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Part 24

I woke up the next morning a couple hours before dawn. For a few moments I lay there in the grass with Shadow press up next to me watching the stars over head. Thoughts about my brother's sudden return to my life flick through my mind. How had he survived all these centuries and not brought attention to himself? Why did he suddenly show up here? What does his arrival mean?

I let out a sigh as new thoughts begin to take form. Ideas for training Shadow and Rosalie as guardians, responsibilities as Alpha that I need to take care of, and wondering about future guardians. Sooner or later I am going to be faced with a choice. I realize then that there will come a day when the guardians will need my full attention and I will no longer be able to lead and teach them properly and remain Alpha at the same time.

With that thought I think about how Jasper stepped up and took charge when I was injured. It may be time for him to take on some more responsibilities a bit more permanently. I carefully sit up and begin to look for my clothes in the dark trying not to wake Shadow.

A sleepy voice tells me I was not successful when he asks, "What are you doing up so early love? The sun isn't even up yet." I give him a half smile in the darkness as I respond, "I know, but my mind wouldn't let me sleep any longer. Besides we need to get back before dawn or risk Rosalie withholding breakfast for walking out like we did." With a toothy yawn he reaches for his own clothes saying, "I guess so, would rather go back to sleep though."

I place a soft kiss on his cheek as another yawn forces its way out of his mouth before I say, "Plus if we get back early enough I want to cook breakfast today. I haven't used my kitchen in weeks now." With that we get up and make our way through the dark forest back home.

When we reach the house the sky is slowly beginning to shift from black to early morning grey as sunrise approaches. We enter the house quietly and with a yawn Shadow finds the nearest chair and promptly collapses into it and is soon snoring softly. I stifle a laugh as I head for the kitchen to begin cooking.

Having something to keep my mind and body busy, if only for a few moments really helps me to organize my thoughts and feelings. Before long I have cooked mounds of sausages and bacon, heaps of waffles, and several large plates of biscuits which I am in the process of moving to the table when the first sounds of movement comes from the floor above.

As I am setting the last plate of food down on the table Rosalie's voice sounds from the doorway, "Well I am glad to see that you made it back alright. The way you just walked out of here last night I got a little worried." I look up at her and give her a forced smile as I say, "Well if you had just had a brother return the from the dead on you I don't think you could have acted much better."

She grabs a plate for herself and begins to fill it with food saying, "Well to be honest I'm surprised you didn't just pass out right then and there. You never talked about your birth family that I know of and I never asked. I figured it would be a painful memory for you to relive. And it looks as though I was right."

She sits down at the table and begins eating. After a few seconds I sit down across from her and begin to nibble on a piece of sausage, my appetite diminishing as she mentioned my family.

For several moments we sit there in silence eating before I set the remainder of the sausage down on a plate and say to her, "When I learned that they were gone I went through the worst period of my life. My father, brother, and I were all really close. Especially after my mother died, we were all each other had. Aduro may have been my younger brother but we were always the best of friends. Sure we had our brotherly differences, what siblings don't. But we were always together in everything we did."

Rosalie eats in silence listening as I talk, "Losing my friends on Atlantis was bad, but it was losing my brother and father that drove me to insanity in my grief. They were my only family in the world before Atlantis was destroyed. My dad was an only child and neither of his parents were guardians, they had both died before he met my mom. I never met her family they disowned her for some reason when and she never talked about it. So dad and Aduro were all I had.

"Being a guardian I knew that I would out live all my non guardian friends I ever had and I could live with that knowing that my dad and brother would be there with me as guardians. But when I learned that they were gone as well the reality that I would be alone for ever from that point on fully hit me." At that point I intertwine my fingers in front of my face as I rest my elbows on the table.

Rosalie finishes chewing her mouth full of food before asking, "When did you come to terms with your isolation with being immortal?" I shrug, "Don't know that I ever really did. I just never spared the time to consider it or stayed in one place long enough to form permanent attachments to anyone. I never even intended to stay here as long as I have. Let alone form a pack and make friends."

Rosalie sets her utensils down on her now empty plate and looks at me with a look that is filled with love and compassion as she says, "You created more than a pack and some friends here Seeker, you created a family. More than that you have also created hope and purpose for many people, and I am not just talking about the last few months since making Shadow and myself guardians but even before that. Even if you tried to limit how much the village knew about you and what you did for us we still knew you were there. When times were especially hard we all knew that you were out here protecting us from all that you could. How many times did you leave food on the door steps of families that were suffering the hardest over the years?"

I look up at her in surprise when she mentions that. I had never told anyone that I was the one who did that and I took extra care to make sure I was not seen on the nights that I left the food. A moment later I get over my surprise at having one of my deeper secrets exposed and ask, "How did you know that I did that?"

She shrugged, "Once you trusted my family enough to tell us who and what you really are all those years ago it wasn't hard to figure out. Especially since you would hear my parents talking about a family that was struggling when you came around our place and the next day food would be found on their door step. My father figured it out first and made a point of mentioning names in your presence. He swore mom and me to secrecy because he knew that you wouldn't want the whole village knowing." I just smile and look down at the table tracing a wood grain with my claw.

She slides her plate away and says, "You may not realize it Seeker, but you have one of the biggest families I know. We may not be related to you by blood, but we all consider you to be part of our family." She gathers up her plate and heads for the kitchen talking as she goes, "For now you should go upstairs and sit with your brother and be there when he awakens. I will finish up with this down here." With that she steps into the kitchen and closes the door behind her as she sets about getting ready for the day.

With that I let out a sigh and get up heading for the stairs. As I walk by Shadow I give him a gentle prod to wake him up and point him towards the food telling him I will be upstairs in Aduro's room when he finishes. He gives my hand a soft squeeze while yawning and getting up to eat breakfast.

On the way to Aduro's room a thought strikes me and I make a quick detour to my room. I go over to an old trunk that sits alone in a corner almost forgotten. Opening it I look down into a collection of items I have collected over the centuries. In one corner half buried is an old leather bound book. I reach in and pull out the book wiping off a layer of dust.

The cover is blank and looks almost new despite its age. I open the cover and see that I never used it. The first page is blank ready to be filled with words. I close the book and stuff it under my arm as I close the trunk and grab a pen from my desk then head for Aduro's room.

Once in the room I sit down in a chair a few feet from the bed where Aduro is sleeping. After getting situated in the chair I open the book, uncap the pen, and begin to write.

This is the first time in months now that I have had a few moments of quite to just sit and the first time in years I have had to consider writing anything down. So I started a journal to keep a written record of what is going on in my life and to document the return of the guardians. I start it on the day that Shadow and I first met after the trip to town that Luna and I went on.

For several hours I sat there in silence writing in the book. Outside the room the world woke up and went about its morning business. Eventually the door opened and Jasper stepped in closing the door behind him before speaking up, "Good morning Seeker is there anything you want me to take care of today?" I shake my head, "I trust you to make any decisions that don't require my immediate attention. You have shown yourself to be a more than capable leader in my absence. In fact that is something I have been meaning to talk to you about, but not right now."

I see pride and confusion both cross his face at my words. He opens his mouth to say something else but stops, closes his mouth, then just nods and turns and leaves the room leaving me alone with Aduro again.

A few moments later I am back to writing in my book when a soft moan catches my attention. I look up and see that Aduro is starting to wake up. Setting the book to the side I move to sit on the side of the bed.

After a minute his eyes slowly open and he looks around the room taking in his surroundings before asking in a dry voice, "Where am I?" I place a paw on his and say, "Your safe brother. You're among friends... and family."

His eyes lock on me and they go wide with recognition, "Brother?! How did you get here? I thought you were in Greece for a few more weeks?" I swallow hard before speaking, "Where do you think you are Aduro?" He looks at me with a raised eyebrow, "Atlantis of course, one of the hospitals." When I remain silent he asks, "Aren't I?"

I sigh and say, "No you're not in a hospital. What is the last thing you remember?" He looks at me a bit uncertainly before speaking, "I was with the fire guardians defending Atlantis from attack. I don't know what was attacking us only that it was strong and we were slowly being driven back. One of my squad members to an arrow to the back and fell. I turned back to help him when an explosion of white light rocked the world around me. I felt pain on my arm and head. Then blackness and a falling sensation." He breaks off for a moment then says, "I vaguely remember trying to run through a forest and seeing other werewolves and asking for help. But surely that was a dream, I was too far from any forest for that to happen."

I look at him trying to hide the sorrow welling up in me. I now have to tell my kid brother that not only was that battle lost, but that all he ever knew is long gone and lost to the seas of time. I take a deep breath and say, "That wasn't a dream Aduro. Two of my pack found you wandering in the forest outside our home. That battle you were just fighting in was lost. Atlantis was lost." He looks at me his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open, "What do you mean Atlantis was lost?"

I avert my gaze from him unable to watch as I tell him the truth, "I wish I could tell you differently, but our home was destroyed on the day you remember. What you think was a short time ago was really over three thousand years ago. Atlantis was destroyed, our home and all we knew and loved is gone forever. Until yesterday I thought you had died that day as well. That I was the last of our people and would remain so for ever."

I feel his gaze on me as I look down towards the floor. For a while neither of us says anything. As the moment stretches out longer the silence begins grow heavy before he says, "You're joking right? Playing a trick on your kid brother to get back at him for all the pranks he did?" I shake my head sadly as I respond, "I wish it was, but our home really is gone."

At that moment the door opens and Tabatha steps in with a plate of food, "I heard voices so I brought some food for our guest." She sets the tray down before turning to me and saying, "By the way Seeker, Jasper and Rick are out doing a search of the area where they found your brother to try and find some clues as to how he got here. Luna, Eve, and Aaron are going to be going to town later to run some errands so if there is anything you need let one of them know. Rosalie and I will be taking care of the house along with Marcus and his aunt."

I give a slight nod, "Good, let me know if anything else comes up right away. Tell everyone else that will be having a training session this evening but that I want to spend some time with my brother and that if they have any problems to take them to Jasper until then." She nods and steps out the door stopping to look at Aduro and says, "Good to see you awake, you were in pretty rough shape when they brought you in." With that she steps out the door and closes it behind her.

I turn and look back at my brother and he just looks at me with a slack jaw before saying, "She was reporting to you?" I nod, "I said my pack found you, I am the alpha here and have been since it was founded."

He crosses his arms across his chest and I can see he is trying to fight back tears as he says, "So everyone is really gone then. All of them." I nod solemnly but don't say anything. He stares into space for a moment as reality sinks in.

Slowly he reaches a hand up and wipes the tears from his eyes before they fall. Once he has his emotions back under control he looks at me and asks, "Why did she call you Seeker?" I chuckle and say, "That's the name I go by now, have for a few hundred years now at least. It started as a nickname I think, but it just became who I am now."

He looks at me with a look that on the surface seems to be just curiosity, but for a split second I could swear that I saw something else behind his eyes. Something that wasn't quite the Aduro I knew. Just as suddenly as I saw it thought it was gone causing me to chalk it up to my memory just playing tricks on me.

After a moment he lets out a humorless chuckle, "Well it fits you in a way. Even when we were kids you were always seeking out the next adventure to have." I laugh as memories of our childhood return to me for the first time in a very long time, "Well as I remember it you were usually right there beside me taking part in those adventures. Especially the ones that would get us in trouble with dad."

For the next hour or so while he eats we talk about our child hood, I tell him about my pack and the village we protect, and about some of the more recent events in my life leading up to Shadow.

With a sly grin he says, "So you finally found you a mate huh?" I shrug a little sheepishly, "Well he kind of found me actually I sure wasn't looking to find him that day. But when fate slaps you in the face with your mate who am I to argue." He laughs as he says, "Well I would sure like to meet him." I nod, "Well if you feel up to it I'm sure we could take a walk around and introduce to you to the rest of the pack. I can promise you that they are going to want to meet you."

I raise my voice and turn to the door, "Isn't that right Luna?" There's a thump and a muffled yelp from behind the door before the door slowly opens to reveal a very embarrassed Luna standing at the door along with Eve and Tabatha. I raise an eyebrow asking, "Since when does it take three wolves to listen in on a conversation?" None of them say anything so I continue, "Go and gather the rest of the pack in the library, we will be there shortly."

With a flurry of motion and a flash of fur all three girls race off to get everyone together leaving the door standing open. With an exasperated sigh I turn back to Aduro who is looking from the door to me trying to decide between laughing and looking insulted at being spied on. He settles for just asking, "How did you know they were there?" I wave a paw through the air, "Oh you can always count on at least one of them to be listening in on a conversation that has potential to be juicy with details and you are currently the biggest topic of discussion in the house." He rolls his eyes, "In three thousand years women still love to gossip. Must be a law of nature or something." I laugh as I stand up, "That is one thing that has not changed."

I stand up and take a step from the bed to allow Aduro to get up. He slowly gets to his feet wincing slightly and rubbing his un-bandaged paw on his wrapped ribs. After a moment he forces a smile and says, "Guess I have a few bruised ribs as well huh." I just nod and offer a shirt that had been lying on a nearby chair for him to wear.

Once we have gotten him dressed we head out into the hall and begin to slowly make our way towards the library. Along the way Aduro keeps pausing to look at some of the various paintings and sculptures that have been placed around the house, "The years have been good to you haven't they brother." I nod, "Well when you live as long as we do it's easy to get a large collection of stuff."

Eventually we find our way to the library. We stand outside the doors for a moment and listen to the babble of voices coming from inside. With a grin I push open the doors and the talking goes silent. Aduro and I stand there in the door frame for a moment as all eyes turn to us. Clearing my throat I say, "I would like for everyone to meet my brother Aduro, Fire guardian of Atlantis."

There is a burst of noise as everyone tries to talk at once. I hold up a hand laughing, "Not all at once. There will be plenty of time to get to know each other. For now just be friendly and welcome him to the household." With that I guide Aduro around the room introducing him one on one to everyone.

Eventually we reach Shadow and Rosalie who have been standing by a book shelf talking about our last training session. When we step up next to them I turn to Aduro and say, "Aduro this is my mate Shadow." Shadow holds out his right paw to Aduro who goes to shake it but freezes when he sees Shadow's tattoo.

He looks from the tattoo then up to me and I realize then while looking into the look of shock on his face that I forgot to mention the little detail of how I am able to create new guardians. For a moment the four of us stand there in stunned silence as Shadow and Rosalie realize as well that I have failed to tell my brother about their status as well. I swallow preparing myself for the coming question.

In a hurt almost accusing tone Aduro asks, "Why did you tell me there were no other guardians from Atlantis left? Why did you lie to me?" I hold up a paw trying to calm him down as I respond, "I did not lie to you Aduro, there are no other guardians from Atlantis that I am aware of." I gesture to Shadow and Rosalie, "These two are guardians yes, but they have both been guardians for less than two months. I made them guardians."

He looks at me with a disbelieving look on his face. I take a breath and gesture to a chair, "You better sit down this is going to take a bit of time to explain." We all sit down and I go about explaining how I was able to turn Shadow and Rosalie into guardians.

Eventually I finish my tale and sit there studying my brother as he sits in silence. After a prolonged silence Aduro licks his lips before saying, "You want me to believe that a ring made by our father and the other masters has given you the power to create new guardians and that the force that destroyed Atlantis is returning?" I nod as I hold out my right paw and show him my tattoo so that he can see how it has changed.

He takes my paw and studies it closer before looking up at me, "But surely whatever it was that destroyed our home isn't still around?" I nod solemnly as a voice from behind me says, "If you don't want to believe your brother then maybe you will believe me."

Stepping out from between two nearby bookshelves where he had been hidden in shadow Harandoom moves closer to us. He nods in my direction, "Sorry for eaves dropping Alpha, but it sounds as though your brother could use a bit more convincing." He then turns to Aduro and says, "I spent most of the last thirty years trapped inside my own body as I was possessed by that creature Seeker just told you about. I was forced to watch as it hurt and killed innocent men women and children. I was held captive as it killed Shadows mother. I was imprisoned in my own mind while it called for my son to be killed."

Aduro and I remain silent as Harandoom talks for the first time since he joined my pack about the time he spent possessed. He takes a moment to steady his breathing before continuing, "Throughout all those years I was tormented with the thoughts and feelings of that creature as it kept me hostage. Amongst all the hate and rage and evil that filled it I began to learn some of its past. At first they were only glimpses of its life in the world. Over time it became much more. I learned how its kind was responsible for the destruction of your home and..."

Harandoom breaks off for a moment as he glances in my direction and I realize that he is about to tell me how he has remembered much more about his time possessed than he originally told me. After seeing how torn up just this bit has made him I realize that he has suppressed the worst of it to protect his sanity.

He clears his throat and says, "I learned that not only is the evil that destroyed Atlantis still alive and gaining strength, but that it is one of the oldest creatures in our world. Far older than any of us can imagine and it hates all that it can't control. Its only purpose is to destroy everything it can. But through all the hate and rage that was in it there was another emotion just as powerful but buried."

At this point he looks down at our wrists for a moment before saying, "It has a deep almost uncontrollable fear of you. The guardians I mean. That is why it destroyed Atlantis. It was afraid you would become too strong for it to destroy. That perhaps you would become powerful enough to be the ones to destroy it."

Aduro sinks back in his chair with a look of information overload on his face, not that I can blame him. I sit up straighter in my seat and look at Harandoom with a raised eyebrow. He looks me in the eye with his good eye for a moment the looks down before saying, "I know I told you I didn't remember anything Alpha and at first I didn't. Over the last couple weeks however I have started having flashbacks and I began to remember more and more about it."

I study him for a moment keeping my face impassive before I say, "I would have liked for you to tell me as soon as it started. But that is not the case. However I am grateful you have told me now and in the future I would like for you to tell me anymore that you remember." He nods and turns to head for the door of the library.

Before he gets out of earshot I call out to him, "Harandoom, I know that you still blame yourself for what happened. If you ever want to talk to someone who knows how you feel please come to me." He turns and we make eye contact. In that moment I see in his eye understanding as he realizes that I do indeed know exactly how he feels even if he doesn't know why. He nods and leaves the library without saying a word.

All around the room there is silence as all eyes are looking towards either me or the door where Harandoom had just left. Without looking at any of them I turn back to Aduro and ask, "Do you believe everything I have said now?" He looks at me and I can see a tear in his right eye as he responds, "Of course I believe you brother. I was just surprised when I saw that Shadow was a guardian is all."

With that he gets up as he says, "I think I will go back to my room now and get some more rest if you don't mind." I nod and wave Eve over, "Would you go with Aduro and get him anything he needs before you go?" She nods and they both leave starting up a conversation as they go.

After they are gone and most of the rest of the pack has gone about their business Shadow sits on the arm rest of the chair I am in and asks, "When you told my father to come to you if he wanted to talk to someone who knows how he feels, what exactly did you mean?" I let out a sigh and say, "It means that I know how it feels to feel responsible for deaths that I could do nothing to prevent."

Shadow and Rosalie both look at me as I get up and move to a nearby window and look out it. Movement catches my eye as Rick and Jasper move to within ear shot. I smile and turn back to the room and lean on the window sill before saying, "It's one of the many stories of my life that some of you may or may not have heard. There are so many it's hard to keep track some days."

A lengthy silence fills the room before I realize that they are all waiting for me to tell the story. I take a look around and say, "If I haven't told you the story already then you're just going to have to wait a bit longer I'm afraid." With that there is a collective groan as everyone starts moving around and heading for the door. Except for Shadow who moves to stand beside me as we watch the Rick and Jasper be the last to leave.

Once they are gone I ask Shadow, "What do you think of Jasper as a leader?" He looks at me a bit surprised at the seemingly random question before responding, "Uhm... Well he is decisive, he doesn't hesitate to act, everyone respects him, and he is confident in himself." I nod as Shadow lists off Jaspers qualities, "If something were to incapacitate me again would you be comfortable with him as your Alpha?"

Without hesitating he answers, "If that were to happen, I would follow him willingly. Why?" I take a deep breath before I continue, "With you and Rosalie becoming guardians and with others to follow you will all need a teacher. As I am the only... make that one of only two guardians in the world to actually receive training as a guardian and the only one to finish that training, it is up to me to be that teacher. For now it is not that big of a strain for me to perform my duties as Alpha and as your teacher. But in time as our numbers grow I will need to devote more and more time to being a guardian master. As such the duties of being an Alpha of a pack will begin to suffer and I don't want to see this pack suffer from my negligence."

Shadow looks at me with a curious expression but does not say anything as I continue, "That is why I am considering Jasper to take my place as pack Alpha so that I can devote my time to the guardians. This won't happen right away of course he still needs training and guiding. But the time will come when it will become necessary that I let him take charge."

He looks up at me with his head tilted slightly to the side before he asks, "Have you talked with him about this?" I shake my head, "No, not yet." He blinks as he asks, "Why not?" I look at him and smile, "For the same reason I haven't asked him yet if he wants to become an air guardian."