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Part 43

Time seemed to stand still. From my place on the ground I could see everyone around the area clearly. Around the edges the four masters, Harran, and myself were all laid out and wounded, barely able to sit up, let alone stand. In the center of our rough circle two figures stood staring each other down. Both cloaked in deep darkness.

The creature with its glowing, fire red eyes wide with fear and surprise holds its swords up in front of it as a pair of shadowy tendrils move out from its back. Slowly it begins a slow sideways walk around the second figure.

The second figure stands there still as a statue. The darkness flowing off of it like a tattered robe slowly turning into smoke as it falls off him. Shadows eyes are barely identifiable pools of ink within the darkness. But in them I can see a rage and pain the likes of which I have never seen before. His body doesn't move yet his eyes never leave the creature for a moment.

The seconds stretch into minutes as the two continue their staring contest before the creature speakers in a voice of pure venom, "You think to steal my power.... My birthright? You will suffer for eternity and I will savor each moment of it. You are not the master of darkness I AM!"

On his last word the creature dives at Shadow with the obvious intent to drive his swords into my mates chest. But at the moment of impact Shadow is simply..... gone.

The creature and I both stare at the place where his swords now rest impaled in the dirt. For a moment I fear that something has happened to my mate then I hear his voice from several paces to the right, "Betrayer....."

I quickly find where Shadow is now standing, appearing to not have moved at all. But as the voice rings around the area it sounds different than my mate. His voice is there, but so is another voice as though there are two people with similar voices talking in perfect unison. Then the word he said rings through my mind again 'Betrayer'.

How could he have known that the creature was a betrayer? I only learned about it for sure a short time earlier. Sure the creature could have told him or he could have figured it out from the exchanges I have had with it since entering this mental scape. But the way he said the word.... It's almost as though he has been personally betrayed by the creature. As though the betrayal wasn't against the other first guardians but against Shadow personally.

As the creature turns to face my mate again something else seems to pass across its face besides the rage already there. It is afraid. Not a little afraid as though something uncertain has disrupted its plans like the fear I got out of it earlier. No this is pure un restrained terror mixing with its rage. I think that it is genuinely afraid for what is left of its life.

Before I can think more on what is happening the creature wrenches its swords free and begins to attack Shadow again swinging its swords in from both sides. Again this time at the Moment the blades should have cut into his sides Shadow is once again simply not there. In the space where he stood the blades strike each other sending a shower of sparks into the air. Knowing what to expect I quickly begin looking around.

This time Shadow is standing several paces to the left, almost back where he started. Yet again he looks as though he hasn't moved a muscle despite the distance he has clearly traveled. As the darkness continues to flow from him his voice rings out again, "You... Betrayed.... Them.... You betrayed..... Your Promise....."

As he speaks Shadows voice grows stronger and louder with the second layer to it growing in equal strength as well causing each word to echo longer. The more he speaks the more coherent he gets causing the creature to attack yet again.

This time, however, when it attacks Shadow doesn't pull the same vanishing act as he has before. Instead he seems to flow around the blades. Moving in a practiced and fluid motion that I have never seen him use before. It's as though the darkness is moving around the blades and pulling him along with it.

Blow after blow is launched at the love of my life only for it to miss each and every time. Each failed attack drives the creature to go faster and harder until the both of them are barely a blur that I can barely make out as their dance gains speed. Over and over again the attacks miss until all movement comes to a sudden and complete stop.

I force myself to blink at what I see. Shadow is standing there with his arms above his head both paws clapped together holding both blades in place barely a hairs breadth from the tip of his nose.as my eyes travel down the blades towards the creatures own hands and arms I see that they are shaking from the exertion of holding the blades there yet my mate seems to have barely ruffled his fur.

In a booming voice Shadow yells "ENOUGH!"

With an ear splitting crack Shadow breaks both blades in his paws sending shards in all directions. As the pieces fall through the air they burn away into smoke that is quickly absorbed by Shadow. The creature stumbles back a look of pure horror on its face as it slowly begins to turn in a vain attempt to run.

In the span of less than a second Shadow drops one arm then backhands the creature in the chest. In the space between them, however, what looks like a large claw with talons forms around Shadows paw as though made of solid smoke. When the creature is hit it is sent flying backwards several paces where it falls to the ground before skidding to a stop.

Unlike the times I or the others wounded the creature the wounds on its chest seem to smoke and boil instead of healing. As the creature lays there it begins to howl in agony as the marks on its chest slowly heal over.

I manage to push myself to my feet summoning my spear to help hold me up as I continue watching events unfold.

Shadow is on the creature in an instant, his face contorted into unrecognizable rage as he begins to claw and slash at the creature like an animal. As the creature screams in pain, pieces of its form being thrown into the air, it seems to shrink. The parts of it that are torn away dissolve into wisps of smoke that spiral into the darkness surrounding my mate.

Each time Shadow raises a paw it looks normal but on the down stroke the claw that I glimpsed before forms. Every time it appears it is more solid and lasts a bit longer. Over and over again Shadow tears into the creature with a savagery I have never seen before.

Then over the creatures wails of pain I hear Shadows voice, "You killed... You tortured so many.... I didn't want that..... I never would have..... Twisted and corrupted.... You made the dark... Afraid..... Lonely..... Despised........ EVIL!"

In his voice I can hear the rage and hate but I can also hear something else. Pain, sadness, longing. It's not just Shadow speaking but the darkness that has moved into him. That's when I fully realize the true depths of the evil this creature has done.

Daniel told me that the powers of light and dark were different than those of the other guardians. In a way they were almost a living being but not as one we understand. That creature, the first guardian of darkness, it didn't just turn evil. It took another being and twisted, corrupted, and tortured it to serve his own ends. He betrayed the darkness. And now the darkness wants revenge.

Slowly I begin to make my way towards the pair my strength returning with each step as I watch in disgust my mates barbaric attacks on the creature that had tortured him. When I am a few short steps away the creatures cries have died down to a high pitched whimper. It's former form all but gone as all that is left is a tiny quivering mass of flesh barely recognizable as having once been human. The exposed form is covered in scars, wounds, and burns of all ages.

Shadow raises a paw to continue his mauling but I reach out my own paw and catch him by the wrist saying softly, "Stop, you won. You beat him."

He turns on me his other paw raised as though to strike, the darkness claw already forming but he freezes when his eyes lock on to my face. For a moment he stands there frozen as though seeing me for the first time.

In the time that we stand there I begin to fear that Shadow doesn't recognize me and will instead attack me just as fiercely as it did the creature. With a roar of rage he does just that. As the claw begins to swipe towards me I know that I will not be able to move fast enough to dodge it or block it. But just before it makes contact something happens within me.

I feel a surge of energy push trough my body carrying with it a deep sense of calm. Looking at Shadow I see through a veil of golden light that seems to make his attack slow in mid air. Then a voice rings out through my mind and I find myself speaking along with it, "Be at peace. You are no longer bound. You can now heal."

Shadow stares at me for a moment as the anger and hatred begins to drain from his face. Slowly he lowers his arm and really seems to see me again as the darkness in his eyes seems to bleed away returning them to their normal silver. With a cracked voice he speaks but this time the joined voices he has been speaking with speak different words simultaneously.

Shadows voice says in a questioning voice, "Seeker?"

The other voice says in a voice that is full of longing, "Light?"

I just nod my head and pull my love into my arms. At first he goes rigid as though from shock but soon he is collapsing into my embrace heaving with sobs. Slowly the darkness pouring off of him seems to recede leaving behind the tattered remains of Shadows clothes. At the same time the golden glow around me fades leaving us both standing there bruised and bloody, but alive.

For several long moments we just stand there holding each other before Shadow says in his own voice again, "I just wanted to hurt him. Make him pay for everything that he had done to me and you.... and my father....and everyone....."

As his voice trails off I hug him tighter saying, "I know. I feel the same way."

Shadow shakes his head into my shoulder, "No you don't understand, I felt what he has done. When he hit me something broke free. My mind was flooded with images of his evil. Centuries upon centuries of death... I couldn't stop it. I felt another presence that wanted to hurt him so much more than I did.... So I let it. I wasn't in control, I didn't even try to stop it."

I just hold him close as he works to get his emotions back under control. As his breathing returns to normal I hear a gasp from my right and turn to see Master Nerine standing nearby looking behind me at something. Slowly I separate from Shadow just enough to turn and see what has her attention.

Several paces away what looks like a rip has formed in the air and from is flowing a bright white light. Stepping out from that light is a robed figure. As he approaches Daniel lowers his hood and smiles up at me and Shadow.

With a ringing joy in his voice he says, "Well done young ones. Very well done indeed. The powers of light and dark have found their true homes once again."

Shadow looks from Daniel to me with a questioning look, "Who is this?"

I look at Shadow then back at Daniel replying, "He is the first light guardian and the reason I am alive. He gave me his powers so that I could help stop this evil and save you. But that doesn't explain why he is here?"

Daniel looks at me and says, "I am here to take what is left of my brother and take him beyond with me. It is time that we both left for good. The need for me to remain between life and death has ended."

There is a scream and a scuffling from my left and I turn to see what's left of the creature trying to crawl away as it cries out in a high pitched voice, "No I won't go. I won't be defeated. I CANT BE! I WONT....''

His voice is smothered as Harran wraps a paw around his mouth and lifts him into the air growling menacingly, "That's quite enough out of you. Your beaten, finally, get over it."

Daniel gives a sad smile and says, "He is quite right brother. Your done. It's time to go. If you would bring him here please."

Harran half drags half carries the struggling shell of a man and drops him at Daniels feet where he collapses into a pile, whimpering in pain. Daniel stares down at him for a time before looking back at me and Shadow and saying, "You two have a long road ahead of you. But I have faith that you will both master your new abilities and in time will become the shining beacons of hope and salvation that this world needs. I'm only sorry that you will not have someone able to teach you but that is the way things must be. This will be the last time you see Seeker, that is until the time comes that you pass on the mantle you have taken and embark on your own journey to the other side."

He looks around the other four masters and Harran and says, "It is good to see all of the guardians once again united on the same side instead of divided as you have been for so long. Maybe now the world can heal properly again."

My father goes to try and ask something but is interrupted as the land we are standing on begins to shake violently as the sky around us begins to look as though it is being ripped apart. The other floating islands start to crumble and dissolve, first into dust then into nothingness.

I look at Daniel and say, "The mental scape is breaking down. His power was broken and nothing is holding this place together."

He looks at me with urgency, "I'm afraid your right. We can't linger here longer and as soon as we are gone this place will cease to exist. There are still a great many dangers in the world and you are the last line of defense against them. Be careful."

With an agility and strength I would not have thought possible for a man in his apparent condition Daniel stoops over and pulls his struggling brother to his feet before continuing, "One more thing, the moment you return to the normal world you will have to act quickly. Your mate is still in great danger and you will only have a short time to help him. Time here has passed much faster than in the real world. Only seconds have passed since you arrived here."

As he drags the struggling figure along with him I look at Shadow and see fear in his eyes before looking back and asking, "What do you mean? What danger?"

Daniel tries to reply but is drowned out as a violent quake nearly knocks me and Shadow to the ground as the island we are on begins to crumble. Over the notice of the shaking I only hear the voice of Daniels brother, shrill and loud, "I'm not the last....."

The last of his words are swallowed up as he and Daniel step back into the tear of light and are sealed away for the final time. As the portal through which they vanished seals itself I feel Shadow grab hold of my arm as everything around us is engulfed in pure black and the sensation of falling takes hold once again.

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

With a jolt I fall backwards on to the ground my armor blocking the worst of the rocks. For a moment I look around blinking, unsure where I am. Then I see the shocked faces of Rick, Jasper, and Rosalie each one still clad in their armor. Realizing that I am back in my own mind and body I look around for Shadow and his father. I don't have to look far.

Harran has fallen back just as I have, only he didn't have any armor to block his fall and is rubbing his back where he landed on a rock. Shadow is on his knees between us panting hard. His paws are clenched tight on the ground as he works to regain his senses.

I shake my head only to look up and see Rick holding a paw out to me. I grip it and he helps pull me up to my feet. For a moment I use him to steady myself as I get steady back on me feet while he asks, "Seeker, what happened?"

Blinking I look at the eldest of my adopted sons and say, "I think we won. It would seem that we defeated that creature once and for all."

He grins up at me and says with a tone of excitement, "You mean it's over? We can finally relax?"

I nod and start to speak but I'm cut off by an ear splitting roar of pain. Turning in surprise I look to find the source of the yell. Shadow is on his knees his back arched with his face turned to the sky yelling in agony. His paws grip his skull as his eyes are squeezed shut. Through his yells of pain I barely make out words, "AAAHHHH..... BURNING...... COLD..... MAKE IT..... STOP...... AAAAHHHHHH!!!"

Everyone stops instantly and turns to my mate. As he yells a wave of red energy blasts out in all directions from him knocking everyone off their feet. Quickly following in the wake of the first another is let loose. Only this one is of dark energy. Both blasts fan out from Shadow throwing small rocks and dirt into the air, pelting my armor dozens of times over.

Shielding my eyes I try to see through a raised paw as terror grips me. Shadows body looks to be engulfed in flames of red and black tendrils. The flames and tendrils seem to be fighting one another for dominance. Just as the waves exploded out soon a wave of heat radiates from him. When it hits me I feel like I have stepped into the heart of a furnace that is only getting hotter.

Before I can take a step into the heat however a blast of the deepest cold leaves frost forming on my armor that is quickly melted by another wave of heat. Over and over the conflicting temperatures assault the area in all directions. Scorched earth next to frosted grass leaving behind an unnatural feel.

As more waves of heat and fire explode from his body the ground beneath Shadow begins to crack and burn as molten rock starts flowing out from beneath him. At the same time the tendrils of darkness begin to lengthen and thrash about. Each time they hit an object the point of impact is frozen solid.

From the other side of him I hear Harran yelling, "SEEKER! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY SON?"

Desperate to try and get to my mate I slowly push forward against the blasts of energy calling out, "I'M NOT SURE.... SHADOW, CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

The only response that I get from my mate is more yells of pain. Slowly I make my way to him as Harran does from the other side. My armor offers some protection from the heat and cold but Harran has no such protection. Parts of his fur has ice crystals growing from it while other areas has been burned off, leaving patches of red and blistered skin.

Despite the obvious pain he does not slow his attempts to reach his son. Watching him my respect for his love and devotion increase significantly. With a last effort I get to within reach of Shadow at the same time that Harran does. I try to grab my mate but my paw is blocked as a tendril tries to wrap around my wrist. Harran attempts the same but a flash of flames nearly cooks his whole arm.

As the air around us howls from the energy being pumped into it, Harran yells at me despite being so close, "WHATS WRONG?"

My mind is racing as I try to come up with an explanation. Not able to come up with anything helpful in a hurry I turn to the one place that I can hopefully gain the time to come up with an answer.

Closing my eyes I take a deep breath and focus on my father. Instantly the sounds of wind and flames dies down to silence. Opening my eyes I see my father standing before as the world around us has frozen.

I look at him and see a look of deep concern on his face as he asks, "Your trying to buy yourself some time aren't you?"

With I huff of impatience I respond, "Of course I am. I don't know for sure what is happening to him, though I have heard stories about similar events. I was hoping that you might know of some way to help."

My father hesitates for a moment while looking at Shadow then says, "I don't know that anything I know of could help. What is happening to him...... It's not..... It's not supposed to happen."

I let out a growl of rage, "Of course it's not, I need to know how to stop it. I won't loose him."

A voice rings from beside me, "Hopefully you won't have to young one."

I turn and see Master Nerine standing next to me, "Your father hesitates in telling you what may help you."

Glaring at my father I speak in a barely controlled anger, "What are you holding back from me?"

Nerine speaks up again in a soothing voice, "He only holds back out of love and fear for you, and perhaps out of a bit of ignorance. After all he wasn't there.... Like I was."

My anger drains as I see the haunted look in her face as she studies the frozen form of Shadow before speaking, "He is suffering from the effects of combining two very different forms of guardian powers into one person."

I stare at her with a bit of suspicion saying, "When did you see this?"

She kneels down beside my mate studying his face with sadness, "It was before I became a master. There was a dark period long before Atlantis fell, the masters of the time were searching for a way to increase out powers should the combined strength of the guardians prove not to be enough one day. One of their experiments was to see if they could combine two classes into one guardian."

I look from her to Shadow, to my father who looks away, then back to Nerine and ask, "They weren't successful were they?"

Shaking her head she says, "It was a disaster. They tried to combine the powers of water and fire into one thinking that using opposites would make the most powerful effect. They were right in that it was powerful. But deadly."

Swallowing I fear the answer but I must know, "What happened?"

Nerine pauses for a moment, "....The powers were to much to exist in a single person. After just a few moments the separate powers began to war with in the guardians body before.... They destroyed her."

A single tear falls from her eye as she recounts the tale, "When it was over there was nothing left of my sister but a smoking crater. That day she and three guardians and one master were lost. After that point only those present and the master council knew about the possibilities... and consequences of combining powers."

I stare at her then look at Shadow with tears in my eyes saying, "I don't want to combine powers, I want to separate them. There has to be a way....... Couldn't we do what they did in the experiment, but in reverse? Instead of putting the power into Shadow take one of them out? Maybe I could take one of the powers, after all this didn't happen when I got the power of light. There was no war between my water powers and light powers. Maybe I could take on more."

She turns and looks at me with sadness that crushes my hope, "No you couldn't take on more. If you did the same would happen to you. The reason you didn't suffer this fate the first time is because you were no longer a water master when you took on the mantle of light. At that moment you had already died remember. There were no other powers for the light to fight with. I'm sorry but you can't take on the power any more than Shadow is able to now."

I rub my eyes and a glint of gold catches my gaze. Lowering my paw I look at my tattoo and notice the four color stars surrounding the spear and sun. Rubbing it with my other paw I ask, "If combining powers into one guardian is so destructive, how were you able to give me the power to create more guardians? To do that you had to combine the powers of four different guardians into one didn't you?"

This time my father answers, "Yes and no son. What we gave you was only a small fraction of our individual powers, specifically the abilities to create more guardians. On top of that we gave you the power contained in a ring not in a person. So there was a physical buffer between you and that power. Even though the ring has merged with you the buffer it provided is still there. You are able to tap into the powers we gave you as you need them but not let them run wild within your body. Even without it though the powers would not have been enough to cause you to self destruct, at least that is what we hoped when we made the ring."

I let out a roar of frustration, "So your telling me that I have to either watch my mate die, or die myself to save him? But according to you doing either thing will result in more death than just the two of us. So how the hell do you propose that I keep that from happening. There are three powers and only two guardians. That extra power has.... to go..... Somewhere....."

As I trail off I study the scene around me. Shadow is frozen howling in pain as flames race up his limbs while tendrils of darkness flail around him. Where I will be reaching for him the tendrils are more concentrated seeming to be reaching for me. On the other side of him Harran is trying to reach his son while the flames seem to be reaching for him.

I then look down at my tattoo and an idea comes to mind, "You gave me the power to create guardians by giving some of your powers. When a new guardian is created it is basically a transfer of energy from the four masters into the new guardian. That energy then forms into the new guardians element."

Lifting my gaze to my father I see the confusion in his eyes as I continue, "What if instead of giving my own energy to create a new guardian I was to act as a conduit for energy that already had formed but needed a new home? Would that be possible?"

As though a light comes on I see the realization in both my father and Nerine's face as he says, "It would be very dangerous, deadly perhaps to all of you. But if it worked...."

Nerine picks up where my father leaves off, "If it worked it would be a miracle and who knows what the consequences of that much energy flowing through your body would be. It could burn you in the process. But you would need someone who is ready to become a guardian to take the power, and they would have to aligned to be that class of guardian. If not then the consequences would be as bad as doing nothing."

I look down at my mate and see the agony frozen on his face and make up my mind, "If I don't try then we are all as good as dead. At least this way there is hope."

Closing my eyes I reach out for my mate and hope beyond hope that my plan works.