CH 27 Summary: Aerobolt's first day home gave him insight at just how dangerous Arcane was becoming... and that he is most likely on his way there to attack...
In Chapter 28, the final plan of action is discussed. Could Aerobolt fulfill the Prophecy that depicted him as the Savior and God of Justice?
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The Guardians of Life: Justice (Book I)
Chapter Twenty-Eight
No Time Left

The rest of the day was theirs. They had spent it touring Aerobolt through Castla nu Craara. Aerobolt had too much on his mind to pay much attention. The most prominent thing that kept his mind to busy was the nagging paranoia of Arcane’s mere existence. He wondered how strong Arcane really was, he wondered where Arcane was at the moment, when he was to show up at Castla nu Craara with who knows how many of his allies? And more importantly, how Aerobolt was to take him on.
It was when Aerobolt’s mind began to flit back into concentration a few hours after their lunch with Fielra that Aerobolt began to notice how many of the Guardians were eyeing him. They all looked... happy. They looked happy as if they knew he was the one to save them. Aerobolt was convinced he was too, but he couldn’t help but doubt that he could be strong enough to slay Arcane. What if he really wasn’t strong enough? What if he failed everyone? It soon dawned onto Aerobolt just how dire the situation really was. Not only was he charged with killing Arcane, if he failed, all of Nyethra could, and probably would, be demolished by the massive imbalance Arcane has already started spreading. He thought that every time a Guardian approached him and said hello or bowed at him or some other form of a friendly gesture. Too friendly. Some Guardians were overenthusiastic over him, and literally worshipped him. Many of them were just the kind that offered to fetch him anything he needed. Many of them offered to be his personal assistant. Others downright embraced him in hugs and kisses and other forms of violations to his personal space. Aerobolt grew quite weary of these Guardians fairly quickly. So much for Fielra’s request to just treat him like a special guest like Kyaeta. Then he remembered the powerful Kobold Warrior in Cavra and wondered if the Kobold Warriors are going to help them like the Bandits are for Hydyraen? Aerobolt hoped so; he believed they needed all the help they could get. Aerobolt just was a little freaked out by all the Guardians swooning as he passed by. Shade insisted that he just wasn’t used to it.
“At least everyone here respects you,” Shade said as they passed by the courtyard on the other end of the Commons. “Unlike in Hydyraen where you couldn’t even show your face.”
Aerobolt sighed. “Yeah I know. It’s just kind of strange to go from being relentlessly hated, to relentlessly loved just like that! But it’s not that that I am worried about. I am worried about the possibility of failing everyone.”
Shade put a handpaw on his shoulder and stopped him. “You will not fail us. The Prophecy does not speak of your failure. It won’t happen.”
Aerobolt wasn’t sure. Gradually, more and more of his annoyance turned to uneasiness as the sun began to hide behind the canyon walls. The thought of engaging Arcane in battle suddenly scared him. It didn’t just make him nervous and wary, but it actually scared him. Everyone says Aerobolt was much stronger than he thinks he is, but Aerobolt can’t help but doubt his abilities. Aerobolt did not know what to believe. He still wasn’t sure how powerful he actually was, let alone how powerful Arcane was. Aerobolt remembered the images of Arcane launching his mother in the air like nothing in his dreams. He remembered that Arcane was only thirteen years old at the time, not even old enough to apply for apprenticeship in the Guardians, and that scared him. He shook the image out of his head quickly, shivering and fluffing his fur out.
Shade and Storm turned around when they heard him. Shade was the one to speak. “Is there something the matter, Aerobolt?”
“Huh? Oh. I’m fine,” he lied, “I just got a chill,” he hoped his fluffed out fur would convince them Shade stared at him. Somehow he knew that Shade was highly skeptical.
“Is that right? Well you should know it gets very cold up here, especially in the winter,” she said, even though Aerobolt could tell she knew that was not what was bothering him.
“A-aren’t you at least a bit nervous about the fight against Arcane?” Aerobolt asked without stopping himself.
Shade’s ears erected. “What is there to be nervous about? I already know we will win,” she said.
Aerobolt swallowed. He was going to say something that wasn’t on his mind before, he knew it, and dreaded it. “Like what if…? What if you or Storm don’t make it out… alive?” even as he said it, he felt the sharp pain in his chest that could only be his heart crying out against the possibility.
Shade sighed. “Then it would be our time to join Iridescence. I promise you this though. I will not go anywhere until Arcane is dead. I will not die with that wretch’s life on my conscious, I will tell you that.”
“I-I don’t want to lose you, mother,” Aerobolt said sadly, looking down.
Shade lifted his chin. Her breath was sweet with compassion. “No matter what happens to me, I want you to be strong. I know you will rise above it all in the end no matter what. You really are a lot stronger than you think, my son.” Their eyes connected, and immediately Aerobolt got an awful image of him lying over her motionless body, tears streaming out of his eyes.
“Hm? Why are you crying, Aerobolt?” Storm’s voice jarred him back to reality.
“Wh-what?” he said shakily. “N-no reason.”
“Come on Aerobolt! Buck up! You are home now!” Storm said, trying to stay cheerful for him.
Aerobolt sniffed. How could he be happy worrying about losing him or Shade? Or both? “I know, but… Arcane still haunts me. What he has done, and what he may do. It-he… scares me.” That was pretty much the truth, but Aerobolt could not help but think he left something out.
“And that is why it is time for that monster to be quelled once and for all!” the voice belonged to-
“Fielra!” Aerobolt pushed his qualms away and faced the Guardian Leader standing behind them. “What are you doing here? We aren’t supposed to meet you until a little while longer!”
Fielra acknowledged with a nod. “Yes. I know. But Thor here insisted we meet sooner. I had hoped you three would be here at least,” she had indicated her companion. He was a very tall vulpine figure that wore a Salamander Scarf that was somewhat longer than Aerobolt’s. His fur was a very bright shade of orange; it seemed yellow more than anything.
Thor bowed at them. “Yes… Fielra has told me much about you. Welcome home, you three. I am owing of an apology for not being able to welcome you sooner, but as Fielra has told you, I was much too exhausted to attend your welcoming committee.”
Aerobolt smiled. “It is an honor meet you, sir!” he saluted his new mentor.
Thor chuckled. “Oh no! The honor is all mine! I heard you were exceptionally powerful! Powerful enough to not even need me!” Aerobolt nodded. Thor continued, “But you insisted you have a mentor anyway, eh?”
Shade prompted what Aerobolt had forgotten momentarily forgotten, “So why the early visit? We were just about to show Aerobolt the Force Orbs.”
Fielra and Thor’s faces darkened. Fielra looked down and spoke. “The news we have received does not bode well,” she said quietly.
Storm tilted his head. “Huh. What is it?”
Fielra shook her head worry plaguing her voice. “Arcane’s forces are moving towards Castla nu Craara at a much faster rate than we had first anticipated,” she responded.
Shade was the first to give a considerable reaction. “What? Where is he now!?” she gasped.
Fielra was unusually somber. “The last report we had is from back a little south of Uron. That report was hours ago. Aracne’s troops are moving in such unison that no one has ever seen. Unnaturally fast, unnaturally ordered. It was as if Arcane had planned this for years! Who knows what other secrets he has up his sleeves…? At that rate, he could be crossing Vrangar River as we speak…”
“No…” Storm whispered.
“How the hell is he moving so damn fast!?” Aerobolt was shocked at the anger in his voice.
Fielra shook her head. “That’s the Unknown Enemy for you… He must have had spies littered across Nyethra waiting for you to pass, to come home. It was as if he planned for your escape all along. His plan came with one unintentional snag however…”
Aerobolt realized. “I-Isrir!?”
“Indeed. He tried to stop you, Shade, and your escorts from escaping. If Arcane’s plan was to let you escape, then Isrir violated it.”
Aerobolt was flustered. “B-but! But why would Arcane let me escape!?”
“His plan failed,” Thor spoke. “He wanted to raise and corrupt you and your power by having you raised in Hydyraen. Seeing as his plan failed, he took over the stronghold to let you come home… so he could take you and Shade, our Orbs, and finally eliminate us… all at once,” he said.
Aerobolt’s mind was whirling very quickly. This was a lot to take in! Arcane, his brother… what else could he be hiding? Just when Aerobolt thought he learned everything about the Unknown Enemy, suddenly there is a new piece of the puzzle! “W-we! We have no time! What are we supposed to do!?” he exclaimed.
“We are going to train our Guradians up as quickly as we could. At the rate Arcane is going, he’ll be here in just three days. Each senior Guardian will have to mentor two other Guardians in order to reach our full potential! Aerobolt! We do not believe you need to be trained; we ask you to be a mentor instead!” Fielra suddenly sounded dire.
“Wh-what!? Me? A mentor? What?” Aerobolt was even more flustered. Him? A mentor!? That did not sound at all plausible to him at the moment!
“Would you, Aerobolt? We need you now more than ever!” Fielra sounded even a little desperate.
“B-but I! I don’t even know how to mentor! I don’t know how it works here!” he exclaimed.
“And that is why I am going to assist you,” Thor said.
Aerobolt had the same nagging worry as before pop up in his mind again. “If I fail them...” he started.
Shade did not let him speak. “You won’t! Have more confidence in yourself, my son. I will tell you over and over again until you realize it! You are much stronger and more capable than you think you are!”
“Sh-Shade,” Aerobolt stated.
“Aerobolt. Just think of what you have done so far. Everything.” When Aerobolt did not speak, Shade continued, “If you keep doubting yourself, your doubts will come true. If you have confidence, your confidence will come true,” she said.
Aerobolt could only say her name again.
Shade looked down sadly. “I’m just so sorry you haven’t got much time home before Arcane comes and wrecks it,” she said glumly.
“Sh-Shade! Arcane is not going to wreck our home! I won’t let him! I will never let him… never let him touch my life again,” Aerobolt snarled.
Shade put her handpaw on his shoulder. “Then we ask you to please… help us help you. We are all here for you. But you have to be here for us too, please!”
Aerobolt still had a million doubts flying around his head, but he was certain about one thing. He knew that if he kept acting this way with no action, he would fail, no doubt. Shade was right. He was more powerful than he thought he was; he was just worried about how strong Arcane was. Nevertheless he vowed to fight him, and that is exactly what he was going to do!
“O-okay, Shade, Fielra. I will help,” he said finally.
Fielra nodded. “Excellent to hear that, our Arrabalta. That is one step completed. Now… an issue that remains is the fact that Arcane has an unidentifiable Bane. If we could exploit his Bane, he would fall much easier.”
Aerobolt understood. Shadow Vulpines could wield the Seven Forces of Life like the Guardians could, though they choose not to use it nearly as often. Could it be that like the Guardians the Shadow Vulpines have a Bane Force that could be exploited? It had to be true, for he and Shade both are Guardians with Bane Forces. And the same thing goes for the few other Shadow Vulpines Aerobolt had glimpsed at while he was here. Question is… how would they expose and exploit those crucial weak points? “How are we going to do that?” he finally asked.
“The Iridescence Fountain. If we could lure Arcane into these waters, his Bane could be revealed. That is my only regret for ordering Shade to abandon him so early, so that we would never know his Bane because he was never seen by Iridescence…” Fielra said.
Aerobolt scratched his chin as FIelra went on.
“That is what we first ask of you, Aerobolt when Arcane comes here. We ask you to try to expose his true weakness, so this battle could go much more smoothly.”
Aerobolt nodded. “O-okay. I will do it.”
“Iridescence is never going to grant him her powers… so don’t you worry about that,” Fielra added when she detected Aerobolt’s doubt.
Aerobolt sighed. He couldn’t stop thinking over and over that this is it. This is going to be the last time he would ever face his traumatized past. After this, he’ll either be dead or happy. He wondered what either was like, for he was never in either position before. He was anxious for this all to be over. But it isn’t yet. Not until he takes down Arcane, or goes down instead. ‘Three days, huh?’ he thought. ‘I guess I will just have to grit my teeth and bear it just a little longer. Arcane’s mere presence hurts me. It is time for me to be happy.’ But first they must train and prepare for him. Aerobolt still thought he had too much too learn before taking on Arcane, but he had a feeling it isn’t anything to do with combat. ‘Oh well,’ he thought again, ‘If I have to be in the dark for everything, then so be it. All I care about now is… our future… without Arcane in it.’
“Aerobolt?” Storm’s voice got his mind into reality again.
“Yes. I am okay now. I just have two more questions for right now,” Aerobolt said.
“And what might they be?” Thor asked.
“Who are we going to train, you and I, Thor?”
“We will train together with a vixen cub named Eira. She was named after our mountains, yes. She is a little younger than Storm. She was actually supposed to become an apprentice by now, but…” he trailed off and looked at Fielra. Fielra gave him a hard stare, but nodded.
“But?” Aerobolt urged him to continue.
“She has a very strange power. One that only Iridescence herself knows about. We do not know ourselves what power resides in her, but we do know she is far from normal. Extraordinary even. She will train with us, if you don’t mind.”
Aerobolt wondered what kind of power he meant. But he had a feeling he wouldn’t digress. And he also had a feeling he was going to find out the next day. All he said next was, “Where?”
“In my Spire. The Thunder training grounds just down Thor Spire’s hallway,” Thor explained.
“Oh okay,” Aerobolt said.
“Storm? We ask you to meet up with Blaze as soon as possible tomorrow in Salamander Spire. I think she has requested either Cloud or Iris to train with you. Their punishment has been put on hold given the circumstances,” Fielra added fretfully.
Storm blinked. “But neither of them have confirmed Bane’s of Earth do they?” he remembered the new mentor/apprentice policy Fielra mentioned earlier that day.
“And Eira may or may not have a Bane of Fire,” Thor countered. “We need as many trained arms as we got. The eldest cubs are going to train with us, despite the fact they haven’t received Iridescence’s full power and blessing yet. We need everyone.”
Aerobolt remembered something. “Wh-where are the Kobold Warriors at?” he asked.
Fielra shook her head. “Kyaeta’s efforts to stop the Koboldarian forces from joining with Arcane have failed. We fear he may not return to Castla nu Craara in time for the final battle,” she said regretfully.
“Damn!” Aerobolt couldn’t help but let the curse fly.
“Some Kobold Warriors that were still in Ieron when he left volunteered to help us, but even that number is staggeringly small. If we are not careful, this battle could go badly one sided in an instant,” Fielra spoke in a dark tone.
Aerobolt was even more worried now that his hope for the Kobold Warriors’ return was voided. He couldn’t help but show that his eyes were wide and muzzle gaped in shock and worry over the situation. “I-I see,” was all he said.
Fielra looked up and realized the sky was darkening quickly. “We need as much rest too… The last thing we need are Guardians who can’t stay on their paws in exhaustion,” she said. “Which is why I am also ordering the Guardians to turn in as early as possible. This is going to be one storm no one is going to forget in even distant memories; there is no doubt about that. Aerobolt, I must ask you? Are you ready? Ready to fulfill the Prophecy and become our deity of Justice? Ready to be… who you were destined to be all along?”
Aerobolt nodded involuntarily. Ready or not, it was time to move on.
“Before your true life can begin… Arcane must be removed from Nyethra,” Fielra said. “Before Nyethra could be safe, Arcane must be removed from it. Before Justice can be healed, its assassin must be taken away. And you… are the only one who can do it,” Fielra said.
Aerobolt nodded involuntarily again.
“Good luck Arrabalta. We know you will never let us down, no matter what you think,” Fierla said quietly before getting up and leaving with Thor following, leaving Aerobolt, Shade and Storm to watch one of the last sunsets their enemies will ever see.
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Wanna 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/