Mattheus walks out of the chapel. Expectedly, there was nothing unusual in the chapel. Guardians can't do much on Holy Ground. If it really has something to do with the GoD, it will probably be around the chapel.
He steps into the garden, and immediately senses the magical aura. The morning sun brings a sense of warmth to the garden, offering some comfort to Mattheus as he starts to look for the source of the aura.
Gardens hold a special meaning to Mattheus, especially gardens with ponds. Much of his memories like in the garden of the House of Mystical Arts back in Silvenlore. It was in a garden that he discovered who he really is. Soon enough, Mattheus' mind wanders back in time...
**********
"You have a special gift, Mattheus," White Beard, his mentor, told him, "& because of that, you have a special mission." They were taking a walk in the sprawling garden of the magic school. White Beard, true to his name, is an old man with long flowing white beard and dressed in white robes. Walking with a spring in his steps, he looks pretty healthy and energetic for a man his age, which remains unsurprisingly unknown.
"I've been watching your progress," White Beard continued. "You possess exceptional talent in the mystical arts. Not only are you a quick learner, your spells are also more powerful than normally achievable at your level. In fact, no one has ever been able to attain the performance you have. Such prowess are natural. Even we mentors can only pass on the knowledge of spellcasting to you. The rest comes from experience and your natural ability.
"I'm sure you know about our founder, Magnus, right? He is also the leader of a group called the Guardians of Light, or Guardians for short. This is a group of special individuals, born with the essence of the mystical arts, known as mana, in them. It is because of them that we have the mystical arts students like you learn today. What we learn can only help us to develop our skills and mystical powers to a certain level. Drawing upon these mana, Guardians are able to intensify these spells. Mana also enable Guardians simple manipulations of the natural environment around them. As Magnus once told me, they are like mortal angels God sends to watch over his people. Though they are mortal, they do not die from old age, normal injuries or illnesses. They live on to the end of time, roaming this earth, seeking to benefit humanity with the powers they've been given. They also bear the duty of facing the minions of the Devil in this world. They can be killed by magic, and only by magic. Thus magical weapons and spells are the only things that can hurt them.
"I'm telling you all this, because I think you may be one of them, born with this essence in you."
Up until now, Mattheus had been listening intently, like a child listening to a fascinating fairy tale. But as White Beard narrated, he started to wonder why his mentor was telling him all this. And despite half expecting it, the last statement hit him like a heavy brick.
To some people, it might be a good thing to possess great power. But beyond that, Mattheus saw that having great power also mean having greater expectations being put on the wielder. Did he really want such expectations on his shoulders? All he ever wanted was to spend his life with the one he loves, pursuing his interest in mystical arts, and hopefully making it one he could earn his living from. That was the kind of life he wanted, peaceful and in the company and comfort of those he loves. Fighting demons, he'd rather not have a piece of that.
White Beard saw his hesitation. Trying to comfort him, White Beard then told Mattheus, "Don't worry. You're not alone. Your cousins too show great potential in the mystical arts too. You'll all need to go through a test before I can confirm if you boys really are Guardians. No matter the result, do remember this, ultimately, whatever powers you possess, you will still have to decide how you want to use them, and whether you want to use them."
These words Mattheus will never forget.
**********
Mattheus can feel the strength of the magical aura getting stronger. It didn't take long for Mattheus to find the powdery ashes in the grass. Using his powerful psionic magic, he is able to see the fateful moment before Fr Rob turned to dust.
"It can't be!" Mattheus' face turns white.
"He should have died that day! I killed him myself!"
A turtle surfaces from under the water. The stillness of the water surface is broken by the ripples that drifts outwards. As the surface calms down, the reflection of another figure on the other side of the pond materialises.
"You!"
**********
Two men stood at opposite ends of the pond, eyes fixed on each other. Their long coats flowing in the wind that blew. On first glance, they couldn't look more different. One in white, the other in black. One with jet black hair, the other with blue. But if one looked more carefully, one would realise that their faces actually look almost the same. Both even have white streaks on their fringes.
The man in white took out a golden rod. It was capped with a pair of angel wings pointed down. Slowly the wings opened outwards. From the centre, a blade, covered with a white glow, emerged slowly. The man in black too conjured a golden rod in his right hand. But this one was capped with a pair dragon's wings, which also opened outwards, a blade, this one covered with a blue glow, emerged.
Both men tightened their grip on their swords. Not another word was passed, their stillness a stark contrast to the growing winds around them. And for some time, they stood there, as if frozen in the passage of time.
After what seemed like an eternity, the man in white runs across the surface of the pond, leaping into the air just before reaching the man in black. As he somersaulted, he brought his sword down on his opponent's head.
"Ha! Is that all u can do, Mattheus?" the man in black laughed as he blocked the blow with his sword. Mattheus pushed himself higher into the air as the swords clashed.
"This is just the appetiser my dear Martyn," Mattheus replied as he landed some distance behind Martyn.
"Come on, we should be working work together. You, Mathieu and me. Together, with the power of the Edrean crystal, the three of us can do anything. We won't have to worry about things going against our ways. WE are the ones who determine what's going to happen."
"For that YOU killed those I love. You call that going MY way?" came the angry reply as they turned round to face each other again.
**********
There is intense anger and pain in Mattheus' eyes, hatefully glaring forward.
Martyn's eyes are focused in front of him too, in them a mixture of anger and pity fills.
**********
"With all these power, we can SAVE our loved ones, even bring them back to life! Don't you see this?! We can get rid of anything that threatens us again."
Mattheus started towards Martyn again. Slowly picking up speed until he was charging at lightning speed, sword raised over his left shoulder, towards the black figure that embodied his biggest enemy. Martyn also charged in, his sword pointed in front of him. Just before his body met the incoming tip of the sword, Mattheus commanded silently, "Blink!"
Amazingly, Mattheus passed right through Martyn and his sword. He then turned around and slashed hard. An arc of white glow flew out towards Martyn, who released his own blue arc with his sword as he mirrored Mattheus' turn. They both did not have time to react. The arcs went through each other & through their respective targets.
Both men staggered back a little, holding their chests where the arcs had gone through. For normal men, it would have been a fatal blow, with the magical force slicing through anything in its path. But for Guardians, their mana absorbs the damage, thus preventing physical injury to the body. However, they still feel the pain, and the weakening of the mystical essence in their bodies.
Immediately Mattheus leapt at Martyn again, bringing his blade down on Martyn's head. Martyn blocked the blow and began returning blows of his own. Several rounds of slashing and thrusting ensued. Sparks flew and clanging of metal echoed in the blowing wind.
"Not bad, not bad indeed," Martyn remarked as they pressed their swords together. Then drawing upon his mana, he blasted Mattheus away with a powerful magic missile from his left hand. "I must thank you, Mattheus. Now I know how much more powerful I am compared with the second-best of the Guardians. You forget that I now have the power of the Edrea in me."
"It was because of your draining of the power of the Edrean crystal that all this has happened. It was because of you, I am about to lose all those around me. Even if it costs my life, I must restore the crystal's power and save them."
Just then, the sound of an explosion ripped through the dark sky. An old lady ran out and shouted at Mattheus, "The vortex just shattered the crystal and blew up the Sacred Chamber! White Beard is still trying to close the vortex!"
"You're too late Mattheus. Stop fighting me. I'm not your real enemy. I AM the only answer to the recovery of everything you had. With our powers, we can forge the future, and gain back all that we have wanted," Martyn told Mattheus with an air of superiority.
"Never! What I've always wanted is here, and what's done can never be undone. There are some things even our powers can never undo," Mattheus was charging at Martyn again, "Get out of here Trish, it's dangerous here. Don't worry, everything will be fine soon."
Martyn grinned and launched himself into the air. He clasped both hands on the hilt and raised it high above him. The blue glow of the sword's blade intensified as mystical energy coursed from his body to the blade. In a swift motion, he brought the sword down. A fiery blue arc sliced through the air down at Mattheus. With quick reflexes, Mattheus jumped back as the ground exploded under him. To his surprise, a wave of mystical energy followed from the explosion, catching him in mid-air, and knocking him far back.
Trisha was shocked by the scene. Mustering up whatever energy she still had remaining, she let fly several magic missiles at Martyn. Martyn laughed casually and with a swing of his sword, he reflected the missiles back at Trisha, knocking her out. He then proceeded to finish Mattheus off, rushing forward and plunging his sword into Mattheus' abdomen as he struggled back to his feet.
"I'm sorry dear cousin," Martyn muttered in Mattheus' face. Mattheus's face contorted in pain. Martyn withdrew his sword and took a few steps back. The sword was now stained with blood. Martyn smiled to himself as he took more steps back. Mattheus was on his knees now. He stared at Martyn, the anger still in his eyes. He tried to get up again, but collapsed instead. Lying on the ground, he tried to heal himself magically. But the injury was mortal. He looked at the fallen Trisha and was suddenly overwhelmed with sadness. He had failed to protect his loved ones.
Strangely, Mattheus suddenly felt a rush of energy flowing through his body. Pain started to ease and he started to feel refreshed. Soon he found himself floating. Martyn noticed something stranged too. He was more surprised to see Mattheus' body starting to float up to an upright position. Mattheus slowly levitated, a white glow surrounding him. From his back, a white outline of a pair of angel wings began to form. Mattheus himself felt revitalised. His wounds had healed.
Martyn gasped as he saw this. "Eternal Awakening!" he exclaimed inwardly.
Mattheus too realised what was happening to him. This was the legendary skill called "Eternal Awakening". He wasn't sure when or how he had mastered it, but he knew from the legends he had heard that this was his only chance of stopping Martyn.
It was a majestic sight. Mattheus was floating in mid-air, a big pair of angel wings spread behind him. Mattheus stretched out his arms, drawing upon all the energy he had in him. The white glow grew stronger, until it was almost blinding. Martyn shielded his eyes. Fear began to grow in him. Fear began to grow in him when he felt the power of Edrea flowing out of him. He looked up to see that it was flowing into Mattheus.
Mattheus then bent forward, pointing his arms to Martyn. Immediately, what looked like millions of magical needles shot out from the flapping wings. Some headed for Trisha, healing her when they hit her. Slowly, Trisha began to look younger, until she was restored to her normal young look. Meanwhile, the rest of the needles passed right through Martyn, whose eyes were now wide with shock. He stood very still, unable to move. The excruciating pain pounding his senses till they short-circuited. His mind went blank.
Martyn fell in his face as Mattheus floated back down, but as he landed, he too slumped to the ground from exhaustion.
