Previously on Protector’s of Worlds:

Our hero, Calem Drewick, found himself in the middle of a massive junkyard but was soon attacked by these slime creatures coated with metal. Nearly on the verge of death, he was saved by a giant humanoid who calls himself “Starman”.

After rescuing him from the slime creatures, Starman takes him to a huge city that is inhabited by hovering robotic lifeforms. When Calem told Starman he was from the planet Earth, the giant replied that his apprentice was from Earth as well. With that, Calem then followed the star giant to meet his apprentice……..

Who is Starman’s apprentice? Let’s find out, shall we?.....

X

For miles, Calem has been following the giant, Starman, wondering about where he’s taking him. The two come to a stop as they both approach an enormous tower with a futuristic appearance, which must’ve been around 1’000ft tall with numerous windows and a grey coloring, overwhelming Calem by its sheer size.

“Whoa………” Calem said, astounded by the massive tower. The expression on his face was enough to make Starman chuckle. The massive door opens, allowing the two to enter. The door then starts moving up, taking them to the top.

“So…….is this where you and your apprentice live?” Calem asked.

“Indeed. It was a gift to me from the Rovernites, the hovering robots you saw earlier.” Starman said. “Though I tried to kindly tell them that I didn’t need it, they insisted on me having it, a “gift,” they said for me saving their lives. But when my apprentice arrived, the tower became useful.”

“So he lives here?” Calem asked.

“Most of the time. He stays in the tower but when disaster comes, that’s when I need his assistance.” Starman said as they finally reached the top. The door opens, revealing a big and fancy room with two couches and big windows.

“Is that you, boss?” A voice, which sounded male said from one of the nearby rooms.

“It is,” Starman replied to the voice. “I’ve brought a guest with me.”

“Really?” The voice said. “Who is it? Some Rovernite here to give us more gifts?”

“Not exactly, though he might interest you.” Starman said “He’s a visitor, claims he’s from a planet called…….Earth.”

After Starman said that, the person didn’t utter a word after hearing of “Earth”. He quickly rushed out of the room as Calem got a good look at him.

He appeared to be a human male who was a bit taller than Calem with an athletic body and around 18 years of age with brown skin, black spiky hair, silver eyes, a grey shirt with a boxing glove in the middle, khaki pants, orange shoes, and two red tear tattoos below his eyes.

The two humans didn’t say a word, thinking if any of this was real or if they were seeing things. A few moments have passed until…….

“Is….Is this a dream?” Calem asked.

“If it is, we’re both experiencing it.” The other human said.

Calem remained quiet for a bit but then smiled and laughed at his response as the other human joined in with him. The two then embraced in a hug that was one of pure happiness while Starman watched on, glad that his apprentice was not alone anymore. They let go as the other human introduces himself.

“I’m Marcel Lamunci.” Marcel said as he reached for a handshake.

“Calem Drewick,” Calem said as he shook Marcel’s hand.

"Nice to meet you," Marcel said. "It's just great to see another survivor. Thought I was the only one to escape the slaughter,"

"You're not the only one to think that," Calem said, "I spent many days, filling my head with your exact thoughts but now that has changed, thanks to you."

"Wasn't expecting that, but you're welcome," Marcel said which caused a chuckle from him and Calem.

“Well, since it’s clear you two are getting along, I’ll leave you be,” Starman said before entering the elevator, leaving Marcel and Calem the only ones.

“Wanna get something to eat?” Marcel asked.

“Sure do. I’m starving.” Calem replied.

“Right this way,” Marcel said as Calem started to follow him to the kitchen. Upon arriving, Calem noticed that it looked fancy, almost everything was clean and shiny, which amazed him.

“Wow, this is amazing,” Calem said.

“Right? I had the same reaction you had when I first saw it.” Marcel said as Calem takes a seat at the dining table.

“You know, Starman seems like a really nice guy,” Calem said.

“He’s more than that,” Marcel said, looking through a cabinet. “He’s a protector, going from planet to planet, helping any civilization going through famine, plague, or war.”

This astonished Calem. Not only by Starman alone but by how he risks his life, helping multiple civilizations who are going through tragedies.

“He’s a good soul who only wants to help others,” Marcel said, pulling out a bowl of small green balls from the cabinet. “I admire that…”

“How did you two end up together?” Calem asked.

“Well, the big guy saved my life from a Scavenger attack,” Marcel replied.

“Scavenger?” Calem asked with confusion.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“The slime creatures that reside in the junkyards,” Marcel said, finally giving Calem the name of the amorphous monstrosities that almost killed him.

“What do you know about them?” Calem asked.

“Not much, but what Starman has told me, they have no natural weapons like teeth, claws, or toxins,” Marcel said as he starts eating some of the green balls. “With no weapons, they started adding stuff like rocks and metals to their bodies for protection and much, much more.

While he was saying this, Calem was worried about what Marcel was gonna say next as he started eating some of the green balls.

“Eventually, they adapted to fuse with ships, allowing them to travel in space and to other worlds to invade them for materials to add to their bodies,” Marcel said. “This planet was the latest on their invasion. They destroyed just about everything, leaving this city as the last line of defense.”

“Dear god……….” Calem said as he now knows that the Rovernites are close to extinction.

Picking up a green ball and instead of eating it, Marcel plays around with it, moving it up and down with his fingers. “If it weren’t for me and Starman, the Rovernites would be long gone by now,” Marcel said before eating the ball.

“So, I told you what I’ve been doing,” Marcel said. “Why don’t you tell me what you’ve been up to.”

After he was asked that, Calem stopped eating and swallowed the food that was in his mouth.

“Okay, but be prepared,” Calem said. “This one’s gonna be very long…….”

X

After long minutes of explaining, Calem told everything to Marcel: how he ended up on the dead planet, Arusatora, how he met Arui’Kotamu, how they both were attacked by these mechanical monsters, and how Calem obtained his sword and armor.

After he was done, Marcel’s face was full of astonishment at the story that was just told.

“Wow……..!” Marcel said. “Just…….Wow!

“I know, right?” Calem said.

“That was…...interesting,” Marcel said. “Surviving against rabid animals, fighting giant robots, and to top it all off, you were saved and trained by a humanoid native who was............"

"Around 70 years old but physically, she looked to be in her 20's or probably older," Calem said.

“H-How is that…..” Marcel tried to finish before Calem stopped him.

“Her species ages differently than ours,” Calem said.

“Oh…..” Marcel said. “Well, was she hot?”

“Definitely,” Calem said with a smile.

As he proceeds to eat, Marcel couldn’t help but stare at the gauntlet on Calem’s.

“So…... Where’d you get that thing?” Marcel asked, wanting to know about the gauntlet.

“Oh, this?” Calem said as he raised his left arm. “Found it in my basement.”

“And that’s what you used to fight against those robots, right?” Marcel said

“That’s correct,” Calem replied.

“Hmmm…..” Marcel uttered as he leaned back against his chair with his arms crossed.

“Why do you ask?” Calem asked.

“Come with me. I have to show you something.” Marcel said which caught Calem’s interest as the two leave the kitchen.

The two then enter Marcel’s fancy room, which has one big window, a couple of drawers, and a big bed.

“Nice room,” Calem said.

“Thanks,” Marcel replied as he grabbed a box on top of one of the drawers and placed it on his bed.

“So, why’d you bring me in here?” Calem asked curiously.

“To show you……” Marcel stopped before opening the box and revealing what was inside. “These!”

As soon as Calem saw what was inside, he slowly backed away with a frightened look on his face. What was inside the box was……..two gauntlets! They appear to be smaller than Calem’s, being only able to fit the hands, and had a yellow and orange color scheme to them.

“S-So…….This is what you use to fight the scavengers?” Calem said, scared.

“Sure is,” Marcel said. “Just like yours, these things grant me a weapon, armor, and even powers.”

“W-W-Where…….did you get it?” Calem said as he stuttered.

“Oh, I got them about a few months ago,” Marcel said, thinking Calem was talking about his powers. “Came at a good time too, because I’ve been able to help the big…….” Before he could finish, Calem then forcefully turned Marcel towards him. This shocked him as he noticed the scared and frightful face Calem was wearing now.

“The gauntlets! Where did you get them!?” Calem yelled out.

“D-Dude, chill out! You’re freaking me out!” Marcel said as he was scared by Calem’s change of tone.

“Where!?! Where did you find them?!” Calem shouted louder, causing Marcel to be even more scared of him.

“My backyard!” Marcel said, causing Calem to let go of him and back away.

“Where?” Calem said more calmly.

“M-My…….backyard,” Marcel said before he started explaining how he found the two gauntlets.

X

Back in their world before the disaster, Marcel was hanging out in his home, doing some exercises, while his parents were outside, his father checking out the hole for a future pool along with his wife. Suddenly, he noticed something shiny in one of the ditches. He got into the hole and wiped the dirt away from it, revealing it to be a box.

Thinking it could be a treasure chest, his dad called him outside, helping him remove more dirt until they were able to pull the entire box out, which was reddish in color and had a padlock keeping it shut.

Bringing it back inside their house, Marcel’s father grabbed a bolt cutter to cut the lock, allowing them to open the box and hoping they were expecting diamonds or cash…………..it only turned out to be two gauntlets, which disappointed them, but for Marcel, he thought they were cool as he put them on, not knowing what he has just done……………..

X

“And that’s how I came into the possession of these two,” Marcel said, finishing his story. After hearing that, Calem then calmed down before sitting on the bed.

“Did……….you see anything on the box that looked like a warning?” Calem asked.

“N-No, there was nothing on the box, except dirt,” Marcel said.

“Well, did you experience anything…...strange when you put them on?” Calem asked yet again.

“As a matter of fact…..I did.” Marcel said.“When I put them on……..nothing happened for a few moments but then the gauntlets started to glow and release some kind of light. When the light died down, I-I found myself in what appeared to be……….”

“A battlefield?” Calem said as Marcel stopped and turned slowly towards him with wide eyes.

“Y-Yes…..” Marcel said.

“Where the combatants were armor-wielding warriors and mechanical monsters?” Calem said

“Yes, yes…..” Marcel said as he was scared by what Calem had just said: it was almost like he knew what he had just experienced.

“And then you were sent to another, only this one had three good warriors fighting against a dark one?” Calem said one final time.

“Holy mother of shit……….Yes!!” Marcel shouted out before grabbing Calem by his shoulders. “B-but how do you know?!”

“Because………” Calem stopped before raising his left arm up, showing the gauntlet “....I witnessed the same exact thing when I put this thing on.”

Marcel just couldn’t make sense of any of this: the two gauntlets showing him strange visions and Calem experiencing the same thing. He was confused at this point…..

“Calem……..What does all this mean?” Marcel said, wanting to know what was going on.

“I have a lot to tell you, but………..you’re not going to like it,” Calem said.

X

These 10 minutes were……...hard and difficult for Calem as he just told Marcel everything he knows.

After he was done, Marcel was in a sad state. He was crying and sniffing a lot, he was sitting on the edge of his bed with his head down and his hands grabbing his hair. Calem sat next to him with a regretful and despaired look on his face.

“T-This….can’t be….” Marcel said as numerous tears streamed from his eyes. “Y-You…(sniff)......serious about this?…”

“I’m….afraid so, Marcel,” Calem said.

“T-Then, I…….oh, my……” Marcel said as he wiped the tears from his face. “My parents…..my friends…….(sniff).....all of them are dead…...because of me,” Marcel said before he started sobbing as Calem started rubbing his back, trying to comfort him

“The fault………..is not your’s alone,” Calem said. “If I just heed the warning, everything would’ve stayed the same……….I’m sorry.”

With everything he’s heard, Marcel’s sobbing and sniffing were starting to subside and he started to calm down but he didn’t talk: he just sat there silent.

“M-Marcel?” Calem said, worried about his sudden silence.

“Could you…….please leave my room?” Marcel said with a stiff tone to it.

“Wh-Wha…….?” Calem said

“Please! Just…….!” Marcel yelled with aggression, scaring Calem for a bit but stopped when he covered his face with his hand. “I……..I just need some time alone.”

“....O-Okay……” Calem said as he respected his wishes and left the door, closing the door behind him.

Filled with guilt after telling Marcel everything, Calem lies down on the couch with his arms over his head. He wondered how Marcel might despise him for the rest of his life. The thought stuck with him the entire night as he decided to get some rest, hoping tomorrow will be better…………

What will happen next?! Will Marcel still hate Calem or will he forgive him? Find out next time!!