The Eternal Guardians: Book 1: The Missing Heir

Chapter 20

Contently, Damian, Ashta, Lashanna, and Xavier left the castle, and they headed through the village of Nemiph. To Ashta and Lashanna's surprise, Damian and Xavier wore jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers on their feet. Seemingly, Ashta was not used to seeing Damian in street clothing. However, she decided she liked this look on him better than the uniform he was always wearing. She thought that the uniform made him look like he was from a medieval war movie, and that was not appealing to her.

They spent the day happily greeting villagers, and the villagers congratulated her and welcomed her home. Ashta was greeted with hugs, questions, and even the children came up to her to meet her. Damian watched as he smiled at her proudly. He felt honored that Ashta wanted to spend her time with him.

"Ashta?"

Suddenly, Ashta turned her head, and she found herself staring into the face of the very first friend she had met on her journey.

"Riah!" she exclaimed, as she smiled widely.

"Hi! You are okay," Riah said, as she grinned at her.

There was a look of relief on her face as she looked at Ashta. Happily, Ashta threw her arms around Riah and hugged her tightly.

"Yes, I am okay, and I found Lashanna. These men saved us from the dungeon in Taitum,” explained Ashta, as the embrace ended.

Ecstatically, Riah smiled at Ashta. She was so happy that King Gale had listened to her and rescued his niece from that awful place.

"I am glad that you are home,” said Riah, as she noticed Damian looking at her suspiciously.

Ignoring him, Riah looked back at Ashta.

"Your things are safe. I left them right where you left them in the spare room,” she said, as she gave Ashta a knowing look.

Happily, Ashta looked at Riah. She was relieved to hear that her grandfather's sword was safe, and didn't fall into the hands of those guards that had taken her that night.

"Thank you," Ashta said politely, as she noticed Damian's stare.

"Why is he staring at us like that? she wondered, and then she dismissed the thought.

"Come by anytime,” said Riah, as she glanced at Damian again, and Ashta nodded.

Quickly, Riah squeezed Ashta's arm, and then she left without another word. Ashta decided she would go to Riah's the next day, by herself, so she could talk to her friend, privately.

At that moment, Ashta turned to Damian, and he handed her a stick with hard candy stuck to it.

"This is my favorite treat when the festivals are going on in town,” he said to her, as Ashta tried the candy.

Surprisingly, the candy was pretty good, and it was a lot sweeter than the candy she ever had back home. She ate it while she listened to him talk about the village.

They continued to spend the afternoon walking around the village and listening to Damian and Xavier talk about their history. Noticeably, the sun was beginning to set, and rain clouds were forming in the sky above.

"Do you think we should head back?" Lashanna asked, as she looked up at the darkening sky.

"In a few minutes, we are almost to the Garden of Eternity," Xavier said softly, and Lashanna only nodded.

A few moments later, they walked up to a small enclosed park with a large flat boulder in the middle. The leaves of the trees hung down like vines and there were white and purple flowers blooming from them. Not only that, but there was a bench on each side of the area, and a small water fountain.

"Ashta."

Suddenly, Ashta heard her name being whispered, and she looked up at Damian. He smiled at her and he gestured to go inside of the park.

Didn't he hear that whisper? she wondered, as she nodded to him.

As she dismissed her thoughts, Ashta walked inside the beautiful area, and placed her fingers on the cool boulder as she reached it. Noticeably, there were the five elemental symbols carved into the outer edges of the rock. To her surprise, as she ran her fingers along the surface of the boulder, the symbols began to glow.

Lashanna and Xavier took a seat on one of the benches, and Damian sat on the other as they watched Ashta. Damian felt a sense of pride. He was able to spend time with the princess, and she seemed to like having him around. He really hoped that she liked him as much as he did her.

Without a word, Ashta slipped her shoes off, and then she carefully stepped up onto the large rock. Immediately, she was forced to her knees, and an unseeable force pulled her arms straight out to the side.

Swiftly, Damian was on his feet and he ran toward her, as Ashta let out a painful scream. Unexpectedly, Damian hit an invisible force field, and it threw him back a few feet from her.

"Ashta!" Lashanna cried in horror.

"Dame!" Xavier yelled, as he and Lashanna ran over to his side.

Horrified, Lashanna, Damian, and Xavier stared with wide eyes as Ashta was held in place, like she was about to be executed on the spot.

"What's happening to her?" Damian asked in fear, as he stared at Ashta, and Lashanna shook her head.

"I don't know,” she said, nervously.

Suddenly, Ashta felt the world slip away, and then she felt the pain stop. Immediately, her eyes flew open, and she looked around. Terrified, she found herself in a realm of fire and brimstone. She coughed hard as she got to her feet and tried to wave the thick air from her face.

**************************

Roman said his goodbyes to his mother, and she left for her meeting. He looked around the house, and noticed that since his mother had been so busy, she hadn't had time to do anything around the place. He decided to use his speed ability, and he cleaned the whole house in under an hour.

"There, I am sure she will appreciate that." Roman said, and he dusted off his hands, as he was impressed with his work.

Now, off to the garden, he thought, as he grabbed an apple out of the fruit basket in the middle of the table.

He didn't know what Chantelle meant by the spirits talking to him.

Spirits of who, and why, would they want to talk to him? Roman thought to himself, as he walked up to the garden.

Suddenly, Roman stopped in his tracks as he saw Ashta on the boulder. Oddly, she looked like she was in pain and she was being held in place by an orange and red mist. He noticed Damian, Xavier, and Lashanna on the ground on the side of the rock, and wondered why they were on the ground. Oddly, they were just staring and not moving.

Suddenly, Ashta screamed in pain, and Roman's attention shot back to her. Immediately, he dropped his apple, and he found himself running towards her.

***********************

"Hello?" Ashta called, and her voice echoed back to her.

"Princess Ashta,” echoed a deep male voice.

"Yeah, that seems to be what everyone is calling me now,” she called back.

There was no one around, and where was the voice coming from? she wondered.

"You must find the other one of your kind. Only you and he have the power to stop all of this."

"Who is he?" Ashta called, as she looked up at the burning sky.

She wished she could see who she was talking to.

"He is close,” the voice echoed.

Suddenly, Ashta felt a hard impact, like a car hitting her, and she landed hard on the ground. The burning world and the strange voice disappeared, and she blinked her eyes as she looked up. Surprisingly, Roman's handsome face hovered above her, staring down at her, and he was breathing heavily. Ashta looked into his eyes, and then she suddenly felt a surge of energy course through her veins.

"Hi,” she said softly, as the world around her disappeared.

Roman searched her eyes for a moment, and then he smiled shyly.

"Hi,” he whispered.

Seemingly, he felt like they were the only two people in the world, and he had the most beautiful girl in his arms as he stared into her stunning blue eyes. At that moment, Damian, Xavier, and Lashanna ran up to them. When Damian saw Roman and Ashta in the position they were in, he instantly felt jealousy creep up on him.

"Ashta, are you okay?" Lashanna asked.

Reluctantly, Ashta broke her gaze from Roman and looked over at her.

"Yeah,” she said in a soft voice, and she looked back up at Roman. He smiled a dashing smile at her, and then he pulled himself back.

"Come on. Let's get you off of the ground,” he said deeply, and every nerve ending inside Ashta's body sang.

Slowly, Roman rose to his feet, and he held his hands out to Ashta. Ashta stared at him as she grabbed his hands, and then he pulled her gently to her feet. As their hands made contact, Ashta inhaled sharply as a vision came to her mind. She and Roman were tangled in red sheets, making love. Immediately, Ashta felt ashamed of having the vision and she gently pulled her hands from Roman’s.

"How did you make it past the barrier?" asked Damian, as he grabbed Ashta's hand and pulled her to him.

Oddly, Ashta looked at him in question as she pulled her hand from his and she took a step back. Roman saw this, and he chuckled in his head as he looked smugly at Damian.

"What barrier?" he asked, as he crossed his arms over his muscular chest, and Ashta looked up at Roman.

Why does he have to be that good looking, and have a bad attitude, she wondered as she scowled.

"None of us could get to her because there was a barrier around her and the Stone of Elements,” explained Xavier.

Curiously, Ashta thought for a moment and then she looked at Roman with a questioning look.

"I was deep in the spirit realm, and you pulled me out rather quickly,” she said softly, and Roman looked at her as he smirked.

"I am known to be the fastest and the strongest of the land,” he said boastfully.

Ashta scowled at him, and his smile quickly faded.

"And still the same arrogant asshole as before,” she added, as she shook her head.

Roman made a face and nodded his head from side to side as if to say you're not wrong.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" she asked him.

He looked at her thoughtfully and uncrossed his arms.

"When I find the answer to that question, I will let you know,” he said flatly.

Ashta scoffed again and shook her head. She didn't have the patients to deal with anymore of his games.

"You just can't give me one straight answer, can you? I thought that maybe you were different, but you're not," Ashta growled.

Roman took this opportunity to leave, and he looked at her with care as he began backing away from her and the others.

"Not with an audience, I'm not,” he said matter-of-factly, as he walked out of the garden.

Angrily, Ashta stared after him. Suddenly, Roman stopped, sighed a heavy sigh, and then turned back to Ashta.

"You know that I have questions of my own,” he said matter-of-factly, as he stared at her.

"Like?" Ashta asked, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Like, why the sudden attitude toward me? I haven't done anything to you to deserve it. And for the record, I was going to get you and your human out of that dungeon," Roman said heatedly, as he stalked back over the Ashta.

Angrily, Damian glared at Roman as Lashanna, and Xavier stood by his side. He didn't know what this man's problem was, but he was there to protect Ashta at all costs. Damian looked at Ashta, confused.

"What is he talking about?" he whispered, and Ashta's eyebrows rose at Roman.

He was about to tell everyone his secret if he wasn't careful. Then again, Ashta didn't care. Her gaze was fixed on Roman.

"How could a commoner such as yourself break into the dungeon in Taitum?" Xavier asked.

Roman and Ashta ignored everyone's concerns and glared angrily at each other as Roman reached her.

"You didn't tell anyone about our night in the dungeon?" he asked, a little surprised through gritted teeth.

"You asked me to keep my mouth shut, and so did that woman you live with, so I did!" Ashta growled back at him.

Suspiciously, he searched her eyes for a moment. He couldn't believe that she had kept her word, and Roman could admit he admired her for that.

"Good,” he snarled back.

Suddenly, the symbols on the rock began to glow, and the energy rose between them as the wind began to pick up rapidly.

"What's going on?" Lashanna yelled, as she held onto her hair so it wouldn't whip her in the face, and Damian looked at her in fear as he shook his head.

"I don't know,” he yelled back, as the rain began to fall, and then it began to swirl around Ashta and Roman.

"Ashta!" called Lashanna, as she looked at her friend.

Neither Roman nor Ashta could hear her or anything going on around them as they glared at each other. They were encased in an energy field that was designed just for them. At that moment, Roman and Ashta lifted off of the ground, and they landed on top of the enormous boulder. Luminously, the tattoos on Ashta's back began to glow, and Roman was forced onto his knees in front of her. She looked down at him in shock, as an orange and red mist surrounded him and forced his arms straight out to his sides.

Painfully, Roman screamed as the symbols on the boulder began to disappear and appear on his back. Roman looked up at Ashta painfully, and the whole world seemed to disappear around them. The only thing he could see was Ashta.

Ashta stared at him in shock as the mysterious garden appeared around them. He looked up at Ashta, and she could tell that this frightened him. At that moment, he seemed so vulnerable. Gently, Ashta held out her hand, and Roman looked up at her with wide eyes.

"It's okay. You are safe,” she said softly, as she smiled at him.

Roman didn't know where he was, and he wasn't sure if he could trust this place. However, Ashta was there, and he trusted her. He swallowed hard as he reached up and took her hand.

"Where are we?" he whispered, as he got to his feet and stood close to her.

Nervously, Roman looked around the garden as Ashta tried to pull her hand from his, but he wouldn’t let go. Ashta looked up at him for a moment. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and she watched as the drop of water ran down his throat, and she swallowed hard.

Alarmed by seeing him in this state of mind, made her feel as though she should let him hold her hand. He seemed so scared and she felt a twinge of sadness in her heart as she relaxed her hand and he still held his firm grip.

"Now, you two can begin your journey,” echoed the moon god's voice, and Roman huffed a breath, as he continued to look around in amazement.

"What?" Ashta called in confusion.

"You have found the other elemental being,” the voice said, and Ashta scratched her head with her free hand.

Suddenly, she looked up at Roman, and she stared at him in awe.

"What? Who is that? What is he talking about?" Roman asked, confused, as he looked down at her.

"Boy, you have got so much to learn!” Snarled the moon god, as green glowing eyes appeared in front of them.

"So you are like me?" she asked him.

"Yes. He is the other child that was born of both species. This child needs to learn how to call upon the elements, as you have, princess,” echoed the voice.

Confidently, Roman looked up at the green eyes.

"But my mother told me that the great teacher was dead,” he called, and the glowing eyes blinked at him.

"Yinlin is alive in her. Be kind to each other and teach each other well. You both can learn a lot from each other."

At that moment, the moon god and the garden disappeared. Nervously, Roman looked at Ashta with wide eyes, and then suddenly Roman was forced to his knees as he screamed in pain. Alarmingly, he looked up at Ashta as he squeezed his eyes shut and contorted his mouth.

"Please make it stop!" he forced out, exhaustedly, and Ashta looked at him in horror.

She knew that feeling and she felt bad for him.

"Hold on. It's almost over,” she whispered with care.

Suddenly, the pain stopped and Roman took a deep breath as he looked around. They were back in the Garden of Eternity. He looked up at Ashta and she smiled at him as the wind died down around them. Damian, Lashanna, and Xavier stared at them in shock. Ashta held out her hand to Roman, and helped him to his feet.

"Well, now that was interesting,” said Ashta, as she put her hand to her face.

Roman stared at her with a dumbfounded look on his face, and she looked up at him softly.

"Well, I guess if you planned on getting rid of me, now you know that will never happen," Ashta joked, and Roman backed away from her as he jumped down from the boulder.

"What have you done to me?" he asked in terror, as he held his hands up defensively.

At that moment, Ashta's smile faded as she realized Roman was scared of her, and she looked at him in fear and awe. He couldn’t walk away from her now!

"Me? You were born this way!” she said in disbelief.

Without another word, Roman turned and ran out of the garden. He didn't understand what had just happened to him. Frantically, he ran home and waited for his mother to return. Ashta shook her head, and she jumped off of the rock, and she looked at her friends as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"The nerve of that guy!" she exclaimed, and Lashanna looked at her with a confused look on her face.

"Okay, what just happened?" she asked, and Ashta dropped her arms, as she sighed heavily.

"I don't know,” she lied.

Unfortunately, she knew exactly what happened. Roman was the same as her. Born of both species and hated for it.

"Come on. Let's head back to the castle," Damian said in a low voice.

Ashta looked at him and smiled as she nodded.

"Hey, can we keep this, whatever it was that happened, between us for the moment?" Ashta asked as they walked out of the garden.

"Of course,” said Damian, and Lashanna and Xavier nodded.

"Thank you,” said Ashta.

They made their way back to the castle, and they ate dinner and turned in for the night.

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That night, after everyone had turned in, Ashta thought about how Roman had acted and she didn't understand. She sighed heavily as she turned her face into the pillow. She wanted everything to just make sense.