The war was going strong despite D’Angelo’s defeat. It seemed the armies had fallen under new management and the GAA knew how to manage well. Zen was tired; she could barely shadow warp or teleport anymore. It was closing on dawn and she knew the others felt the same way. She could see it in Marco’s hasty swing, in Isaias’s dragging shoulders. Only Stephan was going strong not showing any signs of weariness but becoming more brutal as time went on. He was using his acid now on anyone stupid enough to mess with him.
The results were that many stayed away from them for a few minutes before some fool tried to take them down from behind. Then Zen would shadow warp and slash their jugular in one clean stroke and keep moving. But just then her shadow warp had failed her and Stephan had to get nasty with their attackers burning them til nothing was left then scooping her off the floor and setting her to rest against a tree.
“We can’t keep going like this. The Dons must be as tired as us,” Zen sighed as she laid her head over Stephan’s chest. He smoothed back her sweaty hair and nodded. The whirl of engines caught their ears and both groaned.
“More reinforcements? How many guys does the GAA have?”
“I don’t know. I thought it was just a legion but I could be wrong. Zen these aircraft are landing!”
Zen got up and marched to the crest of their small hill and watched as two enormous spacecraft landed. They opened their doors and men came filing out. Hundreds of men.
“Stephan, our forces are depleted, we can’t beat that,” Zen said, fear showing in her eyes.
Stephan grinned. “We won’t have to. I recognize their outfits. It’s the GC Zen! They’re reinforcements for us!”
As he said this the leader of the group made a hand sign of a triangle which Stephan copied, grinning.
###
Bernado. Carmelo and Rosalinda were arguing about strategic points when a Guerrero came in beside a black military-style uniform-wearing man.
“Greetings Dons of Puerto Nuevo. I come on behalf of the Galactic Council. I’m Raedon of the third battalion and was entrusted to help you defend the crystal in any way.”
“I’m Don Arrio and this is Don Carmelo and my sister Rosalinda Amargarita.”
“Why do you come now? We could have used the help ages ago,” Rosalinda said.
“We can not interfere with any planet’s business unless it is tied directly to us, It took a while for the information that this particular war was because of an intergalactic crystal that should not be here. We came as fast as our loader planes allowed us to move, loaded with a thousand men each which was pretty slow.
“Isn’t Ryzen master of teleportation,” asked Carmelo.
Raedon laughed. “Even he can’t transport over two thousand men. One thousand surely but not over two thousand.”
Carmelo nodded. “Well, we could use your help. The GAA is forcing our hand and we only have a handful of good fighters left uninjured. All are tired I believe. We would like this mess cleaned up as soon as possible and to go home,” he said scratching his back and wincing. He had just unscabbed his earlier wound. Rosalinda grabbed his hand and held it between hers stopping him from making more of a mess on his back.
“We’re all tired. If your men can help us win this war then by all means use them,” she said glaring at Carmelo when he went to scratch his aching back with his other hand. He sat it down and stared at Raedon nodding.
“What she said,'' yawned Bernado as he sat on the chair next to Carmelo’s.
Raedon nodded and joined the Dons in discussing where his men were best placed.
###
Stephan and Zen watched as the new force quickly cared for the tired Jaguars and Pinguinos. The GAA forces were harder but soon they had them on the run as well.
“Huh, looks like you were right, Pirate. The reinforcements were for us,” said Isaias walking over to Zen and ruffling her hair. She leaned in sleepily. “Hmm?”
He chuckled and let Zen lean on him for a few. Marco was also sitting and guzzling water from a water bottle that Stephan had refilled with ice water.
“I wonder how the rest of our crew are faring,” muttered Stephan as he ran a hand down Zen’s sleeping face.
“Didn’t you leave a water mirror with Marek before we came into battle,” Marco asked.
Stephan shook his head. “And he probably left the other on the ship or in his room.”
Isaias stretched. “Looks like we’re walking to them then. Let’s go. I saw them due North. That’s the place with all the trees, Stephan.”
Stephan looked at him annoyed but nodded, picking Zen up gently. Her head lolled onto his chest and a little drool escaped her. He chuckled and they started their trail northward.
###
Marek was resting in Val’s arms as the new force did a bang-up job of cleaning up the mess. Val had stopped swinging the metal rod a while ago and was resting his arms using his abilities to keep bullets away from them. Both used their fists as their weapons were nearly useless. Marek had GC combat training and Val had his people’s style but both were near exhaustion. That was when the new force arrived sweeping in like knights on white stallions out to save the day, they stepped back and watched.
“Val! Marek!”
“Over here Captain,” shouted Val as Stephan came into view carrying a sleeping Zen. Beside him were Isaias and Marco.
“Looks like we all made it through,” Stephan said walking down the ridge to Val’s side. Marek scoffed. “By the skin of our teeth. Honey and I were on our last fuel rigs then these guys came out of nowhere and started cleaning house. Looks like the GC heard then?”
“Yeah I probably have all sorts of messages but the EMP blew out my comm,” replied Stephan.
“Mine too. First on my list of replacements.”
“ I made mine EMP-resistant. Stephan, we have a mission to bring the intergalactic crystal to them,” Val said.
Everyone was quiet then, “what do you mean you made yours EMP resistant? How is that possible,” muttered Isaias as he leaned on Marco sleepily.
“Just reverse the polarities. Oh, wait you can’t do that shadow shifter.”
Isaias flipped a smug Val the bird before snuggling into Marco who sighed. “He has had a long night and I’m sure having to fight Zen wasn’t so much fun.”
“Whoah fighting Zen? What did I miss?” Marek asked as all of them climbed the small ridge that led to the north hill.
“Lots,” said Stephan as he held a snuggling Zen to him smiling.
###
Kiera watched as Edline sat by the Guerrero’s side and held his limp hand. She hadn't left Alejandro’s side since he had come in from the Er.
How am I going to explain this to her brothers? Little Edline has a crush on a Guerrero and so young too!
She walked over to Edline and stood before her.
“He’s not going to awaken for some time yet, How about you come back with me and we finish that book?”
Edline shook her head gripping Alejandro’s hand.
“I can feel it. He’ll wake up soon and I want to see him when he does.”
“How do you know?”
Something deep inside is telling me so.”
“Intuition?
Edlin shakes her head. “Something deeper like I’m tied to him or something. I knew I had to save his life just as I know I have to be the first thing he sees when he wakes up.”
Kiera tilted her head for a minute before nodding, Then she noticed the limp hand wasn’t so limp and that eyelids were slowly lifting. Citrine eyes gazed attentively to his face and then caramel eyes were meeting hers for the first time and a brief shock of electricity ran from Edline to Alejandro but it didn’t harm him it tickled him. He wasn’t harmed by her lightning.
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###
Alejandro awoke to entrancing citrine eyes watching him. He couldn’t move even when a serious lightning storm started.
“You’re not harmed by my lightning,” the owner of the eyes said and he realized that the lightning storm came from a little girl with brilliant yellow eyes.
“Guess I’m not,” he croaked and the nurse beside her went to bring him a glass of water.
The little girl smiled. “I’m Edline Marques,” she said squeezing his hand. It was only now that he noticed tiny fingers intertwined with his.
“Alejandro Pionero,” he said, squeezing back.
She smiled and then squealed when several forms walked into the tent. She left his side for a minute and he felt as if something were missing. Weird!
He shifted slightly and took in the five men that had come in. One was setting a young woman down on a bed and the little girl was a buzzing bee over the young woman. A tall copper-headed male smoothed back her frizzy hair and kissed her forehead to calm her down.
“Brother,” she cried, hugging him, and the man lifted her. She began sparking and the man winced but still, he held her.
Is it rare not to be affected by her lightning?
###
Edline was carried to the back of the room where Kiera was reading an instruction manual.
As soon as she was let down she hurried off to be by Alejandro’s side again.
Stephan pointed. “Where’s she off to?”
Kiera smiled wickedly. “Probably to visit her crush. Kids grow so fast don’t you think?”
Stephan stuttered. “Crush! When? How? Who?”
“It’s an innocent thing Stephan so leave it be. She saved his life. You know she feels some deep connection to him and he can take her lightning and not be struck. Isn’t that great?”
“No! That is not great! If he can take her lightning and not be hurt by it then...but that’s just a myth!”
“What is?”
“Lightning holders. They take in a lightning ability users charge and discharge or absorb it. Lightning users can’t hurt them. They are like rubber soaking in the lightning and then discharging it more safely. Lightning users are usually bound to them through a link...a bond. The last pairing were rulers of the Elementals before the uprising began in the 2400s.”
“So your sister’s bound to this guy for life?”
“No, not if she doesn’t want to be and she’s still young but they’ll feel the draw to be with one another.”
Kiera walked over to the window and smiled. Yes, kids did grow up fast.
###
Zen awoke to bright daylight and yawned. What time is it?
“It’s almost noon and the GC will be here in three hours to meet the girl crystal,” Stephan said smiling. He straddled a metal fold-up chair with its back facing her. His head was resting on his arms which were over the back of the chair. His hair was currently covering those extraordinary diamond-bright eyes which were closed.
She sat up on the cot and yawned some more.
“The war?”
“Won with the help of the GC. D’Angelo and the GAA were forced to retreat. Everything is fine except that Ryzen, Astrid, and Vega are on their way here to see you. They are going to judge if you should be the guardian of the crystal or if it should be given to someone else.”
“Ishevara wants no one else. That’s why she melded herself with me. A separation would likely kill me.”
Stephan’s eyes opened and he stared straight at her, “I won’t let that happen and neither will Ishevara.”
“What can you do against the GC? Be honest!”
“Me? Nothing but Ishevara can stand up to them. Let her when the time comes.”
Zen nodded and slipped from the bed. “I’m going to take a shower to be ready on time for their arrival. I’d invite you but I don’t think we’d make it out in time.”
“I don’t think I could keep it up, I'm so tired.”
Zen laughed and shook her head teleporting both to the mansion and while she took a bath he slept covered in their scent from the night before.
###
Zen awoke him dressed in a simple yellow dress with a golden butterfly perched on a blue rose. Her hair was combed into a neat braid and he missed running his fingers through it as they kissed. She looked over at him and smiled. “You need a bath mister,” she said pinching her nose and waving a hand under it. He growled and tumbled her to the bed before kissing her deeper. He nibbled on her lips before delving in and tasting her. She moaned and pulled back.
“You are going to ruin all my hard work waterboy.”
He kissed down her neck. “Let it be ruined.”
She giggled and shoved him off. “Nope, I must look at least presentable to these GC shmucks. Now go and bathe, you really do stink.”
“After battle smell is sexy.”
“Not when one has already bathed. Go!” She pushed him towards the bathroom and he went smiling.
###
Zen walked down an unknown hallway of the Rodriguez mansion. She was being led by a galactic guard. He wore the standard black uniform with a patch on the arm. On the patch was a white triangle signifying the council but his triangle bore three white diagonal lines coloring the triangle.
“It means I’m a lieutenant,” he said smiling.
She blushed for being caught staring and nodded. “Are there many Lieutenants in the GC army?”
“Counting that there are over 1400 lieutenants for each council member plus the bounty hunters who can act as Lieutenants as well, we have over four million, one for each battalion of a thousand men.”
“Four million but you must have over thirty million men!”
“Indeed we do. We are here. The Lords and Lady are through this door.”
Zen straightened her hair and smiled. “Thank you.”
Then she took a step inside the room.
###
Zen was looked upon by interested quartz eyes.
“So this is the girl the war was about? I see nothing special about her.”
“Ryzen you are scaring the girl.”
“Good Vega. She should be frightened. We hold her life in our hands.”
“Ryzen, we have not yet decided what to do with the girl.”
“Astrid! We should be rid of her! She’s a human for the universe’s sake! She shouldn’t have been able to make the crystal react!”
“For a Traveler, you can be very brazen, Ryzen. All is not what it appears to be,” said Astrid passing long fingers through silver hair. Her cat-slitted emerald green eyes were trained on Zen.
Zen stepped up reeling in her fear at these majestic beings that seemingly floated above their chairs. “I am a trinity blood. I am a Traveler, a shadow shifter, and a Galactical.”
Astrid smiled and Vega, the only purple-skinned male in the bunch grinned but Ryzen narrowed his quartz eyes. “You lie! There is no such thing! And if there is then it must be destroyed! I’ve made up my mind!” He held out his hand and a glowing orb formed.
He threw it at Zen.
Quick give me control!
Zen gave it and time slowed as a shield arose around her body.
“Ishevara you dare disobey a direct council mandate,” screamed Ryzen.
“I do it when it is unreasonable! I have melded myself with this girl! Does this not tell you something? I have chosen to remain alone for centuries and now I have chosen a Guardian. Will you refute my claim?”
“Ishevara, this child has not passed our tests for Guardianship,” Astrid said.
“I have tested her and she far surpassed any test you could have given her. She fought a war for me and not once did she use me unnecessarily.”
“Not once since the war?” asked Vega intrigued.
“Not once since I’ve come into her possession.”
“That is a great feat considering your curse,” Astrid said.
Ishevara nodded.
“I don’t care! You’ve been a sore in our backside Ishevara! Why should we consider your Guardian?” said Ryzen.
“If you don’t I’ll self implode taking the galaxy with me simple enough for you Ryzen?”
We can come to some sort of agreement,” he said.
Astrid nodded. “Yes, we can. Let us speak with this girl Ishevara we promise no harm shall come to her,” she glared at Ryzen who hastily agreed.
“Very well. Her name is Zen Amargarita use it!”
Zen’s eyes stopped swirling colors and became mahogany dipped in silver sparkles. She held her head high in front of the three beings as Ishevara told her to. She was not a worthless trinket she was the Guardian of Ishevara time she acted like it and stopped imitating a mouse!
“Young one. Tell us of your journey with Ishevara,” Astrid said.
And so Zen told her tale from beginning to end. How she began as an ordinary girl and became extraordinary. How she saved a girl from eternal sleep and was condemned and chased for it and her power. How she came to valerate herself and find love and acceptance in the strangest places with a pirate captain and his crew. In the end, how it cost her a war.. Her voice was steady throughout her tale and Astrid and Vega listened intently. Ryzen rolled his eyes but listened vaguely.
“That’s nice and all. I’m sure you went through some struggle for Ishevara but that doesn’t prove to us that you are a good Guardian,” Ryzen said.
Astrid’s eyes glowed. “She went through a rape without using the crystal to escape Ryzen! I think that more than proves her capability of becoming a guardian!”
Ryzen shrunk under her gaze. “My mistake. Must have missed that part,” he muttered.
“Young one, you have shown great resilience to the crystal. I grant you Guardianship of Ishevara,” said Astrid.
“As do I,” said Vega smiling.
Ryzen smirked. “I’ll grant it but you can not stay on Earth.”
“Ryzen!” cried Vega.
“What Vega, we already had one war for the crystal here. We simply can’t have another.”
“Ryzen if what you say is true, then you are condemning her to wander the universe without a home! Whatever planet she lands on will want Ishevara! You know this!”
Ryzen smirked and nodded. “She may visit but she may not live on any planet while being the Guardian of Ishevara. It’s a heavy burden to bear for one so young and in her prime”
Zen looked down for a minute then back up. “Ishevara isn’t just my companion. She has melded herself to me on a molecular level. If we were to part I would probably die. I...shall take this mandate. Her curse has passed on to me and I do not want war with others. I will leave Earth as soon as I say goodbye to my family.”
“Take your time,” Astrid said glaring at Ryzen who was smiling smugly.
“I’m afraid we’re on a schedule. You have a week to say your byes,” he said.
“Ryzen you’re taking the poor girl away from everyone she knows! Give her some time to adjust,” said Vega angrily.
“Very well a month then but if we find you on Earth after a month your Guardianship will be taken away.”
Zen nodded and three beings teleported out of the room.
###
Zen walked back to her room in shock. I am a Guardian but I have to wander space like a vagabond. Isaias got his happy ending so did mom so where is mine?
She walked straight to her room and ignored everyone wanting only one thing. She found it asleep on her bed. Stephan was curled around her pillow, his face obscured by his arms. She smiled weakly and crawled into his arms. His eyes opened and he stared into hers. She looked back pleadingly and he opened his arms where she collapsed and cried. He ran his hands through her hair undoing the braid, and down her back soothingly. After a while, she dozed into a slight slumber. He kissed her head and held her close, shutting his eyes. She’d tell him when she awoke.