The end.
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The Guardians of Life: Justice (Book I)
Chapter Thirty-Two-
Rise

Aerobolt saw nothing but black for what he thought was his entire life. He had no idea where he was, or even if he was awake. The only thing he was aware of was his own subconscious. Was he even still alive? Well he was somewhat aware of his thoughts so he probably was. Probably…
He had done it. He had slain the Unknown Enemy and restored the world back to order. His family is free; Shade is free. Storm is free. The Guardians and Fielra are free. The Kobold Warriors are free. The Thaldans and Emprans are free. Uronians and Cavrans are free. Every last Nyethran that Aerobolt never met was free. Justice was restored back to its rightful place. That’s all Aerobolt ever wanted. If he was to die here, he only cared about Arcane’s death, like Shade did. He wondered once again if she and Storm were okay. He hoped they were okay. He couldn’t handle it if he found out they were dead.
Something moved in his line of vision. So his eyes were open. He was not awake all along. But was he asleep? Dead? That was when he saw it. Thick dark smoke that was even darker than his vision. It snaked to his eye level and slithered away. What was that anyway?
“Arcane’s soul.” The ethereal voice caught Aerobolt off guard. He whirled about and saw the Goddess standing there, with relief spread across her face. “Great and powerful Arrabalta, I knew you would vanquish this great threat to the legacy. And now this legacy is yours. Let it rise and be forever remembered by Guardians for countless generations.”
Am I dead? Once again he could not hear himself speaking, like when she gave him the prophecy in the first place.
“Yes. And no. You are in the transition of death. You are neither dead nor alive. But rather, somewhere in between. This is where all who pass go to the Ethereal Sky, or eternal purgatory. That smoke you saw was Arcane’s soul passing into the path to the purgatory,” Iridescence said softly.
A-am I going to die?
“It is far from your time to die, my Arrabalta. You still have many more legacies to engrave unto the Guardians of Life. You still have many trials left to go. And, though this may ruin any moment, but I have to say, whenever my fountain in the Crossroads is damaged, I pay whoever damaged it a visit,” she added with humor.
Aerobolt thought he smiled, but he couldn’t tell. What kind of legacies am I supposed to engrave?
“That is a discussion for when the time is appropriate, my Arrabalta. You are truly destined for great things. The Unknown Enemy’s jealousy drove him to do everything that had hurt us.”
That was something Aerobolt never thought about. He was jealous of me?
“Indeed he was, my Arrabalta. Indeed he was…”
I am really sorry about your fountain.
Iridescence gave an echoing laugh of humor. “It is no problem. You really are resourceful to use its waters to shape the very manifestation of Life and Justice together. Such power overwhelmed even you, and thus is why you are here.”
I-I see…
“On behalf of all Nyethra, dead and alive, I thank you so sincerely for what you have done for us. It is because of you, the Nyethrans can sleep peacefully once again,” Iridescence said.
You are welcome. I never wanted him to exist either.
“I must send you back. The Guardians are trying to revive you,” Iridescence looked away briefly.
Oh are they? Keh. Alright then. I must thank you for everything, Iridescence.
“Why thank me?”
For giving me… a home…

“Storm, get away from him! I am trying to work!”
“Aw but Miss Shade! I want to see him right now!”
“You will see him when he wakes up!”
Aerobolt was hardly conscious yet he could hear his best friend and mother talking. Even through his nearly absent mind, he thanked Iridescence one last time for keeping the two of them safe. He could barely feel Storm’s paws digging into his chest.
“Hey! Come on Aerobolt! Rise and shine! The battle is won!” he said, pushing down on him.
“Storm! Seriously! Get off of him!” Shade seemed exasperated. Aerobolt moaned as Storm pushed even harder; it had hurt him. “Oh there he is. I told you he was fine!” Shade said.
“I knew he was fine! I just wanted to see him for so long!” Storm’s voice was in a squeak. It was as if he was half his age.
“I-is my son awake?” said an unfamiliar reynard voice. Aerobolt’s heart skipped a beat. Was that, his father!? Aerobolt’s eyes flew open to an excruciatingly bright light. In the blurred light he could see Shade and Storm peering down on him. Aerobolt realized he was lying down on a soft bed. He automatically assumed he was in the Medical Wing of Castla nu Craara. He didn’t dwell on that thought for long.
“A-Aerobolt!” Storm cried in excitement. Storm immediately pushed forward so his and Aerobolt’s noses were touching.
“Heya Storm. What’s up?” he said smiling. Immediately, Storm recoiled.
“Yuck! Your breath stinks! Go brush or something! Would ya!?” Storm was waving his paw in front of his face.
Aerobolt laughed as he looked over to Shade. She was standing next to a tall, reddish orange pelted vulpine figure closely. He did not wear his Scarf, to Aerobolt’s surprise.
“F-father,” Aerobolt croaked, so happy to see him.
“Yes son… I am here… I am here at last,” Salamander whispered. His tail tip was resting softly on Aerobolt’s arm.
“Is it… is it really over?” Aerobolt asked.
Shade nodded slowly. “It is. At last. At last that fox is gone. I’m so proud of you, my son.”
“As am I,” said Salamander softly. “I deeply regret that I never got to meet you until just now. I hope you can forgive me for my absence.”
Aerobolt weakly held his paw up. “Don’t worry, dad.” It felt weird for him to say that. “You were doing your job. And you love me. That is all I could ask from someone like you,” he said.
“How do you feel right now?” Shade asked.
“Really tired.”
Shade laughed at that. “Yeah I bet. And Iridescence is going to call on account of that fountain, hehe…”
“She already did,” Aerobolt stated.
“Is that right?” Shade pondered.
“Mmhm,” Aerobolt mumbled. “She told me my legacies are destined to rise to hers and be remembered by Guardians for many generations.”
Shade kissed his head gently. “They will, my son. They always will.”
Aerobolt sighed and closed his eyes. “It feels so good to be free,” he breathed. “After almost seventeen years… finally… I’m free…”
Shade’s sweet voice wafted into Aerobolt’s ears gently. “We all are. All thanks to you. And now you can live the life you were always meant to. With us. Our family is now complete.”
Aerobolt opened his eyes and saw his parents’ faces beaming down on him, sun shining in the Wing in the background. They were his parents. His family. His home. Finally, Aerobolt was home and free of Arcane’s suppression. He couldn’t be any happier. He couldn’t be any happier that Justice was finally served. He couldn’t be happier to be alive at this moment of time; he wanted it to last forever. Aerobolt smiled as his closed eyes leaked tears of happiness. He could feel his mind fading off again. He wondered what become of the battle. He wondered where their allies and enemies were now.
As Aerobolt fell asleep, he remembered what Iridescence had said to him. She remembered how she said he had many more legacies and trials to go through. Aerobolt said in his mind, ‘Bring it on Life. I can take whatever you dish out.’ If he could defeat his past, he could defeat his future. However dark his future could be, he would embrace it with the Seven Forces of Life in his paws. He knew his future is never going to be dark. Sure some lights will be broken here and there, but all in all, Aerobolt knew he was going to be happy. Aerobolt knew everyone was going to be happy, all because he quelled his diabolical brother with the restoration of Justice.
As his consciousness dropped into a light sleep, he could faintly hear Shade humming to him. He could picture them as his mind drifted. He could see Salamander standing right behind Shade, handpaw on her shoulder, tail on Aerobolt’s arm, smiling down on them. He could see Shade looking warmly down on him with a big smile on her face as she hummed him a lullaby. He could see Storm admiring his best friend, tail wagging happily. Everyone is happy. They all are. Aerobolt had made sure of it. Nothing could have made Aerobolt any happier. Everything was exactly where it needed to be, and Aerobolt would have dreams of his future life ahead in the Guardians of Life.
…
At least for now…


End of Book I
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Stay tuned for Book II!
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/