This is an important chapter, 'kay? Very very important.
CH 14 Summary: Aerobolt, Storm, and Shade are whisked into Uron and interrogated before the chief, Jormund. When Aerobolt was revealed to be the same fox in the Prophecy of Justice, they soon realized that they were wrong. So they ask them for help because the Bandits stole nearly all their supplies. They agree, because they are also in the same situation. So before they set off for the nearby town of Cavra...
Here is chapter 15 of the book I write. Important it is. Very. Important.
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The Guardians of Life: Justice (Book I)
Chapter Fifteen-
Memories Returning

“Are you okay, Aerobolt!? What happened!?”
It was Jormund who spoke. Aerobolt barely heard him. The shock of his realization drowned out the entire world around him. Why else would Shade be driven to such an emotion? She couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her son behind! The voices he heard under the quicksand, and during the confrontation with Isrir! They had belonged to Shade, except she sounded quite a bit younger. It was her sixteen years in the past! No wonder he couldn’t recognize it at first! Plus the way Shade has been treating him. It all makes sense now. If Shade truly ran away from Hydyraen, how was it that Aerobolt was raised there in the first place? Shade told him she was about 47 years old, and elder in terms of foxes. Shade was 31 when he was born, and in Castla nu Craara at the time since she claimed to be his age when she initially escaped. She went to search for him when he was 6. So how did Aerobolt end up in Hydyraen? It doesn’t add up. Maybe Shade isn’t her, but it wouldn’t make much sense otherwise. Is Shade hiding something important? Is there a piece of this puzzle still missing? Or is Aerobolt just wrong? The possibility certainly exists. It’s too unclear to be absolutely sure. No. She has to be the one. But how was Aerobolt born in Hydyraen? She said she’s been looking for me for ten years. Is he 10, 31, 16…? What? Someday he knew he’d figure it all out. He knew he couldn’t tell her, because, what if he was wrong? Even more importantly, what if he was right?
“Mister Aerobolt!” Storm’s voice shocked his conscience back into reality, and he realized he was sitting down head in paws, with the others looking at him in shock, fear, and concern.
Aerobolt got to his paws unsteadily. Looking around, the others still eyed him worriedly. “What? I’m fine! Had a dizzy spell is all!”
No one spoke for a moment. They must think there is something wrong with him. Jormund was the one who spoke first. “You must be exhausted after all that traveling. Nightfall is not far away either. Kalaus, show them to our apothecary. Her building doubles as a hospital and an inn,” he added.
Kalaus nodded without a word. He beckoned the foxes to follow him. Aerobolt looked down at Storm. How was he going to make it?
“I’ll carry him,” Shade said as if to answer his unvoiced question. She went to grab him from under the arms. Grunting with effort, she lifted him off the ground. “Goddess you are heavy! Lay off those fruits would you!?” she gasped. Storm grinned.
Kalaus was already outside. Half walking, half wobbling, Aerobolt realized the sky was gaining a tinge of orange. A voice behind him made him stop.
“When you get to Cavra and Thalda, could you let them all know of our situation? Kalaus, I want you to go with them to Cavra tomorrow,” Jormund said behind them.
“Yes, chief, I will see to it they make it,” Kalaus said in front of Aerobolt.
“Thank you so much for letting us stay in your humble village, sir,” Aerobolt said kindly.
Jormund chuckled. “Not a problem, my friend. Try to keep Kalaus in line by the way. You may know already, but he is impulsive,” he added with a whisper.
Aerobolt stifled a giggle as he said, “Of course. We’ll sort him out if he tries anything.”
Jormund straightened up and said louder, “I wish you luck on your travels!”
“We wish you luck, likewise, Jormund,” Aerobolt replied. He turned back to where Shade and Kalaus went. He could see them looking back at him several yards ahead. He had no energy left to spare. His exhaustion willed him to just fall asleep on the front step of Chief Jormund’s house. He willed his legs to move anyway. It took him a few minutes to catch up.
“What has taken you so long?” Shade said when he was in earshot. She sounded a bit out of breath herself. She was hunched over with Storm on her back. Aerobolt grinned. Was Storm really that heavy?
“I’m exhausted,” he replied as they set off again.
“Yeah, I am too. Storm you are not supposed to be this heavy at the end of your cubhood. You need a diet or something.” Shade grunted.
Storm giggled. “Come on Miss Shade. You don’t really mean that do you?”
Shade looked back at him briefly. “You turn fifteen not that long now. You won’t be a cub at that point anymore. You’ve had enough fattening up!”
“I would think all this walking would knock off a few pounds,” Storm said.
“Yeah well, you can’t walk now can you?” Shade teased.
“Only for another day or so,” Storm retorted with a good nature.
“At least be a little more careful… I don’t like that you are injured like this!” Shade said seriously.
“How can I be careful when a Bandit or a Shadow Vulpine wants me dead?” Storm asked intelligently, eyes sparkling in the dying sunlight.
“Storm, you are one of the smartest cubs I have ever met,” Shade said.
Storm blushed. His orange face in the sunset made the color in him so vivid. “Aw come on… you are just saying that,” he said bashfully.
Aerobolt stopped. He was almost too exhausted to move any further. Leaning on a house’s wall, he stared at the fireball of the sun sink lower and lower.
“Hey Aerobolt!”
He turned to see Kaluas and Shade waving at him from another wooden building across the pathway. Kalaus continued, “It’s right here! Come on! Just a tiny more!”
Aerobolt groaned. How pathetic he must look if he can’t take another step. ‘Huh. I’m not weak. I will never be weak,’ he thought. No matter how tired he was, Kaluas was right. Relief was right there. It could’ve been worse. What if the apothecary was across the river? He forced his paws forward, and found himself inside the apothecary’s house. He saw Kalaus talking to someone in front of him in a strange voice.
“Heya Mairce. I got three foxes here with nowhere to stay. Care to hook them up?”
A female voice sounded from in front of Kalaus sounded cold, “Kalaus, we’ve been friends for years, but that doesn’t mean you can hit on me. How many times have I said that!?” But she addressed him regarding the foxes before Kalaus could reply. “Those foxes… they are the ones you brought into the village earlier?”
Kalaus nodded, “Yes my dear. It turns out they are Guardians. So what do you say? Your heart is stronger than your beauty, and that makes it invincible,” he said smoothly.
The apothecary keeper called Mairce gave an exasperated scoff, “Give it up, Kalaus; it is never going to happen. Anyway, how long are they staying? We cannot afford them to stay long.”
“The orange one is injured. After tonight can you move him to the hospital? The Shadow Vulpines are coming with me to Cavra tomorrow,” Kalaus said still retaining his smooth tone.
Mairce scooched her chaor back and said, “Follow me, foxes,” the female otter walked around the counter, behind Kalaus and huffing at him defiantly. There were two staircases on either side of the room. Mairce took the one on the left. The foxes and Kalaus followed her up, Kalaus a little too eagerly. The stairs creaked under their paws as they ascended. The stairs seemed older than the building itself. At the top, the hallway split in two directions.
“We don’t get visitors too often. Please pick any room you like,” she said. With that she set back of downstairs, Kalaus almost on top of her tail. The foxes shrugged at each other, Aerobolt chose the room to his immediate left. Shade and Storm chose the one to his right.
“You don’t mind sleeping alone do you, Aerobolt? Someone must stay with Storm to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself.
Aerobolt just yawned, long and loud. He was much too tired to answer Shade with a yes. The beds in the otter inn were shorter than he was used to. Otters were much shorter than foxes in comparison after all, but would it matter if the beds were bigger to them? Despite the meager size, Aerobolt had no trouble falling asleep at all.

His dreams were troubled however. The first thing he saw was a world flickering in orange. A mesmerizing hue of it everywhere he looked. It came with an acrid smell of smoke. The world was on fire! Through the wall of flames he saw a vulpine figure’s silhouette. It wore a one-sided cape. Arcane! He recognized that one-sided cape anywhere! Arcane’s silhouette didn’t even move when he gave an eerie sinister laugh. The next thing he knew, Aerobolt had a ball of fire hit him square in the face. The world turned white. When the whiteness faded, he saw Shade sitting alone, anguish in her eyes and voice in the same setting he met Iridescence.
“What should I do!?” It sounded exactly like the voice Aerobolt heard in the quicksand as well as before Isrir knocked him out.
The world was already turning white, but Aerobolt heard the revered Goddess reply, “You know what you must do.”
He saw Shade in some mountains all of the sudden. She had a lot of pain on her face as she pointed into the mountains screaming. “Go! Get out of here! We cannot have you here! You aren’t the one! Go!” she sounded so hysterical Aerobolt was almost convinced it wasn’t her.

When the next scene unfolded he saw Shade up close and screaming in agony. Aerobolt was taken aback and cried out. He was of course unheard, but what was wrong? He soon realized it when the screaming stopped, and the sound of a newborn fox whining filled the room they were in. Breathing heavily, the younger Shade whispered, “This time… this time our Arrabalta has truly come…”
The world turned white again and he saw a younger Shade, and a significantly younger Arcane facing each other. Arcane looked so young; he had to still be a cub. Shade was snarling at him. “You will not have him! You’ve taken so much from me, but you will not have him!” she seemed to be protecting a gray ball of fur in her arms. Arcane advanced on her as her sickening scream filled Aerobolt’s ears and the whiteout repeated.
Shade looked significantly older in the next scene, though Aerobolt knew little time advanced. “I have to find him. Where did that wretch take him?”
A Guardian sitting next to Shade spoke, “There could be only one place,” she said.
“M-Mistress Fielra! Y-you don’t mean!?” Shade gasped aghast.
The Lead Guardian nodded, “Hydyraen.”
Another quick switch. This Shade looked exactly like the Shade in the present. “I can’t find him. He’s nowhere to be found here! Was FIelra wrong all along!? Iridescence please! Help me! Arcane has taken over!”
The Goddess replied, “I sensed unrest in Nyethra. Is this why? Don’t worry, Nova, I have already sent Guardians to investigate.”
Shade looked a little relieved. “Really? Who? Who should I expect?”
“Fielra sent Plazma and young Storm,” the Goddess replied in an even voice.
“But they—“
“Are inexperienced? Isn’t this a good way to gain some?” the Goddess countered.
The scene changed again. This one was very different however. He was looking through Shade’s eyes. He was appalled when he saw his own face, as he lied on the ground in Hydyraen, looking absolutely frightened. He/Shade felt very hurt by it, and turned away. “You okay?”1
“I-I-yes. Th-thank you,” was the nervous reply he gave. So nervous! Who is he!? Wait. Could it be? It couldn’t be!
“I see you aren’t the social type. What’s your name?”
“M-my name? A-Aerobolt.”
The next thing he knew he was reliving his life through Shade’s memory again. All these years of searching, he heard Shade’s conscious saying. All that pain. I finally found my son!
“You weren’t wrong. You were right. Shade is your mother,” said the ethereal voice of the Goddess right behind him.
Aerobolt whirled about and saw Iridescence standing right behind him. Up close, he saw how her beautiful white fur sparkled with the hues of every color in existence in the glistening moonlight. Aerobolt gaped at the magnificent Goddess.
“Shade loves you, you know. It’s not her fault what happened. She never intended you to be raised by Them,” the Goddess continued.
Aerobolt was suddenly watching Shade fighting Arcane over the tiny scrap of fur that was his younger self. “Arcane,” he whispered. He watched as Arcane summoned a whirlwind and flung it square at Shade. It hit her tremendously, sending her flying back several yards. She twisted in midair to protect the cub Aerobolt from harm when she landed. She landed on the back of her head, which knocks her out instantly. Arcane marched up to her and pried her closed arms open. He grabbed the week old Aerobolt and held him up to his face, smiling triumphantly. The little Aerobolt blinked at him with huge innocent eyes.
The scene swirled, and Aerobolt was now living one of his own memories. This day. He knew this day. He was eight years old.
“I told you I don’t want to!” the cub Aerobolt cried, as cub Isrir and three other cub Shadow Vulpines, among them Uukai, advanced on him.
“Come on you goody two paws! You should have had a taste of who we are by now! Who does Skymae think he is by not forcing you!?” snarled Isrir.
Aerobolt glared back. “I am not who you are. I am who I am,” he snarled back.
“What a total loser!” on of the other cubs said mockingly. The four of them laughed along and proceeded to shove Aerobolt around. With each shove, Aerobolt reeled backwards into another cub’s arms.
“If you don’t go, we will force you ourselves!” Isrir gave him one massive shove. Aerobolt was sent flying backwards for a distance until he landed on his tail. The cubs just laughed at him. The three others congratulated Isrir before they set off towards the gate for their lesson in malevolence.
Aerobolt sat and glared at them, panting angrily. “One day you will regret this! I won’t forgive! I won’t forget!” as he said that, present day Aerobolt mouthed the words along with his younger self. He did not forget, nor did he forgive them either. But they still hadn’t regretted.
Once again the scene changed. It was his fifteenth birthday. The day he left cubhood behind forever. He was in Arcane’s office. This was before he took over, so the treasures he saw before were gone. Standing across from his younger self was Skymae. The aging Shadow Vulpine was much kinder than a “normal” Shadow Vulpine may be considered, and many wonder how Skymae even came to be their leader. Aerobolt really wished he stayed alive just a little longer.
“Aerobolt,” he croaked, “You’re not a cub anymore. When will you just accept who you are?”
Aerobolt stared back virtually expressionless. “I cannot accept who I am while I am still in this place,” he said back.
“What do you mean?” Skymae demanded softly.
Aerobolt stare hardened. “I will never harm anyone without any form provocation. When will you learn to accept me as I am?”
Skymae sighed, “Are you a fox, or not?”
Aerobolt growled, “I don’t know, sir.”
“You are almost as bad as They are. I still haven’t forgotten how I lost her to Them.”
Present day Aerobolt felt chills. He was talking about Shade! And how she fled to join the Guardians!
“I’m sorry. Who?” Past Aerobolt asked.
Skymae shook his head. “It’s none of your concern. She’s returned anyway. Now she knows her true place. And it is about time you learned yours.”
A new scene. Now he was looking among a group of Shadow Vulpines huddled around a casket. Skymae’s funeral.
“Who is going to lead us now?” a vixen asked fretfully. “Skymae never had a second in command.
The Vulpines in the immediate area began to argue amongst each other as to who should lead Hydyraen then. Aerobolt had wished the entire organization would fall into disrepair, but no. That was when he showed up.
“Shut up all of you! I will lead you!” the voice so sickeningly familiar was spat out louder than everyone else.
The mourning foxes whirled around, clueless, to find the stone cold stare of Arcane standing a few yards away.
“I’m sorry. Who are you?” a reynard asked.
Arcane laughed. “No one knows my real name! I have forgotten a long time ago, but everyone knows my reputation on Nyethra! Are you all aware of the Iridescent Orb incident?” he said heartily.
The Shadow Vulpines all gasped. “That was you!?” one of them breathed in disbelief. Arcane nodded. “Whoa. That means this guy means some real business. With him guiding us, we’ll be unstoppable!” There was a murmur of agreement among the other foxes. “We must notify all the other Shadow Vulpines! What do we call, you O great sir?”
Arcane laughed again. “Call me. Arcane.”
Out of the corner of Aerobolt’s eyes, he saw himself peering out at them. He remembered this day too, as it was only two weeks ago. He remembered the tears welling up in his eyes, and now he is seeing them. Before he could speak out, he was looking at Iridescence again.
“Why am I being shown all this, your majesty?” Aerobolt asked quietly.
“There is no need for formalities, my darling,” Iridescence said. “But you were meant to be a Guardian at birth. Arcane stole you away from us and dropped you right into the Shadow Vulpine’s awaiting paws. To think Arcane was only thirteen at the time, yet he was capable of such evil. Not to mention how he defeated Shade. His power knows no bounds. But one day, even they will fall. And they will fall courtesy of our Arrabalta.”
Aerobolt gasped. “Shade was right! I am destined to slay Arcane! But why? Why does it have to me!?” he cried.
Iridescence stared at him with sad sapphire eyes. “You and Arcane share a much stronger bond than you think. When Arcane snatched you from Shade, his powers transferred into your body. You were powerful, right from the first time you used them. There is a part of Arcane living inside of you right now.”
“What!? H-his power… i-is mine?” Aerobolt gasped.
“That power… Hyda nu Craara. The Bane of Being, is granted to those destined for greatness. For all the wrong reasons. You and Arcane both are going to leave behind such a legacy. You are capable of wielding such power for benevolence. Arcane, for malevolence. You both have the very same power flowing in your veins. Together you are equal. But when you, Aerobolt, discern your rightful place, you will be even more powerful.”
“The God of Justice…” Aerobolt whispered.
Iridescence shook her head. “No. Well not by itself anyway. Where else do you think you belong?”
Aerobolt thought for a moment. “The Guardians of Life!” he proclaimed.
“Precisely.”
“That isn’t all. I am destined to change Nyethra’s views on our kind. I am destined to turn around our lives for the next generations. Because of me, no one in our future will suffer from the injustice we’ve endured. Right?” Aerobolt asked boldly.
Iridescence backed away. “That’s for you to find out. Good luck, my Arrabalta…” And she proceeded to disappear behind the fog.
“Wait!” there was so much more Aerobolt wanted to ask the Goddess, like how and why did Arcane’s powers become a part of him. He wanted to learn so much, but she was already gone.
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What did you think of that one!?
Unfortunately I have to rewrite chapter 16, but... I can do it! Just give me some time!
Want to start from the beginning? Here is chapter one! http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11187661/
Here is my series' index! http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5340298/