Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2005 05:26:43 -0500
From: Steven Carter <darkmage1226 (at) gmail (dot) com>
Subject: The Guardian Quest to Darkness

OK all I just wanted to thank you in advance for taking the time to read
my story and I hope that you enjoy it. I also want to apologize for it
taking so long to get this next chapter out.

Also the usual disclaimers pertain to it so if you are not at least 18 or
whatever the legal age in your area is then you are ordered to leave and
not read this. Also all characters and events are fictitious and products
of the authors bored mind. Thank you again for reading and enjoy.

The Guardian Quest to Darkness

After leaving the house I traveled Downtown to where my vehicles were
parked. I decided an old Land Rover would probably be the best for this
trip. As I got in and started the car I got a feeling that things were
not going to be as easy as I hoped.

I knew the cave system north of the city was fairly extensive but figured
that what ever was behind all the disappearances would try to find a
place that was not visited that often. Using the computed I had in the
Land Rover I pulled up a map of the caverns from a geological website and
then pulled up a map of the caverns that were toured often from caverns
website. Using the two I figured out which would be the most likely ones
for them to use.

After figuring out the where I now had to figure out the how. I knew that
the Land Rover had all the supplies that I might need and that combined
with my abilities I should not run into any problems that I could not
handle. What I was worrying about was how to do this without putting
Caleb in danger and what condition he might be in.

When I got to the park the feeling of growing evil I had been feeling for
the last few weeks was even stronger than before telling me that what I
was about to deal with was not something that was normal. I still did not
know exactly what it was but I knew it would be something from one of the
dark planes. Strangely this made me feel more confident as I knew how to
deal with these things better than with normal people.

Being this close to it I could use the energy it was giving off to track
it back to its lair making it easier to find it and get rid of it.
Arriving as close to it as I felt was safe in the Land Rover I stopped
and got out to prepare to deal with it. Going to the back of the vehicle
I opened the back and raised the floorboard to open the area where
normally a spare tire would be. Instead of a tire though this area
contained one of my travel arsenals. Thinking over what I may have to
deal with on the way in I decided to bring a climbing pack as well as a
short sword that had been given to me by my clan chief on the day that I
had become a man. I also picked out some throwing knifes and an
assortment of other small arms. I changed over to a molted black and gray
skin suit and figured I was as prepared as I was likely to be.

I carefully headed to the cavern I figured I would find Caleb in. As I
approached I noticed two sentries posted at the mouth of the cave. I
pulled a blowgun from my back and loaded it with a dart treated with a
sleeping draught. Taking careful aim I fired and hit the first sentry in
the neck with the dart. Quickly reloading and firing again I took out the
second sentry before he could raise an alarm. Moving carefully I made my
way to the mouth of the cave.

As I entered the cave I could hear screams coming from a path that lead
down and to the right. The screams were loud enough that I should have
been able to hear them from outside the cave. This confirmed my fears
that what I would be dealing with would not be a normal person as it had
cast a silence spell across the cave mouth. Moving slowly and cautiously
I made my way down the right hand path. It was slow going, as I had to
pause at each intersection and figure out which direction to go next. As
I went I marked each tunnel I had come out of so that I could get out of
there in a hurry if I had to in the end. The creature showed its
arrogance by not having any sentries posted in the caves on the way down
but thankfully this was to my advantage.

I finally made it to the central chamber and was able to get my first
sight of the enemy. It was an Ifrit from the planes of fire. At once I
understood what was going on and why so many homeless teens had been
disappearing off the streets. Ifrits live off of the energy given off by
emotions and the life force of humans when they were on the mortal plane.
Apparently this Ifrit had been on our plane for a while as it was
incredibly strong and I could feel its energy and power from the mouth of
the cavern. Thankfully I kept my power shielded so it was not able to
detect me as I slowly made my way into the cavern and traveled along the
wall till I could find a spot to travel further into the cavern. While
doing this I had to think of some way of destroying it that would not put
the teens in the cages around the room in danger.

Finding a path among a pile of crates that would keep me hidden from the
beast I started getting closer to it until I was but about 10 feet away.
I finally decided to use a reversed mirror shield spell on it and just
try to encase it within it until I could get the boys out of here and
then deal with it once there was no one else in danger. Slowly and
carefully I cast the spell necessary keeping it with in myself till just
before it was complete to lessen the chances of it being detected. Just
as the spell was almost done I released it on the Ifrit causing it to
scream out in anger and unleash a spell of its own at me. Thankfully the
mirror shield popped into place just as the Ifrit casts its spell. The
effect of its spell backfiring back on it and the mirror shield
magnifying it was enough to destroy the Ifrit. This was something I had
not expected but who am I to argue with the Lady Luck.

Once the light from its destruction died down and I was able to see again
I started opening the cages and explaining to the boys how to get out of
the cavern. I told the ones in better shape to help the ones that were
not able to walk well out and went looking for my Caleb. Finally I found
him in one of the last cages passed out on the ground. I could see the
damage that had been done to his body and could only imagine how much
damage had been done to his mind as they had tortured him. There was a
boy about the same age as him kneeling on the ground next to him trying
to wake him up. When the boy seen me he jumped up and put himself between
me and Caleb telling me to go away and leave him alone. The boys attempt
to protect Caleb put him in my good graces and stopped me from doing
something horrible to him because he was blocking me from getting to my
fallen angel.

I told the boy that I was here to help and that my name was Arkail. That
I was a friend of Caleb's and had come here to free him. The boy looked
at me for a few seconds open mouthed before say that he was Brandon and
he was the reason that Caleb was in this mess in the first place. He then
said that Caleb had been right when he said I would come for them and
rescue them. Brandon kneeled down beside Caleb and asked if there was
anything I could do to help him.

Without answering I kneeled down beside Caleb to find out how bad he had
been hurt. He was beaten up pretty badly and was bleeding from several
cuts and was covered with bruises. I felt that it would be ok to move
him. I turned to Brandon and asked him if he would help me get Caleb on
my back so we could get out of there. Brandon said he thought he could do
that and lifted Caleb into a sitting position.

I knelt down between Caleb's legs with my back facing him and told
Brandon to settle him on my back in a piggyback position. After getting
him settled I had Brandon cut several pieces of rope and use them to tie
Caleb onto my back to help keep him from falling off. After getting him
tied on securely I grabbed his legs under his knees and stood up leaning
slightly forward to help balance him on my back. I then asked Brandon to
carry my backpack and to use the lantern on its side to lead the way back
to the surface.

At each intersection I stopped and looked for the marks I had made on the
way in so we would not get lost. After about an hour and a half with my
back and legs killing me we finally came to the cave entrance. I knelt
down to rest for a minute before continuing on to the Land Rover. Once we
got to the Land Rover I had Brandon get the keys out of my pocket and
unlock the back door and get in so that we could get Caleb laid across
the seat comfortably.

Once he got into the back seat I turned around so he could untie the
ropes and lower Caleb onto the back seat. As we lowered Caleb into the
seat he scooted across the seat and out the other door. Once we had him
situated as best as possible I closed the door and went to the tailgate
so I could put my stuff back were it went. Getting into the driver's seat
I told Brandon to get in so that we could get Caleb someplace where I
could help him at.

I think the Lord and Lady must have been watching over me since I was
driving at about 100 mph and did not get pulled over. Once I got back to
my apartment building I pulled in front of it and told Brandon to stay
with Caleb while I went and got some help to move him upstairs to my
apartment.

I ran in the front door and told the security guard that I needed help
again getting someone upstairs to my apartment. This not being the first
time I had brought someone home injured he went to the storeroom without
asking any questions and grabbed the flat furniture cart and followed me
outside. I opened the car door and grabbed Caleb by his shoulders pulling
him out of the car. As his feet cleared the car Brandon had already
grabbed him under his knees and helped me set him on the cart.

I told the security guard to park my car and leave the keys at the
security station and that I would pick them up when I brought the cart
back down. I pushed the cart to the freight elevator in the back and
headed up to my apartment. Once there we took Caleb straight into my
bedroom since Adam was sleeping in the other. I had Brandon bring the
cart back down and get my car keys.

Adam helped me get Caleb out of his clothes so I could see the full
extent of what had been done to him. His body was a mass of bruised,
welts, and cuts. He was still out of it and I did not know when he would
wake up. I told Adam I would be back in a few minutes that I needed to go
get something. The real reason was that seeing Caleb like that was
bringing back memories that I thought I had locked away forever. The
sight of someone I loved hurt like that threw me back 2000 years into my
past. I managed to get to the living room and sit down on the couch
before the flash back took control.

The next thing I knew I was running toward my clan stead seeing the
smoke. As I entered the clan stead I saw death and destruction all around
me. There were bodies everywhere. Everything and everyone I knew was gone
again. I ran to the healer's hut to find the body of my love Jarrod lying
across the doorstep. He was a bloody mess. His beautiful body was cut to
ribbons as he had died trying to defend the old healer, his beautiful
soul gone from me forever.

I fell to my knees beside him and I screamed. I cursed the Lord and Lady
for taking away those I cared about from me again. I had already lost my
family and now they had taken away the one who held my heart. I looked
around me for something to end the pain with. I was not going to continue
on this time. I had nothing left to live for.

Then I heard a noise coming from in the hut. I went into the hut and
found the old healer slumped up against the wall still alive. When he saw
me he motioned me to come over to him. As I approached I saw that he had
a fatal wound through his stomach. As I knelt by his side he started to
speak. I tried to stop him but he hushed me telling to listen because he
did not have much time left. He told me that as the only surviving clan
member it was my responsibility to get revenge on those that did this to
them. That I had to live so our clan's name could continue. It was my
duty.

He then told me that Jarrod's dieing words where that he loved me and
hoped I would go on without him. That he would be with me always and that
one-day I would find love again. I would do all I could to carry out my
loves last wish.

Then I was back in my living room and there before me stood my beautiful
Jarrod. I could not move. I had not seen his face in 2000 years and it
was more beautiful that I remembered. He told me it was time for him to
move on to make room in my heart for another. That it was time for to let
him go and then in a flash of white light he was gone and I felt
something missing inside.

I sat there on the couch and cried until Brandon walked in and asked me
what was wrong that he had heard me yelling from out in the hall. I told
him nothing just some bad memories.

I set Brandon up on the couch and sent Adam to bed in the other bedroom.
After that I went into my room to keep an eye on Caleb. Sitting there
next to the bed looking at Caleb brought my emotions to the front causing
me to have to deal with them. As I sat there watching him sleep I had to
admit to myself that yes I did love him. Once I had admitted that to
myself it was like a weight had been lifted from my soul.

I prayed aloud to the Lord and Lady not to take my love away from me
again. To let me have him in my life even if for only a fleeting moment
in comparison to what I would live. Then I looked down at Caleb and
kissed his forehead. As I rose up from the kiss I told his sleeping form
that I loved him and that he had better not leave me as I had been alone
long enough. After saying this I laid my head down on my arms so I could
think for a few minutes and ended up falling asleep.


I want to thank everyone again for taking the time and effort in reading
the newest chapter of my story. I also promise that the chapters will be
posted more often as i have now found a new editor who accually gets the
chapters back to me. I love feed back whether it is good or bad just send
it to me at Darkmage1226@gmail.comm
just take off the last m to send it