The Guardians of Daldaria

Chapter 10: A Guardians Creed

“I'm a cat caught in a rocking chair. Got all the power in the world. No clue what to do with it. Danger always right behind me. I can't even make my powers work. How am I supposed to…guard...whatever my job wants me guarding if I can't understand the basics?"

Tapping the bottom of the bottle until Mialtros drained it completely, Zeltina started rotating her wrists.

“If this is how you feel…"

Mialtros jumped as a crimson tendril tore through the rock where she bathed.

“Then we will sort you out using combat!"

Zeltina quickly flicked her arms. The tendril caught Mialtros's stomach, thrusting her through the waterfall.

Mialtros landed in a glass room surrounded by ocean and large fish.

She rolled out of the way as a blade-pole soared through the waterfall, scraping the glass, embedding in the back wall. Zeltina hopped through, pulling the weapon back to her with whips of red liquid.

Mialtros scrambled to her feet.

“Ack-hey! I thought we weren't training today!?"

Charging forward, swinging the blade, Zeltina bonked and poked Mialtros rapidly.

“You dodge like a buffalo on ice. I also never said we would not train. I said we would do no physical training at first. You are no longer dying and have had soup. You are fine enough to work and learn. Ready yourself! Ask your questions while you fight me!"

How could anyone ask questions when they were being prodded like a winter ham?

The tail end of Zeltina's weapon smacked her between the eyes. Mialtros's rubbed the skin, hunched over. Stars and sparkles flashed in her vision.

“What even is that thing your swinging around? I thought every Guardian had blades like Xiathia?"

Resting the blade on the ground, Zeltina swiped it up, catching Mialtros's knees from under her.

“Oh please, that sword she bashes around is nothing compared to my glaive. Every Guardian has a different weapon and armor they may summon. Once I have ascertained how much training you need, I will teach you how to make them."

Where Xiathia's weapon was a single, long, curved blade she wielded with both hands, Zeltina's weapon was a pole the tip of which separated into two curved blades.

It was a pretty cool weapon honestly. She liked it a little better than Xiathia's sword thing.

“We already tried this in the cave before we came. Xiathia wanted to have us make wells for Nulrets. My powers wouldn't work though Mewl could use his just fine. I don't get why."

The woman had no problem sweeping her glaive in one hand as she waved at the octopus's dancing in the currents.

“No shoving! You can all attach to the glass at different points hmm? The problem with practical demonstrations is that they do not force the brain into thinking. Only when it is forced can the brain achieve anything!"

Mialtros managed to somersault under the hearty swing, “What are my powers anyway? Everyone keeps saying I'm the Guardian of creation, and talking about natural law, but what exactly am I supposed to guard and create?"

Zeltina's hand grappled the back of her shirt. Lifting Mialtros over her head, the woman rolled them to the floor.

Wrapping the haft of her weapon across Mialtros's neck, she pressed inward.

“The Guardian of creation protects the dimension of creation from all. You ensure life is balanced. When it is not, you create whatever is necessary to rectify it. You also prevent anything from having knowledge of our abilities. If they gain it, you revert it however is necessary using creation."

Mialtros shoved her hands under Zeltina's wrists, pushing them outwards unnaturally. When they started popping,

Zeltina released her glaive. Mialtros elbowed her away, grabbing for her weapon. She stood and pointed it at her; though the woman had already leapt away, balancing on the wall using tendrils to hold her waist.

“That's awful vague Zeltina."

The woman shrugged.

“That is the simple truth. Your powers are vague. Xiathia's too. What I know comes from intensive study of the past Guardians actions. The only ones who know everything are Mewl, Ghirathirial, and Arnsal. None will make comments on the entirety of your province. It is why some are wary."

Mialtros looked down, just a quick glance to the floor to think.

She was slammed into and the glaive torn from her hands. Zeltina backflipped from her, sending her sprawling on her back across the room.

Tendrils caught her legs and feet, lifting her by her torso to face Zeltina.

The woman lifted her glaive. Turned it so the edge of the blade lay upward.

“Focus on the nexus of your energy! For creation it will be centered quite literally in your gut! This next strike will not turn away. If your powers do not save you, we will need a new Guardian this day!"

Was everybody in the Guardian world crazy!? Why was killing someone the only solution to every problem that came there way!?

Zeltina ran forward. Blade leveled at Mialtros's heart.

Placing her hands over her lower stomach, Mialtros closed her eyes and prayed.

The light from before was there. To it she ran. The closer she got, the wider the light became.

A giant hog made from pink jelly. Bound by chains to the darkness.

Mialtros giggled. Guess creation knew her better than she thought.

She grabbed at the chains and tugged.

If her job was to make things balanced, than in this situation there was only one thing that could be made.

Wriggling some links in the shape of a bird at the hog's snout, Mialtros cawed loudly.

The hog squalled and thrashed, knocking Mialtros off her feet.

Zeltina's blade touched Mialtros's clothing.

It was knocked aside by an explosion of pink jelly erupting from Mialtros's belly. Zeltina herself was slathered in the stuff. She hastily wiped at her eyes.

“Ahaha! I told you! When push comes to shove to the brain will react in the best of ways!"

Mialtros blinked and looked at her hands. Pink jelly glistened faintly with the energy Mewl had displayed. She

leapt and hugged Zeltina tightly.

“You did it Zeltina! I ain't unteachable or a failure!"

The woman chuckled and smoothed Mialtros's hair gently.

“Do not thank me. You did this Mialtros. Now all we need is to teach you control and how to access your abilities when you aren't about to die to an enemy. Tell me, what did you see inside your mind?"

There wasn't much to recall, but the explanation left Zeltina frowning.

“Chains? That is truly unusual. Something is keeping you from accessing your full strength. I think, based on the formlessness of your creations, your lack of conviction and goals are the issues."

Mialtros ran to pick up Zeltina's weapon. Cleaning it on her sleeve, she held it out for her to take.

“Why would not having a goal affect my powers? Aren't the powers supposed to be a part of me?"

Zeltina didn't take the glaive, merely gripped its blade in her palms.

“Your reason for Guardianship is a personal creed. Without purposeful action, your powers will never yield. Creation needs guidance Mialtros. I bid you think on your desires and the world you wish to create. It is to you we will bend our ears from now until the end of time."

Before Mialtros could say anything more, Zeltina pushed the pole into her foot. She yelped, letting go of the shaft to hop around.

The pole met her back, plopping her into a pile of pink.

“Surely you did not think I would let you go? We will fight until you figure out your goal! That or your body refuses to get up again. Whichever comes first! The loser of our bout shall have to clean the temple thoroughly!"

Well that sounded fair. She grinned up at Zeltina.

“Give me all you got!"

The blade swung toward Mialtros's feet.