lord Doom replied.

Destiny twitched her wings nervously. "What do you want us to do?"

          Lord Doom looked at the three Guardians before him with mixture of sadness and worry. "Go to the Dark and Light realms and stop this war. I want you to destroy 6 villages, which should be two from each remaining race..."

"But Dad! What about the Elves?" She said, interrupting her father in mid-sentence.

Lord Doom looked at his daughter harshly. "There will be no more Elves by the time you get to the villages because the Guardian of Death will finish off that race. Your crash course starts tomorrow, which means you need to be prepared to leave for the other realms tomorrow. Chase and Dee I want you two to spend the rest of the day getting to know your weapons. Destiny, I want you to go to the magic chamber so you can practice since you have no weapon. You are dismissed"

The three Guardians watched in confusion as Lord Doom stalked out of the room.

"Umm. Dee?" Destiny asked timidly.

Dee started to respond, but all she could do was shake her head.

"I take it you know about as much as we do, which amounts to nothing." Chase responded softly.

She looked at Destiny then at Chase. "You are right for once Chase. This was a complete surprise to me as well. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know that it was this bad. It must be pretty bad if my dad is willing to send 3 rookies out into the realms with no training."

"You may be rookies, but you are the three most powerful Dark Guardians we have," a voice said from the doorway.

Chase and Destiny turned their attention towards the door, but Dee did not because she knew who that was.

"Who in three hells are you?" Chase growled at the Light Guardian standing in the doorway.

Dee rolled her eyes as she turned to greet the Guardian. "Mom, please ignore the idiot in the corner. Chase, Destiny this is my mom Lee or Lady Life."

          Now that he looked closely he could see the resemblance between mother and daughter. Lee looked like an older version of her daughter except that her hair and wings were white. She had the ears of a Dragon, the tail of a Tiger, and the wings of a Seraphim just like her daughter.

"What brings you to this section of the class rooms?" Dee asked her mother curiously.

Lady Life looked at her daughter carefully. Don was right. It has begun. "I've come for Destiny. I will be the one to teach her how to control her powers."

“Why is a Light Guardian helping a Dark Guardian?” Chase inquired gruffly.

Lady Life looked at Chase with sadness in her eyes. "You are a simple minded idiot. If you continue thinking like that then Karnash is doomed. It's time to go Destiny."

Chase watched the two Guardians leave the room before turning his attention back to Dee. "What did she mean by that?"

"You really are an idiot," she replied before walking out the door.

Chase looked down at his weapon. "So I've been told."

Chapter 3

          Destiny followed Lady Life back up to the entrance, but she stopped short of the barrier that separated the Light sector from the Dark sector.

"Lady Life I am not allowed to go any further. It is forbidden for a Dark Guardian to go into the Light sector." She said as she hovered before the barrier.

Lady Life turned around to look at her through the transparent barrier. "It is also forbidden for a Light Guardian to enter the Dark sector. Now come along. We have much work to do."

Lady Life continued down the hall leaving Destiny no choice but to pass through the barrier. This barrier separated all of Karnash in two. The Dark sector was blanketed by the night with only the moon for light and only the Dark Guardians were allowed. The Light sector was protected by the light with the sun for guidance and only the Light Guardians were allowed. For the most part the two sectors left each other alone, but there was always an exception to the rule. She stopped on the other side of the barrier and stared in amazement. Wow! I’ve never see something so beautiful….and bright. The Light half of the training hall was constructed of glass so the light from the sun could fill every corner of the room. On the outside the grass was a healthy green; the sky was light blue with a smattering of fluffy, white clouds; and there were Sakura trees everywhere. Is that a lake? It is! Oh wow! The water is crystal clear. I can even see the bottom from here.

“I had a similar reaction the first time I set foot into the Dark sector.” Lady Life said, pulling Destiny out of her thoughts.

Destiny shook her head slightly then grinned sheepishly. “I’m sorry Lady Life. I know our time is short and I’ll try not to let it happen again.”

“It’s fine. Now come along.” Lady Life said without looking back.

Destiny followed behind her quickly, trying not to stop and stare in wonder again. The hallways don’t even look the same as ours. I know nothing of the Light sector.

“Not many Dark Guardians do.” Lady Life responded.

Destiny stopped slightly letting her surprise show through her aura. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

Lady Life turned left into a dome shaped room. Like the rest of the training hall it was made of glass, but it was thicker. Lady Life sat down behind the large oak desk in the center of the room.

“Sit down Destiny. I have a few things you need to know before my team gets here.” Lady Life said matter-of-factly.

Destiny flew across the room to the desk and sat down in the middle of it. “What is it?”

“Destiny have you ever wondered why you are the only Dark Guardian of your kind? And where your birth parents are?” she asked.

Destiny nodded her head, but kept silent.

Lady Life looked at the Dark Guardian carefully to see how she should proceed. “Your birth parents are Light Guardians. They were forced to give you up just like Chase’s brother Oliver. You were born a Light Guardian, but your birth name was Destruction. Unfortunately Destruction is a Dark name and Karnash being the way it is no Dark Guardian can be with a Light Guardian. As a show of love your birth parents gave you the name of Destiny because they knew that your destiny would be intertwined with the child of prophecy.”

“I have a brother?” An unfamiliar voice said from behind Destiny.

          Destiny turned around to see a large male blocking the doorway. He must be Oliver because he looks like Chase, but unlike his brother everything about him screamed order. His blonde hair was streaked with red and brown; his wings were that of a hawk and his ears and tail were that of a wolf. He may look like Chase, but he was the exact opposite of him.

“Would you get out of the doorway you big buffoon,” said an annoyed little voice from behind the large Guardian in the door way.

Lady Life glared at the Guardian in the doorway. “Oliver would you please get out of the way so Rusty can enter.”

“Why? He’s small enough to squeeze through.” Oliver said smugly.

“Not when you’re blocking the doorway buffoon.” Rusty said from behind Oliver.

Destiny tried to keep a straight face though all of this, but she couldn’t hold it any longer. Her laughter filled the room with a beautiful melody that seemed to brighten the already bright dome.

“Who was that?” Rusty croaked out nervously.

Oliver stepped aside so Rusty could see who was in the room with them.

“I’m sorry. You two sound a lot like the members on my team. It took me by surprise.” Destiny said once she caught her breath.

Rusty flew in the room as fast as he could, but stopped short as soon as he caught site of the cute little Guardian sitting on Lady Life’s desk. Destiny looked at the small Light Guardian as if she was seeing things. He was a small Guardian; in fact he was the exact same size as she was. He had the ears of a fox, the wings of a humming bird, and the tail of a squirrel.

“Rusty, this is Destiny. Destiny, this is Rusty. And the big buffoon over there is Chase’s brother Oliver. Any questions before we get started?” Lady Life asked in a bemused tone.

Destiny opened her mouth to speak, but could only manage a tiny squeak.

“I’ll take that as a no then. Oliver, go to the Dark Guardian training room and help Chase with his training. Rusty, you can stay here and help me.” Lady Life replied.

Oliver bowed slightly then left the room with his tail tucked between his legs in a submissive posture.

“Do you think that was a smart idea Lady Life?” Destiny asked cautiously.

Lady Life looked at the Guardian sitting on her desk with a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “You are unaware of how things are in the Light sector. I understand that, but you need to understand this. I rule the Light sector and I have every Light Guardians interest at heart.”

“Wait, you mean Dee’s dad is the ruler of the Dark sector…” Destiny started.

Rusty touched down on the desk beside her. “And her mom is the ruler of the Light sector.”

“I owe you an apology Lady Life. I know so little about the Light sector so it was rude of me to question how things are done here,” Destiny said quietly.

          Lady Life looked at the small Guardian sitting on her desk. “Don’t worry about it Destiny. I have a feeling things will be changing soon. Now lets get started, shall we?”

Destiny watched in silence as Lady Life walked towards the door. Lady Life stood before the door, raised her hands and mumbled something that Destiny couldn’t quite hear. A golden mist covered the door as if sealing them in.

“Lady Life?” Destiny called out cautiously.

Lady Life returned to her seat and turned her attention to the Guardians sitting on her desk. “I am Life. I can bring life and protection to those I choose. I used my protection magic to seal the door. This is a magic room so you can practice your magic without destroying the Guardian realm in the process. And even if you do destroy something Rusty here can restore it.”

“That’s right. I am Restoration and your opposite in all things. Karnash is counting on you three to save it so learning how to control your magic is important,” Rusty responded as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

Destiny blushed and touched his hand gently. “How do I get started?”

Lady Life took note of the exchange between the two small Guardians, but said nothing about it. “Not every Guardian can use magic. At one point in time it was speculated that only Light Guardians can use magic, but in recent years children born of parents from both sectors can use magic as well. Dee and Chase fall into that category, but you are different from any other Guardian. You are a Dark Guardian born from two Light Guardians, which is unheard of. To effectively control magic you must first learn the control words. You must get in touch with your magic and let it teach you. We are here as support only.”

Destiny nodded her head slightly then closed her eyes. She opened up herself to the magic in her and all around her. She felt the earth move under her; the air flow across her body; the heat from a fire against her face; water in the form of rain against her arms; and the element of spirit swell up inside her heart. She heard the elements whisper to her softly at first, but then she was able to hear words. Rah na na’at soh dar cal ta’al mat.

Destiny opened her eyes then repeated the words she just heard. “Rah na na’at soh dar cal ta’al mat.”

The ground began to shake and the air began to form a funnel around Destiny. Her eyes widened as panic began to fill her. Oh no! What have I done? I don’t know how to stop this! Once again the elements spoke to her. Ta’at na.

“Ta’at na,” Destiny said with confidence and the room was in peace once again.

“Well I think my presence is no longer needed here so I’m going to go check on my daughter. Rusty, you help Destiny practice. Destiny, he can restore what ever you destroy so take advantage of that. Oh, just so you know neither I, nor Lord Doom have a problem with a Light Guardian mating with a Dark Guardian.” Lady Life said with a grin on her face.

Lady Life walked out of the room leaving the two small Guardians staring

at each other with dumb struck wonder.

“You just had to do it didn’t you?” a voice said from beside her.

Lady Life turned to look at the source of the voice. “Of course I did. It’s not fair to Destiny. She is the only one of her kind in the Dark sector and she will need to mate eventually. Don, do you really think anyone in the Dark sector will want someone that small?”

“It’s against the law. She could get in trouble,” Lord Doom said unconvincingly.

Lady Life looked at the man she fell in love with so long ago. “So could we.”

“That’s beside the point. We are the leaders of our sectors,” Lord Doom replied.

“Are you forgetting the reason why we worked so hard to get to the top?” She asked.

Lord Doom shook his head and said nothing.

“They were going to kill our daughter as punishment because we fell in love. What do you think our daughter is going to do once she finds out the truth? When she finds out the real reason why we can’t be a family and the reason why so many families have been torn apart. It’s all because of this stupid law!” Lady Life said as tears started to stream down her cheeks.

Lord Doom pulled her close and held her until the tears stopped. “When our daughter finds out the truth she will turn this realm upside down and we will be there to help her. Shall we go see how she’s doing?”

Chapter 4

          Master, where are we going? Dee stepped out into the darkened corridor and headed for the entrance. She smiled at the confusion in the spirits voice. You’ll see. The Dark half of the training hall was nothing like the Light half. The building was made of brick, which was crumbling in some places and covered in moss in others. The only sources of light are the torches that lined the hallways. The Dark Guardians were used to the lack of light, but the Light Guardians who dared to venture this far usually ended up stumbling around.

“Damn it! How in three hells are you supposed to see here?” a voice said coming from somewhere down the hall.

She looked towards the direction the voice was coming then back towards the classroom she just came from. If I didn’t know better I would swear that was Chase. She thought to herself then she spoke towards the direction of the voice. “Dark Guardians are used to it, but for a Light Guardian like you it might take a few times to get used to it.”

“I am here on orders from Lady Life to help my bro….to help Chase use his magic.” The voice said with irritation creeping into his voice.

Dee began walking again, but stopped short of the huge man stumbling down the hallway. “So Lady Life sent you?”

“Yes. Could you help me find Chase, please?” Oliver asked as he stared down at the beautiful woman he almost ran into.

“Sure, follow me,” she said as she began to walk back to the classroom.

          She stopped just outside of the door. “He’s in there.”

“Thank you,” He said quietly, “By the way, my name is Order, but most people call me Oliver.”

She smiled at the man who could pass as Chase’s twin. “I am Death, Daughter of Life and Doom, but most people call me Dee.”

She could feel him staring at her as she made her way back towards the entrance. The scythe pulsed against her wrist. Master, why did that man look like the future God of Chaos? She shook her head slightly before looking down at her wrist. I don’t know, but I will find out because it can’t be a coincidence.

She stepped out of the building and was instantly bathed in the light of the full moon. Here in the Dark sector it was always night and the moon was always full. The trees here were mostly evergreen except for one, the sacred tree. The sacred tree was a Sakura tree that was divided by the barrier, so half was in the Light sector and half was in the Dark sector. She looked back at the training hall to check on the ivy she had planted. Dad’s gonna kill me when he finds out I’m the one that planted the poison ivy so close to the training hall. She walked along side the barrier until she came to the tree. Is this it Master? The scythe hummed against her wrist. Yes, this is it. Now I think it’s time you and I got to know one another.

The ball at the end of the scythe flashed, allowing the spirit to be set free. ”I agree.”

Dee started to back away from the creature in front of her, but was stopped by the tree. “What are you?”

“This might take a while, so you might want to sit down.” The creature said taking a step closer to her.

She looked at the creature curiously before she folded her wings against her and sat with her back resting against the tree. “Okay, I’m listening.”

“I am called Aria. The form you see before you is called a Cerberus or Hell Hound if you like that better. This form is designed to fight along side you or for you. I can be kept inside the ball, but I would prefer not to go back in there for a while. I just got out after 5,000 years and I have no desire to go back in there any time soon.” Aria said with conviction.

“Were you always in that form? Why were you in the scythe to begin with?” Dee asked cautiously.

Aria sat down beside Dee and rested her three heads on her front paws. “I was the first Goddess of Creation. I watched over this world for more than 10,000 years before I volunteered to be integrated with my weapon to help the next Goddess of Creation. I also decided on the form I would be seen in, so yes you can say that I’ve always been in this form. Any more questions Master?”

“Yes, just two,” she said resting a hand on one of Aria’s heads.

“Go ahead Master.” Aria replied.

Dee looked down at the Cerberus laying beside her. “Will you please stop calling me master and how do I use the scythe?”

“As you wish. The scythe is called Rashaknar, which means…”

“‘Between heaven and hell’ in the language of the Goddess.” Dee interjected.

Aria lifted one of her heads to look up at her. “Yes, that is correct. You should already know how to use it as a weapon so I will not go over that, but I will remind you how to hide it.”

Dee looked down at the creature beside her. “I was wondering about that.”

“You have the ability to choose what form to hide the scythe in so you were thinking about a bracelet when you told it to transform. It also works the other way. You have to visualize how the scythe looks before you tell it to transform again,” she said, laying her head back down.

          Dee looked down at the scythe around her wrist. Okay, I can do this. She closed her eyes and tried to bring up the image of the scythe. The curved blade was attached to the handle, at the end of the handle was the chain, and at the end of the chain was the blood red ball that housed the spirit.

With the image of the scythe etched in her mind she opened her eyes. “Transform.”

The scythe flashed against her wrist and was once again the chain scythe that she chose.

“Wow it looks like you have things under control.” A voice spoke up from behind her.

Aria started to get up, but Dee put a reassuring hand on her back. “That won’t be necessary Aria. What brings you both out here?”

“Your father and I need to speak with you before you go to the other realms,” Lady Life said softly.

Dee nodded her head and motioned for them to sit down. “Well that’s a little ironic, because I have a question or two for our leaders as well.”

Chapter 5

          She watched as her parents folded their wings behind them before taking a seat beside each other. Lord Doom took a seat beside his daughter while Lady Lee took a seat across from the Cerberus.

“Why don’t you ask your questions first because I have a feeling what we have to tell you will answer them,” Lady Life said as she glanced warily at the creature lying at her daughter’s feet.

“Who is Oliver and why does he look like Chase?” Dee inquired.

Lady Life took a deep breath before answering. “He looks like Chase because Oliver is his twin brother.”

“Brother? Lee, are you sure? The data I received on Chase was that he had no siblings.” Lord Doom asked looking rather confused.

Lady Life turned to look at the man sitting beside her. “It’s not in my data either, but when I saw Chase for the first time I knew without a doubt that they were brothers.”

“That makes sense. They look alike, but are completely opposite of each other. But wait a minute. The law forbids interaction between the sectors so according to the law….the law….” Dee tried to finish, but her words stopped short as reality crashed in on her.

Lord Doom took his daughter in his arms and held her close not out of comfort, but out of caution. “The reason why your mother and I are not together anymore is because of the laws of our realm.”

“They were going to kill you if we stayed together so in order to keep you safe we pretended to hate each other, but would always meet here in secret. I was surprised to find you here one day instead of your father…” Lady Life stopped in mid sentence as the air around her began to crackle.

Her body tensed as she understood what her parents were saying. How many families have been torn apart because of this stupid law? She lifted her head from her father’s chest and looked at her mother. “How many families are like mine?”

“We don’t know,” Lord Doom replied cautiously when he realized that his daughter was the cause of the crackling sound.

Dee glared at her mother then her father and both could see her anger building.

“You don’t know? How could you not know? Are you not the leaders or the Light and Dark sectors?” Dee inquired, her voice getting louder with each question.

The crackling in the air intensified with each twitch of her tail. Both Lady Lee and Lord Doom flinched visibly at their daughter’s anger because not only could the see it in her eyes, but they could hear it in her voice and feel it in the air. All Dark Guardians have the ability to destroy realms, but most Dark Guardians don’t have enough power to do it alone. That is why Dark Guardians are in a team of three because it takes three Guardians cooperating together to destroy one realm. Dee, on the other hand was different because she had enough power to destroy as many realms as she wanted to.

“We’re sorry, but we lost count after a while. If I had to guess I would have to say close to a thousand, maybe more.” Lady Life replied after she regained her composure.

“And you did nothing to stop it?” Dee roared as she pushed away from her father.

Lord Doom tried to stop his daughter from getting up, but it was to late. She began pacing back and forth with her tail leaving a serpent like trail in the dirt beneath her.

“Calm down Dee.” Lord Doom said quietly, trying to soothe his daughter the best he could.

“Yes. Please calm down.” Lady Life pleaded with her daughter as she brought up her shield to surround her and Lord Doom.

          The crackling sound got louder until sparks of electricity could be seen, forming a sphere around her. Her mind was racing. Has everything been a lie? She could feel her power swirl out of control, but she was powerless to stop it. She let her anger take control. Lightning struck the ground around her, barely missing the trees, and bouncing off the shield Lady Life erected.

Lady Life glanced at her daughter then turned her full attention to Lord Doom. She made a connection to his mind which allowed them to speak mind to mind. Don, what are we going to do? She’s out of control? Lord Doom grabbed her and held her close. I don’t know what we are…..

“That is quite enough, future Goddess of Creation.” Aria growled.

…..What in three hells? Did that thing just talk? Lord Doom glanced at the Cerberus briefly then at Lady Life.

Dee looked around quizzically before slumping to the ground. “Aria? Mom? Dad?”

“You have too much power to lose control like that. You could have destroyed all of Karnash,” Aria scolded.

“I’m sorry. I let my emotions take control over me. I’ll try to be more careful from now on,” Dee replied as she wrapped her arms around Aria.

Lady Life let down the barrier when she saw her daughter relax. “It’s okay. Your father and I knew this would happen, but we didn’t realize it would be this bad.”

“Now that things are back to normal could you explain how a Hell Hound is surviving here in the realm of the Guardians?” Lord Doom asked, focusing his attention on his daughter and the Cerberus by her side.

Dee leaned back against the tree and filled her parents in on everything that had happened so far.

Chapter 6

          His ears twitched as he heard voices coming from outside the classroom. What now? Can I not get any peace? Chase wondered to himself. The Claymore hummed in response to his thoughts. Master, your brother is drawing near. The confidence oozing out of the chaotic blade was more than enough to confuse Chase. Brother? You must be mistaken because I don’t have a….”brother,” Chase finished the thought out loud as Oliver stepped into the room.

The two Guardians stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Neither Guardian wanted to believe that what he was seeing was real, but neither one could deny the truth. In an instant the bonds of brotherhood revealed themselves and the connection all siblings share was formed. Memories flooded the minds of the two Guardians as the magic from Order and Chaos counteracted each other.

Chase recognized Oliver for who he truly is. “So it is true. You are my brother.”

“Yes, it looks like Lady Life was right.” Oliver replied as he extended his hand.

Chase moved across the room to where his brother stood and wrapped his arms around him. “No need for handshakes, brother.”

“You are right,” Oliver said as he returned the hug.

Chase was the first one to release the hug, but he did not back away. He could feel the magic of his brother countering his own. They may look alike, but they were opposites in every way.

Chase caught his brother looking at him quizzically as if he had something he was afraid to ask. “What’s with the look?”

“You already know how to use your magic don’t you.” Oliver stated in an accusing tone.

Chase smiled at his brother because he understood what he was getting at. “Yes I do. I do believe we have been set up brother.”

Silence filled the room once again as each Guardian tried to hide the emotions that was building inside them both.

Oliver was the first one to break the silence. “If we’ve been separated for all of these years then how many more families are like ours?”

          Before Chase could answer, the ground started to shake and sparks of electricity started to fly. Chase hurried back over to his Claymore and wrapped both hands around the hilt. Master we don’t have time for formalities so listen carefully. My name is Derrik and I am the first God of Chaos. I, along with my wife, decided to fuse ourselves to our weapons so we could help the next generation. My spirit has a solid form, which I will now reveal to you. The weapon flashed in his hands as it absorbed energy from the surrounding air. Between the two Guardians appeared a Griffin, a rather chaotic looking creature in its own right. The Griffin wrapped his wings around the two Guardians until things had calmed down.

Chase looked at the creature on the floor then at Oliver. “We should find out what’s going on.”

The two Guardians took off towards the front entrance with the Griffin following closely behind. They stopped short of the barrier as they noticed the two smaller Guardians passing through it. Oliver and Chase noticed that they were holding hands, but neither said a word. The two smaller Guardians landed on a table that was located at the front entrance.

“What’s going on?” Destiny inquired of the group.

Chase shook his head. “We were hoping you knew.”

“I’m afraid not,” Rusty replied.

“That was the magic of the future Goddess of Creation.” Derrick spoke up from behind Chase.

The smaller Guardians looked at the massive creature, but all questions were put aside when they felt a shift in their minds. Lady Life’s voice vibrated in the heads of the four Guardians. Everything is fine. My daughter just found out the real reason why we can’t be a family, the real reason why many families were ripped apart. The Law needs to change and there is only one Guardian that can do it and that is the Child of Prophecy. Now that you know the truth, you four have a decision to make. You can either ignore everything and go back to the lives you had, or you can stand together. Lord Doom and I are prepared to stand behind our daughter no matter what happens. Are you willing to do the same?

The four Guardians looked at one another and made their decision without saying a word. Destiny’s voice filled their minds along with the minds of Lady Life and Lord Doom. I speak for all four of us. We will stand together, we will support Dee, and we will fight to change Karnash no matter what it takes. The Guardians could sense the relief coming from their leaders. Lord Doom’s voice filled their minds. Good, I am glad you have reached that decision. Come to the sacred tree. We have much to discuss.

Chapter 7

          Dee sat on the ground with her arms wrapped around Aria’s neck and her top set of wings covered her face. She was so focused on calming down that she didn’t realize someone was coming.

“I see you’ve got one of those things too,” a voice said from beside her.

She lowered her wings enough to see whom the voice belonged to. Standing before her was Chase and Oliver with Destiny and another small Guardian hovering in front of them. On a normal day she would have been shocked to see another small Guardian, but after hearing the truth nothing could shock her. This has to be a coincidence… Before she could finish her thought a familiar voice filled her mind.  My Goddess, there are no such thing as coincidences.

She noticed everyone was staring at her, so she raised her head defiantly. “What is everyone staring at?”

“We are staring at the evolution of a Goddess,” Lady Life said quietly.

Lord Doom stepped closer to his daughter and lifted her chin so she could meet his gaze. “What your mother means is that we are standing in the presence of the future Goddess. Your transformation has begun.”

She tried to look as if she didn’t know what they were talking about, but her eyes betrayed her. She felt the symbol on her forehead and realized that it has become more than just a simple birthmark.

“Why are you all here?” She asked calmly.

She watched as the small Guardian unknown to her flew closer to her.

He hovered before her eyes with ease. “I am a Light Guardian called Rusty. My true name is Restoration. I pledge my life to you and I promise to help you in any way possible.”

One by one the other Guardians came to her and pledged themselves to her.

Destiny flew to Rusty and hovered beside him. “I am a Dark Guardian call Destiny. My true name is Destruction. I was supposed to be born as a Light Guardian, but I had a Dark Guardian name. My family was ripped apart. With this knowledge I pledge my life to you and promise to help you in any way.”

Oliver stepped forward and kneeled before her. “I am a Light Guardian called Oliver. My true name is Order.  My family was split apart because I am a Light Guardian while my brother is a Dark Guardian….”

Before Oliver could finish his pledge Chase stepped forward and took over for him, “I am a Dark Guardian called Chase. My true name is Chaos. I along with my brother Oliver pledge our lives to you and promise to help you in any way we can.”

Lord Doom and Lady Life kneeled before their daughter, but it was Lord Doom who spoke for the both of them. “I, Lord Doom, along with Lady Life pledge our lives to you and we promise to help you in any way possible.”

Dee sat in amazement at what just happened. She tried to thank them, but she had no words to express her gratitude. They knew what could happen by aligning themselves with her, but they did it anyway.

Chapter 8

          Once she regained her composure she looked at those surrounding her. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“Goddess, you are not the only one who has been affected by this. I can only do what my master tells me to do, but since my master has pledged to serve you, this one pledges his life as well.” The Griffin said as he walked into view.

Aria’s middle head nuzzled the side of Dee’s face. “It should go without saying that I would follow you to the end.”

She closed her eyes and silently thanked the Fates for everything they have given her. She rested against the sacred tree once again and motioned for everyone to sit. Aria was the first one to move so she curled up beside her master while the Griffin came to rest beside her. Chase folded his wings and sat down beside the Griffin, followed by the other Guardians. The grass beneath them was an emerald shade of green only known to the Guardians. The sacred tree above them seemed to stretch out its branches to protect them from prying eyes. The Guardians sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

Dee looked at the circle of friends that had gathered to help her. “I know we have much to discuss, but I don’t know where to start.”

“How about explaining about those two creatures beside you,” Lady Life said calmly.

Aria lifted her three heads and looked at everyone. “I will explain. My name is Aria and his name is Derrick. We are the former Goddess of Creation and the former God of Chaos. We decided to attach our spirits to our weapons in order to help the new God and Goddess create a new world. Yes, Karnash will be reborn, but not until Dee and Chase fully awaken. It is our job to support them and fight by their side. The way you see us now is the way we chose to be seen. I chose the form of Cerberus, the mythical hound of hell….”

“And I chose the form of a Griffin so we can better serve our Masters,” said Derrick as he finished Aria’s sentence.

          The group fell into silence once again, but it was quickly broken by the sound of footsteps.

From the bushes came a soft voice. “Let go damn you!”

“Who’s there?” Lord Doom demanded with his voice rumbling gruffly.

From the bushes a Light Guardian appeared. She had long, golden blonde hair braided down her back. She had the ears of a water nymph, the transparent wings of a dragonfly, and the tail of a white tailed deer.

Looking at the group before her, the Light Guardian bowed her head slightly. “Forgive me for eavesdropping. I am Lialya and my given name is Light. I thought I heard you talking about the Guardian Laws and I wanted to get a little closer so I could hear better.”

“You do not need to bow before us Lialya. Before we continue any further, please tell me why a Light Guardian is in the Dark Realm.” Lord Doom inquired even though he already knew the answer.

“She came to meet me,” a voice said from behind the tree.

           A Dark Guardian stepped out from behind the tree and appeared before them. The snow-white ears of a polar bear offset his jet-black hair. His wings and tail were the same color as his hair.

Lady Life stared at the Dark Guardian with a look of confusion on her face. “The wings of a raven and the tail of a black jaguar signify you as the Guardian of Darkness. Why are you here meeting one of my Guardians?”

The Guardian of Darkness bowed low before them. “You are correct. I am the Guardian of Darkness, but most people call me Darius. Please forgive my intrusion and my rudeness. The reason why I am meeting one of your Guardians is for the same reason why you still meet with my leader in secret.”

Lady Life blushed slightly at the understanding in his words.

“Well before you two bring that baby into the world I suggest you pledge yourselves to me and our cause,” Dee stated matter-of-factly.

Everyone turned to look at her except for Lialya who stared at the ground intently.

Dee’s eyes softened and the symbol of the Goddess glowed on her forehead. “What kind of a Goddess would I be if I could not tell who is with child. That is why you asked him to meet you here is it not?”

Lialya lifted her eyes to meet Darius’ gaze, but no words came to her. She could only nod her head in agreement. Darius and Lialya bowed before Dee and without saying another word the group of Guardians went from being 7 to 9.

Chapter 9

          Dee looked at the group gathered around her and once again thanked the Fates for everything they have given her. She knew she should say something, but she did not know where to start. Looking at his daughter, Lord Doom noticed her uncertainty on how to continue, but he knew to keep silent because she needed to learn how to be a leader.

Dee took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before continuing. “We have quite a few people here so I’m going to give some quick introductions using our given names. I am Death, to my left is my partner Aria, beside her is Derrick and his master Chaos. To the left of Chaos is his brother Order and continuing on is Darkness, Light, Destruction, Restoration, Life and Doom. We are a mixed group of Guardians with one goal, which is to unify the Guardian Realm. The laws of the Guardian Realm have affected everyone here and I know that we are not the only ones. Chaos, Destruction, and I will be leaving for the surface realms at first light so we can restore the balance to Karnash, but by this time it might be too late. Darkness and Light, I want you to gather as many as people as you can think of to join our cause. What ever you do, just be careful because we do not need those in power to know what we are doing.”

“Daughter, if I may interrupt you for a minute?” Lord Doom inquired in an amused voice.

“Of course father. What is it?” Dee responded shifting her focus to Lord Doom.

“You do realize that two of those who hold power in this realm already know what you are up to.” Lord Doom said softly.

Lady Life closed her eyes and made a connection with her daughter. Just be yourself, nothing more than that.

Dee glanced at her mother and nodded. “My father is right. Lord Doom and Lady Life they have suffered because of the law. They are fighting the same fight we are, so we should use their power to our advantage. You two can work from the inside since you are members of the Council of Three. Does anyone have anything to add?”

Lady Life cleared her throat and looked at the Guardians around her to make sure she had everyone’s attention. “In order for the Guardian Realm to be unified the Council of Three should be disbanded. In order for this to happen, one person should hold power over both Light and Dark Sectors. As we know Council seats can be passed down from parent to child and there is only one person among us who has enough power to change this world.”

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement with Lady Life. There is only one person who has enough power to change this world and that person is the one who has two parents in the Council of Three.

“I understand. I will be the one to take down the Council of Three, but how?” Dee responded.

Lord Doom shook his head and smiled. “You let your mom and I worry about that. Everyone knows what they are supposed to do so for now why don’t you, Chase, and Destiny go rest up. You leave at first light.”

The group went their separate ways with each Guardian lost in thought.

Chapter 10

          She looked at the armor she had laid out the night before with a grimace. Why do I have to wear armor? Why do I even have to wear clothes at all?

“Because we can’t have you running around Karnash in the nude,” a voice said, floating in through the open window.

Destiny came to the open window and seemed to just hover there until Dee motioned for her to come in. “Everyone is ready to go except for you. If you hate the armor so much then why don’t you wear what you usually do? Besides, no one is going to mess with Lady Death.”

Dee swished her tail playfully as she turned towards the open window. “That has a nice ring to it, but it’s a bit premature.”

She turned to look at the armor, but her eyes fell upon the two scraps of cloth beside it. Destiny is right. If I’m going to fight then I am going to wear something I can move in. She picked up the scraps and tied one around her waist and one around her chest. The black, triangle shaped scraps of cloth were so small that they left little to the imagination, not that she really cared. She could move freely and that is all that matters.

Destiny smiled at Dee before turning to leave. “It’s time. The group will meet at the portal gates before we go. I will see you there.”

          The group gathered before the portal gates for one final meeting before the chosen Dark Guardians left for the other realms.

Lord Doom looked at the Guardians surrounding him with a look of hope. “Just so we are clear. Dee, Destiny and Chase will go to the other realms to do their job, but while they are gone Darius and Lialya will gather the Guardians who want to change this realm while Lady Life and I will work behind the scenes to help out our successor.”

Understanding dawned on the faces of Darius and Lialya. Darius, this could actually work. Not only do we have two out of the three members of the Council fighting this fight, but we also have the future God of Chaos and Goddess of Creation.

Dee smiled at the couple and linked with their minds. Of course this will work. You want to be with each other because you love each other. I want my family to be able to live together, Chase and Oliver are brothers separated from birth, and Destiny has never seen her birth parents because she was born a Dark Guardian unlike her parents. We all have something we want in this and we can’t be the only ones. Love does not see the difference between Dark and Light, so why should we.

With that she looked around at everyone with arrogance seeping out of every pore. ”We are off now. Keep my realm safe while we’re gone.”

She didn’t have to say anything else because they all knew that they would follow her until the end because she was the only one who could change this world.