Odyssey of the Guardian Emperor

It was a cold day in a remote town built atop five hills, aptly named the Five Hills, situated on the far reaches of the Valerian continent.

The air hung dry and heavy, as though even the world had forgotten how to breathe.

The birds didn't chirp in the trees and the wind didn't whistle. Only the ominous caw of ravens tore the insidious silence apart.

The stench of death lingered, thick and suffocating.

A green-eyed boy, barely eleven, staggered forward, knees buckling under the weight of another boy slung over his back, unconscious.

The pair were covered in mud and blood. Their breathing was worrisome at best and they were covered in wounds, their clothes shredded by what looked like the claws of a gigantic bear.

Alaric, the dizzy walking dark-haired boy, wished it was a bear. Perhaps they could have escaped a bear... but not a demon.

The creature's gargantuan misshapen mass, abhorrent appearance, mangled jaws and menacing teeth still flashed through his eyes. Its roar, a rusty deranged cackle that ended in an ominous gurgle, was still fresh in his memory, like the call of death.

To the boy's side, covered in black armour from head to toe, was a tall graceful feminine figure of a knight stood at almost two metres tall which was impossibly tall for a human.

In one of her large slender arms, she held a small sleeping boy with fiery hair who couldn't be over seven years old.

The knight, towering and impossibly tall, moved with a grace that belied the weight of her armour. Her eyes, hidden behind the shadow of her helm, seemed to watch over them like a sentinel.

She emanated a powerful yet comforting aura. At her side, a girl held onto her free hand for support, walking along with the two boys.

With the exception of the spotless knight, the girl and the little boy had sustained the least damage.

Tears streamed down Alaric's face as the events of the past hour flashed through his mind in feverish waves.

His heart ached with each memory of the vicious attack. The palpable feeling of helplessness that robbed him of his ability to breathe was crushing.

The sound of crushing bone and ripping flesh as the demon mercilessly eviscerated the owner of most of the blood covering him.

To the demon, he'd been but a mere cub, incapable of doing anything.

Still, that feeling was second to the fact that he'd survived and yet, his friend, Jared, hadn't.

He still remembered the creature's abhorrent maw getting obstructed from view by a human body seconds before what should have been his death.

Because of him, Jared was mangled beyond recognition. The sight played on repeat as though he was cursed to remember it for the rest of his life.

Seconds... That's all it had taken for the powerful demon to snuff out the life of his friend, who'd been a lot older than him. What hope did an eleven-year-old have against such a beast?

Had it not been for the sudden appearance of the tall graceful knight, they would all have met the same fate.

Surrounding the small group of battered children and the knight were dried woods. Having shed most of their leaves, the trees carried an ominous aura-as though they'd been aware of the demon dwelling in the forest.

The female knight looked down at the crying boy. Their pace was less than ideal but she wished to give him time to let his tears flow. A shimmer of magic encased the boy he was carrying, preserving his life.

A ghost of a smile graced the dark knight's face. The situation might have looked grim... but the weeping boy she was looking at hadn't even once paused to rest even though the person he was carrying should have been equal to his weight.

His muscles should have been burning. His legs should have given up a long time ago... and yet he forged forward. It didn't matter that he was crying or broken...

The knight knew for a fact that he was going to be alright.

That was just the way her master's spirit was.

As the group lumbered on, they passed through a translucent barrier at the foot of a hill. The familiar change in landscape was a signal to the children that home was not so far. This hill, like four others, was a part of the little village they called home: the Five Hills.

Today, however, going home felt worse than Alaric had ever dreamed. Alaric stood still, looking up at the hill they were meant to climb. The dark knight paused a moment later and turned back to meet his gaze.

"Keep moving forward," her soft voice echoed.

Alaric looked down at his dirty feet and brutally damaged shoes. His legs wouldn't budge and his heart beat heavier with each passing second.

Every step from this point on would be an excruciating one. He would have to face everyone... and tell them of the bad news.

"ALARIC, FINN..." a voice called out to them. Alaric's green eyes snapped up in fear. A beautiful lady with white hair dressed in an old apron came rushing down to meet them for a moment, her voice laden with worry.

Alaric knew this face all too well. It was the last one he wanted to see. The face of Sister Marla, their caretaker. The very person he lived to impress-the last person he'd ever want to let down.

Yet here he was, the cause of the loss of one of the children she loved so dearly. Alaric's heart beat faster in his chest. The voices coming towards him grew dim.

He fell to his knees... 'I'm the reason Jared's dead. I'm sorry.'

Then he blacked out.

.............

Five days passed before he regained consciousness. The dark-haired boy came to in a familiar small bed. The roof above him was dilapidated with dusty wooden beams running through the roughly built mud wall.

He looked up for a long moment before his name returned to him. But with it came a dam of memories. Alaric bit back the tears and emotions that threatened to tear him apart.

[You've been through a lot,] a feminine voice suddenly rumbled through his mind.

The boy sat up abruptly and pulled himself to the wall, "Who are you?"

[Your guardian... and I can hear your thoughts. You don't have to shout,] the voice came again, bearing more concern than he deserved.

At the same time, his shadow bubbled and a thick mist began to emerge from it. He'd seen this mist once before... but that was a memory he didn't want to delve into, for it came right after Jared's death.

The mist formed a figure roughly the shape of a human which solidified to form a tall female knight, "My name is Alia. What's yours?"

The boy stared at the woman from between his knees, "Alaric... I thought you could read my thoughts."

"Yes, but it's not so polite to pry," Alia replied with a warm smile.

Alaric looked away from the guardian, "Thank you... for saving us."

"I'm your guardian so it's part of the job," the guardian replied.

"Guardians are supposed to manifest at the age of fifteen," Alaric mumbled.

"Not always..." the knight answered.

Alaric wouldn't look the guardian in the eye. He doubted he could look himself in the eye if he had a mirror. No, he was far too... ashamed to do that. How could he face anyone after everything that had happened?

He was beaten, defeated. Everything hurt, both in his body and his mind. He was empty... and angry.

"Don't blame yourself for Jared's death," the guardian spoke.

"Hey! You said you wouldn't pry," Alaric snapped at the knight.

"I also said protecting you is part of my job," the guardian replied.

Alaric went quiet.

The guardian sighed, "You know. When I suddenly awakened, I thought I would be meeting my powerful master. 'The prince,' they said. Then I find you, a helpless little child who can't even throw a punch let alone take down a weakling of a demon."

'Weakling... That thing was a monster!' he wanted to say.

His eyes went dark instead and he kept his head turned away from the knight, "Then why not go back wherever it is you came from?"

The knight scowled, "You're such a wimp! All you've done since I came is cry and be weak."

"I'm not weak..."

"Yes, you are. You're nothing like the prince you're meant to be," the guardian argued.

"I'm no prince... I'm no one," Alaric yelled at the knight.

The knight stood and came close enough for him to smell the dark metal that formed the visor of her helmet, "And you're okay with that?"

Those words struck the boy like a hammer on an anvil. He was no one... Was he okay with that? He didn't know why it meant so much to him. He didn't know where the sense of self-loathing and repulsion came from... but he absolutely hated it.

"No."

"There is the prince I serve," the guardian smirked, "There might be hope for you yet."

"I can be strong with you by my side," Alaric said.

"I'm no babysitter, Alaric. It's not enough for you to have a powerful guardian. You must be strong so that something like this won't ever happen again. I will train you, young prince and I will make you strong."

Four years later.

Alaric stirred in his sleep, the thin blanket tangled around his legs. The morning birds chirped outside, heralding the new day. Slowly, his green eyes fluttered open to the sight of the familiar wooden ceiling, marred with scratches and the scent of new wood from recent repairs.

The walls, however, looked like they'd been standing for generations. Cracks riddled the old brick walls while tough vines grew into their very structure, humming with the faint shimmer of magic.

The dark-haired boy lay still for a moment, listening to the soft snores and murmurs of his fellow orphans.

[Good morning, Alaric] a motherly female whispered into the boy's mind.

[Good morning, Alia] he greeted back with a warm smile.

[You dreamt of him again] the voice came again. Flashes of the traumatic event four years ago came and went at the sudden reminder.

Taking a deep breath, he swung his legs over the bed and stepped onto the cool crack-ridden concrete floor, a shiver running through him.

[Why wouldn't I? Today is a day he'd been looking forward to for a long time... but never got to experience it] Alaric replied with a sigh.

The dormitory was small and sparse, but each bed had a touch of personality. An old, weathered book lay beside his flattened straw pillow: "Guardians: A Curated Guide to the World of Guardians."

Nearby, a makeshift curtain blocked out the sun, casting a shadow over a small table holding trinkets he'd gathered over the years.

[Then live this day just like he would have; To its fullest,] the guardian replied. Her voice carried warmth through the boy's body and dispelled his dark emotions almost entirely.

Jared wouldn't have wanted him to be sad on a day as bright as this one.

Alaric was tall for his age, well-built-a little too built- with dark short hair and soft green eyes. He gazed down at the scars on his chiselled torso, vaguely tracing the abs that had formed as a result of gruelling training and hard work.

Clenching his fists, he took in a deep breath, 'Right... to the fullest.'

So much had gone into the preparation for this day. It felt as though a frozen clock had started to tick once more.

Today was a special day indeed.

Today, Alaric and the other fifteen-year-old children from the Five Hills as well as those from all over the Valerian continent would be appraised.

He glanced around, his gaze falling on a boy with sandy brown hair sleeping not so far from him. A faint scar peeked out of the top of his sandy mop, a constant reminder of the attack four years ago.

In Alaric's dream, this had been the unconscious boy he carried from the woods that day. This was his best friend, Finn.

"Hey, Finn, wake up, you lazy sack," Alaric whispered, shaking his friend's leg.

"Get away from me, you busybody," Finn mumbled, rolling away. His bed, unfortunately, wasn't large enough to escape far.

"You don't want Sir Garin to find you unprepared, do you?" Alaric tried. The boy stirred for a moment, lifting his head momentarily before slamming it down, followed by a loud snore.

'This is hopeless...' Alaric slumped his shoulders. It had been four years... and Finn was still a terrible morning person.

A soft knock at the door drew Alaric's attention. Marla, their caretaker, peeked in, her white hair framing a kind beautiful face. Alaric's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the gentle lady.

He saw her every day but on days when his mind drifted back to that dark day, he was also forced to remember that her love saved him from the self-torment that nearly tore him to pieces.

"Good morning, Alaric," the woman called in a whispering voice.

"Good morning, Marla," he replied with a smile.

Marla stared at the sleeping sandy-haired boy and beamed, "Good morning, Finn."

Finn grumbled in response, failing to make any words.

The caretaker chuckled and turned back to Alaric, still whispering, "Breakfast is almost ready. Help me get everyone up."

Alaric saluted her playfully. "I'm on it, Sister Marla. We'll be out before breakfast is ready."

"Take your time, Alaric. You don't want Cody to blow off the roof again," Marla giggled before disappearing behind the door.

Alaric turned to an odd structure at the very end of the room. Humming with magic, a gargantuan mass of constricting vines folded in and out of each other in a complex mess of knots and stitches to form a tight egg of vines.

Drawing from experience hacking away at the resilient bundle of vines, Alaric shrugged... 'Meh, we'll be fine.'

Silently, he walked to the window and opened it wide, letting in a chilling draft. Naturally, Finn wrapped himself even tighter in his blanket.

A dark smile appeared on Alaric's lips as he approached his friend. Suddenly, he whipped Finn's blanket off him, exposing him to the chilly air.

"ALARIC!!!" Finn bellowed, his eyes popping out of their sockets from the sudden shock.

BOOM!!! An explosion shook the dormitory.

Alaric and Finn froze with grimaces on their faces. Contrary to popular belief, an explosion in this odd home never meant an attack.

Rather it was the side-effect of a single boy waking up... and everyone was used to this.

At the end of the dormitory, isolated from the rest where an egg of vines once stood, was a solitary bed on which a young boy with fiery hair stirred.

The area around Cody's bed was blackened with soot, charred vines, leaves and branches still glowing with hot flames while a thin veil of smoke wafted through the room.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Cody mumbled, "Finn... you scared me."

The door burst open, revealing a flustered Marla. She rushed to Cody's side, checking him for injuries. Finding none, she pulled him into a hug. "You're alright!"

Cody hugged her back. "I'm fine, big sister Marla."

"Yes, you are," she sighed in relief, "Yes, you are."

Alaric felt a pang of guilt but quickly shook it off. "Sorry, Cody. Good morning, Cody."

The young boy replied absentmindedly, "Good morning, Alaric."

As part of his assignment, Alaric moved about the room, helping the younger children wake up... or rather confirming that they had woken up.

As the dormitory came alive with activity, the anticipation of the day's events filled the air. Today was the day Alaric and his age mates would journey to the Tower of Seekers, and Alaric knew it was the beginning of something much larger.

.....................

The scent of cinnamon, bread and baked potatoes filled the air as a lively table of children chowed down on breakfast with lively conversation filling the dining room.

Alaric filled his plate with food and with more vigour than usual, chowed down on his meal. His heart was beating faster with thoughts of the future.

'What does the Tower of Seekers look like? How is the Appraisal done? How many people shall we find there?' his thoughts rambled on.

His guardian, who was hidden safely within his shadow, didn't bother to answer, instead rolling her eyes at the excited boy's thoughts.

"Slow down, Alaric or it's the physician you'll be visiting," Marla chided from her place at the head of the table.

The dark-haired boy narrowed his eyes at the caretaker. Unfortunately for him, his cheeks were too full of potatoes for him to reply.

"He looks like a chipmunk," a girl with long silky brown hair coolly commented. The younger ones at the table laughed in response to her comment.

Alaric, finally scoffed down the food in his mouth only to take a large scalding sip of tea... "Ah... Hot! Hot!"

"Slow down, you musclebrain," the girl scolded him, "You'll choke."

The changes in the tone of her speech were so subtle that it wasn't easy to notice a difference. For those who had lived with her for long enough, however, it was easy to tell that she was genuinely worried for the boy.

Alaric managed to get a cold sip of water down his throat and catch his breath, "Oh, is the famous Darla worried? Afraid I'll leave you here with Finn and join the Guardian Academy?"

"Yeah, right! Keep dreaming. Finn would give up his sword after sparring with me just once. He's barely entertainment," Darla replied with a slight huff.

Finn, who had been quietly minding his breakfast turned to them with a dangerous glint in his eye, "Huh... Are you talking about me? I must have heard wrong because you certainly weren't talking about me."

"Alright, dear Finn. I'll explain it to you again. Your guardian is bound to be a little bunny of the lowest class so naturally you won't be able to compete against me once I've summoned mine," Darla countered in the same even tone.

Cody pitched in with his high-pitched voice, "I'll spar with you, Darla."

The girl's eyes opened wide at the sudden proclamation, "No way... You're still too young."

"No, I'm not. I'm eleven now!" the fiery-haired boy raised his head with pride, "And Alaric's been training me so I can hold my own just fine. I might even summon my guardian like he did."

Alaric chuckled, "That's right. Bow before Cody, the Flame Emperor!"

A few tongues of flame flickered to life at the tips of the little boy's fiery hair as he stood on his little chair with his chest puffed out with pride.

"Cody, get down from there," Marla called out, "There will be plenty of playtime after Alaric and his friends come back from the Tower."

Cody obediently got down from his seat, the flames at the tips of his hair going out. Alaric didn't miss the concerned look on his face when Sister Marla mentioned the Tower of Seekers. He could already think of a few things running through the boy's mind.

"Ah, today is the Appraisal Ceremony. Finn, don't feel too bad if you find out your guardian is D-class. I'm sure having a bunny is just as cool as the powerful guardian I'll get," Darla, the girl with silky dark brown hair, smirked.

"Just you wait. I'll summon my guardian and he'll be cooler than Alaric's."

"I think you meant to say cuter. Perhaps you can cuddle with your guardian. I know, you could fight demons with the ultimate cuddle guardian. I feel sorry for the demons already," Darla smirked.

"UGH! YOU'RE IMPOSSIBLE!" the sandy-haired boy squealed, "Just you wait."

Alaric found himself laughing at the scene. Darla enjoyed pushing Finn's buttons... and the hothead never failed to disappoint, reacting to her every jab without fail.

The atmosphere during breakfast got a lot livelier after that. Banter flew about the table, several times returning to matters of the Appraisal Ceremony, just like it had been for the past few weeks leading up until this day.

Breakfast came to an inevitable end ushered in by a time-sensitive caretaker.

Marla shooed everyone away from the breakfast table, rushing them off to start on their morning chores before then messing up the orphanage with whatever fun they had planned for the day.

Of course, that would all happen after Alaric and his friends left for the Tower. Alaric stuck around clearing the table, insisting on doing a few more things before going to change.

In truth, he wanted some time to talk to someone he'd noticed was getting wistful.

He folded the old table mats, careful not to add any more creases or tears to the old fossils, and then placed them neatly in a pile on the table. Cody, the wistful child in question, hovered around him as he carried out these minor tasks, asking random questions:

"What is the best way to fight a specialist in reinforcement magic? Why don't you use magic when training? What about Guardians that can see the future, how would you fight those?

"Do demons have magical powers, too? What do you think the Guardian Academy will be like? I hope I also get to the academy. Big Brother Adam made it to the Elite Guard and was able to pay to fix the roof. What will you do when you join the Elite Guard?" the questions came flowing like a never-ending stream.

And for each question, Alaric answered... without missing a beat:

"You beat reinforcers by running their mana reserves low or by hitting them with an attack enough to break through their defences.

"Guardians that can see the future don't usually fight. Besides, I doubt you'd see them coming if their power was good enough. So you wouldn't need to fight them.

What you should have to watch out for are the guardians they send after you to fight for them instead.

"Yes, demons have magical powers. The more powerful the demon, the more terrifying the ability. Be careful if you ever encounter one.

"I think the Academy will be fun. There will be many kids like us and many more with powerful guardians. We'll make friends and go on missions.

"When I make it to the Elite Guard, I'll send lots of money back here. Then Big Sister Marla can buy you a better sword and who knows what else."

The humble caretaker remained silent by the sink, washing the dishes while listening to the two boys talking.

Oddly enough, the other orphans were nowhere to be seen with the doors of both the girls' and boys' dormitories closed.

"Aren't you afraid of fighting demons?" the flame-haired boy continued.

"Not when each demon I defeat means the world is a safer place for my little brother," Alaric replied with a genuine smile.

Coming from anyone other than Alaric, this statement wouldn't have meant much. However, all the orphans knew of the convictions Alaric had developed after Jared's death.

"Will we see you again?"

"Of course you will. I'll make sure to visit whenever I get a chance. Soldiers of the Elite Guard get holidays too, you know," Alaric replied.

A small whimper got Alaric's attention away from the table he was wiping. He knelt on one knee and looked the teary boy in the eye, "What are those tears for? You know this place will always be our home."

Cody hid the flowing tears behind his sleeves and fought to wipe them away, "I'm not... *sob*" With each messy swipe at the streaming rivulets, more salty streams replaced them, determined to soak his arms till he had nothing left to wipe them away with, "There is just something in my eye."

A smile graced Alaric's face as he watched the boy struggle to wipe the tears.

He pulled the boy into a hug and gently patted his back, "Just be sure to remember everything I've taught you. Train hard. You wouldn't want me coming back to find you weaker, do you?"

The boy shook his head gently, remaining quiet.

"Get that fire magic under control, too. Learn how to use it so that when your Appraisal Ceremony comes around, you'll be unstoppable," Alaric elaborated.

"Hmm..."

"Watch over everyone. Read Nora stories when you get time. Help Lia with her drawings every now and then. She might not look it but between you and me, I think she loves the compliments... and I think she's getting better," Alaric continued whispering the last parts to keep an eavesdropping Nora from listening in.

"Hmm..." Cody nodded.

"You could try to teach Max how to use a sword though I think you'll find that a lot harder than the Dance of the Serpent. It would give him enough exercise to put some muscle on those bones.

Help Jasper stay out of trouble. You'll find that he's more of a handful than the birds that make nests in old Thomper's branches. Oh, you'll have to get those out regularly, by the way. The dried grass makes the old guardian quite cranky," Alaric added.

Tears rolled down the fiery-haired eleven-year-old's face but he continued to nod.

"Make sure Ben and Nina don't get carried away with their alchemy experiments. Adam just got the roof fixed for us. Take care of the twins, Tommy and Mira. They'll need a big brother to look up to... and I'm not sure they'll remember much about me from our time here," Alaric checked his mind to make sure he'd covered everyone.

Putting this much on the shoulders of an eleven-year-old would normally be unfair... but Cody was different. Aside from the fiery nature of his abilities-which had also manifested at a very young age-, he was a kind soul that cared deeply for his family.

He also wanted to be so much like Alaric that he stuck to the boy like glue. Now that Alaric was leaving, he would be the oldest along with Max and Nora... and that meant he would have to look after everyone.

Alaric's responsibilities would soon be his to bear.

The dark-haired boy pulled Cody into a much-needed hug, "And most important of all, protect your family. They are going to need you now more than ever."

There was silence for a while before the sound of creaking wood split the silence. Murmurs came from the other side of the door leading to the boys' dormitory.

Marla, who'd stopped doing the dishes to listen, placed the dried plate she'd been holding down, walked to the door to the boy's dormitories and opened it. Like dominoes, a rather unique collection of male orphans fell out in a heap.

The caretaker sighed and turned to Alaric, "Get ready. Garin will be here soon. His guardian has a thing for tardiness so you better be ready before he gets here."

As she said that, she approached Cody and gently nudged him, "Cody, he'll still be here for ten days before he can leave for the Guardian Academy. For now, let him get ready."

Cody slowly allowed the caretaker to peel him away from his idol before mouthing a 'thank you' to the dark-haired boy.

Alaric replied with a silent 'thank you' before standing up and leaving for the boy's dormitories. The boys who'd been found hiding were just dusting themselves off when he passed them at the door.

Alaric needed a bath... Perhaps the cold water would wash away the heavy emotions weighing over him.

[I'm going to miss that kid] a feminine voice resounded in his head.

[I could have used your help, you know] Alaric thought back.

[I think you handled yourself well, Young Prince]

Alaric scoffed, rolling his eyes at the proud remark. Handling a crying child was a difficult task. One had to know exactly what to say and how to say it. It was only after Alaric had doused his head with cold water that he relaxed enough for his mind to slow down and allow a thought to cross his mind, 'I'll miss Cody too.'