Fighting a monster with powers I didn't understand probably wasn't the smartest thing I'd ever done. Then again, I did get killed by a truck while trying to save someone's cat, so maybe smart decisions weren't really my thing.

"Duck!" Luna shouted.

I dropped just as a massive claw swung where my head had been. The creature's arm smashed into the wall, sending chunks of that weird, face-covered stone flying everywhere.

"Okay, quick lesson," Luna called out while backflipping away from another attack. Show-off. "Those flames aren't just for show. Think of them as an extension of yourself. Your anger, your fear - channel it!"

"Channel it? What is this, some kind of anime?" I yelled back, but tried it anyway. The purple flames around my hands pulsed stronger as I focused on them. It felt... natural, like flexing a muscle I never knew I had.

The monster charged at me again, its void-like mouth opening wide enough to swallow me whole. This time, instead of running, I planted my feet and thrust both hands forward. The flames shot out in a massive wave, hitting the creature square in its chest.

It screamed - that same horrible, metallic shriek - and stumbled backward. Its leather-like skin was actually burning, dripping that black goo onto the floor.

"Nice!" Luna spun her staff, creating circles of blue light in the air. "Now, watch and learn. This is how you really do it."

The circles of light suddenly turned into what looked like floating runes. She slammed her staff into the ground, and the runes shot forward, wrapping around the creature like chains of light.

"Hit it now!" she yelled. "And try not to die again - paperwork's a pain!"

I didn't have time to ask what she meant by 'again.' The creature was already breaking free of her magical chains. Running purely on instinct, I gathered the flames into a tight ball between my palms. It felt like holding a miniature sun made of darkness.

"Eat this, ugly!"

I hurled the ball of flames straight at the monster's face. The impact was... well, explosive would be an understatement. The blast sent me flying backward, and I would have cracked my head open if Luna hadn't caught me with some kind of magical cushion.

When the dust settled, the creature was gone. All that remained was a smoking crater and a small, crystalline shard that glowed with a dull red light.

"Not bad for your first fight," Luna said, helping me up. She walked over and picked up the crystal. "A bit messy, but you've got potential."

I stared at my hands. The flames were gone, but I could still feel their power humming under my skin. "What... what am I?"

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Luna pocketed the crystal and gave me a long look. "You're a Cursed Guardian. Well, technically a Guardian-in-training. And before you ask - yes, like the ones from the old legends. No, it's not as cool as it sounds. And yes, you're still dead."

"I'm still what now?"

She sighed and leaned against her staff. "Look, the simple version? Your soul was chosen. That truck hitting you wasn't an accident - it was your calling. Some people get letters to magic school; we get violent deaths. Welcome to the club."

"That's messed up," I said, then remembered something. "Wait, you said I was late for my awakening. How long was I supposed to be dead?"

A new voice answered, deep and rumbling with a hint of amusement. "About three weeks ago, kid. You're what we call a stubborn soul."

I turned to see a massive figure step out of the shadows. He was easily seven feet tall, built like a linebacker, with wild gray hair and... were those wolf ears?

"Rex Shadowfang," he introduced himself with a fanged grin. "Your new combat instructor. And you, my fashionably late friend, have just made my job a lot more interesting."

"How so?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer.

His grin widened. "Because the trial you just passed? That was supposed to be your final test, not your first. Seems like someone mixed up the difficulty settings on your resurrection."

Luna groaned. "Rex, stop scaring him. Zephyr, ignore the furball. We need to get you to the Sanctuary before more Void Hunters show up."

"More of those things?" I pointed at the crater where the creature had been.

"Oh, that wasn't a Void Hunter," Rex chuckled. "That was just a basic Shade Wraith. Void Hunters are much worse. They're the ones that usually kill us the second or third time."

"The second or third..." I felt a headache coming on. "Just how many times are we supposed to die?"

Luna started walking down the corridor, her staff lighting the way. "Depends on how quick you learn. Come on, we've got a lot to cover, and the nights here are... unpredictable."

As if to emphasize her point, a distant roar echoed through the dungeon, making the walls tremble. It made the Shade Wraith sound like a kitten.

"Question," I said, hurrying to catch up with them. "That whole 'channeling emotions into power' thing - does it work with confusion and mild panic? Because I've got plenty of those right now."

Rex laughed and clapped me on the back, nearly sending me face-first into the ground. "Kid, you're going to fit right in. Just wait till you meet the others - especially Aria. She's going to love this."

"Who's Aria?"

Luna and Rex shared a look that I couldn't quite read.

"Let's just say," Luna finally answered, "she's another Guardian who's been waiting a very long time for someone like you."

Another roar, closer this time. Rex's ears twitched.

"Story time's over, cubs," he growled, his form starting to shift and grow even larger. "We've got company. Ready for lesson two?"

I looked at my hands, calling forth the purple flames again. They came easier this time, and somehow, they felt... eager.

"Do I have a choice?"

Luna twirled her staff, those blue runes appearing again. "Now you're getting it."

The darkness ahead of us shifted, and multiple pairs of glowing red eyes appeared.

Well, I thought, at least dying the second time should be more interesting than getting hit by a truck.